SMU UPDATE: April 2018
Dear Reunion Year Alumni,
Join us on the Hilltop as SMU celebrates the fifth anniversary of the George W. Bush Presidential Center during Founders’ Day Weekend, April 20–22. You won’t want to miss these great opportunities:
Friday, April 20: Jeff Bezos, chairman and CEO of Amazon, will deliver the Closing Conversation of the Bush Center’s Forum on Leadership. Follow SMU and the Bush Center on Facebook for updates. Also, be sure to check out the “superheroes” edition of Sing Song, the student musical theater competition, at 8 p.m. in McFarlin Auditorium.
Saturday, April 21: Enjoy free admission, kid-friendly activities and refreshments during Family Day at the Meadows Museum, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and visit the First Ladies: Style of Influence exhibit at the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum. Purchase tickets here.
Pony Up!
SMU Reunion Programs
P.S. SMU’s Horsepower Challenge is underway. Can we count you in? Learn more here.
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, a new campus asset to enhance the student experience and elevate SMU’s competitiveness.
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 help 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 as elections approach
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.”
Monitoring abnormal ground movement 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.
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.
Congratulations to the newest Hall of Famers!
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 Class of 2018. They will be recognized at the annual banquet on Friday, May 4, at Moody Coliseum. Purchase tickets here.
Sign up now for summer learning fun
Students entering grades K–12 will explore game design, coding, visual arts and many other interesting topics during SMU Summer Youth Program’s weekly workshops, June 4 – August 3. Use the code ALUMSY18 at checkout for 20 percent off most courses. Find more information about summer camps at SMU here.
ICYMI (IN CASE YOU MISSED IT)
- Watch: Kevin Beachum ’11, ’12 pays tribute to his late mentor
- Civic leader Bobby B. Lyle ’67 receives ethics award
- 25th ‘Meadows at the Meyerson’ honors acclaimed arts advocate
- Equestrians capture first conference title in program history
- Video: Celebrating Bach’s birthday with a surprise serenade
- Diver Bryce Klein earns NCAA All-America honors
- Simmons’ Luminary Awards honor outstanding organizations
- Regina Taylor ’81 brings fresh Bread to WaterTower Theatre
- Meadows professor wins award for innovative teaching
- Dedman Law teams shine in multiple competitions
- Perkins to launch new hybrid degree program in the fall
EVENTS IN YOUR REGION
Monday, April 9
Alumni, Parents, Friends and Students: Join us for an evening of conversation hosted by SMU Pride and Spectrum. The panel discussion will feature SMU alumni covering a wide range of topics, from student experiences to career choices. 6–8 p.m. Hegi Family Career Development Center on the SMU campus. Register now.
Saturday, April 14
Alumni, Parents and Friends: Enjoy family fun and gridiron action at the annual spring football game in Ford Stadium. Halftime festivities will kick off the construction of SMU’s Indoor Performance Center. The Mustang Kids’ Zone will be set up in the south end zone, and fans can pick up 2018 schedule magnets and meet the coaches and players after the game. Parking and admission are free. Gates open at 10 a.m., and the game starts at 11 a.m.
Wednesday, April 18
Fort Worth Alumni, Parents and Friends: Make plans to attend the World Changers Spotlight featuring SMU Head Football Coach Sonny Dykes. 6 p.m. reception, 6:30 p.m. program. Joe T. Garcia’s. Register now.
Thursday, April 26
Alumni, Parents and Friends: The Hispanic Alumni of SMU will present the fifth annual awards celebration honoring the 2018 Distinguished Hispanic Alumni and the Hispanic Alumni Scholarship recipients. 6:30–8 p.m. Jones Great Hall, Meadows Museum. Register now.
Sunday, April 29
Chicago Alumni, Parents and Friends: Enjoy an afternoon at Wrigley Field and cheer on the Chicago Cubs as they take on the Milwaukee Brewers. Game starts at 1:20 p.m. Register now.
Friday, May 18 – Saturday, May 19
SMU’s 103rd Commencement Weekend includes the Baccalaureate Service at 8 p.m. on Friday, followed by the Rotunda Recessional, and the all-University Commencement Convocation at 9 a.m. on Saturday in Moody Coliseum at which Randall Stephenson, chairman and CEO of AT&T, will deliver the address. More information.
Friday, September 28 – Saturday, September 29
Save the date for SMU Family Weekend, featuring the annual student talent show on Friday and the SMU vs. Houston Baptist football game on Saturday.
Thursday, November 1 – Sunday, November 4
Plan now to return to the Hilltop for SMU Homecoming 2018. The exciting weekend includes the Distinguished Alumni Awards celebration on Thursday, reunions on Friday and the SMU vs. Houston football game on Saturday.
