Harlan and Katherine Raymond Crow of Dallas have committed $5 million toward the construction of the Kathy Crow Commons in SMU’s new Residential Commons complex, scheduled to open in fall 2014. Mrs. Crow is a member of the SMU Board of Trustees and an alumna.

“This gift from Harlan and Kathy Crow will support a campus home and gathering place for generations of students,” said SMU President R. Gerald Turner. “Students who live in Kathy Crow Commons will be part of an academic and residential community that will become a key part of their SMU experience. We are grateful for the Crows for this generous gift.”

SMU’s new Residential Commons model of campus living, which includes 11 Commons created from new and existing residential buildings, will provide an integrated academic and residential student experience. Live-in faculty members will have offices and teach classes in on-site classrooms. In addition, each Commons will develop traditions and host gatherings and activities to create a sense of community among the residents.

“We have studied numerous institutions with strong residential communities,” said Lori White, vice president for student affairs. “We know the Residential Commons model will strengthen the SMU experience by enhancing student involvement opportunities and creating common bonds and friendships among diverse groups of students.”

Since 1988, Harlan Crow has served as chairman and CEO of Crow Family Holdings, which manages the capital of the Trammell Crow family. The Trammell Crow Company, founded in Dallas in 1948 by Crow’s father, is one of the nation’s oldest and largest commercial real estate developers and investors. Mr. Crow has worked with Crow-affiliated entities for nearly 40 years. He serves on the board of directors of the American Enterprise Institute, the Southwestern Medical Foundation, the Supreme Court Historical Society, the George W. Bush Presidential Library Foundation and the Antiquarian Society. In addition Mr. Crow is the honorary consul of Denmark for the Southwestern region.

Dallas civic leader Kathy Crow earned her M.B.A. from Cox School of Business. In addition to her current position on the SMU Board of Trustees, she has served on the boards of SMU’s Tate Lecture Series and the Women’s Economics and Financial Series at Cox School of Business.

The $5 million gift for the Kathy Crow Commons counts toward the $1 billion goal of SMU Unbridled: The Second Century Campaign, which to date has raised $844 million to support student quality, faculty and academic excellence and the campus experience. The campaign coincides with SMU’s celebration of the 100th anniversary of the University’s founding in 1911 and its opening in 1915.

Written by Nancy George

> Read the full story from SMU News

SMU today announced its highly-anticipated 2014 football schedule. The slate is highlighted by six games on the SMU campus, including Ford Stadium match-ups with Texas A&M and TCU. Other 2014 visitors to Ford Stadium will be American Athletic Conference foes Cincinnati, Memphis, USF and Houston.

The SMU Football team opens the season on Sunday, Aug. 31, at Baylor, where the two squads will open BU’s McLane Stadium. The following Saturday, SMU will play at UNT in the Mean Green’s home opener on Sept. 6.

After an off week, SMU’s home slate kicks off with back-to-back games against Texas A&M and TCU on Sept. 20 and 27, respectively. The Mustangs’ first AAC road game of the year is up next, with an Oct. 4 trip to East Carolina.

After a second off week, SMU will again host back-to-back games with an Oct. 18 game against Cincinnati and an Oct. 25 game versus Memphis. After a third and final off week, SMU closes the regular season with five games, alternating away and home – Nov. 8 at Tulsa; Nov. 15 vs. USF at home; Nov. 22 at UCF; Friday, Nov. 28 vs. Houston at Ford Stadium; and Dec. 6 at UConn.

Kickoff times and TV information will be announced at a later date.

For Mustang ticket information, call the Athletics Department Ticket Office at (214) SMU-GAME (768-4263) or visit the website.

During spring break 2014, many SMU students, faculty and staff are using their time off to serve communities around the country, to study issues such as civil rights and human rights, and to experience the great outdoors. Trips during the March 8-16 break include:

SMU Civil Rights Pilgrimage: This year marks the 10th anniversary of the SMU Civil Rights Pilgrimage.  The eight-day bus journey takes students, faculty and staff to visit the American South’s civil rights landmarks and leaders in the movement. The group’s stops include Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas; the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama; Montgomery’s Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, where Dr. Martin Luther King served as pastor; the campus of Ole Miss in Oxford; and the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, where Dr. King was assassinated. Read their blog.

University Honors Program in Virginia: Students in the Honors history class “The Founding Fathers and Slavery” are immersed in colonial Virginia during spring break. Highlights of the trip include visits to Alexandria, Colonial Williamsburg, Washington, Charlottesville and the plantations of George Washington (Mount Vernon), Thomas Jefferson (Monticello), and James Madison (Montpelier).

STEMPREP Project at SMU in Puerto Rico: Thirty-five SMU science and engineering students are spending spring break in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where they are attending the Minority Trainee Research Forum. Students will present 15-minute research presentations at the scientific meeting. Participants are members of the STEMPREP Project at SMU, a mentorship and internship program for minority students interested in S.T.E.M, medicine and biomedical research careers.

Alternative Breaks: SMU has participated in Alternative Spring Break for 27 years, with students serving community organizations while learning about issues such as the environment, poverty, public health and education. In partnership with the Community Engagement & Leadership Center, students, faculty and staff this year are traveling to 11 cities, including New York, San Francisco, Taos and St. Louis.

Read more from SMU News.

SMU graduate and undergraduate students presented results of ongoing and completed SMU-based research on Feb. 26, in Hughes-Trigg Student Center.

• See a slide show from Research Day 2014 
• Read a list of winners and participants 

This annual event fosters communication between students in different disciplines, gives students the opportunity to present their work in a professional setting, and shares the outstanding research being conducted at SMU with peers and industry professionals from the greater Dallas community.

This year saw a 50 percent increase in student participation. A cash award of $250 was given to the best presentation from each department.