DALLAS — When you meet Jay Hartzell , the first thing you notice is his warm smile and a genuine disposition.

WFAA sat down with the 11th president of Southern Methodist University ahead of his inauguration.

“It’s getting better,” Hartzell responded when asked whether his new title feels normal yet. “The president of SMU part is getting more and more customary.”

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Hartzell, the son of a sportswriter, grew up in Tulsa, Okla., and lost his father at a young age. His mother married a Methodist minister and graduate of the SMU Perkins School of Theology.

Before he was appointed by the SMU Board of Trustees as president, Hartzell served as president of the University of Texas at Austin. He brings a wealth of experience in research, academia and set record highs at UT Austin

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