Full-length fur coats and portable heating stations fought back against frigid temperatures Thursday night as 700 SMU alumni and community members gathered on Dallas Hall Lawn for the Distinguished Alumni Awards.
The dinner and awards presentation has become a cornerstone event of homecoming week, hosted annually by SMU President R. Gerald Turner and the Alumni Board. Each year three outstanding alumni and one young “Emerging Leader” are honored for their contributions to the University and community.
Following updates from SMU Vice President of Development and External Affairs Brad Cheves and President Turner, this year’s honorees received their awards and delivered remarks of thanks and mutual appreciation.
Emerging Leader Alexandra Dillard Lucie, Class of 2005, spoke straightforwardly about the challenges she faced as a young executive in charge of retail management and merchandising at Dillard’s, and credited her training in the Cox School of Business as essential to her success.
Lucie also praised the Temerlin Advertising Institute, where she recovered her minor. In closing her remarks she tuned the spotlight on her fellow young alumni, calling them an “unbelievably talented” group.
As coffee and desserts were served, the three Distinguished Alumni Award winners followed Lucie with gracious acceptance speeches of their own. Mary Brinegar, Class of ’69, has devoted her life to civil involvement, most notable as a teacher and president and CEO of the Dallas Arboretum.
She described her mood as “touched, filled with appreciation, and surprised.” She called her time at SMU life changing.
“I left self-assured and more centered than when I came,” Brinegar said.
Following Brinegar was Frank M. Dunlevy, a US Army veteran, collegiate swimmer, and member of the Class of ’71.
Dunlevy offered high praise for many members of the SMU community both past and present, even calling President Turner “simply the best university president on the planet.”
Brinegar served on the SMU Board of Trustees from 2000 to 2012 and remains involved in various leadership roles across the university.
The final honoree was Dr. John Frank Harper, a celebrated cardiologist and SMU ’68 graduate. Harper was quick to give credit to the “remarkable” faculty of SMU, mentioning several by name including English Professor Marshall Terry, who he called a mentor and friend.
Harper has remained a committed to the mission of SMU and Dedman College through his leadership of the annual Literature and Medicine Seminar. He carefully summed up his college experience and said, “SMU is where I learned to make decisions” and to “seek out wisdom.”
Several SMU student leaders were in attendance and impressed by the passionate words of the award winners.
“It was really great seeing so many alums back on campus. I could really see how things have changed, we wouldn’t be where we are today without their contributions,” Senior David Lee said.
Student Body Vice President Monica Finnegan agreed and said she was excited one day to join the ranks of SMU alumni.
“These honored alumni, plus so many others, make a difference in this world and events like this truly make me proud to be a Mustang,”Finnegan said.
The night was brought to a close with the singing of “Varsity” lead by Southern Gentlemen and Belle Tones. A rush of cool air was felt again, not coming from outside but instead caused by the vigorous lasso motions of many, many proud SMU alumni.
