SMU will recognize four alumni at the 52nd annual DistinguishedAlumni Award ceremony on Thursday night, an event that has beenpart of the university’s homecoming celebration since1998.
The award, which has been presented to 259 alumni, is the mostprestigious honor SMU presents. It is given to alumni who havedemonstrated service and achievement to a particular discipline,organization or cause that has brought distinction to theuniversity.
Jill Stephenson, assistant vice president and executive directorof alumni relations at SMU, described the event as “a time tocelebrate the unique aspects of the SMU educational experience thatallows our graduates to rise to the tops of their chosen fields andto positions of leadership in their communities.”
This year’s recipients are the Rev. Zan W. Holmes, KarenP. Hughes, Maj. Gen. Craig R. McKinley and Marshall Terry.
“We are extremely proud of the achievements of thisyear’s award recipients,” Stephenson said. “Eachbrings his/her own unique array of accomplishments to the field ofalready distinctive recipients.”
Rev. Zan W. Holmes
Holmes has been senior pastor of St. Luke Community UnitedMethodist Church for 28 years, where the congregation has grown to6,000 members under his leadership. His past positions includeTexas state representative, pastor of the Hamilton Park UnitedMethodist Church, and member of the University of Texas Board ofRegents and the judicial council of the United Methodist Church. Hehas been honored with the Linz Award, the Black Academy of Arts andLetters Living Legend Award, the Dallas Peace Center Peace MakerAward and the Tom Unis Valuing Diversity Award from the GreaterDallas Community Relations Commission. He has also been recognizedas one of the civil rights movement’s “invisiblegiants” in the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute inSelma, Ala.
Holmes served SMU as a trustee from 1969-1974, associatedirector of the intern program from 1974-1978 and an adjunctprofessor of preaching from 1978-2002. At SMU, Holmes earned aBachelor of Divinity degree in 1959 and a Master of Sacred Theologydegree in 1968. In addition, Holmes holds a Bachelor of Arts degreeand an honorary doctorate from Huston-Tillotson College in Austinand an honorary doctorate from Dillard University in NewOrleans.
Karen P. Hughes
Hughes, referred to by Time magazine as “the most powerfulwoman in the White House” during her time there, has been atrusted political adviser to President George W. Bush since 2001.As White House counselor, she supervised all press relations,speech writing and presidential appearances. Before the presidency,Hughes was director of communications throughout Bush’sgubernatorial and presidential campaigns. She also handled mediarelations for the Reagan-Bush re-election campaign in Texas.Although Hughes returned to Austin from Washington in 2002, shestill advises and assists Bush.
After spending her childhood in France and Panama with hermilitary family, Hughes moved to Dallas. In 1977, she receivedBachelor of Arts degrees in English and journalism at SMU. She wasa reporter for a local television station until 1984 when sheentered into the political sphere. For the past three years, Hugheshas presented the Rosine Smith Sammons Lecture in Media Ethics atSMU.
Maj. Gen. Craig R. McKinley
McKinley serves as commander of the 1st Air Force, Air CombatCommand, and commander of the U.S. North American Aerospace DefenseCommand Region at Tyndall Air Force Base.
The 1st Air Force organizes, equips and operates air defenseforces for the commander of NORAD, providing tactical warning,threat assessment and counter-drug forces for North America. Hispositions and honors include Deputy Inspector General and recipientof the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, MeritoriousService Medal with two oak leaf clusters and the HumanitarianService Medal.
A current SMU parent, McKinley graduated from SMU in 1974 with abachelor’s degree in business administration and as theDistinguished Graduate of the SMU Air Force ROTC program. He alsoholds a master’s degree in management and economics fromWebster College and a master’s in national security strategyfrom the National Defense University in Washington, D.C.
Marshall Terry
Terry is an E.A. Lilly Distinguished Professor of English atSMU, served twice as chairman of the English department, and is thefirst sitting faculty member to receive this award. He isacknowledged for helping former university president Willis M. Tatewrite the Master Plan in 1963, which structured the mission andvalues of SMU and was a precursor to SMU’s current StrategicPlan. In addition to teaching in Dallas, Terry has directed SMUprograms in Madrid, Oxford and Taos. He also introduced thecreative writing specialty to the English major and founded thenationally recognized SMU Literary Festival.
Terry earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1953 and a Master ofArts degree in 1954 at SMU. He has written several acclaimed novelsand has been awarded the Barbara McCombs/Lon Tinkle Award forlifetime achievement; the Jesse H. Jones Fiction Award and theShort Story Award from the Texas Institute of Letters; the SMURotunda Outstanding Professor Award three times; and the SMU WillisTate Award for Outstanding Faculty twice.
The guest reception begins at 6:30 p.m. and the dinner andpresentation starts at 7 p.m. in the Chantilly Ballroom of theWyndham Anatole hotel.
Stephenson said that approximately 600 guests will attend,including 34 of the past award recipients who will be recognizedduring an opening processional. Recipients are honored with amedallion and plaque.
