Crum Commons

Get a sense of the community

Get a feel for all that Crum Commons has to offer by scrolling through the photo gallery or viewing the video. If you prefer, check it out for yourself by visiting campus, or take an online 360°room tour.

We've got a lot to offer

Amenities

Fully furnished rooms

Furniture (per resident): desk, chair, bed, & dresser
Wired and wireless internet
Free on-site washer/dryers
ADA-compliant rooms available
Electricity, water, sewer, & recycling/trash service included

Designed for community

Movable furniture
Study rooms and spaces
Tabletop game tables
Community microwaves
Good Crumpany Recording Studio

Convenient location

Walk or bike to class
Nearby parking in Mustang garage
Easy access to dining in Arnold Dining Commons and fitness activities in the Dedman Recreation Center

An academically-oriented environment

24-hour study rooms and spaces
Faculty-in-Residence
Peer Academic Leader (PAL), Wellness Education Student Team (WEST), Spiritual Life Mentor (SLM), Engage Dallas
Educational programs
In-Commons classroom

Worry-free features

Professional, on-site maintenance
24-hour, on-call staff
Card-controlled building access
Security escorts
Roommate matching available
Adjacent bicycle racks

Building Facts

Community abbreviations	CRUM
Building capacity	262
Year built	2014
Residential area	Southeast
Physical address	5805 Bush Ave.
Room types	Singles and doubles
Gender	Co-ed by gender by room

Sample floor plans

Sketches are for illustration only; actual room layouts and furnishings may vary.

Community bath single room

Community bath double room

About our namesakes

Sylvie and Gary Crum have shown a commitment to expanding opportunities across the SMU campus through their far-reaching leadership and generosity. Gary Crum received his Bachelor of Business Administration from SMU in 1969 and was an active member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He went on to earn his Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin in 1972.

Gary Crum serves on the SMU Board of Trustees and the Cox School of Business Executive Board and has received Distinguished Alumni Awards from SMU and the Edwin L. Cox School of Business. Sylvie Crum is active in numerous civic activities in their home community of Houston. Graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor’s degree in French, she formerly served as the University of Texas System Board of Regent’s representative on the Intercollegiate Athletic Council for Women and is a member and former chair of the Longhorn Foundation Advisory Council. She also serves as a director for the United States Lacrosse Foundation.

The Crums currently serve as the CEOs of the CFP Foundation, a Houston-based charitable organization focused primarily on educational issues related to Texas. They have three children, Ashley, Christopher, and Clayton. Continuing the legacy of their father, Ashley ’03 and Christopher ’05 earned Bachelors of Business Administration at SMU. In addition, Christopher earned a Master of Business Administration from Stanford University in 2010. Clayton received a Bachelor of Business Administration with honors from the University of Texas at Austin in 2012. Sylvie and Gary Crum received SMU’s Mustang Award in 2012 in recognition of their significant philanthropy to the University. They have supported SMU through their leadership and financial gifts to athletics, the Cox School of Business, and student initiatives, as well as other areas across campus.

In 2013, Sylvie and Gary Crum provided a leadership gift for a new living-and-learning Residential Commons facility. SMU recognized their remarkable generosity with the naming of Crum Commons.

Room and furniture dimensions

Square footage ranges

Typical square footage ranges from 180-250 sq.ft.

Furniture dimensions

Desk: 2'6" H x 4" W x 2' D
Desk Storage Unit: 30"H x 17W x 24 1⁄2 D; Grommet allows students to lock desk storage
Dresser: 2'6" H x 2'6" W x 2' D
Bed: 80" L x 36" W (XL Length Twin)
Window: 45" inches wide. Height depends on floor.

Serve where you live: Engage Dallas

Engage Dallas is a place-based community engagement initiative via SMU’s Residential Commons to address community needs focusing on South and West Dallas. The initiative is a long-term, university-wide commitment led by students to partner with local residents, organizations, and other leaders to positively impact the community. There is equal emphasis on campus and community impact stemming from the initiative.

In Crum Commons, we focus on Community Health & Wellness as a community need in Dallas. Crum students address this by collaborating on service events and activities with local partners, The Senior Source, Legacy Cares and Jubilee Park to directly help those most in need. Our students who serve gain a broader understanding of current social problems, build community with both the city and their peers, and can earn their Community Engagement and Civics & Individual Ethics proficiencies required for graduation. Engage Dallas cultivates unique and enriching experiences for SMU students to explore and serve Dallas!

Start serving today!

Questions? Email your Crum Engage Dallas Student Director, Raissa Umwali at engagedallas@smu.edu

What you can expect

The Great Crumpkin

The Great Crumpkin is a fall tradition inspired by, "It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" a film by cartoonist great Charles Schulz. The Great Crumpkin is a fall celebration of the arts - we host a festival of film, music, and dance for SMU students to showcase their talents. While enjoying the festival, we also savor carnival treats, a delicious catered meal, and fun fall activities like yard games and pumpkin painting.

Crum vs. Armstrong Water Balloon Fight

On the eve of Stampede (after moving in), all new residents return to Crum Commons, where thousands of water balloons wait in the quad between Crum and Armstrong. This is the ultimate rivalry competition Crum engages in with Armstrong. Last year’s winner of the water balloon fight was clear. Crum’s army of balloon archers was unmatched, and our reputation of domination will continue to be our legacy.

CruMonday

Every Monday throughout the semester, our Faculty in Residence (FiR), Leanne, and her family hosts CruMonday. Each Monday brings a new theme, new campus partners to engage with, and new treats! Some community favorites are birthday cake on the last Monday of each month to celebrate resident birthdays, meatless Monday, s'mores, and more. It's our favorite way to connect with each other and eat great food at the beginning of each week.

Live, learn, achieve—together

Get to know the Faculty-in-Residence and Residential Community Director of Crum Commons.

Dr. Leanne Ketterlin Geller

Faculty-in-Residence

Leanne Ketterlin Geller is a professor in the department of Education Policy and Leadership in the Simmons School of Education and Human Development. She holds the Texas Instruments Endowed Chair in Education and is also the director of Research in Mathematics Education unit. She serves as the Faculty-in-Residence for the Crum Commons. Learn more about Dr. Ketterlin Geller and her family.

Maddie Steele (she/her/hers)

Residential Community Director

Maddie Steele is from Milwaukee, Wi. and received her Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Music Theatre from Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, IL. Maddie's first professional career was as an actor, but she soon felt called to give back and pour into students in a similar way that her university administration and faculty poured into her. She stepped away from her acting career to return to academia and received her Master's of Education in Higher Education Leadership from Texas Christian University. Maddie joined the Crum-munity as the Residential Community Director in July 2023.