In 1969, Algur H. Meadows pledged $8 million to endow the arts school at SMU. University officials declared it the largest single grant ever received in the University’s history and believed it to be one of the largest ever given by an individual to an American educational institution at that time. In appreciation, SMU trustees formally declared the school’s name to be the Meadows School of the Arts.

In 2019, SMU Meadows School of the Arts celebrates the 50th anniversary of its naming. The celebration began at Meadows at the Winspear on April 4 and continues through Homecoming on November 9. During this time, we will focus on the story of Meadows and hope to expand awareness of the school’s impact over the years, including features on our remarkable alumni and faculty from the past five decades.