ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ

Thank you, Chairman Miller.

I am humbled and honored to stand before you as the 11th president of ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ, and I thank everyone for being here today, including those joining us via livestream. The presence of each and every person makes this occasion extremely meaningful.

This is a day I proudly share with my wife, Kara; our children, Robbie and Anna, and our daughter-in-law, Grace; as well as many more family members, friends and mentors who have shaped my journey. I am deeply grateful for their love and support.

When we discussed the plans for this week, I’ll be honest: it seemed like a bit much. But, then, I thought about it and realized that this is ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ’s first presidential inauguration in 30 years. And, it is my last. So, perhaps it all is warranted.

Moreover, I see today as part of an inflection point for our University, and a unique moment in ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ’s 114-year history. Today is a celebration of a University on the rise, a powerful city on the move, and a vibrant community ready to seize this moment.

Something truly extraordinary is happening here at ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ. Can you feel it? I can, and it is a huge part of what drew me here. Brilliant minds, daring ideas, and boundless energy have ignited our classrooms, labs, performance halls, museums and athletic fields. And this is happening at a time when higher education is being rethought, when technology is transforming how we learn and lead, and when our home city of Dallas is reaching a new level of national and global prominence.

Everyone has a key role to play in what comes next – whether you are a student beginning your journey, a professor shaping minds, a staff member supporting our mission, an athlete representing our spirit, a supporter cheering us on, or a civic leader wanting to partner with us to solve important problems.

Looking around this coliseum, I see new and familiar faces, and my message is for each and every one of you.

This is our moment. To reimagine what is and what can be possible for ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ – and for each of our students. To dramatically accelerate our academic, research and athletic ascent. To challenge the future, provide our graduates with unparalleled lifetime value, and to become the most relevant university in the country. We can do all of this because the wind is at our backs, and the conviction is in our soul.

Over the past 30 years, ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ has grown in virtually every measurable way. When our 10th president, R. Gerald Turner, arrived on the Hilltop, he sparked new aspirations. And thanks to his leadership, the dedication of our Board of Trustees, and the tireless work of countless Mustangs, ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ rose in national standing, both academically and athletically. As Dr. Turner has often said, “Gaining momentum is the hardest part of growth – and the most time-consuming.” There is no doubt to any of us here – or around the country – that ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ and Mustang Nation have gained momentum.

As a result, this community has seen remarkable progress. Our faculty are pushing the boundaries of knowledge through major grants and groundbreaking research. Our students are thriving in rigorous academic programs that prepare them to lead and succeed in a rapidly changing world. Our athletic teams are competing at the highest level, energizing our campus and ensuring our place on the biggest national stages anywhere – proving that we absolutely belong among the elite programs in college athletics.

At ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ, these achievements are deeply connected. Research informs teaching. Teaching inspires students. And our students – whether in labs, studios or stadiums – embody the ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ culture characterized by entrepreneurial risk-taking, by boldness, and by the ability to work together to get things done. Our network of alumni, partners and friends support and mentor our students, even to the point of competing to hire the very best.

This all feeds a virtuous cycle of drawing talent and brilliance to the Hilltop. Faculty attract students, student-athletes elevate our national profile, and alumni support every constituent. This is working. Undergraduate applications are at a historic high, and we are seeing more interest in faculty positions, as professors are drawn to a University on the rise – one that will support their ambitious goals and their desire to shape students’ lives on a personal level.

We’re also able to attract strong leaders – I am honored to join ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ alongside our new executive vice president and provost, three deans, one ad interim dean, and our new director of Athletics. These are wildly talented professionals who could have gone virtually anywhere – and I’m so grateful they chose ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ! We join a University rich in tradition and culture, with incredibly talented faculty and staff who love this place dearly. We are on a roll, and more talent is on the way.

Now, every university president being inaugurated this year is probably arguing that their university has some special opportunities in front of them. So, why is our situation so remarkable? In a world where thousands of colleges and universities teach courses with similar titles, what is going to allow us to accelerate our ascent and belong among the very best?

I’ve hit on a few of the reasons already. Our national reputation and momentum are growing, fueled by a strong culture that puts students and the campus experience at the center. We have students who take risks – who can lead, start and build things – and who get along well with others. Four years of the ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ social life does pay off!  And, we have our alumni, who’ve been incredibly supportive, looking after our campus, our students and each other.

To this point, I’ve left off one of the biggest advantages we have over others: our location, the great city of Dallas. Here we are – right now – in the heart of it: one of the fastest-growing, most opportunity-rich cities in the country, if not the world.

The culture of our city fits that of our campus – and perhaps that is not surprising given our shared history. Dallas is known across the globe as a city of ambition, enterprise and grit – a place where people come to build, create and lead. ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ is woven into its fabric – as Dallas is interwoven into ours. For over 114 years, our relationship with this city has been symbiotic: ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ attracts and develops brilliance and drives progress, while Dallas amplifies our reach and puts our graduates to work.

Today, more than 64,000 ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ alumni live in Dallas-Fort Worth, and more than two-thirds of our graduates choose to stay in North Texas for their first job. This compares to about 25% of our incoming students who come from North Texas. We import talent, and our graduates fall in love with Dallas and what they can do here. This shows up in the data, too – as seen through our estimated $7 billion in annual economic impact.

So, the question of what is next for ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ is inextricably linked to what is next for Dallas. It is clear that Dallas is winning – companies are moving here; the arts, sports and entertainment scenes are special; and quite simply, this is an appealing place to work and live. I see Dallas rapidly emerging as the country’s second-most-important city for business, if it’s not already there.

These trends will help ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ attract more great faculty, staff and students, and we’ll have an even greater ability to bring influential thought-leaders to campus; to provide incredible experiences for our students outside of the classroom; and to work with Dallas community leaders to apply our talent to the city’s most pressing challenges. If you look for universities that have really transformed and improved over the last few decades, they’ve been urban universities. I like the hand we’ve been dealt. I wouldn’t trade Dallas as this University’s location for any other city in the country.

Part of this is because, like Dallas and my fellow Mustangs, I love to win. Today, I am here to share what I mean by that for ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ’s future – a vision that I hope will attract even more talent to this special place and inspire others to join us and help lead ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ’s next era of growth.

So – what is next?

We will go higher, further and faster – and we will win bigger than ever before.

Mustangs have proven that we don’t just dream Texas-sized dreams – we make them happen. From day one, this University has been on the right path, guided by purpose and propelled by caliber. Now, we are ready to accelerate our own excellence to become one of our nation’s leading teaching and research universities – a University everyone will be talking about for all the right reasons.

The word ‘acceleration’ is apt and fitting. For those of you who haven’t taken physics in a while, I’ll remind you that acceleration is the rate of change in the rate of change. Part of my job as president will be helping this community pick up speed. As an institution of higher learning, we have an awesome responsibility. We are called to anticipate where society and technology are heading and to develop students who are not only prepared for the future – but ready to lead it. Society’s pace of development is accelerating, and so must we.

ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ is uniquely positioned for this moment. For our students, we have something truly exceptional to offer. There is no school in the country with our unique combination of a classic liberal arts education paired with strong professional schools; fundamentals and theory paired with practice; and a spirited culture paired with the values of ethical and entrepreneurial leadership. All of this takes place within a vibrant, urban setting, where we are surrounded by current and future partners. We’re also backed by a passionate alumni base and city who want us to succeed and will provide strong support. This is who we are.

ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ’s structure and size allow us to be especially responsive to students as they find their passions and develop their goals. I have already seen how we can encourage cross-pollination across disciplines, support students who want to pursue multiple areas of study, and integrate real-world learning into the curriculum. We will never take this for granted – it’s a defining part of what we can offer and is deeply rooted in our unique culture.

And we can do even more of this in the years to come. How? By protecting the meaningful relationships that develop between students and professors in small classes. By opening more courses to all of our students, regardless of their declared major. By providing every student with an opportunity to learn and grow in Dallas (whether through an internship, mentorship or other hands-on experience). By bringing our students more opportunities to pursue rewarding careers and top graduate programs. To put it simply: by focusing on how we maximize the lifetime value of an ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ education for our students.

These efforts and others will help us recruit even more extraordinary students to the Hilltop. That will mean securing more scholarships, developing new programs that can compete with the very best from around the country, continuing to tell our story nationally through our alumni, friends, parents and partners – and by celebrating the exceptional efforts of our students themselves, in performance halls, laboratories or on the playing field.

As we consider the kinds of programs we want to develop, we will also consider the kinds of societal problems we want to solve. We will do this as a campus, with your help, as part of the University’s next strategic plan. This will be a broad effort, and we will solicit input from a true cast of thousands. We will be sure to consider the unique advantages which inform our ability to recruit top talent and make an impact. Whether it is an emerging center of excellence for the University, like the Rees-Jones Library of the American West; a partner on campus, like the Bush Center; or an exceptional part of Dallas, like the Federal Reserve Bank, art scene or our sports teams: we will lean into the strengths that will allow us to compete at a world-class level – and win.

Our strategy will help shape our approach to hiring, developing and retaining faculty. Our faculty are absolutely essential to our long-term success. In fact, the reputation of any top teaching and research university is highly correlated with the reputation of its faculty. We must support and retain our top teachers and researchers while finding new ways to attract even more star faculty members to the Hilltop. While this will be a campus wide goal, we will focus on the areas, disciplines and problems where we can compete for and retain exceptional talent. We will need to be strategic, and to recognize that recruiting excellence can take time. But it is worth the wait, and we must not settle. Our ascent requires excellence.

I have painted a picture of where I see us heading – protecting what makes ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ special while building on our strengths: our culture, our location, our support base, and the unique advantages of our size and structure. We will need to lean into these advantages to attract, develop and retain world-class students, teachers, researchers, scholars, writers and creatives.

To make this happen, I am calling today for even more collaborators – leaders in business, the arts, education and civic life – not just in Dallas, but far beyond. Whether you are seeking ideas, talent or inspiration, ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ is ready to engage – and to do so in big, bold ways. We teach the fundamentals and theory, absolutely. But here, our students must not just learn, they must do – ideally, in partnership with the world around them.

My call to action also extends to our friends – old and new, near and far. To unlock ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ’s full potential, we need partners who believe in the transformative power of higher education; who know it can change lives and uplift communities; and who recognize the distinctiveness of this University’s approach. We are calling on our donors, alumni and friends to help us go further, faster. Your extraordinary generosity has fueled our current momentum – but we need you more now than ever (including those who don’t even know us yet)! Now is the time to position ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ to bravely lead in this era of dramatic growth for our city, our state and our nation.

I have only been here a short while, but I have already seen many illustrations of what is possible. And, it comes down to what really makes ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ so special – the people. At the risk of naming some and not others, I want to give you several examples of what I’ve learned since I’ve been here – because these people embody what’s possible.

Ray Hunt has taught me how someone in their 30s can put a university on their back and continue to love and support it for decades. Plus, how one can make lemonade out of lemons, using a crisis to change a university’s culture, governance and trajectory – positioning it for greatness in the decades to come.

David Miller has provided a recent example of that kind of impact – offering extraordinary vision, taking risks, and seeing how the parts of a university fit together to amplify each other. I will also say that he’s gutsy and bold – and, a really good salesman when he’s trying to fill a job opening.

Time and again, I’ve heard stories of ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ faculty changing student lives. I met the mother of an ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ grad on the Boulevard last weekend. She told me her daughter had a life-changing experience due to an exceptional professor. The student signed up for a challenging class and was going to drop it, but the professor said she just wouldn’t let that happen. The student got through with the professor’s help, discovered a new passion, and went on to minor in sociology. That kind of transformation is what ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ faculty make possible. Leslie DeArman is the faculty member, and she may not even be aware of this story herself. I apologize that I can’t remember the mother or student’s name – I blame it on the Boulevard!

Jianhui Wang is a professor who has changed our understanding and approach to problems involving electrical grids, their resilience and cybersecurity. His work has been cited over 58,000 times, and he’s published over 100 papers that have each been cited over 100 times. (For the non-academics, this is a ton!)

How do we support and retain Professor Wang? He holds a chair endowed by Mary and Rich Templeton – two incredibly generous supporters who met at Union College and who are passionate about engineering, higher education and ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ, thankfully!

And, then, there’s my predecessor, R. Gerald Turner.  He showed how to lead with distinction, integrity and grace. What stands out most to me about Dr. Turner, though, is love – his 30-year love affair with ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ, and ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ’s deep love for him.

I have learned that there are so many incredible people across this community – each doing amazing things every day. We need you all. You can be engaged without being a trustee or a star professor. Whatever your role, connection or talent, we want you to be part of our next chapter!

What does that mean?

For those of you in corporations or nonprofits: We have talented students looking for internships, jobs after graduation, and projects they can pursue in class. We also have faculty who are leaders in their fields – and are eager to learn about your challenges and to help find solutions. For inventors and discoverers, we offer great business, legal and entrepreneurial minds who can help you connect technology and markets to serve society. For alumni or mentors, we have students or younger alumni who could benefit from just a bit of your time and wisdom over a cup of coffee. For parents and our student body, we have prospective applicants and families who would like to know your answer to, “Why ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ?”

And to all our current students: Know that your biggest successes are just around the corner. Just look to our incredible alumni when you feel unsure. For now, your job is to challenge yourself, to stretch yourself and to learn. But someday soon, you will be in the position to lift future Mustangs, just as you are being lifted today by those who came before you.

I am humbled by the task before us, grateful to those who made it possible, and incredibly excited to continue our important work.

Together, we are committed to seizing this moment – our moment. Previous generations of Mustangs got us here – where we are today – and now it is our turn to aim even higher and deliver even more. The Hilltop’s growing gravitational force is bringing more ambitious and inquisitive minds together. With relentless focus and determination; the curiosity and courage to explore; and a sincere belief in our culture, in each other and in our students: We will continue our ascent. We are indeed a University on the rise, a powerful city on the move, and a vibrant community ready to become who we are meant to be.

Let it be known far and wide: ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ is the place where virtuosity and brilliance meet opportunity. Here, transformation begins. Here, students become leaders, ideas become impact, and our unified community becomes an unstoppable force for good in the world.

One last thing… Remember, this is a team sport – and we will strive to win at everything we do. At ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ, striving for greatness will drive us to take risks, to experiment, to make mistakes and to learn from them – together. It is about having the grit to attempt something unexpected and bold, knowing that we, as Mustangs, have each other’s backs. This is the kind of excellence that drives real progress, and it is part of our DNA.

Something extraordinary is happening here on the Hilltop. I hope you will join me in leading our proud University forward to a place many have dared to dream about but few actually believed we can achieve. I, for one, believe. And, I believe because of this special place and each of you.

It will take all of us to get where we want this University to go! It’s our moment. Let’s go do this together.

Go Mustangs!