The Independent Voice of Southern Methodist University Since 1915

The Daily Campus

The Daily Campus

The Independent Voice of Southern Methodist University Since 1915

The Daily Campus

The Independent Voice of Southern Methodist University Since 1915

The Daily Campus

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Camp brings international experience, law background to Faculty-in-Residence

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Professor Martin Camp, Dean of Students at Dedman School of Law, teaches a class. (Courtesy of Paige Peterson Photography)


Editors’ note: In August 2014 SMU will debut the Residential Commons on-campus living model. Eleven Faculty-in-Residence were selected to live among students. This is part two of 11 FiR profiles.

Martin Camp, Dean of Students at Dedman School of Law, has been announced as one of the Faculty-in-Residence program members to live in the new residence halls beginning Fall 2013. A graduate of the University’s law school himself, with two of his three children also having graduated from his alma mater, Martin said the campus “being [his] home [once again] seemed to be the perfect combination.”

Martin said his experience working in his field prior to becoming an adjunct professor and, now, the dean of students, provides him “perspective that’s a little different than an [undergraduate professor].” All resources combined, he believes it will provide students the best of opportunities.

“I’m a little different from a lot of people in academia in that I was a lawyer for 25 years before I came here to be Dean of Students,” Camp said. “None of the residents [next year] will be my students, but any of them may be interested in…what I teach now or what I lived when I was a practicing lawyer.”

Camp, who has served as Director of the SMU Law Oxford program for the past two years, also “had the opportunities to be in residence during the summer” with that program. His international experience reaches beyond even that through some of his work as a lawyer, prior to returning to SMU.

“When I was in my law firm…I actually lived in the Middle East and Kuwait for a number of years,” Camp explained. “We have a large international student body, so I think having that background will help me with students that have…a different culture or ethnic background.”

Camp is currently the faculty sponsor for the Saudi Arabian Student Organization and speaks some Arabic — both which he believes will allow him to connect with even more students.

Camp spoke to the benefits of students living on campus for their first two years, versus the current one required year. He attributed part of his perspective on the issue to his time serving on last year’s Task Force on sexual assault, which gave him “an opportunity to see other issues involved.” He believes building stronger community will create a safer and more aware atmosphere.

“I think having [first-years] and sophomores live together in this [community] will create the opportunity to feel more that SMU is their home,” Camp said. “[It will allow] people to have a range of friend beyond who [they] knew their first semester in their [first-year] dorm.”

 

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