About René

René Archambault is the Deputy Director, Admissions and Marketing, for Southern Methodist University’s Guildhall, one of the top three graduate programs for game development in the world, as ranked by the Princeton Review. René has served SMU’s student population for almost 18 years. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Texas Christian University (TCU) and a Master’s Degree in Education, with a focus on Education Policy and Leadership from Southern Methodist University (SMU), where she was named by her faculty and peers as SMU's Graduate Student of the Year. 

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Throughout her time at SMU, she has worked to strengthen the reach of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education and curricular offerings to graduate and undergraduate students. A passion project of hers involved designing and facilitating innovative programs for middle and high school students crafted to help students retain their interest in STEM based education. 

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Serving on the steering and advisory committees for Emmitt J. Conrad High School’s Collegiate Academy (Dallas ISD), René has been instrumental in building collaborative partnerships between SMU, the Dallas County Community College District, and the Dallas Independent School District. This unique program (Collegiate Academy) offers first-generation college students the opportunity to graduate from high school with an associate’s degree at no cost, and works to bring higher education to historically underrepresented students. 

 

René grew up in the Dallas area as a fifth-generation North Texan, raised by a family of educators (mom Nancy taught first grade, dad James taught high school history and coached football, grandfather Bill was superintendent of Denison, TX schools, grandmother Anne taught physical education and vocational office education, and grandfather Boyd taught music). 

 

René and her husband Randy met in 1999, were married in 2001, and welcomed daughter Zoë Grace in 2006. The family moved to Frisco, TX in 2010 for the sole purpose of educating Zoë in Frisco’s exemplary school system, a decision that René and Randy both state is “one of the best decisions that we’ve made as parents.” Zoë is a ninth grader at Wakeland High School in Frisco (attending Purefoy Elementary School and Griffin Middle School prior to), and enjoys being an athletic trainer for Wakeland football and basketball, being a member of the Future Farmer's Association (as she prepares for a career as a veterinarian) showing her rabbit Oliver in shows across North Texas, and being a member of the Wakeland Wolverine theatre program. René is currently a member of the Wakeland Theatre Booster, and an Ambassador member of the Frisco ISD Council of PTA's.

 

René serves her beloved Frisco community through various efforts, serving on the governing board of Frisco FastPacs, as a volunteer with the City of Frisco, Frisco LovePacs, Frisco Family Services, and is a member of Frisco Women’s League.

 

She and her family attend Hope Fellowship.