Tracey and I are honored to create opportunities for future students to excel in their education and careers – ultimately allowing them to make a profound impact on their communities.
— David S. Huntley ’80, SMU Trustee
Empowering Mustang success through student support
SMU Trustee David S. Huntley ’80 and Tracey M. Nash-Huntley have made a $1 million gift to support SMU students through the Connect Mentorship Program and scholarships in the Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences and the Dedman School of Law.
“We thank David and Tracey for their leadership and commitment to enrich student lives,” said R. Gerald Turner, SMU president. “Their gift will equip future Mustangs for educational and professional achievements that will make a lasting impact far beyond the Hilltop.”
The gift provides endowment and operational support in three areas:
- $700,000 for the Connect Mentorship Program, a year-long mentorship program designed to help students of color succeed and engage at SMU.
- $200,000 for Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences scholarships that support students from historically marginalized communities.
- $100,000 toward the Dedman Law Centennial Scholarship Challenge to recruit outstanding law students from across the nation.
“As a scholarship recipient myself, donor support influenced both my college experience and the trajectory of my career after graduating from SMU,” said David Huntley. “Tracey also attended SMU as a minority engineering scholarship recipient. We are both honored to create opportunities at SMU for future students to excel in their education and their careers – ultimately allowing them to make a profound impact on their communities.”
Expected impact
- Contribute resources for the Connect Mentorship Program, which promotes leadership development opportunities for students of color.
- Increase scholarship opportunities to students from historically marginalized backgrounds within Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences.
- Attract more outstanding students to choose SMU for their legal education and further raise the law school’s standing among peer institutions and legal professionals.
The Connect Mentorship Program aims to retain students of color and includes a weeklong extended orientation where new students interact with mentors and learn about campus resources. Components of the week include leadership development and opportunities to meet with SMU faculty, staff and alumni. Incoming students are also matched with returning students who serve as peer mentors throughout the year. Mentors introduce a variety of resources, learning opportunities and cocurricular experiences that enable new students to develop personally and academically.
“Academic communities like the Connect Mentorship Program have proven successful at enhancing student outcomes at SMU,” said K.C. Mmeje, SMU vice president for Student Affairs. “We are grateful to David and Tracey for equipping Mustangs with academic resources and leadership training that prepare them for outstanding academic careers.”
In Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, the Huntleys’ gift will be used for scholarships that support undergraduate students from historically marginalized backgrounds. These scholarships help SMU attract outstanding scholars who often receive offers of admission and financial support from many top national universities.
“Support from our alumni and donors for scholarships paves the way for the next generation of incredible Mustangs to attend SMU,” said Elizabeth G. Loboa, SMU provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs. “This generous gift from David Huntley and Tracey Nash-Huntley will strengthen their legacy and address one of the University’s highest strategic priorities – supporting our high-achieving, high-need students in their pursuit of career outcomes.”
As part of the Dedman Law Centennial Scholarship Challenge, the Huntleys’ gift to operational scholarships for law students will be matched by endowment funds to create the Tracey Nash-Huntley and David Huntley Centennial Scholarship in the Dedman School of Law. Scholarships enable SMU to provide competitive financial aid packages for law students with exceptional educational achievements and test scores.
“Scholarship support is vital to attract the most outstanding law students to SMU,” said Jason P. Nance, the Judge James Noel Dean at the SMU Dedman School of Law. “Gifts like these will enable Dedman Law to become one of the very best law schools in the nation and support future leaders in the legal profession, many of whom choose to work in the DFW region and other parts of Texas.”
The Huntleys’ gift enhances the University’s efforts to empower outstanding students, one of the primary goals of SMU Ignited: Boldly Shaping Tomorrow, the University’s multiyear $1.5 billion campaign for impact.
“During the SMU Ignited campaign, donors like the Huntleys have joined others to make significant gifts to support students,” said Brad E. Cheves, SMU senior vice president for Development and External Affairs. “These investments transform the lives of high-achieving students, enabling them to attend SMU regardless of financial means and succeed on the Hilltop and beyond.”
We thank David Huntley and Tracey Nash-Huntley for their leadership and commitment to enrich student lives.
— R. Gerald Turner, SMU President
David S. Huntley ’80 and Tracey M. Nash-Huntley
A member of the SMU Board of Trustees, David Huntley retired from AT&T after nearly 30 years in a variety of leadership roles, including senior executive vice president and chief compliance officer from 2014 to 2023. Recipient of the 2020 Dedman School of Law Distinguished Alumni Award and the 2013 Black Alumni History Maker Award, Huntley serves the University as chair of the Student Affairs Committee, co-chair of the SMU Ignited Campaign Steering Committee for Dedman School of Law and vice chair of the Dedman School of Law Executive Board. While attending SMU, he majored in political science and was active in numerous campus organizations. Huntley was the first Black student body president, elected as a write-in candidate, and served from 1978 to 1979.
Tracey Nash-Huntley is an arts patron, advocate and philanthropist. She attended SMU for two years before transferring to Georgia Institute of Technology, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial and systems engineering. While attending SMU, she began a modeling career that lasted for more than 20 years, including a decade in New York City with Wilhelmina Models. She serves on the SMU Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility Advisory Board.
The Huntleys have been deeply involved in a wide variety of nonprofit organizations in Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. Currently, David Huntley serves on the boards of Texas Capital Bancshares Inc. and Common Securitization Solutions, LLC. He also serves on the non-profit boards of Forest Forward, At Last!, Ethics and Compliance Initiative, National Urban League and Methodist Health System Foundation. He is the 2024 president and chairman of the Texas Business Hall of Fame. Tracey Nash-Huntley serves on the boards of Goodwill Industries, Letot Capital Foundation, and is the immediate past chair of the board of New Friends New Life. She serves on the Moody Fund for the Arts Executive Review Committee and is a member of the Dallas (TX) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated and is passionate about her work their STEAM Academy of 7th to 12th grade female scholars of color. She is a founding member of The Village Giving Circle at Communities Foundation of Texas, a Junior League of Dallas sustainer, and is a member of the Dallas Chapter of The Girl Friends, Inc.