51³Ô¹ÏÍøGIVING DAY 2025: UP TO THE CHALLENGE
On March 11, Mustangs come together to support the causes and passions they care about most.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
For the 51³Ô¹ÏÍøwomen’s soccer team, a sport scientist (thanks to 51³Ô¹ÏÍøGiving Day funds) has helped up their game – especially during their first season of ACC play. “She brings out all the data, tracks it, analyzes it and makes sure that we can maintain during the season, build offseason, and makes sure we’re putting the right stresses on our bodies so that we can grow as athletes and reach peak performance but still be healthy,” says goalkeeper Haven Empey ’25. “This sport science position has allowed us to tap into actionable insights,” says head coach Nicole Nelson.
MUSTANGS FOR HOPE
Students in Mustangs for Hope will be the first to tell you that tutoring elementary school students is a mutually beneficial experience. “It’s honestly an outlet for both parties,” says club president Saanvi Mahadasu ’26. The organization matches tutors with students for virtual sessions as well as in-person events.
With previous 51³Ô¹ÏÍøGiving Day funds, the group has made technology improvements and planned in-person events. This year, they hope 51³Ô¹ÏÍøGiving Day funds will allow them to invest in new iPads for student use.
“It’s so important for the kids because we are mostly virtual,” says Elise Waterston ’26. “We don’t want to have to skip a week because they can’t join – each session matters.”
BBA SCHOLARS
When incoming first-year students are admitted to the BBA Scholars program, they are preparing for four years of scholarship support that provides pre-professional training worth so much more. “The BBA Scholars program is designed to draw the best and brightest students to the Cox School of Business at SMU,” explains Director of BBA Admission Lindsay Davis.
Each year, the program accepts about 100 students into a cohort, providing them with scholarship money and supplemental career development opportunities. Thanks to 51³Ô¹ÏÍøGiving Day support, the program can provide more dollars to more students.
“As a finance major who is looking to go into investment banking, it was super important that I learn those skills early,” says Rylan Robb ’26. “It gave me a huge advantage when I went to recruit my sophomore year.”
In 2024, more than 4,000 donors
contributed to 212 causes, raising $3.4 million.
One day. One SMU.
Together, let’s show the world what Mustangs can do.
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Champions of change
See how previous 51³Ô¹ÏÍøGiving Day funds supported Opportunity SMU, the volleyball team and the Paul Layne Fund.
Harness the power
Previous 51³Ô¹ÏÍøGiving Day donors have helped support Belle Tones, the Mustang Band, the equestrian team, the rowing team, Voice of SMU, the human rights program and more.