Tag: academic success

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Academic Devleopment of Student-Athletes (ADSA)

Empowering Student-Athletes Through Literacy and Beyond 

ADSAspecialists

Empowering Student-Athletes Through Literacy and Beyond 

Our team of 3 highly skilled reading and writing interventionists works collaboratively with our staff to enhance the academic success of our athletes, specifically in the areas of reading and writing.  

Focus Areas: 

  • Reading: Our reading interventionists employ evidence-based strategies to improve reading comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary development. Through individualized instruction and targeted support, we help our student-athletes become confident and proficient readers. 
  • Writing: Our writing interventionists focus on developing strong writing skills, including grammar, mechanics, and organization. By providing guidance and feedback, we empower our athletes to communicate effectively through written expression. 
  • Quantitative Skills: Recognizing the importance of numeracy in academic success, our interventionists offer support in developing quantitative skills. This includes building a strong foundation in math concepts and problem-solving strategies. 
  • Executive Functioning Skills: We understand the critical role of executive functioning skills in academic performance. Our interventionists work with student-athletes to enhance their time management, organization, and study skills. 

Introducing Lexi Williams & Stan Kellen 

 Lexi and Stan join Samantha LoCoco, to round out our team of Academic Interventionists. Lexi Williams joins us from Georgia Tech where she previously worked as an Academic Advisor working with Women’s Basketball, Softball and Women’s Tennis. Prior to that, she completed a post-graduate internship at Florida State University.  Lexi received her B.S. in Sport Marketing from Grace College while also serving as a member on the Track and Field team. She completed her M.S. in Sport Management at Liberty University. She is a native of Roanoke, Virginia. She enjoys attending sporting events and going to coffee shops in her spare time. 

Stan Kellen joined the SMU staff as a Literacy Specialist in August of 2024. Prior to working at SMU, Stan spent two years at the University of South Carolina serving as a Learning Specialist. Before South Carolina, he spent three years at Texas A&M University working part-time as an Intern, Mentor, and Assistant Learning Specialist.  

A native of College Station, TX, Stan received his B.S. and M.S. in Sport Management from Texas A&M University. Stan enjoys being outdoors, concerts, video games, and attending sporting events. 

Welcome to the Hilltop! 

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Academic Devleopment of Student-Athletes (ADSA) Student Academic Engagement & Success

ADSA Accentuates Academic Achievements of 2023-2024

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Southern Methodist University (SMU) is proud of its student-athletes who consistently demonstrate excellence in both academics and athletics. We understand the unique challenges they face in balancing a demanding sports schedule with rigorous coursework. Our Mustangs arise to the exceed these standards every semester!

The Academic Development of Student-Athletes (ADSA) program is a cornerstone of SMU’s commitment to student-athlete success. ADSA provides a comprehensive support system that includes: 

  • Academic Counseling: ADSA advisors help student-athletes make informed decisions about their academic pursuits, from choosing a major to planning their course schedules. They also ensure athletes maintain NCAA eligibility requirements. 
  • Learning Skills Specialists: These specialists identify areas where student-athletes can improve, such as writing skills or time management. They offer personalized strategies and support to enhance academic performance. 
  • Tutoring and Class Checking: ADSA connects student-athletes with qualified tutors for a wide range of subjects for undergraduate students. If interested in becoming a tutor for the ADSA, submit an application here. Additionally, class checking services ensure attendance in class. 

Academic Achievement and Recognition 

The dedication of our student-athletes and the effectiveness of ADSA’s support are evident in SMU’s recent academic achievements: 

  • Public Recognition from the NCAA: Four SMU programs – men’s golf, women’s golf, rowing, and women’s soccer – received a perfect Academic Progress Rate (APR) score of 1,000, earning prestigious Public Recognition from the NCAA. View the APR results of the 2023 year. 
  • Surpassing Departmental and National Goals: Fourteen out of fifteen Mustang programs exceeded the departmental goal of a 975 APR score over four years. Additionally, thirteen programs scored equal to or higher than the national average in their respective sports. 

Spring 2024 Academic Highlights: 

  • Spring 2024 Athletic Department GPA:  3.25 
  • 72% of student-athletes received a 3.0 GPA in the Spring 2024 semester
  •  70% of student-athletes received a cumulative GPA above a 3.0
  • Top Single term Team GPAs: 
    • Women’s Cross Country: 3.728 
    • Men’s Tennis: 3.548 
  • Top Cumulative Team GPAs: 
    • Women’s Cross Country: 3.744 
    • Men’s Tennis: 3.629 
    • 55 Student-Athletes earned a perfect 4.00 GPA 

SMU’s student-athletes are true champions, excelling both on the field and in the classroom. They are well-positioned to achieve their athletic and academic goals heading into the ACC on July 1, 2024. Pony Up!  

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SMU in Four

Call for applications: Provost Faculty Fellow for Undergraduate Academic Success

The Office of Faculty Success within the Office of the Provost announced a call for applications for a new Provost Faculty Fellow to join the current cohort. The open position will focus on the following priority area:

Undergraduate Academic Success Fellow. As we move into Year 4 of the Quality Enhancement Plan (SMU-in-Four), we will begin to implement several recommended solutions from the Early Alert and Advising Pillars. The Provost Faculty Fellow in this role will assist in conversations with academic departments about the best way to implement 2 of these recommendations: 1) building an academic alert system using information in Canvas; and 2) implementing professional advising across the five undergraduate schools. During the fall term, the Fellow will be part of a small group who will meet with each academic department to gather critical feedback. In the spring, the Fellow will support this group in development the plan to implement recommended changes. Prior experience as a faculty advisor or as a director of undergraduate studies would be advantageous in this role, but not a necessary criteria. Previous applicants are encouraged to re-apply.

All full-time faculty members can apply—with priority for either instructional (professional/teaching track) faculty or tenured faculty who have interest and/or experience in the area above. The priority deadline for consideration is Friday, May 17th. A full application should include both a CV and a cover letter that describes your interest a) in the priority area and b) in the professional development opportunities associated with the Fellow role. Applications and questions can be sent to facultysuccess@smu.edu.

For a complete description of the role of Provost Faculty Fellow, please see AY24-25 Provost Faculty Fellow Call for Applicants.

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Academic Devleopment of Student-Athletes (ADSA) Student Academic Engagement & Success

8 Student-Athletes Honored During SMU Honors Convocation

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On Friday, April 19, 2024, SMU honored their undergraduate students in the annual Honors Convocation Ceremony. This year’s ceremony marked the 27th celebration of SMU’s outstanding students whose intelligence, dedication, and hard work contribute greatly to the life of the University. Out of 538 SMU Students honored at this event, 8 student-athletes were selected for various awards this year. To view the full list of Award Recipients, click here .

Soderquist Macie Soderquist is a Senior on the Equestrian team and received the University Honors Program Award. Macie is majoring in General Business and has a GPA of 3.861. Learn more about the UHP here.

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Abigail (Abby) Dermott of the SMU Women’s Soccer Team, earned the Outstanding Graduating Senior in Biochemistry award. As a senior, she participated in the University Honors Program and is studying in the Natural Sciences Program. She is majoring in Biochemistry and minoring in Ethics and Neuroscience with a cumulative GPA of 3.991.  

Isabella Dickinson is a Senior on our Women’s Swim & Dive team. Originally from California, she was recognized for her work in the University Honors Program for her business courses. Isabella is majoring in Finance with a specialization in Real Estate. Additionally, she has a minor in History with an impressive overall GPA of 3.94. 

Maddy Lewis, also a senior on our Women’s Swim and Dive team, obtained this accolade from the University Honors Program. She is majoring in Biological Sciences and minoring in Art with a 3.571 GPA. 

Maxine Parkinson, of SMU’S Women’s Swim & Dive team, earned two various awards from the Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences. First, she was acknowledged for Outstanding Senior Student, and also awarded the Hamilton Undergraduate Research Scholar. Learn more about the requirements of these candidates here. She is majoring in Biological Sciences and minoring in Computer Science and Neuroscience. She has a cumulative GPA of 3.931 

J.Crowley Jessamine Crowley is a Senior distance runner on the Track & Field, Cross Country team.  She is triple majoring in Economics, Philosophy and Statistical Sciences with an overall 3.839 GPA. She received the Phi Beta Kappa award from Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences.  

Kailyn Gearin, a senior from Oregon, who is on the SMU Track & Field, Cross Country team (TFCC) brought home two awards last Friday. The first award, Applied Physiology and Health Management Departmental Distinction Award from the Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development, and the second from the University Honors Program. Gearin is majoring in Applied Physiology and Sport Management (Health Management) and minoring in Biological Sciences with a GPA of 3.639.

Mia Olsen, a Track & Field, Cross Country senior, who is double majoring in Biochemistry and Health and Society; with a minor in Biomedical Anthropology and Psychology. Her cumulative GPA is 4.0 and she was recognized for 2 separate awards: Phi Beta Kappa and the Outstanding Senior Student in Health and Society from the Anthropology Department. 

Congratulations to these 8 student-athletes who are well on their way to becoming World Changers!

Watch the full ceremony video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUK-zfxAH9U 

 

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Academic Devleopment of Student-Athletes (ADSA) Student Academic Engagement & Success

Ariana Contreras Uses Heritage To Connect With Hispanic Student-Athletes

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By: Jordan Mitchell, originally on SMUMustangs.com (October 26)

DALLAS (SMU) – Getting hired on as a senior academic counselor in SMU Athletics’ Academic Development of Student-Athletes (ADSA) office was a full-circle moment for Ariana Contreras.

When she was taking a sports law class during her undergraduate career at New Mexico State in 2015, Contreras was struggling to find a topic for a required paper. Eventually, her brother, Alan, suggested she watch the ESPN 30For30 documentary “Pony Excess.” After watching, Contreras decided to write about SMU and completed what she believes was one of the best papers of her undergraduate career.

Fast forward to November 2022. After earning her master’s in sports management from Eastern Michigan University and spending 18 months as an Assistant Director of Men’s and Women’s Track and Field and Cross Country at the University of Houston, Contreras found a job opening for a football academic counselor at SMU.

During an interview with associate head football coach Rob Likens, she told him about the “brilliant” paper that she had written about SMU as an undergrad and about how she almost came to the Hilltop for graduate school. He laughed.

“I think at this point, I’m manifesting (things) into reality!” Contreras said.

While manifestation is all well and good, Contreras excelled in her career through hard work and a passion for students. A first-generation college student and American from La Quinta, California, she had to wondered on and off different career paths before finding her love of academic counseling in athletics. A love that has only grown stronger since moving to Dallas.

Working with football, men’s soccer and women’s basketball gives Contreras a unique opportunity to build genuine relationships with a diverse group of student-athletes. When working with some men’s soccer student-athletes, she is able to practice her Spanish, her first language, so that she can communicate better with her father back home in California.

While speaking Spanish with Spanish-speaking students isn’t a job requirement, it allows Contreras to create a comfortable environment that feels like home for Hispanic students. Those students regularly praise her for making them feel connected to their heritage when away from home.

Women’s soccer midfielder Layla Garcia-Moreno had immense appreciation for Contreras when she stepped out of her office and called her “mija,” an endearing Spanish contraction translating to “my daughter” in English, and asked how she was doing.

“(Garcia-Moreno) was super excited,” Contreras said. “She was like, ‘You just made me feel like I was back home.’ That made my day.”

Her Spanish not only benefits other Spanish-speaking students, but those taking Spanish classes as well. SMU football offensive lineman Keaton Schultz approached her last Wednesday to talk about his upcoming advising appointment, but did so fully in Spanish. When he stumbled on a word, Contreras let him rummage through his thoughts to recall vocabulary, just as she must do when remembering obscure vocabulary when talking with her dad. But unlike her dad, who tells her to ask her mom for the word and will joke about her losing her grip on the language, she let him fumble until Schultz got it.

“It made me so happy!” Contreras said. “For the guys that are taking Spanish, once I know who they are, I start speaking to them in Spanish. And (Schultz) never used English! We had a full-on discussion.”

While working as an academic counselor allows for Contreras to play to her strengths and use her big personality to build relationships with student-athletes and help them grow holistically as people, she loves that she can be a role model for Hispanics and other minorities wanting to work in collegiate athletics. There aren’t many Hispanic women in those type of senior athletic staff roles, and Contreras believes that if she can be the first in her family to get her master’s and climb the ladder, others can too.

“I’m in this profession because I think it’s important that women of color, especially Hispanic women, be in leadership roles,” Contreras said. “I would love to eventually be a Director of Football Academics, Senior Woman Administrator and Deputy AD one day. I want student-athletes who look like me to have someone they can look up to and (say), ‘If she got there, I can too!'”

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Academic Devleopment of Student-Athletes (ADSA)

Save the date: SMU is hosting the American Athletic Conference Academic Consortium

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Mark your calendars and prepare for an enriching event that promises to bring together the brightest minds in our field!

SMU is hosting the annual American Athletic Conference (AAC) Academic Consortium Symposium. Here are a few reasons why you won’t want to miss it.

Save the Date Details:

  • Dates: April 12- 14, 2024
  • Location: Southern Methodist University (Dallas, TX)

The AAC Academic Symposium is more than just another conference. The core focus of the event is to discuss programming related to student well-being. These programs will create a structure, process, and programming that fosters partnerships among member institutions and develops initiatives that advance the academic mission of each school. Find additional information about the Consortium on the AAC Site: Academic Consortium (theamerican.org)