2009 Campaign News Archive

An important milestone - President Turner discusses the success of The Second Century Campaign and the progress of campaign-related projects. (11/12/2009)

Boosting recruitment - Spring 2009 will go on record as one of the most heated student recruitment seasons in the history of higher education. (11/12/2009)

Earning prestigious honors - As student quality continues to rise at SMU, increasing numbers of young scholars are winning prestigious national fellowships. In 2008–09, SMU’s fellowship winners included two Fulbright scholars, a Truman scholar, two Rotary Ambassadorial scholars and a Jack Kent Cooke Graduate scholar. (11/12/2009)

Endowed faculty at work - Gifts from alumni, parents and friends have established dozens of endowed faculty positions at SMU, enabling the University to attract leading scholars with significant research funds and competitive salaries. (11/12/2009)

Engineering achievement - Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Talley of the U.S. Army Reserve was recognized for his work “engineering the peace” in Baghdad. Now Talley has joined Lyle School of Engineering as chair of the Department of Environmental and Civil Engineering and Bobby B. Lyle Professor of Leadership and Global Entrepreneurship. (11/12/2009)

Excelling in athletics - In 2008–09, five teams won Conference USA titles: cross country, women’s basketball,men’s and women’s swimming and diving and women’s tennis. Teams ranking or finishing in the top 25 nationally included cross country, equestrian, men’s and women’s swimming and diving and women’s tennis. (11/12/2009)

Exploring the global economy - Studying the international marketplace is the mission of SMU’s William J. O’Neil Center for Global Markets and Freedom in Cox School of Business. (11/12/2009)

Gaining national recognition - For his achievements in original scientific research, David J. Meltzer, the Henderson-Morrison Professor of Prehistory in Anthropology, recently was elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences, one of the highest honors awarded a scientist in the United States. (11/12/2009)

Learning to ask important questions - A new Dedman College program provides a range of undergraduate research opportunities to encourage students to pursue graduate school. The approach is working. (11/12/2009)

Marking progress - The first year of The Second Century Campaign’s public phase was filled with celebrations and events marking campaign progress. (11/12/2009)

- During the fall semester, students at Taos can now take 12-16 hours of courses that meet core undergraduate requirements, including anthropology,biology, geology, statistics, accounting, photography, painting, literature and history. (11/12/2009)

Providing free legal services - In 1947 SMU’s law school became one of the first in the country to sponsor a clinic offering free legal services for members of the public. Following in that tradition, the Dedman School of Law’s Small Business Clinic provides free legal assistance to small businesses and nonprofit organizations that can’t afford legal fees. (11/12/2009)

Meadows Museum unveils new plaza - The Meadows Museum reopened its redesigned plaza and sculpture garden - including its iconic Wave installation - with a dedication ceremony Oct. 7. (10/7/2009)

Belo Corp. donates historical papers to SMU - Belo Corp., owner of WFAA-TV and former parent company of The Dallas Morning News, is donating the Belo Corporate Archives to Southern Methodist University’s DeGolyer Library. (10/1/2009)

SMU passes halfway point in Second Century campaign - Southern Methodist University has passed the halfway point in the largest fundraising effort in its history. (9/14/2009)

Elizabeth Perkins Prothro Hall and renovated buildings dedicated - SMU’s Perkins School of Theology began a significant new chapter when it dedicated Elizabeth Perkins Prothro Hall, and renovations to Kirby and Selecman Halls, on Friday, Sept. 11. (9/11/2009)

Campaign endowments at work - Endowments created in The Second Century Campaign by alumni, parents and friends provide permanent funding for scholarships, faculty positions, research opportunities and academic programs. (9/10/2009)

Campaign makes history - On September 12, 2008, SMU launched The Second Century Campaign, the largest fundraising initiative in the University’s history. A year later, the results are clear. (9/10/2009)

Campaign milestones: 2008-09 timeline - The first year of The Second Century Campaign’s public phase was filled with events and celebrations marking campaign progress in Dallas, around the U.S. and internationally. Here is a timeline featuring some of the year’s most significant developments. (9/10/2009)

Campaign Update September 2009 - View a PDF of the Campaign Update newsletter. (9/10/2009)

Faculty & staff giving kickoff - Over 300 SMU faculty and staff attended the campuswide event hosted by President Turner and we think you’ll agree that the energy and momentum was contagious! (9/4/2009)

Volunteers report - The Second Century Campaign’s volunteer leadership reported that the campaign had raised more than $364 million as of April 30 and that 34,223 donors had contributed. (7/15/2009)

Horsepower: End-of-year challenge - This spring, the University announced an increase in the number of donations over the same period last year, despite the economic downturn. (7/15/2009)

Scholarship support matters - Providing scholarships that allow top students to attend SMU is a key priority of The Second Century Campaign. (7/15/2009)

Answering the call - This spring, the University announced an increase in the number of donations over the same period last year, despite the economic downturn. (7/7/2009)

Make an impact - Building on three years of record contributions to The Second Century Campaign, SMU unveiled a new focus on annual giving designed to encourage the broadest possible participation by the University’s alumni, parents and friends. (4/15/2009)

SMU dedicates the Val and Frank Late Fountain - The Val and Frank Late Fountain bears the name of the donor and her late husband. (3/5/2009)

Attracting top students - As a top high school senior interested in art history, Rosemary Parravano was accepted at colleges boasting some of the most highly regarded art history programs in the country, among them SMU. (3/2/2009)

Broadcasting history online: Central University Libraries - SMU has begun placing videos of U.S. Senator John Godwin Tower, '53 online. These recordings are available to viewers for the first time in more than 30 years on SMU’s Central University Libraries’ website as the result of a gift from the late senator’s youngest daughter, former SMU Trustee Jeanne Tower Cox ’78. (3/2/2009)

Building a lifetime network for success - Economic uncertainties and a tight job market have been in the headlines for much of the past year. For help in meeting those challenges, SMU students and alumni increasingly are turning to the Hegi Family Career Development Center, used by thousands of students and alumni each year in person and online for career planning, job and internship searches, résumé and internship workshops and career fairs, among other services. (3/2/2009)

Building on a tradition of leadership - Judge James L. Noel Jr.'s five children have honored their late father’s wish – endowing the deanship of SMU’s Dedman School of Law in his name. The gift will allow the law school to continue its tradition of strong leadership and provide the office of the dean with ongoing funds for special projects within the school. (3/2/2009)

Creating opportunities for fun and friendship - One recent Friday around midnight, students participated in SMU Gladiators, a new event sponsored by the Department of Recreational Sports and one of several late- night programs launched this year across campus. (3/2/2009)

Endowed faculty at work - Gifts from alumni, parents and friends have established dozens of endowed faculty positions at SMU, enabling the University to attract leading scholars with significant research funds and competitive salaries. (3/2/2009)

Launching a new era in ministry - SMU’s Perkins School of Theology celebrated the beginning of the 2007–08 academic year by breaking ground for a project to improve its existing facilities and to create new ones. Now the school is in the midst of a major transformation as construction nears completion on a 20,000-square-foot facility to be named in honor of Elizabeth Perkins Prothro. (3/2/2009)

Showcasing Mustang spirit - SMU Athletics has had many reasons to celebrate in recent seasons, including the opening of Crum Basketball Center and the arrival of head football coach June Jones and men’s head basketball coach Matt Doherty. Now, efforts are under way for new facilities for men’s and women’s swimming and diving and golf. More space for swimmers and divers. (3/2/2009)

Supporting teachable moments - SMU’s resources for programs in teaching and learning received a critical boost with a gift of $20 million from Harold and Annette Caldwell Simmons ’57 in 2007, endow- ing the University’s Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development. (3/2/2009)

World of possibilities: Irsay Family Scholarship - Scholarships open doors for gifted students whose financial circumstances may be a barrier to education and a promising future. Jim Irsay ’81, owner and CEO of the National Football League’s Indianapolis Colts and an Indiana native, envisioned opening these doors for Indiana students when he created the Irsay Family Scholarship. (3/2/2009)

Building the future - Annette Caldwell Simmons '57 said she envisions the time when the next generation of teachers and counselors would train for their professions in the facility bearing her name during an emotional groundbreaking ceremony December 5. (12/9/2008)