Marshall Terry

Former English professor Marshall Terry was honored last Wednesday with the Dedman College Distinguished Graduate Award for his contributions to SMU.

Terry has been a vital part of SMU for more than 50 years.

Terry first stepped on the SMU campus as a student, graduating in 1953 with a bachelor’s degree in English and in 1954 with a master’s degree.

He stayed as a member of the faculty, chairing English for two terms and initiating SMU’s award-winning creative writing program and the long-running Literary Festival.

A mentor and friend to his students, Terry helped launch the careers of novelists Joe Coomer, Douglas Terry, Tracy Daugherty and Lewis Shiner among others.

“I took great joy in starting the creative writing program,” Terry said. “I’ve worked with wonderful students through the years.”

In addition to his academic career, Terry played an important role as an administrator in shaping SMU’s future.

As director of public relations and assistant to SMU President Willis Tate, he wrote SMU’s first master plan in 1963, the framework for the university’s current strategic plan.

“Looking back, I consider the opportunity to work on the master plan as one of the most rewarding parts of my career. That plan is central to everything that has happened at SMU since then,” Terry said.

The information in this report came from a press release distributed by SMU News and Communications.