Speaker history
Speakers
Browse or search for past speakers by ceremony, year, speaker or title.
| Ceremony | Year | Speaker | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baccalaureate Service | 2024 | Lisa Garvin | Chaplain and Minister to SMU |
| Baccalaureate Service | 2023 | Daniel Roby | Chief Executive Officer for Austin Street Center |
| Baccalaureate Service | 2022 | Pastor Richie L. Butler ’93 | Senior Pastor, St. Luke United Methodist Church |
| Baccalaureate Service | 2021 | Canceled | |
| Baccalaureate Service | 2020 | Canceled | |
| Baccalaureate Service | 2019 | Jan Edgar Langbein | Chief Executive Officer, Genesis Women’s Shelter and Support |
| Baccalaureate Service | 2018 | Craig C. Hill | Dean, Perkins School of Theology |
| Baccalaureate Service | 2017 | Larry James | Chief Executive Officer, CitySquare |
| Baccalaureate Service | 2016 | Paul Rasmussen ’04 | Senior Minister, Highland Park United Methodist Church |
| Baccalaureate Service | 2015 | Maria Dixon Hall | Associate Professor of Communication Studies |
| Baccalaureate Service | 2014 | Michael M. Boone ’63, ’67 | Chair-elect of the SMU Board of Trustees |
| Baccalaureate Service | 2013 | Michael McKee ’78 | Bishop of North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church and Member of the SMU Board of Trustees |
| Baccalaureate Service | 2012 | Richard J. Wood | Member of the SMU Board of Trustees |
| Baccalaureate Service | 2011 | Mark Craig | Senior Minister, Highland Park United Methodist Church |
| Baccalaureate Service | 2010 | Stephen W. Rankin | Chaplain and Minister to the University |
| Baccalaureate Service | 2009 | W. Earl Bledsoe | Bishop of North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church |
| Baccalaureate Service | 2008 | Sheron Patterson | Senior Pastor, Highland Hills United Methodist Church |
| Baccalaureate Service | 2007 | Paul Rasmussen ’04 | Associate Pastor, Highland Park United Methodist Church |
| Baccalaureate Service | 2006 | Robert Van Kemper | Parish Associate, Community Ministry, Trinity Presbyterian Church and Chair, Department of Anthropology |
| Baccalaureate Service | 2005 | Rhymes H. Moncure, Jr. | Bishop of North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church |
| Baccalaureate Service | 2004 | William J. Abraham | Albert Cook Outler Professor of Wesley Studies |
| Baccalaureate Service | 2003 | William B. Lawrence | Dean of Perkins School of Theology |
| Baccalaureate Service | 2002 | Barbara A. B. Patterson | Associate Professor of Religion, Emory University |
| Baccalaureate Service | 2001 | Valerie Hotchkiss | J.S. Bridwell Foundation Endowed Librarian and Director of Bridwell Library |
| Baccalaureate Service | 2000 | William Banowsky | President Emeritus, University of Oklahoma |
| Baccalaureate Service | 1999 | Mark Craig | Senior Minister, Highland Park United Methodist Church |
| Baccalaureate Service | 1998 | Nancy Kasten | Associate Chaplain |
| Baccalaureate Service | 1997 | William B. Oden | Bishop of North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church |
| Baccalaureate Service | 1996 | William Finnin | Chaplain and Minister to the University |
| Baccalaureate Service | 1995 | Patrick Henry | Executive Director, Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research |
| Baccalaureate Service | 1994 | Janet Cooper Nelson | University Chaplain, Brown University |
| December Commencement | 2023 | Antonio O. Garza, Jr. ’83 | Member of the SMU Board of Trustees |
| December Commencement | 2022 | Clark K. Hunt ’87 | Member of the SMU Board of Trustees |
| December Commencement | 2021 | Kelly Hoglund Compton ’79 | Executive Director of The Hoglund Foundation |
| December Commencement | 2020 | David B. Miller ’72, ’73 | Vice Chair of the SMU Board of Trustees |
| December Commencement | 2019 | Eric Johnson | 60th Mayor of Dallas, Texas |
| December Commencement | 2018 | Robert H. Dedman, Jr. ’80, ’84 | Chair, SMU Board of Trustees |
| December Commencement | 2017 | Kenneth A. Hersh | President and Chief Executive Officer of the George W. Bush Presidential Center |
| December Commencement | 2016 | David O. Brown | Dallas Police Chief, retired |
| December Commencement | 2015 | Michael M. Boone ’63, ’67 | Chair, SMU Board of Trustees |
| December Commencement | 2014 | Gerald J. Ford ’66, ’69 | SMU Board of Trustees |
| December Commencement | 2013 | Ray L. Hunt ’65 | SMU Board of Trustees |
| December Commencement | 2012 | Caren H. Prothro | Chair, SMU Board of Trustees |
| December Commencement | 2011 | Carl Sewell ’66 | SMU Board of Trustees |
| December Commencement | 2010 | Paul W. Ludden | Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs of the University |
| December Commencement | 2009 | Alan C. Lowe | Director of the George W. Bush Presidential Library |
| December Commencement | 2008 | R. Gerald Turner | President of the University |
| December Commencement | 2007 | Paul W. Ludden | Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs of the University |
| December Commencement | 2006 | Albert W. Niemi, Jr. | Dean of the Cox School of Business |
| December Commencement | 2006 | Geoffrey C. Orsak | Dean of the School of Engineering |
| December Commencement | 2006 | Caroline Brettell | Dean ad interim of Dedman College |
| December Commencement | 2005 | Robert Blocker | Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs for the University |
| December Commencement | 2004 | R. Gerald Turner | President of the University |
| December Commencement | 2003 | Ross C. Murfin | Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs of the University |
| December Commencement | 2002 | R. Gerald Turner | President of the University |
| December Commencement | 2001 | R. Gerald Turner | President of the University |
| December Commencement | 2000 | Ross C. Murfin | Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs of the University |
| May Commencement | 2024 | Megha Tolia | President and COO of Shondaland |
| May Commencement | 2024 | Nirav Tolia | CEO of Nextdoor |
| May Commencement | 2023 | Brian S. Tyler | Chief Executive Officer of McKesson Corporation |
| May Commencement | 2022 | Grant Moise | Publisher and President of The Dallas Morning News |
| May Commencement | 2021 | Whitney Wolfe Herd ’11 | Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bumble |
| May Commencement | 2020 | Jim Lentz | Chief Executive Officer of Toyota Motor North America Inc. |
| May Commencement | 2019 | Doug Parker | Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of American Airlines |
| May Commencement | 2018 | Randall L. Stephenson | Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AT&T |
| May Commencement | 2017 | Francis S. Collins | Director of the National Institutes of Health |
| May Commencement | 2016 | Richard and Mary Templeton | Technology and Civic Leaders |
| May Commencement | 2015 | George W. Bush | 43rd President of the United States |
| May Commencement | 2014 | Mike Rawlings | Mayor of Dallas, Texas |
| May Commencement | 2013 | Kay Bailey Hutchison | Former United States Senator from Texas |
| May Commencement | 2012 | Condoleezza Rice | Former U.S. Secretary of State |
| May Commencement | 2011 | John Cornyn | United States Senator |
| May Commencement | 2010 | Ron Kirk | United States Trade Ambassador |
| May Commencement | 2009 | Laura Welch Bush ’68 | Former First Lady of the United States |
| May Commencement | 2008 | Allen Weinstein | Archivist of the United States |
| May Commencement | 2007 | Bill Moyers | Journalist, Filmaker, Author |
| May Commencement | 2006 | H. Ross Perot, Jr. | Dallas Business Leader |
| May Commencement | 2005 | Santiago Calatrava | Architect and Engineer |
| May Commencement | 2004 | Antonio O. Garza ’83 | Ambassador to Mexico |
| May Commencement | 2003 | Herb Kelleher | Southwest Airlines Founder |
| May Commencement | 2002 | Kathy Bates | Actress |
| May Commencement | 2001 | Donald J. Carty | Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, American Airlines Inc. |
| May Commencement | 2000 | Kay Bailey Hutchinson | United States Senator |
| May Commencement | 1999 | George W. Bush | Governor of the State of Texas |
| May Commencement | 1998 | Robert S. Strauss | Former U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation |
| May Commencement | 1997 | Richard B. Cheney | Chair, President and Chief Executive Officer of Dallas-based Halliburton Company |
| May Commencement | 1996 | Ron J. Anderson | President and Chief Executive Officer of Dallas County’s Parkland Memorial Hospital |
| May Commencement | 1995 | William H. Cosby, Jr. | Entertainer |
| May Commencement | 1994 | Ray L. Hunt ’65 | Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Hunt Oil Company |
| May Commencement | 1993 | Marian Wright Edelman | Founder and President of Children’s Defense Fund |
| May Commencement | 1992 | George H.W. Bush | 41st President of the United States |
| May Commencement | 1991 | Ross Perot | Chairman of Perot Systems Corporation |
| May Commencement | 1990 | Roy M. Huffington | Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Roy M. Huffington Inc. |
| May Commencement | 1989 | James C. Lehrer | Broadcast journalist |
| May Commencement | 1988 | James O. Freedman | President, Dartmouth College |
| May Commencement | 1987 | Leonard Silk | Economics Columnist, The New York Times |
| May Commencement | 1986 | L. Donald Shields | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1985 | L. Donald Shields | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1984 | L. Donald Shields | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1983 | Alexander Heard | Chancellor Emeritus and Professor of Political Science, Vanderbilt University |
| May Commencement | 1982 | L. Donald Shields | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1981 | L. Donald Shields | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1980 | L. Donald Shields | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1979 | James H. Zumberge | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1978 | James H. Zumberge | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1977 | James H. Zumberge | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1976 | James H. Zumberge | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1975 | James H. Zumberge | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1974 | Willis Tate | President and Chancellor of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1973 | Paul Hardin | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1972 | Paul Hardin | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1971 | Willis Tate | President and Chancellor of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1970 | Willis Tate | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1969 | Willis Tate | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1968 | Willis Tate | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1967 | Willis Tate | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1966 | Willis Tate | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1965 | Willis Tate | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1964 | Willis Tate | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1963 | Willis Tate | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1962 | Willis Tate | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1961 | Willis Tate | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1960 | Willis Tate | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1959 | Willis Tate | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1958 | Willis Tate | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1957 | Willis Tate | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1956 | Willis Tate | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1955 | Willis Tate | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1954 | Willis Tate | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1953 | Umphrey Lee | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1952 | Umphrey Lee | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1951 | Umphrey Lee | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1950 | Umphrey Lee | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1949 | Umphrey Lee | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1948 | Umphrey Lee | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1947 | Umphrey Lee | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1946 | Umphrey Lee | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1945 | Umphrey Lee | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1944 | Umphrey Lee | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1943 | Umphrey Lee | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1942 | Umphrey Lee | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1941 | Umphrey Lee | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1940 | Umphrey Lee | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1939 | Umphrey Lee | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1938 | Charles C. Selecman | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1937 | Charles C. Selecman | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1936 | Charles C. Selecman | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1935 | Charles C. Selecman | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1934 | Charles C. Selecman | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1933 | Charles C. Selecman | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1932 | Charles C. Selecman | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1931 | Charles C. Selecman | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1930 | Charles C. Selecman | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1929 | Charles C. Selecman | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1928 | Charles C. Selecman | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1927 | Charles C. Selecman | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1926 | Charles C. Selecman | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1925 | Charles C. Selecman | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1924 | Charles C. Selecman | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1923 | Charles C. Selecman | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1922 | Bishop Hiram Abiff Boaz | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1921 | Bishop Hiram Abiff Boaz | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1920 | Bishop Hiram Abiff Boaz | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1919 | Robert S. Hyer | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1918 | Robert S. Hyer | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1917 | Robert S. Hyer | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1916 | Robert S. Hyer | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1915 | Robert S. Hyer | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1914 | Robert S. Hyer | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1913 | Robert S. Hyer | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1912 | Robert S. Hyer | President of SMU |
| May Commencement | 1911 | Robert S. Hyer | President of SMU |
| Opening Convocation | 2024 | R. Gerald Turner | President of the University |
| Opening Convocation | 2023 | R. Gerald Turner | President of the University |
| Opening Convocation | 2022 | R. Gerald Turner | President of the University |
| Opening Convocation | 2021 | Kenechukwu (K.C.) Mmeje | Vice President for Student Affairs |
| Opening Convocation | 2020 | Elizabeth G. Loboa | Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs |
| Opening Convocation | 2019 | Dayna Oscherwitz | Assistant Provost for General Education |
| Opening Convocation | 2018 | Thomas DiPiero | Dean of Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences |
| Opening Convocation | 2017 | R. Gerald Turner | President of the University |
| Opening Convocation | 2016 | Steven C. Currall | Provost |
| Opening Convocation | 2015 | R. Gerald Turner | President of the University |
| Opening Convocation | 2014 | Joseph F. Kobylka | Associate Professor of Political Science |
| Opening Convocation | 2013 | Gillian McCombs | Dean and Director of SMU Central University Libraries |
| Opening Convocation | 2012 | R. Gerald Turner | President of the University |
| Opening Convocation | 2011 | R. Gerald Turner | President of the University |
| Opening Convocation | 2010 | William Tsutsui | Dean of Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences |
| Opening Convocation | 2009 | Jeffrey Talley | Chair of the Department of Environmental and Civil Engineering and Bobby B. Lyle Professor of Leadership and Global Entrepreneurship |
| Opening Convocation | 2008 | Cordelia Candelaria | Dean of Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences |
| Opening Convocation | 2007 | Paul Ludden | Provost |
| Opening Convocation | 2006 | Jose Antonio Bowen | Dean of Meadows School of the Arts |
| Opening Convocation | 2005 | Robert Blocker | Provost |
| Opening Convocation | 2004 | Rita Kirk | Professor of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs |
| Opening Convocation | 2003 | G. William Barnard | Associate Professor of Religious Studies |
| Opening Convocation | 2002 | Geoffrey Orsak | Associate Dean of Research and Development, Lye School of Engineering |
| Opening Convocation | 2001 | Joseph Kobylka | Associate Professor of Political Science |
| Opening Convocation | 2000 | Caroline Brettell | Professor of Anthropology |
| Opening Convocation | 1999 | Peter Raad | Professor of Mechanical Engineering |
| Opening Convocation | 1998 | Carole Brandt | Dean of Meadows School of the Arts |
| Opening Convocation | 1997 | Jasper Neel | Dean of Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences |
| Opening Convocation | 1996 | Ross C. Murfin | Provost and Professor of English |
| Opening Convocation | 1995 | R. Gerald Turner | President of the University |
| Opening Convocation | 1994 | Robin W. Lovin | Dean of Perkins School of Theology |
| Opening Convocation | 1993 | Alessandra Comini | University Distinguished Professor of Art History |
| Opening Convocation | 1992 | James F. Jones, Jr. | Vice Provost and Dean of Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences |
| Opening Convocation | 1991 | William F. May | Cary M. Maguire Professor of Ethics |
| Opening Convocation | 1990 | Margaret Loft | Professor of Theatre |