By Drishti Sachdeva
Meet Three MustK now Mustangs
These three SMU students are doing amazing things both on and off campus. Continue reading to learn about some of their contributions to the community, and keep a look out for more on these mustangs in the Fall/Winter 2022 issue of the SMU Look magazine, which is launching in early December.
What does Must Know Mustang Jordyn Harrell do outside of school?
Photo Credit Abbie Biegert
Harrell mentors young minds at the Champs Read program at the Dallas Champions Academy. Champs Read is a mentorship program that supports elementary students from low-income and minority backgrounds. Under the guidance of a college student, mentees focus on educational and spiritual development to prepare for the academic rigor of high school. Harrell served as a mentor to a ten-year-old fourth-grader; their reading sessions often divulged into friendly conversations about superheroes, her mentee’s latest obsession. As a bookworm herself, Harrell enjoys supporting young academics and hopes she can bolster their confidence. “I had a speech impediment growing up so I took a lot of speech classes but I used to hate reading out loud. Being able to grow in your confidence in reading will help you a lot because it’s something that will continue, whether it’s emails or contracts.”
How does Must Know Mustang Jihoon Choi use music to help the community?
Photo Credit Helen Tran
Choi began playing the piano when he was seven years old and living in the Philippines. He looked up to his piano teacher, who created a disciplined yet fun learning environment. Although he moved to the United States for high school, he never forgot those critical years of musical training. “When I was young, I had great teachers and mentors,” he says. “I just feel like I have to give back to other people, pass on the privilege I had.” That led to his involvement in Vision Possible, a non-profit run by student artists that organize charity concerts to raise money for financial scholarships. These scholarships support budding musicians in pursuing or completing their musical education. As vice president, he organizes and participates in charity concerts.
How does Must Know Mustang Kyra Silvanose support victims of sexual assault?
Photo Credit Helen Tran
Silvanose runs Take Back the Night, the Feminist Equality Movement’s biggest event of the semester. The event spreads awareness around sexual assault, provides wellness resources for survivors of sexual assault and provides a safe space for survivors to talk about their experiences. “It’s a sad but known fact that college students have the highest rates of sexual assault,” Silvanose says. “I hope that we can work towards bringing awareness to these issues and that can potentially lead to less instances of this happening.”
