DALLAS (October 15, 2025) – Southwestern Medical Foundation has named Carolyn and David Miller as the 2025 recipients of The Sprague Award. Established in 1991, The Sprague Award recognizes outstanding leaders whose service and philanthropy strengthen health care across North Texas and inspire progress well beyond. Through the Miller Family Foundation and their many volunteer leadership roles, the Millers have supported organizations that strengthen education, health care, and social services.

Named for Charles Cameron Sprague, M.D., the first president of UT Southwestern Medical Center and former President of Southwestern Medical Foundation, The Sprague Award honors his legacy of service and civic leadership. Dr. Sprague’s vision helped shape the strong medical community North Texas benefits from today. Previous recipients of this prominent award include several distinguished local individuals and families, such as Sarah and Ross Perot, Jr., Barbara B. Moroney, Bonnie B. Smith, James E. Bass, and The Rita Crocker Clements Foundation, the Thompson family, Maureen and Robert Decherd, Nancy and Jeremy Halbreich, Mary McDermott Cook, Nancy Ann and Ray L. Hunt, Nancy Dedman, Rachael and Robert H. Dedman, and Patty Dedman Nail, and more.

“Carolyn and David Miller have quietly shaped Dallas philanthropy for decades,” said Michael McMahan, President and CEO of Southwestern Medical Foundation. “They lead with humility and purpose, working alongside those at the frontlines of progress and choosing to see change first-hand. Their steadfast commitment strengthens the Foundation’s mission to improve lives through better health care. Carolyn and David exemplify what it means to give with compassion and conviction.”

“Carolyn and David exemplify what it means to give with compassion and conviction.”

Michael McMahan
President & CEO of Southwestern Medical Foundation

The Millers both learned early in life the importance of generosity and community service. As individuals and later as a couple, they set out to give generously. Together, they have focused their philanthropy on Dallas and causes where they see their efforts creating meaningful change. Carolyn, a teacher and social worker by trade, recognizes the critical value of education and is a longstanding member of the Board of Trustees of her alma mater, Hendrix College, and serves on the Board of SMU-in-Taos. In addition to education, she is devoted to social causes such as aiding seniors, protecting battered women, and sheltering the homeless. This passion has led her to involvement with The Senior Source, as well as Genesis Women’s Shelter and Austin Street Center, where she currently sits on the Board.

“Hopefully, we have helped improved the quality of life for people all around our community, no matter who they are, their age, or where they come from.”

Carolyn Miller
The Sprague Award Recipient

“We’re all the same,” said Carolyn Miller. “No matter what your walk in life is, we’re all just human beings. For us, it’s important to feel like whatever we’ve done, we’ve at least made a difference in people’s lives. Hopefully, we have helped improve the quality of life for people all around our community, no matter who they are, their age, or where they come from. We are committed to the betterment of Dallas as a whole because every person who lives here matters. David and I are immensely proud to continue building on the Sprague legacy of conscious, impact-focused giving.”

David shares Carolyn’s belief in the power of education to open doors and transform lives. He has contributed significantly to his alma mater, Southern Methodist University, where he played basketball, earned both his BBA and MBA degrees, and served as a long-time member of the University’s Board of Trustees, currently holding the position of Chair. He has received Distinguished Alumni Awards from both SMU and The Cox School of Business. David also serves on the Boards of the George W. Bush Foundation, Southwestern Medical Foundation, and Methodist Health System Foundation, where, in 2017, he was the recipient of the Robert S. Folsom Leadership Award. In 2024, he was inducted into the Texas Business Hall of Fame. He previously chaired the Boards of Goodwill Industries of Dallas and The Senior Source. The Millers were honored with The Senior Source’s Spirit of Generations Award, and they are both recipients of the Volunteer Center’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

“Anyone can write a check, but it takes true dedication and commitment to personally engage and contribute to the improvement of lives within your community.”

David Miller
The Sprague Award Recipient

“While monetary giving is crucial to community betterment, I firmly believe that giving of your time and skills can be even more impactful than the amount of money you donate,” said David Miller. “Carolyn and I have always believed that you lead by example, a lesson that we modeled for and instilled in all of our children. Anyone can write a check, but it takes true dedication and commitment to personally engage and contribute to the improvement of lives within your community. We are humbled that the Foundation has chosen to honor us with such a prestigious award. All we can hope is that our contributions continue to make real change happen for the people and communities of North Texas.”

The Millers were honored with The Sprague Award at a ceremony on October 14. The award presentation was followed by a Leading the Conversation on Health panel discussion called “By Design: Reimagining Cancer Treatment” featuring leaders from UT Southwestern, including Andrew Koh, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics, Microbiology, and Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center and Division Chief of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Grant A. Dove Distinguished Chair for Research in Oncology; Jaehyuk Choi, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Center for Cellular Therapies and Cancer Immunology, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Professor and Vice Chair, Translational Research and Innovation, Department of Dermatology, Scheryle Simmons Patigian Distinguished Chair in Cancer Immunobiology; and, Laura Klesse, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Pediatrics and Neurological Surgery and Director of the Neurofibromatosis Program, Dedman Family Scholar in Clinical Care. Photos from that event can be found here. For more information on The Sprague Award, Southwestern Medical Foundation, and its mission, please visit www.SWMedical.org.

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ABOUT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL FOUNDATION

Southwestern Medical Foundation is a public charity and a registered 501(c)(3) with a prestigious 85+ year history that all started with a question: “Why not a great medical center in the Southwestern United States?” The Foundation was created to rally citizens in support of the highest quality health care possible in the Southwestern US. Out of that community vision, UT Southwestern Medical Center emerged. Today, it remains the Foundation’s partner and most significant beneficiary. Southwestern Medical Foundation is guided by four core principles: Service to Community, Vision of Excellence, Mindful Stewardship, and Best Outcomes. Each principle is a promise to donors, beneficiaries, and generations to come that the Foundation is dedicated to bringing the gift of better health to the Southwest and the world beyond. Southwestern Medical Foundation continues to earn a Candid (formerly GuideStar) Platinum Seal and Charity Navigator Four-Star Rating. These organizations rate governance, accountability, and transparency, supported by both qualitative and quantitative measures. Learn more at www.swmedical.org.