A $100 million donation will enable Southern Methodist University in Dallas to establish its eighth degree-granting school – the Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies.
SMU says that the gift from The Moody Foundation is the largest in university history.
“This is a transformational moment for SMU and Dallas, signaling that SMU is a premier institution with the means to be a full partner in commercial and global problem-solving, and a pipeline for leaders to tackle those challenges," says SMU President R. Gerald Turner.
The Moody Foundation gift will include funds for construction of a facility, Moody Hall, that will serve as headquarters for the Moody School and facilitate faculty and student interaction that generates interdisciplinary research
The funds also will be used for endowments and operation budgets in support of SMU faculty and visiting faculty; to provide financial support for graduate students; to recruit scholars and researchers; and to provide flexibility in stimulating interdisciplinary work.
The Moody School will begin formal operations during the 2020-21 academic year.
“SMU has long offered premier undergraduate and professional programs,” says Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs ad interim Peter K. Moore. “The creation of a graduate school will enable the university to build on its excellent graduate educational programs in the sciences, humanities, engineering, arts and education to fuel research, strengthen teaching and reputation, and deliver greater impact in everything we do. It also means more opportunities for undergraduates, who are mentored through association with research faculty, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.”
