Scholars
Learn more about each of our current scholars below!
If you have any questions about the program or would like to connect to one of the scholars, email Rod Jackson at rodrickj@mail.smu.edu.
If you would like more information on SMU and the admission process, please complete and submit this form.
Haneen Amarneh
High School: School of Science and Engineering at Yvonne
A Ewell Townview Magnet Center
Major: Chemistry
Graduation Year: 2025
Tiayana Campbell-Addo
High School: Harmony Science Academy
Major: Psychology, Biology
Minor: Neuroscience
Current Extracurricular Activities: Community Engagement Ambassador for SCIE, BLM @ SMU, ABS, Librarian
Assistant.
What I Love About SMU: I love, love, love the community here! It's so easy to find a group of
people that is as equally passionate and supportive!
Graduation Year: 2024
Leslie Castro
High School: Skyline High School
Major: Biology (Pre-Health)
Current Extracurricular Activities: Hilltop Scholars Program, Rotunda Scholars Program, and College of
Hispanic American Students (CHAS)
What I Love about SMU: I love that SMU has an enjoyable environment because the faculty and
students make you feel part of the community.
Graduation Year: 2025
Giancarlos Dominguez
High School: Irving High School
Major: Computer Science
Current Extracurricular Activities: Computer Science Club, Cyber Security Club, SMU FOCUS,
SMU Kairos Literary and Creative Magazine, Rotunda Scholar.
What I Love about SMU: The community; how everyone is friendly and willing to help out others
and make friends.
Graduation Year: 2024
Bryan Flores
Major: Accounting
Current Extracurricular Activities: Rotunda Scholar, freelance photography and personal asset management
What I Love about SMU: The people here, they are so fun and friendly & full of life.
Graduation Year: 2025
Jaylen Freeman
High School: W. H. Adamson High School
Major: Accounting
Minor: Religion
Current Extracurricular Activity: Greek Life at SMU
Proudest Accomplishment at SMU: My summer
internship.
Graduation Year: 2023
Jacob Garza
High School: Cedar Hill Collegiate High School
Major: Political Science
Current Extracurricular Activities: Commons Council- MHPS, attend CHAS events and Rotunda Events.
What I Love About SMU: What I love about SMU is the array of opportunities it has given me. I
used to believe college was just a stepping stone to a career but SMU
has showed me how being is college is the start to a successful career.
Graduation Year: 2025
Julia Griffin
High School: Parish Episcopal School
Major: Psychology
Current Extracurricular Activities: Mustang
Heroes - the Dallas Animal Services trip, I work at the Meadows box
office, I am a research assistant in the Family Research Center Lab,
and I am a research assistant in the Simmons school on Project
Intensity. I also am in the Alpha Chi Omega sorority, play
intramural volleyball, and in Psi Chi the Psychology society on
campus.
Proudest Accomplishment at SMU: My proudest
accomplishment is helping conduct research in the Family Research
Center as a research assistant. I learned a lot about my major and
how to work in a real, professional environment. I also loved
getting involved in something that I am passionate about and truly
believe could help someone one day!
What I Love About SMU: What I love about SMU
is how welcoming the campus feels! I love seeing friends around
campus and always being able to talk to my professors. It really
makes SMU feel like home even when I'm just walking between
classes.
Graduation Year: 2023
Emma Hernandez
High School: Cedar Hill High School
Majors: Accounting, Music (Voice)
Minors: Women's & Gender Studies,
Statistics
Current Extracurricular Activities: Marketing
and Recruitment officer of the Mustang Powerlifting Club, Rotunda
Scholar, Meadows Chorale Ensemble, Campus Services Advisory
Panel.
What I Love About SMU: I love the plethora
of resources SMU provides! You truly have the world at your
fingertips; all you have to do is put your goals into action! Everyone
here wants you to succeed and excel in everything you do, from
academic to extracurricular. It is definitely a great place to
grow.
Graduation Year: 2025
Maria Izaguirre
High School: The School of Science and
Engineering at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center
Majors: Sociology, Psychology, and Human
Rights
Minors: Women's & Gender Studies, Statistics
Current Extracurricular Activities: First-Gen
Association VP, McNair Scholar, Research Assistant at the
Depression & Anxiety Research Center (ARC at SMU), and
Tenochtitlan Ballet Folklorico
Proudest Accomplishment at SMU: Helping start
the First-Gen Association student organization at SMU.
What I Love About SMU: I have met so many
amazing people at SMU.
Graduation Year: 2022
Allysann Jackson
High School: Young Women's Leadership Academy at
Arnold
Major:Marketing
Minor: Fashion Media
Current Extracurricular Activities: Rotunda Scholars
Program and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
Proudest Accomplishment at SMU: My proudest
accomplishment has to be my internship with CultureHype.CultureHype is a
public relations firm with wide suite of services that can be
tailored to client needs. During my time there, I was able to secure
brand deals for a local influencer and write the press release for Venny
Etienne, a fashion designer featured in Beyoncé's Black Is
King.
Graduation Year: 2022
Jada Joseph
High School: Cedar Hill Collegiate High School
Majors: Business Marketing
Current Extracurricular Activities: Cox Career Accelerator Program
What I Love About SMU: I love that we are surrounded by a lot of eateries that’s walking
distance. It’s always a great day to take a nice walk and grab
lunch.
Graduation Year: 2025
Damondre Lynn
High School: Mesquite High School
Majors: Education and Mathematics
Current Extracurricular Activities: Research assistant- Work with the West Dallas Stem School on developing
curriculum.
What I Love About SMU: I love the inclusiveness of SMU.
Graduation Year: 2025
Catherine Madrigal
High School: The School of Health
Professions at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center
Majors: Economics with Financial Applications
Minor: Business
Current Extracurricular Activities: Development chair for Programs Council, CHAS, First-Generation
Associate, Rotunda Scholar, Junior Advisor for Mustang Scholar.
What I Love About SMU: The campus is beautiful!
Graduation Year: 2024
Abena Marfo
High School:
Harmony School of Innovation
Majors: Sociology and Health and Society
Minor: Human Rights
Current Extracurricular Activities:
African Students Association, Crum Commons Residential Assistant,
Rotunda Academic Scholars, and First Generation Association
Proudest Accomplishment at SMU: Becoming a McNair Scholar and also a student volunteer at Methodist Hospital
Dallas.
Graduation Year: 2022
Matthew Merritt
High School: Duncanville High School
Major: Music Education
Current Extracurricular Activities:
SMU Association of Black Students - Vice President, SMU National
Pan-Hellenic Council - President, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, INC.
– Upsilon Mu Chapter Vice President, Dallas County Mustang
Scholar, Rotunda Scholar, McNair Scholar, University Conduct Board
Member, Office of Undergraduate Admission – Student Ambassador,
Vice President of Student Affairs – Student Advisory Board
Member, Junior Advisor - Dallas County Mustang Scholars
Proudest Accomplishment at SMU:
Being inducted into Upsilon Mu Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity,
INC.
What I Love About SMU: I love my professors. I think I am extremely blessed to be able to have
educators who have experience and careers in my field of study.
Graduation Year: 2023
Aqsa Mohammed
High School: MacArthur High School
Majors: Finance with an Alternative Asset Management Specialization and Market
and Culture
Minor: History
Current Extracurricular Activities:
Sigma Lambda Gamma Sorority, SMU Historical Society, SMU Bridwell
Institute, the Alternative Asset Management Center Program, University
Honor's Program, and the Student Foundation
Proudest Accomplishment at SMU: My proudest accomplishment during my time at SMU is earning
acceptance into the Alternative Asset Management program. It is a
highly selective academic honors program based on academic
performance, rigor, and an interview process.
Graduation Year: 2022
Kirk Ogunrinde
High School: Harmony School of
Excellence
Majors: Journalism and Computer Science
Current Extracurricular Activity: SMU Daily Campus, SMU Club Soccer, SMU Rotunda Scholars, Hegi Career
Leader, SMU German Club, SMU CRU.
What I Love About SMU: I love the ease of life and campus involvement opportunities at
SMU.
Graduation Year: 2025
Patricia Ortiz
High School: Dr. Wright L.
Lassiter Jr. Early College High School
Major: Biology - Pre Health and Spanish
Current Extracurricular Activities: College of Hispanic American Students, Medlife, Connect Program, Alpha
Epsilon Delta, Rotunda Scholars, Hegi Career Leaders, Beasley Karate,
Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas, and Project Belize (annual mission
trip).
Proudest Accomplishment at SMU: My proudest accomplishment at SMU thus far has been with Medlife. I
delivered primary healthcare services to individuals and families who
lacked access to proper health care in Cusco, Peru. While there, I
collaborated with community members to establish development projects such
as painting kitchens and creating bio-degradable organizing shelves.
While in Cusco, I was exposed to dental care, pharmaceutical training,
obstetrics, triage, and education. From my Medlife service, I gained an
appreciation for hands-on science, and I emerged myself in a beautiful
culture and broadened my horizons. This trip helped me solidify my calling
as a physician.
What I Love About SMU: What I love most about SMU is the Rotunda Scholars Program. It was
through this program where I was able to find my SMU family. Thanks to the
Rotunda Scholars Program, I was given a chance to explore my strengths,
develop as an individual, and make lasting memories!
Graduation Year: 2023
Jonathan Rivera
High School: Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy
Major: Finance
Minor: Political Science
Graduation Year: 2025
Cesar Sanchez
High School:
Skyline High School
Majors: Computer Science and Management
Current Extracurricular Activity:
Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)
Proudest Accomplishment at SMU: Working under the Lyle School of Engineering's task-force to increase
diversity and inclusion.
Graduation Year: 2023
Cit'Clalti Santos
High School: Trinidad Garza Early College High School
Major: Health and Society and Spanish
Current Extracurricular Activities: First-Generation Association, SMU Student Ambassadors, McNair Scholars,
Hamilton Scholars, as well as Sigma Lambda Gamma Multicultural
Sorority.
Proudest Accomplishment at SMU: When I graduate from
SMU!
What I Love About SMU: I love being surrounded my students who are not afraid to break down
barriers and fight for necessary change on this campus. It is inspiring
to feed off of their energy and be motivated to not remain complacent.
Graduation Year: 2022
Roxana Santillan
High School:
H. Grady Spruce High School
Major: Finance
Minors: Economics and Spanish
Current Extracurricular Activities:
League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and College
Hispanic American Students
Proudest Accomplishment at SMU: Making it to the LULAC 2020-2021 exec board!
Graduation Year: 2023
Eli Segovia
High School: Faith Family Academy
Major: Computer Science - Software Engineering
Current Extracurricular Activities: SMU Software Development Club
Proudest Accomplishment at SMU: Landing and
participating at an internship at Raytheon.
What I Love About SMU: The campus is beautiful.
Graduation Year: 2022
Luis Solorzano
Major: Finance, Sport Management
Minor: Economics
Current Extracurricular Activities: Finance Club, Real Estate Club, Rotunda Scholar, Hilltop Scholar,
intramural soccer
What I love About SMU: Something I truly love about SMU is the location it is in and the
opportunities. The fact that SMU is in Dallas, really close to Downtown,
and to major companies which headquarters are here is an amazing
opportunity. Being able to go out or eat and being so close to campus is
the best thing since campus is not in the middle of nowhere.
Additionally, SMU being close to major companies lead many students to
find internships and companies come out to do events.
Graduation Year: 2025
Kayla Spears
Major: Computer Science
Minor: Art
Current Extracurricular Activities: Association of Black Students, National Society of Black Engineers,
Cybersecurity Club, Rotunda Scholars Program, and Thrive Scholars
Program
What I Love About SMU: I love the ability to pursue any of my passions by joining clubs,
participating in social events on campus, being able to take classes in
subjects that interest me, and being encouraged to major and minor in
subjects that can be completely different from one another.
Graduation Year: 2025
Mukeh Tejan
High School:
Bishop Dunne Catholic School
Major: Finance
Current Extracurricular Activities:
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity,
Association of Black Students, African Student
Association, Black Men Emerging, Forex Trader, Network Marketer, and
Freelance Graphic Designer
Proudest Accomplishment at SMU: Joining Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Graduation Year: 2023
Breonna Whittington
High School:
Early College High School
Major: Human Rights
Current Extracurricular Activities: Feminist Equality
Movement (FEM) and the Human Rights Council
Proudest Accomplishment at SMU: Being a part of the SMU Rotunda Scholars Program.
Graduation Year: 2024
Jesus Zepeda
High School: Uplift Peak
Preparatory
Major: Sport Management
Current Extracurricular Activities: Rotunda Scholars, CHAS, soccer and football
What I Love About SMU: I love the campus and environment because it’s nice to walk
around whenever and the environment is very studious, which I
like.
Graduation Year: 2025