Dallas-based Southern Methodist University has announced a gift—the amount of which was not disclosed—from William S. Spears to establish a new institute within the university’s Edwin L. Cox School of Business.

While SMU describes the gift as the largest donation by a non-alumnus, Spears’ wife Candye Gould Spears and stepdaughter Meghan Bartos both graduated from the school. The gift is part of a multiyear $1.5 billion fundraising campaign that includes the largest gift in SMU's history, a $100 million grant from the Moody Foundation in 2019.

The William S. Spears Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership will focus on student success through leadership programming, external partnerships, scholarships, and internships, providing coursework and real-world experiences in areas such as product and process development, and the generation of venture capital. In addition, the funding will help seed businesses launched by students and faculty.

“The Spears Institute will accelerate groundbreaking innovation at the Cox School by expanding student potential and broadening faculty outreach,” said Cox School dean Matthew B. Myers. “Through our partnership with William Spears, the SMU Cox School will strengthen its ability to prepare our students to tackle grand challenges, spark bold new ideas and become industry front-runners.”

“I’m proud to partner with SMU for this exciting new initiative, and I look forward to seeing the creativity and opportunities the Spears Institute will inspire throughout Dallas and beyond,” said Spears, founder and CEO of Dallas-based energy conservation firm Cenergistic. “I hope that, through this gift, the Cox School will be a positive driver for pioneering innovation and enterprising development across Dallas.”

(Photo credit: Southern Methodist University)