Over four years, students discover who they are and grow into the best versions of themselves.
As graduation approaches for seniors Ebere Emefiele, Will Leathers, Peter Harris and Elise Waterston, they reflected on how SMU helped them bloom into who they are now.
Ebere Emefiele: Major in Human Rights and Sociology from Coppell, Texas
For Ebere Emefiele, growth began in finding community.
In high school, Emefiele often felt isolated and wanted connection, but there weren’t many Black students in her predominantly white and Asian high school in Coppell. After Emefiele joined the Association of Black Students as a freshman, not only did she find a sense of belonging, but she also found leadership opportunities that she hadn’t previously experienced.
“I never really imagined that I would be a leader or that I could hold a leadership role,” Emefiele said. “But college was a new chapter in my life, and I wanted to do new things.”
Over the next four years, her involvement grew within multiple organizations. She started out as freshman chair of ABS to vice president over three years. Sophomore year, she joined Student Senate as the Dedman Senator and became the Black student body representative for BUF, a coalition of leaders from campus groups representing Black students, staff, faculty and alumni.
She said these roles across campus increased her confidence.
She described herself as a “silent leader,” someone motivated by service rather than recognition.
“I wasn’t trying to collect leadership roles as if they were stones or gems,” Emefiele said. “I just wanted to serve more people.”
As Emefiele plans to take a gap year to study for the LSAT and apply for law school in the fall, she credited SMU’s mentors and community for her growth.
“SMU has so many opportunities for students, and I’m happy to have gotten those because they really did change my life and they helped shape who I am today,” Emefiele said.
Elise Waterston: Major in advertising and public relations from Dallas
When comparing freshman year to senior year, Elise Waterston said she “genuinely feels like a different person.”
Waterston believed she already knew everything she wanted when she arrived on SMU’s campus. She joined Student Foundation and served as events chair and vice president of programming. She met people who were dedicated to SMU.
“Everyone involved in it loves SF. The most hard-working, driven, passionate, intelligent people who truly care about the university,” Waterston said.
By the time she was a junior, she was also house manager at Chi Omega, but she also wanted something deeper.
“From the outside, it looks like I have everything a student could possibly want,” Waterston said. “I have great friends, I’m involved in these things, I’m planning a Celebration of Lights, but I realized something was missing.”
The missing piece was faith, which she found at RUF (Reformed University Fellowship).
“I can confidently say that coming to faith and coming to know, love and follow Jesus was the most important moment in my life,” Waterston said. “I feel like that happened because of my experience, of being around tons of different people and doing different things that I’m interested in.”
As graduation approaches, Waterston said SMU helped her uncover values that had “always been there.”
After graduation, she’s switching gears and plans to go into vocational ministry.
Peter Harris: Major in marketing from Dallas
When Peter Harris first arrived at SMU, confidence didn’t come naturally. He said as a freshman, he was reserved and unsure in a new setting.
“I was super uncomfortable in almost every room I walked in,” he said. “I just didn’t feel comfortable enough to be myself.”
After joining student organizations, such as Student Foundation, he said he felt more comfortable.
It was that level of confidence that led him to become president of the Student Foundation in 2025.
“I knew I could do it, and I knew from the work I did in the past with Student Foundation, goes to show how hard of a worker I am and how much I love this organization,” Harris said.
Harris said his growth isn’t about leadership titles but about learning his own worth and connecting with others.
“Since coming here [to SMU], I feel I’ve really learned that I enjoy being around people,” Harris said. “I enjoyed always having someone to talk to and always being able to go down the hall and talk to friends.”
As he prepares for his post-grad career in technology sales, he said the relationships he’s built at SMU have shaped not only his college experience but also the person he has become.
“I feel like SMU built me up,” Harris said. “Now it’s time for me to fly.”
Will Leathers: Majoring in business management and international studies from Tupelo, Mississippi
Student Body President Will Leathers’ growth at SMU came from learning to lead and find himself.
Leathers arrived on campus from Mississippi, not knowing many people, but having been student body president in high school, quickly found himself drawn to various leadership roles. Over four years, his involvement grew from a first-year senator to student body president, a journey mirroring his own personal growth, he said.
“I think I’ve gotten a lot more comfortable with myself,” Leathers said. “Growing that sense of being comfortable around campus, around administration.”
His win as student body president brought responsibility and recognition, but Leathers said his proudest moments are not his accomplishments.
“I’m most proud of the people I met along the way, the people that supported me through my journey,” Leathers said. “Obviously, getting elected student body president is something to be proud of, but I wouldn’t have gotten it without my friends. The thing that I’m most proud of is the support system that I have around me.”
Reflecting, he sees college as a place where his confidence grew as he learned to manage pressure and responsibility.
“SMU helped give me a safe environment to grow,” Leathers said. “SMU gives us a great support system that really helped me grow into the leader I am today.”
As these seniors begin the next chapter of their lives, the biggest piece of advice they give freshmen: Take advantage of everything.
“Every senior says it, but take advantage of your time and get to know the leaders around you,” Leathers said. “Don’t leave campus without asking your other seniors for advice. Ask to get coffee with them or do something. I think that goes a long way and can help answer questions and open doors.”
