Sean Murphy, Doctor of Education, was selected as the student speaker by faculty in Education Policy and Leadership because they say he embodies what it means to be a scholar-practitioner in the field of higher education. He is described as a dedicated student affairs professional and talented scholar. Drawing from a rich array of leadership experiences within higher education institutions, as well as the United States Navy, Sean currently serves as Director for the Student Center and Activities at SMU. Faculty says he brings a level of intellectual curiosity, humility, and professionalism to all spaces and interactions, consistently elevating the discourse, quality of relationships, and outcomes of any endeavor, whether in the classroom or in his professional role. Sean plans to continue to serve SMU, his academic community, and all those around him with his commitment to excellence and human centeredness.

Destiny Fairley received a Master of Science in Counseling. After earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology, Destiny engaged in two years of post-baccalaureate research at the University of South Florida focused on reducing mental health disparities in vulnerable populations. Since coming to SMU in 2022, Destiny has been actively involved in the counseling professional honor society, Chi Sigma Iota and serves as a graduate assistant in Simmons’ college Access TRIO program, working with at-risk youth. Her internship work at Genesis Women’s Shelter has given her the opportunity to provide culturally responsive, trauma-informed care. Faculty describe Destiny as collaborative, curious, a passionate advocate for her clients and a natural leader who is poised to be a positive change agent in the world.

Hannah Grace Galbreath, Master of Education graduate, was chosen as a student speaker in recognition of her outstanding contributions as both a student and a teacher. Throughout her time at Simmons, Hannah consistently demonstrated leadership, intellectual curiosity, and a commitment to excellence. Consistently, she submitted high-quality work ahead of deadlines, posed thought-provoking questions, and actively engaged in class discussions. Hannah’s dedication to implementing research-based science teaching practices and her thoughtful approach to understanding teacher education pathways have made a significant impact on her peers and instructors alike. As she prepares to begin her Ph.D. at SMU, Simmons faculty is confident that she will continue to make meaningful contributions to the field of science education.

Syad Ali, Doctor of Liberal Studies, has spent over twenty years in the corporate technology industry leading strategic projects for fortune 500 companies. Dr. Ali simultaneously sought to increase his community impact by working as a Licensed Professional Counselor since 2019. Faculty say his innovative, empathetic approach to scholarship has enriched the lives of both peers and mentors throughout his time at SMU. Dr. Ali’s dissertation—combines research within the fields of mental health, religious studies, and technology, and presents unique, interdisciplinary insights that are sure to positively affect the lives of others for years to come. Faculty members say his interdisciplinary diversity, collaborative spirit and leadership make him exceptionally qualified to offer words of celebration, wisdom, and challenge to his fellow graduates as one of this year’s graduation speakers.

Julia Cunningham was selected by faculty who say she is a wonderful example of the best the Department of Applied Physiology and Sport Management has to offer. She is graduating Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Sport Performance Leadership and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Julia is a member of several academic honor societies and has been an active member of the SMU community, serving as President of the SMU Chapter of Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity and as an SMU  Student Ambassador. Faculty add that she is an outstanding student and leader and very deserving of the honor to serve as a 2025 Simmons commencement student speaker.

Helping the community see homelessness through a lens of dignity and humanity was the purpose of Weaving Hope, Inspiring Change, a powerful collaboration between the Simmons School of Education & Human Development and the Meadows School of the Arts.

The volunteer event brought together Simmons students, faculty, staff and community members who heard from inspiring organizations like Vogel Alcove, which supports children and families experiencing homelessness, and Austin Street Center, one of the largest low-barrier shelters in Dallas.

Participants created Blessing Bags to offer those experiencing homelessness when they encounter them in public. The bags were filled with filled with hygiene products and snacks. Simmons’ Dr. Laura Robinson-Doyle, one of the organizers says it was a way for those attending to turn awareness into immediate action.

Another workshop was led in partnership by First Christian Church of Terrell, whose members taught guests how to crochet sleeping mats using recycled grocery sacks. A beautiful reminder that even what we consider waste can become a source of comfort and care.

By teaching participants how to help, the event helped to grow community impact -one of the goals of Simmons’ strategic plan.

The large turnout included Simmons and Meadows students, faculty and staff who, through the event, took a meaningful step in building empathy, encouraging advocacy, and empowering our community to see homelessness with more compassion and understanding.

SMU’s Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development has maintained its prestigious spot in the U.S. News & World Report 2025 national rankings. Simmons remains in the top 50 out of  255 participating public and private graduate schools of education around the country

Simmons also maintains the #11 spot among all private universities on the list. Simmons is #1 among private universities in the Southwest and is ranked #3 among all colleges in Texas. Statewide, only the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M at College Station, both public universities, have a ranking higher than Simmons.

Leon Simmons Endowed Dean Stephanie L. Knight, Ph.D. has led SMU Simmons since 2017. “In the competitive world of higher education, Simmons has maintained its impressive spot in the national rankings. “I remain incredibly grateful to Simmons’ dedicated research faculty members who are the reason for our continued success.”

To rank schools of education, U.S. News & World Report considers many factors including research activity, academic quality, faculty resources, student selectivity, doctoral degrees granted, as well as peer assessment scores. Simmons has 82 active research projects with 73% of tenured professors engaged in research.

Knight noted that SMU professor Leanne Ketterlin-Geller received a $14 million grant to study improving math learning loss nationwide, setting the SMU record for highest single award total. “With work like that being done by our faculty researchers, I believe Simmons will only continue to rise in the rankings and national prominence.”

For a complete list of the U.S. News & World Report rankings visit https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-education-schools/edu-rankings.

Dr. Alexandra Pavlakis, an associate professor in Simmons Education Policy and Leadership Department, has been named a 2025 recipient of the Altschuler Distinguished Teaching Professor Award.

Pavlakis teaches leadership and qualitative methods courses on the doctoral and master’s level.  Besides her work in the classroom, Pavlakis is also a successful researcher. She and colleague Meredith Richards created a comic book that helps educators see homelessness through the eyes of students. Uprooted: Voices of Student Homelessness is the result of years studying how homelessness affects students and the best ways to help them succeed in school. Thousands of copies of the graphic novel were requested and sent to school districts, shelters, non-profit organizations, universities, hospitals and even juvenile probation centers throughout the country.

The Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) award’s selection committee said Dr. Pavlakis’ application stood out as a testament to her dedication to high-quality instruction and her commitment to fostering meaningful student learning experiences. The award honors her outstanding work both in the classroom and for her unwavering support of her students. Pavlakis was selected out of a field of SMU’s most outstanding professors.

As part of receiving the Altshuler Award, Dr. Pavlakis will now join the Review and Selection Committee for SMU’s Teaching  Awards; will serve as an Advisory Member to the CTE and participate in two Board meetings per year to discuss initiatives, programs, and how the CTE can improve teaching and learning across the university.

She will also present at least once during your two-year tenure as an Advisory Member at CTE events, such as the Teaching Effectiveness Symposium, the Spring Kickoff, the Spring Pedagogical Institute, and/or other CTE events.

Award recipients receive a one-time $10,000 grant and become members of SMU’s Academy of Distinguished Teachers. Pavlakis received the award from President Gerald Turner at the Spring 2025 General Faculty Meeting on January 22 and was honored by Simmons EPL with a reception attended by Dean Stephanie Knight prior to the ceremony

.