Supporting SMU Traditions for 50+ years
About SF
Founded in 1973, SMU Student Foundation's mission is to provide quality traditional programming that will build community on the SMU campus, strengthen relationships with alumni and friends of the university, and foster campus-wide student leadership. Today, Student Foundation upholds the traditions of the past with a look to our dynamic future.
Our organization is responsible for planning SMU's most significant events: Family Weekend, Homecoming, Perunapalooza, and Celebration of Lights.
SF’s Team
Meet SF’s Board and Exec team! Our team consists of 5 Executive members and 8 Board members who are all dedicated and constantly working to improve and maintain the community and standards of SMU. With the help of the amazing SF Committees, our board members are able to collaborate, delegate, and work on specific events or operations within the organization.
Click here to meet Board members
Click here to meet Exec members
Click here to meet SF’s Committee members
Click here to see our past leadership!
SF News + Media
Click here to read our article feature on SMU’s Impact 2022-2023 Report [featured above!]
SF’s Honors + Awards
SF is so honored to be filled with incredible members who are so hardworking, passionate, energetic, and enthusiastic individuals! To honor these individuals, SF has created additional internal traditions to award certain people within the SF organization based on merit, passion, and work ethic.
There are three different honors below that are given away annually:
Mike Miller Outstanding Service Award
O Paul Corley Leadership Award
Presidential Award of Excellence
As well as a special one of its own category
Committee of the Year
Click here to read up on past winners of these awards
Read What our Current Members Have to Say About SF!
“Being apart of Student Foundation has been one of my favorite parts of SMU so far. The people that makeup SF make it feel like home and form such a welcoming community of like-minded and passionate individuals. I have loved every moment of serving alongside these people to help orchestrate some of the most special events that bring the community together and enhance SMU traditions, and I can’t wait for the next year! Pillar Up!”
- Holly Xue - Photographer
“I joined SF just three weeks into my freshman year at SMU and immediately found a passion and love for the events we hosted. I quickly realised SF’s featured events had been passed on for years and truly were the backbone if what connected SMU students to the Dallas community! Serving as Head Usher and now Tate Chair has given me the opportunity to see how Student Foundation’s events have a firsthand impact on students and the unique experience they can take away with them.”
- Pareeni Shah - Tate Chair
“I heard about Student Foundation from my freshman year and thought it sounded like a great way to get involved in the traditions on campus. What I know now three years later is how special the community in SF is, and how much I have learned from the people within it. My time in SF has been so impactful on my college experience, and I am so grateful for the ability to give back to SMU in such a unique way!”
- Nina Casteñada - Vice President of Programming
“SF provided an opportunity for me to get involved in a new place and become a part of the traditions and fun of a new school and city in a place where I have been able to meet so many new people and get involved with SMU and Dallas.”
- Hayden Wilson - Philanthropy Coordinator
STUDENT FOUNDATION Annual SCHEDULE
JANUARY: SPRING GENERAL MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS
APRIL: PERUNAPALOOZA
AUGUST: FALL GENERAL MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS
SEPTEMBER: FAMILY WEEKEND
OCTOBER: HOMECOMING
NOVEMBER: CELEBRATION OF LIGHTS