On September 2nd, students received a To-Do task and message through Message Center on their my.SMU Student Dashboard. These communications prompted undeclared students to complete their Degree Planner up to one semester after major declaration. Declared students were asked to complete their Degree Planner through the semester of their graduation.
Students with a completed Degree Planner can enter Success Fest, where they can enjoy free food, raffles, and games. Students without a completed Degree Planner can still attend the event and receive assistance from an academic advisor to complete their Degree Planner. Students can also take advantage of a major/minor fair at the event, where they’ll have the chance to explore programs such as economics, pre-health, music, psychology, and more.
The University Advising Center is pleased to share new staff updates. We congratulate fellow staff on their new titles, and welcome new Academic Advisors to the Hilltop!
Prisna Virasin continues her work as a UAC Manager. She has been an SMU advisor for thirteen years, has taught in the Writing and Reasoning Program, and is an SMU alumna.
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Samia Siddiqui takes on the new title of UAC Manager. She has been at SMU for 8 years. With 25 years of experience in the field of Education, she has served as both a teacher and an advisor, spanning K-12 and college levels. Beyond the office, Samia finds joy in diving into a great read, indulging in binge-worthy shows, and the thrill of thrifting for the best deals and gems. You never know what you’ll find!
Dr. Alicia Mohundro is joining SMU as a Department of Economics and UAC advisor. “Dr. Mo,” as she is known to her students, comes to SMU with years of advising experience from multiple R1 universities. Dr. Mo is known for her approachable demeanor and willingness to help students navigate their academic paths. Her commitment to supporting students on their academic journeys is evident through her focus on meeting students where they are and providing individualized support to help them reach their goals. Her office is located in Umphrey Lee 301, where she offers both walk-in hours and scheduled appointments to assist students with their academic needs. Her email is amohundro@smu.edu and her office number is 214-768-7414.
Katie Lustig joins the University Advising Center after spending Spring 2025 as a Graduate Assistant in SMU’s Division of Student Affairs. Prior to her time on the Hilltop, Katie worked in the education non-profit sector in Washington DC and in K-12 in Pennsylvania. Katie graduated from Duke University in 2021 and is actively pursuing her Master’s in Higher Education at SMU. She loves walking on the Katy Trail, spending time with family and friends, and doing puzzles. Her email is kglustig@smu.edu and her office number is 214-768-7442.
An East Texas native, Amanda Tolbert was a first-generation college graduate who earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Emerging Media and Communication from University of Texas at Dallas, where she also worked as the manager of the Laboratory of Media Psychology. After her time at UTD, Amanda taught undergraduate courses and conducted research at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her research focused on the psychological effects that result from media stereotyping of marginalized communities. Her research contributions can be found in textbooks and peer-reviewed journals, such as the Journal of Information Science and Frontiers in Psychology.
Amanda has now returned to DFW, where she lives with her partner, teenage daughter, and two cats. She is excited to be back home and to begin working with students again! Outside of work, she enjoys watching documentaries, reading, and traveling as often as she can. Her email is atolbert@smu.edu and her office number is 214-768-7441.
We are excited to announce that Josh Beaty has been appointed as the new Director of the University Advising Center, effective April 4, 2025. In this role, Josh will oversee advising for both pre-major and declared students in select majors within Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, Simmons School of Education and Human Development, and Meadows School of the Arts.
Josh brings over a decade of advising experience to this position. He began his career at SMU in 2014 as an academic advisor and was later promoted to Assistant Director.
While many of us know Josh as a dedicated and collaborative colleague, he also has a rather unique extracurricular portfolio. He owns the fourth-largest pog collection in the lower Midwest, once attempted to traverse the Texas Panhandle on a Segway (until the battery gave out), and was originally cast in the role of Sebastian in La La Land—until producers decided they wanted someone who could “sing,” “dance,” and “look more like Ryan Gosling.”
If you haven’t already, please join us in congratulating Josh on his new role. We look forward to working with him in this exciting new chapter.
The Spring 2025 Success Fest occurred on February 26th in Hughes-Trigg Ballroom C. Students were encouraged to complete their Degree Planner before this date to gain entrance into Success Fest, however, students were also able to complete their Degree Planner on the day of the event. In total, 69 students attended the Spring 2025 Success Fest.
Leading up to the event, on February 3rd, 2025, all undergraduate students received a To-Do message on their my.SMU Student Dashboard that prompted them to complete their Degree Planner by the university deadline of March 1st. Email communications also went out to students, encouraging them to seek help from their Peer Academic Leaders (PALs) or academic advisors to assist them in completing their Degree Planner. These efforts included and resulted in:
Four Degree Planner Workshops hosted by the PALs
Six Degree Planner Workshops hosted by the UAC
32 appointments scheduled with the PALs
By March 1st, there were 2,497 students that completed their Degree Planner.
A new aspect to the initiative this year was a second promotional campaign that was run from March 3rd – 10th to target students who did not complete their Degree Planner by the spring academic calendar deadline. These efforts included and resulted in:
A second To-Do message was posted on students’ my.SMU Student Dashboards who had not completed their Degree Planner
Two additional Degree Planner Workshops hosted by the UAC
20 additional appointments scheduled with PALs
In total, the utilization initiative resulted in 3,100 total undergraduate students completing their Degree Planner.
Students who completed their plans, were surveyed about their Degree Planner user experience while students who did not complete a plan were asked about potential barriers. These responses will be analyzed to make improvements to future marketing campaigns and vendor improvement requests.
February brings many things, and among them is SMU’s Transfer Student Appreciation Week! UAC Transfer Advisor Dee O’Banner is leading the charge this semester with multiple events designed to share some Hilltop appreciation, treats, and info with SMU’s transfer students! Students, staff, and faculty are all welcome to attend!
Students can expect a To-Do message on their my.SMU Student Dashboard that will prompt them to complete their Degree Planner. Undeclared students will be asked to plan through the semester after their major declaration, and declared students will be asked to plan to the semester of their graduation.
Students will also receive a message through the Message Center with more information about the Degree Planner deadline, Success Fest, and upcoming Degree Planner workshops offered by the PALs and UAC.
Students who show proof of a completed Degree Planner can enter Success Fest, however, students can also complete their Degree Planner on the day of the event. RSVPs to Success Fest are encouraged via SMU 360, but walk-ins are welcome.
The University Advising Center welcomes Anthony Cesario as the new office coordinator. Anthony joined the University Advising Center on November 11th during the peak of Spring 25 enrollment and has hit the ground running!
Born and raised in Coppell, Texas, Anthony graduated from Vanderbilt University with a degree in American Studies in December of 2023. Prior to joining SMU, he has held various customer service roles and was a summer camp counselor. Anthony enjoys listening to music, writing, exploring parks and nature trails, and binging Buffy the Vampire Slayer whenever possible. He is very excited to work in the realm of higher education.
Please join us in welcoming Anthony to the Hilltop and the UAC!
The University Advising Center is pleased to share that Gerralynn McKenna is continuing her work in our office as our newest Academic Advisor. She has gracefully stepped in to her new role and advising students for Fall 24 and beyond.
Before her new position, Gerralynn came to SMU in June of 2023 to serve as Coordinator for the UAC. Prior to her time at SMU, she taught elementary special education for 4 years, and moved to Dallas from Albuquerque, New Mexico with her husband. She continues to enjoy hiking, being outdoors, spending time with family and friends, and reading. Please join us in giving her a warm welcome to her new position!
In the weeks leading up to Success Fest, the UAC hosted 3 Degree Planner workshops with a total of 27 attendees. The PALs hosted 4 Degree Planner workshops with a total of 55 attendees. The PALs also offered 1-1 appointments in Blanton Suite 338, and helped 60 students complete their Degree Planner.
These efforts proved successful as there was a significant increase in the use of Degree Planner from September 13th until September 26th. Some data points include:
1,321 pre-major students completing their Degree Planner leading up to major declaration
1,263 declared students completing their Degree Planner leading up to graduation
2,584 total students utilizing Degree Planner
The PALs and UAC will host Success Fest again in Spring 2025 on February 27th, encouraging students to complete and update their Degree Planner before the March 1st deadline.
Students can enter Success Fest by showing proof of a completed Degree Planner or by completing Degree Planner on the spot during the event. The event will have games, raffles, a crafting station, and free food. RSVP’s are encouraged via SMU 360, but walk-ins are welcome.
The deadlines to complete Degree Planner are now on the SMU academic calendar, with an October 1st deadline for the fall semester and March 1st deadline for the spring semester.
