A Fireside Chat Speaker Series
The Cox School is launching an Executive Leadership Speaker Series for the 2023-2024 academic year to help spotlight our emphasis on leadership as a core pillar of our business school curriculum. The complimentary series will be conducted in a fireside chat format moderated by SMU Cox Associate Dean of Graduate Programs and Executive Education Shane Goodwin. We seek to invite speakers from a range of industries and fields who will share their leadership journeys to help inspire current and future leaders in the audience.
You are invited to be inspired. Join us to hear exceptional leaders share their stories, insights, and wisdom from their leadership path, so you can forge yours.
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Why Leadership?
Leadership ability is a critical component of employee and organizational success. However, the overwhelming consensus among employers is that too many business professionals lack critical-thinking skills to solve unstructured problems creatively, the ability to communicate effectively, work collaboratively and adapt to changing priorities.
In collaboration with our corporate partners, we invite you to join us for fireside chats with stand-out leaders that will leave you inspired. Speakers will share how they approach ambiguity, face critical decisions, keep their team motivated, adapt to rapid innovation, and maintain professional and personal growth.
The audience will leave with concrete takeaways to forge their own leadership style.
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2023-24 Events
Events are complimentary and open to students, alumni, faculty, staff, and the business community at every leadership level. Seating is limited to the first 300 registrants.
Previous speakers in the 2023-2024 schedule included:
Kelvin Beachum
Offensive Tackle, Arizona Cardinals; Philanthropist; SMU Alum
April 25, 2024
5 p.m. – 6 p.m. – Reception to Follow
Frances Ann Moody Hall - Auditorium-
Whitney Wolfe Herd
Founder, Bumble
April 24, 2024
5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. – Networking Hour to Follow
Hughes-Trigg Student Center-
Lori Ryerkerk
CEO and President, Celanese
March 25, 2024
5 p.m. – 6 p.m. – Reception to Follow
SMU Cox Collins Center, Crum Auditorium
3150 Binkley Avenue-
Jean Savage
CEO, Trinity Industries
March 20, 2024
5 p.m. – 6 p.m. – Reception to Follow
SMU Cox Collins Center, Crum Auditorium
3150 Binkley AvenueR. Gerald Turner
President, SMU
Febuary 15, 2024
5 p.m. – 6 p.m. – Reception to Follow
SMU Cox Collins Center, Crum Auditorium
3150 Binkley AvenueKen Hersh
Chief Executive Officer and President, George W. Bush Presidential Center
January 24, 2024
5 p.m. – 6 p.m. – Reception to Follow
SMU Cox Collins Center, Crum Auditorium
3150 Binkley Avenue
Admiral Patrick Walsh
United States Navy
October 26, 2023
5 p.m. – 6 p.m. – Reception to Follow
SMU Cox Collins Center, Crum Auditorium
3150 Binkley Avenue
Troy Aikman
Founder, Eight Beer; Former Quarterback for Dallas Cowboys
October 25, 2023
5 p.m. – 6 p.m. – Reception to Follow
SMU Cox Collins Center, Crum Auditorium
3150 Binkley Avenue
Craig Kessler
Chief Operating Officer, PGA
September 14, 2023
5 p.m. – 6 p.m. – Reception to Follow
SMU Cox Collins Center, Crum Auditorium
3150 Binkley Avenue -
Leadership and Learning Culture
The NextGen Cox Curriculum integrates the three foundational pillars to develop business school graduates who are “future prepared”. Cox graduates demonstrate both technical skills, and people skills to confidently navigate any business environment. Cox graduates are equipped with a curriculum anchored in analytical rigor, refined leadership skills to support complex problem-solving and knowledge with practical application gained through hands-on experiential learning.
Read more about our NextGen Curriculum here.
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.
Henry David Thoreau