From the President

Through the dedication of our donors and the strength of our community, SMU Ignited is forging a brighter future for our students, our research and our global impact. I am pleased to announce that, with over $200 million in gift revenue, Fiscal Year 2022 was the largest gift revenue year in SMU history, advancing the campaign’s total to $900 million toward its $1.5 billion goal as of August 2022. In this issue, you will read about how our donors are fueling exciting developments and initiatives across campus and sparking excellence in our students and our community.

As we celebrate the start of a new school year, our donors’ impact is evident everywhere we turn. With its stunning new visual arts facilities, the Meadows School of the Arts is inspiring artistic exploration and research from some of the world’s most creative minds.

In August, the University welcomed a new class of Mustangs, with over 1,600 incoming freshman and over 2,000 incoming graduate students arriving on the Hilltop from across the country and around the world. Over 70% of our students benefit from SMU’s comprehensive scholarship, financial aid and student success programs, many of which are supported by the new Opportunity SMU fund, which focuses on recruiting and retaining outstanding students.

Supported by a record year in Mustang Club fundraising, our student-athletes are raising the bar for excellence, empowered by new additions like the Garry Weber End Zone Complex at Ford Stadium and what it will inspire not only in our football program, but throughout all of SMU Athletics.

The new semester brings with it new academic leaders, promising to further raise the visibility of SMU teaching and research.

The University also continues to expand its impact on the greater community through donor-funded initiatives like the West Dallas STEM School and the Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center.

As you read about our most recent updates, I hope you will feel thankful – as we do – for the impact SMU donors make on the lives of our students, the work of our faculty and staff, and the well-being of the communities we serve.

Pony Up! 

R. Gerald Turner
SMU President