The Austin College President’s Committee on Diversity and Inclusion has sponsored the 2022 Cunningham Lecture and welcomes Reverend Dr. Maria Dixon Hall to present “Beyond Babble: The Importance of Cultural Intelligence.”
Dixon Hall is the Chief Diversity Officer and Senior Advisor to the President for Campus Cultural Intelligence Initiatives at Southern Methodist University. The lecture is free and open to the public on Thursday, April 14, at 4:30 p.m. in Clifford J. Grum Sanctuary in Austin College’s Wynne Chapel.
Dixon Hall joined SMU after earning a Ph.D. in organizational communication from the University of Missouri-Columbia; a master’s degrees in theology in homiletics and divinity from Emory University; and a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Alabama.
She has been recognized throughout her SMU career by students and peers alike and received several awards for her outstanding service, teaching and research. In 2011 she was honored with the “M” Award, SMU’s highest recognition for outstanding service to the University. In 2020 and 2021, D Magazine’s D CEO named her one of Dallas’ most influential leaders.
She is an ordained clergy member of the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church. She and her husband, Rev. Dr. Jeff Hall, senior pastor of Cochran Chapel United Methodist Church, have three children.
The Cunningham Lectures are a program of Religious Life at Austin College and were established by a gift from Mr. and Mrs. Shem Cunningham of Wichita Falls, Texas, to bring distinguished speakers to the campus. Mr. Cunningham was a 1920 graduate of Austin College.
For information, please contact Austin College Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer Carllos Lassiter.