McElvaney Commons
Leadership | Service | Diversity | Academics
Welcome to the McMansion
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“Living in McElvaney has been one of my favorite experiences of SMU! It has provided me with a wonderful community to live and learn with. I am so grateful to live around such amazing people.”
“I know it sounds cheesy, but McElvaney has truly become my home away from home. The friends I have made living here will be my friends for life; we study together, eat together, laugh together. I Love my FIRs and RCD. They make me feel welcome and cared for everyday. The events they plan (such as brunch, museum trips, and a McElvaney birthday party) help me connect with my new community as well as open my eyes to opportunities in Dallas. I’m so glad to be a McResident!!”
What you can expect
Camp McElvaney
Food, Fun, and Tie-Dye: before the spring semester comes to an end, we enjoy a taste of summer fun. Part barbecue, part carnival, all fun.
McElvaney Garden Club
Every Sunday, the McElvaney Garden Club gathers to tend to the only student-led gardening club on campus. Get ready to get your hands dirty and bring even more beauty to our wonderful community.
Intramural Excellence
With numerous soccer, basketball, and flag football championships under our belt, it goes without saying that McElvaney takes intramurals seriously. Whether you’re on the field, the court, or cheering from the sidelines, intramurals are for everyone.
Serve where you live: Engage Dallas
Engage Dallas is a place-based community engagement initiative via SMU’s Residential Commons to address community needs focusing on South and West Dallas. The initiative is a long-term, university-wide commitment led by students to partner with local residents, organizations, and other leaders to positively impact the community. There is equal emphasis on campus and community impact stemming from the initiative.
In McElvaney Commons, we focus on Community Wellbeing as a community need in Dallas. McElvaney students address this by collaborating on service events and activities with local partners, Dallas Children Advocacy Center, Legacy Counseling Center, Genesis Women's Shelter & Support, and Brother Bill’s Helping Hands, to directly help those most in need. Our students who serve gain a broader understanding of current social problems, build community with both the city and their peers, and can earn their Community Engagement and Civics & Individual Ethics proficiencies required for graduation. Engage Dallas cultivates unique and enriching experiences for SMU students to explore and serve Dallas!
Questions? Email your McElvaney Engage Dallas Student Director, Sabeen Baledina, at sbaledina@smu.edu.
Get a sense of the community
Get a feel for all that McElvaney Commons has to offer by scrolling through the photo gallery or viewing the video. If you prefer, check it out for yourself by visiting campus, or take an online 360°room tour.
We've got a lot to offer
Amenities
Fully furnished rooms- Furniture (per resident): desk, chair, bed, & dresser
- Wireless and wired internet
- Free on-site washer/dryers
- ADA-compliant rooms available
- Electricity, water, sewer, & recycling/trash service included
- Free laundry
- Movable furniture
- Game rooms
- Community microwaves
- Walk or bike to class
- Nearby parking in Binkley garage
- Easy access to Mac’s Place
- Central location on campus provides easy access to academic buildings, the Hughes-Trigg Student Center, and the Dedman Recreation Center
- 24-hour study rooms and spaces
- Faculty-in-Residence
- Peer Academic Leaders (PALs), Honors Mentors, and Student Wellness Champions
- Educational programs
- Professional, on-site maintenance
- 24-hour, on-call staff
- Card-controlled building access
- Security escorts
- Roommate matching available
- Adjacent bicycle racks
Sample floor plans
Community bath double room
Room and furniture dimensions
Square footage ranges
- 180-205 sq.ft.
Furniture dimensions
- Desk: 2'6" H x 3'4" W x 2' D
- Dresser: 2'6" H x 2'6" W x 2' D
- Bed: 80" L x 36" W (XL Length Loftable Twin)
- Window: 4'6" H x 3'9" W, 1'9" distance to floor
About our namesake
Eugene McElvaney (1897 – 1971), McElvaney’s namesake, was the Senior Vice President for the First National Bank in Dallas. In 1939 Eugene McElvaney became a university trustee. Because of his passion and work towards the success of the university he served as the Chairman of the SMU Board of Trustees from 1952-1956. McElvaney also served as a university promoter and fundraiser, and was a major influence on the establishment of the SMU Press in 1937. Since his time here members of the McElvaney family have been an integral part of SMU.
"...constant adaptations are essential to human progress."
- Eugene McElvaney, 1954
Building facts
| Community abbreviations | McE |
| Building capacity | 252 |
| Year built | 1959 |
| Residential area | Central |
| Physical address | 6000 Bishop Boulevard |
| Room types | Singles and doubles |
| Gender | Co-ed by gender by room |
Live, learn, achieve—together
Get to know the faculty, staff, and student leaders of McElvaney.
Dr. Ashley Stone (She/her/hers)
Faculty-in-Residence
Ashley Stone was born and raised in rural northeast Texas. Prior to earning her Ph.D. at The University of Texas at Austin and transitioning into a faculty role she served as the Director of New Student Orientation and Student Support here at SMU. After spending three years on faculty at George Washington University, she returned to the Hilltop as a Clinical Assistant Professor in Higher Education. Ashley’s research explores how the places we live can shape who we are and can’t wait to meet all of the residents, learn about the places they are from, and help them make SMU and McElvaney Commons home. Learn more about Dr. Stone and her family.
Maya Reeves (She/her/hers)
Residential Community Director
Maya Reeves is from Mesquite, TX, with a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science and a master’s degree in Adult and Higher Education. She enjoys reading, volunteering as a sexual health educator, and exploring the restaurants of Dallas. Maya is passionate about supporting student initiatives – seeing students bond over making McElvaney better is her favorite thing about McElvaney.