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According to Robert Miller in today's (6/20) Dallas Morning News Business section page 4D, David and Carolyn Miller have given $2.5 million to SMU to be divided between the Edwin L. Cox School of Business and SMU Athletics. David was a 3 year varsity basketball letterman while he earned a degree in finance in 1972 and an MBA in 1973 from SMU. $1 million will be the first donation toward construction of a new basketball facility and $500 thousand will go toward enhancing the men's basketball program. The article is a full column and well worth reading!

I am proud that David was my classmate and I consider him a friend. I only wish he were a relative.

Here's Miller's column:

David B. Miller and his wife, Carolyn, have given $2.5 million to Southern Methodist University to be divided between the Edwin L. Cox School of Business and SMU Athletics.

Mr. Miller was a three-year varsity basketball letterman while he earned a degree in finance in 1972 and an MBA in 1973 at SMU.

The couple designated $1 million of their gift to establish the David B. Miller Endowed Professorship in Business.

Mr. Miller, who was a member of the 1971-72 Southwest Conference co-championship team, also stipulated that $1 million will be the first donation toward construction of a new basketball facility. The remaining $500,000 will go toward enhancing the men's basketball program.

The state-of-the-art SMU Basketball Center will be next to Moody Coliseum and cost approximately $12 million. (Note from MM1965: Does this mean it will be built on the Intramural Field next to the multi-story parking garage? If not, then where will it be built?)

Mr. Miller is co-founder and partner of EnCap Investments LP, an investment management firm with offices in Dallas and Houston. The couple lives in Dallas.

EnCap manages around $4 billion on behalf of institutional investors and is a leading provider of private equity capital to the independent sector of the oil and gas industry.

"This generous gift from David and Carolyn Miller supports our academic goals and our commitment to provide a well-rounded collegiate experience," said SMU President R. Gerald Turner.

"Their support will provide opportunities for future generations of students to benefit from the high quality of education they received at SMU and the vitality of the campus experience."

The endowment for the Cox School will fund a professorship that could be based in one of several departments, with priority given to the academic disciplines of finance, investments, accounting and entrepreneurship.

"The [flexible] terms of the Millers' gift will allow us to assign an endowed professorship to the academic area in which it can have the greatest impact," said Cox School Dean Albert W. Niemi Jr.

Referring to the $1.5 million contribution to the basketball program, SMU athletics director Steve Orsini said that alumni involvement is an important part of the SMU athletics program.

"We are happy and honored that a former SMU student-athlete who has done so well professionally is giving back to his university," he said.

Men's basketball coach Matt Doherty and women's basketball coach Rhonda Rompola agreed that the gift will help with recruiting and raising the level of competition.

Both programs serve the wider community, with several thousand basketball tickets distributed annually to children in the Dallas Independent School District and to youth groups.

Area children have also been SMU's guests at tournaments and other athletic events on campus.

Mr. Miller received the Distinguished Alumni Award of the Cox School of Business in 2000, and he serves on the executive board of the Cox School.

He's also a member of the University's Trustee Committee on Athletics and previously served as president of the Mustang Club.

I believe its being built where the tennis courts currently are.

MrMustang1965 wrote: (Note from MM1965: Does this mean it will be built on the Intramural Field next to the multi-story parking garage? If not, then where will it be built?)

It's being built on the current site of the tennis courts. Orsini has stated that the facility will be built there, and a new tennis facility will be built at another location.

Thank you XtC and Calallen for clearing that up for me.

That is correct.
The new tennis courts, once the money is raised, will be built to the south of their current location, where the temporary building is.

Many thanks to Mr. & Mrs. Miller.

That is correct, the new facility will go where the tennis courts are now. The new tennis courts will be where the metal building is, with an indoor facility to go up just south of that.