SMU Education Policy and Leadership

Congratulations to the graduating class of 2026! 🎓🎉

We are so proud to have witnessed your development as leaders and world changers. We can’t wait to see what you will do next.

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What an incredible showing from our Higher Education Ed.D. students at this year’s end‑of‑year poster session. Their research, mentorship, and generosity toward peers across cohorts make this community shine. Congratulations to all!

“Whether they are leading organizations, conducting research, serving students or supporting communities, they take what they learn here and put it into action.”

Huge congratulations to our 2026 Outstanding Student Award recipients! Your dedication and leadership truly stand out. We’re so proud of you. 🎓✨

Click here to read more: https://bit.ly/4nGukiJ

Commencement is tomorrow! 🎓It’s time for another !

Meet Karily Dean Cruz, whose research uplifts the voices of first‑generation Latinas and reveals how their college journeys are shaped by care, mentorship, and familismo. Her work urges institutions to recognize relationality as essential to equitable student pathways.

2 days left until graduation! So, get ready for another !

Today we celebrate Lorena Toffer, whose dissertation examines the lived experiences of first‑generation Latina architecture graduates. Her findings highlight how belonging, cultural wealth, and “fortaleza con decisión” sustain success—and call for culturally responsive pedagogy, mentorship, and institutional practices that foster equitable retention and wellbeing in architectural education.

Dr. Les Black is an expert in legal and policy issues in education. He joined the faculty at SMU after serving over 20 years as a teacher and administrator.

Based on his expertise, we asked him What is something everyone should know about the relationship between legislation/ public policy and the classroom?

This was his response.📜

Congratulations to Dr. Roxanne Burleson on her promotion to Clinical Professor! 🎉

Her leadership, mentorship, and unwavering commitment to students have shaped the heart of our department. We’re grateful for the impact she’s had—and continues to have—on the next generation of educational leaders.

Today’s features Tommie Lee!

His dissertation explores how teachers in Title I schools understand and use generative AI, revealing both its promise and its limitations. His work highlights the critical role of leadership and professional development in ensuring AI expands, rather than restricts, equitable learning opportunities.

Huge congratulations to Cohort 14 of our M.Ed. Urban Educational Leadership program. 🎓
Your passion for transforming PK–12 education shines bright! Keep leading with purpose.

Happy last day of classes, Mustangs! Take a deep breath, pace yourselves, and study smart as you gear up for finals. You’ve got this. 🎉😮‍💨📖