By Alix Sommers B.A. English, B.A. Fashion Media ’20
Emily Lawler, capital and business reporter with MLive Media Group, shared the experience of her year-long coverage of the Dr. Larry Nassar abuse case in a lecture at SMU March 1, sponsored by the Meadows Division of Corporate Communication and Public Affairs.
Nassar is the former Michigan State University (MSU) and USA Gymnastics (USAG) team doctor who was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison for sex crimes.
Lawler spent more than a year reporting on the case. At the beginning, she said the public questioned the accuracy of the story.
“He had a lot of community support – there were a lot of people who frankly didn’t believe he had done anything wrong,” Lawler said. “But despite the initial reaction, we kept going.”
Scenes from the spring 2017 Meadows diploma presentation ceremony. (All photos by Kim Leeson)
As faculty and staff at SMU’s Meadows School of the Arts, one of the happiest days in our year is Commencement. It’s a feeling of unbridled accomplishment and joy, unmatched by events that have unfolded before it. On a balmy day, we sit in the grass of the Boulevard, and hear the inspiring words from our Dean Holland–like “arts and communication inform, uplift and challenge”–and our friends and family cheer as we walk the stage.
“You directed, wrote, choreographed, and practiced, practiced, practiced. You’ve earned this degree,” said Dean Sam Holland at the 2017 graduation ceremonies. In honor, we present our favorite photos–the ones that will make us smile forever–from photographer Kim Leeson below.
At the close of ‘The Tempest,’ a groundbreaking community engagement and participatory theater project designed to deliberately blur the line between professional artists and Dallas community members
This semester has been nothing short of groundbreaking. Early in March, the Dallas Theater Center and SMU Meadows’ Ignite Arts Dallas, in association with the AT&T Performing Arts Center, presented a musical theatre production of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. It was a participatory theatre project unlike anything the city has ever seen.
Just a few of the events of the events to follow include the Meadows Chamber Music Recital, The Meadows Opera’s The Elixir of Love, Regina Taylor’s Magnolia, the Temerlin Advertising and Division of Journalism “Collaboration Room,” and the August Wilson Monologue Competition.
Here are just a few of our favorite photos from the fantastic semester so far:
Photographer Kim Leeson captured the groundbreaking, participatory theater project of ‘The Tempest’ (Photo by Kim Leeson)Meadows Opera Theatre performed “Elixir of Love,” directed by Hank Hammett. (Photo by Kim Leeson)Scene from a recital held in Caruth Hall. The Chamber Music Honors Concert is on May 6.Former student Ace Anderson shot this teaser for the SMU Senior Dance Concert. (by Ace Anderson)Meadows student Alissa Roca, behind the scenes of ‘Elixir of Love’ (Photo by Kim Leeson)Fearless leader of Ignite Arts Dallas, Clyde Valentin, hugs one of the actors from The Tempest (Photo by Kim Leeson)Art History’s Dr. Langin-Hooper and her Grad Seminar take behind-the-scenes look at ancient cylinder seals in vault of the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth.The Collaboration Room is the new facility within the Temerlin Advertising Institute. This is a scene from Willie Baronet’s, Stan Richards Professor in Creative Advertising, class in the creative advertising program.
Regina Taylor, Meadows alum and award-winning actress and playwright, led a workshop of “Magnolia.”Meadows hosts the 2017 August Wilson Monologue Competition for the second year in a row.The 2017 Meadows at the Meyerson gala (Photo by Kim Leeson)
For visual or performing arts future-majors, the college application process can be nerve-wracking for anyone. Here are five tips from SMU Meadows for applying to an arts school to help you along the way.
As we continue on to the next academic year and reflect on the inspiring events of 2015—which includes SMU Dance performing in New York’s prestigious Jose Limon festival, ground-breaking creative coding, a visit from the iconic actress Isabella Rossellini, the single largest gift to Meadows in our history, Meadows at the Meyerson and much, much more—we present a look at photos we love from the year at SMU Meadows School of the Arts. The indefatigable photographer Kim Leeson was on hand for many Meadows events. Here are just some of our favorites:
By Alix Sommers 
