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Suvwe Kokoricha Interview
No full textSuvwe Kokoricha (Class of 2025) was interviewed by Laura Narvaez in the Norwick Center for Digital Solutions on July 18, 2025. Ms. Kokoricha graduated from SMU in 2025 with B.A.s in International Studies, Human Rights, and Economics. She was born to British Nigerian parents and grew up in a rural area of New Mexico before moving to Dallas for high school. Her parents were both pastors who put a great deal of emphasis on education. She originally planned to attend NYU to study writing, but ultimately chose SMU due to the COVID-19 pandemic and scholarship opportunities. She became involved in many organizations across campus, including the African Student Association, FRO, the Connect Mentorship Program, the Student Affairs Committee, and AKPsi. She also served as a student representative to the SMU Board of Trustees. She discussed her experiences with racism in the classroom and the effects of the Israel-Hamas War and the 2024 U.S. presidential election on campus. She plans to move to Paris to attend Sciences Po, where she has been accepted to pursue a master's degree in economics
Sean Murphy Interview
No full textSean Murphy (Ph.D 2025) was interviewed by Jenna Young via the Zoom internet-based video conferencing software on June 16, 2025. He received a Doctorate of Higher Education from SMU in Spring of 2025. Originally born in Metairie, Louisiana, Mr. Murphy spent most of his formative years in Texas and later earned his undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University. Following his undergraduate journey, Mr. Murphy enlisted in the Navy, where he completed two tours. His military experience, marked by both challenges and growth, instilled in him a deep sense of discipline and resilience, the qualities that would come to shape his leadership philosophy. Murphy offered a thoughtful reflection on his time in the Navy, discussing both the challenges and the discipline that military life instilled in him. These experiences, he explained, deeply influenced his professional approach. After completing his active duty, Mr. Murphy found a new calling in higher education, where he now serves as the Director for Student Center and Activities at SMU. Murphy also highlighted his commitment to fostering inclusive environments on campus. He detailed his involvement in student-focused initiatives and emphasized the role of mentorship, community, and accessibility in creating meaningful educational experiences. After graduating, Mr. Murphy is looking to spending more time focusing on himself and his work in the Navy Reserves
Christopher Anderson Interview
No full textDr. Christopher Anderson was interviewed by Jude Folmar in the Oral History Studio of Fondren Library at Southern Methodist University on April 18, 2024. Dr. Anderson was born in Kentucky and began musical training in both piano and music theory at the age of five. While in high school, Dr. Anderson became interested in the pipe organ after a discussion with a local church musician. Dr. Anderson continued his musical studies into college, attending Transylvania University to Receive his B.A. in Music. During this period, Dr. Anderson developed a keen interest in the intersection of the German language, culture, and theology, prompting him to pursue further studies at SMU. His research primarily focuses on the music of Germany's early modern period, spanning from 1870 to 1950. In 1991, he received a Master's in both Music and Sacred Music from SMU, and he is currently dually appointed as a Professor in the Meadows and Perkins schools. Dr. Anderson spoke of the changes that he has seen at SMU between the years between his graduation and faculty appointment, specifically noting the increase in academic rigor within the music school. Dr. Anderson also took a keen interest in the music of John Cage, with particular emphasis on ORGAN2/ASLSP (As Slow as Possible). Dr. Anderson spoke of the challenges of adding musicality to performances on the organ. Currently, Dr. Anderson holds the record for the second slowest performance of the piece at 16 hours, which he performed at Perkins Chapel at SMU in 2022. Anderson believes that the music of John Cage has many serious implications, and he is currently working on performance opportunities for Cage’s music. Dr. Anderson ended the interview by discussing the importance of having a dynamic, conversational relationship with his students
Tishay Davis Interview
No full textTishay Davis (MA 2021) was interviewed by Laura Narvaez via the Zoom internet-based conferencing software on April 12, 2024. Ms. Davis graduated from SMU with an M.A. in Applied Economics. She was born in Jamaica and spent her childhood moving between her birth country and Boston. She attended Providence College in Rhode Island for her undergraduate years, where she studied finance and business economics. With job opportunities impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic, Ms. Davis chose to move to Texas to pursue a master's degree. Although she found the graduate experience to be much different from her time in a bachelor's program, she was able to find friends in her department and in the wider Dallas community, with one of her most memorable experiences simultaneously being her graduation day and her first time on campus. Since graduating, Ms. Davis has remained in Dallas to work in real estate. She also travels and has adopted a kitten she found in University Park
Chase Drexler Interview [Spring 2024]
No full textChase Drexler (Class of 2020) was interviewed by Laura Narvaez via the Zoom internet-based conferencing software on February 2, 2024. Ms. Drexler talked about her experience growing up in one of the few Black families in the Houston suburbs. She chose to attend SMU to study advertising and Spanish after visiting the campus and learning about the Temerlin Advertising Institute. Ms. Drexler talked about her involvement with different student organizations, such as the Association of Black Students, NPHC, and Alpha Kappa Alpha, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on her senior year
Kevin Nguyen Interview
No full textKevin Nguyen (Class of 2024) was interviewed by Laura Narvaez via the Zoom internet-based conferencing software on June 6, 2024. Mr. Nguyen spoke about growing up in McKinney, Texas in a Vietnamese family, especially the role that religion played in his life as well as his parents' concern for his education. He described SMU as his dream school, where he acquired a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and a minor in Art, made possible by the Second Century scholarship. Mr. Nguyen spoke positively about his SMU professors, who offered him mentorship and inspired him to pursue a PhD in Chemistry after graduating to continue his research
Kriss Gamez Interview
No full textKriss Gamez (Class of 1993) was interviewed by Amanda Sun via the Zoom internet-based video conferencing software on November 13, 2024. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Journalism and a minor in Mexican American Studies. Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, Ms. Gamez grew up in a close-knit, Hispanic-majority community on the south side of the city, shaped by the resilience of her single mother and the values instilled by her hardworking family. As the first in her family to complete a four-year college degree, Ms. Gamez navigated a journey through SMU that was marked by academic success, cultural adjustment, and a determination to advocate for underrepresented voices on campus. A former officer of the College Hispanic Student Association and active member in diversity-focused groups, Ms. Gamez built a supportive community with fellow first-generation and minority students, forming lifelong friendships and learning invaluable life lessons. She recounts moments of awe, like visiting SMU’s then-president at his home, and memorable milestones, such as organizing an on-campus event with Jaime Escalante, the teacher depicted in the movie ''Stand and Deliver,'' and hosting a performance by Selena. Ms. Gamez's time at SMU, however, wasn't without challenges. She often found herself balancing the culture shock of SMU's affluence with her own financial limitations, which reinforced her resilience and deepened her connection to her heritage. Ms. Gamez continued to work at SMU after her graduation for a little while, until someone pointed her towards an internship that led to what has become, at time of recording, a long career in Human Resources
Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Interview by Ronald L. Davis [excerpt]
No full textInterview 280. Restricted access