President Hartzell unveils Mustang Charge and vision for SMU’s ascent

President Jay Hartzell announced SMU’s vision for the future during a State of the University address, unveiling its strategic focus and ambition to be at the forefront of America’s universities.

Speaking to members of Mustang Nation and the Dallas community, Hartzell emphasized that SMU’s greatest strengths and opportunities emerge at intersections: where teaching meets research, where ambition meets principle, where technology meets humanity, and where learning meets action. Mustang Charge guides how SMU will build on those strengths over the next decade.

More than 9,000 students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors and community members participated in the most comprehensive strategic planning process in SMU’s history. Their input helped shape Mustang Charge, a shared framework designed to propel the University forward with flexibility to pivot boldly as circumstances change.

Explore the full Mustang Charge strategic framework.

“SMU has reached an important moment in its ascent, and we have an opportunity to define what comes next,” Hartzell said. “Mustang Charge is about competing for the very best students, faculty and staff, investing in areas where we can build true distinction and creating an environment where exceptional people can do exceptional work. It means advancing teaching, research and the student experience, capitalizing on the extraordinary advantages of Dallas and developing principled leaders prepared to make an impact. We know where we have strengths, we know where we have opportunities and we are going to be ambitious about bringing these together.”

Mustang Charge in action: Wins at the intersections

SMU’s greatest wins rarely happen within a single lane, Hartzell said. They come to life when SMU crosses barriers and boundaries to bring people, disciplines, and ideas together in novel ways—when faculty collaborate across fields, schools work together to move ideas quickly from concept to reality, and researchers partner with industry, government and nonprofit organizations across Dallas and beyond.

Leaning into the power of intersections, the University will launch more signature academic programs, following the model of the O’Donnell Energy Science, Innovation and Enterprise program, which combines business, engineering and sciences to prepare future leaders for the evolving energy industry. Future programs could focus on sports media and business, arts and technology, health and human performance, or other emerging fields.

To prepare students for a future shaped by artificial intelligence, Hartzell announced that SMU will join an early wave of prominent universities investing in institution-wide AI capabilities. Through an enterprise partnership with Anthropic, SMU has selected Claude as its enterprise AI platform, supporting an approach that will integrate AI learning throughout the student journey while emphasizing the enduring skills students will need to thrive, including critical thinking, communication and the ability to work across differences. Students will learn to use AI ethically, responsibly and intentionally, with instruction tailored to the needs of individual disciplines.

SMU has also reimagined the Hegi Family Career Development Center and relocated it within the Provost’s Office to weave career development more intentionally throughout the academic experience, complementing the strong work of the Cox Career Management Center. Hartzell said the goal is for every student to experience immersive, applied learning in the classroom and have an internship before graduation.

Entrepreneurial thinking will also be part of the student experience, preparing students in every field to recognize opportunities, take initiative, navigate uncertainty and turn ideas into action. Building on the strengths of the William S. Spears Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership, coursework, honors programming and a new speaker series will help foster those skills across the University.

SMU’s relationship with Dallas will be central to that vision, with the University and the region positioned to rise together. The Dallas Office will strengthen connections between SMU and the city, creating new pathways for the University’s scholarship and talent to help address the region’s innovation gap while tapping into Dallas’ strengths in industry, commerce, finance and other sectors. SMU’s expansion east of U.S. 75—including a new world-class home for the Dedman School of Law—will create new opportunities for research, innovation and collaboration with industry and the broader community.

“A cornerstone of our strategic plan, expansion at the Eastern Edge will create a new destination for law, business, entrepreneurship and applied research,” Hartzell said. “It will be a place where discovery meets application. Where scholars collaborate with industry leaders. Where entrepreneurs test new ideas. And where students gain hands-on experience addressing complex issues.”

A commitment to student outcomes and developing principled leaders underlies all of SMU’s ambitions. As the world changes rapidly, the critical thinking, judgment and character at the heart of an SMU education will be more important than ever, preparing graduates to thrive in their first jobs and throughout their careers and lives.

SMU will build on that foundational strength to further distinguish its approach to principled leadership through new academic programs, experiences and partnerships across the University. One example is a partnership with the George W. Bush Presidential Center to develop a new signature course and undergraduate minor that will help students explore how leaders approach difficult decisions, wrestle with hard questions and stay grounded in their values.

“The strength of this community is why I am so optimistic and confident,” Hartzell said. “This year, SMU welcomed the largest and most accomplished incoming class in our history. We have recruited more than 70 remarkable new faculty to the Hilltop, many of whom chose SMU over highly ranked institutions. And we recently announced a $25 million project with the U.S. Department of Energy and industry partners to advance critical minerals technology, which represents the largest individual research funding commitment in SMU history. More people across the country are discovering what we already know: There is something special happening on the Hilltop. Today, SMU is a great university on the rise. We are in position to win.”