Political novelist and satirist Christopher Buckley answered questions from SMU and high school students on November 17, 2009, at the Turner Construction Student Forum of SMU's Tate Lecture Series. The author of 11 books and editor of Forbes FYI spoke to students with humor and candor about the future of journalism, making a living as a writer and the current political scene.

Here's a sample of the conversation:

Former President George W. Bush told an SMU audience Thursday, November 12, that the George W. Bush Institute will focus on education, global health, human freedom and economic growth. The Institute will be part of the Bush Presidential Center, which will include the presidential library and museum.

Construction on the center will begin in fall 2010, but the institute's first initiatives are under way with the selection of key leaders and plans for conferences beginning this spring.

"The Institute will be a vital hub of critical thought and practical action," Bush told about 1,500 SMU faculty, students, staff and presidential library donors at McFarlin Auditorium. "It will be independent, nonpartisan and designed to make an impact in the world."

The Institute first will focus on education reform, beginning with the appointment of nationally renowned education scholar James Guthrie to serve as the institute's director of education policy studies; he will serve as senior fellow at the institute. Simultaneously, the Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development at SMU announced that he will hold a concurrent appointment as professor in the school, the first such appointment to be made between SMU and the Bush Institute. Read more about the appointment.

• Read more about the Bushes' speeches from SMU News.
• Watch a video of the Bushes' speeches at SMU.
• Bush Presidential Center design released.

Beginning Jan. 5-14, 2010, SMU will offer an expanded January interterm called J-Term. The concentrated program of study allows students to complete one three-credit-hour course within eight class days spread over a two-week period.

For the J-Term's inaugural outing, classes will be held Jan. 5-8 (Tuesday-Friday) and Jan. 11-14 (Monday-Thursday). The schedule provides six hours of instruction per day for a total of 48 contact hours, including time for exams. Available courses feature offerings from Cox School of Business, Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, and Meadows School of the Arts (including the Temerlin Advertising Institute).

The daily schedule includes a break for meals. Most classes meet during the morning and afternoon from 8:45 a.m.-noon and from 1:15-4:30 p.m. Four afternoon/evening classes are available and will meet 1:15-4:30 p.m. and 5:45-9 p.m.

Students participating in J-Term will be responsible for their own housing. The SMU-in-Plano campus has no residence halls, and those at the University's main campus are closed during that period.

J-Term 2010 courses are not available for registration through Access.SMU. To enroll, students should meet with an adviser to select appropriate courses and to complete an application. The application must be received in Enrollment Services by 4 p.m. Dec. 10, 2009 (Reading Day).

For more information about J-Term 2010, contact Kate Livingston, SMU-in-Plano campus director, 972-473-3401.

• Visit the SMU J-Term homepage
• Learn more about SMU-in-Plano

Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins shared his path to leadership - from shy first-year engineering student to Texas' first African-American district attorney - with students attending the President's Leadership Summit at SMU on November 11, 2009.

The program at Hughes-Trigg Student Center, sponsored by SMU President R. Gerald Turner and the Office of Leadership and Community Involvement, offers students an opportunity to learn from community leaders in a range of fields.

Watkins, who has worked to resolve cases of wrongful conviction while in office, said he realized early in his studies at Prairie View A&M University that he wanted to pursue political science rather than engineering.

"I got to study individuals who really made a difference and changed the fabric not just of this country, but of the world," he said.

He said he and all leaders face a challenging decision in tough situations: "Will you be a Mussolini or Martin King, a Hitler or a Gandhi? Will you be a person who progresses your society or a person who progresses your own selfish goals? My experience tells me - and history tells us - to do what's in the best interest of the people you've been chosen to lead."

Here are highlights of Watkins' question-and-answer session with students:

After a winning Homecoming weekend (see photos ), the SMU community is celebrating another long-standing tradition in November 2009: Family Weekend, set for November 13-15.

With a theme of "Passport to SMU," the weekend is filled with activities for families to learn about their student's experience at SMU. Highlights include:

• November 13 - Tour Ford Stadium at 10:30 a.m.; attend the Mothers' Club reception and luncheon, starting at 11 a.m. at Hughes-Trigg Student Center; meet the faculty at 2 p.m.; watch a student talent show at 8 p.m. at McFarlin Auditorium.

• November 14 - Tour the Meadows Museum, starting at 10:30 a.m.; have barbecue with the Dads' Club and tailgate on the Boulevard, starting at 11:30 a.m.; cheer on the Mustangs against the University of Texas-El Paso Miners at 2 p.m. at Ford Stadium.

• November 15 - Attend Mass at Perkins Chapel at 9 a.m.; the College Hispanic American Students host a luncheon at noon at Hughes-Trigg Student Center; and the Asian Council hosts a dinner at 6 p.m. at Hughes-Trigg.

• Find a full schedule here.
• Register here.

Students learned about the rapidly evolving world of social media and their place in it at the third annual Digital Threads, presented by Meadows School of the Arts on November 5-6, 2009.

As part of the networking symposium, visiting experts in the news, entertainment, advertising and communications industries - including many SMU alumni and parents - shared career advice and their experiences with Facebook, YouTube and other social media during classroom sessions and one-on-one meetings.

The guests included keynote speakers Terry Mackin, president of ForesightLab and an SMU parent; Larry Weintraub, CEO of Fanscape; Jimmy Dunne, president of Inspire and an SMU parent; and Tyson Wheatley, producer and news manager of CNN's iReport.

"These are people who have the careers you dream about," Meadows School of the Arts Dean Jose Bowen told the students filling O'Donnell Hall for Thursday's keynote, "Social Media Changes Everything." He also thanked SMU Trustee Royce E. (Ed) Wilson, president of Tribune Broadcasting, for his leading role in launching the symposium. "Over the last three years, he's brought a remarkable array of people - professionals from America's most important media companies," Bowen said.

SMU's two new mustangs, given to the University earlier this fall by the National Wild Horse Foundation with the support of Madeleine and T. Boone Pickens, will participate in their first official University duties at this weekend's SMU football game against Rice. In a decision reached this week by members of the Student Senate, staff representatives and members of the Mustangs football team, the new horses will lead the team from the Mustangs statue at the north end of Mustang Plaza, passing through Doak Walker Plaza, and proceeding to Gerald J. Ford Stadium before each of SMU's three remaining home games.

Peruna, the Mustangs' official mascot, will then fulfill his generations-long tradition of leading the team from the locker room and onto the field. He also will continue to run across the field after SMU scores and will always be positioned at the end of the field to which the SMU offense is headed.

While Peruna handles his normal responsibilities, the mustangs will remain at Ford Stadium near the field's southwest corner.

The University wishes to thank Student Senator Matthew Neman, Student Body Vice President Allison Reyes, Student Senator and Peruna Handler Jake Torres, football Captain Chase Kennemer and teammate Pete Fleps for their leadership and unifying efforts to incorporate gracefully our new horses into the color and pageantry of SMU Mustangs football.

Photo right: Madeleine Pickens and SMU Athletic Director Steve Orsini stand between SMU's two new mustangs at the "Salute to the Mustangs" halftime event during the SMU-Navy game Oct. 17.

Students interested in the fitness and sports professions can now apply to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Physiology and Sports Management.

Introduced this fall, the new degree offered through the Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development offers two concentrations:

• Applied Physiology and Enterprise, which provides a science foundation in health and fitness.
• Sports Management, which provides the business background for students interested in work with sports organizations.

"This program is pretty unique," says Peter Gifford, chair of the Applied Physiology and Wellness Department. "We don't know of another that has this blend of science and business. Regardless of which concentration students choose, they'll have a thorough understanding of their ultimate product, the athlete."

Possible careers in this field include management of sports organizations, management of a health and fitness facility, corporate fitness programming, sports marketing and public relations, and representation of professional athletes.

The program also offers three minor concentrations. SMU's location is a clear advantage for students in this program: Gifford says the number of professional sports teams in the Dallas-Fort Worth region offers a great opportunity for student internships and, eventually, jobs.

For more information, visit smu.edu/apsm.

SMU will receive the Hispanic College Fund's Legacy Award for leadership and investment in a diverse student population during the 16th Annual Portraits of Success gala held on Friday, October 30, 2009, in Washington, D.C. This year marks the first time that an educational institution has received this honor, which is typically given to federal agencies.

SMU was chosen for its exceptional commitment to the recruitment of Hispanic students, the level of support provided to the Hispanic Youth Symposium, its community leadership and the ability to create a genuine community-led event.

Read more from SMU News.

Aleksandra Gawor of Dallas, a sophomore majoring in business and anthropology and a member of the Student Technology Assistant in Residence (STARs) program, is the winner of SMU's "Green Minute" video contest.

The student contest was sponsored by the SMU Sustainability Committee to increase green awareness on campus.

In photo: "Green Minute" winner Aleksandra Gawor (center)

• Watch the winning video.
• Learn more about sustainability efforts at SMU.

Broadway headliner Debra Monk ('75) shared personal stories of the stage and screen with Meadows School of the Arts students on October 15 at SMU's Margo Jones Theatre. Monk was in Dallas for the opening of the AT&T Performing Arts Center, where she starred in the comedy Mrs. Miller Does Her Thing at the Wyly Theatre.

"When I was a student here, Geraldine Page came to speak to us, and I will never forget it," said Monk, who earned a Master of fine arts in theatre from SMU. "I thought, 'If I ever have a chance to do this, I will come back to SMU.' "

Monk, who won a Tony Award for Redwood Curtain and an Emmy Award for NYPD Blue, said her studies at SMU prepared her well for her career in theater, film and television. "What I got here was the best training I got anywhere," she said. "The training was so hard, and it was sublime. We knew how to get up and do a scene, and how to get a direction. I was ready when I got to New York."

Read more from SMU News.

All SMU students are invited to have their portraits taken for the 2010 Rotunda Yearbook. The Rotunda has been chronicling the life of the SMU community since 1916.

Portraits will be taken on the main level of the Hughes-Trigg Student Center in the Commuter Lounge:

• Monday, October 19, to Friday, October 23, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Monday, October 26, to Friday, October 30 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Except for seniors, no appointment is necessary. First-year students who had their yearbook photo taken at AARO this summer need not retake their photo unless desired.

Seniors must schedule an appointment by calling 512-796-4188 or by visiting www.takeourpicture.com/rotunda. Coat and tie are recommended for men; nice blouse or dress for women. Cap and gown will be provided.

For more information, call 214-768-4549.

Seventeen Journalism and Corporate Communications & Public Affairs students, accompanied by Professors Rita Kirk, Ben Voth and Carolyn Barta, traveled to Washington, D.C., this October for the Hilltop on The Hill 2009 program.

They met with government officials, journalists and SMU alumni, as well as the newly appointed director of the Bush Institute, James Glassman.

Some of the students blogged about their experiences on the Student Adventures site. Read their blog.

SMU's Big iDeas program is giving big bucks for big solutions that improve the quality of life in Big D.

The program, launched in 2008 by the Provost's Office, will give 10 undergraduate interdisciplinary teams up to $5,000 each to research and address challenges the Dallas area faces, including health care, the environment, education and energy.

Students should note two important dates:

• Friday, November 13, 2009: 9:30 a.m., Fall Big iDeas Symposium: A Progress Report, at Hughes-Trigg Forum
• Friday, January 29, 2010: 2010 proposals are due

This year's projects include "Real Fuel on Campus," an effort to reduce emissions by converting SMU's food service waste vegetable oil to biodiesel; "Omega Delta Phi's Young Knights," a mentoring program to encourage at-risk Dallas high schoolers to pursue college; and "Profiting from Nonprofits," a study of Dallas' nonprofit sector in a tough economy.

In photo: Andres Ruzo '09, with Maria Richards, SMU Geothermal Lab Coordinator and project adviser, is part of a Big iDeas team investigating possible geothermal resources located under campus. "People don't know how much energy is right beneath their feet," says Ruzo, who earned Bachelor's degrees in geology and finance in May and is now a geophysics graduate student in the Huffington Department of Earth Sciences.

Learn more about undergraduate research opportunities at smu.edu/honors.

Three leading journalists discussed the environment, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and other global challenges during SMU's Willis M. Tate Distinguished Lecture Series Turner Construction Student Forum on Tuesday, September 8.

Fareed Zakaria, editor of Newsweek International and author of books including The Post-American World, also addressed the challenges of personal politics when asked whether he considers himself a centrist.

"I find that when people ask what team they're going to support, they end up with: 'That answer has to be right because my team is always right,' " he said. "I think that's fundamentally intellectually dishonest. What you should be asking is: 'What is the right answer?' The one thing I've learned through a not-so-long career is that you're always better off saying what you believe and standing exactly where you think you should be."

Zakaria participated in the discussion with Thomas Friedman, Pulitzer Prize-winning foreign affairs columnist for The New York Times and author of books including Hot, Flat, and Crowded; and David Gergen, senior political analyst for CNN, editor-at-large of U.S. News & World Report and former White House adviser.

Below are highlights of their question-and-answer session with SMU and area high school students at Hughes-Trigg Student Center.

The three also gave the Linda and Mitch Hart Lecture at McFarlin Auditorium as part of the Tate Lecture Series. (Watch videos of their lectures. ) In addition, Zakaria presented the Hart Global Leaders Forum on September 9. (Read more about his presentation.)

For the second year in a row, an SMU data-mining team has placed as one of the top three in the nation in the SAS Data Mining Shootout co-sponsored by SAS, Dow and Central Michigan University Research Corporation.

The order of finish will be announced at the 2009 SAS Data Mining Conference Oct. 27 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

Dedman College Economics graduate students Michael Fulmer, Jingjing Ye and Steven Gregory - along with their faculty sponsor, Tom Fomby - will receive all-expense-paid trips to the conference and the award ceremony.

In total, 47 U.S. universities and colleges registered, and 28 provided a final submission for judging. The other two top finishers are North Carolina State University and Oklahoma State University.

SMU's Economics Department fielded the national champion in last year's competition. The team members were Stefan Avdjiev, Manan Roy, and Jayjit Roy. Read more.

SMU Abroad is taking students more places in 2009 with the launch of 100 new programs.

Offered in collaboration with the Council on International Education Exchange and other study abroad organizations, the new programs provide opportunities for study, internships and service in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Oceania.

SMU will continue to offer its 30 semester, academic year, winter and summer programs, including discipline-specific programs led by SMU faculty, in locations such as China, England, France, Germany, India, Italy, Jamaica, Mexico, Poland, Russia and South Africa.

• The new SMU Abroad website launches Monday, August 24.
• Students will be able to log in and apply online to the programs beginning September 8.
• The fall SMU Abroad Fair is scheduled for noon Tuesday, September 15, on The Boulevard.

In 1982, Barack Obama Jr. - then an undergraduate at Columbia University - received word that the father he had barely known had died in a car accident in Nairobi. For the younger Obama, this sudden tragedy motivated a journey that took him from Kansas to Kenya and points beyond to learn the truth of his father's life and reconcile the disparate elements of his own family experience.

The story that sprang from that journey prompted SMU's Common Reading Selection Committee to choose Obama's 1995 memoir, Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance, as the book every member of the University's Fall 2009 incoming class will read and discuss. The students will receive the book at this summer's AARO sessions.

Faculty, staff and returning students already have begun discussing the book in preparation for the small-group conversations with new students that take place before Rotunda Passage and Opening Convocation.

• Watch a video of students discussing Common Reading 2009
• Read more about Common Reading 2009

Each year, new students arrive at SMU carrying contagious infections ... on their computers.

An unprotected laptop often contains viruses, worms, rootkits, adware, spyware or other malicious code. And sometimes its operating system has security holes that the manufacturer has long since fixed - but the owner hasn't yet patched.

A thorough hard-drive inoculation against harmful software should be part of every new student's preparation for college, says Joe Gargiulo. As SMU's Chief Information Officer, he oversees a computing infrastructure that has earned the University a place among Princeton Review's 25 Most Connected Campuses.

Under the link, Gargiulo offers 5 tips to help students protect themselves, their data and the SMU network.

Among the new faces at Mustang Corral this year will be Bertice Berry, an award-winning author, lecturer, educator and sociologist.

Berry (right) will serve as the keynote inspirational speaker at the three-day, off-campus retreat for incoming students August 21-23.

"Dr. Berry's message will set the stage for students' collegiate experience at SMU," says Megan Green, program coordinator in the New Student Orientation and Student Support Office.

"She will incorporate various messages, including acclimating to college life, taking responsibility for their own lives and others, being one's REAL self, taking chances and maintaining stability during the transition. She also is known for her ability to make audiences laugh and think at the same time."

• Read the student orientation leaders' blog about AARO.

Summer send-off parties in or near your hometown are a great place for you to meet fellow SMU parents and for your student to make new friends before the school year begins.

Here is a schedule of locations and dates this summer. If you would like more information about any of the parties, please contact Kate Moreland in the Office of Parent Giving at 214-768-4737 or kmorelan@smu.edu.

• Greenwich, Conn.: Hosted by Tom and Claire Whelan, 5-7 p.m. July 26
• Washington, D.C.: Hosted by John and Angie Marriott, 4-6 p.m. July 26
• Denver: Hosted by John and Missy Eliot and Mark and LeeAnne Ammons, 6-8 p.m. July 29
• Houston: Hosted by Scott and Karen Rozzell, 6-8 p.m. July 30
• Chicago: Hosted by Keith and Susan Hoogland, 1-3 p.m. August 2
• San Diego: Hosted by Sam and Vivian Hardage, 4-6 p.m. August 2
• Oklahoma City: Hosted by Robert and Lisa Blair, 6-8 p.m. August 8
• Atlanta: Hosted by Marty and Jennifer Flanagan, 2-4 p.m. August 9
• Los Angeles: Hosted by Alan and Jacquie Aufhammer, 5-7 p.m. August 9
• St. Louis: Hosted by John and Nancy St. Eve, 6-8:30 p.m. August 9
• Dallas/Fort Worth: Hosted by SMU, 7-9 p.m. August 13
• San Francisco: Hosted by Michael and Susan Schwartz, 4-6 p.m. August 15
• Orange County, California: Hosted by Fred and Amy Armendariz, 4-6 p.m. August 16
• Kansas City: Hosted by Michael and Ellen Merriman, 6-8 p.m. August 16

• See 2009 slideshows.

Above: A send-off party in 2008 in San Diego.

Students and their families can find the Spring 2009 Honor Roll online on the University Registar's website. Of 5,788 undergraduate students, 268 met the Honor Roll with High Distinction criteria, 268 met the Honor Roll with Distinction criteria and 263 met the Honor Roll criteria.

A pdf version of each list is available for printing:

• Honor Roll with High Distinction (top 5% of school of record)

• Honor Roll with Distinction (top 10% of school of record)

• Honor Roll (top 15% of school of record)

An Oscar winner, a fashion industry leader, and an associate justice of the Supreme Court are among the speakers for the 2009-10 Willis M. Tate Distinguished Lecture Series at SMU.

In its 28th year, the Tate Series will bring renowned leaders from diverse fields to share their unique perspectives with area residents.

Every season the Tate Lecture Series announces a group of intellectually stimulating and engaging speakers who reflect the high standards of SMU," says Terdema L. Ussery, II, chair of the Tate Lecture Series Board of Directors. "Once again, our lineup of innovators and leaders represents a variety of fields that build and shape the world around us. We look forward to hearing their stories, invaluable knowledge, and piercing insights with our campus and surrounding communities."

Find the 2009-10 schedule here.

Students and faculty are sharing news of their research, travels and internships around the world this summer on the SMU Adventures blog.

This summer's Adventurers include:

• Rebecca, a triple major in art history, Spanish and French, who received a Richter Research Fellowship to study the relationship between nationalized Catholicism, the Franco regime and parish church architecture in northeastern Spain.

• Patrick, a senior religious studies and psychology major, who has been awarded a Richter Research Fellowship to examine newly emerging churches in the United Kingdom.

• And archaeologists in Italy, including students and scholars from SMU, who will excavate the Etruscan sanctuary and settlement of Poggio Colla in Tuscany.

Read more from SMU News.

In photo: Rebecca visits the Forville Market in Cannes.

SMU researchers are deploying seismic stations in North Texas to gather data on earthquakes hitting the area.

"Even in a stable continental region like Dallas, we expect to see small events," Brian Stump, Albritton Professor of Geological Sciences, told WFAA-TV. "But, we've seen a whole series of small events, and that's what intrigues us now is to try and understand that series of events."

• See video report from WFAA-TV.
• Read the story in The Dallas Morning News.

• Read more from SMU News.

In photo: Brian Stump, seismologist and SMU's Albritton Professor of Geological Sciences

Spaces are still available for the 2009 SMU-in-Taos Cultural Institute, set for July 23-26.

Now in its fifth year, the Institute provides an opportunity for parents, alumni and other SMU community members to learn about the Southwest - its colorful history, diverse cultures, rich art and literature, and ancient archaeological sites.

Cultural Institute courses are taught by distinguished SMU faculty and local experts against the backdrop of northern New Mexico.

Offerings this summer include courses on Southwest cooking and wine, the life and art of Georgia O'Keeffe, Taos history and politics, the Los Alamos nuclear project, northern New Mexico's geological history, digital photography and outdoor sports.

The registration fee of $700 per course covers tuition, designated meals and field trip fees. Class size is limited to allow for in-depth discussion and individual attention. Transportation and lodging are the responsibility of the student.

Learn more at smu.edu/culturalinstitute or call 214-768-8267.

Former First Lady Laura Bush, who gave the commencement address at Southern Methodist University on Saturday, May 16, told the more than 1,900 degree recipients that "you won't waste your talent and education if you use them in service to others."

Interrupted numerous times by applause from the crowd that packed SMU's Moody Coliseum, she said, "As much as any generation of Americans, the Class of 2009 is tasked with resolving challenges that lie far beyond your doorstep, even far beyond America's borders.

"Between cellphones and the Internet, you have a world of information literally at your fingertips. And because our world is so small, you can't ignore the genocide in Darfur or the recent brutal treatment of democracy leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma. You know the plight of children orphaned by AIDS in Africa.

"Today begins a period of incredible liberty and adventure, a time to find your calling and to demand the most of life before life makes specific demands on you," she said during a speech that lasted about 14 minutes.

• Read more from SMU News.
• Watch a video of Mrs. Bush's speech.
• Read the text of Mrs. Bush's speech.

See slideshows of the weekend's ceremonies and celebrations:

• Baccalaureate
• Lining up for Commencement
• Scenes from Commencement
• Mrs. Bush at Commencement
• Celebrating after Commencement

When Rachel Jessee learned she was accepted to Teach for America, the first person she contacted was her high school math teacher.

"She was a terrific algebra teacher. She made me love math enough to become a finance major," says the Cox School of Business graduate.

Jessee is one of 18 SMU graduating seniors who will spend the next two years with Teach for America, a nonprofit organization that recruits and trains outstanding college graduates to teach in low-income rural and urban public schools. They join more than 6,200 "corps members" who are teaching in 1,600 schools across the country. This year more than 35,000 students applied for 4,000 Teach for America positions.

In photo: Seven of the 18 graduates who are joining Teach for America.

• Read more from SMU News.

The Reverend Dr. Stephen Rankin has been appointed SMU's new chaplain and minister to the University. effective July 1, 2009.

Rankin comes to SMU from Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas, where he is the campus minister and the Kirk Chair Professor of Religious Studies. He received his Bachelor's degree from Kansas State University, a Master of Divinity from Saint Paul School of Theology, a Master of Theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and a Ph.D. in religious studies from Northwestern University and Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. Rankin holds Elders Orders and full membership in the Kansas West Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church.

Rankin's prior appointments include faculty and instructor at Saint Paul School of Theology and Bethany College. In addition, he has held pastoral appointments in Rome and Florence, Italy; Chicago; and Winfield, Kansas. In 1997, the United Methodist Church's General Board of Higher Education and Ministry honored Rankin with an Exemplary Teacher Award. Earlier in his career, he earned a John Wesley Fellowship.

SMU observes its 94th Commencement May 15-16 with events for students, faculty, alumni and the entire community.

Former First Lady and current SMU Trustee Laura Bush ('68) will speak at the all-University ceremony at 9:30 a.m. May 16 in Moody Coliseum. The University expects to award nearly 2,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees.

Some major events at a glance:

• May 15-16 - Class of 1959 golden reunion
• May 15 - Honorary Degree Symposia honoring Harold W. Attridge, Arthur Mitchell and Alexander McCall Smith
• May 15 - Baccalaureate and Rotunda Recessional
• May 16 - Faculty Breakfast and Distinguished University Citizen Awards presentation
• May 16 - All-University Commencement
• May 16 - School diploma presentations

Find more information at the Registrar's Commencement 2009 website.

• Read more about Laura Bush
• Find times and locations for the 2009 Honorary Degree Symposia
• Get a preview of the University's new academic regalia

Warren Seay, a junior political science major in SMU's Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, won election to the DeSoto (Texas) school board in a landslide May 9. At age 20, the 2009 Truman Scholar has become the youngest school board member in DeSoto history and one of the youngest in Texas history.

"What we saw [on Saturday] was an affirmation from the community that we're ready for a new voice," Seay told The Dallas Morning News. "We're ready for new ideas and new energy."

Seay received about 73 percent of the votes cast in a race to replace retiring trustee Don McKinley.

• Learn more about Warren Seay
• Read election coverage from The Dallas Morning News

Nineteen SMU Honors students have been awarded 2009-10 Richter Research Fellowships through the University Honors Program to conduct independent research around the globe. The undergraduates' research topics range from child obesity in Australia to nonprofits in the Republic of Zambia.

For the second year, grants also have been awarded to Honors students for independent study at SMU-in-Taos.

"The Richter fellowships represent an important opportunity for Honors students to pursue topics that interest them - inside or outside their primary majors," says David Doyle, director of the University Honors Program and assistant dean of Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences. "Upon returning from one to three months of focused research, our Richter University Honors Scholars write and submit scholarly articles to academic journals and magazines."

SMU is one of only 12 universities that offer the competitive fellowships, which are supported by the Paul K. and Evalyn E. Cook Richter Memorial Funds.

This year's winners:

Junior Cody Meador has been named a student Presidential Fellow by the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress in Washington, D.C.

The political science major in Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences is one of 85 students from across the country invited to the center's weekend conferences on leadership and governance in Fall 2009 and Spring 2010. There, Meador will have the opportunity to interact with high-level government officials involved in the policy-making process. She also will develop and present a research paper with the guidance of a mentor provided by the nonprofit, nonpartisan center.

Meador intends to examine the consequences of presidential action and inaction on global environmental treaties, including the impact of the American presidency on international efforts to curb global warming through treaties.

"Climate change presents one of the biggest challenges of our times," Meador says, adding that she hopes to explore how America's leaders can more effectively take positive action on the issue.

Former First Lady Laura Bush will return to her alma mater May 16 to deliver the address at SMU's 94th Commencement ceremony. SMU expects to award nearly 2,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees in the University-wide ceremony, starting at 9:30 a.m. in Moody Coliseum on campus. Mrs. Bush earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education from SMU in 1968.

"With her life-long dedication to education and the global insights she has gained from her years as First Lady, Mrs. Bush will offer a unique perspective to our graduates. At the same time, she brings a shared memory of her own graduation from the University," said SMU President R. Gerald Turner. "We are pleased to welcome her back to campus for this important academic tradition."

• Commencement Weekend schedule and information.
• A best-selling author, a divinity school dean and a dance theater co-founder will receive honorary degrees from SMU.

SMU students, faculty, staff and administrators were recognized with academic awards, service honors and the University's highest commendation, the "M" Award, at the 2009 Awards Extravaganza April 20.

On the same day, the University honored its best students at the 12th annual Honors Day Convocation. The address was delivered by Geoffrey Orsak, dean of SMU's Bobby B. Lyle School of Engineering.

• See the Awards Extravaganza 2009 winners list.
• Find a list of University, school and departmental awards from Honors Convocation 2009.

Former President George W. Bush had lunch with student scholars and addressed a class of journalism students during a visit Wednesday to Southern Methodist University, where his Presidential Center will be located.

"I was trying to impart some knowledge," Bush told SMU Daily Mustang reporter and student Shelly Smith as he came out of Journalism Lecturer Carolyn Barta's class, where he had spent more than an hour. Bush explained that he had first met Barta when he was running for Congress in 1978 and she was a newspaper reporter. He said that when he recently saw her, she invited him to talk to her class.

Mai Lyn Ngo, one of Barta's students, told Smith that "Everybody was awed and just very thrilled that he was there." She said Bush's comments to the class were off the record, but he spoke in general about his career in politics.

Two SMU students have been awarded Fulbright U.S. Student fellowships for 2009-10:

• Kylie Quave (in photo), a graduate student in archaeology in SMU's Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences will conduct archaeological fieldwork and research in southeastern Peru, the heart of the ancient Inca empire. During the 10-month fellowship beginning in August 2009, Quave intends to excavate residences on the estate of 16th-century emperor Huayna Capac. Read more from SMU News.

• Amy Revier, a senior art major in SMU's Meadows School of the Arts, will study in Iceland and work in the studio of internationally recognized sculptor and textile artist Hildur Bjarnadottir in Reykjavik beginning in September. Read more from SMU News.

The nation's largest and most sophisticated video game lounge opened in SMU's Hughes-Trigg Student Center April 15. The 36 Wii's, Playstations and Xboxes in the University's new M Lounge were provided by the GameStop chain, headquartered just outside Dallas in Grapevine.

The lounge will also give video game design students in The Guildhall at SMU a place to get instant feedback from fellow student gamers.

Watch local coverage of the M Lounge opening from The 33 News.

(Right: students jam to a Rock Band track in the M Lounge. The room's unique set-up allows players to face an audience as they perform game moves, with the game screen itself as a backdrop.)

Ten students in SMU's Model United Nations program participated in the World Model U.N. 2009 Conference in March in The Hague, Netherlands. The SMU delegation was assigned to represent the Vatican at the prestigious conference, where students from more than 40 countries debated and discussed world issues facing the U.N. system.

The SMU students prepared for the conference as part of a political science course. They investigated the Vatican's stance on trade, security, humanitarian and other issues.

• Read the SMU delegates' blog on Student Adventures.
• See a slideshow.

Nine SMU students will spend Summer 2009 as Maguire and Irby Family Public Service Interns, learning how one person can make an extraordinary difference to someone who needs help.

The Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility has placed nearly 100 students in local, state, national and international public service jobs during the last 13 years.

Internship applicants are responsible for finding agencies to sponsor their projects, and interns are selected based on the ethical merit of their proposals and justice issues they will address.

The interns for 2009 are:

Incoming students are invited to register online for the two steps of orientation: AARO (Academic Advising, Registration and Orientation), which begins in July, and Mustang Corral, an off-campus retreat in August.

In order to register, new students must have paid their deposits. Find step-by-step instructions at SMU's New Student Orientation and Student Support website.

Mark your calendars for Homecoming and Family Weekend, among the most popular fall events for SMU families, alumni and the University community.

The Homecoming 2009 game against Rice University and other festivities will take place November 7. Family Weekend is scheduled for November 13-15, 2009, including Saturday's traditional family barbecue on The Boulevard before the Mustangs take on the University of Texas at El Paso.

Stay tuned for more information on Homecoming and Family Weekend from SMU's Student Foundation.

Find the 2009 football schedule at SMU News.

During Spring Break, 15 SMU honors students visited New York, where they explored 130-year-old tenement rooms on the Lower East Side, staged an impromptu performance at the Apollo Theater in Harlem and traced family histories at Ellis Island.

The students toured the city as part of the Honors Cultural Formations course "The Immigrant Experience," which has focused this term on New York as a city of immigration throughout America's history.

"The students saw firsthand what they have been reading about in class," says Caroline Brettell, Dedman Family Distinguished Professor of Anthropology in Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, who teaches the course. "They experienced the rich and layered history of the city as well as its hyper-diversity. They saw the impact immigrants have on cities - how they claim space and construct neighborhoods."

Read more and see a slide show from SMU News.

(In photo, students Pia Lara and Ashley Michelle Howe with "Today" show host Meredith Vieira on the street outside the NBC television studios.)

Many SMU community members took advantage of Spring Break 2009, March 9-13, to focus on service, civil rights, human rights and diversity. Learn more from SMU News.

Students also blogged about Alternative Spring Break 2009:

• New York City- working for "God's Love We Deliver," giving food to families affected by HIV/AIDS and other life-altering illnesses
• Tennessee - volunteering in Appalachia with the Once Upon a Time Wilderness Adventures mission (See a slide show )
• Taos - working with Habitat for Humanity to build homes

Ten student teams have been awarded grants through SMU's Big iDeas program to research big challenges facing the Dallas area, ranging from energy and the environment to education and health care.

The students will present their projects to the SMU community in April at the Big iDeas Symposium and will report on their progress in the fall. Find more, including video clips and a list of the winning projects, at SMU News.

(In photo: As part of the 2008 Big iDeas research project Health 'n' Motion, student researchers talked to families about nutrition and fitness.)

SMU engages with the wider Dallas-Fort Worth community in a number of ways, ranging from K-12 education and the environment to the arts and spiritual development.

Now there's a web guide to community involvement by SMU faculty, staff and students. The SMU in the Community site stays up to date with news on everything from service opportunities to guest speakers. It also lists dozens of community nonprofit agencies with which SMU has partnerships, along with contact information for people and programs. Visit the site at smu.edu/community.

Applications are due April 9 for SMU Student Senate scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students. The scholarships, which can be applied to tuition, range from a $1,000 International Student Scholarship to a $6,500 Mustang Leadership Scholarship.

Applications must include a resume, essay and two recommendations from faculty or staff members. Students can learn more and apply online at the SMU Student Senate website.

SMU celebrates its graduation ceremonies in May - start planning your trip to Dallas now at the University Registrar's Commencement 2009 site. The site is packed with links for seniors and their families, including information on tickets, regalia, announcements, invitations, class rings, campus maps, transportation and local accommodations.

Some important dates at a glance:

• May 15: Baccalaureate
• May 15: Rotunda Recessional
• May 16: All-University Commencement and School Diploma Ceremonies

Thirty SMU students in an American government course got a special lesson today from the man at the pinnacle of political decision-making for the past eight years - the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush.

Harold W. Stanley, the Geurin-Pettus Professor of American politics and political economy in SMU's Dedman College, took advantage of the fact that Mr. Bush is back in Dallas to arrange the surprise visit for his class on the American Political System.

When the class was assembled, SMU President R. Gerald Turner walked in the room behind Stanley. Turner said, "Does everyone recognize the 43rd President of the United States?" as Mr. Bush walked in.

• See a slide show
• Watch a video

Cultural Institute at SMU-in-Taos provides an opportunity for parents, alumni and friends of SMU to learn about the Southwest - its colorful history, diverse cultures, rich art and literature, and ancient archaeological sites.

Set for July 23-26, Cultural Institute courses are taught by distinguished SMU faculty and local experts against the backdrop of northern New Mexico.

Offerings this summer include courses on Southwest cooking and wine, the life and art of Georgia O'Keeffe, Taos history and politics, the Los Alamos nuclear project, northern New Mexico's geological history, digital photography and outdoor sports.

The registration fee of $700 per course covers tuition, designated meals and field trip fees. Class size is limited to allow for in-depth discussion and individual attention. Transportation and lodging are the responsibility of the student. Learn more at smu.edu/culturalinstitute or call 214-768-8267.

• For the first time: Fall academic courses to be offered at SMU-in-Taos.

The start of a new semester offers students a clean slate, with a new class schedule, new professors and a chance to make changes in study habits. SMU's Altshuler Learning Enhancement Center (A-LEC) at Loyd Center helps students make these changes.

A-LEC staff and tutors work with students in one-on-one and small group settings, offering free tutoring, academic counseling, writing labs and academic skills workshops. A-LEC's learning disabilities specialist is also available for individualized sessions.

"SMU is unique in that it offers full academic support programs, at no added cost, to every undergraduate student," says Patricia Feldman,
A-LEC's associate director.

Nearly 90 percent of students visit the A-LEC during their first year on campus, she adds.

Here's a look at A-LEC's services:

When Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species in 1859, the way we view the world and our place in it changed.

Throughout 2009, SMU will celebrate the 150th anniversary of this seminal book and the 200th birthday of the extraordinary man who wrote it through a series of lectures, exhibits and presentations.

Departments and schools across the University are participating in a coordinated program of events that will address evolution's contributions under the title "Darwin's Evolving Legacy: Celebrating Ideas That Shape Our World."

Learn more at the Darwin's Evolving Legacy website.

• Student researcher Christina Paulson talks about Darwin's impact on her life.

A group of SMU communications and journalism students are in Washington, D.C., where they have an up-close view of the Presidential Inauguration.

Led by Professor Rita Kirk and Assistant Professor Dan Schill in the Division of Corporate Communication and Public Affairs in the Meadows School of the Arts, the students are spending five days in Washington beginning January 17, 2009, as part of the CCPA course Presidential Rhetoric.

The students are blogging throughout their trip on the SMU Student Adventures site and on The SMU Daily Mustang, a news site produced by journalism students.

• See WB33 report on the trip.
• Read the students' blog.

SMU's Meadows Museum honors the 15th anniversary of University Distinguished Professor of Art History P. Gregory Warden's groundbreaking archaeological excavation in Poggio Colla, Italy, with an exhibition dedicated to the ancestors of Rome: the Etruscans.

"From the Temple and the Tomb: Etruscan Treasures From Tuscany" is the most comprehensive exhibition of Etruscan art ever undertaken in the United States, with more than 400 objects spanning the 9th through 2nd centuries B.C. "New Light on the Etruscans: Fifteen Years of Excavation at Poggio Colla" will offer a look into the rare and dramatic finds from this important Etruscan site, including almost 100 objects from its sanctuary and from a habitation and center of ceramic production discovered in a field below its acropolis.

Both exhibitions will run from January 25 to May 17. Learn more at SMU's Meadows Museum website.

Some SMU students took advantage of the Winter interterm to study abroad, and they blogged about their experiences on SMU Student Adventures, including:

• Kate, a senior psychology major, who participated in SMU-in-Oaxaca, where she and other SMU students played starring roles in a Three Kings Day parade (in photo). Read Kate's blog.

• And Jonathan, a junior in SMU's creative writing program, who took the SMU Human Rights Education Program trip to Poland, where the group visited World War II Nazi death camps. Read Jonathan's blog.

Applications are now being accepted for summer and fall Education Abroad programs. Learn more here.

The following letter was mailed to parents and e-mailed to undergraduate students from Pat Woods, University Bursar and Executive Director of Enrollment Services, on November 4:

In these turbulent economic times, we understand that payment of tuition and fees in the future may be of concern to you. To address these challenges, SMU has developed new payment options for students in good financial standing with the University.

In addition to our usual, pay-as-you-go methods, we would like to make you aware of the following payment options:

When Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species in 1859, the way we view the world and our place in it changed.

Throughout 2009, SMU will celebrate the 150th anniversary of this seminal book and the 200th birthday of the extraordinary man who wrote it through a series of lectures, exhibits and presentations. Departments and schools across the University are participating in a coordinated program of events that will address evolution's contributions under the title "Darwin's Evolving Legacy: Celebrating Ideas That Shape Our World."

Learn more at the Darwin's Evolving Legacy website.

The SMU Student Foundation's 2008 Celebration of Lights continues to make the holidays bright through photos and video. Relive the magic, courtesy of SMU News:

• See a slideshow.
• Watch a video.

Also online:

• SMU gifts for giving (and keeping).
• 2008 SMU Headlines: The Year in Review.

A year after celebrating a $20 million gift from Harold and Annette Simmons, SMU broke ground December 5 on the building that will house the Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development. Mrs. Simmons, a former teacher, is an elementary education graduate of SMU.

"When the Annette Caldwell Simmons Hall is completed, it will mark the culmination of the work and contributions of many, led by the vision and generosity of two - Harold and Annette Simmons," said SMU President R. Gerald Turner. "As their own lives have been profoundly touched by education, this wonderful new building will be the starting place for new generations of educators and for new research on teaching and learning."

Throughout 2008, it has been my pleasure to announce many examples of progress and growing momentum at SMU, including the endowment of academic centers, the growing quality of our student body and faculty, and the construction of important new facilities. In addition, on September 12, we began the public phase of SMU Unbridled: The Second Century Campaign. In this letter, I want to discuss the implications of the economic downturn on our ability for continued progress toward our academic goals by reviewing the current status of our main sources of support: earnings from our endowment, private contributions, and tuition and fees.

For more than 1,500 members of the University community who gathered in front of Moody Coliseum September 12, it was a time to look back, paying homage to the civic and church leaders who founded SMU in 1911. But most of all, it was a chance to look ahead, preparing SMU for a new century of achievement.

Learn more about how SMU Unbridled: The Second Century Campaign will transform the University, now and in the future, in the Fall/Winter 2008 issue of SMU Magazine, now online.

A message from SMU Counseling and Psychiatric Services, adapted from Western Kentucky University Counseling and Testing Center:

It may seem like yesterday you were helping your son or daughter move in a residence hall or apartment. Maybe you were worried and offered a prayer for your child to have a successful semester. Now the semester is coming to an end, and a new challenge faces you - he or she is coming home.

Student staff members in SMU's Department of Residence Life and Student Housing honored 53 University educators at the 11th annual HOPE Banquet November 2, 2008. HOPE (Honoring Our Professors' Excellence) Award recipients are named through student staff member nominations as professors who "have made a significant impact to our academic education both inside and outside of the classroom."

Mark Fontenot of the Computer Science and Engineering Department was honored as 2008 Professor of the Year. Three other professors - Joe Kobylka and Michael Lusztig of the Political Science Department and Patty Wisian-Neilson of the Chemistry Department - were named Distinguished Professors, denoting that they have been recognized as HOPE Professors during at least 5 of the 11 years in which the honor has existed.

In photo: Professor of the Year Mark Fontenot (center in photo) with the two students who nominated him: Eddie Hourigan (left) and Ben Koopferstock.

Read the complete list of honorees.

On Election Day, SMU students, faculty and staff cast their ballots and attended watching parties on campus and across North Texas. Other students chronicled the events online, in print and on film. Check out their efforts at:

• The Daily Campus
• The Daily Mustang

Meanwhile, parents and students can keep up with SMU faculty members' analysis and insight on the election at Faculty in the News.

• Watch a CBS-TV (Channel 21) report on SMU journalism students.

The following letter was mailed to parents and e-mailed to undergraduate students from Pat Woods, University Bursar and Executive Director of Enrollment Services, on November 4:

In these turbulent economic times, we understand that payment of tuition and fees in the future may be of concern to you. To address these challenges, SMU has developed new payment options for students in good financial standing with the University.

In addition to our usual, pay-as-you-go methods, we would like to make you aware of the following payment options:

SMU is naming its School of Engineering in honor of Bobby B. Lyle, a Dallas entrepreneur and industry leader who has been instrumental in shaping the direction and growing prominence of the school.

Although the 83-year-old School of Engineering has enjoyed a strong history of success, producing graduates who have become international leaders in technology, industry and public policy, the School of Engineering had remained the only unnamed school at SMU until October 17.

• Read more from SMU News.
• See a slide show of the announcement.

SMU encourages students, along with faculty and staff, to participate in local and national elections.

• Voting information, including information on early voting, is available from the Dallas County Elections Department.

• The Federal Election Assistance Commission provides information on registration and voter's guides.

• Parents and students can keep up with SMU faculty members' analysis and insight on the election at smu.edu/election2008.

SMU has launched the largest fund-raising campaign in its history, aimed at achieving a dramatic increase in academic quality and impact. The University kicked off the public phase of the campaign at a campus rally September 12, announcing a goal of $750 million for "SMU Unbridled: The Second Century Campaign."

The campaign already is off to a running start, with 29,488 donors providing $317 million in commitments during the two-year quiet phase of the campaign. This includes 49 donors who have made commitments of $1 million and above. The five-year public phase will coincide with the centennial of the University's founding in 1911; the University opened in 1915.

"Recognizing our first 100 years, The Second Century Campaign looks boldly to the future to build a new era of achievement," said SMU President R. Gerald Turner. "This campaign will strengthen our ability to enable the best students to attend SMU and the most distinguished faculty to teach and inspire them through challenging academic programs. With these contributions to the intellectual and economic vitality of Dallas, SMU will increasingly play a leadership role in supporting our region as a national center of commerce and gateway to the global community. The Second Century Campaign represents a great opportunity to shape our future with confidence and optimism."

• Read more about the announcement.
• See a video of the announcement.

Forbes Magazine's May 19, 2008 edition features the Center for College Affordability & Productivity (CCAP) rankings. Among national universities, SMU ranks 13th, ahead of such schools as Duke, MIT and Rice.

SMU also ranks 66th among the nation's top universities in the latest "America's Best Colleges" guide from U.S. News & World Report.

• Find more "Best Colleges" rankings at U.S. News
• Read about the Forbes list at SMU News.
• See coverage by NBC 5 News
• Cox program ranked 15th in the world

Discover SMU's outstanding faculty and the exciting research that takes place on campus through the Godbey Lecture Series of the University's Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences. Fall events include discussions of the Supreme Court as a political entity, modern China and its imperial legacy and the golden age of the Roman Empire.

Learn more at the GLS website.

Through research, professors bring new insights to classrooms and serve as role models and collaborators to students.

From anthropology to engineering to religious studies, SMU undergraduate and graduate students and their faculty mentors are discovering new knowledge and playing an important role in higher education through their contributions to research.

• Read the story at SMU news.
• Read the SMU Research magazine online.

If you're ready for some Mustang football, SMU Athletics can help. Football season tickets are available now. For more information, or for season ticket renewals, call 214-768-4263 (214-SMU-GAME).

From Australia to China to Texas, SMU students are having adventures worldwide. Follow Student Adventures as our correspondents meet challenges that go far beyond the classroom.

Read more.

Scientists, journalists, diplomats and the most Grammy-nominated artist in history are among the leaders coming to campus as part of SMU's 2008-09 Willis M. Tate Distinguished Lecture Series.

The line-up, announced at presidential historian Douglas Brinkley's lecture May 6, includes legendary producer and musician Quincy Jones, former U.S. Secretary of State James A. Baker III, U.S. Ambassador to the People's Republic of China Clark T. Randt Jr. and Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof. Read more from the Tate Series website.

Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the release of student education records by a college or university to a third party, including parents, is generally prohibited without the student's written permission.

Many students want to give parents or family members access to these records so that they can work in partnership in advancing the student's well-being and academic progress. To facilitate the sharing of information, SMU offers an easy method for students to grant permission and for parents to access education records online at Access.SMU.

• Letter about FERPA from SMU's Vice President for Student Affairs
• More information about FERPA for parents

When parents stay connected, students achieve more. The SMU Mothers' and Dads' Clubs help their members provide key support for students - and for each other.

• Learn more at their website.
• Read a welcome message from the presidents.

When alumni are asked to recall their fondest memories of SMU, a favorite faculty member always comes to mind. As they probe and provoke, demand and debate, SMU professors make an impact in their own special ways.

Learn more about how SMU's faculty - and students - shape the learning community in the Spring/Summer 2008 issue of SMU Magazine, now online.

In May 2001, 26 Mexican men searching for work in America risked an illegal border crossing in Arizona's brutal Sonoran Desert. Only 12 survived. Their stories - and those of the people who aided, pursued or betrayed them - are at the center of Luis Alberto Urrea's The Devil's Highway, SMU's 2008 Common Reading Experience.

Urrea spoke to hundreds of SMU community members in the University's first 2008-09 Gartner Honors Lecture September 8. Earlier in the day, he and SMU History Professor Ben Johnson were guests on the KERA Radio program "Think" with Krys Boyd.

Listen to the Think podcast.
Learn more about Common Reading.