SMU is a proud member institution of the STARS (Small Town and Rural Students) College Network, an innovative coalition dedicated to ensuring students from rural and small-town America have the information and support they need to enroll and graduate from the institution of their choice.
Nestled just a few miles from downtown Dallas, our 234-acre campus is an oasis in the heart of the city. No matter where you call home, SMU’s welcoming and vibrant community will be there for you as you work hard, have fun and build your future.
Meet a few current SMU students, faculty and staff
who hail from small towns and rural areas:
Payton Deichler ’26
Hometown: Utopia, Texas (population: 228)
Majors: International relations, world languages, business
Payton counts himself fortunate to call Utopia, his hometown. Located in the scenic Hill Country of Texas, Utopia is in the rocky canyon cut by the Sabinal River.
“I can’t imagine growing up anyplace else,” he says. “The people and nature are truly unique.”
After graduating from high school with his class of 18, Payton traveled 375 miles northeast to Dallas to attend SMU.
He found the 12,000-student university intimidating at first but now counts students of different backgrounds and circumstances among his closest friends.
“After a few months, it felt like I was back in my tight-knit community, where everyone knows everyone,” he says.
Savannah Hunsucker ’26
Hometown: Walton, Kansas (population: 218)
Major: Business
Savannah (pictured at left with fellow Hunt Scholar Melanie Jackson) grew up in a town so small it didn’t have a high school.
Arriving at SMU, “I had no idea what to expect and felt a little lost,” she says. “I really appreciated the small kindnesses of the orientation leaders. They shaped my vision about being on campus.”
When new SMU students move into Residential Commons in August, Savannah – now an orientation leader herself – will be one of the first people they meet. The junior business major wants to welcome students the way she was welcomed when she arrived at SMU two years ago.
“SMU is a big melting pot of students from all backgrounds,” she says. “I didn’t know a soul when I came here. I just had to make an effort to get involved.”
Elena D. Hicks
Assistant Vice Provost and Dean of Admission
Hometown: Corsicana, Texas (population: 25,566)
"Size matters for rural folks. You come from a small community and a larger one initially brings concern until you find your people.
"At SMU, you’ll find your people. Other rural folks, big city folks, international folks – they are all here. Our welcoming community is a part of who we are. It’s the fabric of SMU.
"The STARS program will assist SMU in recognizing and recruiting a group of students whose families and ancestors have made Texas and the U.S. what it is today. SMU has the honor to focus on rural students and care for them in a way that they can change their worlds and their communities".
Melinda (Mindy) Sutton ’97
Associate Vice President and Dean of Students
Hometown: Mabank, Texas (population: 5,301)
Ashley Stone
Faculty in Residence, McElvaney Commons
Clinical Assistant Professor and Director of the M.Ed. in Higher Education
Simmons School of Education and Human Development
Hometown: Winnsboro, Texas (population: 3,562)
SMU higher education researcher Ashley Stone studies rural students and higher education. As a native of a small town herself, she understands the challenges unique to rural students.
“As early as seventh grade, students begin wrestling with the tension that exists between their desire to remain in their rural community and concerns that the community will be unable to support their career aspirations,” she says.
Other students seek to leave their communities to experience a different world view, she said.
No matter the motivation, Stone’s research found one key common denominator that factored into rural students’ likelihood to attend college – support from their families and mentors.
“While rural students may face unique challenges in navigating the larger more crowded spaces of many university campuses or establishing new social networks on campus, they often come to campus with a strong support network and work ethic that can sustain them”, Stone says.
Ready to call SMU home?
Schedule a visit and take a peek at what life on the Hilltop is all about.
