Community Engagement

Students may use pre-matriculation transfer coursework to satisfy Graduation requirements. The coursework must be college-level, credit-bearing work, taken and passed for a letter grade. Students must receive SMU transfer credit for the course.

Courses that transfer in with an SMU equivalent number (for example FREN 2401) will automatically satisfy any Proficiency & Experience requirements fulfilled by the course. The same is true for many courses on the listed on the SMU Transfer Equivalency Guide. 

 

Courses that transfer in with generic course numbers (for example, ENGL 10XX) will not automatically satisfy Proficiency & Experience requirements and must be petitioned using the Proficiency & Experience (PE) Fulfillment Verification petition.

 

Students must submit one petition for each graduation requirement, even if they are using a single course to petition multiple requirements. Students may use a single course to satisfy up to three Proficiency & Experience requirements (assuming the course meets the criteria for all three).  

 

How to petition generic transfer coursework:

1. Fill out the Proficiency & Experience (PE) Fulfillment Verification petition, selecting the requirement they are hoping to fulfill and checking the second option that says “A transfer (non-SMU) course that I completed after high school and prior to matriculation at SMU.”
2. Attach a complete syllabus which includes a daily schedule, grade breakdown, assignments, and assigned readings.
3. Attach a copy of the Transfer Evaluation Report (TER), showing that the course being petitioned has transferred to SMU for credit. Visit my.SMU > Academics > Request Transfer Evaluation
4. Attach a brief supporting statement, using the provided template, that explains how the course fulfills the Proficiency & Experience being petitioned.

Petitions are electronic and are usually reviewed within two weeks of receipt. Students should not assume that a petition has been completely processed until they receive a formal notification of approval or denial from the Office of General Education via The Common Curriculum email (theccmail@smu.edu). The formal notification, in cases of approval, follows the formal update to the students Degree Progress Report (DPR), noting that the petitioned requirement is satisfied.

Use the course search options below to find Community Engagement-tagged courses at SMU. Following successful completion of the course, your Degree Progress Report (DPR) will be updated to reflect satisfying this graduation requirement. Learn how to find tagged courses below via one of two means. 

Search courses on the Common Curriculum website:

1. Go to Course Search on the SMU Common Curriculum website
2. Click Filter by Graduation Requirements and select Community Engagement

Search courses in my.SMU:

1. Go to my.smu.edu and select “Students”
2. Login using your username and password
3. Once logged into your Student Dashboard, select Class Information on the left-hand side bar
4. Under Class Information, select Advanced Class Search
5. In the Search Criteria boxes:
   1. select the term you want to take the class
   2. in Course Attribute, select Common Curriculum P & E
   3. in Course Attribute Value, select Community Engagement
6. Select Search and the available courses will be displayed

Students may propose their own, individualized plan to complete the Community Engagement Proficiency and Experience. Some activities that have been previously approved include:

• Military service
• Fraternity or Sorority community service events
• Volunteering with "Feed My Starving Children" program
• Political Internships
• Pony Connect

Before the Individual Activity:

1. Write up a narrative summarizing the plan to fulfill all Community Engagement Experience Criteria requirements through the provided supporting skills template. 
2. Submit a Common Curriculum Proficiency and Experience Pre-Approval Petition with your plan.
3. Once approved, begin the individual activity.

During the Individual Activity: 

1. Students must be involved in 15 hours of engagement work, including planning, work toward the engagement project, support of the engagement project, and direct engagement with the community, with a minimum of 10 hours of direct engagement with the community. Students wishing to use the same activity for both Community Engagement and Civics and Individual Ethics must complete a total of 30 hours of engagement work.
2. Ensure the engagement with the community must be such that it provides a tangible benefit to the community in question.

After the Individual Activity:

1. Submit a reflection of at least 1000 words that respond to the following prompt: 

Please describe in detail the activity you used to complete the Community Engagement requirement. In your reflection, answer the following questions. How did you, through this activity, work collaboratively to meet a community need? What impact did your service have on the community you served? What impact did your service have upon you personally, and what have you come to understand, through your service, about yourself and those you served?

2. Request third-party verification of hours in the form of a letter, engagement portal screenshot, etc. 
3. Submit the Common Curriculum Proficiency and Experience Fulfillment Verification petition with the above reflection and completed supporting skills template.

Sometimes students complete, or desire to take, an SMU course which was not tagged with the desired Proficiency & Experience, but after reviewing the Student Learning Outcomes, Supporting Skills, Course Content Criteria, they believe they may have satisfied the requirement. Use this process below to petition credit for the graduation requirement. 

Current SMU students who wish to take an SMU course that they believe has activities that satisfy this Proficiency & Experience, must submit, prior to beginning the course:

1. The Proficiency & Experience (PE) Pre-Approval petition and request individual activity-based fulfillment.
2. Attach a complete syllabus which includes a daily schedule, grade breakdown, assignments, and assigned readings.
3. A detailed supporting statement, using the provided template, of how the activities in the course will meet the requirement for Community Engagement.

Upon completion of the course and a posting of the student's grade, students must submit:

1. A Proficiency & Experience (PE) Fulfillment Verification petition.
2. A copy of the student's Degree Progress Report (DPR) with the letter grade of the course. 
3. A complete syllabus which includes a daily schedule, grade breakdown, assignments, and assigned readings.
4. A final supporting statement, using the provided template, on how the course achieved the Student Learning Outcome. Supporting Skills, and Course Content Criteria. When possible, providing specific examples.

There are a number of pre-approved clubs or organizations which can fulfill the Community Engagement Proficiency and Experience. Review them below and get in touch with their organizers to begin. 

Alternative Breaks

An Alternative Break (AB) trip is where students travel to different communities and volunteer during their academic breaks. Each trip focuses on a particular social issue, and students will learn about the social issue and perform service projects with local non-profit organizations. For the last 30 years, SMU has participated in Alternative Breaks. This program is an immersive week of hands-on service, leadership building, and relationship building supplemented with education and reflection, and, upon completion, fulfills your Community Engagement and proficiency. Learn more about AB and leadership and service opportunities here!

Board Fellows Program

The SMU Board Fellows Program is a unique opportunity within the Hegi Family Career Development Center that allows selected students to serve as a non-voting member 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 experiences while making a lasting impact on the community. Learn more about the Board Fellows program.

Engage Dallas

Engage Dallas is a place-based community engagement initiative via SMU’s Residential Commons to address community needs focusing on South and West Dallas. The initiative is a long-term, university-wide commitment led by students to partner with local residents, organizations, and other leaders to positively impact the community.  Engage Dallas is a free program and accepts new members anytime. Students have the opportunity to serve in the community in small groups or independently, based on their availability. Learn more and get started by visiting smu.edu/engagedallas or selecting the Engage Dallas course on your Canvas account.

Outdoor Leader Training Program

The Outdoor Leader Training (OLT) Program ran by Outdoor Adventures in Campus Recreation Department seeks to train students to become proficient outdoor trip leaders through gaining the ability to effectively teach diverse learners in front and back country settings, facilitate successful group experiences and foster leadership in others, articulate how outdoor experiences and leadership skills transfer to other disciplines and serving the community. Each new cohort starts training in the Fall. Learn more about this program here.

Peer Academic Leaders

Peer Academic Leaders (PALs) are a diverse group of undergraduate students whose goal is to help their peers better understand the Common Curriculum, utilize academic resources, and navigate academic challenges. Under the direction of the Office of General Education, PALs work directly with students in their Residential Commons, empowering them to take ownership of their collegiate careers through mentorship and campus-wide educational programming. PALs also offer 1-1 appointments to students who prefer a more individualized experience. Traditionally, PALs recruit new members in the Spring semester before beginning the academic year-long service in the Fall. Learn how to become a PAL here!

Spiritual Life Mentors

Spiritual Life Mentors (SLMs) are a diverse group of undergraduate and graduate student leaders who provide a supportive and caring in on-campus residential communities as an extension of the Office of the Chaplain and Religious Life. SLMs host programs and one on one conversations in order to explore issues of faith and values, to cultivate a sense of well-being, and to connect students with on-campus resources. SLMs serve in an assigned Residential Commons, typically for an entire academic year. Traditionally, new SLMs for each year are selected in the Spring Semester before beginning the following Fall. Learn more about the SLMs and the services they offer.

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program provides free tax preparation services for low income individuals who may be unaware of available tax credits and deductions. The associated money saved on taxes can lead to greater economic stability. You must become certified through either online or virtual training before volunteering in one of the Dallas Community Tax Centers. Open to any major, this incredibly rewarding program runs from January through April and gives you valuable experience preparing tax returns while engaging with community members to meet a vital need. Learn more and apply!

WEST Peer Leaders (WEST)

The WEST Peer Leaders are a diverse, well-trained group of students who empower their peers to make informed decisions regarding their well-being. They facilitate dynamic, interactive well-being-focused outreach within the Residential Commons and the campus community. Learn more about the WESTies and the services they offer.