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Sparking bold change

ANNUAL REPORT 2021-2022 One year into our historic campaign, 黑料老司机Ignited: Boldly Shaping Tomorrow, the future of our University has never looked brighter. By providing more than $200 million in gift revenue this first year, our donors set a new record for giving in a single year to SMU. Now, as we look to the future of 黑料老司机and our community, we remain thankful for the contributions of our donors and the dedication that your involvement inspires across the Hilltop.

Blazing a new path

In the fall of 2021, 黑料老司机launched 黑料老司机Ignited: Boldly Shaping Tomorrow, the University’s $1.5 billion campaign to empower outstanding students, enrich teaching and research and enhance our campus and community. Throughout the year, 黑料老司机celebrated new gifts to the campaign across campus and around the country.

Campaign progress chart
Campaign funding priorities chart
Campaign chart showing contributions by purpose

Summer 2021

Safeguarding the future

Photojournalist Stuart Palley 鈥11 and Dedman College Professor and archaeologist Chris Roos use their expertise to approach the danger of wildfires from vastly different fields of study.

Nia Kamau '22

Tower Scholar Nia Kamau 鈥22 spends her last summer as a Mustang learning from innovative leaders and studying the role of economics and public policy in the fight for human rights.

Photos of Hughes-Trigg front steps

A $1 million gift from the Hegi family expands SMU鈥檚 Hegi Family Career Development Center.

Retired 黑料老司机Professor Alessandra Comini

Retired 黑料老司机Professor Alessandra Comini

Nia Kamau '22

Tower Scholar Nia Kamau 鈥22 spends her last summer as a Mustang learning from innovative leaders and studying the role of economics and public policy in the fight for human rights.

Photos of Hughes-Trigg front steps

A $1 million gift from the Hegi family expands SMU鈥檚 Hegi Family Career Development Center.

Retired 黑料老司机Professor Alessandra Comini

Retired 黑料老司机Professor Alessandra Comini , made possible by the Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development, the Toyota USA Foundation, Dallas ISD and the West Dallas community.

Supporting the next generation of Mustangs

SMU’s Student Senate empowers the future of STEM education in Dallas by funding a new scholarship for West Dallas STEM School graduates.

A new era of engagement

Linda P. and William A. Custard commit $3 million, matched by an additional $3 million from The Meadows Foundation, to establish the Custard Institute for Spanish Art and Culture at the Meadows Museum.

Photo of Linda P. and William A. Custard

September 2021

Connections and caregiving

Moody Graduate Fellow Iris Yang 鈥25 is a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology and member of SMU鈥檚 Study of Health, Aging, and Relationships (SHARE) Lab. Utilizing her knowledge of community and empowered by the Moody Graduate Fellowship, Yang's research focuses on the complex intersections of older adults, caregiving and depression. She is a coauthor of the 2022 student-led study 鈥淐aregiving, Loneliness, and Stress: The Role of COVID-19.鈥

View the video to learn more about how Yang and her Moody School peers conduct innovative research and spark new discoveries.

Students working together on a project

Edwin L. Cox, Sr. 鈥42 and Carolyn L. Miller and David B. Miller 鈥72, 鈥73 gift $15 million for MBA scholarships in the Cox School of Business, launching a $30 million drive to endow MBA scholarships.

Photo of students having a conversation.

A $1 million pledge from Anna A. McLean 鈥87 and Scott J. McLean 鈥78 supports SMU鈥檚 President鈥檚 Discretionary Fund to meet the University鈥檚 most pressing current-use needs.

A $1 million gift from 黑料老司机parents John R. Ingram and Stephanie H. Ingram establishes the Ingram Family Endowed Mustang Scholarship Fund.

Students working together on a project

Edwin L. Cox, Sr. 鈥42 and Carolyn L. Miller and David B. Miller 鈥72, 鈥73 gift $15 million for MBA scholarships in the Cox School of Business, launching a $30 million drive to endow MBA scholarships.

Photo of students having a conversation.

A $1 million pledge from Anna A. McLean 鈥87 and Scott J. McLean 鈥78 supports SMU鈥檚 President鈥檚 Discretionary Fund to meet the University鈥檚 most pressing current-use needs.

A $1 million gift from 黑料老司机parents John R. Ingram and Stephanie H. Ingram establishes the Ingram Family Endowed Mustang Scholarship Fund.

Through the Moody Fellowship, I can pay forward the welcome and kindness I received from the MesoScience Lab team and contribute to the computational chemistry research that inspired me to attend SMU.

Jacob Lynd 鈥25, one of the first recipients of the Moody Graduate Fellowship

Jacob Lynd 鈥25
Figure:

October 2021

黑料老司机researchers like AT&T Center for Virtualization Director Suku Nair (pictured) are finding new ways to solve complex problems.

Taking flight

Researchers at SMU’s AT&T Center for Virtualization partner with CAE USA, a technology company specializing in flight simulation, to develop an innovative new approach to pilot training and the determination of pilot stress factors.

By the numbers

First-year class entering in fall 2021

Average ACT Score at 黑料老司机in 2022 was 32. Up from 29.4 in fall of 2013
Pell Grant chart
Students of color chart

November 2021

The 黑料老司机Ignited campaign “is an important investment in the future of North Texas.… If 黑料老司机succeeds here the University will be stronger for it and our city and region will reap benefits from it for generations to come.”

The Dallas Morning News editorial, November 1, 2021

Accelerating technological excellence

黑料老司机partners with NVIDIA to invest $11.5 million toward strengthening the University’s AI infrastructure and bring world-leading supercomputing capabilities to Dallas.

Finding math in the wild

With a $2.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation, 黑料老司机math curriculum researcher Candace Walkington helps students see math all around them.

December 2021

I plan to use my time in the U.K. to link science with effective policy and gain a British perspective for future policymaking.

— Isabelle Galko ’22, the the only student from a Texas university to be named a 2022 Marshall Scholar

Isabelle Galko 鈥22
Figure:
Hannah Clark 鈥23
Figure:

The biggest thing I’ve taken away from my time at NASA is to not be afraid of failure. I will no longer hesitate to have ambitious goals.

— Hannah Clark ’23, a transfer scholarship recipient who earned a nationally recognized NASA internship

Groundbreaking ceremony

Investing for impact

Made possible by its generous donors, the Moody School breaks ground on Frances Anne Moody Hall, the new home for graduate education on the Hilltop.

January 2022

Artist rendering of the Weber End Zone Complex

The largest gift in the history of 黑料老司机Athletics by the Garry Weber Foundation, established by former Mustang football letterman Garry Weber 鈥58, supports a $100 million drive for the new Garry Weber End Zone Complex at Gerald J. Ford Stadium.

The research team works to detect and identify patterns and pathologies, which would be otherwise be difficult, if not impossible, to determine.

黑料老司机researchers partner with Dallas-based BALANCED Media|Technology and the Retina Foundation of the Southwest to develop a new, patent-pending medical imaging technology.

Image of Coach Lanier and Coach Lashlee

In addition to celebrating new additions to its facilities, 黑料老司机Athletics welcomed the arrival of new head coaches, including , and .

Artist rendering of the Weber End Zone Complex

The largest gift in the history of 黑料老司机Athletics by the Garry Weber Foundation, established by former Mustang football letterman Garry Weber 鈥58, supports a $100 million drive for the new Garry Weber End Zone Complex at Gerald J. Ford Stadium.

The research team works to detect and identify patterns and pathologies, which would be otherwise be difficult, if not impossible, to determine.

黑料老司机researchers partner with Dallas-based BALANCED Media|Technology and the Retina Foundation of the Southwest to develop a new, patent-pending medical imaging technology.

Image of Coach Lanier and Coach Lashlee

In addition to celebrating new additions to its facilities, 黑料老司机Athletics welcomed the arrival of new head coaches, including , and .

February 2022

Professor Barbara Minsker and PhD student Zheng Li (pictured) work with fellow 黑料老司机researchers to pinpoint neighborhood infrastructure deserts.

A multiyear research project led by Barbara Minsker, Bobby B. Lyle Professor of Leadership and Global Entrepreneurship, assesses deficiencies in neighborhood infrastructure.

Photo of a data arts classroom

A $2 million gift from the O鈥橠onnell Foundation will name and endow Peter O鈥橠onnell, Jr. Director of the Data Science Institute at SMU, honoring the legacy of renowned humanitarian Peter O鈥橠onnell, Jr. who passed away in October 2021.

Elizabeth G. Loboa 黑料老司机provost and vice president for academic affairsZhong Lu, Shuler-Foscue Chair in SMU鈥檚 Roy M. Huffington Department of Earth Sciences

Elizabeth G. Loboa, 黑料老司机provost and vice president for academic affairs, and Zhong Lu, Shuler-Foscue Chair in SMU鈥檚 Roy M. Huffington Department of Earth Sciences, are .

Professor Barbara Minsker and PhD student Zheng Li (pictured) work with fellow 黑料老司机researchers to pinpoint neighborhood infrastructure deserts.

A multiyear research project led by Barbara Minsker, Bobby B. Lyle Professor of Leadership and Global Entrepreneurship, assesses deficiencies in neighborhood infrastructure.

Elizabeth G. Loboa 黑料老司机provost and vice president for academic affairsZhong Lu, Shuler-Foscue Chair in SMU鈥檚 Roy M. Huffington Department of Earth Sciences

Elizabeth G. Loboa, 黑料老司机provost and vice president for academic affairs, and Zhong Lu, Shuler-Foscue Chair in SMU鈥檚 Roy M. Huffington Department of Earth Sciences, are .

Photo of a data arts classroom

A $2 million gift from the O鈥橠onnell Foundation will name and endow Peter O鈥橠onnell, Jr. Director of the Data Science Institute at SMU, honoring the legacy of renowned humanitarian Peter O鈥橠onnell, Jr. who passed away in October 2021.

March 2022

Big ideas inspire big success

Seun Suberu ’23 utilizes his business skills and acumen to earn more than $85,000 in funding for his innovative CollegePlus app.

Perkins Chapel

Advancing Baptist ministry training

The Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation fuels educational excellence in the Baptist House of Studies at 黑料老司机Perkins School of Theology through a $2.7 million grant.

April 2022

group photo of the spears institute ceremony

The largest gift by a non-alumnus in the history of 黑料老司机establishes the William S. Spears Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership within the Cox School of Business.

Group photo at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Holt Hickman outdoor pool

黑料老司机Athletics reaches a new milestone, welcoming new championship-caliber facilities to the Hilltop with the groundbreaking of the Holt Hickman Outdoor Pool and the dedication of the Washburne Soccer and Track Stadium.

Dedman School of Law launches a new, full-tuition impact scholarship for incoming law students from underserved communities.

group photo of the spears institute ceremony

The largest gift by a non-alumnus in the history of 黑料老司机establishes the William S. Spears Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership within the Cox School of Business.

Group photo at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Holt Hickman outdoor pool

黑料老司机Athletics reaches a new milestone, welcoming new championship-caliber facilities to the Hilltop with the groundbreaking of the Holt Hickman Outdoor Pool and the dedication of the Washburne Soccer and Track Stadium.

People posing for a photo at graduation.

Dedman School of Law launches a new, full-tuition impact scholarship for incoming law students from underserved communities.

Celebrating Black artists

Jessica and Kelvin Beachum 鈥10, 鈥12 presented art from their collection in the Hamon Arts Library exhibit Narrative as Reality: A World Reimagined, amplifying their advocacy for equity in education and business. Kelvin Beachum said, 鈥淲e believe their brilliant work and shared insights will start a conversation and bring people together in a new way.鈥

May 2022

Photo of Abena Marfo 鈥22, at SMU鈥檚 2022 commencement

For recent graduates like Abena Marfo 鈥22, SMU鈥檚 2022 commencement marked an especially impactful milestone. From first-generation students to innovative career changers, Marfo and her fellow alumni are making history on the Hilltop and beyond.

Students walking on campus

黑料老司机launched the new Opportunity 黑料老司机fund to expand scholarship, financial aid and student support programs. Among the programs supported by the fund is the new Access 黑料老司机initiative that in its first year helped make an 黑料老司机education possible for more than 250 students.

Rendering of the Cox school building renovation

黑料老司机broke ground on a $140 million renovation and expansion project at the聽Cox聽School of Business designed to train students for a collaborative and technologically integrated world. The effort will expand the school鈥檚 footprint by more than 30 percent and is made possible by a community of donors.

Photo of Abena Marfo 鈥22, at SMU鈥檚 2022 commencement

For recent graduates like Abena Marfo 鈥22, SMU鈥檚 2022 commencement marked an especially impactful milestone. From first-generation students to innovative career changers, Marfo and her fellow alumni are making history on the Hilltop and beyond.

Students walking on campus

黑料老司机launched the new Opportunity 黑料老司机fund to expand scholarship, financial aid and student support programs. Among the programs supported by the fund is the new Access 黑料老司机initiative that in its first year helped make an 黑料老司机education possible for more than 250 students.

Rendering of the Cox school building renovation

黑料老司机broke ground on a $140 million renovation and expansion project at the聽Cox聽School of Business designed to train students for a collaborative and technologically integrated world. The effort will expand the school鈥檚 footprint by more than 30 percent and is made possible by a community of donors.

Forging a brighter future

Since 1911, SMU’s mission has continued to gain momentum, putting it at the forefront of dynamic education and groundbreaking research. Through the generous support of SMU’s donors, FY22 proved to be the best gift revenue year in University history, with incredible gifts to causes, programs and initiatives across the Hilltop. SMU’s dedicated alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students, friends and organizations continue to demonstrate the power of the Mustang community and the good that we can do together.

$262,637,000

total new commitments

$200,314,666

total gift revenue

13,974 donors in FY22
529 Funds supported by current-use giving
3,612 President's Associates members
11,640 Hilltop Society members
707 Dallas Hall Society members
104 Rotunda families

We thank the nearly 14,000 people who made a gift in 2021-2022, including our principal and major gift donors and those who are members of President’s Associates and Hilltop Society. We also appreciate the more than 52,000 donors to 黑料老司机Ignited, including the campaign’s leading early donors.

View consolidated financial reports

Annual report archive