Thanks to SMU’s network throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth community, students of all concentrations have access to dynamic internship opportunities. Find out how these students and recent grads harnessed their potential and made a difference in the workplace.
Jasmine Smith ’22, ’23
Hometown: Cypress, Texas
Major: Finance, Visual Arts
Degree: Master of Science in management; Master of Business Administration with real estate, strategy and entrepreneurship concentrations
Internship: Hunt Realty Investments
“Life After Ball has definitely made an impact on me, and I plan on coming back to help with future student-athletes.”
Jasmine Smith was working on her master’s degree in management – and, later, her Master of Business Administration – at SMU while playing on the women’s basketball team. Seeking an internship that was as well-rounded as her campus life, she turned to Life After Ball to help her achieve her goals. The program, which helps student-athletes build connections, develop career preparation skills and provides internship opportunities connected her with Hunt Realty Investments. “I appreciated the willingness of the SMU alumni base to reach out and stay connected with current students,” she says. “As a student-athlete, it’s tough to manage connections while juggling school and basketball, but alumni like Chris Kleinert ’88 made that easier for us.” Since completing her internship, she’s also completed an eight-week commercial real estate training program with CRE Analyst.
Seeking a career in business?
The SMU Cox School of Business Career Management Center is ready to help students with vast resources.
Life After Ball
SMU’s Life After Ball program (or LAB) is designed to help student-athletes secure internships and jobs and to learn basic life skills as they transition out of athletic programs and into the professional world. A networking resource for teammates, alumni and employers alike, the program helps students like Jasmine Smith find success.
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Learn more about Life After Ball
Mean starting salary for SMU graduates is 30%-plus higher than the mean salary reported nationally.*
*National Association of Colleges and Employers 2019
Olivia Martello ’21
Hometown: Hinsdale, Illinois
Major: Applied physiology and health management
Minor: Biological sciences
Internship: White Rock Obstetrics and Gynecology
“Not only did I learn an abundance of medical knowledge, but I also experienced incredible patient-care interactions.”
With a little help from a fellow applied physiology and health management student and sorority sister, Olivia Martello found an internship at White Rock Obstetrics and Gynecology during her last semester of school. During that spring 2021 term, she gained invaluable experience under the guidance of Dr. Javier Garcia – even being tasked with finding a fetal heartbeat via ultrasound on her very first day. “This was daunting, as I did not want to make myself or the office look unprofessional if I couldn’t find it, but thankfully, with some patience, I was able to be successful,” she says. Today, she’s finishing up emergency medical technician school and applying to physician assistant programs to continue her work in healthcare.
90% of students who engage with the Hegi Family Career Development Center participate in at least one internship.
Swarangi Potdar ’25
Hometown: Coppell, Texas
Major: Finance; Visual Arts
Minor: Art History
Internship: Dallas Museum of Art
“I’m looking forward to being able to expand my visual and quantitative skills at analyzing an artwork.”
It’s not every day that you land a brand-new type of internship, but that’s exactly what Swarangi Potdar has done at the Dallas Museum of Art. Stephanie Langin-Hooper, an associate professor in the Meadows School of the Arts, worked with the museum and SMU’s Hegi Family Career Development Center to create the new curatorial position. Swarangi, who volunteered with the DMA as a teen ambassador while in high school, will focus on object research for the museum’s permanent collection of American art. “Being able to work at a place that allows me to surround myself with some of the greatest historic artworks is beyond exciting for me,” says Potdar.
Meadows School of the Arts can help students connect with internships in a myriad of creative fields.
Will Goldberg ’23
Hometown: Santa Monica, California
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Minor: Math
Internship: TD Industries
“It’s really special to work on your own campus and be a part of something that’s going to be there for a very long time.”
For student-athlete Will Goldberg, finding an internship that would help him advance in the field of engineering while balancing his summer football schedule was of the utmost importance. Luckily, he spotted a former classmate at the TD Industries booth while attending a Lyle School of Engineering career fair. After chatting with company CEO Harold MacDowell ’84, who’s also an SMU alumnus, he secured an interview and landed the position. This summer, he’s working as an assistant project manager on the Cox School of Business renovations. “All three buildings are at different stages – they’re all interconnected at slightly different times, so I’m seeing the whole process,” he says. And as a bonus: He can pop on his steel toe boots after morning practice and head directly to the jobsite.
Interested in public policy and international affairs?
The Tower Center helps students prepare to shape the world.
Check out more summer internships
Our students are exploring exciting fields, from cosmetics to finance – and all around the world! Flip through these examples to the left, and learn more by following SMU Undergraduate Admission on social media.
Find your place
SMU has myriad resources for students to tap into unique internship opportunities and utilize the SMU alumni network throughout Dallas-Fort Worth to succeed in the workplace.
