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October 30, 2024

 

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion at 91��Ƭ�S�ϼ� has long aimed to expand its employee resource groups, also known as affinity groups, to support diverse communities within the University. In August 2024, SMU launched “Somos SMU,” the University’s first Latino faculty and staff association. This milestone came after nearly a year of planning and community collaboration, building on a foundation set by other employee resource groups which started with the Black Faculty and Staff Association (BFSA).

 

“BFSA was already here when I joined in 1983. It became inactive in the early 2000s, but it was revived in 2016, and the other groups followed,” shared Dr. Jennifer Jones, executive director for Student Development and Engagement.

 

The formation of Somos SMU was partly inspired by the success of BFSA and a 2023 Bridge Builders Lecture Series event featuring Maria Hinojosa, which brought SMU’s Latino community together. Seeing the powerful community response, Dr. Maria Dixon Hall, SMU’s chief diversity officer and senior advisor to the president, promptly appointed a committee to create SMU’s first Latino faculty and staff group.

 

“Maria Hinojosa issued me a challenge as the CDO to make the building of a sustainable community for Latino Mustangs a central priority of our cultural intelligence agenda. Anybody who knows me knows that I love a good challenge,” Dixon Hall recalled.

 

Dr. Maria Dixon Hall (L) with Maria Hinojosa(R) at the Bridge Builders Lecture Series in October 2023.

 

The committee included dedicated SMU community members: Staphany López-Coronado, associate director of SMU Cox Latino Leadership Initiative; Andrés Ruzo, a Ph.D. candidate in geophysics; Alberto Pastor, associate professor of Spanish; and Myalinda Martinez, program and communication coordinator for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

 

“I credit Andrés for his persistence in getting this initiative off the ground,” said López-Coronado, now the first President of Somos SMU.

Reflecting on the evolving demographics at SMU, Lisa Montes, Dedman School of Law’s legal clinics coordinator, noted, “Back in the ’80s, we attempted to start a Hispanic American employees association, but it never materialized. I began to see changes over the last 10 to 15 years, with more cultural events and visible diversity across campus. Progress has been great!”

 

Dr. Theodore Manikas, associate chair of Computer Science, added, “The creation of the diversity office under Dr. Maria Dixon Hall has raised awareness of underrepresented groups on campus, including the Latino community.”

 

During the initial planning stages, the Somos SMU team focused on creating an inclusive identity that would resonate with SMU’s diverse Latino community. “Not everyone identifies as Hispanic or Latino, so we intentionally chose a name that could stand independently,” said López-Coronado.

 

Committee at first interest meeting in spring 2024. 

 

With nearly 300 Latino faculty and staff at SMU today, the launch of Somos SMU comes at a pivotal moment. “What makes the difference now is institutional support. Dr. Maria Dixon Hall prioritized this initiative, providing both financial and structural support from the Office of Diversity and Inclusion,” said López-Coronado.

 

The goals of are to establish a strong foundation, drive strategic initiatives, advocate for Latino representation in leadership and foster partnerships with Latino alumni and student organizations. “Our mission is to empower, advocate and connect Latino/Hispanic professionals to build a vibrant, supportive community at SMU. We are here to support and uplift one another,” López-Coronado shared.