My Office: R. Gerald Turner

Since R. Gerald Turner became president of SMU in 1995, the private Dallas university has nearly tripled its number of applications, increased student SAT average scores by more than 165 points, and more than doubled its endowments to $1.65 billion. Turner also led a major gifts campaign that surpassed its $1 billion goal by raising $1.15 billion. A native of New Boston, Texas, who grew up admiring SMU and its Mustangs athletic teams, Turner was serving as chancellor of the University of Mississippi when alums on the SMU board recruited him to lead the university’s revival in the wake of the Death Penalty scandal. He and his wife Gail have two married daughters and five grandchildren.