To the Class of 2012,

 

First and foremost, congratulations on your admission to SMU and for making the right choice! When I was an incoming first year, I was excited about college, but I certainly did not grasp the breadth of opportunities that SMU was prepared to offer me.  I was unaware that some of the people I met on my first day of Mustang Corral would end up being some of my best friends and that the SMU student leaders I spoke with at AARO would end up being great colleagues and friends. I didn’t realize that one of the professors who spoke on the panel at AARO would end up being one of my favorite and most difficult professors.  I guess you could say I was just like any other incoming first-year; astonished by SMU, all of the information I was receiving and all of the people I was meeting. 

 

You are about to be presented with the opportunity to learn from professors that are renowned in their particular fields, to listen to world leaders in the Tate Lecture Series and hear from community leaders and professionals in President Turner’s Leadership Summit.  Take all of it in.  This is your University now, take ownership of it. SMU is wonderful in the sense that it is large enough for you to find anything and everything you want, but small enough so that you can personalize your education. Go to office hours and meet your professors, become familiar with your RA and your Academic Advisor.  They are always there to help.

 

Another great aspect of SMU is that the University is very aware that a great deal of learning goes on outside of the classroom. This is where you must take the initiative and get involved.  As you start your journey at SMU I urge you to take in as much as you possibly can.  Make yourself open to every opportunity SMU presents you with, there will be many. Plus, you never know, it just might be your new passion.  Get involved on any scale and meet people who share your same interests.  These experiences are incredibly rewarding and you might even learn something new about yourself!  The transition between high school and college is obviously a pivotal one, but no matter what course you decide to take, remember there are over 1,300 other new students there with you experiencing the same transition and a community of Mustangs who want to see you succeed.  I know that SMU is ready to be the amazing place for you that it has been and continues to be for me. Get excited to be a Mustang and make sure to hit the ground running!

 

I look forward to meeting you all at AARO and Mustang Corral!

 

Rob Hayden

Student Body President