Class of 2026

Will is a first-year student from Dorset, Vermont, and is majoring in Business and Economics and minoring in Music. He enjoys playing sports, hanging out with friends, swimming, video games, and music. After graduation, Will plans to pursue a career in the business world, one day running his own business.

HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

• Vermont Chapter National Football Foundation Hall of Fame
• All State Music Festival Selection
• Investwrite National Competition 5th Place

SMU ACTIVITIES AND HONORS

• University Honors Program
• Club Rugby
• Hegi Career Leader

Faith is a first-year student from Texarkana, Texas, and is majoring in Mathematics and Political Science and minoring in Public Policy and Spanish. She enjoys working out, volunteering, cooking, and traveling. After graduation, Faith plans to attend law school and pursue a career in the field of family law.

HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

• NASA High School Aerospace Scholar
• National African American Recognition Scholar
• Science Department Award Recipient - Texas High School
• Kids Camp Volunteer

SMU ACTIVITIES AND HONORS

• University Honors Program
• Connect Mentorship Program
• Anxiety and Depression Research Center - Research Assistant

Miles is a first-year student from Beaverton, Oregon, and is currently undecided on his major. He enjoys playing soccer, tennis, and the piano. After graduation, Miles will likely pursue a career in either economics, business, or software engineering.

HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

• Valedictorian
• National Merit Finalist
• Jesus Pizza Club, President
• Peer Tutoring, Program Founder

SMU ACTIVITIES AND HONORS

• Club Soccer
• Fellowship of Christian University Students (FOCUS)
• Asian Council
• Intramural Sports
• University Honors Program

Zahra is a first-year student from Memphis, Tennessee, and is majoring in Political Science and Economics with a minor in Arabic. She enjoys traveling, soccer, and spending time with her family and friends. After graduation, Zahra plans to attend law school with the intention of lowering incarceration rates across the country and making law and higher education more accessible to all communities.

HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

• Coca Cola Scholar
• National Merit Scholar
• Princeton Prize in Race Relations
• National Civil Rights Museum "Keeper of the Dream Award" Recipient

SMU ACTIVITIES AND HONORS

• Hegi Career Leader
• Pre-Law Scholar
• Muslim Student Association
• University Honors Program
• The Big Event

Andie is a first-year student from Montclair, New Jersey, and is majoring in Vocal Performance. She enjoys hiking, cooking, listening to music, and skiing. After graduation, Andie plans to pursue a master's degree and become an opera singer.

HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

• Caring Cabarets Founder and Co-Director
• Monclair STEM Mentors Co-Founder, Vice President, and Mentor

SMU ACTIVITIES AND HONORS

• University Honors Program

Gabby is a first-year student from Naples, Florida, and is majoring in Dance Performance and Psychology. She enjoys going on bike rides, reading historical fiction books, and of course, dancing. Gabby's current post-graduate goal is to either join a professional dance company or pursue a master's degree in psychology.

HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

• AP Scholar with Distinction and AP Capstone Diploma
• National Honor Society
• Dancing Angels Foundation Scholarship Recipient
• President of We Dine Together and Fit Fins
• Debate Team

SMU ACTIVITIES AND HONORS

• University Honors Program
• Meadows Scholar

Miriam is a first-year student from Lemont, Illinois, and is majoring in Biological Sciences with minors in Chemistry and French. She enjoys being involved with her local Catholic parish to plan and volunteer for events, learning foreign languages, playing badminton, and going on hikes. After graduation, Miriam plans to continue her education, ultimately earning a doctorate in a specific area of biology and working in a laboratory as a researcher.

HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

• World Languages Club President
• Lemont Leo Club Vice President
• Illinois State Champion, Future Business Leaders of America 2021

SMU ACTIVITIES AND HONORS

• University Honors Program

Ruth is a first-year student from Dallas, Texas, and is majoring in Biochemistry and Spanish with minors in International Studies and Human Rights. She enjoys traveling, spending time with her friends, and listening and dancing to music. After graduation, Ruth plans to attend medical school to pursue a Masters of Public Health-Doctor of Medicine (MPH-MD) dual degree.

HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

• UT Southwestern Medical Center STARS Research Program
• Language other than English Award
• Bill Gates Cohort V

SMU ACTIVITIES AND HONORS

• Campus Crusade for Christ
• Association of Black Students
• African Students Association
• University Honors Program
• Hegi Career Leader

Anna is a first-year student from Dallas, Texas, and is majoring in Biological Sciences and Economics on a pre-med track with a minor in Psychology. She enjoys dancing, crafting, trying new recipes, and spending time with her family and her dogs Alfie. After graduation, Anna plans to attend medical school, specializing in either pediatrics or obstetrics and gynecology.

HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

• Model UN Secretary General
• HOSA President
• Student Council Treasurer
• Raised over $15,000 for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation through dance

SMU ACTIVITIES AND HONORS

• SMU Women's Network
• Global Brigades
• Catholic Campus Ministry
• Speech and Debate
• Best Buddies
• Mustangs for Hope
• South Asian Student Association (SASA)

Shivani is a first-year student from San Antonio, Texas, and is majoring in Applied Physiology & Health Management on a pre-med track with a minor in business. She enjoys Bharathnatyam (Indian Classical Dancing), reading, and singing. After graduation, Shivani plans to either attend medical school of pursue a Master's degree in Health Management or medical school. 

HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

• Director General of Model UN San Antonio
• My Alpha Thea President
• Senior Dance at Kalalaya Performing Arts

SMU ACTIVITIES AND HONORS

• University Honors Program
• Dhadak Dance Competition- Board member

Rylan is a first-year student from Maputo, Mozambique, and is majoring in finance. He enjoys working on the companies he has created and staying active. After graduation, Rylan looks forward to exploring how to develop the world through business and finance.

HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

• Student Body President
• Varsity Track Captain
• US Congressional Gold Certificate
• Founder of UnFare LLC

SMU ACTIVITIES AND HONORS

• BBA Scholar
• University Honors Program
• Entrepreneur Fellow, Incubator@SMU

Denise is a first-year student from Irving, Texas, and is majoring in economics and management science. She enjoys spending time with her friends and family in her free time. After graduation, Denise plans to attend law school.

HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

• Salutatorian
• Gates Scholar
• Dallas College Associate's Degree (first in school history)

SMU ACTIVITIES AND HONORS

• University Honors Program

Julian is a first-year student from Houston, Texas, and is majoring in Business and Biological Sciences. He enjoys playing musical instruments, going to car shows, trying diverse restaurants, and traveling. After graduation, Julian plans to continue his education by attending graduate school.

HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

• Valedictorian
• Debate District Championship Finalist
• Featured Speaker, Houston Texans Stadium

SMU ACTIVITIES AND HONORS

• University Honors Program
• Hegi Career Leader

Nastya is a first-year student from Hrodna, Belarus, and is majoring in Studio Art with minors in Arts Management and Arts Entrepreneurship. She enjoys drawing, painting, and taking photos as a means of conveying the beauty of this world. After graduation, Nastya's goal is to work in an art-related sphere and actively use the knowledge she will gain from her bachelor's and master's degrees.  She envisions herself setting up a Belarusian spoken-only art school in her home country of Belarus to promote the usage of Belarusian in daily life.

HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

• Art School of Hrodna, Belarus
• First Award, Drawing in the Belarusian Republic Competition, "Rescuers by the Children's Eyes"
• International Baccalaureate Diploma Program
• Charitable Fair to support the Army of Ukraine

SMU ACTIVITIES AND HONORS

• University Honors Program

Natalia is a first-year student from Panama City, Panama, and is currently undecided on her major. She enjoys being outdoors, spending quality time with her friends, playing tennis, walking, and exploring. While Natalia is current unsure of her post-graduation plans, she knows she will be fulfilled working with people on a cause she believes in, whether as a psychologist, and educator, or something else entirely.

HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

• Head Student of Houses System (k-12)
• Member and Chair of Debate Club
• Member of Panamanian Folklore Group

SMU ACTIVITIES AND HONORS

• University Honors Program

Crystal is a first-year student from Baytown, Texas, and is majoring in Business Management and Art History with minors in History, Arts Management, and Economics. She enjoys playing tennis, photography, spending time outside, and trying new things. After graduation, Crystal plans to continue her education by earning a graduate degree.

HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

• Student Body President
• Concertmaster of Varsity Orchestra, 4-Time UIL State Solo Violinist
• Line 1 Singles and Doubles on Varsity Tennis Team

SMU ACTIVITIES AND HONORS

• University Honors Program
• Club Tennis

Ariana is a first-year student from New York City, New York, and is majoring in Mechanical Engineering with a Biomedical specialization on a pre-health track. In her free time she enjoys figure skating and reading. After graduation, Ariana plans to attend medical school.

HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

• 2020 Greater New York City Affiliate Winner for the National Center for Women and Information Technology
• U.S Figure Skating Moves in the Field Gold Medalist

SMU ACTIVITIES AND HONORS

• University Honors Program

Jada is a first-year student from Washington, D.C., and is majoring in Dance Performance and Accounting. She enjoys listening to music, painting, and hanging out with her friends in her spare time. After graduation, Jada plans to join dance in a professional company.

HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

• National Honor Society
• International Association of Blacks in Dance 
• Volunteering in dance studios

SMU ACTIVITIES AND HONORS

• University Honors Program
• BBA Scholar

Ariana is a first-year student from Donna, Texas, and is majoring in sociology and psychology with a minor in human rights. She enjoys reading, going to the beach, listening to music, exploring new places, and trying new foods. After graduation, Ariana plans to attend law school and become an attorney.

HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

• National Honor Society Vice President
• State Junior Catholic Daughters of the Americas Second Vice President

SMU ACTIVITIES AND HONORS

• Connect Mentorship Program
• University Honors Program