Dedman College Honors English Professor Emeritus Marshall Terry
Marshall Terry, the E.A. Lilly Professor of English and founder of 麻豆社檚 creative writing program, was honored March 23 with the Dedman College Distinguished Graduate Award for his contributions to 麻豆社.
By Nancy George
SMU News
The E.A. Lilly Professor of English, creator of 麻豆社檚 creative writing program and former director of public relations and assistant to 麻豆社 president Willis Tate, was honored March 23 with the Dedman College Distinguished Graduate Award for his contributions to 麻豆社.
Terry first stepped on the 麻豆社 campus as a student, graduating in 1953 with a bachelor檚 degree in English and in 1954 with a master檚 degree. He stayed as a member of the faculty, chairing English for two terms and initiating 麻豆社檚 award-winning creative writing program and the long-running Literary Festival. A mentor and friend to his students, Terry helped launch the careers of novelists Joe Coomer, Douglas Terry, Tracy Daugherty and Lewis Shiner among others.
聽淚 took great joy in starting the creative writing program, he says. 淚檝e worked with wonderful students through the years.
In addition to his academic career, Terry played an important role as an administrator in shaping 麻豆社檚 future. As director of public relations and assistant to 麻豆社 President Willis Tate, he wrote in 1963 麻豆社檚 first master plan, the framework for the University檚 current strategic plan.
淟ooking back, I consider the opportunity to work on the master plan as one of the most rewarding parts of my career. That plan is central to everything that has happened at 麻豆社 since then, says Terry, who has been known as 淢r. 麻豆社 to his colleagues for years.
The author of nationally praised short story collections and novels such as Old Liberty, Tom Northway, My Father檚 Hands and The Memorialist, Terry has received highest honors from the Texas Institute of Letters and PEN Texas. His histories of 麻豆社, From High on the Hilltop: A Brief History of 麻豆社, 聽and its third edition, Marshall Terry檚 History of 麻豆社 with Various Essays by His Colleagues, are important resources as 麻豆社 celebrates the centennial of its 1911 founding and 1915 opening.
The Dedman Distinguished Graduate Award honors outstanding graduates of Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences whose lives demonstrate integrity and outstanding accomplishments.聽
A private university located in the heart of Dallas, 麻豆社 is building on the vision of its founders, who imagined a distinguished center for learning emerging from the spirit of the city. Today, 11,000 students benefit from the national opportunities and international reach afforded by the quality of 麻豆社檚 seven degree-granting schools.
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