SMU celebrates the 100th birthday of University Park

SMU and the town of University Park grew up together. No sooner had the University opened the doors of Dallas Hall in September 1915 than houses began to spring up near the grand building dominating a lonesome stretch of prairie. The neighborhood of University Park grew large enough to incorporate by April 1924.

So, of course SMU was on hand to celebrate when University Park marked its 100^th anniversary with a big outdoor celebration on April 13, 2024. SMU President R. Gerald Turner, Vice President for Development and External Affairs Brad Cheves, the Mustang Band and SMU Cheer joined an evening celebration at Goar Park and Williams Park that featured a drone show spelling out SMU and forming the outline of Dallas Hall in the night sky.

In addition, SMU provided a letter for the city’s centennial time capsule and issued a Board of Trustees resolution recognizing the city’s 1924 founding that included these words:

“THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, Southern Methodist University congratulates The City of University Park on the occasion of the 2024 centennial of its founding in 1924, expresses gratitude for the close and mutually beneficial relationship between the city and University over ten decades, and commits to many more decades of close cooperation benefiting students, faculty, staff, alumni and citizens alike.”