Ruth Altshuler:
"As a long-standing trustee, I have seen SMU move from
serving as a strong regional university to one that is nationally recognized and
global in its reach. I also have seen SMU leaders build creatively and
courageously on the achievements of their predecessors to keep the University
moving forward, even during times of great challenge. But in my estimation, this
is the most exciting time for SMU — with our outstanding leadership, our
supportive alumni and friends, and our growing momentum." — Ruth Altshuler, SMU
trustee and campaign co-chair
Ray L. Hunt:
"I like to make the point that if Dallas did not have SMU,
it would do everything it could as a great city to develop such a university.
When early civic leaders lobbied for the proposed new Methodist university to be
located in Dallas, and others provided land and resources, they understood that
the city and the university would prosper together. Today, we celebrate the many
partnerships we have with our city, relationships that enrich the education of
our students and provide Dallas with an educated corps of leaders. With this
campaign, we will strengthen SMU as the university growing with and for Dallas
and, with the city, making a global impact." — Ray L. Hunt, trustee and campaign
co-chair
Caren Prothro:
"Those of us who support SMU do so because we see a great
opportunity to make an impact on the future of young people across this nation.
We want to see talented students develop their great potential at this
first-rate university in a dynamic city. We are building additional centers of
academic excellence at SMU that will serve high-achieving students with
outstanding teaching, mentoring and research. Because of SMU’s breadth and
quality of academic programs, we will send our students into the world with
knowledge, confidence and the courage to take on the great issues of their time.
It’s an honor to be a part of this effort." — Caren H. Prothro, SMU trustee and
campaign co-chair
Mike Boone:
"SMU occupies a special place in the history and future of
Dallas. From SMU’s opening in 1915, the University has strengthened the
development of our city, and our city continues to be instrumental in our
advancement as a University. SMU has responded to and anticipated area needs in
establishing academic programs, and our civic and professional partnerships have
enriched opportunities for students and faculty in those programs. Our Second
Century of Achievement will be another win-win scenario for SMU and
Dallas." — Michael M. Boone, SMU trustee
Linda Pitts Custard:
"SMU plays a vital role in the cultural and intellectual
environment of Dallas. This contribution enriches our campus and community and
adds to the relevance of both in shaping our nation and our world. The Second
Century Campaign will further elevate this impact as we educate our talented
students for leadership in professions ranging from the arts, to business, to
law." — Linda Pitts Custard, SMU trustee
Bishop W. Earl Bledsoe
"SMU reflects with distinction and excellence the United
Methodist heritage in higher education. SMU’s plans for the future represent a
forward-looking partnership between Church and city. The Second Century Campaign
will reflect and renew a partnership that began many years ago with its founders
in 1911. It’s exciting to see history repeat itself in ushering in a new era of
possibility in honoring the vision and values of nearly 100 years ago. As a new
member of the SMU Board of Trustees representing The United Methodist Church,
and an alumnus, I am pleased to serve during this pivotal time in the history of
SMU as it builds on the Church’s strong tradition and legacy in higher
education." — Bishop W. Earl Bledsoe, SMU trustee; Bishop, The United Methodist
Church, Dallas area
Scott McLean:
"The SMU education extends far and wide in its influence.
The many alumni who live in Houston have contributed their knowledge and talents
to strengthen our business community, our health professions and our cultural
resources. We are committed to helping SMU rise even higher among national
universities, to bring the best students to campus from close by or far away,
and to provide the academic programs that will prepare them to succeed in a
changing global marketplace." — Scott McLean, co-chair, Houston campaign steering
committee
Dennis Murphree:
"As a native of Houston, I’m supportive of Texas having the
very best public and private institutions of higher education. SMU is an
important part of the mix of institutions in our state and plays a vital role in
educating the state’s workforce and contributing to its cultural
vibrancy." — Dennis Murphree, co-chair, Houston campaign steering committee
Connie O’Neill, President, Alumni Board:
"SMU alumni are excited about the University’s momentum and
are eager to be a part of SMU’s continuing progress. Broad participation among
alumni is a major goal of this campaign, so we will be asking greater numbers of
alumni to show their support. No matter what the size of the gifts, alumni
participation will represent satisfaction with their SMU education and the
understanding that when they were students, they themselves were the
beneficiaries of alumni giving. It’s a cycle of support that represents the best
of SMU spirit." — Connie O’Neill, President, SMU Alumni Board
Dennis Foster:
"The faculty is eager to help SMU join the ranks of the
nation’s top schools. But to match the success of those schools in research and
scholarship while maintaining our high standards for undergraduate teaching, we
need to match their student/teacher ratios, their laboratory space and
libraries. We look forward with anticipation to the people, programs, and
academic improvements this capital campaign will make possible." — Dennis Foster,
President, SMU Faculty Senate
Matt Doherty:
"Intercollegiate athletics can play a major role in raising
awareness of a university’s major strengths and providing students with
leadership development as members of a team. As SMU kicks off its Second Century
Campaign to increase its strengths, all of us at SMU will be part of the team
encouraging greater resources for high achievement in academics and campus life.
And our basketball team will provide yet another reason to cheer for SMU. I like
the fact that SMU aims high with its aspirations in all its endeavors." — Matt
Doherty, SMU head basketball coach
June Jones:
"One of the things that attracted me to SMU is the
administration’s commitment to providing students with the highest-quality
campus experience, ranging from small classes to athletic and social activities
that can build a sense of community. The Second Century Campaign will underscore
this commitment by raising additional resources for academic and campus life. I
look forward to raising the level of excitement among our constituents and
others by bringing them to campus for exciting collegiate football as part of
the overall collegiate experience." — June Jones, SMU head football coach
Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson:
"I have always been a passionate advocate of the
transformative power of education, making it very easy for me to embrace
initiatives that speak to advancing its cause. Such is the case now as SMU
embarks on a historical, major gifts campaign aimed at improving the overall
academic quality of an SMU experience. I am a proud Mustang, having graduated
from SMU in 1976 with a Master’s degree in public administration. I can testify
to the world-class education that SMU offers its students, while also remaining
cognizant of its responsibility to community enrichment on a local level here in
Dallas, within Texas, and also as a national and international institution. As a
legislator, I have a unique understanding of how vital thriving universities
are, first to their immediate communities, and then quite literally to the rest
of the world. SMU has been a stalwart academic, cultural and economic
contributor evident alone in its forthcoming celebration of the centennial of
its founding in 2011. In order to maintain and nourish this legacy, SMU must be
able to compete. Thus the gifts campaign becomes an enterprise beneficial to us
all." — Eddie Bernice Johnson, U.S. House of Representatives, 30th
District, Texas
Rep. Pete Sessions:
"As you prepare to embark on one of the most ambitious
major gifts campaigns in your history, I want to commend you on taking such an
active approach to strengthening SMU’s standing in the region and the nation.
SMU has a well-deserved reputation for a high quality education and faculty, a
hardworking and diverse student body, and its ability to attract prestigious
speakers from all over the world. This beautiful campus that sits in the heart
of Dallas is proudly proclaimed as the alma mater for many prominent alumni
including Karen Hughes, First Lady Laura Bush, Olympic gold medalist Lars
Frolander and many others. SMU understands the importance of education and
encourages independent thinking, helping transform them into well-rounded,
educated young adults that contribute to our society and help move our country
forward. I know SMU will continue to positively impact our community by
supporting various research initiatives, developing our next generation of
leaders and adding to our region’s economic strength and cultural
richness." — Pete Sessions, U.S. House of Representatives, 32nd
District, Texas
Mayor Tom Leppert:
"Nearly 100 years ago, when Dallas competed with other
cities to be the location of Southern Methodist University, city leaders hoped
that a first-rate higher education institution would be a tremendous asset to
the region. What a success it has been! Since the University’s opening in 1915,
SMU has educated leaders and professionals strengthening our region’s ability to
compete. It has contributed research and expertise to city and societal
challenges. It has established academic programs responding to area needs and
enriched our region culturally and intellectually. Soon, it will bring the
unique resources of a presidential library to our city. With its Second Century
campaign, SMU is stepping forward with aggressive plans for its future. These
advancements will strengthen our city and position SMU among the nation’s
premier institutions of higher education. I congratulate the University for its
many contributions to our community today, for its growing momentum and for its
potential for even higher achievement in the future." — Thomas C. (Tom) Leppert,
Mayor, City of Dallas
Mayor James H. Holmes III:
"The University Park City Council wholeheartedly supports
SMU’s upcoming major gifts campaign. Since its incorporation in the mid-1920s,
the City of University Park has had a close relationship and affinity for the
University and the academic and cultural benefits the college provides. For us,
the University is a neighborhood treasure, but we know that its influence
reaches far beyond the city’s borders. Our region’s competitiveness, economic
strength and cultural richness are all enhanced through the research conducted
by your outstanding students and faculty. Having earned both my undergraduate
and law degrees at SMU, I know firsthand that SMU prepares students for
leadership in their professions and in their communities. I’m sure that this
campaign will meet with great success and as a result, the University will
aspire to even greater levels of achievement and citizenship." — James H.
(Blackie) Holmes III, Mayor, City of University Park