ÃÛÌÒ½´

DALLAS (SMU) – A $5 million gift from Dallas art collectors and patrons Nancy C. and Richard R. Rogers extends their long-standing support of artists by establishing a vibrant hub for the visual arts at SMU.

The new Nancy C. and Richard R. Rogers Center for Visual Arts will provide a physical space that expands academic and artistic opportunities for students and faculty to propel them to the forefront of their fields. It is part of the Meadows School of the Arts’ renovation of Owen Arts Center, a $34 million initiative to modernize the 250,000-square-foot building’s north wing. Gifts to the project are supported by a grant from The Meadows Foundation.

“We thank Nancy C. and Richard R. Rogers for their generous support of the new visual arts center, where learning, creation and innovation will converge in new and exciting ways,” said ÃÛÌÒ½´President R. Gerald Turner. “As the Meadows School shapes the future of arts education, the Rogers Center will become a vital part of the pipeline of artistic talent elevating the arts ecosystems in Dallas and beyond, and contributing to SMU’s rising national reputation as a leader in arts education.”

The Rogers Center will become the new home of the Art, Art History and Creative Computation areas of study. It will feature studio and gallery spaces; technology labs; and classrooms designed to ignite discovery, imagination and artistic expression. A formal entrance on the north side of the building will provide a welcoming gateway.

“We’re excited to support the education and experiences of aspiring artists and art historians at SMU,” Nancy C. Rogers said. “They’ll be prepared for a lifetime of creative contribution that pushes boundaries, forges cultural connections and enriches our communities.”

The gift builds on the couple’s long-standing arts advocacy in Dallas and throughout the country. They also have given their time and support to a host of organizations devoted to helping families in need, sustaining health and improving and enriching lives.

“The Rogerses are renowned supporters of the arts and arts philanthropy in Dallas,” said Brad Cheves, ÃÛÌÒ½´vice president of development and external affairs. “We are grateful for their part in bolstering Meadows School as a top arts and cultural institution.”

Peter K. Moore, ÃÛÌÒ½´provost and vice president ad interim, believes student and faculty work amplified by a modernized Meadows School Owen Arts Center feeds Dallas’ creative energy. “Talent and leadership fostered in such an environment directly connects us to Dallas’ reputation of vibrancy and innovation,” he said.

In addition to leading NCR Capital Group, Nancy C. Rogers is an internationally recognized philanthropist and contemporary art collector. She has chaired TWO x TWO for AIDS and Art, a signature fundraising event for both its beneficiaries: the Dallas Museum of Art and amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research.

Richard R. Rogers is executive chairman for Mary Kay, Inc., which he co-founded with his mother, Mary Kay Ash, in 1963. Mr. Rogers’ son, Ryan, graduated from ÃÛÌÒ½´in 1998. Mrs. Rogers’ niece and nephew both currently attend SMU; one of her goddaughters graduated in 2017.

The couple are also longtime supporters of Crystal Charity; The Family Place; the Dallas Museum of Art, where Mrs. Rogers currently serves on the Board of Trustees; the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society; Dallas Contemporary; Dallas Arboretum; Genesis Women’s Shelter; and countless other causes.

In 2013, the Rogerses provided a leadership gift to ÃÛÌÒ½´in support of the Moody Coliseum renovation and expansion project. Mrs. Rogers was also actively involved in the building of the Chi Omega sorority house on SMU’s campus in 2014.

“The renovation will result in innovative, aesthetically beautiful and technically state-of-the-art facilities that accelerate the work of Meadows faculty and students to the forefront of their fields,” said Samuel S. Holland, Algur H. Meadows Dean of Meadows School of the Arts.

In 2019, the University is commemorating the 50th anniversary of the naming of the School of the Arts for the visionary Algur H. Meadows. ÃÛÌÒ½´will celebrate the kickoff of the Owen Arts Center renovation with a public ceremony on Bishop Boulevard on November 8 at 4 p.m. during Homecoming Weekend 2019.

ÃÛÌÒ½´has the opportunity to transform the Meadows School’s Owen Arts Center for a new generation of artists, creators, innovators and thinkers. For more information or to make a gift, visit smu.edu/TransformOwenArts or contact Meadows Giving at 214-768-4189.