Princess Igwe-Icho ’24 is a President’s Scholar and recent winner of the Engaged Learning Starter Award (ELSA). This is a small award for first-generation or underrepresented students who want to pursue a research or creative project. Princess’s project focuses on accommodations for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing. Watch this video by Ixchell Ibanez ’24 to learn more!
SMU is excited to share an open position, the Assistant Dean for Scholars Programs, is live on the SMU Staff Career Portal. Please consider, share with your offices, and post within your professional networks.
About the Position: The Assistant Dean for Scholars Programs (HR Title Associate Director 2) is responsible for the operations, strategy, and recruitment for two of SMU’s central Scholars programs: the President’s Scholars Program and the Nancy Ann and Ray L. Hunt Leadership Scholars Programs. The Assistant Dean manages these two distinctive programs in their entirety—from the scholars’ point of application to the University, through graduation, and into the alumni experience. Working closely with scholars from both programs, the Assistant Dean will plan, orchestrate and supervise ongoing programming as well as the limited teaching of courses integrated into the experience. With a focus on leadership, the Hunt Leadership Scholars Program involves shaping the scholars into engaged leaders, while the President’s Scholars Program has its strongest focus on creativity, innovation, and academic pursuits. In addition, this position will collaborate closely with faculty mentors assigned to the programs, as well as other key campus offices that support leadership development, new student transitions, retention and the academic excellence goals as stated in the SMU in Four. The tracking of student involvement, academic progress, and providing support, when necessary, will be of central importance. The Assistant Dean will also supervise the Director of the Mustang Scholars Program and First Gen Initiatives. Candidates must have a master’s degree but a terminal degree is preferred. The candidate must be very detail oriented, and have a passion for working with students, fostering intellectual discourse, and becoming fully engaged in the larger SMU community.
Deadline to Apply: October 1, 2022. Priority consideration may be given to submissions received by September 15, 2022.
A collaborative search committee comprised of SAES members, student affairs, admissions, and faculty advisors will be formed in the coming weeks to review applications, conduct virtual and in-person campus interviews, and make a recommendation for hire. We are targeting a November 1 start date.
Please contact Dean David D. Doyle if you have any questions.
by Isabelle Galko ’22
This month, I traveled to Marseille and presented at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) World Conservation Congress, a global meeting that takes place once every four years and serves as an assembly of leaders and decision-makers from government, academia, society, indigenous cultures, and industry working towards conserving the environment.
My presentation for the forum at IUCN was titled “Preparing Families to be Act as Stewards to Combat Climate Change and Restore Ocean Health.” The presentation showcases three projects (including my own) designed to increase individual stewardship and mitigate climate change risks in local communities. I specifically focused on female leadership in conservation and using the featured projects as models for future youth-led community-based initiatives. I also worked with IUCN’s Commission on Education and Communication (CEC) over the 10 days at the conference. The commission’s current focus is an initiative called NatureForAll, which promotes equitable access to nature to cultivate love and appreciation for nature, with the goal to increase conservation of nature. When I arrived in Marseille, I set up the CEC’s “Youth Oasis,” where I connected with other young conservation leaders from around the world, helped put on interactive programs for the conference, and shared information about NatureForAll.
The first night, I saw French President Macron and the actor Harrison Ford speak at the Opening Ceremony. I attended sessions on many different topics, including the blue economy, environmental law, and amplifying indigenous voices in conservation, sat in on the member’s assembly, and heard from amazing experts, including the Prince of Monaco, the UN Special Envoy to the Ocean, and National Geographic explorers. I learned so much in Marseille, but my biggest takeaway from IUCN is that future approaches to address environmental challenges must be transgenerational, intersectional, and inclusive. Ultimately, conservation must be re-centered around people.