Category: Offices & Programs

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Academic Devleopment of Student-Athletes (ADSA)

October Mustang Champions

octMC

This month’s Mustang Champions feature three Senior Mustangs and one on the rise Freshman! Check out the commitment to excellence by our Mustangs Champions of the Month! 

Natalia Newsome (Volleyball)  

Natalia Newsome is a freshman from Arlington, Texas and is having a standout year on the court and in the classroom. She has impressed her senior academic counselor, Alana Owens, who shared that she has a respectful and punctual attitude and that Natalie is committed to her studies. Owens notes that Newsome embodies the Athletic Department’s S.P.I.R.I.T. motto, making her a joy to work with. She is the middle blocker on the SMU volleyball team, which is nationally ranked at #10.  Natalia’s academic interests include Business, Law, or Sports Management. 

Kyran Chambron Pinho (Men’s Soccer) 

Kyran Chambron Pinho is a senior from Frankfurt, Germany. During his time on the Hilltop, he has been a role model for the other international students on his team.  He exemplifies what is means to be a student-athlete. Not only is he competitive and striving for excellence on the pitch, but he also expects perfection in the classroom and from his peers. The two-time ACC Player of the Week honoree, encourages the use of ADSA resources and regularly pursues opportunities for personal, educational, and professional growth, which will continue to serve him well. Dr. Teiana Jones, Senior Director of ADSA and Assistant Athletic Director of Academics, shared that Kyran has been a pleasure to get to know. She is proud of his academic journey. Kyran is on track to graduate in 3.5 years, with a degree in Economics and a minor in Psychology (Fall 2024). SMU awaits the reveal of the 48-team NCAA Championships bracket, which is set to be released during the NCAA Selection Show on Monday, Nov. 18. First-round NCAA tournament action will begin on Thursday, Nov. 21.   

Maykayla Jackson (Track & Field) 

Senior Triple Jumper, Maykayla Jackson has earned this honor, through her pursuits and voice on campus. She is an active member of BSAC (Black Student-Athlete Committee), whose mission is; “to create a safe space and advocacy channel for Black-identifying student-athletes at SMU”. Originally from Midlothian, Texas, Maykayla is consistently working to reach her personal and educational goals. She is majoring in Biological Sciences, conducting research with Professor Brewster, and has aspirations to go to medical school after she graduates in May 2025.  

Keon Ambrose-Hylton (Men’s Basketball) 

Keon’s journey to SMU wasn’t easy; originally from Ontario, Canada, his first stop in the US was Alabama University. He transferred to SMU in the Summer of 2022, and completed his Bachelor’s degree in Applied Physiology and Sports Management (APSM) in Spring 2024.  He is furthering his education on the Hilltop, and is pursuing his Masters of Liberal Studies (MLS), expecting to graduate in 2025. Keon has been an active member of BSAC and LAB. This Fall, he has the second most community service hours logged by an individual SMU student-athlete at 11.25 hours. Come support Keon and SMU Men’s Basketball team (currently 3-0) this season! (Click here for Schedule) 

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Office of Engaged Learning Pathways to Industry Student Academic Engagement & Success

From Texas History to the Business World: Spotlight on Peter Mendiola ’25

By Tiffany Nguyen ’27, Pathways to Business and Industry PAL

Peter Mendiola’s journey into the world of history began when he was browsing the course catalog and was drawn by the diverse offerings. He enrolled in first history class at SMU: Texas History with Brian Franklin. The course left a lasting impression on him, particularly the unique perspectives it offered on the Alamo—exploring not only the traditional narrative but also the viewpoints of both the Texans and the Mexicans. He describes history as “very malleable,” how it is “written by the victors,” and getting jarred out of the perspective was impactful.

On top of his diverse set of classes, Peter was involved in Student Foundation, as part of the Development Team and the Bridwell Reading Group, that discusses various books and policy articles regarding economic philosophy. While he was involved on-campus, he was working for a construction company in the financial accounting department, gaining hands-on experience in the business world.  In his junior year, he was required to do a junior seminar class, where they spent the entire semester researching and finalizing on a tremendously large academic paper, sifting through large documents of information. As a history major, he is preparing to do his independent study in the spring.

Beyond his academic career, he worked at Ares Management, an alternative investment firm as a summer analyst this past summer in New York. During his internship, Peter found himself sifting through long, dense packets of information. Fortunately, he realized that his history classes had prepared him for this type of task, as they often involved analyzing similarly complex materials. The nature of history—its reliance on different perspectives and interpretations—made it easier for him to understand what was being communicated in the documents he reviewed. As Peter himself put it, he was grateful for his history major, which gave him the skills to navigate the information, a skill he hadn’t developed in his other coursework.

In the office, Peter was able to use his knowledge of history to connect with his colleagues. He engaged in conversations about historical topics that interested them, fostering meaningful relationships and creating a sense of camaraderie. He quickly learned that being able to engage in conversation and connect with others was essential to thriving in the workplace. Without that ability, he noted, it would be difficult to succeed in the company.

Peter also came to appreciate how understanding historical context is valuable not only in his field but in the business world as a whole. He believes that knowing the broader context of the world—how things evolved and where they began—helps in understanding various industries, from finance to marketing. In essence, everything has a starting point, and understanding that foundation is crucial for navigating the complexities of business. His future goals entail working at an investment firm, either in New York City, Miami, or Dallas, in wealth management, fostering connections with his co-workers with his knowledge of history, and knowing how the context for how the world is now. He hopes that when he speaks to people in his industry, that his love of history comes across and inspires people to learn more about it, as well as “inspiring other people to find what they like to do” besides their line of work.

By combining his interests in history and finance, Peter is setting an example for students who want interdisciplinary paths to business and industry. To find out more information about the SMU Pathways to Business and Industry, please contact pbi@smu.edu.

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Academic Devleopment of Student-Athletes (ADSA)

SMU Volleyball Breaking Records on the Court and in the Classroom

SA studying

A snapshot into traveling on the road in the ACC: 

During the first week of the 2024 Fall semester, while most students were walking to their first class on campus, it looked a little different for the SMU volleyball student-athletes; who were on a plane traveling to Hawaii and San Diego for their first away tournament. Before they stepped into a class, they were walking on the court.  

 It’s no secret that the demands on a student-athlete are different than the average college student. There are early mornings, late nights, changing schedules, and traveling for competitions that take up an athlete’s “spare time”. In those small breaks, you can see the dedication shown by the athletes studying on the bus or plane, reading the in the hotel room, etc. Our Mustang Student-Athletes want to be the best at everything they do, so SMU Athletics partners with ADSA to ensure that academics are still prioritized even when they are traveling for competitions. The coaching staff “really value ADSA support and resources and make it a priority in the volleyball program” – Alana Owens, Senior Academic Counselor

More than Competition: 

This trip allowed many of the volleyball players to experience Hawaii and Polynesian culture for the first time. While most away trips for student-athletes are scheduled to allow for the shortest travel time possible- to avoid missing classes, etc. On this trip, the team was able to experience several unique events including attending the Polynesian Cultural Center (see below) 

SMUVB

When on the road, Alana Owens, the Volleyball Senior Academic Counselor, conducted mandatory academic study hall for all student-athletes on the team. This is to ensure that there is scheduled time dedicated to academics. “This group is very athletically and academically focused this semester; I am very proud of them for putting in the required road study hall hours through this busy road trip schedule” – Alana Owens. Of the 15 players on the team, 7 are graduate students pursuing programs in Cox and Simmons. These athletes are dedicated to pursing their degree while also having a record-breaking season in the ACC.

Come support this outstanding team at their next game on Friday, November 15, 2024 in Moody Coliseum in Dallas, TX.  

 Photography credit: FreeKey Three Creative Team 

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Office of General Education

Approved meeting minutes from the Council on General Education on October 18, 2024

The Council on General Education met on October 18, 2024. The meeting minutes for September 27, 2024 were approved at this meeting. Below is the agenda, and the meeting minutes have now been posted on the General Education website.

  1. Approval of Agenda for October 18, 2024, Council on General Education meeting.
  2. Approval of Minutes for the September 27, 2024, Council on General Education meeting.
  3. Common Curriculum SLO Assessment Report
  4. Course Proposals
    1. Revised Proposals
      1. ARHS 3305 (Arts of the American Southwest) – PREX-HD
      2. UNIV 2301 (formerly 1301) (Information Systems and Society) – TAS; PREX-W
    2. New Proposals
      1. ENGL 1380 (Introduction to Literature: Monsters and Magic) – LAI
      2. AMAE 3387 (Principles of Creative Entrepreneurship) – CA
  5. General Education Office Updates
    1. SMU-in-Four PREX-CIE Course Proposals
    2. Coherent Rationale Audit Progress

Please contact the Office of General Education for questions or proposal development support.

Categories
News Office of Engaged Learning Office of Engaged Learning - Entrepreneurship

Spotlight on Big iDeas Alum Josh Baier: Founder of TIMIO News LLC

We are excited to highlight the entrepreneurial journey of SMU alum Josh Baier (’24), founder of TIMIO News LLC.

TIMIO News, set to fully launch soon, is an innovative platform designed to provide users an unbiased news feed using GenAI to analyze news articles from across the web. Baier’s journey began while he was a student in the SMU Big iDeas program, where he developed foundational components of his business and honed his skills in innovation and leadership.

As an SMU student, Baier found the Big iDeas program instrumental in shaping his path, providing resources and capital that fueled his entrepreneurial drive. Now, with a team that includes other SMU Students (Abbie Ellermeier, Isabella Fleet, Justus Woods), TIMIO is inspiring other team members to take part in Big iDeas – including Big iDeas Pitch Contest winner, Isabella Fleet.

The Office of Engaged Learning recently sat down with Josh for an interview to discuss more about his vision for TIMIO and his insights on building a successful startup while being a collegiate entrepreneur. To hear more about Baier’s story and the upcoming launch of TIMIO, watch the full interview here.

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Student Academic Engagement & Success University Testing Center

Testing returns to normal operations on 11/6

As of 5:00p.m. on Tuesday, November 5, testing has returned to normal operations following a two-day power outage in Clements Hall.

Test takers with scheduled testing appointments should plan to test at the University Testing Center. They are also encouraged to confirm testing appointment dates and times in the UTC Portal.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the University Testing Center staff at universitytestingcenter@smu.edu.

 

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Student Academic Engagement & Success University Testing Center

Testing rescheduled on 11/4 and 11/5 due to Clements Hall electrical outage

On Monday, November 4, the university received notice from the Office of Facilities Planning & Management that Clements Hall experienced a power outage. Facilities updated the campus community at 6:41am on November 5 that the building will remain closed today.

All testing appointments on Monday, November 4, and Tuesday, November 5, have been rescheduled due to the Clements Hall electrical outage. Test takers and instructors were notified via their university email addresses and provided with individualized instructions from the University Testing Center staff.

Decisions related to November 6 testing appointments will be made by 4pm on November 5. Please check back for updates.

Classes scheduled in Clements Hall have also been relocated.

Please check the University Testing Center website for up-to-date information regarding testing operations as more information becomes available.

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Office of Engaged Learning Office of Engaged Learning - Entrepreneurship Student Academic Engagement & Success

Upcoming Business & Entrepreneurship Roundtables

Two students looking at laptop computers

The Office of Engaged Learning has two virtual events this month that will provide insights from experienced professionals and peers into the world of business and industry. The events are open to all faculty, staff and students at SMU. Please join us and encourage students you know who may be interested in attending!

Big iDeas is hosting a roundtable discussion “Developing Grit: The Key to Entrepreneurial Success” on November 12 from 4:30-5:30pm. In this session, we’ll dive into how resilience, perseverance, and a strong mindset can make all the difference in achieving your business goals. Whether you’re just starting out or scaling your venture, this discussion is packed with insights to help you thrive in the face of challenges. Speakers are Garrett Boone (co-founder of The Container Store), Michael Kelly (Chief Strategy Officer at Mozee), and Bhavna Kumar (Head of Startup Accelerator at the Spears Institute of Entrepreneurial Leadership at SMU).

Pathways to Business and Industry is hosting a Current Students and Alumni Panel on November 20 from 4:30-5:30pm. Students can hear from peers and alumni about their experiences exploring corporate and industry opportunitites. This is a great opportunity to ask questions or gain practical advice and inspiration to shape your professional journey.

Register on SMU 360 for the Zoom links:

 

 

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Academic Devleopment of Student-Athletes (ADSA)

Happy Halloween from the ADSA

spacejam

The ADSA would like to wish everyone a wonderful and safe Halloween! Every year, we participate in the Spooktacular S.P.I.R.I.T costume contest held by SMU Athletics. This year our selected theme was Space Jam! All your favorite Looney Tunes characters attended– even Gossamer made an appearance!

Happy Halloween!

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Student Academic Engagement & Success Student Success & Retention

Join the Addressing Equity: Transfer Student Success and Retention DCII Research Cluster as we read Discredited

Join the Addressing Equity: Transfer Student Success and Retention Dedman College Interdisciplinary Institute (DCII) Research Cluster as we read Discredited.

This research cluster addresses equity issues to support transfer student success and retention at SMU. Its focused research and collaborative approach on the Hilltop make these efforts significant.

Join us for our book club preceding the SMU Transfer Summit scheduled for February 14, 2025. In Discredited, education scholars Lauren Schudde and Huriya Jabbar illuminate the successes and failures of the systems that support student transfer among postsecondary institutions. Summarizing the key challenges of various transfer pathways, Schudde and Jabbar show how the current decentralized, bureaucracy-ridden, and often confusing process undermines equity and access in higher education.

To sign up, email Kate Bell-Miller (kebell@smu.edu) and Dustin Grabsch (dgrabsch@smu.edu) and pick up your book from the Transfer & Veteran’s Center located in Laura Lee Blanton Student Services Building, Suite 100, on or before November 22.

Upon sign-up, you will receive Outlook calendar invites to the three book club meetings outlined in the flyer above. We look forward to learning with you this year.