Bob Dupuy views his commitment to enhance Southwestern's alumni programming as part of his "responsibility as an alumnus."

"As a student, Southwestern gave me a terrific foundation for my personal and professional life. Working with the Southwestern community, including fellow alumni, is both fun and life enhancing," he says. "I am involved because I enjoy it."

At the invitation of former classmate and current Southwestern President Jake B. Schrum '68, Dupuy serves as chair of the Alumni Self-Study Implementation Steering Committee. The group is charged with carrying out the recommendations made last year by the Alumni Self-Study Commission, which developed strategic plans to strengthen and enrich alumni programs. He also served on that commission.

One of the first and most visible changes is the newly renovated Alumni Center on the second floor of the Hugh Roy and Lillie Cullen Building. "Previously, there was no place on campus for alumni to gather. I view this new space as a first phase. I hope that eventually there will be a building devoted to the alumni and our activities."

The steering committee met last fall and again in January. At the January meeting, the committee met with the first four "task forces" it appointed to address the recommendations of the commission in the areas of leadership, class and affinity relations, communications, and local associations.

"I made a three-year commitment to lead this committee, and I believe it will take that long to complete our work. But based upon my experience to date, I know it will be a lot of fun. Working on the self-study commission and the implementation committee has given me the opportunity to get more involved in the life of Southwestern. Also, I am very impressed with the commitment, talent and energy of all the alumni who have agreed to be involved in this process."

Dupuy grew up in the East Texas city of Marshall and attended Southwestern intent on going into the Methodist ministry. But after his sophomore year, he changed his mind and majored in political science. Following graduation in 1969, he entered the University of Texas School of Law. "I wasn't really sure I wanted to be a lawyer, but I decided that the educational experience would be worthwhile even if I didn't practice. Now, 31 years later, I am still practicing and occasionally wondering whether I want to do something else. But the law has provided me new and challenging experiences and wonderful relationships."

After graduation from law school in 1972, he joined a small firm in Corpus Christi. In 1979, he moved to Austin to join Brown, Maroney, Rose, Baker and Dye (now Brown McCarroll, L.L.P.). In 1989 he moved to Dallas to open the firm's office there. As a transactional attorney, he specializes in commercial real estate and the development of independent electric power plants. In 2000, he was elected Chair of the firm and spends about a quarter of his time managing the firm, which has 160 lawyers in offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston and Longview. He is a fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, a member of the Dallas Real Estate Council and is listed in the most recent edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

He previously served on Southwestern's Alumni Board and Board of Trustees at Texas Wesleyan University and the Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture. He also has held numerous lay leadership positions in three United Methodist Churches-St. Lukes in Corpus Christi, University in Austin and Northaven in Dallas. He currently chairs the capital campaign leadership team at Northaven, which seeks to raise $2,500,000 to construct a new building.

His spouse, Virginia Hyde Dupuy '71, is a former instructor at Southwestern and the University's 2001 Distinguished Alumna. They have two children: Matt, a high school math and physics teacher in Austin, and Will, a successful musician who plays with the South Austin Jug Band.