Spring 2018
Uncovering a hidden world of spectacular creatures
Myria Perez ’18 and more than 100 SMU undergraduate students painstakingly cleaned and preserved the fossils now on exhibit in Sea Monsters Unearthed: Life in Angola’s Ancient Seas at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History.
Robert H. Dedman, Jr. ’80, ’84 to deliver December Commencement address
The chair of the SMU Board of Trustees will speak during Commencement, which will be streamed live online at smu.edu/live, beginning at 9:30 a.m. on December 15.
Cox reveals the Dallas area’s fastest-growing entrepreneurial companies
Caruth Institute Director Jerry White calls the companies named in the Dallas 100™ “amazing growth machines” that generate thousands of jobs and pump billions into the area’s economy.
Studying public policy and medicine goes hand in hand
With medical school in her future, SMU senior Noelle Kendall ’19 says her experience as a Tower Scholar opened her eyes to the need for the scientific and public policy communities to work together for “safe, efficient progress.”
Marine vet marches toward a costume design career
M.F.A. student Yvonne Johnston’s cell phone includes the numbers of some costume design superstars, which she collected as a Television Academy intern in Los Angeles.
Double-double record holder Ira Terrell ’76 to be honored
The No. 32 jersey of the SMU basketball great – a self-proclaimed “Mustang for life” – will be honored during halftime at the SMU vs. Tulsa game in Moody Coliseum.
No. 2 Mustangs finish fall season undefeated
The Mustangs wrapped up fall competition with 13 conference honors and 15 Most Outstanding Player awards with three undefeated individual riders. The spring season starts on February 2 when SMU meets Texas A&M.;
ICYMI: In Case You Missed It
Enjoy this roundup of interesting stories and videos highlighting some of the people and events making news on the Hilltop.
Drone research possibilities soar thanks to NSF grant
An SMU engineering team received funding from the National Science Foundation for drone research with wide-ranging applications, from increasing Internet connectivity during natural disasters to dropping online orders on your doorstep.
There’s no time to lose. Answer the call.
For the 1,300 students who receive scholarships funded by current-use gifts, your investment in SMU means they’ll dream bigger and accomplish more this year. Create new opportunities for our world changers with your Pony Power gift.
Legal and business expert to lead new law center
International business law executive Eric F. Hinton has been named the inaugural director of the new Robert B. Rowling Center for Business Law and Leadership at SMU Dedman School of Law.
Celebrating campus and community vets on November 12
The Maguire Ethics Center and the SMU Student Veterans will honor members of the campus and greater community who have served our country with a special tribute on Veterans Day, November 12.
Telling stories of ‘hope that change is coming’
Petya Kertikova ’11 took a leap of faith and came to SMU on an athletics scholarship. After earning a journalism degree, she returned to her native Bulgaria and now reports on other former ex-pats leading improvements in her homeland.
Here’s the scoop on a new sweet spot across from campus
Denver transplants Will Ammons ’16 and Schuyler Grey ’16 agree that there was one thing missing from their student experience. So they’ve teamed up with Tyler Kleinert ’14 to open a neighborhood ice cream shop.
No argument here. SMU Debate ranks No. 1.
Over the course of more than 70 matches, students researched complex national and international policy issues and tested themselves against some of the best student advocates in the country to earn the top ranking in the nation.
Mini masterpieces and big fun at the Meadows Museum
The Meadows Museum hosted Dalí in the Dark after-hours events for alumni and students in conjunction with the Dalí: Poetics of the Small, 1929–1936 exhibit, which continues through December 9.
ICYMI: In Case You Missed It
Enjoy this roundup of interesting stories and videos highlighting some of the people and events making news on the Hilltop.
Whitney Wolfe Herd ’11: Empowering women to make the first move
As an SMU undergraduate, Whitney Wolfe Herd ’11 started two companies in response to problems she saw in the world. Today she’s the founder and CEO of Bumble, the billion-dollar social connection app that empowers women to make the first move.
$5 million gift from Rich and Mary Templeton boosts engineering research
The new Templeton Endowed Research Excellence Fund will support the most pressing research needs in the Bobby B. Lyle School of Engineering, bolstering the externally sponsored research that is critical to the University’s global academic standing.
Thanks for your support!
When Mustangs band together, we empower students filled with passion and purpose. Thanks to YOUR support, SMU’s creators, innovators and problem-solvers will push harder, dream bigger and accomplish more this year. Because tuition only covers about 70 percent of a University education, your gift fills the gap with crucial funding for scholarships, research and so much more. There’s strength in our numbers. Thank you for banding together for these world changers to shape experiences they’ll never forget!
SMU parents’ gift supports University’s highest priorities
SMU parents Daniel M. Doyle, Jr. and Nicole Kudelko Doyle ’94 continue their long-standing commitment to expanding educational opportunities and supporting academic excellence with a $1 million gift to the University.
SMU rises in U.S. News rankings
SMU again ranks in the first tier of the annual guide’s 312 “best national universities,” moving up to No. 59 – a two-spot gain over 2018.
Let the countdown to Moody Magic begin!
The Mustangs open the 2018–19 basketball season in Moody Coliseum, when the men’s team hosts Northwestern State on November 8 in Moody Coliseum, and the women’s team faces Louisiana Monroe on November 9.
Annual Stampede of Service to aid 10 community partners
Alumni will join students and other volunteers from the campus community to lend a helping hand at 10 Dallas-area nonprofits on October 13.
A 21st-century cybercrime fighter
SMU alumna Erin Nealy Cox ’95, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, wields her experience in the law, business and technology in prosecuting cybercrimes.
Starting conversations that never end
Find out how an interdisciplinary research cluster created new connections between graduate students and faculty and launched conversations exploring biases and inclusion.
Beating the drum for cross-cultural music cognition research
Scholarships and the chance to double major in music and electrical engineering brought Jay Appaji ’19 to SMU. Now his music cognition research is gaining an international audience.
ICYMI: In Case You Missed It
Enjoy this roundup of interesting stories and visuals highlighting some of the people and events making news on the Hilltop.
Growing green, sowing hope in Dallas’ food desert
Owen Lynch harbors a “crazy” idea – one that just might help eliminate the food deserts scattered throughout South Dallas.
Creating a STEM-focused school in West Dallas
The Dallas Independent School District, Toyota and SMU are creating a new and innovative PreK-8 STEM school in West Dallas.
Don’t miss Family Weekend 2018, September 28–29
SMU parents will have a chance to see the Hilltop through their students’ eyes during Family Weekend 2018, September 28–29. Highlights include school events, the SMU-Houston Baptist football game and Spring Awakening,the fall student musical.
Shaping world changers with cultural intelligence
In a new video, Professor Maria Dixon Hall discusses the Cultural Intelligence Initiative, or CIQ@SMU, and its mission to equip the SMU community with the skills to manage and communicate effectively in complex cultural contexts.
SMU Distinguished Alumni Awards to be presented on November 1
SMU will honor Pierce M. Allman ’54, Tucker S. Bridwell ’73, ’74 and Jane Chu ’81 with Distinguished Alumni Awards and Kelvin Beachum, Jr. ’10, ’12 with the Emerging Leader Award on November 1.
A national hub for data-driven decision making in the arts
SMU DataArts will serve as the new national hub for data resources, insights and analyses to illuminate strengths, challenges and opportunities for arts organizations with the aim of ensuring long-term stability.
Visakh Madathil ’21: Using technology for social development
Highland Capital Management Tower Scholar Visakh Madathil ’21 spent his summer in Washington, D.C. as a data-science/ software engineering intern. His biggest takeaway? To solve complex issues, understanding “the human side is just as important” as the technology.
Blending business and science for a future in medicine
Holt Garner ’19 of Decatur, Texas, designed his own multidisciplinary “dream degree plan” to master both accounting and biology. He says his dual business and science perspectives provide a competitive edge as he prepares for medical school.
Writer-director Andrew Oh ’18 rolls with the punches
Working with limited resources, Andrew Oh ’18 learned why entrepreneurial skills can make or break a film. His high school comedy, The Book of Job, is “the culmination of my four years at SMU.”
Randall Joyner ’14 is once again living his dream on the Hilltop
Former standout Mustang linebacker Randall Joyner ’14 was easy to pick out at SMU football’s first scrimmage of their August training camp. Now the assistant coach for defensive ends, he was the first person to greet players coming off the field.
Indigenous hunter-gatherers actively shaped their environments
Native American communities used active burning to improve grazing and drive bison on North American prairies long before the arrival of Christopher Columbus, according to a new study led by SMU archaeologist Christopher I. Roos.
ICYMI: In Case You Missed It
Enjoy this roundup of interesting videos and stories highlighting some of the people and events making news on the Hilltop.
All in: How Candice Bledsoe ’07 shows students ‘no dream is out of reach’
Candice Bledsoe ’07 founded the Cutting Edge Youth Summit at SMU to help younger students with big dreams visualize a future powered by higher education.
Navigating the intersection of commerce and compassion
In less than a year, Neha Husein ’19 has piloted Just Drive – a mobile app that awards points to drivers who lock their phones while driving – from a class assignment into a viable startup. Along the way, SMU’s innovation ecosystem put her on track for success. Her venture won financial awards from SMU, and faculty mentors helped steer her in the right direction. She even tapped into the Mustang alumni network to bring her idea to life.
A scientist’s exhilarating expedition to the land of fire and ice
Andrés Ruzo’s passions for science and adventure take him from his roots in Peru to the land of fire and ice – Iceland. Ruzo ’09, a doctoral candidate at SMU, is documenting his discoveries in photo essays for the National Geographic Explorer series.
Gearing up for a great school year on the Hilltop
The beginning of the new school year is just around the corner, and faculty, staff and returning students are preparing to welcome the Class of 2022 to the Hilltop.
Gala to support Meadows Museum’s educational mission
SMU’s Meadows Museum will present its first-ever gala, “The Color of Dreams,” on Saturday, October 13, to raise funds to endow a director of education position. The theme is inspired by the art of Salvador Dalí, whose paintings will be on exhibit at the museum, September 9–December 9.
Wanted: Talented disruptors and innovative companies
A new study finds that North Texas’ innovation economy is thriving and provides a strategic blueprint for drawing more inventive people and companies to the region.
Breakthrough: Physicists observe another piece of the cosmic puzzle
SMU physicists powered by the University’s ManeFrame II supercomputer were part of the first team of researchers to observe a milestone Higgs boson-bottom quark interaction, another step toward understanding how the universe operates.
Mild cognitive workout may be best for concussion recovery
A new pilot study by SMU scientists indicates that complete rest may not be the most effective treatment for sports-related concussions. They find that performing mild problem-solving tasks improves memory function.
Changing the world, one film at a time
Mollie Mulvey ’20 has always dreamed of telling her stories as a filmmaker. Now her dream is coming true at SMU, where she finds herself "free to express my creativity in ways that I may not have even expected.”
Student-athlete earns points for good works
Service to the community and tremendous perseverance earned senior defensive back Jordan Wyatt ’19 a nomination for the national 2018 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.
ICYMI: In Case You Missed It
Enjoy this roundup of interesting videos and stories highlighting some of the people and events making news on the Hilltop.
Bringing ‘Sea Monsters’ to life in D.C.
How are paleontologist Louis Jacobs and a group of student researchers spending the summer? They’re preparing never-before-seen fossils from Angola for the exhibit Sea Monsters Unearthed, which opens at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History on November 9 in Washington, D.C.
Congratulations to the XPRIZE team!
A puzzle-solving smartphone game designed by SMU and Literacy Instruction for Texas experts to teach struggling adult readers is among five international finalists in the $7 million XPRIZE competition.
Game on: Esports event debuts in September
SMU Guildhall and esports firm eGency Global are teaming up to present OP Live Dallas, a two-day gaming extravaganza featuring professional and amateur competitions as well as a showcase for games designed by SMU graduate students.
A win-win for Mustangs and local heroes
Honor those who serve through the Seats for Heroes program, and make plans to attend the Salute to Our Heroes football game on September 22 and the first responders appreciation on September 29.
‘The universal language of kindness’
Student-athletes and SMU staff cleared rocks, poured cement, dug post holes and helped build a brand-new sports court in a village in Belize, which they christened with a spirited volleyball tournament.
For some, it’s not just about the music
New research finds that people who deeply grasp the pleasure and pain of others appear to involve social cognitive circuitry to process music like a pleasurable proxy for a human encounter.
Big idea: Nanoscale surgical robots
MinJun Kim’s research is catching up with the imaginations of science fiction writers. He creates tiny robots that may one help doctors see what’s going on inside the human body’s hardest-to-reach places.
Crunching data to crush bacteria
Peng Tao, assistant professor of chemistry, received the prestigious National Science Foundation CAREER Award to support his innovative computational strategy for fighting “superbugs.”
Research and mentorship honored
Bonnie Jacobs has been elected a fellow of the international Paleontological Society for her contributions to the field of Cenozoic paleobotany as well as her stellar mentorship of students.
Plunging into green engineering
Champion swimmer Adrienn Sánta ’18 blended her family’s green living experience with undergraduate research on mobile greenhouses to find her passion for building a sustainable future.
From Big D to the Big Apple
Dancer Kelly Zitka ’15 intended to land a job in marketing, but the allure of the stage won out. Perseverance, and a little spontaneity, helped her find her footing in musical theater.
ICYMI: In Case You Missed It
Enjoy this roundup of interesting videos and stories highlighting some of the people and events making news on the Hilltop.
Congratulations to the Class of 2018, our newest alumni!
At the all-University Commencement ceremony on May 19, featured speaker Randall L. Stephenson, chairman and CEO of AT&T, challenged members of the Class of 2018 to “make every effort not to live your life in a straight line.” The day was filled with hugs, laughter and pony ears as the new graduates looked back on their four exciting years on the Hilltop and forward to their futures as world changers.
Preparing legal leaders for a changing world
The new Robert B. Rowling Center for Business Law and Leadership will enrich the law school curriculum with training in such areas as ethical leadership, business analytics and entrepreneurship.
SMU continues its climb
A new report by University leadership makes 14 bold recommendations for continuing SMU’s ascent by further elevating overall academic quality and bolstering local, national and global impact.
Powering achievement across the Hilltop
Thanks to your commitment to SMU excellence, Pony Power outpaced the first-year goal and raised more than $57 million to fuel today’s students, faculty and programs. Let’s make an even greater impact in Year Two!
Jasmine Liu ’18 discovers her future in the stars
Jasmine Liu ’18 planned a future in the corporate world, but after joining physicist Robert Kehoe’s research team, she was star struck. Fueled by SMU’s high-performance computing power, her work helped reveal a variable star in the Pegasus constellation. Now she sees a future in astrophysics or astronomy.
SMU names new Board officers and members
Three new officers and three new trustees were named during the SMU Board of Trustee’s spring meeting on May 4. The Board also passed a resolution to honor two former members as trustees emeriti.
Understanding modern research libraries from the ground up
Holly Jeffcoat, an academic leader in the use of technology in instruction and library services, has been selected as the next dean of SMU Libraries. She will join SMU on August 1.
Honoring the achievements of business alumni
Cox School of Business honored Distinguished Alumni Clark Hunt ’87 and James M. “Jim” Johnson ’70, ’71 and Outstanding Young Alumni Chris Lowe ’04, ’14 and Jeff Owens ’01, ’02 at its 2018 awards luncheon on May 11.
Mustangs come through with flying colors
More than 10,000 of you made an investment in SMU in 2017–18, creating extraordinary opportunities across the University community. Thank you for making the Horsepower Challenge so successful!
The start of something big
When school district budget constraints stalled a field trip intended to reward Rusk Middle School students for their hard work in the classroom, SMU stepped up and treated the eighth-graders to a campus visit unlike any other.
Art in high gear: Julia Jalowiec ‘18
Julia Jalowiec ’18 is in her 40s, has four children and never created art before a battle with cancer spurred her to go back to school. She earned her bachelor’s degree in May, and her art is getting noticed.
Amazon’s Jeff Bezos speaks at SMU during Bush Center Forum
During the Closing Conversation of the George W. Bush Presidential Center Forum on Leadership, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos said the key to his company’s success has been staying true to the core values of “customer-obsession, eagerness to invent, long-term thinking and operational excellence.”
Rising to the challenge and exceeding expectations
A challenge from longtime SMU supporters Carl Sewell ’66 and Peggy Higgins Sewell ’72 has generated more than $834,000 in gifts and pledges for 20 new Dedman College scholarships.
Meadows Museum gala to support vital educational mission
The Meadows Museum will present its inaugural Masterpiece Gala, “The Color of Dreams,” on October 13 to establish an endowment for the museum’s director of education position.
A new campus drawing card begins to take shape
The annual spring football game featured the new-look Mustangs under first-year head coach Sonny Dykes and celebrated the new SMU Indoor Performance Center, a reflection of the University’s commitment to a first-class and competitive athletic program.
Mustangs ready to kick off their NFL careers
Three teams tapped Mustang football standouts to join their rosters during the NFL Draft 2018. SMU wide receiver Courtland Sutton was selected by the Denver Broncos, defensive end Justin Lawler was picked by the Los Angeles Rams, and wide receiver Trey Quinn was chosen by the Washington Redskins.
Three cheers for our national champions!
SMU Cheer crushed it again, winning a third consecutive national title on April 6. The team set an SMU record in the competition for the second year. Senior cheerleader Nate Williams ’18 was thrilled. “We always say that we are our biggest competition and, in a way, we are."
Faculty gift creates endowed chair in Cox
Andrew H. Chen and Elaine T. Chen have made a $2 million gift to the SMU Edwin L. Cox School of Business to establish The Andrew H. Chen Endowed Chair in Financial Investments Fund. The gift will include $1.5 million for the endowment of the faculty chair and $500,000 for operational support.
New partnership amplifies economic research impact
A new economic growth initiative launching on June 1 will combine the Bush Institute’s action-oriented policy approach and SMU’s world-leading research and analyses to promote domestic economic growth and strengthen the nation’s global competitiveness.
Center launches milestone study of prosecutorial charging practices
SMU’s Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center is partnering with leading researchers on the Prosecutorial Charging Practices Project, a data-driven initiative to shed light on prosecutor practices, inform policymakers and help identify best practices.
NATO alliance survives through adaptability
The ability to change with a changing world gives NATO staying power, according to Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General. He was on campus April 5 for a town hall moderated by SMU Provost Steven Currall and featuring Ambassador Kay Bailey Hutchison.
ICYMI: In Case You Missed It
Enjoy this roundup of interesting videos and stories highlighting some of the people and events making news on the Hilltop.
Game changer: SMU Indoor Performance Center
Come out to cheer on the Mustangs under new Head Coach Sonny Dykes at the annual spring football game in Ford Stadium on April 14 and be part of the celebration as halftime festivities kick off the construction of the SMU Indoor Performance Center.
We appreciate your generosity, Mustangs!
Thank you to the more than 2,200 alumni, parents, students, faculty, staff and friends who contributed over $747,824 during Mustangs Give Back. Missed the deadline? There’s still time to fund meaningful projects for our world changers.
AT&T CEO to deliver Commencement address
Pioneering business and technology leader Randall L. Stephenson will speak at the all-University ceremony on Saturday, May 19, where SMU expects to award more than 2,500 undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees.
A visionary approach to research and innovation
With a significant gift from Dallas business leaders Linda Wertheimer Hart ’65 and Milledge (Mitch) A. Hart, III, SMU will establish the first university-wide initiative focused on interactive network technologies created at a major research university.
Expanding engineering know-how and possibilities
A newspaper article about SMU engineering camps for underrepresented youth sparked a $2 million gift from the Hamon Charitable Foundation that will support expansion of the camps and provide scholarships for students who attend them.
Knee-deep in the business of politics
With the midterm elections squarely in his sights, economics major Zach Miller ’19 relied on the SMU network as he scaled “the next level in politics” by starting a political consulting firm and serving as finance director for a Texas Senate hopeful.
Giving voice to a stronger student community
As Student Body President David Shirzad ’18 winds down his term and prepares for graduation, he reflects on his high-spirited campus involvement and ultimate goal of shaping a community “where all people have a voice, and they believe they’re being heard.”
Couples should assume less, communicate more
Family psychologist Chrystyna D. Kouros is the lead author of a new study that finds couples pick up on one another’s feelings pretty well, when the emotion is happiness, but they often fail to recognize when a partner is sad, lonely or feeling down.
Keeping an eye on the oil patch from space
An analysis of radar images by a team of SMU geophysicists indicates that a large swath of the West Texas oil patch is heaving and sinking at an alarming rate. According to the researchers, two giant sinkholes near Wink, Texas, may just be the tip of the iceberg.
Congratulations to the SMU Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2018
Former student-athletes Janielle Dodds ’07, Denny Holman ’67, Wes Hopkins ’83, Hank Kuehne ’99, Cheril Santini ’95 and the late Clyde Carter ’35 have been named to the SMU Athletics Hall of Fame and will be recognized at the annual banquet and induction ceremony on Friday, May 4 at Moody Coliseum.
Sign up now for summer learning fun
No boredom allowed this summer, thanks to SMU’s wide-ranging learning activities for kids. Youngsters will create code, learn the fundamentals of engineering, express themselves artistically and fine-tune their athletic abilities at summer camps offered at SMU-in-Plano and on the main campus in Dallas.
ICYMI: In Case You Missed It
Please enjoy this roundup of interesting videos and stories highlighting some of the people and events making news on the Hilltop.
SMU and LIFT team up to reduce adult illiteracy in Dallas
Codex: Lost Words of Atlantis, an engaging game with an educational mission, earned the SMU/LIFT team, People ForWords, a place among the eight semifinalists chosen from 109 international teams competing for the $7 million Barbara Bush Foundation Adult Literacy XPRIZE presented by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation.
Army chaplain Jeff Matsler ’93 helps veterans work through ‘moral injury’
For more than a decade, U.S. Army Major Jeff Matsler ’93, a chaplain and bioethicist at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, has made it his mission to study “moral injury.” Members of the armed forces return from war not only psychologically and emotionally battered but also spiritually injured. “Soldiers on the front line need to hear the message of forgiveness and redemption,” he says.
Wearing many hats – and a crown
It’s hard to keep up with Averie Bishop ’19. The reigning Miss Asian American Texas and SMU junior has her hands full as a double major in human rights and political science, vice president of Phi Alpha Delta pre-law fraternity, co-founder of a humanitarian charity and 24-Hour Musical star.
A seat at Regina Taylor’s table
SMU alumna Regina Taylor ’81 planned a career in journalism before she fell in love with acting as a student at SMU’s Meadows School of the Arts. While collecting a trove of acting accolades, she never stopped putting pen to paper.
Football game changers: A new indoor training center and a new head coach
April 14 will be a red-letter day for football fans with the annual spring game showcasing the Mustangs under new Head Coach Sonny Dykes and halftime festivities kicking off the construction of SMU’s Indoor Performance Center. The game starts at 11 a.m. in Ford Stadium.
A Founders’ Day salute to the Bush Center
Celebrate the fifth anniversary of the George W. Bush Presidential Center during Founders’ Day Weekend, April 20–22. Highlights include a sold-out address by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos at the Bush Center’s Forum on Leadership; Family Day at the Meadows Museum, featuring family-friendly art activities; and Sing Song, the annual student musical competition
Bringing fresh water to a Bolivian village
Spencer Meyer ’19 was on top of the world over winter break – at least that’s what it felt like at 13,000 feet on the Bolivian altiplano. He and other members of SMU’s Engineers Without Borders continued work on a project to bring clean water to a remote Bolivian village. Mustangs Give Back support will help them complete water towers, piping and a tap system.
Michael Bloomberg receives Medal of Freedom
The businessman, philanthropist, author and former New York City mayor was honored for “extraordinary contributions for the advancement of democratic ideals and to the security, prosperity and welfare of humanity.”
Stirring winds of change in professional hockey
Tom Dundon ’93 helped turn Topgolf into a millennial magnet, and as the new majority owner of the Carolina Hurricanes professional hockey team, he’ll apply his brand of secret sauce to fire up fans.
Crunching data and crushing cancer
Tests on three drug-like compounds, discovered computationally via SMU’s supercomputer, confirm their ability to bolster the effectiveness of chemotherapy in treating some of the most commonly aggressive cancers.
Meet a master of turning lemons into lemonade
SMU basketball forward Akoy Agau ’18 fled war-torn Sudan with his family and learned English with Harry Potter’s help. Despite serious shoulder injuries that quashed pro dreams, he still considers himself lucky.
Lauding the contributions of energy industry titans
Greg Armstrong, CEO of Plains All American, and oilman and entrepreneur T. Boone Pickens, founder of Mesa Petroleum, were honored recently by the Maguire Energy Institute for their industry and community leadership.
Honoring ‘awe-inspiring’ service and leadership
Gail O. Turner, “First Lady of SMU” and a longtime advocate for human trafficking victims, the homeless and others in need, will be honored with a 2018 Maura Women Helping Women Award on April 19.
Building a home for Frankenstein
Graduate student Amelia Bransky says her professors encourage her to “make scary choices,” so she jumped at the chance to design the sets for Frankenstein, a Dallas Theater Center-SMU co-production on stage through March 4.
ICYMI: In Case You Missed It
In case you missed it this month, please enjoy these interesting videos and stories.
Flipping a switch, igniting success: Aleena Taufiq ’18
Aleena Taufiq ’18 recently landed her dream job as a data engineer working in artificial intelligence at Verizon, a career she never imagined four years ago. She also expanded her Geared Up middle school enrichment program to schools across the country. Alumni support created opportunities for her every step of the way.
An education mixologist’s bold blend of science and the arts
Dedman College Scholar Sam Weber ’18 says he’s the “type of person who likes to stay busy.” That’s an understatement. As a student researcher,
he trains others working on cell biology experiments and explores the use of the performing arts in public health education. And he’s currently directing his second 24-Hour Musical. The senior dynamo says everything he has done at SMU has prepared him for his next goal: medical school.
Primed for data-driven innovation
Dallas made Amazon’s shortlist of potential locations for its second headquarters. With the University's investment in supercomputing infrastructure and data-driven research, SMU is ready to take advantage of new opportunities and ambitious challenges.
Gift honors alumnus’ business acumen and love of sports
More than $5 million in contributions from a consortium of donors will support a new energy management initiative and naming opportunity in the SMU Indoor Performance Center in honor of Kyle D. Miller ’01.
Technology, innovation and the law converge in new apps
In a new tech-focused class, three Dedman School of Law student teams developed consumer-friendly mobile apps designed to help legal aid organizations improve client services and streamline processes.
Charismatic career women inspire female students
An SMU study reveals that the key to encouraging more top female students to pursue careers in male-dominated professions could be as simple as exposing them to successful, charismatic women in those fields.
Sophomore runner sets new Mustang record
Sophomore Hannah Miller set a new personal best and broke the existing SMU record in the 3000m at the Vanderbilt Invitational in Nashville, Tennessee, on January 20.
Meadows, Dallas Theater Center bring Frankenstein to life
The Meadows Division of Theatre and the Dallas Theater Center will present Frankenstein at the Kalita Humphreys Theater in Dallas, February 2–March 4.
Register now for the Black Excellence Ball on February 24
Join the Black Alumni of SMU and the Association of Black Students for the annual Black Excellence Ball on February 24., where 2018 History Makers and scholarship recipients will be honored.
Two Mustangs headed to Major League Soccer teams
Michael Nelson ’17 was tapped by the Houston Dynamo, and Mauro Cichero ’17 was selected by FC Dallas in the Major League Soccer SuperDraft on January 19. This is the eighth time the Mustangs have had multiple picks in the draft.
Engineering an SMU-style experience in Egypt
By emulating his SMU mentors, engineering professor Amir Ali ’15 earned a sweet gift from graduating seniors at German University in Cairo, Egypt: a chocolate bar with a custom wrapper declaring: “To the Best Professor Ever! Thank You.”
New Perkins partnership sends scholars to England
The chance to study in England came as a “God-timing thing” for Adam White ’15. He and Shuo En Liang ’17 are studying abroad through a new partnership with Perkins School of Theology and Wesley House, Cambridge.
How ethical are we?
Ruhi Deshmukh ’21 connects tenets learned in a business ethics class to the Holocaust and concludes that understanding history is the best path to preventing “such a crime against humanity ever again.”
ICYMI: In Case You Missed It
In case you missed it this month, please enjoy these interesting stories and videos.
Honoring a legacy of service and sacrifice
The University community will join the celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the annual Dallas parade on January 15 and honor his life and legacy during SMU’s Dream Week, which includes the campus Unity Walk on January 23 and MLK Day of Service on January 27.
Mourning the loss of an extraordinary alumna
Renowned civic and philanthropic leader Ruth Collins Sharp Altshuler died December 8, 2017, leaving a legacy of leadership, friendship and generosity focused on institutions dedicated to improving lives.
New gift goes to the heart of academic goals
A $1 million gift from the Moody Foundation will support renovation of Meadows School of the Arts facilities and key education research by Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development.
This star athlete’s power play? Earning his degree
During his time on the Hilltop, football star Courtland Sutton ’17 made it clear how highly he values his education. In just three and a half years, he earned a degree in sport management. “That degree is something no one can take away once my playing career is over,” he says.
Meet SMU’s first Schwarzman Scholar
Benjamin H. Chi ’18 will study in Beijing, China, for a year as a Schwarzman Scholar. He plans to return with a master’s degree in global affairs and a better understanding of how the Chinese view the United States.
Cyber grad’s road took a necessary detour
No one was more surprised than Michael Taylor when SMU admitted him in 2014. He graduated in December as an “outstanding student in computer science and engineering” with a master’s degree and a Raytheon ticket to a Ph.D.
Scholarship turns a long shot into a sure thing
Military veteran Evan Atkinson ’17 thought he would be shut out of law school until an SMU scholarship opened the door to a life-changing opportunity.
What’s in a name? Inspiration and motivation
Biko McMillan ’17 was named for South African activist Steve Biko, and while earning recent degrees in biological sciences and Spanish, he lived up to his name as a leader uniting campus communities.
Economist wins prestigious award with bribery research
SMU economist Danila Serra found that guilt and shame work to curb corruption. Her extensive research on bribery behavior earned the inaugural Vernon L. Smith Ascending Scholar Prize, a $50,000 “budding genius” award.
Arts groups must stay on their toes to survive
A new study by the National Center for Arts Research at SMU shows that arts and cultural organizations have to develop nimble responses to revenue realities to remain afloat.
ICYMI: In Case You Missed It
In case you missed it this month, please enjoy these interesting stories and videos.
Continuing a legacy of attracting top students
A $15 million gift from the Nancy Ann Hunt Foundation secures the long-term future of the Hunt Leadership Scholars Program, one of the University’s signature scholarship programs attracting academically talented student leaders from throughout the United States to SMU.
Investing in a data-empowered future
President R. Gerald Turner outlined SMU’s impact on the region’s economy through data-powered teaching and research at a gathering of top business and civic leaders at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas on November 13. The University’s $85-million investment in high speed computing and data science curriculum will deliver more bang for the research buck.
Congressman’s gifts reflect a life of service
Venerable statesman and decorated war hero Sam Johnson ’51 has made two gifts to SMU that will support the education of military veterans and preserve for future study papers and materials from his distinguished life and career.
Turning a ‘big idea’ into jobs for veterans
With some seed funding from student competitions and help from SMU's legal clinics, Iraq war veteran Jason Waller ’18 has launched a company that provides vets with on-the-job training as property insurance adjusters.
Adding early assessment to the math education equation
Lindsey Perry ’16 studied students’ spatial and relational reasoning with numbers in her SMU Ph.D. dissertation, which has resulted in a $2.5 million grant to develop a mathematical reasoning screening system for grades K–2.
Does symmetry affect speed?
The New York Times covered SMU Locomotor Performance Laboratory researchers’ study of Usain Bolt, the world’s fastest human, that reveals the mechanics of his stride may vary between his right and left legs, upending conventional wisdom that an uneven gait slows down runners.
Spring 2018
