Project Description
Spring 2017
Congratulations to the Class of 2018, our newest alumni!
At the all-University Commencement ceremony on May 19, featured speaker Randall L. Stephenson, chairman and CEO of AT&T, challenged members of the Class of 2018 to “make every effort not to live your life in a straight line.” The day was filled with hugs, laughter and pony ears as the new graduates looked back on their four exciting years on the Hilltop and forward to their futures as world changers.
SMU alumna wins award for public service and inspirational leadership
Elizabeth Mills Viney ’10 was named the winner of The Dallas Foundation’s eighth annual Good Works Under 40 Award, which honors up-and-coming leaders who are improving the future of Dallas and inspiring their peers to make a difference.
Go bowling with Mustang football on December 20!
That’s right – Mustang football is going bowling! SMU will play Louisiana Tech in the inaugural DXL Frisco Bowl on Wednesday, December 20, at Toyota Stadium in Frisco. Game time is 7 p.m., but head to Frisco early for the pre-game party. Details and registration here.
Continuing a legacy of attracting top students
A $15 million gift from the Nancy Ann Hunt Foundation secures the long-term future of the Hunt Leadership Scholars Program, one of the University’s signature scholarship programs attracting academically talented student leaders from throughout the United States to SMU.
Investing in a data-empowered future
President R. Gerald Turner outlined SMU’s impact on the region’s economy through data-powered teaching and research at a gathering of top business and civic leaders at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas on November 13. The University’s $85-million investment in high speed computing and data science curriculum will deliver more bang for the research buck.
Community change agent Kovan Barzani ’17
As the son of refugees, Kovan Barzani ’17 wanted to make the most of his University experience. While a triple major at SMU, he managed a Texas House campaign, started a program to teach refugees job skills and turned a finance internship into a full-time job.
Powering chain reactions of achievement
This has been a year of creative triumphs, game-changing collaborations and unforgettable campus experiences, all made possible by your generosity. There’s still time to make an instant impact this year. Find out how current-use gifts strengthen every part of the University and join the Pony Power stampede today!
Bush Center CEO to speak at December Commencement
A new class of Mustangs will join the alumni ranks following Commencement on December 16. Kenneth A. Hersh, president and CEO of the George W. Bush Presidential Center, will be the featured speaker. Watch the entire event on Facebook Live.
SEC taps Cox professor for advisory committee
Cox Professor Kumar Venkataraman has been appointed to a newly formed U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission advisory committee focusing on the efficiency and resiliency of corporate bond and municipal securities markets.
Reading fossil leaves to predict the future
SMU research funded by the National Science Foundation and National Geographic found that fossil leaves from Ethiopia confirm a link between atmospheric carbon dioxide and global warming — even 22 million years ago. The finding will help scientists understand how recent and future increases in the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide may impact the future of our planet, say the SMU researchers.
Growing community, one seedling at a time
Seedling Farm, a new urban gardening initiative spearheaded by SMU’s Owen Lynch and several local agencies, aims to transform South Dallas’ food desert into a vibrant source of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Meet the ‘$1-billion queen bee of dating apps’
That’s SMU alumna Whitney Wolfe Herd ’11 on the cover of the Forbes 30 Under 30 issue. Herd founded Bumble, “America’s fastest-growing dating-app company,” just three years after receiving a bachelor’s degree in international studies from SMU’s Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences.
SMU alumnus’ research key to a Nobel for circadian rhythm discoveries
As a postdoctoral fellow, Paul E. Hardin ’82 was the first author on one of the fundamental papers from a body of research on circadian rhythm recognized with the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
ICYMI: In Case You Missed It
In case you missed it this month, please enjoy these interesting stories and cool videos!
SMU alumna wins multiple awards in London competition
Congratulations to soprano Michelle Alexander ’14, winner of multiple awards in the international Wagner Society Singing Competition in London on November 5.
SEAL Foundation honors SMU alumnus George Killebrew ’85
SMU alumnus George Killebrew will receive the SEAL Legacy Foundation Unsung Hero Award at the organization’s seventh annual benefit and gala on November 14.
The next wave of athletic excellence
Mustang swimming and diving teams will make a splash when they host LSU in the new Robson & Lindley Aquatics Center and Barr-McMillion Natatorium on Friday, November 3, shortly after the dedication ceremony during Homecoming. Five Mustang events are coming up in the state-of-the-art aquatics center, including the 2018 American Athletic Conference Championships in February.
Winning generosity, extraordinary impact
Thank you, Mustangs! We’re so grateful to the 516 alumni donors who contributed $119,376 during the Mustang Momentum Challenge. Let’s keep that momentum going. We’ve raised nearly $67,000 for SMU’s current-use funds already. We need fewer than 50 alumni donors to reach our $75,000 goal. Make an instant impact – give now!
Mustangs rally on the Hilltop for Homecoming Weekend
It’s finally here – SMU Homecoming and Reunion Weekend, November 2–5, 2017! Beloved traditions, engaging events and special performances will bring Mustangs together on the Hilltop.
Get ready for #MoodyMagic, coming November 10
A new season of Moody Magic opens on November 10 when a trio of talented returning players fronts SMU men’s basketball, the reigning American Athletic Conference champions, against UMBC, and four returning starters lead the women’s team against Nicholls State in Moody Coliseum. Pony Up!
Congressman’s gifts reflect a life of service
Venerable statesman and decorated war hero Sam Johnson ’51 has made two gifts to SMU that will support the education of military veterans and preserve for future study papers and materials from his distinguished life and career.
Turning a ‘big idea’ into jobs for veterans
With some seed funding from student competitions and help from SMU's legal clinics, Iraq war veteran Jason Waller ’18 has launched a company that provides vets with on-the-job training as property insurance adjusters.
Perkins to honor 2017 Distinguished Alumnus
Michael McKee ’78, resident bishop of the Dallas Area of The United Methodist Church, is the 2017 Distinguished Alumnus of Perkins School of Theology. Cited for “extraordinary and courageous leadership,” McKee will be honored at the annual awards banquet on November 13.
Nominate outstanding alumni for 2018 awards
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2018 Distinguished Alumni Awards and the Emerging Leader Award, which recognizes an outstanding Mustang who has graduated within the past 15 years. Return completed forms by December 31, 2017.
A game-changing golf training center
SMU Athletics dedicated the new Payne Stewart SMU Golf Training Center at Trinity Forest Golf Club on October 13. The 6,700-square-foot facility sits on the course that will become the home of the AT&T Byron Nelson in 2018, NCAA invitational tournaments and other high-profile events.
Documenting a transformative learning experience
Through dramatic photographs and poignant commentary, SMU’s Embrey Human Rights Program takes readers on an emotional exploration of the lingering impact of war and genocide in the new book No Resting Place: Holocaust Poland.
Prestigious Academy welcomes SMU anthropologist
“It is overwhelming to be in the company of Winston Churchill, Georgia O’Keeffe, Jonas Salk and the ‘mother’ of my own discipline, Margaret Mead,” anthropologist Caroline Brettell said before her induction into the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences on October 7.
ICYMI: In Case You Missed It
In case you missed it this month, please enjoy these cool stories and interesting videos!
SMU alumna on building bridges in the wake of Hurricane Harvey
Just a week before Hurricane Harvey hit, Punam Kaji ’12, an associate with Haynes and Boone, LLP, had relocated from Dallas to Houston. After the hurricane, her inbox was flooded with emails from other lawyers asking “What should we be doing right now to help?” Kaji, a graduate of SMU’s Dedman School of Law, serves as chair of the Asian Pacific Interest Section (APIS) of the State Bar of Texas. APIS recently organized and co-sponsored hurricane relief legal training with a coalition of Bar organizations and community groups at South Texas College of Law–Houston.
Choreographer Joshua L. Peugh ’06 reimagines the classics
Two new works by choreographer Joshua L. Peugh will have their international premiere in Seoul, just days before Dark Circles Contemporary Dance returns to Dallas to open its fifth anniversary season, October 19–21.
A recipe for sustainable building
Maggie Inhofe, a Lyle design and innovation graduate student, isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty in the name of research. She spent the summer turning mud into the building blocks of transformative construction.
Mustang Momentum Challenge, October 18–31
Learn how your current-use gifts fuel research, innovation and achievement across the Hilltop when SMU launches the Mustang Momentum Challenge on October 18. Watch your inbox for stories about outstanding students and faculty, then make your gift to have an instant impact on SMU’s excellence!
Reaching the funding finish line
A $1.5 million gift by former SMU swimmer Joseph M. “Jody” Grant ’60, and his wife, Sheila Peterson Grant, creates a challenge to other donors to complete the funding goal for the Robson & Lindley Aquatics Center, which will be dedicated on November 3.
SMU Homecoming 2017: Friends, football and fun
Come back to the Hilltop for Homecoming, November 2-5, 2017! Reconnect with your friends, reminisce where you began an important part of your life and celebrate the achievements and momentum propelling SMU toward an ever-brighter future.
Hubba! Saluting a century of Mustang spirit and jazz
Celebrate 100 years of Mustang spirit and Mustang jazz with friends from around the world at a special centennial gala followed by the 85th anniversary edition of Pigskin Revue.
Special Homecoming events planned for Dedman Law alumni
“Choose Your Own Adventure” CLE experience, a reunion party for classes ending in 2s and 7s, and barbecue on The Boulevard are planned for Dedman School of Law alumni during SMU Homecoming Weekend.
Adding early assessment to the math education equation
Lindsey Perry ’16 studied students’ spatial and relational reasoning with numbers in her SMU Ph.D. dissertation, which has resulted in a $2.5 million grant to develop a mathematical reasoning screening system for grades K–2.
Big data solves leaf-size conundrum
A global team of researchers, including SMU's Bonnie Jacobs, sifted through tens of thousands of measurements to crack the mystery of leaf size, providing scientists with another tool for predicting climate-related changes in vegetation.
Cyber security training needs a shot in the arm
On the same day as the Equifax data breach, SMU cyber security expert Fred Chang urged Congress to remember the success of the “space race” as a model for expanding training efforts today to meet the coming shortage of skilled cyber security workers.
Writing, storytelling and sharing the gospel
Hear best-selling author Anne Lamott, seminary president Rev. Dr. Marvin McMickle and noted biblical scholar Rev. Dr. N.T. Wright at The Power of the Story: 2017 Fall Convocation on Creative Communication, November 13–14, at Perkins School of Theology.
‘Cities, Suburbs and the New America’ on October 26
The impact of the nation’s evolving demographics will be explored by Henry Cisneros, former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and a host of urban planning and economics experts at SMU on October 26. Register for the program.
ICYMI: In Case You Missed It
In case you missed it this month, please enjoy these cool stories and interesting videos!
How SMU Alumnae Built A School Culture To Change The Lives Of Girls
Find out how Principal Nancy Bernardino ’01, ’04, ’05 and her leadership team of SMU alumnae are shaping an all-girls “super school” in Dallas that has gained national attention for its economic diversity and innovative curriculum.
SMU’s Luisa del Rosal ’08 wins Latino business award
Luisa del Rosal ’08, executive director of the Tower Center and Mission Foods Texas-Mexico Center at SMU, received the Latino Up-And-Comer Award as part of D CEO’s 2017 Latino Business Awards. The awards are designed to honor the top Latino “visionary thinkers and industry pioneers” in North Texas.
DFW theater critics honor SMU Meadows alumni, faculty and students
SMU Meadows theatre faculty, alumni and students were part of productions that won 2017 Dallas-Fort Worth Theater Critics Forum Awards on September 12. In addition, Dallas Theater Center earned a special citation for launching Public Works Dallas, in partnership with SMU Meadows and Ignite/Arts Dallas, which staged its inaugural show, The Tempest, in March.
Inside the world of the Residential Commons
As the Class of 2021 settles in, the Residential Commons become the heart of campus life. Chemistry Professor David Son offers a glimpse inside the world of a Faculty in Residence as he and his family shared food, fun and fellowship with students in Boaz Commons last year. As Son says, there’s never a dull moment at SMU.
Mustangs kick off football season with a big win
Expectations were high, and the Mustangs came through in the 58-14 blowout against Stephen F. Austin University on September 2. The “Salute To Our Heroes” season opener paid tribute to all active military service members and veterans.
Home: Exploring its meaning and the impact of eviction
As new students settled into their on-campus homes, Matthew Desmond’s Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City inspired poetry, research and soul-searching about the meaning of home and the impact of its loss in programs presented by SMU Reads.
‘Wild About SMU’: Family Weekend, September 22–24
Families from across the country will join their SMU students in celebrating Family Weekend, September 22–24, when the Student Foundation presents “Wild About SMU.” The family luncheon, annual student talent show and Boulevard barbecue before the SMU vs. Arkansas State football game are just a few of the can’t-miss events planned.
Gift launches Owen Arts Center makeover
Reflecting their passion for connecting the arts to the community through public spaces, Gene and Jerry Jones have committed $5 million to transform the east entrance to SMU’s Owen Arts Center along Bishop Boulevard.
Saving big cats in the Bolivian jungle
Antoine Mellon ’19 spent the summer in Bolivia, rehabilitating wild animals rescued from trafficking. He says it was an “unforgettable” experience. “Never before had I met such an open group of people, all with a common love of animals and volunteering.”
Researching a subject that’s hard to pin down
Paul Krueger, mechanical engineering professor, provided expertise in jet locomotion on a research project studying squids’ impressive maneuverability. A greater grasp on its biomechanics may have wide-ranging applications – from understanding muscle physiology to improving remotely operated vehicles.
When the Galápagos Islands become a science classroom
Simmons professors Diego Román and Dara Rossi, alumna Greses Perez ’14 and Dallas Arboretum educators conducted a summer workshop for 125 Ecuadoran teachers in the Galápagos Islands.
Can anthropology solve the diabetes dilemma?
Medical anthropologist Caroline Smith-Morris has been studying the social factors contributing to a rise in diabetes among Pima Indians for over 15 years. Her research is helping the biomedical community move in new directions to improve disease outcomes.
To Our Readers: A Great Time To Be On The Hilltop
As the University makes final preparations for the arrival of new students and the start of fall classes August 21, I am more excited than ever about the opportunities ahead – for the Class of 2021 and for the University as a whole.
SMU Helps Shape Pioneering Community Production
How many people does it take to stage a performance of Shakespeare’s The Tempest? Go behind the scenes with SMU Meadows as hundreds of community actors and volunteers bring a musical adaptation of the Bard’s epic play to life.
Inside the world of SMU’s Residential Commons
Just ask David Son, professor of chemistry in Dedman College, and wife Heidi – or take a look at photos and memories from a year at Boaz Commons. In 2014, David Son was named Boaz FiR and the 61-year-old residence hall was retrofitted with an apartment that houses the couple and their children, Geoffrey, 14, and Kaylee, 11. The Sons believe so strongly in the Residential Commons model for living and learning at SMU that they sold their home in Plano to move to campus. And they say they’ve never looked back.
The Domino Effect: Creating A Chain Reaction Of Achievement
Annual gifts for current use power every part of the University. Take a look at how chains of gifts strengthen SMU, and read more about Pony Power – the SMU stampede for current-use gifts.
Meet The SMU Students Behind The Dallas Poke Craze
Credit SMU undergraduates Brandon Cohanim and Francois Reihani for importing Dallas’ latest food craze. Spurred by entrepreneurial cravings and an eye for trends, the California transplants opened Pōk the Raw Bar in January, the city’s first restaurant focused on poke (pronounced poh-kay), a raw fish salad with Hawaiian roots.
Welcoming SMU’s Olamaie Curtiss Graney Design Lab
The Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development dedicated in March the Olamaie Curtiss Graney Design Lab in Harold Simmons Hall.
Mega experiment to study neutrinos
SMU is helping to build hardware for the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility in South Dakota, future home to the international Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment that could change our understanding of the universe.
Learning from the best
As a Freedom School volunteer, mechanical engineering major Jabari Ford ’20 showed young boys that a love of learning can take them anywhere. He says they changed him, too. “I’ve developed a passion for these kids that I’ve never had before.”
SMU launches Pony Power initiative
Building on unprecedented accomplishments over the past decade, SMU has launched a three-year giving “stampede” focused on yearly investments that strengthen current efforts in every area of the University. Learn more about Pony Power: Strengthening the Stampede in SMU Magazine.
Team named XPRIZE semifinalist
SMU education experts, Guildhall game developers and Literacy Instruction for Texas (LIFT) collaborated as PeopleForWords to create a mobile puzzle-solving app for adult learners. The team has been named one of eight national semifinalists advancing in the $7 million Barbara Bush Foundation Adult Literacy XPRIZE.
Does symmetry affect speed?
The New York Times covered SMU Locomotor Performance Laboratory researchers’ study of Usain Bolt, the world’s fastest human, that reveals the mechanics of his stride may vary between his right and left legs, upending conventional wisdom that an uneven gait slows down runners.
Football Fan Day, August 26
Mustang fans will be treated to gridiron action, giveaways and a movie at the SMU Football Fan Day scrimmage on Saturday, August 26 in Ford Stadium. Gates open at 5 p.m. with the kickoff at 6 p.m. The Mustangs open the 2017 season on September 2 at home against Stephen F. Austin.
What’s in an oviraptorid name?
Lead researcher Junchang Lü ’04 and colleagues Yuong-Nam Lee ’95 and Yoshitsugu Kobayashi ’04 have discovered a new dinosaur in China, a giant bird-like creature with a distinctive head crest. They christened it Corythoraptor jacobsi (“Jacobs’ helmeted thief”) in honor of their SMU mentor, renowned paleontologist Louis Jacobs.
Mustangs nominated for NCAA award
Morgan Bolton ’17, a three-year starter at point guard for women’s basketball, and Sylvia de Toledo ’17, a four-year starter for the equestrian team, have been nominated for the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year award. The award honors graduating student-athletes who have distinguished themselves through athletics, academics, leadership and service.
Geeking out at engineering camp
Parker Holloway ’17 created the curriculum and spent the summer sparking engineering interest through hands-on challenges during weekly camps for middle and high school students held in the Deason Innovation Gym at SMU.
Meadows Makeover: Joneses’ Gift To Transform Entrance, Launch Renovation of Owen Arts Center
Reflecting their passion for connecting the arts to the community through public spaces, Gene and Jerry Jones have committed $5 million to transform the east entrance to SMU’s Owen Arts Center along Bishop Boulevard.
Big data needs the human touch
While studying summer camps offered by Trinity River Audubon Center, Maguire Center Public Service Fellow Megan Brown, a Ph.D. student in anthropology, pondered the impact of big data on her field, concluding “a deeper understanding of human stories is what gives these numbers any meaning at all.”
In Case You Missed It: August 2017
In case you missed it this month, find quick links to cool stories and interesting videos.
Ana Rodriguez ’03 named director of Cox’s Latino Leadership Initiative
SMU Cox Executive Education welcomes a new director to take its four-year-old Latino Leadership Initiative to the next level. Ana Rodriguez ’03, an alumna of SMU Cox, brings nearly twenty years of experience in higher education, not for profit and corporate work.
The Way Of The Servant Leader
Craig C. Hill joined SMU’s Perkins School of Theology as dean and professor of New Testament in July 2016 from Duke University Divinity School. Although his latest book, Servant of All: Status, Ambition, and the Way of Jesus (Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2016), is aimed at church leaders, its lessons can be readily employed by people leading institutions, corporations and even nations – and, he told SMU Magazine with a hint of irony, by him as well.
SMU To Honor 2017 Distinguished Alumni, Emerging Leader
SMU will launch Homecoming Weekend 2017 by honoring four outstanding leaders in education, business and civic life at the 2017 Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony and dinner on Thursday, November 2, on the historic Main Quad.
Mustangs score with the NBA
Newly minted graduates Semi Ojeleye ’17 and Sterling Brown ’17 were selected in the NBA draft on June 22, writing a new chapter in Mustang basketball history. Another Mustang standout, Ben Moore ’17, has joined the Indiana Pacers as an undrafted free agent.
This song’s for you, Class of 2017 Copy
Pioneering geneticist Francis S. Collins, the director of the National Institutes of Health, delivered the address “his way” and brought down the house at SMU’s 102nd annual all-University Commencement ceremony on May 20 at Moody Coliseum.
‘Empathy, adaptability and persistence’
Kovan Barzani’s Kurdish-American mother asked him to get two degrees from SMU, “one for you and one for me.” As an undergraduate, he developed a literacy program for refugees, ran a political campaign and surpassed his parents’ expectations by earning three degrees in May.
New aquatics center nears completion
A new chapter in the storied history of SMU’s men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs will begin this fall with the completion of the new $30 million Robson & Lindley Aquatics Center and Barr-McMillion Natatorium. The 42,000-square-foot “Nat,” located on the growing East Campus, will be dedicated during Homecoming Weekend.
Student earns international acclaim
SMU statistics Ph.D. student Yu Lan developed a cost-saving method of predicting clinical trial outcomes on the fly, and his paper on the topic won a prestigious international award. As his advisor Daniel Heitjan explains, “He’s the No. 1 clinical trials statistics graduate student in the world.”
Dedman Law’s winning initiative
SMU Dedman School of Law’s Professionalism Initiative has been named a recipient of the national 2017 E. Smythe Gambrell Professionalism Award, presented by the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Professionalism. The award recognizes exemplary and innovative approaches to experiential learning and professional development.
And the Tony Award goes to …
Congratulations to Michael Aronov ’98, who won a Tony Award as Best Actor in a Featured Role for Oslo, and Andy Blankenbuehler, who attended SMU in 1989 before launching a professional career, for receiving his third Tony as Best Choreographer for the musical Bandstand.
Hoop dreams come true
Two Mustangs made it to the pros in the NBA Draft on June 22: forward Semi Ojeleye ’17 was taken 37th by the Boston Celtics, while guard Sterling Brown ’17 went 46th to the Philadelphia 76ers before being traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. Another Mustang standout, undrafted forward Ben Moore ’17, signed a free-agent deal with the Indiana Pacers.
Scientist receives prestigious award
SMU chemist Alex Lippert has received a prestigious National Science Foundation Career Award, expected to total $611,000 over five years. The award will fund the researcher’s “glow-stick chemistry” – alternative internal imaging techniques that he describes as “kind of like an MRI, but much cheaper and easier to do.”
Hal Brierley Helps Prepare The Next Generation Of Business Leaders
Hal Brierley has come a long way from starting a database marketing firm in 1969 in the basement of Dillon Hall at Harvard Business School. Brierley became well known as the only external consultant involved in the launch of American Airlines AAdvantage, the nation’s first frequent traveler program. He grew his firm Epsilon into an industry leader, and then spent 30 years building Brierley + Partners into a global leader in the design and management of customer loyalty programs. A $10 million gift to SMU from Brierley and his wife, Diane, created the Brierley Institute for Customer Engagement in Cox, the nation’s first academic institute devoted to study of the field.
Hands-on learning for teachers
Dallas middle-school teachers launched rockets and kayaked the Trinity River during a new STEM Academy presented by SMU’s Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development with support from the Texas Instruments Foundation and O’Donnell Foundation.
Mapping Mustang entrepreneurship
Engineer Josh Taylor ’17 uncovered some hidden gems during his quest to pinpoint the classes, people, programs, organizations and other resources fueling startup spirit on the Hilltop. Coming soon: an interactive version of the campus entrepreneurship map he created as an Engaged Learning Fellow.
Evicted author to visit campus
SMU community members are encouraged to join incoming students in reading Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond, the 2017 Common Reading selection, and attending a program by the author on August 24 at McFarlin Auditorium.
Wanted: your time and expertise
No matter where you live, it’s possible to give back to SMU with the gift of your time. Check out volunteer opportunities, and fill out the Volunteer Interest Form by July 31. Any amount of time you give can have a lasting impact on the University’s legacy.
In case you missed it: July 2017
In case you missed it this month, please enjoy these quick links to cool stories and interesting videos!
SMU Hispanic Alumni honor alumnus, award scholarships
Jorge Baldor ’93 was honored with the 2017 Distinguished Hispanic Alumni Award presented by SMU Hispanic Alumni at the chapter’s annual awards celebration on April 27. SMU Hispanic Alumni also presented undergraduate scholarships to Carlos “Alex” Negrete ’18 and Victor Sanchez ’19.
Paying her mom’s love forward
When award-winning scholar Dominique Earland ’17 crossed the stage at Commencement, she could link her academic accomplishments and the life path she has chosen directly to her loving relationship with her mother.
Meet SMU’s new VP for Student Affairs
Kenechukwu (K.C.) Mmeje, whose career has focused on supporting a vibrant campus life and the academic mission at Loyola University Chicago and other universities, has been appointed SMU Vice President for Student Affairs. He will assume his new role in July.
Cox recognizes outstanding alumni
The Cox School of Business honored Distinguished Alumni Peter T. Dameris ’82, Kirk L. Rimer ’89 and Liz Youngblood ’05 along with Outstanding Young Alumni Amber Venz Box ’08, Baxter Box ’01 and Vik Thapar ’09 at its annual alumni awards luncheon on May 19.
Like grandfather, like grandson
Scholarship and fellowship support from SMU made Arya McCarthy’s wide-ranging research possible. The recent graduate credits his late grandfather, John McCarthy, who taught biology and studied endocrine physiology at SMU for more than 40 years, with inspiring his thirst for discovery.
Crowdsourcing to beat cancer
SMU biochemists are working with Guildhall game developers to create the ultimate challenge for fans of the wildly popular Minecraft video game: beating cancer. By harnessing gamers’ massive computational power, the scientists hope to close in on their quest to improve chemotherapy drugs.
Building a musical bridge
Voted Most Spirited and Loyal by his Mustang Band peers, drum captain and recent graduate Lawson Malnory ’17 shares his instrumental gifts through Bridge the Gap Chamber Players, a student performance group that brings music to homeless shelters, city parks and other unexpected places.
SMU alumnus Mark Lau ’06: Finding a perfect fit at Nike
“I met Michael Jordan during the first week of my internship,” recalls Mark Lau ’06. “Right then I knew that Nike was the place I wanted to work.” Now global director of the company’s EKIN Experience, Lau stays in touch with fellow Mustangs as co-president of SMU’s Portland alumni chapter.
Tuning in to plants’ 24-hour rhythm
A new study by SMU researchers identifies the nuts and bolts of a chemical bond in a key protein, unlocking the mystery of how plants tell time so they know when to bloom, metabolize nutrients and perform other functions. The findings pave the way for an array of agricultural and horticultural developments.
Making the numbers add up
Thousands of domestic abuse offenders convicted in Dallas County are required by law to turn over their firearms, yet only 60 guns have been surrendered in two years. A plan devised by SMU law students aims to increase the effectiveness of the gun-surrender program, thus improving survivor safety.
Fed data center to open in 2018
SMU has joined a consortium of institutions led by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas to establish a new data center that will advance statistical research opportunities for faculty, graduate students and other researchers in fields ranging from the social, behavioral and economic sciences to health care to urban planning.
Taos Cultural Institute, July 20–23
Don’t miss out on the SMU-in-Taos Cultural Institute, July 20–23. Register now for an unforgettable weekend featuring in-depth, hands-on courses supplemented by field trips that make the most of the Northern New Mexico setting. You’ll also have time to explore and sightsee at your own pace.
In case you missed it: June 2017
In case you missed it this month, please enjoy these quick links to cool stories and interesting videos!
A slam dunk for literacy
Mustang basketball fan favorite Jonathan Wilfong ’17 has already put his business studies to work expanding his national literacy charity. He could have gone to a smaller school and played more, “but I knew what I wanted to study … SMU offered the best of both worlds.”
Prestigious academy taps professor
Anthropologist Caroline Brettell joins actress Carol Burnett, musician John Legend, immunologist James Allison and other renowned leaders in various fields as a newly elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The author or editor of nearly 20 books, Brettell’s research centers on ethnicity, migration and the immigrant experience.
May 20: All-University Commencement
Francis S. Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, will deliver the Commencement address and receive an honorary degree – along with three other distinguished leaders in their fields – at SMU’s 102nd all-University Commencement on May 20. Watch on Facebook live at Facebook.com/smudallas. Not on Facebook? You also can watch at smu.edu/live.
George Killebrew ’85: Helping SMU students break into the big time
George Killebrew ’85, executive vice president with the Dallas Mavericks, recently volunteered to host a one-day externship for Connor Kolodziej ’19. It was an eye-opening experience for the student: “The most important thing I learned is to find a good place not just to work, but also to enjoy what you do.”
Success started with a ‘no’
Congratulations to Dylan DeMuth ’17, who started classes at the University of Texas School of Medicine in San Antonio in July. He credits Professor Eric Bing with helping him “re-choreograph” his life, putting him on track for medical school. As an undergraduate at SMU, DeMuth conducted his own research and assisted his mentor in developing a strengths-based leadership program aimed at young people working to improve health in impoverished communities in the U.S. and Africa.
Small device, big innovation
Graduating seniors Taylor Barg, Allison Garcia, Danya Hoban, Mar McCreary and Hyun Song pooled their expertise in biomedical, electrical and mechanical engineering to create an inexpensive portable device that packs the potential to improve the lives of patients with neuromuscular diseases, especially those living in rural and underserved areas.
Pulling back the curtain
Strong academic records, writing talent and a love of journalism translated into scholarships for two Meadows School of the Arts students. In their winning entries, Jacquelyn Elias ’18 explored “the intersections of coding and journalism to tell stories in the truest way,” and Hannah Ellisen ’18 focused on the positive impact of investigative journalism.
Global marketing expert to lead Cox
Matthew B. Myers, global marketing and strategy expert with special expertise in cross-border business relationships and Latin American economies, has been named dean of the Cox School of Business. Retiring Dean Albert W. Niemi, Jr. will transition to full-time teaching on August 1.
Simmons School welcomes new dean
Stephanie L. Knight, a nationally recognized education leader, researcher and professor, has been named dean of Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development. Knight taught previously in Texas and Saudi Arabia and currently serves as dean and professor in the College of Education at Pennsylvania State University.
Practical tools for spiritual leaders
Beginning in the fall, Perkins School of Theology will offer two new interdisciplinary degree concentrations in partnership with the Cox School of Business and Meadows School of the Arts. The programs will emphasize the business and communications skills church and nonprofit leaders need to succeed.
Summer fun, lasting learning
Skill-building projects in coding, programming and robotics are among the new additions to the SMU Summer Youth Program at SMU-in-Plano. Weekly workshops are offered for students entering grades K-12 from June 5 through August 4. Popular classes fill early, so register today.
In case you missed it: May 2017
In case you missed it this month, please enjoy these quick links to cool stories and interesting videos!
Founders’ Day Weekend 2017
When Mustangs gather on the Hilltop, memorable moments and countless pony ears follow as you’ll see in these photo and video highlights of Founders’ Day Weekend 2017, April 6–9.
In case you missed it: April 2017
In case you missed it this month, please enjoy these quick links to cool stories and interesting videos!
Plan a super summer
Skill-building projects in coding, programming and robotics are among the new additions to the SMU Summer Youth Program at SMU-in-Plano. Weekly workshops are offered for students entering grades K-12 from June 5 through August 4. Popular classes fill early, so register today.
Symphony taps student composer
Olga Amelkina-Vera, a graduate student in the music composition program at Meadows School of the Arts, was named 2016-17 Student Composer-in-Residence with the Irving Symphony Orchestra. She won the honor with Cattywampus Rompus (Texas Tarantella), a five-minute composition that gives the ancient musical “tarantella” a modern, Texas twist.
Get to know Suku Nair
D CEO magazine heralded Professor Suku Nair, director of the new AT&T Center for Virtualization at SMU, as the researcher at the center of “understanding some of tomorrow’s biggest technical challenges” and an academic leader in “creating a knowledgeable North Texas employee base.”
Law school to honor alumni
Six University graduates who have carved out successful careers across the legal spectrum will be honored by Dedman School of Law at its 30th annual Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony this evening.
Carrying the torch for education
The Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development honored Jubilee Park and Community Center, The Meadows Foundation and the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Teaching Tolerance project with 2017 Luminary Awards for their support of education as a catalyst for change.
Guildhall ranked world’s best
SMU Guildhall has risen to the No. 1 spot among the world’s best graduate game-design programs in The Princeton Review’s eighth annual report. Director Gary Brubaker credits “faculty with deep experience, bright and motivated students and a robust network of successful alumni” as key to attaining the top ranking.
Ethics award comes full circle
Retired Dallas Police Chief David Brown accepted the J. Erik Jonsson Ethics Award from SMU’s Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility on March 21. On the 20th anniversary of the award, Brown told the remarkable story of how Jonsson giving his mother a job years ago put him on the path to success.
From the middle of The Mob
Tammy Winter ’17 loves being a member of The Mob student cheering section and hasn’t missed an SMU men’s basketball game at Moody Coliseum in years. She’s also a big fan of the opportunities she has had as a student to “pursue something that no one else is doing.”
The healing power of hope
During a Perkins School of Theology immersion trip to South Africa over spring break, graduate student Nicole Melki recalled the anti-apartheid activism of Soweto’s children, defining the hope they exemplified as “the conviction that pain and suffering can be transformed.”
Black Alumni Of SMU Celebrate 2017 History Makers, Scholarship Recipients
It was a night of fun, food and fellowship as alumni, faculty, students and members of the community celebrated achievement at the sixth annual Black Excellence Ball on February 25. Black Alumni of SMU joined the Association of Black Students (ABS) to present “Mustang Masquerade.”
SMU Alum John Harper ’68: ‘The Best Medicine Is Science And Compassion Intersecting At The Patient’
Cardiologist John Harper ’68 says the biology and chemistry courses he took at SMU provided the foundation that got him through medical school, but the English degree he earned from the University and a lifetime love of reading have made him a truly successful doctor. He’ll return to campus to share his erudite approach to better medicine at the annual Literature + Medicine Conference on April 1 .
In Case You Missed It: March 2017
In case you missed it this month, please enjoy these quick links to cool stories and interesting videos!
Register for learning adventures
Skill-building projects in coding, programming and robotics are among the new additions to the SMU Summer Youth Program at SMU-in-Plano. Weekly workshops are offered for students entering grades K-12 from June 5 through August 4. Popular classes fill early, so register today. Use the code ALUMSY17 at checkout for 20 percent off. Read more at SMU Summer Youth Programs.
Mastering tech entrepreneurship
Coming this fall: SMU’s new master of science degree in engineering entrepreneurship. The program will focus on technology development through a business lens with the aim of providing managers and entrepreneurs with the skills they need to start and lead new technology ventures.
Revealing a hidden star
It’s 7,000 light years away from Earth, but a rare pulsating star identified recently by SMU astrophysicists could shed new light on scientists’ understanding of the universe’s expansion. As big as or bigger than our sun, the new delta Scuti is one of only seven known stars of its kind in our Milky Way galaxy.
May the force be with you
Want to run faster? A new study by SMU researchers simplifies the physics of running, enabling scientists to predict ground force patterns that determine performance. Their work also has immediate applications for shoe, orthotic and prostheses design as well as injury prevention and rehabilitation.
Remembering Professor Dennis Simon
Dennis Simon, an award-winning professor and mentor to University students since 1986 and a leader of SMU’s Civil Rights Pilgrimage, died February 12 in Dallas after a long illness. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday, April 3, in Perkins Chapel at SMU. The family requests that memorial gifts go to the Civil Rights Pilgrimage.
Bridging the digital divide
SMU student Eskinder Abebe’s eyes light up when you ask about his favorite project. While he fuses his passion for art and science in everything from videos to futuristic gadgets, Abebe is really excited about working with the Hunt Institute for Engineering and Humanity on designing an inexpensive “inclusive” tablet.
Festivities, football and fun!
Founders’ Day Weekend, April 6–9, kicks off on Thursday with Golden Mustangs Day and continues on Friday with Sing Song. Saturday’s Community Day activities include family fun at the Meadows Museum and the Mustang Fan Fair and the spring football game. See the full schedule, and make plans now to come home to the Hilltop this spring.
SMU Alumnus Michael Trusnovec’s Life Of Dance
Shortly after earning his bachelor’s degree in dance performance at SMU’s Meadows School of the Arts, Michael Trusnovec ’96 joined Paul Taylor’s renowned modern dance company. In an interview with The Dallas Morning News published on February 7, 2017, he talked about his lifelong obsession with dance and obsessively watching videotapes of Paul Taylor Dance Company performances in the library as an SMU student.
It’s Not Just Research. It’s Also Personal.
“Thinking of my grandmother’s battle with breast cancer reminds me that my research has a real purpose: to benefit the millions of women around the world who might one day find themselves in her situation.”
SMU Law Clinic Gives Fresh Start To Families In Distress
SMU’s community clinics open doors to legal services for low-income North Texas residents unable to afford representation. One of the newest among 10 clinical programs and projects offered by the Dedman School of Law, the VanSickle Family Law Clinic launched in January 2016 under the direction of Chante Prox. Prox says it takes a special breed of attorney – part therapist, part legal ninja – to handle the emotional highs and lows involved with family law proceedings. Things get personal as attorneys navigate the choppy legal waters surrounding some of life’s most stressful changes.
Working Out With SMU Rowing
While most of us are hitting the snooze button on the alarm, members of the SMU rowing team have already completed a rigorous warm-up routine and are ready to hit the water for a few hours of practice. SMU photographer Hillsman Jackson captures the beauty and athleticism of these dedicated student-athletes as they work out at Dallas’ White Rock Lake.
SMU Entrepreneurs And Their Cheeky Card Games
What began as a class project has sparked a two-game winning streak for Tim Cassedy, assistant professor of English, and former students Chelsea Grogan ’15, Jenna Peck ’15 and Kate Petsche ’15. They invented Dick: A Card Game Based on the Novel by Herman Melville and Bards Dispense Profanity.
Spring 2017
