SMU Office of Engaged Learning

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SMU Office of Engaged Learning Research. Entrepreneurship. Mentoring.

The Office of Engaged Learning (OEL) empowers undergraduate students to expand their learning beyond the classroom through experiential programs. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smuengagedlearning/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SMUEngaged
YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/SMUEngagedLearning/

Research starts with questions. 🔎 Students in the First-Year Research Experience (FYRE) program recently had a chance t...
09/30/2026

Research starts with questions. 🔎 Students in the First-Year Research Experience (FYRE) program recently had a chance to ask faculty about the questions that drive their research.

Through panel discussions and one-on-one conversations, the FYRE scholars learned about faculty members’ inspirations and experiences, and got advice on finding their own paths in research.

We are so grateful to the faculty and staff from across campus who have committed to mentoring first-year students!

Congratulations to the 2026 Big iDeas Business Plan Competition winners:🏆 CJ Sanitation — Jonah Swann '27, Finance and C...
09/25/2026

Congratulations to the 2026 Big iDeas Business Plan Competition winners:
🏆 CJ Sanitation — Jonah Swann '27, Finance and Computer Science double major
🏆 ConstructZen — Nipun Yarlagadda '28, Economics major
🏆 Khaya Rewards — Logan Choi '27, Computer Science major

Thank you to our judges, families and friends who came to support, and all of the student entrepreneurs who participated in this year’s competition. We’re proud to celebrate the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of our Mustangs!

Join us for the annual Big iDeas Business Plan Competition on Friday, Sept. 25 and see SMU undergraduate entrepreneurs p...
09/23/2026

Join us for the annual Big iDeas Business Plan Competition on Friday, Sept. 25 and see SMU undergraduate entrepreneurs pitch their business plans to a panel of judges.

The event is open to everyone — students, families, faculty and staff! Drop by to watch some pitches and support your Mustangs.

đź”— See the link in bio for the pitch schedule.

Next up in our Academic Competition highlights: meet SMU Debate! 🎤SMU Debate is a competitive intercollegiate team open ...
09/16/2026

Next up in our Academic Competition highlights: meet SMU Debate! 🎤

SMU Debate is a competitive intercollegiate team open to all SMU students, regardless of major or prior debate experience.

Since 2012, the team has competed in the International Public Debate Association (IPDA) format, where students may be given an unfamiliar topic shortly before a round and have limited time to research, build an argument and prepare to defend their position. Once the debate begins, they have to think on their feet, respond to their opponent and make their case in real time.

SMU Debate has continued national success competing in tournaments across the country, including capturing the ACC Debate Championship title last spring. 🏆

Interested? Come meet the team. Students can attend team meetings, learn the format and get involved whether they're experienced debaters or completely new to competitive debate.

Follow .debate and check them out on SMU360.

Academic Competitions Highlight ✨SMU Entrepreneurship Varsity TeamThe SMU Entrepreneurship Varsity Team supports SMU’s t...
09/15/2026

Academic Competitions Highlight ✨SMU Entrepreneurship Varsity Team

The SMU Entrepreneurship Varsity Team supports SMU’s top student ventures as they compete in regional and Texas-based pitch competitions.

Team members receive $1,000 in travel support to attend competitions, along with mentorship tailored to their companies from industry leaders.

Last year’s team included InfoSavvy, PREVO, Focus Path, and Popkle, with students competing in events including the Baylor New Venture Competition and Rice Business Plan Competition.

Interested in joining the 2026–27 SMU Entrepreneurship Varsity Team? Applications open Sept. 27 and close Oct. 15. 🔗 Link in bio

Meet Yasmina Said '28, a Chemistry major, University Honors student, and Engaged Learning Fellow! Yasmina works in Dr. P...
09/14/2026

Meet Yasmina Said '28, a Chemistry major, University Honors student, and Engaged Learning Fellow!

Yasmina works in Dr. Pokhraj Ghosh's lab on research linked to biological processes in the brain, blending her interestes in chemistry and biology.

Her project ELF project focuses on isolating important signaling molecules in human physiology whose imbalance is directly connected to neurodegenerative diseases.

Read more about Yasmina and her research, link in bio đź”—

09/11/2026

SMU students Daniel Kauffman and William Wright are the founders behind and former Big iDeas competition winners. Hear how they’ve grown Impact Threads and what they’ve learned along the way. 💡

Have a business idea of your own? Applications for the Big iDeas Business Plan Competition are open through Sept. 17.

đź”— Learn more and apply at the link in bio.

⚖️ Meet SMU Mock Trial!Founded in 2000, SMU Mock Trial brings together students with a passion for competition, advocacy...
09/10/2026

⚖️ Meet SMU Mock Trial!

Founded in 2000, SMU Mock Trial brings together students with a passion for competition, advocacy, and the law.

In mock trial, students represent the two sides of a fictitious legal case, taking on the roles of attorneys and witnesses. Teams critically read and analyze a roughly 200-page case packet, then put their preparation into action by conducting a complete three-hour trial in front of a judge, typically a lawyer or law school student.

At SMU, mock trial offers a tight-knit community of driven and competitive students who travel across the country, representing the university in competition.

And SMU Mock Trial knows how to compete. 🏆 Last season, the team advanced to the Opening Round Championship Series (ORCS) for the third year in a row, an achievement earned by only 25% of teams nationwide.

Follow to keep up with the team, or learn more at the link in bio. đź”—

Guess what SMU? The Office of Engaged Learning is now a support hub to some of the most exciting academic teams on campu...
09/10/2026

Guess what SMU? The Office of Engaged Learning is now a support hub to some of the most exciting academic teams on campus! We'll be introducing and celebrating student teams who represent SMU on a national stage - starting with Mock Trial. âš– Stay tuned for more to come!

Meet Jose Suarez ’27, a Public Policy and Economics major returning to Mustang Mentors for a second year.Now in his seni...
09/09/2026

Meet Jose Suarez ’27, a Public Policy and Economics major returning to Mustang Mentors for a second year.

Now in his senior year, Jose is balancing classes, campus involvement, and his entrepreneurial work with Tequila Unido. Through his involvement with the Student Leadership Dining Council, he built a relationship with SMU Hospitality that helped bring Tequila Unido into campus hospitality and catering spaces.

Jose says his experience as a peer mentor has also shaped how he approaches his business, particularly when it comes to communication and sharing his story.

“A big thing I learned through Mustang Mentors without realizing it was communicating better, being more concise, more literate, and even more open to expressing my story and passions… this spread into the way I handled communicating in my business.”

For Jose, both mentoring and entrepreneurship are about being intentional, making connections, and acting on opportunities to grow.

Read more about Jose - link in bio. đź”—

Address

Clements Hall G04 & G07A-C
Dallas, TX
75205

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 5pm

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