MEDIA RESOURCES

DATE: October 3, 2005

CONTACT: communications@mail.cox.smu.edu

SMU Cox Sponsors Texas Diversity Luncheon

Dallas (SMU) — The North Texas Diversity Council will host its Second Annual Diversity Luncheon at the Westin Park Central located at 12720 Merit Drive on October 5, 2005, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The event will celebrate National Diversity Week, and the North Texas Diversity Council will announce its schedule of events and new initiatives for the coming year. SMU’s Cox School of business is a member of the North Texas Diversity Council and one of the event’s sponsors.

R. Gerald Turner, President of Southern Methodist University, will deliver a keynote address entitled “Diversity: Expanding the Vision.” Turner is the 10^th president of SMU and since 1995 has led an era of unprecedented progress at the University, including a strong commitment to diversity. Previously, as chancellor at the University of Mississippi, he achieved dramatic increases in diversity among students, faculty, and staff.

“As an increasingly diverse region, North Texas can become a leader in bringing together cultural communities for greater understanding and cooperation. These new partnerships can help the region to become more economically competitive in a global society, to enhance opportunities for education, and to build a social environment in which differences enrich our perspectives and life experiences,” said SMU President R. Gerald Turner. “The North Texas Diversity Council is playing a major role in helping our region to meet its potential and to expand the opportunities for human potential.”

The Diversity Luncheon is designed to bring together diversity and business professionals from across the state to reflect on the values of diversity. More than 50 companies are expected to participate, and almost 350 professionals will be in attendance.

“The Cox School of Business is committed to providing a first-rate education to students from communities and cultures around the world,” said Steve Denson, Cox director of diversity. “As a result of this commitment, we are able to provide the corporate community with a diverse group of MBA students who, because of their business skills and understanding of different cultures and business customs, succeed in business throughout the world. Working with the Texas Diversity Council, we look forward to increasing the diversity of not only our student body but also of our faculty, staff, and curriculum.”

The Economist recently ranked the Cox School’s alumni network as one of the 10 most global business school networks in the world.

About SMU Cox

SMU’s Cox School of Business offers a full range of business education programs, including BBA, full-time MBA, Professional MBA (PMBA), Executive MBA (EMBA), and Executive Education. The school also offers a number of unique resources and activities for students, ranging from its Business Leadership Center (BLC), Caruth Institute for Entrepreneurship, Maguire Energy Institute, and American Airlines Global Leadership Program (AAGLP) to its Associate Board Executive Mentoring Program and an international alumni network of more than 29,000. SMU Cox is ranked among the top business schools nationally and internationally by major publications, including BusinessWeek, Economist, Financial Times, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and U.S. News & World Report.

About Texas Diversity Council

The Texas Diversity Council (TXDC) is committed to fostering a learning environment for organizations to grow in their knowledge of diversity. TXDC seeks to promote diversity in the workplace and the community, develop leaders educated in and aware of all aspects of diversity, and develop youth programs that support diversity education and awareness. A member of the National Diversity Council, TXDC is currently made up of five Councils serving the greater metropolitan areas of Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. TXDC members include businesses and universities throughout the state.