Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, Texas, recently announced a $25 million gift from Harold and Annette Caldwell Simmons. The couple has been some of the school's biggest contributors in recent years and this donation adds to a $20 million gift in 2007. Both contributions support the university's School of Education. 

The latest funding will help pay for a new building on campus that will be called the Harold Clark Simmons Hall and house the School of Education and its expanding program offerings. This gift will also help the school to support three new endowed positions. 

Annette Caldwell Simmons attended SMU and graduated with a degree in elementary education in 1957. Harold Simmons opened a drugstore, named Simmons University Drug, near the campus in 1961. The first store's success lead Simmons to expand and he eventually sold the chain, which was ultimately Eckert Drugs. 

"Our investment has resulted in the formation of innovative programs for education and human development, the hiring of outstanding faculty leading research that makes a difference, and growing outreach to communities with solutions that work," said Harold Simmons. 

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