SMU Digital Collections
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Ace Gardner Interview
No full textAce Gardner (Class of 2000) was interviewed by Laura Narvaez in the Norwick Center for Digital Solutions on March 6, 2024. Mr. Gardner was recruited to SMU to play football and received his Bachelor's in Communications and Radio. He was born in Houston, but grew up in California and San Antonio before attending SMU. Mr. Gardner talks extensively about the impact that religion has had on his life, as well race relations and microaggressions that he saw and experienced during his time as a student. Despite this, Mr. Gardner had a positive academic experience and highlights the skills and friendships he made and maintained at SMU. In particular, he describes how the connections he made during his time at the university have helped him in his entrepreneurial endeavors. Mr. Gardner discusses how he managed his appearance to better pitch himself and his ideas to primarily older white men at the beginning of his career, and how he is glad to be able to express himself more freely now. He speaks about emphasizing the importance of the quality of one's work, and de-emphasizing strict dress codes, with his interns. At time of recording, Mr. Gardner runs Coaches Vue, a recruiting platform for college athletics, with his business partner, another SMU alumnus
Maria Rios Interview
No full textMaria Rios (Class of 2023) was interviewed by Michelle Ma via the Zoom internet-based video conferencing software on February 23, 2024. She received Bachelor’s Degrees in Spanish and Psychology and a minor in Philosophy. She was born and raised in Dallas, Texas, and as the youngest of four, was influenced by her family to prioritize education and attend college. In highschool, Ms. Rios attended Townview on a law track, but struggled at times as an introverted student in a competitive environment. When Ms. Rios applied to SMU, she wasn't originally committed because she didn't think she'd fit in at an expensive PWI, but found her community through the Rotunda Scholars program. There, she spent most of her time, but also joined organizations such as Kappa Delta Chi and HOLA. Ms. Rios enjoyed the unique experiences in both her major’s fields, and is continuing to attend SMU as a Master’s student studying Counseling. After completing her degree, she hopes to raise mental health in underserved communities, and, because of her time in the Rotunda Scholars program, one day maybe even work in student affairs
