Southern Methodist University
Encyclopedia
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South
Methodist Episcopal Church, South
The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, or Methodist Episcopal Church South, was the so-called "Southern Methodist Church" resulting from the split over the issue of slavery in the Methodist Episcopal Church which had been brewing over several years until it came out into the open at a conference...
, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano
Plano, Texas
Plano is a city in the state of Texas, located mostly within Collin County. The city's population was 259,841 at the 2010 census, making it the ninth-largest city in Texas and the 71st most populous city in the United States. Plano is located within the metropolitan area commonly referred to as...
, and Taos, New Mexico
Taos, New Mexico
Taos is a town in Taos County in the north-central region of New Mexico, incorporated in 1934. As of the 2000 census, its population was 4,700. Other nearby communities include Ranchos de Taos, Cañon, Taos Canyon, Ranchitos, and El Prado. The town is close to Taos Pueblo, the Native American...
. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
. 7,000 of the University's 12,000 students are undergraduates.
History
The university was chartered on April 17, 1911 by the five Annual ConferenceAnnual Conference
An Annual Conference in the United Methodist Church is a regional body that governs much of the life of the "Connectional Church." Annual conferences are composed primarily of the clergy members and a lay member or members from each charge . Each conference is a geographical division...
s in Texas of the United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
. Classes were originally planned to start in 1913 but were postponed until 1915.
SMU was established as the unsuccessful attempt to relocate Southwestern University
Southwestern University
Southwestern University is a private, four-year, undergraduate, liberal arts college located in Georgetown, Texas, USA. Founded in 1840, Southwestern is the oldest university in Texas. The school is affiliated with the United Methodist Church although the curriculum is nonsectarian...
from Georgetown, Texas
Georgetown, Texas
Georgetown is a city and also the county seat of Williamson County, Texas, United States with a population of 47,400 at the 2010 census. Southwestern University, founded in 1840, is the oldest university in Texas and is located in Georgetown, about 1/2 mile east of the historic square...
to either Fort Worth or Dallas. The first relocation effort by Polytechnic College
Texas Wesleyan University
Texas Wesleyan University is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university founded by the United Methodist Church in 1890. The main campus is located in the Polytechnic Heights Neighborhood of Fort Worth, Texas, with branch campuses in Burleson and downtown Fort Worth.-History:Texas Wesleyan...
president Hiram A. Boaz and spearheaded by Southwestern president Robert Stewart Hyer
Robert Stewart Hyer
Robert Stewart Hyer was an educator and researcher in Texas noted for experimenting with early X-ray and telegraphy equipment. He served as president of Southwestern University before becoming the first president of Southern Methodist University...
involved merging Southwestern with Polytechnic College (now Texas Wesleyan University). The post-merger university would retain the Southwestern name while occupying Polytechnic's campus in Fort Worth.
The merger never came to fruition, primarily because the Dallas Chamber of Commerce set up a committee to raise funds and entice Southwestern to relocate to Dallas. This proposal gained considerable traction since Southwestern was operating a medical school in Dallas. Plans were drawn for the campus's first building, Memorial Hall, which inspired SMU's first building, Dallas Hall. Southwestern's trustees rejected the relocation plan, prompting Hyer's resignation and move to Dallas to establish Southern Methodist University.
SMU retained close connections to Southwestern and Polytechnic. Southwestern president Hyer became SMU's first president. Hiram A. Boaz, a Southwestern graduate, resigned as president of Polytechnic to become SMU's second president. Polytechnic attempted to become a feeder school of SMU before becoming a women's college. SMU acquired Southwestern's medical school in Dallas and operated it until 1915. Southwestern and SMU were athletic rivals until Southwestern became a small liberal arts college.
The effort to establish a new university in Dallas drew the attention of the General Conference
General Conference
In the United Nations system of specialized agencies such as the International Atomic Energy Agency or UNESCO, General Conferences are the recurring meetings of Member States. General Conference sessions are usually held yearly or biennially at the headquarters of the Agency...
of the Methodist Church, which was seeking to create a new connectional institution
Connectionalism
The term Connexionalism is today most commonly used to describe the theological understanding and foundation of Methodist polity, as practised in the British Methodist Church and the American United Methodist Church...
in the wake of a 1914 Tennessee Supreme Court
Tennessee Supreme Court
The Tennessee Supreme Court is the state supreme court of the state of Tennessee. Cornelia Clark is the current Chief Justice.Unlike other states, in which the state attorney general is directly elected or appointed by the governor or state legislature, the Tennessee Supreme Court appoints the...
decision stripping the church of authority at Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
. The church decided to support the establishment of SMU and dramatically increase the size of Emory University
Emory University
Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of...
at a new location in DeKalb County, Georgia
DeKalb County, Georgia
DeKalb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population of the county was 691,893 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is the city of Decatur. It is bordered to the west by Fulton County and contains roughly 10% of the city of Atlanta...
. At the 1914 meeting of the General Conference, SMU was designated the connectional institution for all Conferences
Conferences of the United Methodist Church
The following is a list of the Conferences of The United Methodist Church.-Conference Listings:There are several kinds of Conferences of The United Methodist Church.*General Conference is the highest deliberative body for the United Methodist Church....
west of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
.
Classes were planned to officially begin in 1913, but construction delays on the university's first building prevented classes from starting until 1915. In the interim, the only functioning academic department at SMU was the medical college it had acquired from Southwestern University.
SMU named its first building Dallas Hall in gratitude for the support of Dallas leaders and local citizens, who had pledged $300,000 to secure the university's location. Dallas Hall remains the university's symbol and centerpiece. Designed by Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge
Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge
Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge was a successful architecture firm based in Boston, Massachusetts, operating between 1886 and 1915, with extensive commissions in monumental civic and collegiate architecture in the spirit and style of Henry Hobson Richardson....
after the Rotunda at the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
, Dallas Hall opened its doors in 1915 and housed the entire university as well as a bank and a barbershop. Dallas Hall is registered in the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. SMU's nickname "The Hilltop" was inspired by Dallas Hall, which was built on a hill.
The university's first president, Robert Stewart Hyer, selected Harvard crimson and Yale blue
Yale Blue
Yale Blue is the dark blue color used in association with Yale University.University Printer John Gambell, who was asked to standardize the color in 2005, characterized its spirit as "a strong, relatively dark blue, neither purple nor green, though it can be somewhat gray...
as the school colors in order to associate SMU with the high standards of ivy league universities. Several streets in University Park
University Park, Texas
University Park is a city in Dallas County, Texas, United States, and a inner suburb of Dallas. The population was 23,324 at the 2000 census. The city is home to Southern Methodist University. Like its neighbor, Highland Park, it is a city partially surrounded by the municipality of Dallas...
were named after prominent universities, including Harvard
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, Yale
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, Stanford
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, Princeton
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, Dartmouth
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
, Purdue
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
, Tulane
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
, Amherst
Amherst College
Amherst College is a private liberal arts college located in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Amherst is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution and enrolled 1,744 students in the fall of 2009...
, Bryn Mawr
Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr College is a women's liberal arts college located in Bryn Mawr, a community in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania, ten miles west of Philadelphia. The name "Bryn Mawr" means "big hill" in Welsh....
, Drexel
Drexel University
Drexel University is a private research university with the main campus located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. It was founded in 1891 by Anthony J. Drexel, a noted financier and philanthropist. Drexel offers 70 full-time undergraduate programs and accelerated degrees...
, Hanover
Hanover College
Hanover College is a private liberal arts college, located in Hanover, Indiana, near the banks of the Ohio River. The college is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church . The college was founded in 1827 by the Rev. John Finley Crowe, making it the oldest private college in Indiana. The Hanover...
, Marquette
Marquette University
Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
, Southwestern
Southwestern University
Southwestern University is a private, four-year, undergraduate, liberal arts college located in Georgetown, Texas, USA. Founded in 1840, Southwestern is the oldest university in Texas. The school is affiliated with the United Methodist Church although the curriculum is nonsectarian...
, Vassar
Vassar College
Vassar College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college in the town of Poughkeepsie, New York, in the United States. The Vassar campus comprises over and more than 100 buildings, including four National Historic Landmarks, ranging in style from Collegiate Gothic to International,...
, and Villanova
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
.
In 1939, SMU was placed under the South Central Jurisdiction of the Methodist Church.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, SMU was one of 131 colleges and universities nationally that took part in the V-12 Navy College Training Program
V-12 Navy College Training Program
The V-12 Navy College Training Program was designed to supplement the force of commissioned officers in the United States Navy during World War II...
which offered students a path to a Navy commission.
The university drew considerable media attention in 1987 when the NCAA administered the death penalty against the SMU football program for repeated, flagrant recruiting violations. The punishment included cancellation of the 1987 and most of the 1988 football season and a two-year ban from Bowl Games and all televised sports coverage.
In 2008, SMU was selected, despite considerable controversy, as the site of the George W. Bush Presidential Library
George W. Bush Presidential Library
The George W. Bush Presidential Center is a future complex that will include former President George W. Bush's presidential library and museum, the George W. Bush Policy Institute, and the offices of the George W. Bush Foundation. The facility will occupy roughly on the campus of Southern...
and the George W. Bush Policy Institute.
Academic profile
SMU has seven degree-granting schools:- Cox School of BusinessCox School of BusinessThe Cox School of Business is a business school at Southern Methodist University offering a full range of business education programs.Degrees include , full-time Master of Business Administration , , , Master of Science in Management , Master of Science in Accounting , and a Master of Science in...
- Dedman College of Humanities and SciencesDedman College of Humanities and SciencesDedman College of Southern Methodist University was named in 1981 in honor of its benefactors, Robert H. Dedman Sr. and his wife, Nancy McMillan Dedman, both of Dallas.- Areas of Study :...
- Dedman School of LawDedman School of LawThe Southern Methodist University School of Law, commonly referred to as SMU Law School or Dedman School of Law is a prominent professional graduate law school located in Dallas, Texas. Founded in February 1925, the school remains the only law school in Dallas...
- Meadows School of the ArtsMeadows School of the ArtsThe Meadows School of the Arts is an art institute in Southern Methodist University, University Park, Texas, USA. It is known for its professional music, dance, theatre, art, art history, arts administration, and advertising programs, as well as its cinema, journalism, media, and public relations...
- Perkins School of TheologyPerkins School of TheologyPerkins School of Theology is one of Southern Methodist University's three original schools. The theology school was renamed in 1945 to honor benefactors Joe J...
- Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education & Human Development
- Lyle School of EngineeringSMU School of EngineeringThe Bobby B. Lyle School of Engineering is one of the Southwest's institutes of higher learning for students seeking degrees in engineering and technical disciplines. The Southern Methodist University School is divided into five departments, or areas of study...
Endowment
SMU's endowment of $1,367,744,000makes it one of only 77 colleges and universities in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
with an endowment above $1 billion, and is ranked number 51.
Research and graduate studies
During 2007-08, SMU received more than $19 million in external funding for research.Special programs
SMU-in-TaosSMU's Fort Burgwin campus in Northern New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
offers summer credit courses, including the SMU archaeology field school program. Past archaeological work has included excavations at Pot Creek Pueblo, a 13th-century ancestral pueblo
Pueblo
Pueblo is a term used to describe modern communities of Native Americans in the Southwestern United States of America. The first Spanish explorers of the Southwest used this term to describe the communities housed in apartment-like structures built of stone, adobe mud, and other local material...
home of both Taos and Picuris Pueblos. The annual SMU-in-Taos Cultural Institute also uses the campus for a weekend of informal classes taught by SMU faculty members.
Study abroad programs
International study is offered through 24 programs in 12 countries throughout Europe, Asia, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
.
University Honors Program
The University Honors Program in the Liberal Arts serves the highest achieving undergraduate students in all departments and majors across campus. Those invited to participate fulfill a seven-course requirement of their General Education Curriculum in small, often discussion-based classes. The Honors Program hosts many events throughout the academic year. It also offers considerable research grants, exclusive job opportunities, and other selective benefits to its student constituents.
Center for Academic-Community Engagement (ACE)
Center for Academic-Community Engagement (ACE) - The ACE Center engages students in academic coursework that promotes scholarship through civic participation. Students enrolled in ACE Center courses work 2–3 hours a week staffing local agencies and community organizations dedicated to social and economic opportunity. The most remarkable part of the ACE Center is the ACE House, a four-student, off-campus residence in the low-income Dallas neighborhood of Garrett Park, East. ACE House student-residents run weekly programs at the House for neighborhood children and their families.
Rankings and recognition
Overall University rankings- U.S. News & World ReportU.S. News & World ReportU.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
ranks SMU as 62nd among "National Universities" in its 2012 edition. - 1st In the 2009-10 National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Directors Cup Division I Final Standings, SMU is ranked as the top school in its conference.
SMU Cox School of Business Rankings
- 1st The Economist ranks the Cox School #1 in the United States for "Potential to Network".
- 1st In the 2003 BusinessWeek ranking of the top 25 Executive MBA programs in the world, SMU Cox was listed #1 for entrepreneurship course offerings.
- 5th In 2005, Entrepreneur magazine ranked the Caruth Institute #5 among the top 100 entrepreneurship programs in the nation, as ranked by program directors, faculty & alumni.
- 5th BusinessWeek ranks Cox #5 for Global Business as "Best Subjects" in the world, as surveyed by EMBA alumni.
- Top 5 Five Cox School of Business departments were recognized among the nation's top business schools for research productivity based on more than 1.5 million scholarly citations. Only seven schools ranked in the top 30 in all five categories: SMU Cox, Harvard, Stanford, University of Chicago, MIT, NYU, and UCLA.
- 6th BusinessWeek ranks SMU Cox #6 for highest SAT scores.
- 6th BusinessWeek ranks Cox #6 for Marketing as "Best Subjects" in the world, as surveyed by EMBA alumni.
- 7th The Economist ranks the Cox School #7 in the world for "Potential to Network".
- 9th US News & World Report currently ranks The Cox Professional MBA program (PMBA) 9th in the nation
- 9th The Princeton Review ranks Cox #9 for best professors, based on interest and accessibility.
- 10th The Cox Professional MBA program (PMBA) is ranked is currently ranked #10 for return on investment by Forbes.
- 10th Forbes ranks Cox #10 in the nation for ROI, the only program in Texas and the South on the list.
- Top 10 Financial Times also names Cox among the top 10 in the U.S. for enrolling the most experienced students and for highest salaries five years after graduation.
- 12th U.S. News & World Report ranks Cox #12 in the nation, the highest ranked program in Texas named in the category.
- 13th U.S. News & World Report ranks Cox #13 in the nation.
- 13th BusinessWeek ranks Cox #13 in the U.S., praising faculty members for real-world experience brought to the classroom.
- 15th Financial Times ranks Cox #15 in the U.S.
- 16th BusinessWeek ranks Cox #16 worldwide praising faculty members for real-world experience brought to the classroom.
- 20th BusinessWeek ranks SMU Cox #20 for sending the most undergraduates to top MBA programs.
- Top 25 Hispanic Trends names Cox one of the 25 best business schools for Hispanic MBAs.
- 29th The Wall Street Journal ranks Cox #29 regional, and students are commended by recruiters for their ambition and people skills.
Libraries
- Business Information Center (BIC) - Business school library. Some resources are available to the public.
- Bridwell Library - Bridwell Library is one of the leading theological research collections in the United States.
- Central University Libraries - Central University Libraries is the largest of the SMU library administrative units, with holdings of over 2 million volumes. It comprises the Fondren Library Center, the Jake and Nancy Hamon Arts Library, the DeGolyer Library of Special Collections, the SMU Archives, the ISEM Reading Room, the Norwick Center for Digital Services, and the Fred Wendorf Information Center at SMU-in-TAOS, NM. Holdings include 1,244,889 books, 11,275 current serials, 621,970 microforms, 685,969 government documents, and 4,200 electronic databases.
- CUL Digital Collections - Central University Libraries Digital Collections provide anyone around the world the ability to access a variety of text, videos and images. These collections are part of CUL’s ongoing effort to digitize and make available SMU’s unique special collections on the Web.
- DeGolyer Library - The DeGolyer Library is the principal repository at SMU for special collections in the humanities, the history of business, and the history of science and technology. Its rare books, manuscripts, photographs, maps, and other materials are available to all SMU students, faculty, visiting scholars, and other researchers. DeGolyer Library’s holdings of primary sources are supported by exhibitions, lectures, publications, and seminars. Dedicated to enhancing scholarship and teaching at SMU, the DeGolyer Library is charged with maintaining and building its various collections "for study, research, and pleasure." Established in 1957 by gifts from geophysicist Everette Lee DeGolyerEverette Lee DeGolyerEverette Lee DeGolyer . was a prominent oilman, geophysicist and philanthropist in Dallas...
, DeGolyer Library houses one of the strongest collections in the United States on the Trans-Mississippi West, Texas, the Spanish borderlands, transportation with an emphasis on railroads, and business history. - Fondren Library Center - The largest collection of resources on campus, Fondren Library houses materials in the humanities, social sciences and business, as well as government information resources. Fondren Library also houses the Science and Engineering Library which includes collections in biology, chemistry, physics, earth sciences, mathematics, statistics, computer science, and civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering. The library has particularly strong collections in the earth sciences, electronics, general science and technology. The Norwick Center for Digital Collections is also housed in Fondren.
- Edwin J Foscue Map Library - Located in Fondren Library Center, this is one of the largest map collections in the Southwest.
- Fort Burgwin Library - The Fort Burgwin Library, located on the SMU-in-Taos campus in New Mexico, contains approximately 9,768 books and small collections of journals and maps.
- Hamon Arts Library - Hamon Arts Library supports the undergraduate and graduate programs of the Meadows School of the Arts in the disciplines of art, arts administration, cinema, dance, music, and theater. The Library's circulating and reference collections contain more than 180,000 items relating to the visual and performing arts. In addition, the Library has some 300 subscriptions to arts periodicals and provides access to more than 40 online resources that are specific to the arts.
- Norwick Center for Digital Services - The Center includes a student multimedia center and screening room and supports a full range of digital services, production services and collaborative technology support, including the CUL Digital Collections.
- Underwood Law Library - The Underwood Law Library's more than 640,000 volumes support the instruction and research of the Dedman School of Law and the general SMU community. The Library's collection is particularly strong in the areas of international law, commercial law, securities, taxation, jurisprudence, oil and gas, and air and space law.
- Library Catalog - On line catalog of all SMU libraries
Research centers and institutes
- Alternative Asset Management Center - The Alternative Asset Management Center is a teaching and research center devoted to corporate investing to maximize profits. Our student managed investment portfolios are handled under the oversight of the Alternative Asset Management Center.
- Business Leadership Center - The BLC encourages MBA students to develop leadership skills.
- Center for Land Use & Real Estate Economics - This specialized teaching & research center focuses on major issues in the real estate industry.
- Caruth Institute for Entrepreneurship - The Institute offers education and training for today's entrepreneur who competes in a rapidly changing, fast paced, technology-driven environment.
- Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility - The Center supports research, writing and teaching in ethics at the graduate and undergraduate level.
- Center for Teacher Education - Workshops and seminars provide lessons that are both useful in instructional delivery and applicable to required professional-development hours.
- Center for Teaching Excellence - Achieving teaching excellence is not formulaic: in diverse areas of the University, different teaching strategies work best. Therefore, the Center encourages dialogs across schools and disciplines.
- Clements Center for Southwest Studies - This center promotes research, publishing, teaching, and public programming in a variety of fields of inquiry related to the American Southwest.
- The Center for Research in Real Estate and Land Use Economics - The Center was created in 1984 as an entity focusing on major issues in the real estate industry.
- Center for Scientific Computation - This interdisciplinary research center is devoted to the application of computational techniques to problems in mathematics, engineering, and the applied sciences.
- Center for Statistical Consulting and Research - Statistical consulting services include statistical data analysis and modeling, interpretation of the results, and presentation of conclusions using state-of-the-art statistical methods.
- Ellen K. Solender Institute in Free Speech and Mass Media Law - Its focus is on media law and issues affecting the free flow of information with some emphasis on problems caused by the differences in the law of various democracies.
- Center for the Advanced Study and Practice of Evangelism - It seeks to accomplish its mission by providing resources within the Field of Evangelism for scholars, local churches, and others engaged in evangelization, and by providing a strategic forum in which scholars and practitioners of evangelism can be in fruitful dialogue.
- The Institute for Engineering Education - The Institute for Engineering Education at SMU has been established to pioneer an array of innovative programs designed to present engineering as a fun, challenging and rewarding career opportunity to a national audience of students in kindergarten through high school.
- The Institute for Reading Research - The Institute's primary mission is to promote reading skills through research in the areas of developing reading interventions for children at-risk for failing to learn to read, children with mild to moderate mental retardation, and children who are either bilingual or who speak Spanish exclusively in the early primary grades.
- Institute for the Study of Earth and Man - The ISEM was established nearly forty years ago to foster interdisciplinary research in geology and anthropology.
- JCPenney Center for Retail Excellence - The JCPenney Center for Retail Excellence is the leading source of academic expertise on consumer shopping behavior and the effects of retailer activities on shopping behavior.
- John Goodwin Tower Center for Political StudiesJohn Goodwin Tower Center for Political Studies-Mission:The primary mission of the Tower Center is to promote the study of politics and international affairs and to stimulate an interest in ethical public service among undergraduates...
- The Center was established to support teaching and research programs in international studies and national security policy, focusing upon the institutions that structure national and international decision-making. - KPMG Institute for Corporate Governance - The KPMG Institute will explore corporate governance and ethical decision making, and how those choices impact the market's perception of a firm and its future.
- Law Institute of the Americas - NAFTA/FTAA-related Legal Studies, Latin American Legal Studies, Selective Canadian Legal Studies, Regional Intergovernmental Institutions, Related Rule of Law and Law Reform Issues, International Economic Law and Development Issues
- Linda and Mitch Hart eCenter - The eCenter provides leadership in the development and use of interactive network technologies.
- Maguire Energy Institute - Studies the economic, policy, marketing and management issues related to oil, natural gas, and electricity.
- O'Neil Center for Global Markets and Freedom - This specialized teaching and research institute studies political economics and how economic factors impact political decisions and outcomes.
- Research Center for Advanced ManufacturingResearch Center for Advanced Manufacturing-Mission:Also known as the RCAM, the mission of the center is to promote and apply university led advanced manufacturing research and development work...
- SW Graduate School of Banking (SWGSB) Foundation - Focuses on providing education for all levels of bank officers.
- Temerlin Advertising Institute - The Institute strives to advance the state of advertising communication through partnerships with both industry and government and through programs to blend the research interests of the academy and the profession.
- Center for Academic-Community Engagement (ACE) - The ACE Center engages students in academic coursework that promotes scholarship through civic participation. Students enrolled in ACE Center courses work 2–3 hours a week staffing local agencies and community organizations dedicated to social and economic opportunity. The most remarkable part of the ACE Center is the ACE House, a four-student, off-campus residence in the low-income Dallas neighborhood of Garrett Park, East. ACE House residents run weekly programs at the House for neighborhood children and their families.
- High Assurance Computing and Networking (HACNet) Lab - is a research facility in the School of Engineering. HACNet is a certified Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education.
Museums
- Meadows Museum - The Meadows Museum houses several collections including a collection of Spanish art from the 10th to the 21st centuries. It also includes a sculpture collection including works by David SmithDavid Smith (sculptor)David Roland Smith was an American Abstract Expressionist sculptor and painter, best known for creating large steel abstract geometric sculptures.-Biography:...
, Henry MooreHenry MooreHenry Spencer Moore OM CH FBA was an English sculptor and artist. He was best known for his semi-abstract monumental bronze sculptures which are located around the world as public works of art....
and Claes OldenburgClaes OldenburgClaes Oldenburg is a Swedish sculptor, best known for his public art installations typically featuring very large replicas of everyday objects...
, as well as by contemporary sculptors such as James SurlsJames SurlsJames Surls is an American modernist sculptor. He earned a BS from Sam Houston State University and an MFA from the Cranbrook Academy of Art. In 1998, he moved from Splendora, Texas to Carbondale, Colorado....
. Important figural sculptures by RodinAuguste RodinFrançois-Auguste-René Rodin , known as Auguste Rodin , was a French sculptor. Although Rodin is generally considered the progenitor of modern sculpture, he did not set out to rebel against the past...
, Maillol, and Giacometti are also housed within the museum. In addition it is also responsible for the University's art collection including several important regional artists. - Pollock Gallery - The Pollock Gallery provides an ever-changing display of works by the faculty and students of the Meadows School of the Arts, as well as by outside artists.
Performance venues
- McFarlin Memorial AuditoriumMcFarlin Memorial AuditoriumMcFarlin Memorial Auditorium is a proscenium style theatre located on the campus of Southern Methodist University. The venue seats 2,386 on three levels. The building is the third oldest on SMU's campus and has hosted a number of notable acts.-History:...
- McFarlin Auditorium is the largest theater on campus, hosting a variety of events throughout the year. - Moody ColiseumMoody ColiseumMoody Coliseum is an 8,998-seat multi-purpose arena in University Park, Texas. The arena opened in 1956. It is home to the Southern Methodist University Mustangs basketball team. It was also home to the Dallas Chaparrals and Texas Chaparrals of the American Basketball Association before they moved...
- Moody Coliseum is a multi-purpose arena that hosts many athletic competitions and other events.
George W. Bush Presidential Center
On February 22, 2008, the University trustees unanimously instructed President R. Gerald TurnerR. Gerald Turner
Robert Gerald Turner is the President of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Previously he served as Chancellor of the University of Mississippi .-Education:...
to enter into an agreement to establish the George W. Bush Presidential Center on the southeast side of the campus. SMU has courted Bush—whose wife, Laura
Laura Bush
Laura Lane Welch Bush is the wife of the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush. She was the First Lady of the United States from January 20, 2001, to January 20, 2009. She has held a love of books and reading since childhood and her life and education have reflected that interest...
, is an alumna—ever since Ray Lee Hunt
Ray Lee Hunt
Ray Lee Hunt inherited most of father H.L. Hunt's Hunt Oil Co. along with his three sisters. In 1982, Forbes magazine estimated Ray Hunt's family's total net worth to be $200 million. Ray made a huge oil find in Yemen in 1984. It took two years for Hunt, partnering with other companies, to lay a...
broached the subject with the President a few months after Bush assumed office. The museum will be joined by the George W. Bush Institute.
Laura Bush and project architect Robert A.M. Stern unveiled the center's final design on November 18, 2009, on the SMU campus. Budgeted at $250 million, the 227000 square feet (21,089 m²) complex will include a museum, library, archive and private Policy Institute. The building will be constructed of Texas limestone and red brick with a central landmark tower to blend with SMU's Georgian Revival architecture, and will look out onto a rolling terrain of native Texas wildflowers and grasses designed by landscape architect Michael Van Valkenburgh
Michael Van Valkenburgh
Michael R. Van Valkenburgh is an American landscape architect and educator. He has worked on a wide variety of projects in the United States, Canada, Korea, and France including public parks, college campuses, sculpture gardens, city courtyards, corporate landscapes, and private gardens-Early...
.
Specifications sent to prospective architects in June 2007 called for a 145000 square feet (13,470.9 m²) library and a 40000 square feet (3,716.1 m²) institute to be built in an area bordered by SMU Boulevard to the north, Central Expressway to the east, Mockingbird Lane to the south and Airline Road and Dublin Street to the west. The specifications called for the buildings to comply with SMU's "distinct architectural character."
The library and museum will be administered by the National Archives and Records Administration
National Archives and Records Administration
The National Archives and Records Administration is an independent agency of the United States government charged with preserving and documenting government and historical records and with increasing public access to those documents, which comprise the National Archives...
while the institute will be privately maintained. The university will have representation on the Institute board.
Student life
In 2008, SMU was named #3 among all U.S. colleges for "Most Conservative Students" and #14 for "Alternative Lifestyles Not an Alternative" by Princeton Review.Student demographics
- 21.6% of undergraduates are members of a minority groupMinority groupA minority is a sociological group within a demographic. The demographic could be based on many factors from ethnicity, gender, wealth, power, etc. The term extends to numerous situations, and civilizations within history, despite the misnomer of minorities associated with a numerical statistic...
. There are students from all 50 states, the District of ColumbiaWashington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and almost 100 different countries. - The largest number of international students come from IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, PanamaPanamaPanama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, KoreaKoreaKorea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, GuatemalaGuatemalaGuatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, TurkeyTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, and El SalvadorEl SalvadorEl Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
. - SMU's female to male ratio is approximately 1:1 and its student-faculty ratio is 12:1. The average age of undergraduate students is 20.6 while that of graduate and professional students is 32.3.
- Two-thirds of undergraduates and 42% of graduate students report a religious affiliation; 23.1% are Methodist, and 22.9% are CatholicRoman Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. Other represented religions include JudaismJudaismJudaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
, HinduismHinduismHinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
, and IslamIslamIslam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
.
Housing
At SMU, the residence halls comprise a variety of room types, bathroom styles, and community areas.Residence halls
Boaz, Cockrell-McIntosh, Mary Hay, McElvaney, Morrison-McGinnis, Perkins, Peyton, Shuttles, Smith, Virginia-Snider.
Theme halls or apartments
Daniel House, Hawk, Martin, Moore, Multicultural House, Service House, SMU Apartments, Fine Arts Community (Mary Hay and Peyton), Honors Community (Virginia-Snider).
Student organizations
SMU boasts nearly 200 student organizations, including academic, professional, fraternal, sporting, ethnic themed, religious, service, and political diversity groups.Greek life
Southern Methodist University has:- 10 Interfraternity Council (IFC) fraternities (Sigma Phi EpsilonSigma Phi EpsilonSigma Phi Epsilon , commonly nicknamed SigEp or SPE, is a social college fraternity for male college students in the United States. It was founded on November 1, 1901, at Richmond College , and its national headquarters remains in Richmond, Virginia. It was founded on three principles: Virtue,...
, Phi Delta ThetaPhi Delta ThetaPhi Delta Theta , also known as Phi Delt, is an international fraternity founded at Miami University in 1848 and headquartered in Oxford, Ohio. Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi, and Sigma Chi form the Miami Triad. The fraternity has about 169 active chapters and colonies in over 43 U.S...
, Sigma Alpha EpsilonSigma Alpha EpsilonSigma Alpha Epsilon is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity founded at the University of Alabama on March 9, 1856. Of all existing national social fraternities today, Sigma Alpha Epsilon is the only one founded in the Antebellum South...
, Sigma ChiSigma ChiSigma Chi is the largest and one of the oldest college Greek-letter secret and social fraternities in North America with 244 active chapters and more than . Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon...
, Lambda Chi AlphaLambda Chi AlphaLambda Chi Alpha is one of the largest men's secret general fraternities in North America, having initiated more than 280,000 members and held chapters at more than 300 universities. It is a member of the North-American Interfraternity Conference and was founded by Warren A. Cole, while he was a...
, Phi Gamma DeltaPhi Gamma DeltaThe international fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta is a collegiate social fraternity with 120 chapters and 18 colonies across the United States and Canada. It was founded at Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, in 1848, and its headquarters are located in Lexington, Kentucky, USA...
, Kappa Alpha OrderKappa Alpha OrderKappa Alpha Order is a social fraternity and fraternal order. Kappa Alpha Order has 124 active chapters, 3 provisional chapters, and 2 commissions...
, Kappa SigmaKappa SigmaKappa Sigma , commonly nicknamed Kappa Sig, is an international fraternity with currently 282 active chapters and colonies in North America. Kappa Sigma has initiated more than 240,000 men on college campuses throughout the United States and Canada. Today, the Fraternity has over 175,000 living...
, Beta Theta PiBeta Theta PiBeta Theta Pi , often just called Beta, is a social collegiate fraternity that was founded in 1839 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, USA, where it is part of the Miami Triad which includes Phi Delta Theta and Sigma Chi. It has over 138 active chapters and colonies in the United States and Canada...
and Pi Kappa AlphaPi Kappa AlphaPi Kappa Alpha is a Greek social fraternity with over 230 chapters and colonies and over 250,000 lifetime initiates in the United States and Canada.-History:...
) - 8 Panhellenic Council sororities (Alpha Chi OmegaAlpha Chi OmegaAlpha Chi Omega is a women's fraternity founded on October 15, 1885. Currently, there are 135 chapters of Alpha Chi Omega at colleges and universities across the United States and more than 200,000 lifetime members...
, Chi OmegaChi OmegaChi Omega is a women's fraternity and the largest member of the National Panhellenic Conference. Chi Omega has 174 active collegiate chapters and over 230 alumnae chapters. Chi Omega's national headquarters is located in Memphis, Tennessee....
, Delta GammaDelta GammaDelta Gamma is one of the oldest and largest women's fraternities in the United States and Canada, with its Executive Offices based in Columbus, Ohio.-History:...
, Kappa Alpha ThetaKappa Alpha ThetaKappa Alpha Theta , also known as Theta, is an international fraternity for women founded on January 27, 1870 at DePauw University, formerly Indiana Asbury...
, Kappa Kappa GammaKappa Kappa GammaKappa Kappa Gamma is a collegiate women's fraternity, founded at Monmouth College, in Monmouth, Illinois, USA. Although the groundwork of the organization was developed as early as 1869, the 1876 Convention voted that October 13, 1870 should be recognized at the official Founders Day, because no...
, Delta Delta DeltaDelta Delta DeltaDelta Delta Delta , also known as Tri Delta, is an international sorority founded on November 27, 1888, the eve of Thanksgiving Day. With over 200,000 initiates, Tri Delta is one of the world's largest NPC sororities.-History:...
, Pi Beta PhiPi Beta PhiPi Beta Phi is an international fraternity for women founded as I.C. Sorosis on April 28, 1867, at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois. Its headquarters are located in Town and Country, Missouri, and there are 134 active chapters and over 330 alumnae organizations across the United States and...
, Gamma Phi BetaGamma Phi BetaGamma Phi Beta is an international sorority that was founded on November 11, 1874, at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York. The term "sorority," meaning sisterhood, was coined for Gamma Phi Beta by Dr. Frank Smalley, a professor at Syracuse University.The four founders are Helen M. Dodge,...
) - 6 National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC)National Pan-Hellenic CouncilThe National Pan-Hellenic Council is a collaborative organization of nine historically African American, international Greek lettered fraternities and sororities. The nine NPHC organizations are sometimes collectively referred to as the "Divine Nine"...
organizations (Kappa Alpha PsiKappa Alpha PsiKappa Alpha Psi is a collegiate Greek-letter fraternity with a predominantly African American membership. Since the fraternity's founding on January 5, 1911 at Indiana University Bloomington, the fraternity has never limited membership based on color, creed or national origin...
, Omega Psi PhiOmega Psi PhiOmega Psi Phi is a fraternity and is the first African-American national fraternal organization to be founded at a historically black college. Omega Psi Phi was founded on November 17, 1911, at Howard University in Washington, D.C.. The founders were three Howard University juniors, Edgar Amos...
, and Phi Beta SigmaPhi Beta SigmaPhi Beta Sigma is a predominantly African-American fraternity which was founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C. on January 9, 1914, by three young African-American male students. The founders A. Langston Taylor, Leonard F. Morse, and Charles I...
fraternities and Alpha Kappa AlphaAlpha Kappa AlphaAlpha Kappa Alpha is the first Greek-lettered sorority established and incorporated by African American college women. The sorority was founded on January 15, 1908, at Howard University in Washington, D.C., by a group of nine students, led by Ethel Hedgeman Lyle...
, Delta Sigma ThetaDelta Sigma ThetaDelta Sigma Theta is a non-profit Greek-lettered sorority of college-educated women who perform public service and place emphasis on the African American community. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was founded on January 13, 1913 by twenty-two collegiate women at Howard University...
, and Zeta Phi BetaZeta Phi BetaZeta Phi Beta is an international, historically black Greek-lettered sorority and a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council.Zeta Phi Beta is organized into 800+ chapters, in eight intercontinental regions including the USA, Africa, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean...
sororities) - 5 National Multicultural Greek Council (NMGC)National Multicultural Greek CouncilThe National Multicultural Greek Council is an umbrella council for ten Multicultural Greek Letter Organizations established in 1998. The purpose of NMGC is to provide a forum that allows for the free exchange of ideas, programs, and services between its constituent fraternities and sororities;...
organizations (Sigma Lambda GammaSigma Lambda GammaSigma Lambda Gamma ' is a historically Latina-based national sorority with multicultural membership founded on April 9, 1990, at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa.-History:...
, Kappa Delta ChiKappa Delta Chi----Kappa Delta Chi , also known as K-D Chi, pronounced Kay-Dee-Kie, is a Greek letter, intercollegiate sorority founded by Latina women in the United States...
, and Sigma Chi Omega sororities, Omega Delta PhiOmega Delta PhiOmega Delta Phi , also known as O D Phi, is an intercollegiate fraternity that was founded on November 25, 1987 by seven students attending Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. Its seven founders known as the "Men of Vision" to fraternity members wanted to create an organization to help...
fraternity and Alpha Psi LambdaAlpha Psi LambdaAlpha Psi Lambda Fraternity , is a co-educational, Latino-oriented Greek letterintercollegiate fraternity. It was the first such organization for Latino college students in the United States...
co-ed fraternity) - 3 Professional Fraternity AssociationProfessional Fraternity AssociationThe Professional Fraternity Association is an association of national, collegiate, professional fraternities and sororities that was formed 1978. Since PFA groups are discipline-specific, members join while pursuing graduate degrees as well as undergraduate degrees...
fraternities (Delta Sigma PiDelta Sigma PiΔΣΠ ' is one of the largest co-ed professional business fraternities. Delta Sigma Pi was founded on November 7, 1907 at the School of Commerce, Accounts and Finance, New York University, New York, New York and is currently headquartered in Oxford, Ohio...
, Alpha Kappa PsiAlpha Kappa PsiΑΚΨ is the oldest and largest professional business fraternity. The Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity was founded on October 5, 1904 at New York University, and was incorporated on May 20, 1905...
, and Theta TauTheta TauΘΤ Fraternity was founded in 1904 by four engineering students at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. As defined by the fraternity, the purpose of Theta Tau is to develop and maintain a high standard of professional interest among its members, and to unite them in a strong bond of...
) - One Christian fraternity (Beta Upsilon ChiBeta Upsilon ChiBeta Upsilon Chi,or ΒΥΧ , is the largest Christian social fraternity in the United States. Since its founding at the University of Texas in 1985, ΒΥΧ has spread to twenty-four campuses in twelve states...
) and one Christian sorority (Eta Iota SigmaEta Iota SigmaEta Iota Sigma, or "ΗΙΣ", is a Christian sorority currently located on the campuses of Texas Christian University and Southern Methodist University. The sorority is represented by the Greek letters ΗΙΣ...
)
Student media
- The Rotunda, the official SMU YearbookYearbookA yearbook, also known as an annual, is a book to record, highlight, and commemorate the past year of a school or a book published annually. Virtually all American, Australian and Canadian high schools, most colleges and many elementary and middle schools publish yearbooks...
. - The Daily Campus, an independent student newspaper since 1915, it is published on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays during the Fall and Spring semesters and monthly during the summer.
- The SMU Daily MustangSMU Daily MustangSMU Daily Mustang is a multi-platform campus news site produced by journalism students at Southern Methodist University. The Daily Mustang was created on September 15, 2008, and is published by the SMU Division of Journalism. It operates in conjunction with SMU-TV and The Daily Update, a weekday...
, a convergent news Web site housed in the Division of Journalism at SMU. - 'SMU-TV, a student-run television station serving the Park Cities community.
- The Daily Update, a weekday morning newscast that airs on SMU-TV and smudailymustang.com
- KPNI, a student-run radio station.
- Hilltopics, a bi-weekly publication sponsored by the University Honors Program.
- Espejo, an online literary magazine.
- The Muddler, a satirical newspaper.
- The Great Wall Street Journal, an Asian-interest newspaper
- The Other Perspective, an online magazine published weekly.
Athletics
SMU's athletics teams are known as the Mustangs and participate in the NCAANational Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
's Division I, with the football team
SMU Mustangs football
The SMU Mustangs football program is a college football team that represents Southern Methodist University . The team competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member Conference USA...
competing as a member of Division I FBS. With June Jones arrival on the hilltop, the Mustangs have now gone to back to back bowl games & been the C-USA Western Division Champion 2 years in a row. SMU has been a member of Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
(C-USA) since 2005, when it left the Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
. Before that, the Mustangs participated in the now defunct Southwest Conference. The football team plays at Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Gerald J. Ford Stadium is a stadium in University Park, Texas, one of the two "Park Cities" that form an enclave within the city limits of Dallas. The stadium is used primarily for football, and it is home to the Southern Methodist University Mustangs and is frequently used for local high school...
on the SMU campus.
SMU's closest rival in athletics is Texas Christian University
TCU Horned Frogs
The TCU Horned Frogs are the athletic teams that represent Texas Christian University, consisting of 18 varsity teams. The "horned frog" nickname and mascot refer to the Texas horned lizard, as known as the "horned frog". The women's athletics teams are often referred to often as the Lady Frogs...
(TCU) in Fort Worth, Texas. In football, SMU and TCU
TCU Horned Frogs football
The TCU Horned Frogs football team is the intercollegiate football team of Texas Christian University. TCU competes as a member of the Mountain West Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, but will move to the Big 12 Conference for the 2012 season. TCU began playing football...
compete annually (with the exception of 2006) for the Iron Skillet
Battle for the Iron Skillet
The Battle for the Iron Skillet is the name of the college football rivalry between the Southern Methodist University Mustangs and the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs. The campuses are located 40 miles apart in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex...
. In 2005, a nationally unranked SMU beat then 24th ranked TCU for SMU's first win against a ranked team in 19 years (since October 1986).
SMU also competes annually with Rice University
Rice Owls football
The Rice Owls football team represents Rice University in NCAA Division I college football. The Owls have competed in Conference USA's Western Division since 2005. Rice Stadium, built in 1950, hosts the Owls' home football games.-Venue:...
in football for the "Mayor's Cup", a traveling trophy that has been created to enhance the Rice-SMU rivalry, which dates back to 1916.
The Doak Walker Award
Doak Walker Award
The Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
, an annual collegiate award given to the "most outstanding college running back", is named after SMU Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner Doak Walker
Doak Walker
Ewell Doak Walker, Jr. was an American football player who is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was a teammate of Bobby Layne in high school and the NFL.-Early life:...
.
The SMU football program has also produced many professional football standouts, such as Don Meredith
Don Meredith
Joseph Don "Dandy Don" Meredith was an American football quarterback, sports commentator and actor. He spent all nine seasons of his professional playing career with the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League . He was named to the Pro Bowl in each of his last three years as a player...
, Doak Walker
Doak Walker
Ewell Doak Walker, Jr. was an American football player who is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was a teammate of Bobby Layne in high school and the NFL.-Early life:...
, Kyle Rote
Kyle Rote
William Kyle Rote, Sr. was an American football player and sports announcer.-Early life:Rote attended Thomas Jefferson High School in San Antonio, Texas, where he was an all-state basketball and football player....
, Eric Dickerson
Eric Dickerson
Eric Demetric Dickerson is a former professional running back in the National Football League who in his career played for the Los Angeles Rams, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Raiders, and Atlanta Falcons.-College career:...
, Jerry Ball
Jerry Ball
Jerry Ball is a former professional American football defensive lineman in the NFL who played primarily as a nose tackle. During his career he went to three Pro Bowls. In the NFL for 13 seasons, Ball recorded 32.5 sacks during his career, most of them coming as a nose tackle with the Detroit Lions...
, and Craig James. Mustangs recently in the National Football League: cornerback Kevin Garrett
Kevin Garrett
Kevin Garrett , is a professional Canadian football player formerly playing cornerback with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League. Garrett attended Southern Methodist University and was drafted in the 2003 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams...
(Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
), defensive back Alvin Nnabuife
Alvin Nnabuife
Alvin Nnabuife is an American football player who has played at the linebacker, safety and cornerback positions for the SMU Mustangs , the Green Bay Packers , and the Cologne Centurions...
(Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
), defensive end Justin Rogers
Justin Rogers
Justin Rogers is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
, who was selected in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft
2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
by the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
and played for the Dallas Cowboys. Four Mustangs are currently active in the National Football League: wide receiver Aldrick Robinson
Aldrick Robinson
Aldrick Robinson is an American football player. He formerly played as a wide receiver for the SMU Mustangs at Southern Methodist University. Head coach June Jones called Robinson the fastest player he has ever coached...
(Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
), defensive back Bryan McCann
Bryan McCann
Bryan McCann is an American football cornerback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2010...
(Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
), wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders
Emmanuel Sanders
Emmanuel Sanders is an American football wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
was drafted in the third round by the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in 2010, and kicker Thomas Morstead
Thomas Morstead
Thomas Morstead is an American football punter. He was a fifth-round draft choice of the New Orleans Saints, 164th overall, in the 2009 NFL Draft. He was the second punter taken overall. He played college football at SMU...
was drafted in the fifth round by the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
in 2009.
From 1980–1985 SMU had one of the strongest programs in Division I-A (now FBS). They posted a record of 55-14-1, and finished these seasons ranked #21, #7, #2, #19, and #8 in the nation. These "winningest" years were due to repeated recruiting violations. These violations are characterized by university coaches and administrators teaming with others in the civic and college football arena to purchase students whose only purpose was to bolster the schools football rankings. These repeated violations over a period of five years did not go unnoticed by the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
.
On February 25, 1987 the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
administered the "death penalty" for repeated, flagrant recruiting violations
Southern Methodist University football scandal
The Southern Methodist University football scandal was an incident in which the football program at Southern Methodist University was investigated and punished for massive violations of NCAA rules and regulations. The most serious violation was the maintenance of a slush fund used for "under the...
. Components included cancellation of the entire 1987 season, a two-year ban from bowl appearances, a two-year ban from television appearances, a limit of seven games, all on road, in the 1988 season, a loss of three assistant coaching positions for two years and a loss of 55 new scholarships over four years. Players were allowed to transfer without sitting out one season, per standard requirement. SMU responded to the combination of these conditions by canceling the 1988 season outright.
On November 11, 2006, redshirt freshman quarterback Justin Willis broke the single season touchdown pass record held by Chuck Hixson (21). Willis threw for three touchdowns in a 37-27 loss to the University of Houston
Houston Cougars football
The Houston Cougars football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents the University of Houston. The team is commonly referred to as "Houston" or "UH" . The UH football program is currently a member of the Conference USA intercollegiate athletic conference, and is coached by...
, setting the new single season record at 23. At the end of the season, Willis set the new record at 26. He also broke the SMU single season touchdown record accounting for 29 touchdowns. He was named to the Freshman All-American team at quarterback.
On Monday, January 7, 2008, June Jones
June Jones
June Sheldon Jones, III is the American football head coach for Southern Methodist University.-Playing career:Jones played the quarterback position on three college teams: Oregon , Hawaii , and Portland State . It is during his time at Portland State that he was introduced to the Run and Shoot...
was named the head football coach at SMU. He brought a record of 76-41, all at the University of Hawaii
Hawaii Warriors football
The Hawaii Warriors football team represents the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The team, which is currently coached by Greg McMackin, is part of the Western Athletic Conference until 2012, when the team joins the Mountain West Conference.The Hawaii Warriors...
, where he won more games than any other coach in school history. He signed a five-year contract worth $10 million. The Mustangs went 1–11 in Jones' first season in 2008
2008 SMU Mustangs football team
The 2008 SMU Mustangs football team represented Southern Methodist University in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS college football season. The Mustangs, led by first-year head coach June Jones, played their home games at Gerald J. Ford Stadium and competed in Conference USA.-2008 season schedule:-...
, but dramatically improved in 2009
2009 SMU Mustangs football team
The 2009 SMU Mustangs football team represented Southern Methodist University in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS college football season. The Mustangs, led by second-year head coach June Jones, played their home games at Gerald J...
. The 2009 team finished the regular season at 7–5, earning the program's first bowl berth since the scandal. The Mustangs defeated Nevada
2009 Nevada Wolf Pack football team
The 2009 Nevada Wolf Pack football team represented the University of Nevada, Reno in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wolf Pack were led by head coach Chris Ault, entering his 25th overall season at Nevada, and 6th season since becoming the head coach for the third time in 2004....
in the Hawaii Bowl
2009 Hawai'i Bowl
The 2009 Hawaii Bowl was the eighth edition of the college football bowl game, played at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The game started at 3:00 pm local time on Thursday, December 24, 2009, with the SMU Mustangs of Conference USA beating the Nevada Wolf Pack of the Western Athletic...
, which also marked Jones' return to the stadium
Aloha Stadium
Aloha Stadium is a stadium located in the Halawa CDP, City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. Currently Aloha Stadium is home to the University of Hawaii Warriors football team...
where he had coached before coming to SMU.
Traditions
PerunaPeruna
Peruna is the official mascot of the Southern Methodist University Mustangs. The name "Peruna" is given to each successive live mascot. A black shetland pony, Peruna has been present at every SMU home football game for over 70 years....
- The SMU Mustang mascot came into being when President Hyer's assistant, Dorothy Amann once noted that SMU football players looked like a "bunch of wild mustangs." The term "Mustangs" became official upon its approval by a student vote. SMU's official mascot was named after an early 20th century patent medicine, Peruna Tonic, which was popular for its highly alcoholic "kick." Peruna is a black stallion Shetland pony
Shetland pony
The Shetland pony is a breed of pony originating in the Shetland Isles. Shetlands range in size from a minimum height of approximately 28 inches to an official maximum height of 42 inches at the withers. Shetland ponies have heavy coats, short legs and are considered quite intelligent...
that attends all home football games. Peruna I was introduced in the 1930s by an early director of the Mustang Band
Southern Methodist University Mustang Band
The Southern Methodist University Mustang Band, known as the "Best Dressed Band in the Land" because of its 32 unique uniforms, is the marching band of Southern Methodist University...
, Cy Barcus. Peruna is accompanied to games by "Peruna Handlers", students who are trained to lead Peruna across the field after every touchdown.
The Boulevard - Before every home football game, SMU students, faculty, staff, and alumni gather along Bishop Boulevard (SMU's main street) for pregame picnicking and festivities. The North end of the Boulevard hosts the tents of student organizations, including almost every fraternity and sorority on campus. Other groups such as Student Council, Program Council, and the Student Senate have traditionally participated. Many tents offer free food and drinks. Many fraternities hire bartenders and serve beer to those students and visitors who are 21 and older. The South end of the Boulevard usually hosts the tents of alumni groups and groups from various departments of the school. It is not uncommon to see pets, alumni, and children of all ages with their parents, all walking along the Boulevard. Booths offer face and body painting and give away SMU gear such as pom-poms, stickers, and temporary tattoos. North of the Boulevard, SMU's Main Quad is made available to tailgaters from the opposing team.
The "M" Award - This award—given to students, faculty, staff, and administrators in recognition of exemplary service to the University—is SMU's most highly coveted recognition.
"Pony Ears" - Mustang fans show school pride by raising two bent fingers, a gesture known as "Pony Ears", during school songs, chants, and cheers. In the 1950s, the football team held two fingers up in the air as a sign of unity. The symbol was meant to represent a 'V' for victory. By the mid-1970s, the hand symbol became more curved to represent mustang ears "which are kind of floppy."
Celebration of Lights - This winter tradition is a candlelit ceremony of songs and readings, held each December. The SMU community gathers on the Main Quad of the campus for this popular event. Traditionally, the Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
story is read from the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
by the University's president. Those who attend sing Christmas carols led by choirs from the Meadows School of the Arts and nearby high schools. The Christmas lights that decorate Dallas Hall and the surrounding trees are lit during this time.
Mustang Corral - This retreat in the Texas Hill Country is for entering first-year students. Student leaders, alumni, faculty, and staff welcome new students to the SMU community while sharing the rich history of spirit and traditions. Students meet professors, get to know each other, perform skits, and learn the school's cheers. They also compete in various events such as tug-of-war, sponge racing, and water balloon throwing in a camp-wide event known as The Olympics. The team that wins the Olympics receives the coveted Golden Rake.
Red and Blue Fridays - On the Friday before football games, SMU students wear red or blue shirts to show their support for the team. On game days, students and fans wear red. In the past, the University has sold an "official game day shirt", which is always red and usually features a clever saying or play on words relating to SMU's mascot, the Mustang.
The Mustang Band
Southern Methodist University Mustang Band
The Southern Methodist University Mustang Band, known as the "Best Dressed Band in the Land" because of its 32 unique uniforms, is the marching band of Southern Methodist University...
- The SMU marching band
Southern Methodist University Mustang Band
The Southern Methodist University Mustang Band, known as the "Best Dressed Band in the Land" because of its 32 unique uniforms, is the marching band of Southern Methodist University...
was the first band to play jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
music on a football field
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
beginning in the 1930s. From 1959 forward, the band's instrumentation was designed to mimic that of a jazz band
Jazz band
A jazz band is a musical ensemble that plays jazz music. Jazz bands usually consist of a rhythm section and a horn section, in the early days often trumpet, trombone, and clarinet with rhythm section of piano, banjo, bass or tuba, and drums.-Eras:SwingDuring the swing era in the mid-twentieth...
, consisting only of brass instruments, drums, and saxophones. And, the band began to use actual jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
arrangements instead of imitation jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
pieces written specifically for marching bands. The band has a unique uniform style (coat and tie) which evolves over each season. The band wears different combinations of uniform parts for the first half of the game, switching or adding parts for the second half, and not repeating any of these combinations for the entire season. The available parts include: coat (red, or blue), vest (red or blue), button-down shirt (white or blue), pants (white, blue, or khaki), and long tie (red or blue).
Peruna - Peruna is the official SMU fight song. It is based on the classic tune "She'll Be Comin' Around The Mountain". While officially wordless, the fight song is sometimes sung in parody as "She'll be loaded with Peruna when she comes".
Varsity (Alma Mater)
Oh we see the Varsity, Varsity, Varsity,
As she towers o'er the hill over there.
And our hearts are filled with joy, SMU, SMU,
Alma Mater, we'll be true forever.
Pony Battle Cry
The Pony Battle Cry is SMU's official battle cry. The lyrics are:
Hail to the red and the blue
We’re the Mustangs from SMU.
Give a cheer, show your might,
Get the victory in sight.
For our battle cry will be:
FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!
Spirit's the best in the land,
And right to the end we’ll stand
For the M-U-S-T-A-N-G-S!
FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!
Mighty Mustang Thunder
Mighty Mustangs Thunder through the canyon on the hill
For red and blue and SMU Mighty Mustangs always
Will fight! Fight! Fight!
Mighty Mustang Thunder from Peruna's heart within,
Fighting back, fighting on, fighting hard,
Fighting strong,
Mighty Mustangs will win!
In popular culture
- The book A Payroll to Meet: A Story of Greed, Corruption, and Football at SMU is a literature account of the recruiting scandals and violations that ultimately led to the famous "Death Penalty" being instituted.
- While students at SMU, siblings Bill and Julie Ann Brice founded I Can't Believe It's Yogurt!, a chain that grew to more than 400 locations throughout the United States and 17 foreign countries.
- Nearly 100 SMU Mustang Band members & alumni, cheerleadersCheerleadingCheerleading is a physical activity, sometimes a competitive sport, based on organized routines, usually ranging from one to three minutes, which contain the components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting to direct spectators of events to cheer on sports teams at games or to participate...
, and pom squad members performed in the George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
2001 InaugurationInaugurationAn inauguration is a formal ceremony to mark the beginning of a leader's term of office. An example is the ceremony in which the President of the United States officially takes the oath of office....
Parade. - In the 2006 NBCNBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
reality television showReality televisionReality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
Treasure Hunters, the victors of ten competing three-person teams were the members of team Geniuses, a team wholly composed of SMU students which won $3 million in the largest reality show prize ever to date.
Scholastic links
- Southern Methodist University
- SMU Dedman College
- SMU Cox School of Business
- SMU Lyle School of Engineering
- SMU Dedman School of Law
- SMU Underwood Law Library
- SMU Meadows School of the Arts
- SMU School of Education and Human Development
- SMU Perkins School of Theology
Programs
- Embrey Human Rights
- Mustang Band
- SMU-in-Legacy
- SMU-in-Taos
- SMU Study Abroad Program
- SMU University Honors Program in the Liberal Arts
History
- SMU Video Archive Series Former SMU executives, administrators, and academics recount times of great excitement, challenges, and/or change at SMU in these video-based oral histories.