On Friday, Sept. 12, SMU’s 11th President, Dr. Jay Hartzell, was officially inaugurated. He was joined by the board of trustees and the SMU community to honor the traditions and goals of SMU’s newest president.

Accompanied by the Meadows Wind Ensemble, attendees gathered and shared the joy of a new chapter for the university.

When introducing President Hartzell, renowned SMU alum and chairman of the Board of Trustees, David Miller, mirrored the audience’s excitement, while commending President Hartzell for his forward-thinking plans.

“We look forward with optimism,” Miller said. “Under President Hartzell’s guidance, SMU will build on its remarkable momentum in bringing forth new and bold aspirations.”

SMU trustee the Rev. Paul Rasmussen delivered the invocation, paying tribute to Dr. R. Gerald Turner’s accomplishments and unwavering commitment to the university.

Following the invocation, SMU Executive Vice President and Provost Rachel Davis Mersey introduced the platform party, with a dedicated honor for past SMU presidents and their families in attendance.

“An inauguration is a special time to celebrate the future,” Mersey said. “But, with also a nod to the past and those who helped get SMU to where it is today.”

The Meadows Wind Ensemble, conducted by Jack Delaney, played Dmitri Shostakovich’s “Festive Overture” as an introduction to the presentation of SMU’s most symbolic items.

“These symbols reflect SMU’s proud history and enduring mission,” Mersey said. “They represent scholarship, leadership, service and tradition, values passed from one generation to the next.”

SMU Student Body President, Will Leathers, presented the Howard Lantern, symbolizing the light of academic curiosity and learning. The Howard Lantern is passed to the incoming student body president at the Baccalaureate service, a longstanding tradition representing SMU’s legacy.

SMU’s Student Trustee, Caroline Pierce, presented President Hartzell with the Carter Baton, which symbolizes the authority of those who teach, mentor and guide students through their higher learning.

Taylor Vinson, chair of the SMU Young Alumni Board, presented the University Seal. SMU’s iconic seal represents the university’s mission, vision and historic impact as a symbol to all in the community.

SMU’s President of the Faculty Senate, Anne Lincoln, presented the Tate Mace, named after Willis Tate. As SMU’s fifth president, Tate was a champion of academic freedom, the mace mirroring his impact.

“As we mark this transition in leadership, may the Tate Mace remind us of SMU’s enduring commitment to truth, to wisdom and the vital role of the faculty in advancing the university’s mission,” Lincoln said.

As Board Chairman David Miller began President Hartzell’s formal installation, he spoke about President Hartzell’s friendly and honest personality.

“He told a story at lunch about his wife, Kara, reaching over and grabbing his hand, which apparently doesn’t happen all the time,” Miller said as the audience laughed in unison. “He said, ‘what’s going on?’ She then said, ‘well, you look happy.’ And he said, ‘well, I am.’ I think that’s very telling.”

After receiving the Presidential Medallion, President Hartzell was given a standing ovation as he took to the podium. President Hartzell reaffirmed all of the kind words spoken about him, but with a level of humility, grace and dedication to the university.

“My message for each and every one of you is this,” President Hartzell said. “This is our moment to reimagine what is and what could be possible for SMU and for each of our students.”

President Hartzell shared that his goals include accelerating SMU’s academics, research and athletic ascent, never remaining complacent.

In an interview with The Daily Campus, Miller shared that President Hartzell is taking SMU on an upward trajectory.

“President Hartzell doesn’t hesitate to use the word ‘win,’” Miller said. “We’re going to win in terms of becoming, over time, a leading research institution.”

President Hartzell plans to expand on SMU’s R1 ambitions, strengthening classroom teaching and attracting the very best students.

Although he’s now the university’s president, Dr. Jay Hartzell is just a regular guy, according to Miller.

“He’s the kind of guy you’d like to go out and have a cocktail – a beer with, and you know, that’s refreshing,” Miller said.