Category: Featured Stories

The Hegi Career Development Center hosted its biannual all-majors career fairs Sept. 14 and Sept. 21, bringing together 188 students and 50 companies in-person and facilitating 417 unique student and employer connections virtually. Notable employers present included AstraZeneca, FC Dallas Soccer, GameStop, Vizio, and Sendero.

The center empowers students to cultivate meaningful lives by providing them with personal and professional development resources such as Handshake, career counseling, employer events, and organizations. 

Career development programs include:

• Hegi Career Leaders Program: This advanced professional development program provides selected students with access to specialized career counseling sessions, in which they set and track career goals,  and targeted networking events such as Lunch with Leadership with Dr. K.C. Mmeje, Networking Towards the New Year, SMU Connections Externship, Mustang Connections company visits, and Adulting 101 presentations. (Applications for Hegi Career Leaders open each Spring)
• The SMU Board Fellows Program: A unique opportunity that allows selected students to serve as non-voting members on the Board of Directors for a non-profit with the Dallas community. Board Fellows gain valuable insight into how non-profits function and apply skills learned in the classroom to a real-world experience while making a lasting impact on the community. (Applications for SMU Board Fellows open each Fall)
• SMU Career Connections: Facilitates connections between SMU undergraduate students and alumni through one-day externships. These job shadows take place on one day over winter break, increase student exposure to industry opportunities, and have led to internship opportunities and full-time hires. (Applications for SMU Health Connection open in mid-Fall and can be found on Handshake)
• SMU Health Connections: Allows undergraduate students interested in medicine and dentistry to shadow SMU alumni practicing in the DFW metroplex. (Applications for SMU Health Connection open in mid-Fall and can be found on Handshake)
• Mustang Connections: A one-day employer site visit opportunity for SMU students to experience the culture at different companies and organizations in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and beyond. Employer site visits typically consist of a tour, an overview of the company/organization, and an opportunity to network with key employees and decision-makers.

Using Handshake, a job-search platform for college students, the Hegi center allows students to browse jobs and upcoming career events at any time. Students can also access a plethora of resources like resume/cover letter templates, salary negotiation advice, and interview preparation tips on the Hegi Family Career Development Center Resources Box. Some additional virtual resources are also listed in the image below:

Fraternity and sorority life plays an integral role in the SMU community, whether it be in academic, social, or professional spheres. In terms of academics, the Greek community at SMU routinely achieves a higher GPA than the undergraduate population, and all four councils consistently register average GPAs above 3.0. As announced at the Student Affairs committee meeting for the Board of Trustees last week, the all-Greek average GPA was 3.492 for the spring 2021 semester, compared to 3.360 for the all undergraduate average. Additionally, for the 2600 students who are members of Greek organizations, 87% earned GPAs above 3.0. As the community continues to focus on the value of scholastic achievement, this trend is anticipated to continue.

Fraternities and sororities have had a presence on the SMU campus since the university opened in 1915. Approximately 43% of the undergraduate population currently holds membership in a Greek organization, providing a well-rounded college experience that aids in the development of personal and professional skills.

SMU is home to more than 25 different sororities and fraternities governed by four Greek councils: the Interfraternity Council, Multicultural Greek Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council, and Panhellenic Council. 

Interfraternity Council (IFC)

The Interfraternity Council, or IFC, is the governing body of nine fraternity chapters at SMU, many of which are affiliated with the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC). The student-run organization that exists to promote the interests of the University (which include scholarship, leadership, and citizenship), to promote the interests and unity of the Greek organizations represented on campus, to facilitate communication and cooperation between member fraternities and the University administration and faculty, and to promote the interests of college fraternities in general, which includes the consideration that they are viable and valuable collegiate experiences. 

Multicultural Greek Council (MGC)

Multicultural Greek Council, or MGC, was founded to support and celebrate student populations from culturally diverse backgrounds. The Multicultural Greek Council is a coalition of perspectives and identities. By nature, it requires membership to examine themselves, make space for peers, and enhance everyone’s capacity to engage across the campus community. Similar to the IFC, MGC seeks to promote the interests of the university (which include scholarship, leadership and citizenship), promote the interests and unity of the Greek organizations represented on campus, facilitate communication and cooperation between member fraternities and the University administration and faculty, and promote the interests of college fraternities and sororities in general, which includes the consideration that they are viable and valuable collegiate experiences.

National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC)

The National Pan-Hellenic Council organizations are historically black Greek-lettered fraternities and sororities. The NPHC promotes interaction through forums, meetings, and other mediums for the exchange of information and engages in cooperative programming and initiatives through various activities and functions. SMU currently recognizes five active NPHC chapters: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.; and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.

Panhellenic Council

Panhellenic Council is the governing body over the eight National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) sororities located on our campus. It is the responsibility of the Council to unite all eight chapters in the spirit of Greek unity, to enforce the NPC guidelines, and to oversee and regulate the recruitment process. The Council works year-round to promote positive ideals of sorority life at SMU and contribute to the SMU community through involvement, leadership, academic, philanthropic projects, school spirit, and overall support. SMU Panhellenic Council strives for excellence in harmony, loyalty, accountability, pride, integrity, compassion, innovation, scholarship, service, high standards, and respect.

For more information on eligibility requirements, membership, and how to join, visit smu.edu/FSL.

10 Tips for Parents and Families from Student Academic Success Programs:

 

TIP # 1

Ask your students when their finals are (days and time).  Ask which ones they are the most concerned about and give a call the night before.  Notice when they may have more than one final exam on the same day.  Explain to siblings why this time may be stressful. 

TIP # 2

If your student lives at home, help them find somewhere quiet.  As a family, identify those times when a computer can’t be shared since it’s final exam week (May 6 – 12).  If your student is on campus or in Dallas, ask them where they plan to study.  Note that many places on campus have quiet areas for study – the libraries, A-LEC, Commons, etc. 

TIP # 3

See if your students attended the workshops called “Prepare for Finals:  The Last Week”.  They would have made a plan and ask them to share it with you. 

TIP # 4

There is a Reading Day on May 5 (Wednesday) – since this a day for study, ask your student how they plan to utilize this day to really focus on finals preparation. 

TIP # 5

Remind students that both tutoring and the Writing Center are available to help during finals week. Schedule is on our website at www.smu.edu/SASP.  

TIP # 6

Remind students that if they feel overwhelmed, academic counseling is also available during final exams. 

TIP # 7

For students who work with the Disability Accommodations and Success Strategies staff, your coordinator or learning specialist is available to touch base with as well. 

TIP # 8

In order to make up the missed days due to the ice storm, the last day of class will now be on Tuesday, May 4. 

TIP # 9

There are no finals on Sunday, May 9 – check in with your students at this halfway point! 

TIP # 10

Congratulate them when they get home – this has been a challenging year and your students have demonstrated resilience and persistence – celebrate!  

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Sylvia Bloom, Community Outreach Coordinator for CORE 2020-2021 and CORE Chair for 2021-2022 reflects back on the planning of the 2021 Women’s Symposium. She is a Junior studying Film and English with a specialization in Creative Writing. Her Commons Affiliation is Ware Commons.

During the week of March 1st through the 5th, SMU held the 56th Annual Women’s Symposium, a weeklong event that brought the community together for conversations about the current issues women are facing and recognized outstanding women leaders in the Dallas Metroplex.  

The theme of the 2021 Women’s Symposium was “Vocal, Viral, Visionary,” so Symposium attendees listened to and participated in virtual conversational panels with several women who work in media industries. Wynter Mitchell-Rohrbaugh, a digital media and marketing consultant and former reporter for OK!, talked about careers and networking in the digital age and how women can effectively use branding to elevate their message. Internet sensation and full-time comedian and content creator Brittany Broski answered questions on how social media is democratizing comedy, the benefits and drawbacks of going viral, and the importance of having a support network in the entertainment industry.

 

At the Community Awards Ceremony, keynote speaker Elaine Welteroth, former editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue from 2016 to 2018 and current host on The Talk, discussed her career at Teen Vogue, her focus on encouraging younger generations to educate themselves on and advocate for important issues, and the cruciality of creating a seat for all women at the table.  The Community Awards are an annual tradition of the Women’s Symposium that applaud incredible women in DFW for their contributions to both their workplace and the Dallas community.

This year, the SMU Women’s Symposium Student Planning CORE Committee introduced “CORE: the Podcast,” which consists of episodes devoted to individually interviewing each of the award winners on their experiences, achievements, and most important life lessons. Winners of the Profiles in Leadership Award were Marsha Clark, owner of leadership consulting firm Marsha Clark & Associates, Suzi Greenman, who has worked in real estate and is the former Executive Director of the National Council of Jewish Women’s Greater Dallas Chapter, Jessica Walker, Director of Community Wellness Solutions, Thear Suzuki, a Global Client Service Partner at Ernst & Young LLP, and Gail Turner, First Lady of SMU and Co-founder of New Friends New Life Ministry. These women were recognized for their extensive records of leadership in their communities. Leah Parker, Co-founder of the Body & Soul Program at St. Paul United Methodist Church, received the Gail Reese Ward Excellence in Mentoring Award, created to recognize women who have impacted their community through their service as a mentor to women and girls. 

The 56th Annual Women’s Symposium hosted extraordinary women, both in and outside of Dallas, who told their stories and fostered conversations that inspired attendees to think about how digital and social media are impacting women today and how women can use these mediums to make a difference.

I started my journey at SMU in December of 2020, right in the midst of a global pandemic. As the Coordinator of Intercultural Engagement, my primary role was advising multicultural students’ organizations and organizing events for each of the heritage months. I jumped right in making connections, reaching out to student leaders, and learning the lay of the land. My first big assignment was planning and organizing Black History Month. I have to admit, it was a daunting task, not because I was not prepared or supported, but I was new. Would the community like what I planned? Would the events fit well into what everyone else was planning? Most importantly, would my way of doing things teach and expose the community to information that would prepare them to be change makers?

First up was Dream Week. I loved the idea of Dream Week and wanted to provide a rich experience for students and staff alike. SCIE hosted a Day of Service event where the SMU community packaged essential items for The Bridge Homeless Recovery Center. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, spaces were limited, but we made it work. SCIE’s graduate assistants, Vic Norris and Fernanda Reyes worked tirelessly to coordinate and guide participants through the experience. Next up, we hosted our annual Unity (Circle) Walk event. Over 70 community members gathered, physically and virtually, to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

With this, Black History Month officially kicked off with a virtual experience with Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin and activist. SCIE hosted a month-long movie series highlighting Black stories not often shared enough such as “Kiki”, “Bessie”, “Major”. The movie series also included the award-winning film and novel “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”, which deep dives into the life and legacy of Henrietta Lacks and the relationship/history many Black Americans share with the medical field. A live lunch and learn was shared on Instagram with teacher, speaker, and author, Shanterra McBride.

Alysia R. Lane, ABS Public Relations Chair

“The Association of Black Students’ (ABS) Black Herstory Month was one for the books. Our Programming Chair, Kennedy Coleman proposed a month chalked full of events highlighting Black women. Each week was dedicated to a different topic: politics, STEM, the arts and sports. We hosted Lunch & Learns, where Black women shared their extensive knowledge in their respective fields throughout the week. It was important to us to include virtual events that offered our remote members opportunities to stay connected with us.

Our annual Black Excellence Ball was a night to remember as always, as we gathered to honor our outstanding members of the community and take a look at the Centennial Timeline, led by Lexxi Clinton. The project shared a timeline of Black history on SMU’s campus from the archives.

Among our other events, such as the women in STEM Trivia Night, the virtual Art Exhibit and a movie night, we had the Black In Time fashion show. The event showcased the evolution of Black fashion over the decades. The show, spearheaded by Sparrow Caldwell, was a collaboration with the African Student Association and FRO and took loads of imagination and planning to bring it to life. Our members shared their thoughts on social media, thanking us for the month full of events. We are grateful to our community for sharing the joy of Black HERstory month with us.”

With the help of ABS, SCIE, and the entire SMU community, Black History Month 2021 was a great success. I have never been more proud to be a Mustang.

-Zana Morris, Coordinator for Social Change and Intercultural Engagement

April 5-9, 2021 is Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week. To commemorate the service our Graduate Assistants do for the Division of Student Affairs, we reached out to their supervisors to talk about the work their GAs do for their respective offices.

Zana Morris on Vic Norris, Graduate Assistant for Intercultural Engagement, Office of Intercultural Engagement
“Vic Norris has been a graduate assistant in the Office of Social Change and Intercultural Engagement since the fall of 2020. His leadership and guidance are unmatched. He gives his time, energy, and mentorship to multicultural organizations through advising and program planning. Vic brings light and joy into the office with a special sense of authenticity. The students have taken to him quickly and I am beyond thankful for his knowledge as I am a recently added member on staff. Without Vic, the office wouldn’t be the same.”

Staphany Coronado-Lopez on Fernanda Reyes, Graduate Assistant for Community Engagement, Office of Social Change and Intercultural Engagement
“As the Graduate Assistant for Community Engagement, Fernanda is primarily responsible for advising Alternative Breaks. The Covid-19 pandemic presented a new challenge, as the traditional way of offering the program was no longer possible. Fernanda advised and worked closely with her leadership team to develop new outreach and recruitment activities for the Alternative Breaks program. Fernanda’s ability to work independently and strong problem-solving skills has been vital for the success our office. of great value to us. We are so grateful for her work!”

Meghan Perez on Logan Judkins, Graduate Assistant for Leadership and Orientation Programs, Office of the Student Experience
Logan Judkins joined the Office of the Student Experience team in Fall 2020 and hit the ground running! Before the semester even began, Logan hosted outdoor movie nights to help welcome our newest Mustangs to the Hilltop! As the school year got underway, he supported the Caswell Leadership Fellows by facilitating leadership workshops, coaching students on their impact projects, and developing them as leaders. Logan was also instrumental in coordinating January Stampede 2021! Through his various projects within StuEx, it is clear to see that Logan cares about SMU and helping to create an environment for world changers!

Nathan Faust on Jessica Borne, Residential Community Director for Mary-Hay Peyton Shuttles Commons
Jessica Borne currently serves as the Assistant Residential Community Director for Mary Hay Peyton Shuttles Commons – or for somewhat shorter, she’s the ARCD for MHPS! Jess stepped into this role during a unique time in housing due to Covid-19, however she did not let that stop her from hitting the ground running. She directly advises our Commons Council who are responsible for programming for the MHPS community and co-supervises our 11 Resident Assistants with myself, the Residential Community Director. In addition to that, she oversees all of MHPS programming efforts by both the Commons Council and RAs including our traditional program Taste of Diversity, and a new program she developed with our student leaders called the MHPS Carnival! As Jess works towards completing her first year as the MHPS ARCD, she is taking on more responsibilities in Student Conduct and roommate mediation, student staff training, and other departmental involvements such as committee involvement and individual projects that align with her academics. 

Matt Nadler on Cody Dumas, Kayley Carter, and Mark Cordero, Graduate Assistants in RLSH
Cody Dumas is a current second-year student in the Higher Education program and the Assistant Residential Community Director for the Hillcrest Houses. In the position Cody assists with supervising and leading RA staff meetings, advising Community Council, and addressing facility and resident concerns – he is truly an invaluable member of the team! Recently Cody was able to utilize his love for Big Brother by working to create a friendly competition-style program for Upper Division Housing residents. Thank you for all the hard work Cody, and I excited to see what the future holds for you.

Kayley Carter is a current first-year student in the Higher Education program and serves as the Assistant Residential Community Director for Daniel House. In her role, Kayley has been tasked with opening a new residence hall and assisting the Resident Assistants and the Community Council in developing a unique community that residents can grow in. In her role, she has taken on additional responsibilities through assisting with research interviews and utilizing her design skills to create promotional materials as well as designing our community newsletter. I am thrilled to be welcoming Kayley back next year as a second-year Graduate Assistant and the Assistant Residential Community Director for Upper Division Housing. 

Mark Cordero is a second-year master’s student in the Higher Education program and is completing his tenure as the Graduate Assistant for the Housing Unification Board (HUB). Throughout his time with this student leader group, Mark has given countless hours to ensure that student leaders feel supported and heard in their roles. He has assisted with numerous departmental projects including RA signing day, as well as HUB-specific advising responsibilities where he works with student leaders to achieve their goals. Mark will be graduating this May and while he will be missed, I am excited about his next adventure. Thank you for all you’ve done Mark!

Kristin Smart on Dani Meyers, Graduate Assistant for Career Development, Hegi Family Career Development Center
Dani is an engaged Master’s of Higher Education student and Graduate Assistant with the Hegi Family Career Development Center (HFCDC). When Dani joined the HFCDC in 2019, she quickly learned how to navigate her coursework and job responsibilities and began taking on additional projects! In the career center, we prioritize counseling and coaching students in their career development, creating innovative and informative programming, and professional communication and service for all students; and Dani accomplishes all of these tasks exceedingly well. She is not only capable and hard-working, but is also passionate about her work and development in the field of higher education. Dani goes above and beyond; always finding ways to innovate and create new events as well as further develop existing programs and help students. We have been so grateful to have her as the Graduate Assistant for Career Development in the HFCDC the past 2 years! 

Sandra Scheidegger on Hannah Schied, Graduate Assistant for Employer Relations, Hegi Family Career Development Center
Hannah has been such a great presence on the Hegi Family Career Development Center team!  She is engaged in her work, and she consistently contributes things of value to the team.  Hannah is receptive to providing a helpful student voice to various discussions, and she approaches situations with rationale and good thought.  The Hegi team wishes Hannah the best in her future endeavors!

Lauren Chapman on Jade Webb, Graduate Assistant for Programs and Events, Department of Student Involvement
Jade Webb, Student Involvement Graduate Assistant, is a key part of the team. She has made her mark on so many of our programs and initiatives, including FSLead, the Student Senate Organizations Committee, and co-advisor to Student Foundation. She’s also the creative mind behind our popular Hughes-Trigg Grab & Go opportunities – if you enjoyed a Valentine’s, St. Patrick’s Day, or Mardi Gras-themed grab bag, you have Jade to thank!

Dr. Sidney Gardner on Colleen Collins, Graduate Assistant for the Women and LGBT Center
This year has been particularly challenging as a one person shop. The pandemic has highlighted how isolating it can be when you are without daily interaction with other staff or students. The brightest spot for me this year was getting the honor to work with Colleen Collins as my graduate assistant. There are not enough ways to say how truly exceptional Colleen has been in this role. Since stepping into this role in August, she has not only jumped in and re-designed our entire social media presence, she has also taken an active role in advising our student leaders with such strength and thoughtful guidance. She is such a rare GA that is able to not only accomplish what she is given in record time, but she is also able to anticipate both what I may need as well as the larger needs of the center. This year alone, she has served as a webinar tech, a content manager, a podcast editor, a project manager, an advisor, and a sounding board for all things related to running a center during a pandemic. She has also been able to do all of this as a busy 1L in Dedman College of Law and all from her home in Florida. I owe so much of our accomplishments this year to the dedication of our phenomenal GA, Colleen Collins. 

Bonnie Hainline on Hannah Curtis, Graduate Assistant for Sports Clubs, Dedman Center for Lifetime Sports
Hannah Curtis serves as the Sport Club Graduate Assistant within Campus Recreation. We appreciate Hannah’s work ethic, passion for helping each student succeed, keen sense of organization, and positive attitude. Hannah is an incredible resource for our Sport Club Officers as they are able to reach out to her for questions, concerns, and general help on how they can succeed. One of Hannah’s signature marks on the program are her weekly “Hannah’s Helpful Hints” that she sends to our Sport Club Officers to help them track of due dates, expectations, and opportunities coming up. It is without question, that Hannah has a positive and helpful impact on the student Sport Club experience at SMU.

Dr. Allison Kanny on Emily Rasch, Graduate Assistant for Student Affairs Administration
Emily Rasch—Graduate Assistant for Student Affairs Administration…Where to begin… Our team has had the impossibly good fortune of adding Emily to our mix this year, and her presence is a breath of fresh air in every way. She is authentic, intuitive, earnest, and so, so bright and promising in this field. Her passion for constant learning and service is commendable and it has been a true pleasure working with her this past year. She has brought a unique perspective to the work SA Administration is endeavoring to get off the ground, and I am confident that when I look back on this time years from now, I will always remember Emily as an integral piece of the foundation of our office. While the fabulous work product and personal growth and development I’ve witnessed in Emily this past year begs great mention, I’d be remiss if I didn’t also speak in the converse—Emily is teaching me. She is teaching me how to be a better supervisor, employee, higher education professional, and human. And THAT is one of Emily’s attributes that I find most special, and one of the great gifts of having a Graduate Assistant like her.