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The Thrive Scholars Program in the Lyle School of Engineering provides academic and social support for undergraduate students in engineering and computer science, particularly those who are first-generation college students or come from low socioeconomic households. Incoming students are paired with junior- and senior-level peer mentors who help first-year and transfer students navigate Lyle courses, form study groups, and build relationships across student, faculty, and staff groups. Thrive Scholars monitors students' experiences and engagement to enable peer mentors and students to thrive academically, socially, and professionally. Your gift this SMU Giving Day will help cover the costs of laptops, software, calculators, and other supplies that support their learning and academic success. Many of our students face financial barriers in accessing the technology and materials essential to their coursework. We are seeking donations to help provide these essential learning tools, particularly for the students with the greatest need.

Each spring, the University Honors Program offers distinctive travel courses that promote learning beyond the classroom. These signature experiences bring SMU faculty and students to the areas under study, allowing them to engage directly with primary sources and learn from local experts. In spring 2026, two international travel courses will be offered. Professor Charlie Scudder will lead students to Germany to explore how journalists cover Europe's most complex stories. Professor Bonnie Wheeler will guide students on a medieval pilgrimage to significant Christian sites across Italy. Your generous support helps fund student travel and makes these immersive learning opportunities possible.

Comics are more than tales of caped superheroes Ð they can create change! Our comic, Uprooted: Voices of Student Homelessness, captures the varied experiences of America's estimated 1 million homeless K-12 students through the eyes of four characters based on the research of faculty members Alexandra Pavlakis and Meredith Richards and their team of post doctoral fellows and graduate students. The comic has been featured on NBC and Fox news segments and has been used by educators who work with students experiencing homelessness in 43 states and Washington, D.C. Your generosity can help us expand its impact. Donations will be used to fund a Spanish translation version of the comic, associated professional development materials, conference presentations and distribution costs. So be our superhero and aid us in our mission to humanize and support students and their families experiencing homelessness.

The VanSickle Family Law Clinic launched in January 2016 to provide pro bono legal services to low-income family law litigants in our community. Under the coaching and supervision of an experienced clinical faculty member, law students represent and counsel clients in family law matters such as divorce, custody and parenting time, child support, paternity, modifications, court-appointed amicus or attorney ad litem, and alternative dispute resolution. Students in the clinic also collaborate with judges, the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program and other community organizations to improve access to justice. Through the clinic's pro se 'Self-Help Desk' at the George L. Allen, Sr. Courthouse, students provide brief services to self-represented family law litigants, such as help with completing pro se forms and answering routine procedural questions. Since the inception of this innovative legal program in 2017, the clinic has helped more than 1,500 pro se litigants.

Your gift to the Voices of SMU Oral History Project supports student research and helps preserve the rich history of SMU. Graduate and undergraduate research assistants interview alumni, faculty, and staff to document and share the experiences of Mustangs across generations through the SMU Libraries Digital Collections.

Your contribution provides students with invaluable hands-on research experience - using the University Archives, conducting and preserving interviews, learning research methodologies, presenting at conferences, and publishing their work.

Through their efforts, and with your support, the stories and legacy of SMU continue to be preserved within the walls of Fondren Library. Established in 2018 and a beloved project of former University Archivist Joan Gosnell, Voices of SMU is a collaboration among SMU Libraries (including the University Archives and Norwick Center for Digital Solutions), the William P. Clements Department of History, and SMU students.

Learn more about the project: Voices of SMU Oral History Project

At WISE, we believe that every child should have the opportunity to explore and thrive in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, regardless of where they come from. Unfortunately, many schools, especially those in under-resourced communities, lack the tools and programs needed to ignite students' passion for STEM fields. This mission is deeply personal to us because we've seen how access to the right tools can transform a child's outlook on their future. By investing in these students, we're not just shaping individual lives Ð we're fostering a generation of innovators who will lead the way in solving tomorrowÕs challenges. With your support, WISE can bridge this gap by bringing STEM education directly to these young students. We host interactive workshops, provide access to hands-on learning materials and connect students with inspiring mentors who show them that a future in STEM is within reach. By equipping young minds with the resources and encouragement they need, we help plant the seeds for lifelong curiosity and success in STEM careers. Our budget goes to experiment supplies such as ingredients for chemical reactions and model lungs. We are hoping to purchase shirts this semester for WISE members to look more uniform, along with increasing awareness and participation in the organization. Our goal is to increase members and expand the overall diversity of STEM lessons for the girls.

In June 2018, the Toyota USA Foundation, SMU's Simmons School of Education and Human Development, and Dallas ISD formed a partnership to develop a PreK-eighth grade STEM-focused school in the Pinkston feeder pattern in the West Dallas 75212 ZIP code area. Renovation of the existing Pinkston High School facilities (2200 Dennison Street) transformed the campus into the STEM-focused school and Pinkston High School relocated. The partnership provides professional development, design of a STEM curriculum, coordination of community-based services and comprehensive research and evaluation.