Ramon Tespalacios

This international student from Cuernavaca, Mexico is currently considered the most important student on campus.  Ramon was elected the student body president last spring, but he has always been an active student on campus.  He joined a fraternity, was an RA, held the office of international senator for the SMU Student Senate, and much more.  As president, Ramon is focusing on “community, citizenship, and communication” in order to improve SMU.  Read his story of why he came to SMU and his decision to run for student body president.

What made you choose SMU?

I always wanted to go to college in the States because I was looking for the American college experience. I wanted a school that offered me a good interdisciplinary education. So, when I came to visit my sister and discovered the opportunities SMU had to offer there was no looking back.

What are some activities you recommend for students who want to be more involved on campus?

We are all different, so it would be hard for me to recommend one thing in particular that would benefit everyone. And for me involvement means more than just being part of an organization. To be involved in the community you need to be a good citizen. This means taking ownership of the university and the things that happen around you. Speak up and participate every time you can. I would also encourage every student to attend events put on by different organizations. Besides showing support, you will be networking with valuable individuals. This is something I’ve done since my first year at SMU.

How did you decide you wanted to run for president?

It was something I decided later on in my college career; I did not plan it since freshman year. Throughout my SMU experience I built strong bonds with several students. People from all walks of life became my friends and I started to feel I had some sort of personal responsibility towards them. The amount of people I cared about kept growing and growing, and suddenly I realized that there was only one thing all of them had in common: they were all Mustangs. Thus, I decided to run for president to serve the people I love.

What was it like hearing you won the election?

It was surreal. The moment I heard the words “finally there will be no run-off, one candidate got over 50% of the votes and that would be Ramon” I was speechless. I was tremendously happy because it meant that a significant part of the student body trusted me to lead them as their president. 

What is one change you plan on making this year as president?

The main thing this year will be working night and day to instill a sense of community in the Student Body.  By this, I mean that I will diligently work to spread the word of what it means to be a Mustang. After all, it is the only thing we all have in common.