Tag: PALs

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Office of General Education Peer Academic Leaders Student Academic Engagement & Success

PALs wrap up September programming and look toward October

The Peer Academic Leaders (PALs) are happy to announce that they have completed their first whole month of programming this academic year.

In September, the PALs hosted:

  • 4 Degree Planner Workshops
  • 2 Peer Panels
  • 2 Advice Booths
  • 2 Enhancement Workshops highlighting the A-LEC and SMU 360.

The PALs consistently marketed all their events via Instagram, physical flyers, and digital boards across campus. These efforts proved successful, as the PALs averaged 10-30 attendees per event.

The PALs have also succeeded with their one-on-one advising appointments at Laura Lee Blanton in Suite 102. Undergraduate students scheduled appointments in Booking.SMU with the PALs to cover topics such as Degree Planner, and how to get involved on campus as a Freshman.

With a month of programming under their belt, the PALs are eager to get a start on their October events.

They will host workshops throughout the month highlighting Spring Enrollment, with their first one being held on October 20th. Students can find their PALs before then; however, during their October Peer Panel that will highlight TAOS, Intersessions, and Study Abroad experiences.

The Office of General Education also encourages SMU students to take advantage of the PALs office hours should they prefer a one-on-one appointment with a PAL.

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Office of General Education Peer Academic Leaders Student Academic Engagement & Success

The Office of General Education celebrates their September PAL of the month

As the Peer Academic Leaders (PALs) wrap up their September programming, the Office of General Education wants to recognize their September PAL of the month, Hannah Ashby.

Hannah is currently a Junior at SMU who is working towards a degree in Psychology. Since her first day of training, Hannah has impressed us with her work ethic and creativity.

When Hannah is not planning or facilitating her own programs, she can be found at her fellow PALs’ events, cheering them on. Hannah has quickly developed into a leader during her time as a PAL, and she continuously leads by example.

The Office of General Education is proud of Hannah’s hard work, and we look forward to seeing her continued efforts to inspire her fellow Mustangs.

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Peer Academic Leaders Student Success & Retention

Ask a Mustang: A resource for new and current students

Ask a Mustang is a pop-up Q&A table hosted by the Office of Student Success and Retention, with volunteer support from staff and students. It’s located at popular student spots and serves as an informal platform for students to ask questions about all aspects of student life. Sessions are held at key points during the term, including the beginning of the semester, enrollment periods, and finals preparation.

Our first Ask a Mustang session this fall featured the SMU Peer Academic Leaders (PALs) and took place on September 5th and 6th in the morning hours at Fondren Library, near Starbucks. During this two-day event, we invited students to ask questions to SSR and the PALs, as well as share their SMU experiences.

We had a total of 44 student participants (6 first-year students, 10 sophomores, 8 juniors, 18 seniors, and 2 graduate students), many of whom shared insights on our question board: ‘What do you wish you knew before coming to SMU?’ and ‘What advice would you offer to new students?’ Here are some notes left by students:”

  • “Study hard! You are not alone, reach out if you need help!”
  • “Find out about SMU’s resources, they have everything!”
  • “Don’t miss classes. Prioritize mental health. Have a balance.”
  • “A-LEC provides tutoring and (professor) office hours are helpful too!”
  • “Keep your priorities straight and focus on school and make good relationships with professors.”
  • “Don’t wait until the last minute to start studying.”

We’ll have our second Ask a Mustang session during the enrollment period and the final round during the preparation for finals. We look forward to seeing you there!

p.s. Lesson learned – sometimes giving someone something free is not as attractive as asking for help. We attracted 10X students with the question, “Would you be willing to help new students” vs. “Would you like a free cookie? ”

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Office of General Education

Student communications blast off from the Office of General Education

Energy is high on the Hilltop as we welcome students back to campus.

This academic year, the Office of General Education is committed to enhancing the student experience by providing programming to connect students to SMU resources and help them stay on track toward graduation. Plus, we want each student to get the most out of the Common Curriculum.

As we work towards this mission, the Office of General Education has begun student communications to keep all undergraduate Mustangs in the loop of campus offerings.

A quick look at two recent communications sent to all undergraduate students is featured below:

Sender Subject Line Brief Description
The Office of General Education (gened@smu.edu)  Welcome Mustang! Scheduling information about Common Curriculum workshops and pop-ups. A link to Zoom office hours was provided, increasing the accessibility of our services.
Peer Academic Leaders (peeracademicleaders@smu.edu) Ready to PAL around? Let’s connect you with campus resources and more! Information about the Peer Academic Leaders (PALs) program and its various services. Booking.SMU and SMU360 links were referenced.

We hope you may amplify or point students to these communications in your interactions. Specifically encouraging Degree Planner and other programming.

We look forward to keeping you and our students informed throughout the year. Please direct feedback to gened@smu.edu.

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Office of General Education Peer Academic Leaders Student Academic Engagement & Success

The Office of General Education celebrates their PAL of the Month

The Peer Academic Leaders (PALs) are off to a running start this fall. PALs completed their Peer Leader training on August 14th, and all also passed their Certified Peer Educator (CPE) exam.

The Office of General Education is proud of the PALs and is excited to see how they utilize the tools they learned during training. While all eleven PALs have shown great initiative and engagement in August, one PAL stands out a hair above the rest.

Meet Syed Sajjad. Syed is an SMU sophomore who currently studies Finance and Energy. Syed was consistently engaged in his CPE training and regularly contributed to all discussions, no matter how big or small the topic. Syed was also one of the first PALs to complete all assigned programming for August. Students might have seen him at the Cockrell McIntosh kick-off on 8/27, where he took the initiative to order pizza for the residents and shared information about the PALs’ services.

Syed is an excellent representation of a student who always puts forth 100% effort, and we are excited to watch him continue to shine this year.

To all undergraduate students, check out upcoming PALs programs and events on the Office of General Education SMU360 page or the SMU Connected Wednesday newsletter. Students can also schedule appointments with PALs during office hours via Booking.SMU.

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Office of General Education

Meet the new Senior Advisor for General Education and the 2023 – 2024 Peer Academic Leaders

The Office of General Education is excited to welcome our new Senior Advisor and twelve Peer Academic Leaders to the team.

Melina Padron will join the Office of General Education team on Monday, July 24. Padron’s professional experience includes serving as an enrollment counselor and, most recently, serving as an admissions counselor at Arizona College of Nursing.

As Senior Advisor, Padron is responsible for coordinating the Office of General Education’s undergraduate student outreach and timely offering of academic advising to ensure progression through Common Curriculum requirements. The Senior Advisor develops, oversees, and provides Office of General Education programs, initiatives, and student interventions to undergraduate students.

When asked about what excites Padron to join Student Academic Engagement and Success, she shared:

Higher education has always been a passion of mine, especially as a first-generation college student. I am honored to play a role in helping SMU students achieve their goals, both academically and personally. I’m excited to connect students with the great resources SMU offers to help them be successful during their time with us. SMU is a vibrant and diverse campus, and I look forward to joining you all on the Hilltop.

In her role, Padron will also serve as the primary supervisor of the Peer Academic Leader (PAL) program. PALs are a diverse group of undergraduate students to help students better understand the Common Curriculum, utilize academic resources, and navigate academic challenges.

PALs work directly with students in their Residential Commons, empowering them to take ownership of their collegiate careers through mentorship and educational programming.

Get to know the twelve Peer Academic Leaders serving for the 2023 – 2024 academic year. Their headshots, biographies, and assigned Residential Commons are on the Office of General Education’s website.