Dallas Office at SMU To Launch in August With Klyde Warren Park Leader as CEO » Dallas Innovates

Kit Sawers has been named the inaugural CEO of The Dallas Office at SMU and a vice president of the university. [Photo: SMU]

Southern Methodist University has announced the formation of The Dallas Office at SMU, calling it the university’s “front door to the city and region” and a major new initiative designed to bolster collaboration with Dallas-based corporations, civic organizations, and community partners while expanding access to the university’s talent, research, and expertise. 

“This is a defining moment for Dallas and SMU,” President Jay Hartzell said in a statement. “Universities in urban environments are winning, and Dallas creates greater differentiation and opportunity than virtually any city in America. Core to our continued ascent is our ability to be the best partner we can for all of Dallas and the region and to make it easier to engage with SMU, our faculty, our research and most of all, our students.”

SMU law school alumna Kit Sawers—who currently serves as the president and CEO of Dallas’ Klyde Warren Park—has been appointed as CEO of The Dallas Office and a vice president of the university. She will join SMU on August 3, reporting directly to Hartzell.

Improving access and opportunities

The goal of SMU’s Dallas Office is to coordinate engagement for easier access, improved alignment, and exponential impact through business, community, sports, and culture, SMU said. It will also help the Dallas community more easily access the university’s academic programs, faculty expertise, and student talent, enhancing collaboration, innovation, and workforce development.

The Dallas Office is designed to streamline how organizations engage with SMU in a wide variety of ways, including applied research, talent development, executive education and upskilling, industry partnerships, entrepreneurship, and corporate-civic partnerships.

According to SMU, by aligning existing efforts and developing new opportunities, the office will:

Partner with organizations to advance applied research and develop solutions to real-world challenges
Provide direct access to faculty expertise and thought leadership across disciplines
Serve as a convening hub that brings the expertise of Dallas leaders and organizations onto campus and into the classroom through co-hosted events and shared programming
Create opportunities to engage and recruit job-ready students through internships, projects and experiential learning – allowing early access to emerging talent, reducing onboarding time, and strengthening long-term hiring outcomes
Support workforce development through executive and continuing education programs
Offer a single, coordinated entry point to connect with SMU’s full range of programs, people, and resources

 
Strategic plan and community engagement

The office is a key initiative in SMU’s new strategic plan, set to be unveiled this fall, as well as an important element in the university’s development positioning it at the forefront of America’s universities, SMU said.

The SMU Dallas Office flows out of the university’s strategic plan, which will expand partnerships across Dallas and focus on providing excellent experiences to students, strengthening the connection between classroom learning, faculty research, and real-world application. By boosting ties with the Dallas community, the initiative will increase opportunities for innovation, collaboration, and long-term economic impact, SMU said.

The office will also form advisory groups of Dallas business leaders, along with faculty, deans, and students, to ensure its work connects with regional priorities and emerging opportunities.

‘What can we build together?’

Sawers, The Dallas Office’s incoming CEO, currently serves as the president and CEO of Klyde Warren Park, one of the nation’s most successful urban parks, welcoming more than two million visitors annually.

“Kit brings a rare combination of civic leadership, entrepreneurial spirit, partnership-building and execution,” Hartzell said. “She understands how to connect institutions with opportunity, and she will play a key role in creating meaningful value for our partners across Dallas while accelerating SMU’s academic mission.”

In her role, Sawers will lead SMU’s engagement across the region, focusing on business development, executive and continuing education, research collaborations, and student career pathways.

“SMU is uniquely positioned at the intersection of academic excellence and one of the most dynamic cities in the country,” Sawers said. “The Dallas Office is about making it easier to bring together organizations, ideas and talent to build partnerships that drive impact for Dallas and create meaningful opportunities for students and faculty”

“It starts with a simple question,” Sawers added. “What can we build together?”

‘Transformational leadership’

Jody Grant ’60, Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation chairman and an SMU Distinguished Alumni Award recipient, called Sawer’s leadership “transformational.”

“Kit’s vision, leadership and energy have been transformational for Klyde Warren Park, and we will continue to build on her impactful work as we look to the park’s future,” Grant said. “Kit will be deeply missed both personally and professionally. As an SMU alum and proud Mustang, I am thrilled she is bringing her talents to my beloved alma mater in this exciting new chapter.”

Previously, Sawers was chief development officer for the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and founded Fay+Sawers Productions, where she produced major events, including the grand opening of Klyde Warren Park and programming tied to Super Bowl XLV. Earlier in her career, she spent a decade at SMU in leadership roles focused on academic programming and public engagement, including directing the Willis M. Tate Distinguished Lecture Series and the SMU Athletic Forum.

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