José Bowen receives Award for Excellence in Community Service

José Antonio Bowen, dean of SMU’s Meadows School of the Arts, was one of 10 recipients of the 2010 Awards for Excellence in Community Service presented November 9 by the Dallas Historical Society (DHS).

Bowen, who has led the Meadows School since 2006, won the award in the category of arts leadership. The DHS said, “Bowen…has brought bold, dynamic leadership both to the school and to the arts in Dallas. He has connected Meadows with arts institutions and the area’s cultural community. He is looking ahead to history for SMU and for Dallas.”

The Dallas Historical Society, the oldest historical organization in Dallas County committed to preserving the area’s entire history, established the Awards for Excellence in Community Service in 1981. The awards recognize community leaders in a variety of fields who have made significant contributions to the quality of life in Dallas and the surrounding area. Outstanding individuals are selected for this honor from nominations solicited from the Dallas community.

This year’s awards honored individuals in the categories of arts leadership, business, creative arts, education, health/sciences, humanities, philanthropy, volunteer leadership and the Jubilee History Maker award. 

“Each year we look forward to this fantastic opportunity to honor some of Dallas’s brightest civic, cultural and community leaders,” said Jack Bunning, executive director of the Dallas Historical Society.  “We’re able to recognize the generosity of these individuals and organizations, while sharing with the community-at-large the continued successes that have been achieved to benefit Dallas and her citizens.”

Award recipients are chosen by a Dallas Historical Society selection committee, led this year by chair William T. Solomon. The November 9 luncheon honoring this year’s recipients and their accomplishments was held at the Fairmont Dallas. Honorary chair for the luncheon was Mary Anne Cree, longtime Dallas philanthropist, and event co-chairs were Michelle Neuhoff Thomas and Stewart Hyer Thomas. 

In addition to Bowen, recipients of this year’s awards included the following:

Albert Black - Business
Paula Lambert - Creative Arts
H.B. Bell EdD and Susie Bell - Education: Administrative
Ed Long - Education: Teaching
Joyce Pickering - Health/Sciences
The Reverend Larry James and The Reverend Gerald L. Britt Jr. - Humanities
The Hillcrest Foundation - Philanthropy
Laura Estrada - Volunteer Community Leadership
Howard Hallam - Jubilee History Maker

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