Texas Woman's Magazine | Spring 2026

A PUBLICATION FOR

ALUMNI, FRIENDS

AND SUPPORTERS

SPRING 2026

Dreaming BIG

for 125 years

---

Decades

of

Dreams

---

INSIDE

6

ENDURING BOND

TWU Experience led

Paup to pay it forward

8

FIRST NURSE

Alumna played key role

in program’s rise

24

TRUE GRIT

Diane Cox, ’99

To Hell and Back

Texas

Woman’s

SPRING 2026

PUBLISHER: Jaime Porter

Interim Vice President, University

Advancement and Alumni Engagement

EDITOR: Matt Flores

Assistant VP University Communications

CONTRIBUTORS: Sherami Conesa-Maiz,

Michelle Cummings, Susan Farrington,

Joshua Flanagan, Elizabeth Gustwick,

Christopher Johnson, Kris Kaskel-Ruiz,

Michele Kyle, Lisa Nash, David Pyke,

Amy Ruggini, Christy Savage ’17, ’25

Isabella Serrano, Korinne West

ART DIRECTION AND DESIGN:

Renee Victory

Director, Design Services

ILLUSTRATORS: Alem DeLaCruz ’19,

Victoria Nall ’22

PHOTOGRAPHERS: Nari Miller, Andy Palos,

Erik Palos

CHANCELLOR AND PRESIDENT:

Carine M. Feyten, Ph.D.

PRINT PRESS: Slate Group

©March 2026, Texas Woman’s University System

TEXAS WOMAN’S 1

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O

ne hundred and twenty-five

years is quite the milestone

in higher education, so

it shouldn’t surprise

anyone how dramatically a

university can evolve in that span.

And if innovation sparks true

transformation, then TWU’s new Health

Sciences Center is Ground Zero for it.

The center, opened in fall 2025, quickly

became the epicenter for collaboration

in the health fields at Texas Woman’s.

The $107 million, 136,000 square-foot,

state-of-the-art building features clinical

integration labs, simulation labs, clinics,

high-tech classrooms, an outdoor therapy

garden, a rehabilitation gym and a test

kitchen among other spaces.

The building was designed with

these shared spaces to encourage

interprofessional education among

teachers, students, clinicians and others.

And with its sophisticated features such

as AI simulations, students can experience

health-related scenarios.

THE COLLECTIVE CURE

“This is the heartbeat of our health

sciences programming,” says Noralyn

Pickens, TWU’s associate dean for

Interprofessional Education and Strategic

Initiatives in the College of Nursing and

the College of Health Sciences.

The center’s cutting-edge teaching

technologies are a far cry from how

nursing education began at the turn of

the 20th century.

“The concept of working as a team

with others was not in play. There were

no physical therapists for rehab. All

nurses were generalists, and specialties

such as pediatrics and obstetrics didn’t

exist,” explains Stephanie Woods, dean of

TWU’s College of Nursing.

Pickens says the new center fosters

collaboration among all TWU health

disciplines and incorporates a “teachtrain-treat”

philosophy.

All five of TWU’s academic colleges

have a stake in the programming, and

three clinics already serve the Denton

community: one for speech and hearing,

a second for counseling and family

therapy and an Institute for Women’s

Health. A fourth to be staffed by nurse

practitioners is being developed.

What’s more is the community

benefits from the added number of

health professionals being trained in the

center, many of whom will practice in

the region.

“We plan on graduating 240 nurses

and 50 physical therapists per year —

that’s a real impact on North Texas,”

Pickens says.

And it’s not just TWU’s health-adjacent

programs that have evolved significantly

over the decades. Transformation is

evident across all disciplines.

A NEW SCHOOL OF THOUGHT

In the College of Professional

Education, immersive technologies such

as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented

Reality (AR) are enhancing the classroom

experience, and Artificial Intelligence

has emerged as a tool for teachers

and students.

And there are other ways the

experience has improved for students

seeking to become teachers themselves.

In 2024-25, the college launched its

first teacher residency program,

which is an alternative to traditional

student teaching.

Teacher residency pays students to

work in classrooms with established

teachers throughout the school year,

while student teaching is unpaid and

can last up to 16 weeks.

The program adds greater depth to the

teaching experience without creating a

financial burden on would-be teachers.

“I was able to see the ins and outs of

lesson planning and more. I saw every

single aspect of a teacher from before

2 TEXAS WOMAN’S

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YEARS of Cultivating Grit

school even starts to letting them go

on the last day — knowing you set them

up for success,” recalls Molly Mayfield,

who began a residency last fall teaching

kindergarten students.

ROI OF BUSINESS

Before TWU established a business

college in 2017, the university had a school

of management. After years of enrollment

growth and program expansion,

the college in 2023 earned AACSB

accreditation, the highest distinction

for business schools recognized for

outstanding teaching, research and

societal impact. Only 6% of business

schools globally have received AACSB

accreditation.

Then, in 2024, the college was the

beneficiary of a record $30 million gift

from TWU alumna Merrilee Alexander

Kick, an MBA graduate who owned and

operated a successful spirits business.

The college now bears her name.

The gift will support a new business

building, an endowed chair and an

innovation institute, which collectively

will shape the student experience for

generations to come.

“We've built something our students

can carry with pride for the rest of

their careers — and we're just getting

“We’ve built something our students can carry

with pride for the rest of their careers — and

we're just getting started,”

Rama Yelkur, Ph.D., Executive Dean

Merrilee Alexander Kick College of Business and Entrepreneurship

started,” says Rama Yelkur, the college’s

executive dean.

MUSIC’S NEW STAGE

In the College of Arts and Sciences,

faculty leaders wanted a Bachelor of

Music degree with an emphasis in

musical theatre that would go beyond

what traditional programs at other

universities offered. In 2025, they came

up with a program that not only trains

students in music, theatre and dance, but

offers insights into the industry that no

textbook can match.

Students get real-world experience

through internships, where they gain

knowledge in areas such as casting, box

office, choreography and other activities

associated with stage craft — setting

them up for more industry opportunities

than ever before.

“These are things you can’t learn in a

classroom,” says Julio Agustin Matos, Jr.,

the program’s artistic manager.

What’s more, he says, students end

their studies with an industry showcase

where they will audition in front of

professional agents and casting directors.

Indeed, much has changed in the way

education is delivered at Texas Woman’s

over the last century and one-quarter,

making one wonder what changes are in

store over the next 125 years.

TEXAS WOMAN’S 3

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Chancellor’s Message

A

s Texas Woman’s University

celebrates 125 years,

I sometimes imagine

stepping back to 1901 to

speak with the 27th Texas

Legislature. I would tell them that their

bold decision to educate young women

beyond the traditional boundaries of

finishing schools ignited a legacy of

innovation, leadership and impact that

has transformed Texas and forever

changed the lives of students who dared

to imagine more.

Throughout the century, TWU has

forged a tradition of trailblazing —

achieving thousands of “firsts” for the

women of Texas and beyond, including

the establishment of the nation’s only

woman-focused university system.

Our graduates have gone on to heal

communities, educate generations, lead

industries, advance scientific discovery

and break barriers in fields once closed

to them. Each achievement reflects the

courage and conviction embedded in

our founding.

That legacy of excellence continues

to evolve.

Today, TWU is a modern, studentcentric

university with a strong

presence in Denton, Dallas and Houston

and a growing online footprint that

extends our reach even further. As a

Carnegie-classified R2 institution, we

are advancing real-world solutions,

innovation and interdisciplinary

collaboration — while remaining

steadfast in our commitment to access,

affordability and student success. We

continue to prepare leaders who are

not only career-ready but equipped to

shape a more resilient future.

This year, we celebrate 125 years

where history and possibility converge.

Join us as we honor our pas and

boldly launch the next 125 years.

With Pioneer Pride,

Carine M. Feyten, Ph.D.

Celebrating TWU’s 125th Anniversary & the Closing of the Successful Dream Big Campaign

“Big dreams. Real impact. Endless thanks.”

Monday, October 19 - Saturday, October 24

Week-long activities on all three campuses

Grand Celebration: Saturday evening, October 24 | Public art unveiling

Theater & music performances | Lectures, research expos, open houses

Athletics events & exhibitions | Donor recognition events | Alumni art show

Much, much, more! | Learn More at dreambig.twu.edu

4 TEXAS WOMAN’S

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> 2025

Welcome Center at

Brackenridge Hall

Heart

& Home

> 1916

Brackenridge

originally opened as

a residence hall

F

or more than a century,

the Brackenridge name has

been part of the daily life

of this campus — not just

etched on stone but both on

heart and home. The first Brackenridge

building rose here in 1916, a 175-bed

residence hall that offered young women

something rare for its time: both shelter

and possibility. On its roof sat a garden

that could hold 1,400 people, a literal high

ground where students gathered, trading

small talk and big dreams under open

Texas skies.

When that original dormitory was

eventually torn down, the Mary Eleanor

Brackenridge Student Union took its

place in 1969, inheriting both the site

and the spirit. It began as a practical

crossroads — bookstore, post office,

snack bar — and grew into something

more layered and more beloved. Over the

years came computer labs, a game room

dubbed “The Underground” and a thirdfloor

dining space called the Garden

Room, a quiet nod to the rooftop garden

that once bloomed above it all.

More than fifty years later,

Brackenridge has been reimagined

again. After a major renovation, the

84,000-square-foot building reopened as

the university’s Welcome Center — less

> 1969

Brackenridge 2nd

Iteration had a

dining hall, bookstore

and student

services

student union now than front porch.

Each year, thousands of visitors will

pass through its doors, stepping into a

space that serves as both introduction

and anchor, a central hub for student

services and a first handshake with the

institution itself.

Mary Eleanor Brackenridge was no

ceremonial benefactor. She was a force.

Appointed in 1902 to the university’s

first board of regents, she lobbied the

Texas Legislature for early funding and

institutional support when the school’s

future was anything but guaranteed.

Beyond campus, she stood at the center

of some of the most contentious social

movements of her time — active in the

fight for Prohibition and serving as

president of the Texas Woman Suffrage

Association from 1913 to 1914. When

Texas women finally won the right

to vote in 1918, Brackenridge became

the first woman in Bexar County

to register.

More than a century later, the

building that bears her name continues

to do what she did so naturally:

welcome people in, push them forward

and quietly insist that progress

belongs here.

TEXAS WOMAN’S 5

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DONOR IMPACT

ENDURING BOND

TWU experience led

Paup to pay it forward

> NANCY PAUP,

’73, ’74

TWU Regent,

Philanthropist &

Alumna

W

hen she enrolled at

Texas Woman’s

University in the early

1970s, Nancy Paup

wasn’t entirely certain

what to expect at the all-women

institution — particularly after having

graduated from a large, co-educational

public high school in Dallas.

At the time, TWU’s student population

hovered around 6,000, not considered

a small university, but certainly not on

par with the larger public universities

in Texas. In 1972, men were admitted at

the graduate level and specifically in the

health science disciplines. It wasn’t until

1994 that TWU opened all its programs

to male students.

Institutional size and the womanfocus

aside, it didn’t take long for

her to make keen observations about

the classroom dynamics. She was

pleasantly surprised.

“The faculty encouraged us all

to speak up in the classrooms, to

voice our differing opinions and to

actively participate in activities and

discussions,” Paup recalls. “There

was a classroom atmosphere among

the girls of inclusion, acceptance and

encouragement.”

If first impressions weigh heavily in

formulating opinions, the scales tipped

favorably for TWU in Paup’s judgment.

That initial assessment was

supported by a series of positive

experiences that prompted her

to pursue graduate school at the

university. By the time she ended her

educational journey at TWU, Paup

earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees

in education.

“There were strong mentoring

relationships developing between the

students, faculty and administrators,”

Paup says, recalling her experiences as

an undergraduate and graduate student

at Texas Woman’s. “These relationships,

I believe, helped all of us as students to

develop important leadership skills.”

Thus began an enduring bond

6 TEXAS WOMAN’S

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> LEFT: Paup visits

with airline pilot

hero Tammie Jo

Shults and women

aviator advocate

Amelia Rose Earhart

at TWU.

between Paup and TWU after her

time as a student, one that would lead

to career-defining achievements,

lifelong friendships and pay-it-forward

contributions that would help develop

and inspire new generations of leaders.

In college, she took on leadership

roles in several student organizations.

Additionally, she was a student

worker in the office of then-President

John Guinn. Interestingly, among

her duties was helping prepare for

regents’ meetings, a task that took on

a prescient meaning.

Decades later, she would be

appointed by former Texas Gov. Rick

Perry to serve on the Texas Woman’s

University System Board of Regents,

and during her six-year term that

began in 2013, she served as chair of the

board’s Committee on Academic Affairs.

“There are so many ways that TWU

has influenced both my personal and

professional life, including as a TWU

college student, as a wife and mother,

and throughout my professional career,”

Paup says.

At TWU, Nancy and her husband,

Ted, have given generously to the

university, establishing a lecture series

and funding a scholarship program.

In 2022, she was appointed by

Governor Greg Abbott to serve as

a Commissioner to the Texas State

Library and Archives Commission.

In addition, Paup has served on

numerous state-wide boards throughout

Texas. “It’s been fun to have the

opportunities to meet so many new

friends throughout the state and work

together on shared goals as board

members”, Paup says.

She considers her appointment

as regent a highlight of her career.

“I viewed this gubernatorial

appointment in public service as both

an honor and responsibility,” she says.

“It was a very gratifying experience to

be able to give back to my

university, my community

and the great state of Texas.”

> RIGHT: Famed

aviator Amelia Mary

Earhart (center) visits

with two women at

TWU in 1936.

A HIGH-FLYING TRADITION

Series brings world to TWU

Generosity and learning take many

forms. For Nancy Paup and her

husband, Ted, giving back to Texas

Woman’s meant going beyond

scholarships to spark big ideas —

launching a signature lecture series

featuring nationally recognized

trailblazers.

In 2019, they created the Nancy

P. and Thaddeus E. Paup Lecture,

which has since brought an

exceptional lineup to TWU: Col.

Eileen Collins, the first woman to

command a U.S. space mission;

soccer icon Brandi Chastain, a

World Cup champion and two-time

Olympic gold medalist; and Amelia

Rose Earhart, the round-the-world

pilot and advocate for women

in aviation.

“Students and community

members deserve the chance

to meet and hear the inspiring

journeys of these remarkable

national leaders,” Paup says.

In a serendipitous twist, Earhart’s

2025 TWU lecture arrived 89 years

after famed aviator Amelia Mary

Earhart spoke on campus. Though

not related, Amelia Rose Earhart

was named for the iconic pioneer.

The Paups further advanced

student success by establishing

the Regents’ Scholarship

Endowment Initiative, supporting

high-achieving juniors and seniors

who lead boldly in and beyond the

classroom.

Learn More

Visit twu.edu/pauplecture

TEXAS WOMAN’S 7

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DONOR IMPACT

FIRST NURSE

Cunningham played key

role in program’s rise

T

he white cap for

Parkland Hospital

nurses was crisp with a

black band accent — an

appeal difficult for Diana

Cunningham to resist when she was

contemplating nursing schools in

the 1950s.

But there was a problem.

MOTHER KNOWS BEST

Cunningham’s mother, herself a

graduate of the Parkland School of

Nursing, had a prescient thought:

as nursing education evolved, the

profession would increasingly be

favoring nurses with four-year

degrees, unlike the three-year

program Parkland offered.

An impasse ensued.

“We got pretty crossways about this,”

Cunningham recalls.

One morning, her mother read in the

newspaper that Texas State College for

Women, now Texas Woman’s University,

was teaming with Parkland to create a

four-year nursing program.

“That sealed it. We both got what we

wanted,” Cunningham says, laughing.

“And I wore that cap with pride for

many years.”

SHIFT CHANGE

Thus, a career began for Cunningham,

one of TWU’s first nursing graduates in

1958, which included nursing, teaching

on TWU’s faculty, and supervising

students and in-service lectures at

Children’s Medical Center in Dallas.

She eventually obtained her Ph.D. in

psychology and became Director of

Psychology and Psychology Training

at Dallas Child Guidance Clinic. She

went on to develop a private practice in

clinical psychology.

“Dr. Cunningham and her mother,

Margaret C. Pinson, are the perfect

story that encompasses the shared

history of the Parkland Hospital

School of Nursing and Texas Woman’s

University,” says College of Nursing

Dean Stephanie Woods, Ph.D. “Two

wonderful nurses from two wonderful

nursing programs.”

Cunningham remembers her mother

was part of a group instrumental in

securing eight-hour shifts for nurses

instead of the 12-hour shifts they

worked six days a week at the time.

“Parkland nurses have always been

assertive and even politically active in

policy decisions,” Cunningham says.

She continued that spirit when

she and other students asked the

Legislature to change the name from

Texas State College for Women to its

current TWU.

STARCH REALITY

Cunningham, elegant as she is

charming, remembers her nursing

school uniform: pinstriped dress, white

apron, white shoes, white hose and a

bib worn crossway over the shoulders

starched so heavily that it would rub

her neck raw.

“We would put Kleenex behind our

necks to keep the things from rubbing,”

Cunningham recalls.

Her abilities as a nursing student so

impressed faculty that one instructor

alerted TWU’s founding dean, Faye

Pannel, that Cunningham would be a

worthy candidate for a faculty post.

Pannel agreed.

As Cunningham’s career grew, so did

TWU’s burgeoning nursing program.

In 23 years, the college grew from 69

students to 4,000 by 1977, to become one

of the world’s largest nursing programs.

When she joined the Denton faculty,

the TWU nursing program was growing

so rapidly that Cunningham took on

new roles as an advisor and counselor.

It inspired Cunningham to pursue

another avenue: psychology with a

focus in child and family psychology.

Although Cunningham has

since moved on, she remains deeply

grateful for her mother’s foresight

regarding the evolving landscape of

nursing education and for the many

learning opportunities and strong

support she received from TWU.

8 TEXAS WOMAN’S

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> FAR RIGHT: Dr. Diana

Cunningham, present day.

CENTER: Diana Cunningham

in her senior year nursing uniform,

furnished by Parkland Hospital

and starched heavy, of course.

TOP LEFT: Nursing students in

their pediatric clinical rotation.

BOTTOM LEFT: Diana

Cunningham’s nursing class, which

started with 69 but graduated 28.

“Dr. Cunningham and her mother, Margaret Pinson,

are the perfect story that encompasses the shared

history of the Parkland Hospital School of Nursing

and Texas Woman’s University.”

Learn More

twu.edu/nursing

College of Nursing Dean Stephanie Woods, Ph.D., R.N.

TEXAS WOMAN’S 9

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WHAT IF?

Could AI give every student

a byte-sized education?

IT’S TOO LATE FOR JOKES ABOUT

SKYNET, the fictional artificial

intelligence from the movie “Terminator.”

AI is real — and it’s here.

TWU’s graduating teachers will

educate children who have never

known a world without AI, said School

of Education Professor Sharla Snider,

Ph.D., a co-editor with School of

Education Director Juan Araujo, Ph.D.,

of the book “Responsible AI Integration

in Education.”

They are just two examples

of faculty across TWU taking a

comprehensive, strategic approach

to AI integration, still in early stages

of classroom use.

“They are discovering innovative

ways to leverage large language models

to promote deep, sustained learning for

all students,” Araujo says.

Teachers already use AI to design

engaging lessons and differentiate

instruction to meet diverse needs.

They can use it to support planning

and assessment.

“Faculty can design more targeted

instruction and create personalized

learning experiences to better serve

students,” Araujo says. “AI tools have

the potential to strengthen teamwork,

refine instructional design and increase

learning in the classroom.”

Araujo says TWU faculty encourage

students to use AI tools for exploration,

discovery and creative problem-solving.

Examples include test preparation,

designing chatbots as interactive study

partners and creating collaborative

educational games.

In addition to reimagining AI use for

students, Araujo believes AI presents an

opportunity to reconsider the evolving

role of the professor.

“It challenges us to reflect on our

primary responsibilities as educators

— what we should prioritize and what

kinds of support our students truly need

for success,” Araujo says. “As teaching

and learning continue to transform, we

are called to focus not only on content

delivery, but on cultivating critical

thinking, creativity and adaptability in

our students.”

10 TEXAS WOMAN’S

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RESEARCH

THAT

MATTERS

Learn how you

can support

research at TWU

Send us a note at advancement@twu.edu

> KELLY HIBBELER ALBUS, PH.D.

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Water Water

Everywhere

But not a drop to drink

TWU IS MAKING A SPLASH

in engineering by forging

a path in environmental

science. Leading the way

is assistant professor Kelly

Albus, Ph.D.

Albus is an environmental

scientist who brings new

perspectives to shared-water

resources management.

She joined TWU in 2025

and teaches courses

on water in a changing

global environment,

undergraduate capstone

research and applied field

methods to build skills for

a future environmental

workforce. Her research

focuses on water quality,

citizen and community

science, and innovative

strategies for engaging

diverse communities in

environmental monitoring

and stewardship.

She is recognized for

her exceptional work as

a National Geographic

Explorer, a research scientist

in the Texas Water Resources

Institute and an expert in

citizen science with a focus

on broadening engagement

in environmental issues.

TEXAS WOMAN’S 11

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RESEARCH

THAT

MATTERS

Magnifying Impact

Alum’s generosity boosts research

& student ’scopes of success

TWU ALUMNA Dorothy

Meyer Kincaid grew up in

East Texas’s oil country. She

earned a biology degree

from Texas State College for

Women (now TWU) in 1945

and worked as a registered

medical technician. Kincaid

died in 2015, and in 2019,

the Dorothy Meyer Kincaid

Science Equipment Fund was

established at TWU with a

gift of $1 million. In 2025, the

Kincaid estate donated an

additional $918,000.

The gift transformed the

Science Research Center

on the Denton campus,

establishing the Kincaid

Microscopy Suite by acquiring

a new confocal microscope,

updating an existing confocal

microscope and acquiring

live-cell microscopes.

Unlike standard lab

microscopes, these stateof-the-art

instruments allow

our TWU researchers and

students to peer deep into

the architecture of living cells.

Students can watch proteins

interact in real time, track

how cancer cells respond

to new drugs, and capture

high-definition 3D images of

biological processes as they

unfold.

“By mastering this ‘gold

standard’ technology,

TWU biology students are

gaining the exact hands-on

experience they need to lead

the next generation of research

discovery,” says Lionel Faure,

Ph.D., an associate clinical

professor in biology. “It’s a

fitting legacy for a woman who

dedicated her life to medical

technology.” In addition to the

equipment fund, she endowed

the Dorothy Meyer Kincaid

Scholarship Fund to support

TWU biology students pursuing

careers in medical technology.

“By mastering this ‘gold standard’

technology, TWU biology students

are gaining the exact hands-on

experience they need to lead

the next generation of research

discovery.”

Lionel Faure, Ph.D., associate clinical professor

12 TEXAS WOMAN’S

---

MY INSPIRATION

DONOR

GROWING

A NURSING

LEGACY

Nursing alum’s

gift honors

longtime

professor

A GIFT CAN START A

LEGACY, but sometimes one

gives because of a legacy.

Michelle Copeland, a

two-time graduate of the

College of Nursing at Texas

Woman’s University, left

her estate to honor her

former professor, Rose

Nieswiadomy, Ph.D., a TWU

professor of 30 years.

Dr. Rose, as she was

affectionately known by

students, made a lasting

impact on TWU Nursing and

hospitals across Texas.

“We couldn’t go to a

hospital where a nurse

didn’t know her,” Anne

Bradley, Nieswiadomy’s

daughter, says. “They

loved her.”

Nieswiadomy, a DFW

Great 100 Nurse, worked

hard to connect with her

students. Angela Oliver, her

granddaughter, remembers

her memorizing students’

names within days of the

semester starting.

“I was always amazed.

She really wanted to be

personal with everyone,”

says Oliver, who is a nurse

today because of her

grandmother.

Nieswiadomy didn’t just

connect with her students.

She connected her students

with the content.

“She would make it fun.

That’s why she wrote her

textbook. She wanted to put

it in a way that people could

understand. She wanted

that light bulb to go off,”

Oliver recalls.

Nieswiadomy’s textbook,

“Foundations of Nursing

Research,” is in its seventh

edition.

“She just loved to teach.

It was her passion in life.

She wanted every one of

them to be a great nurse,”

Bradley says.

Whether it was taking

after-hours calls to help

students with a thesis or

inviting them to her home to

work on their dissertation,

Nieswiadomy always looked

to encourage and help

future nurses.

With her gift to the Dr.

Rose Marie Nieswiadomy

Endowment for scholarships

in the College of Nursing,

Copeland joins her legacy.

Learn more

about annual giving at

twu.edu/annualgiving

TEXAS WOMAN’S 13

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THEN AND NOW

A Bird’s Eye View

TWU’s evolution from iconic towers

to a sprawling modern campus

GROWTH HAS ALWAYS

BEEN a constant at Texas

Woman’s — and a critical

factor in the university’s

success.

Under John Guinn’s

presidency, enrollment grew

from about 2,000 students

in 1950 to nearly 9,000

in 1976.

As space needs increased,

Guinn committed to keeping

a small footprint, which

meant buildings would be

taller. Four towers were

added: Stark Hall (1967),

Guinn Hall (1969), CFO

(1970) and ACT (1978).

Fast forward to 2018,

when enrollment hovered in

the 15,000-student range

and Chancellor Carine

Feyten commissioned a

master plan that doubled the

campus footprint.

Much thought went into

planning new buildings,

renovations, infrastructure,

walking trails and green

spaces — making the

university a more robust

environment for learning,

discovery, collaboration

and wellbeing.

661,377

New building

square footage added

$532.3 million

Capital project investments

Under Dr. Feyten since 2015

>1950-1976

President John Guinn

looks over the Denton

campus from his office

in the CFO building.

Guinn’s focus was to

maintain a small campus

footprint, which led to

the construction of taller

buildings.

Photo: TWU Special Collections

>2014-PRESENT

Chancellor Carine Feyten

peers across the campus

landscape from the top

floor in the ACT building.

As the student population

grew, the need for more

space became evident,

which led to more

facilities and spaces, with

an eye toward preserving

environmental elements.

14 TEXAS WOMAN’S

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BOLDLY

GO

> From left,

BEULAH KINCAID,

CLASS OF 1904

The only member of TWU’s

inaugural graduating class.

ALEXIA ALBIZO

CLASS OF 2025

Among 1,385 fall

commencement graduates.

TEXAS WOMAN’S 15

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1 Building

Old Main

Our first building built in 1903 served as an all-in-one

educational and administrative center for the college

in its founding years

4

Academic Departments

English-Science | Domestic Arts

Fine and Industrial Art | Commercial Arts

1 Graduate

Class of 1904

0 Alumni

1901

14 Faculty

1903

Early Athletic Teams

Archery | Badminton | Bowling | Fencing | Field Hockey

Golf | Swimming | Tennis | Track and Field

173 Students

1903

16 TEXAS WOMAN’S

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YEARS

Later

89 Buildings

Health Sciences Center

Our newest building built in 2025, is a state-of-the-art

center providing advanced clinical labs and interdisciplinary

education preparing future Texas healthcare leaders

3,900+ Graduates

Class of 2025

119,566 Alumni

2026

5

Colleges

College of Arts & Sciences | College of Health Sciences

College of Nursing | College of Professional Education

Merrilee Alexander Kick College

of Business and Entrepreneurship

999 Faculty

2026

15,000+ Students

2026

2026 Athletic Teams

Artistic Swimming | Basketball | Dance | Gymnastics

Soccer | Softball | Stunt | Volleyball | Wrestling

TEXAS WOMAN’S 17

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NEWS ROUNDUP

Campus by Campus

Learn what’s happening in Denton, Dallas and Houston

> LEADERSHIP

CELEBRATION

Friends of Texas Woman’s

gathered to honor media

titan Lee Cullum at a

reception ahead of this

year’s Dallas Leadership

Luncheon.

Sitting, left to right, are

honorary chair Lucy

Billingsley and DLL honoree

Cullum. Standing, left to

right, are Chancellor Carine

Feyten, luncheon chair Lucy

Burns and nutrition Ph.D.

student Valeria Millinga.

LEE CULLUM HONORED

FOR LEADERSHIP

Media titan Lee Cullum

was honored in February

with the 2026 Virginia

Chandler Dykes Leadership

Award. A revered Texas

journalist and distinguished

voice in global policy,

Cullum is a veteran editor

and senior fellow who

seamlessly bridges the gap

between the complexities

of international diplomacy

and the heart of Dallas

culture. Also recognized

at the Dallas Leadership

Luncheon was scholarship

recipient Valeria Millinga, a

nutrition PhD student. The

annual event raises funds

for graduate scholarships.

DENTON

SAYING “AH” IN

TWO LANGUAGES

Students doublemajoring

in Spanish and

pre-health can become

certified bilingual medical

professionals through a

new bachelor’s degree in

Spanish Translation and

Interpreting, which began

in Fall 2025.

A NEW RECIPE FOR STEM

TWU has launched a new

food science bachelor’s

degree program, which

prepares students for STEM

careers across the food

industry — from product

development to food safety.

DALLAS

A NEW PHASE FOR

WOMEN’S HEALTH

The Institute for Women’s

Health was awarded a

$40,000 grant from the

Texas Women’s Foundation

to study extending the

institute’s presence to

TWU’s Dallas campus and

making perimenopausal

research its primary focus.

A MASTERCLASS IN

PUBLIC SERVICE

Assistant Professor Tianyi

Li, Ph.D., was named a

Founders’ Fellow by the

American Society for Public

Administration. Li was one

of only 27 professionals in

the nation to receive the

recognition.

HOUSTON

A BOLD START FOR

EARLY EDUCATORS

The Houston Endowment

awarded the Houston ISD

a $175,000 grant to help

prospective early childhood

teachers from TWU gain

a bachelor’s degree and

certification through

a competency-based

education program.

A TEXTBOOK EXAMPLE

OF EXCELLENCE

Jayne Jennings Dunlap,

D.N.P., who co-wrote

a textbook on nursing

practice, won the 2025

International Award for

Nursing Excellence from

the Sigma Theta Tau

International Honor Society

of Nursing.

18 TEXAS WOMAN’S

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ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT

HOMECOMING

2026APRIL 16-18

THURSDAY, APRIL 16

Pioneer Palooza

Celebrate TWU’s founding with current students

FRIDAY, APRIL 17

A full day of events for alumni and the TWU

community themed for the 125th Anniversary of

Texas Woman’s University.

• Alumni Achievement Awards Luncheon & Awards

Ceremony Honor outstanding alumni and

celebrate TWU excellence

• TWU 125th Celebration Cupcakes, ice cream,

mariachis and birthday vibes on Hubbard Lawn

• Campus & New Building Tours See TWU past,

present and future with guided campus tours

• TWU 125th Anniversary Special Lecture &

Panel Discussion Reflect on TWU’s legacy and

bold future with a special lecture and panel

• Softball Tailgate Rally with fellow alumni while

cheering on the Pioneers

• TWU 125th Birthday Hop Head to Downtown

Denton for music, memories and celebration

SATURDAY, APRIL 18

• Alumni House Opening & Ribbon Cutting

Celebrate the opening of the TWU Alumni House

• Alumni Welcome Lunch Reconnect, reminisce

and enjoy lunch with fellow alumni

• Campus & New Building Tours See TWU past,

present and future with guided campus tours

• Chancellor’s Tea Refreshments and updates with

Chancellor Feyten

• Class of 1976 Photo Capture 50 years of Pioneer

Pride on Hubbard Hall Steps

• 10-Year Class Photos Milestone class photos

• 1976 Golden Class Reunion Mixer Mingle with

fellow 76er’s

• All-Class Reunion Dinner Gather for a spirited

evening of new memories with alumni from

every era

• All-Class Reunion After Party Keep the

celebration going with live music and dancing

REGISTER FOR

HOMECOMING TODAY!

Friday & Saturday Enjoy open houses and special

exhibits at the Blagg-Huey Library and Jane Nelson

Institute for Women’s Leadership

TEXAS WOMAN’S 19

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Pioneers

> DAWN S. CHANEY,

PH.D., ’63, ’66, ’70

Athlete, Educator,

Businesswoman &

3X Alumna

A Brighter Dawn for

Health Education

Alumna returns to her

educational roots

IT HAD BEEN 55 YEARS

since Dawn Chaney, Ph.D.,

last stepped on the campus

of Texas Woman’s University

in Denton. But what a

homecoming it was

last October.

The university unveiled

the Dr. Dawn S. Chaney

West Commons at TWU’s

Health Sciences Center, a

fitting tribute to the threetime

alumna who was a

student-athlete and college

teacher before becoming a

successful businesswoman.

She has given major gifts

to endow undergraduate and

graduate scholarships in the

School of Health Promotion

and Kinesiology and to

support the new health

facility and TWU’s Athletic

Hall of Fame.

Chaney, who played field

hockey, basketball and

volleyball for the Pioneers,

taught for 17 years at

colleges in Texas, New York

and North Carolina before

starting her own real estate

investment company in

Greensboro, N.C.

She said she was thrilled

to help support future

generations of health

professionals and leaders

— particularly in a space

that inspires collaborations

across disciplines.

“My education here

changed my life, my world

and my vision,” Chaney

says, adding “Strong women

make a difference. Powerful

women make change.”

20 TEXAS WOMAN’S

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> WAYNE BREWER,

PH.D., ’14

PT professor and

support group

founder

THE ULTIMATE REBOUND

A champion’s journey

through the unthinkable

Campus With a Heart

Support group is Rx for professor’s heart condition

SOMETIMES, ONE PERSON’S

SETBACK in life can turn

into something positive for

others.

Wayne Brewer, a physical

therapy professor at TWU’s

Houston campus, can attest

to that.

Brewer, Ph.D. ’14, received

the Heartfelt Hero Award

from the Heart Failure

Society of America in 2025,

years after he founded a

support group that brought

people together to connect

and learn about the chronic

disease.

And Brewer did more

than just assemble a group

of heart failure patients. He

learned alongside them.

Brewer was diagnosed

with a rare form of heart

failure in April 2014. He

came up with the idea of a

support group after having

conversations with his

physician about anxiety and

depression. He wondered if

there were others who knew

what he was going through.

“It’s really a godsend,”

Brewer says of the group.

The group partners

with Houston Methodist

Hospital, and Brewer invites

physicians, nurses and

dietitians to speak at monthly

Zoom meetings.

“We have had so many

people who have come to

our group and then walked

away with tangible solutions

to actually live with this

disease,” Brewer says.

Brewer estimates hundreds

of people have benefited

from the support. Another

benefit is the friendships

Brewer developed.

“We formed this community

of people who are dedicated

to really helping people with

heart failure,” Brewer says.

“That’s been an enriching

part of my life. Certainly,

I would love to not have

heart failure, but given what

I have and these are the

cards that I have been dealt, I

don’t think I would have it

any other way.”

Dr. Brewer on Fox 26

KAYLA GLOVER’S TIME AT

Texas Woman’s sometimes

resembled a rollercoaster —

full of ups and downs and

sharp turns.

The TWU graduate student

and Pioneer basketball point

guard suffered two seasonending

knee injuries in her

sophomore and junior years.

“I had to relearn how

to walk, run — that whole

process,” Glover recalls. “But

going through it made me

appreciate basketball a lot

more because it just made me

realize that it’s not who I am,

but it’s what I do.”

Bumpy ride aside, the final

turns have been pretty sweet.

During her senior season,

Glover started 28 games and

helped lead the Pioneers to a

second straight NCAA Sweet

Sixteen appearance.

She showed the same

tenacity in the classroom,

graduating in three years with

a biology degree. She leaves

TWU with two degrees and

has plans for medical school.

Those injuries inspired her

to become an orthopedic

surgeon.

“There’ve been many times

where it was hard, and I could

have given up,” Glover says.

“I feel if you really want

something, you should go

after it.

TEXAS WOMAN’S 21

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> CHELSEA

WIERENGA

Nursing Student and

JHG Endowment

Scholar

“I’ve always had

a heart for

helping others,

and nursing feels

like where I’m

meant to be”

HUMANITARIAN

ORGANIZATION JHG

Texas has ties to an order

established 900 years ago

that provided healthcare to

pilgrims entering Jerusalem

during the first crusade.

So when JHG Texas

established its namesake

Regents’ Endowed

Scholarship at Texas

Woman’s in 2025, it was

certain healthcare would be

central to its award.

It appears the organization

MY SCHOLARSHIP MATTERS

When Missions Match

JHG launches TWU health scholarship

found the perfect recipient

for its inaugural award in

Chelsea Wierenga.

“I’ve always had a heart

for helping others, and

nursing feels like where I’m

meant to be,” says Wierenga,

who is pursuing a Bachelor

of Science in Nursing at the

Denton campus. “It’s not

always easy, but I believe

caring for people during

their most vulnerable times

is one of the most meaningful

things you can do.”

Part of Wierenga’s

motivation to become

a nurse comes from her

observations of how nurses

cared for her grandfather

during his time in hospice.

“It was amazing to see

how they could make his

worst day just a little bit

better,” she recalls.

She also has first-hand

experience caring for others:

she once worked as a nanny

for a special-needs child.

The scholarship award

couldn’t have come at a

better time, either. Her

father, who has cancer, is

undergoing treatments and

will need future procedures,

making financial assistance

imperative for Wierenga.

“It’s given me the chance

to focus more on my studies

and less on financial stress,”

Wierenga says.

For JHG Texas, the

scholarship is another way to

advance its mission.

“JHG Texas’ overall vision

is for a healthier North

Texas,” says Henry Fink, the

organization’s president.

“We are delighted that the

endowed scholarship awards

are perpetual in nature and

can grow over time.”

22 TEXAS WOMAN’S

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DID YOU KNOW?

GIVING WINGS TO THE FUTURE

University to hold inaugural giving day

SOMETIMES, THE BEST WAY

to demonstrate appreciation

for the university you love is

to dedicate a day to showing

your support for it.

That’s exactly what Texas

Woman’s University will do

on April 16 when it holds its

inaugural day of giving event,

dubbed “One Day for TWU.”

TWU alumni and friends

will have an opportunity

to show their support for

the university with a gift or

donation made on that day,

which will be devoted to

highlighting Texas Woman’s

students, engaging donors

and reaching out to the TWU

community.

Funds raised from the dayof-giving

event, which begins

at 12 a.m. and runs through

11:59 p.m., will support

scholarships, services and

programs that benefit

students.

“It’s an opportunity

to bring together TWU’s

entire community on one

day to celebrate all that

is Texas Woman’s and to

show the community’s

support and appreciation

for the university,” says Jim

Livernois, senior director

of annual giving and

engagement.

The event’s fundraising

goal is $125,000.

“ It’s an opportunity to

bring together TWU’s

entire community on one

day to celebrate all that is

Texas Woman’s”

Jim Livernois, Senior Director, Annual Giving

Make a

gift today!

TEXAS WOMAN’S 23

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True Grit

To Hell and Back

Despite travails, TWU

alum persevered

D

iane Cox doesn’t strike

you as someone who has

been through trials and

tribulations that would

break most people.

Pleasant, friendly, outgoing. No

bitterness or anger.

Determined? Yes. Resilient? Absolutely.

Tough? As nails.

Though she’s a little more mature

than most of her classmates, she’s

having fun being just another visual arts

student at Texas Woman’s University.

Cox was born in abject poverty,

divorced twice, spent a decade pursuing

an education while raising four children

without alimony or child support,

earned a nursing degree from TWU at

age 39, joined the U.S. Air Force at 42,

survived cancer, rose to the rank of

lieutenant colonel, was a flight

commander at Bagram Airfield in

Afghanistan and endured 75 days of

enemy artillery bombardment.

“All of these events in my life brought

me where I am now,” she says. She

shrugs and smiles. “Not bad. Life

experience teaches you a lot.”

Cox’s family at times lived without

running water and had an outside toilet,

but she persevered and graduated high

school. She married and had four

children, then resumed her education

out of necessity.

“My spouse and I divorced,” Cox says.

“I didn’t get alimony or child support.”

Unfortunately, prerequisite exams

at a community college revealed Cox

was ill-prepared for post-secondary

schooling.

“I went back and redid all the math, all

the science,” she says. “‘God almighty,

why am I doing this?’ But I really wanted

to do something more with my life.”

After passing the prerequisites, she

was accepted into TWU’s College of

Nursing, and 10 years after beginning

prerequisite courses, she earned

her degree.

She worked at Parkland Hospital in

Dallas, then joined the Air Force, which

offered excellent benefits. The demands,

however, were brutal.

“You better be stellar or they’ll just

say, thanks, it’s been nice, out you go,”

Cox says. “But they can also be very kind.

When I was 47, I came down with breast

cancer. Normally they just say, thank you

for your service, and out the door you

go. But they paid for my treatment.”

For five years, Cox’s condition was

monitored every 18 months while she

worked her way up to the rank of

lieutenant colonel and flight commander

at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi

before taking command of the

emergency room in a meat grinder:

Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan.

“We did not sleep,” she says. “We were

getting bombed all the time. For the six

months I was there, 75 days we were

bombed.”

After 20 years of service in the Air

Force, Cox retired and enrolled again at

TWU to pursue an art degree. As for her

illness, Cox has been cancer free for

17 years.

“Sometimes I think, are you all sure

about this?” she says. “You get a little

uncomfortable with being comfortable.

Wonder what's going to happen next.

Life always happens.”

24 TEXAS WOMAN’S

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“You get a little

uncomfortable

with being

comfortable.

Wonder

what’s going to

happen next.”

What inspires you

to support TWU?

Send us a note at advancement@twu.edu

> DIANE COX, ’99

Mother, Nurse,

Veteran, Artist

& Alumna

TEXAS WOMAN’S 25

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1605 N. Bell Ave.

Denton, TX 76204

VISIT THE NEW

TWU CAMPUS STORE

Get your anniversary merch

available at the Campus Store