Mustang Heroes is a community service organization composed of passionate, caring, and dedicated SMU students, faculty, staff and alumni. We organize and provide volunteers for both long-term projects and one-time service events. Awareness events, fundraisers and education meetings are also an important part of our activities. Our focus is depth not width, and our goal is to help others in an engaging, sustainable and impacting way while creating more and more active citizens from our campus.

Our Goal: To provide the SMU community increase awareness of social issues while developing community members into active citizens through sustainable and direct community service that creates real change.

What do we do: Strive to live by our mission and further develop the way in which we can create a sustainable change in the lives of the communities in the areas surrounding our campus. We organize and develop the relationships with different organizations off campus to better identify the areas in which we as students can enrich the lives of others. Our team provides at least 5 sustainable service projects each week as well as raises funds and supplies for the agencies we work with through events like Heroes Week and Sleep in a Box. We also provide one-time projects for students who are unable to make a weekly commitment at this time.

What can you do: Mustang Heroes goes beyond your average service group. You can be as involved as you want to be. Meetings will be held every Wednesday at 6 pm in the Forum across from the auditorium in Hughes-Trigg. Sign up to be with one of the organizations we work with. Go weekly to that organization and develop relationships with the students and families you meet there. Alternatively, or in addition, you may participate in our one-time projects that happen twice monthly. To take it a step further, come to development meetings as well. If you would like to be more involved talk with one of the members on the Executive Board.

Our Mission: To amass a coalition of people that confront the major issues within their communities in an original effort to bring about a positive and enduring change, enriching lives through the facilitated advancement of hope, inspiration of confidence, and the inimitable development of leaders.

Our Vision: Our vision is one in which every member of the SMU community will have the opportunity to create real change through sustainable and direct service, while developing themselves into active citizens. This change in our community and members will be the driving force behind a movement of service and awareness on our campus that expands into the surrounding communities as well.

Our History: This organization began as a dream and idea shared between incoming freshmen of the class of 2014, months before their commencement at Southern Methodist University. Their dream was to inspire other SMU students to serve others in a sustainable and impacting way; in hopes of making both SMU and Dallas a better place to grow up, live, and learn. Early on the organization gained momentum as scores of students rallied around the cause; impacting the world around them was obviously something that Mustangs were passionate about. At first Heroes worked with Promise House, bringing them to a Mustang Football game and going to hang out at the home. Then in the Spring of 2011 Heroes began a partnership with Head Start, sending groups of 5 to 10 volunteers, three times a week, to the pre-school to play with the children and assist teachers. At the beginning of the 2011-2012 academic year, Mustang Heroes was delighted to see so many from the class of 2015 ignited with the same passion for service as the class above them. The movement towards a campus full of active citizens was beginning. Sleep In a Box, the first philanthropy and awareness event, attracted over 80 participants and raised $3,600 for the Vogel Alcove, a day shelter for homeless children. By the 2011-2012 school year, Mustang Heroes had organized and provided volunteers for three different long-term projects at Head Start, KIPP Charter School, and the Family Gateway shelter. We look forward to developing more partnerships in Dallas and with other service-minded departments and groups at SMU. Please join us in this movement towards active citizenship and making a positive change in our world.