Rick Diaz

Rick Diaz

Regional Director of Undergraduate Admission (Southern California)
562-439-9601
rdiaz@smu.edu


Bilingual
Spanish

First Gen Family

LGBTQ+

Year I joined the Office of Admission: 1991

Favorite thing about SMU: The students. Yes I am biased in that my niece is a junior majoring in Civil Engineering. But, she is just one of the hundreds of students from southern California that have embraced the spirit of SMU and have made SMU such a great place. SMU students are awesome and make SMU truly unique among universities world-wide.

Favorite place on campus: The Meadows Museum of Art allows me to step through the portals of time and place. Walking through the museum, you get a sense of history and culture. I could easily spend hours surrounded by the masterpieces housed there.

Favorite place in Dallas: The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza chronicles the assassination and legacy of President John F. Kennedy. Taking the tour is a moving experience and you will forever be affected by this historic place.

Favorite restaurant near campus: Gloria’s on Greenville Avenue is not to be missed. Once you step inside, the smells transport you to place of pure gastronomic delight. This is not your typical Latin American eatery. The food is authentic and savory. I highly recommend the Sopa de Siete Mares.

What I recommend during your stay in Dallas: If you are reading this, you are most likely from southern California. Go to the NorthPark Mall and listen to the conversations around you. While some of the words may be different with a “y’all” or two thrown in, the topics are no different than the ones you would hear at your local mall. Feel comfortable in the similarities and embrace the differences. And if you start to feel like it is too far from southern California – stop by the nearest In-N-Out for a double-double and a chocolate shake. By the way, there are 16 In-N-Out Burgers in the Dallas Metroplex area and one a mile from campus.