North Dallas High School

The Robert H. Dedman SMU scholarship program was established to award the top scholars at North Dallas High School. The endowment fund, created by Mr. Dedman due to his generosity and appreciation of the education afforded him by his high school, provides a full tuition & fees, room and board scholarship for two students that matriculate from North Dallas High School to Southern Methodist University. 

Mr. Dedman was an outstanding student at North Dallas High School and represented the school as a top debater and baseball letterman. He worked his way through college, law school, and a Masters in law at SMU. He followed up a successful law career with the founding of Club Corp. His company became the owner and manager of the largest number of golf courses and resorts in the world. In his voluntary roles, Mr. Dedman has served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees and has made numerous gifts to SMU. He has been honored as a North Dallas Distinguished Alumnus, and his picture and biographical information is displayed in the school’s main hall.

This scholarship provides full tuition & fees, room and board for its recipients totaling over $288,000 over a four year period. Over seventy-five percent of SMU students receive some form of financial assistance, and the needs of Dedman Scholarship recipients are foreseen and planned for by SMU.

Eligibility for the Robert H. Dedman SMU Scholarship Program

• Class Rank – the student is expected to be in the top 10% of the graduating class

• Grade Average – the student is expected to have a grade average of 90 or better (on a 100 point scale)

• Curriculum – the student is expected to have two or more Advanced Placement (AP) courses completed or in progress

• Extracurricular Activities – the student is expected to have some involvement outside of the classroom-within the school and/or community.

The selection committee may relax the criteria in meritorious circumstances by its sole discretion.

The Selection Process

Applicants must complete the admission process and be accepted to SMU before being considered for the scholarship. A student must be admitted into the fall term directly following their high school graduation. Dedman scholarship information is available in the North Dallas High School counseling office. Finalists will be contacted for an interview by the selection committee in March.

Please contact the undergraduate admission office at rodrickj@smu.edu or 214-768-2087 with any questions regarding this program.