Year after year, interview after interview, I always ask my prospective students why they are interested in making SMU their university. After the usual reply of, “I visited the campus and fell in love,” I ask them the usual follow-up. “But what is it about SMU that particularly attracts you?” Nine times out of 10, I’ll hear “the people.”
So what is it about “the people” on SMU’s campus? Well,
not being an SMU alum myself, I’ve had the opportunity to see things from an
objective point of view, and to say the least, I have been consistently
impressed with the
caliber of students I see on a daily basis. Of course, I
could list a million and one reasons why I think SMU is great, but
instead, I thought it best to let the students speak for themselves. So,
here it is, straight from the horses’, er, Mustangs’ mouths!
Pavielle Chriss, a junior from Plano West Senior High School in Plano, Texas, chose SMU because of the location and the opportunity it affords its students. “The number and quality of internships is amazing because of SMU’s proximity to Dallas and its wonderful alumni.”
“The one word I would use to describe SMU is unparalleled,” said Andrew Moore, a junior from Marist School in Atlanta, Ga. “There is no other university where you can find this caliber of academics, quality of teachers, friendly student body, relaxed and pleasant atmosphere, on a gorgeous campus in the heart of a vibrant city like Dallas. SMU is one of a kind.”
Katharine Roberson, a graduating senior from Cherry Creek High School in Greenwood Village, Colo., said the community atmosphere was one of the main things that drew her to SMU. “I was coming a long way from home and was worried about that transition. I wanted to find a place that I could consider a second home and feel safe, like I was joining a new family away from Colorado.”
Although these students chose SMU for different
reasons, one common thread binds them together – their desire to succeed
academically. “My favorite class was Human Evolution,” Roberson, a political
science major and French/European studies double-minor, said of her general
education core course. Although this was one of her science classes, the
self-acclaimed ‘non-science’ student said she found the class and material
presented fascinating. “It was a subject I probably never would have taken
if it weren’t for our GEC, but I absolutely loved learning about a subject
outside of my comfort zone.” This class inspired her to take other
anthropology courses, just for fun, because she enjoyed it that much.
Moore, a premed biology major with a double-minor in Spanish and chemistry, said he couldn’t choose an absolute favorite class, but so far has really enjoyed Mirror of the Age. “The class was about studying acting in plays, movies, and television, as well as cultural norms that we adopt. [It] was very interactive and fun for the students and teacher.”
A typical day in these students’ lives revolves around going to class at various times throughout the day (and for some in the evening as well), spending a few hours at their on-campus jobs, and participating in on-campus activities. For Moore, his nights usually consist of a few hours of relaxing and studying, followed by an intramural game or a stop in the new Dedman Recreation Center. Roberson gets her work out in during the day since she’s got a bench aerobics class in the Dedman Center every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. “I live with two music majors, so we usually spend our evenings talking, watching TV, cooking - or at least trying to, and then of course homework,” Roberson said.
On the weekends, you can find these students engaging in pretty typical college-aged activities. Weekends are definitely a time to unwind from the stresses the weekdays can bring. Chriss, a psychology and Spanish double-major, says that she usually hangs out with her sisters or friends, which normally includes shopping or eating out. Moore enjoys movies and bowling, as well as hanging out with his fraternity brothers, and Roberson says her weekends are pretty typical, but since her roommates perform with some of the Meadows ensembles, she’ll go to their concerts to support them. “That’s really a lot of fun to go out and see fellow students performing in our orchestra.”
During her three years at SMU, Chriss said that she has had several opportunities that she is certain have come to her because of her involvement as a student at SMU.
“I find it hard to believe that there is any other school that could offer so many opportunities for the students. Through my involvement on campus, I have been able to network through dinners at Board of Trustees’ homes and attend events such as the Doak Walker Awards and Distinguished Alumni Awards. The extent to which the university allows the students to be involved in every aspect of the university is phenomenal.”
Mindy Giles
Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admission
Regional Admission Coordinator