Texas Woman's University (TWU) is a

public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociology, sociological concept of the ''Öf ...

coeducational Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to ...

research

university A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...

Denton, Texas Denton is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Denton County, Texas, Denton County. With a population of 139,869 as of 2020, it is the List of cities in Texas by population, 20th-most populous city in Texas, the List of Un ...

, with two health science center-focused campuses in

Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

and

Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

. While TWU has been fully co-educational since 1994, it is the largest state-supported university primarily for women in the United States. The university is part of the Texas Woman's University System. It offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in 60 areas of study across six colleges. The university is

classified Classified may refer to: General *Classified information, material that a government body deems to be sensitive *Classified advertising or "classifieds" Music *Classified (rapper) (born 1977), Canadian rapper * The Classified, a 1980s American ro ...

among "R2: High Research Spending and Doctorate Production"

History

In the late nineteenth century, several Texas-based groups (including the Texas Press Women's Association, the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs, the Grange, and the

Woman's Christian Temperance Union The Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) is an international temperance organization. It was among the first organizations of women devoted to social reform with a program that "linked the religious and the secular through concerted and far ...

) began advocating for the creation of a state-supported women's college focused on a practical education, including domestic skills young women would need to prepare as wives and mothers. In 1901, after the state Democratic Party adopted the idea as a platform in the upcoming election, the college's establishment was authorized by the

Texas Legislature The Texas State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Texas. It is a bicameral body composed of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. The state legislature meets at the Capitol in Austin. It is a p ...

. Originally named the "Texas Industrial Institute and College for the Education of White Girls of the State of Texas in the Arts and Sciences", it opened in Denton in 1902 with a class of 186 students and 14 faculty. With three women on its inaugural board of regents, they became the first women to sit on the governing board of a Texas university. The school was soon renamed the "Girls Industrial College" in 1903 and conferred its first degrees the following year. In 1905, the name changed again to the "College of Industrial Arts" and expanded its programs to include liberal arts, fine arts, and sciences. Upon its founding, the school was primarily focused on educating rural and small town women seeking vocational training. Since many areas of the state lacked comprehensive high schools, the first two years of CIA's curriculum were preparatory; students enrolling with a high school diploma were automatically admitted to the college as juniors. With its home extension program and summer school, the school was the first in Texas to offer instruction in home economics, supplying an overwhelming majority of the state's high school teachers in home economics in the early twentieth century. In 1914, CIA implemented its first four-year college curriculum, and the first bachelor's degrees were conferred in 1915. By 1929, the college had expanded its programs sufficiently to be accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, the

American Association of University Women The American Association of University Women (AAUW), officially founded in 1881, is a non-profit organization that advances Justice, equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, and research. The organization has a nationwide Social net ...

, and the

Association of American Universities The Association of American Universities (AAU) is an organization of predominantly American research universities devoted to maintaining a strong system of academic research and education. Founded in 1900, it consists of 69 public and private ...

, and it began offering its first master's degrees in 1930. In 1934, the school underwent another name change to the "Texas State College for Women (TSCW)" to reflect its growing reputation as a premiere institution of higher education for women in the state. Despite the social and cultural limitations for professional women at the time, the college pioneered several academic programs to meet the needs of a growing postwar economy in Texas and built a national reputation for its programs and research in textiles, food, and nutrition, awarding the college's first doctoral degrees in 1953. In 1950, it also developed the first nationally accredited nursing program in the state, opening at the original Parkland Hospital in downtown Dallas in 1954, and joining the Oak Ridge Institute for Nuclear Studies in the 1960s, receiving a series of research grants from the

National Aeronautics and Space Administration The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the United States's civil space program, aeronautics research and space research. Established in 1958, it su ...

to study the health effects on humans in space flights. In 1956, it established the first building in Texas dedicated solely to the instruction of library sciences. Finally, in 1957, the school changed its name for the fourth time to "Texas Woman's University", and expanded its health sciences programs to a campus in Houston in 1960. The college also enjoyed a close relationship with

Texas A&M University Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, TA&M, or TAMU) is a public university, public, Land-grant university, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas, United States. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of ...

in College Station in the early and mid-twentieth century. As the only gender segregated public colleges in Texas at the time, the schools generated considerable media attention for their institutional-supported fraternizing at major sporting and social events; for several decades, a "Tessie" was named the "Aggie Sweetheart" at A&M's football rivalry matchup. The practice fizzled in the 1970s when each school began admitting both male and female students, although the schools do still collaborate in several academic and service programs. Like most non-HBCU institutions in Texas, the school originally admitted only white students. The university integrated in 1961, admitting its first African-American student, Alsenia Dowells, to study nursing; while Dowells only attended for one year, six more black women enrolled the following year. The university currently boasts a 20% black student population and is also designated as a

Hispanic-serving institution A Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) is defined in U.S. federal law as an accredited, degree-granting, public or private nonprofit institution of higher education with 25% or higher total undergraduate Hispanic or Latino full-time equivalent (FTE ...

, and a member of

Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities A Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) is defined in U.S. federal law as an accredited, degree-granting, public or private nonprofit institution of higher education with 25% or higher total undergraduate Hispanic or Latino full-time equivalent (FTE ...

, with more than 25% of its full-time student population identifying as Hispanic or Latina. After nearly six decades as a school for women, TWU began admitting men into its health sciences graduate school in 1972 in response to pending litigation at other universities regarding the

Equal Protection Clause The Equal Protection Clause is part of the first section of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The clause, which took effect in 1868, provides "nor shall any State... deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal pr ...

. In 1994, in anticipation of changing protocols of single-gender institutions across the United States, the school opened all of its programs to qualified men. Despite being a co-educational university since 1972, TWU remains overwhelmingly women, with approximately 90% of the student body being such, and it continues to place a heavy emphasis on meeting the educational needs of

women A woman is an adult female human. Before adulthood, a female child or adolescent is referred to as a girl. Typically, women are of the female sex and inherit a pair of X chromosomes, one from each parent, and women with functional u ...

. It remains unique among Texas higher education institutions by requiring all undergraduates, regardless of their proposed major or degree, to take three credit hours of multicultural women's studies in order to graduate.

Denton Campus

The university's flagship Denton campus consists of 270 acres in Denton, Texas, located approximately forty miles northwest of Dallas. Upon the university's founding, the Old Main Building was constructed in 1902 and housed all of the school's academic programs and students. The first dormitory opened in 1907, and a second classroom building was constructed in 1911. During the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

, college president L.H. Hubbard used funds available through the federal Works Projects Administration and

Public Works Administration The Public Works Administration (PWA), part of the New Deal of 1933, was a large-scale public works construction agency in the United States headed by United States Secretary of the Interior, Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes. It was ...

to expand the campus infrastructure, which doubled instructional space, improved local roads and sidewalks, and established regional landmarks such as the Little Chapel in the Woods. In 1938, the campus was gifted the Pioneer Woman statue by the state legislature, commissioned to

Leo Friedlander Leo Friedlander (July 6, 1888 – October 24, 1966) was an American sculpture, sculptor, who created several prominent works. Early life and education At 12 years old, Friedlander studied at the Art Students League of New York, Art Students Lea ...

to commemorate the Texas Centennial. A second period of expansion in the 1960s and 1970s established several of the university's current campus footprint with more than twenty instructional and administrative buildings. The first system Chancellor, Ann Stuart, was named in 1999 and grew enrollment by 85% and constructed new facilities for the growing kinesiology programs. Carine M. Feyten was inaugurated as the second Chancellor and the 11th President of Texas Woman's University on November 10, 2014. The inaugural theme, “Moving Beyond the Inflection Point: Pioneers for a New Era,” expresses the optimism and determination of the university to reach even greater heights of achievement. Feyten has presided over a third period of significant student growth. Because of the corresponding need for significant facilities expansion, the University had to close down land it previously allowed the community to utilize as a public golf course. Another change was moving the student center from Brackenridge Hall (originally the site of the dorm of a same name) into Hubbard Hall, which had originally been built as the central campus dining facility by then President L.H. Hubbard to honor his wife, Bertha Altizer Hubbard. The Denton campus also houses five residence halls, all of which are currently co-educational, including Guinn Hall, the tallest building in Denton.

Gallery

File:Texas Woman's University September 2015 01 (sign).jpg, South Entrance File:Texas Woman's University September 2015 18 (Arts and Sciences Building).jpg, Arts and Sciences Building File:Texas Woman's University September 2015 50 (The Green House).jpg, Greenhouse File:Texas Woman's University September 2015 03 (Human Development Building).jpg, Woodcock Hall File:Texas Woman's University September 2015 67 (Pioneer Hall).jpg, Pioneer Hall File:Texas Woman's University September 2015 58 (Fitness and Recreation Center).jpg, Fitness and Recreation Center File:Texas Woman's University September 2015 75 (Music Building).jpg, Visual Arts Building File:Texas Woman's University September 2015 55 (John A. Guinn Residence Hall and Nelda C. Stark Residence Hall).jpg, Guinn and Stark Hall File:TWU_Dallas_Nima.jpg, TWU's Dallas campus at the Southwestern Medical District

Dallas Campus

The T. Boone Pickens Institute of Health Sciences in Dallas is based in the Southwestern Medical District, which also houses Parkland Hospital,

Children's Medical Center Dallas Children's Medical Center Dallas is the flagship facility of Children's Health (health care system), Children's Health, a nationally ranked Pediatrics, pediatric acute care teaching hospital located in Southwestern Medical District, Dallas, Texas, ...

, and the

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UT Southwestern or UTSW) is a public academic health science center in Dallas, Texas. With approximately 23,000 employees, more than 3,000 full-time faculty, and nearly 4 million outpatient ...

. The nursing program began on what is now the Dallas campus. It additionally houses programs in occupational therapy, physical therapy and an MBA. Both a general MBA and a concentration specifically focused on health care are offered. On January 18, 2024, Monica Christopher was named the inaugural president of the Dallas campus, replacing the campus manager.

Houston Campus

The Houston Campus is located in the heart of the

Texas Medical Center The Texas Medical Center (TMC) is a List of neighborhoods in Houston, neighborhood in south-central Houston, Texas, United States. It is immediately south of the Houston Museum District, Museum District and west of Texas State Highway 288. Over 6 ...

district, near the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Texas Children's Hospital. It contains TWU's Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Nutrition & Food Sciences, Health Care Administration, and MBA programs. Monica Williams became the inaugural Houston Campus President on August 26, 2024

Academics

With more than 500 full-time faculty, approximately 75% of classes have 30 students or fewer. Nationally recognized programs include those in nursing, multicultural and gender studies, library science and information studies, and occupational therapy. The university is divided into six

colleges A college (Latin: ''collegium'') may be a tertiary education, tertiary educational institution (sometimes awarding academic degree, degrees), part of a collegiate university, an institution offering vocational education, a further educatio ...

: #College of Arts and Sciences provides the bulk of undergraduate instruction and presently is subdivided into Social Sciences and Historical Studies; Language, Culture, and Gender Studies, School of the Arts and Design, School of the Sciences, School of Social Work, Psychology and Philosophy; and General Studies #College of Business offers undergraduate programs in accounting, business, business administration, finance, human resource management, management, and marketing, and graduate programs in business administration, healthcare administration, and health systems management. #College of Health Sciences is supported at the Denton, Houston, and Dallas campuses and includes the Schools of Occupational Therapy and

Physical Therapy Physical therapy (PT), also known as physiotherapy, is a healthcare profession, as well as the care provided by physical therapists who promote, maintain, or restore health through patient education, physical intervention, disease preventio ...

, the School of Health Promotion and Kinesiology, the Department of Communication Sciences and Oral Health, and the Department of Nutrition & Food Sciences. #College of Nursing was established in 1954, growing to become the second-largest in Texas and one of the largest in the country, offering programs at the baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral level. Its doctoral program is the fifth oldest in the United States and remains the largest in the world. In addition to the Bachelor of Science program for students with no prior degree, the college offers a weekend program for students who already have a bachelor's degree; the College also has a Registered Nurse to Baccalaureate program (RN to BSN) and a Registered Nurse to Master's Program (RN to MS). With campuses in Houston and Dallas, admission is very competitive with the cut-off GPA frequently at 4.0. #College of Professional Education encompasses Teacher Education, Human Development, Family Studies, and Counseling Literacy and Learning, and the School of Library and Information Studies. #Graduate School functions as a distinct university component. The Graduate School processes graduate admissions to the university and subsequent academic affairs, including degrees in a variety of programs.

The Woman's Collection

The second floor of Blagg-Huey Library houses the Woman's Collection. Established in 1932 at the suggestion of then-college president L.H. Hubbard, the collection is one of the largest and oldest collections of materials about American women's history in the United States. In 1979, it was designated by the Texas legislature to house the official history of women in the state. Currently, the Woman's Collection features one of the largest repositories of women in aviation in the world, housing the official collections of

Women Airforce Service Pilots The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) (also Women's Army Service Pilots or Women's Auxiliary Service Pilots) was a civilian women pilots' organization, whose members were United States federal civil service employees. Members of WASP became t ...

of World War II, the Whirly-Girls International Helicopter Pilots, Women Military Aviators, Association of Women Airline Mechanics, International Society of Women Airline Pilots, and the Air Race Classic, as well as many of its individual members' collections. Other major archives include the Culinary History and Cookbook Collections, which showcase

culinary arts Culinary arts are the cuisine arts of food preparation, cooking, and presentation of food, usually in the form of meals. People working in this field – especially in establishments such as restaurants – are commonly called chefs or ...

from around the world, and is one of the largest collections in the United States with more than 60,000 books, pamphlets, and menus; the Texas Women's Hall of Fame established by the Texas Governor's Commission on Women; and the university's archives. The Woman's Collection is also the official repository for hundreds of organizations, agencies, and conferences in Texas and the southwest concerned with

women's rights Women's rights are the rights and Entitlement (fair division), entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st c ...

, agency, and status. It is currently the official archive for the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs, Texas Association of Women's Clubs (formerly Texas Federation of Colored Women's Clubs), Philanthropic Educational Organization, Texas Federation of Business and Professional Women, and the Texas chapters of the

and Delta Kappa Gamma, as well as the permanent home for 1981 exhibit about

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

women's history Women's history is the study of the role that Woman, women have played in history and Historiography, the methods required to do so. It includes the study of the history of the growth of woman's rights, women's rights throughout recorded history, ...

produced by the Texas Foundation for Women's Resources. Individual collection highlights include Hilda Gloria Tagle, the first Latina federal judge; Dora Dougherty Strother, aviation psychologist, engineer, and the first woman to fly the

B-29 Superfortress The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is a retired American four-engined Propeller (aeronautics), propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to ...

;

Sarah Weddington Sarah Catherine Ragle Weddington (February 5, 1945 – December 26, 2021) was an American attorney, Jurist, law professor, advocate for women's rights and reproductive health, and member of the Texas House of Representatives. She was best known f ...

, the lead counsel in ''

Roe v. Wade ''Roe v. Wade'', 410 U.S. 113 (1973),. was a List of landmark court decisions in the United States, landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the Court ruled that the Constitution of the United States protected the right to have an ...

'', a three-term legislator in the Texas House of Representatives, and an advisor to President Carter who had also regularly taught/lectured at Texas Woman's University; and Jean Ross Howard Phelan, aviation lobbyist and founder of the Whirly-Girls. Many well-known women regularly visit Texas Woman's University, including Senator

Kay Bailey Hutchison Kay Bailey Hutchison (born Kathryn Ann Bailey; July 22, 1943) is an American attorney, television correspondent, politician, diplomat, and was the 22nd United States Permanent Representative to NATO from 2017 until 2021. A member of the Republic ...

and U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, who had previously participated in leadership conferences. Major General Mary Saunders (Ret.), who graduated from TWU in 1970 and became the highest-ranking African-American woman in the United States Air Force, previously served as director of the university's Leadership Institute. Denton campus guests have also included

Sandra Day O'Connor Sandra Day O'Connor (March 26, 1930 – December 1, 2023) was an American attorney, politician, and jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1981 to 2006. Nominated by President Ronald Reagan, O' ...

Gloria Steinem Gloria Marie Steinem ( ; born March 25, 1934) is an American journalist and social movement, social-political activist who emerged as a nationally recognized leader of second-wave feminism in the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s. ...

, Frances "Sissy" Farenthold,

Maya Angelou Maya Angelou ( ; born Marguerite Annie Johnson; April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014) was an American memoirist, poet, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and is credi ...

, and

Oprah Winfrey Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954) is an American television presenter, talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and media proprietor. She is best known for her talk show, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show' ...

, who visited the campus in 1998 and 2005. Other historic campus visits include readings, performances, and lectures by

Edna St. Vincent Millay Edna St. Vincent Millay (February 22, 1892 – October 19, 1950) was an American lyric poetry, lyrical poet and playwright. Millay was a renowned social figure and noted Feminism, feminist in New York City during the Roaring Twenties and beyond. ...

and

Amelia Earhart Amelia Mary Earhart ( ; July 24, 1897 – January 5, 1939) was an American aviation pioneer. On July 2, 1937, she disappeared over the Pacific Ocean while attempting to become the first female pilot to circumnavigate the world. During her li ...

Centers

The Institute for Women's Health, launched in 1993 as the Center for Research on Women's Health, focuses on the health of women and girls in Texas through partnerships with other academic institutions, government agencies, and community organizations. Its programming includes exercise, sports, and nutrition services to students, as well as the greater Denton and Houston communities. The Jane Nelson Institute for Women's Leadership was established in 2018 as a hub to educate Texans, especially young women and girls, about women about leadership, business, politics, and public life. It houses: * the Center for Women in Government, previously known as the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy. * the Center for Women Entrepreneurs, launched in 2015, to help create and nurture women-owned businesses in the state through business advising, funding, networking, training, and resources. Its programming specializes in woman-owned businesses, startups, rural businesses, and veteran-owned enterprises. It also offers certification programs to qualify as a minority-owned business, including historically disadvantaged populations, underutilized zones, LGBT-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned, veteran woman-owned, and woman-owned. * the Center for Student Leadership, which coordinates educational programs, professional development opportunities, and scholarships

Attractions

Little Chapel in the Woods

Built in 1939 and dedicated by First Lady

Eleanor Roosevelt Anna Eleanor Roosevelt ( ; October 11, 1884November 7, 1962) was an American political figure, diplomat, and activist. She was the longest-serving First Lady of the United States, first lady of the United States, during her husband Franklin D ...

, the Little Chapel in the Woods has been named one of Texas' most outstanding architectural achievements by the Texas Society of Architects. Designed by leading American architect and Denton resident O'Neill Ford, recruits from the

National Youth Administration The National Youth Administration (NYA) was a New Deal agency sponsored by Presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt during his presidency. It focused on providing work and education for Americans between the ages of 16 and 25. ...

constructed the building, while more than 300 students in the college's fine arts programs designed and created the building's artwork, including the stained glass windows, lighting, woodwork, doors, ceiling beams, and flooring. The stained glass windows depict scenes of "Women Ministering to Human Needs" including nursing, teaching, speech, literature, service, dance, and music. The Chapel is open to the public daily and remains a popular destination for recitals, baptisms, and weddings. The original bridal book contains thousands of names of couples who were married between 1939 and 1979 and is currently on display at the Blagg-Huey Library.

Texas Women's Hall of Fame

Hubbard Hall, the former central dining facility, housed the Texas Women's Hall of Fame from 1984 until 2018. It is now on the 2nd floor of the Blagg-Huey Library. Created in 1984 by the Texas Governor's Commission on Women, the state-established exhibit honors Texas women who make significant public contributions to the state. Inductees include Supreme Court Associate Justice

, First Ladies

Barbara Bush Barbara Bush (; June 8, 1925 – April 17, 2018) was the first lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993, as the wife of the 41st president of the United States, George H. W. Bush. She was previously second lady of the United States fr ...

and

Lady Bird Johnson Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Johnson (; December 22, 1912 – July 11, 2007) was First Lady of the United States from 1963 to 1969 as the wife of President Lyndon B. Johnson. She had previously been Second Lady of the United States from 1961 to 196 ...

, Governor

Ann Richards Dorothy Ann Richards (née Willis; September 1, 1933 – September 13, 2006) was an American politician who served as the 45th governor of Texas from 1991 to 1995. A Democrat, she first came to national attention as the Texas State Treasurer, ...

, Texas First Lady Anita Perry, Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare Oveta Culp Hobby, Olympic gold medalist

Sheryl Swoopes Sheryl Denise Swoopes (born March 25, 1971) is an American former professional basketball player. She was the first player to be signed in the WNBA, is a three-time WNBA MVP, and was named one of the league's Top 15 Players of All Time at the 2 ...

, astronauts

Mae Jemison Mae Carol Jemison (born October 17, 1956) is an American engineer, physician, and former NASA astronaut. She became the first African-American woman to travel into space when she served as a mission specialist aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavou ...

and

Sally Ride Sally Kristen Ride (May 26, 1951 – July 23, 2012) was an American astronaut and physicist. Born in Los Angeles, she joined NASA in 1978, and in 1983 became the first American woman and the third woman to fly in space, after cosmonauts V ...

, entertainer Selena Quintanilla-Perez, and businesswoman

Mary Kay Ash Mary Kay Ash (born Mary Kathlyn Wagner; May 12, 1918 – November 22, 2001) was an American businesswoman and founder of multi-level marketing company Mary Kay, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Inc. At the time of her death, she had a fortune of $98 milli ...

Texas First Ladies Historic Costume Collection

Established in 1940, the historic costume collection contains original dresses predating Texas statehood by First Ladies of the Texas Republic, as well as those worn by Texas First Ladies to the Governor's Inaugural Ball and gowns donated by Presidential First Ladies

Mamie Eisenhower Mary Geneva "Mamie" Eisenhower (; November 14, 1896 – November 1, 1979) was First Lady of the United States from 1953 to 1961 as the wife of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Born in Boone, Iowa, she was raised in a wealthy household in Colo ...

, Lady Bird Johnson, Barbara Bush, and

Laura Bush Laura Lane Welch Bush (née Welch; born November 4, 1946) is an American educator who was the first lady of the United States from 2001 to 2009 as the wife of George W. Bush, the 43rd president of the United States. Bush was previously the fir ...

. As of 2018, the collection consists of 47 gowns, of which 21 are on a rotating display in the Administration Conference Tower. Each dress has been loaned or donated by various sources to the University, with most dresses and their preservation costs through donations from Texas chapters of

Daughters of the American Revolution The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (often abbreviated as DAR or NSDAR) is a lineage-based membership service organization for women who are directly descended from a patriot of the American Revolutionary War. A non-p ...

, the Denton Benefit League, or directly from the First Ladies themselves.

Athletics

The university originally offered sports through the Women's Recreation Association, joining the Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics for Women in 1969 in seven sports: basketball, volleyball, field hockey, tennis, badminton, swimming, and track. Known as the "Tessies," the school won its first national title at the CIAW National Intercollegiate Track and Field Championship that same year. In 1979, TWU became the Pioneers; after the CIAW ceased operations in 1982, the university officially joined the

NCAA Division II NCAA Division II (D-II) is the intermediate-level division of competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). It offers an alternative to both the larger and better-funded Division I and to the scholarship-free environment ...

. The Pioneers currently compete in the

Lone Star Conference The Lone Star Conference (LSC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level. Member institutions are located in the South Central states, with schools in Texas ...

, but only in women's sports; the gymnastics team competes in the Division I Midwest Independent Conference. Current competitive programs include: * Basketball * Dance * Soccer * Volleyball * Softball * Gymnastics Newly approved programs include: * STUNT * Synchronized swimming *Wrestling

Awards

Established in 1972, the TWU Gymnastics squad has won the

USA Gymnastics United States of America Gymnastics (USA Gymnastics or USAG) is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States. It sets the domestic rules and policies that govern the sport, promotes and develops gymnastics on the grassroots ...

Collegiate National Championships with a record eleven team championships since 1993, with the most recent championships coming back to back in 2017 and 2018. In 2014, the athletics program was awarded the inaugural Lone Star Conference Women's Academic Excellence Award, given to the member institution with the highest team G.P.A. As of 2015, the Pioneers have a 65-semester (more than thirty years) of posting a department G.P.A. of 3.0 or higher by all student-athletes.

Student life

''The Lasso'' and ''The Daedalian''

In print since 1914, ''The Lasso'' is a student-produced weekly

newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as poli ...

. ''The Lasso'' began as a daily publication and switched to a weekly format in the 1990s, adding an online version in 2003. Notable past editors include Pulitzer Prize-winner Caro Crawford Brown; Grace Robinson New, the first female television news reporter in Dallas; Kathy Williams, assistant news director Houston's NBC affiliate; and Stacie Walker, an award-winning former national news editor for

Newsday ''Newsday'' is a daily newspaper in the United States primarily serving Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island, although it is also sold throughout the New York metropolitan area. The slogan of the newspaper is "Newsday, Your Eye on LI" ...

; along with former New York Daily News assistant editor Luis Rendon.. A magazine, ''The Dadaelian'', was published monthly by students in the Elocution, Physical Culture and Vocal Music department in 1906 to highlight student-created prose, poetry, and visual art; it switched to a quarterly format in 1914. It is currently published online as a literary journal featuring short stories, artwork, photography, and poetry.

Sororities

Approximately three percent of undergraduate women are active in a sorority on campus. *

Alpha Omicron Pi Alpha Omicron Pi (, AOII, Alpha O) is an international sorority founded on January 2, 1897, at Barnard College on the campus of Columbia University in Manhattan, New York City. The main archive URL iThe Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage "AO ...

Alpha Gamma Delta Alpha Gamma Delta (), also known as Alpha Gam, is an international Fraternities and sororities in North America, women's fraternity and social organization. It was founded in 1904 at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York. It is the youngest m ...

Sigma Sigma Sigma Sigma Sigma Sigma (), also known as Tri Sigma, is a national American women's Fraternities and sororities in North America, sorority. It was established in 1898 at what is now Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia, Farmville, Virginia.The so ...

Alpha Kappa Alpha Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. () is an List of African American fraternities, historically African-American Fraternities and sororities, sorority. The sorority was founded in 1908 at Howard University in Washington, D.C.. Alpha Kappa Alpha ...

Delta Sigma Theta Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. () is a List of African-American fraternities, historically African American Fraternities and sororities, sorority. The organization was founded by college-educated women dedicated to public service with an emp ...

Zeta Phi Beta Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. () is a historically African American sorority. In 1920, five women from Howard University envisioned a sorority that would raise the consciousness of their people, encourage the highest standards of scholastic achi ...

Sigma Gamma Rho Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. () is a historically African American sorority. The sorority was founded on November 12, 1922. The organization was formed as a sorority in 1922, by seven African American women in Indianapolis, Indiana. At its i ...

Sigma Lambda Gamma Sigma Lambda Gamma (), also known as Gammas or SLG, is a multicultural Fraternities and sororities in North America, sorority in the United States with membership diversity accounting for over 120 nationalities. It was founded on April 9, 1990 ...

* Sigma Lambda Alpha *

Sigma Alpha Iota Sigma Alpha Iota () is an international music fraternity. It was established in 1903 at the University School of Music in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Sigma Alpha Iota is a member of the National Interfraternity Music Council and the Professional Frater ...

Sigma Phi Lambda Sigma Phi Lambda (), also known as Sisters for the Lord or Phi Lamb, is a Christian sorority founded in 1988 in Austin, Texas. History Sigma Phi Lambda was founded in 1988 at the University of Texas at Austin. Its Founders were: Phi Lamb wa ...

Fraternities

Approximately two percent of undergraduate men are active in a fraternity on campus. *

Kappa Sigma Kappa Sigma (), commonly known as Kappa Sig or KSig, is an American collegiate social fraternity founded at the University of Virginia in 1869. Kappa Sigma is one of the five largest international Fraternities and sororities in North America, fr ...

Phi Beta Sigma Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. () is a historically African American fraternity. It was founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C. in 1914. The fraternity's founders, A. Langston Taylor, Leonard F. Morse, and Charles I. Brown, wanted to ...

* Phi Iota Alpha *

Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia (legally Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America, colloquially known as Phi Mu Alpha, PMA, or simply Sinfonia) () is an American collegiate social Fraternities and sororities, fraternity for men with a special interest ...

Notable alumni

* Berenice Mallory (B.A. 1923), home economics professor, federal official * Caro Crawford Brown (B.A. 1925), winner of

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prizes () are 23 annual awards given by Columbia University in New York City for achievements in the United States in "journalism, arts and letters". They were established in 1917 by the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made his fo ...

for local reporting in 1955 for the Alice (Texas) ''Daily Echo'' * Vara Martin Daniel - American educator and former First Lady of Guam * Margaret Virginia (Margo) Jones (B.A. 1932) and ( M.A. 1933), pioneer in the American Resident Theater Movement and author of ''Theater In The Round''; directed the world premiere of ''Inherit the Wind'' by Lawrence and Lee in

in 1955 * Lou Halsell Rodenberger ( B.S. 1943), scholar of Texas women authors, particularly Jane Gilmore Rushing * Betty Heitman (B.A. 1949), co-chairwoman of the

Republican National Committee The Republican National Committee (RNC) is the primary committee of the Republican Party of the United States. Its members are chosen by the state delegations at the national convention every four years. It is responsible for developing and pr ...

from 1983 to 1987; distinguished TWU alumnus, 1980 * Elma González (B.S. 1965), plant cell biologist *

Joan Wall Joan Boyd Wall (born in Baton Rouge) is a retired American operatic mezzo-soprano, voice teacher, and author on the art of singing. In 1957 she was a finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. She was a principal performer at ...

(M.M. 1969), mezzo-soprano and principal performer at the

Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera is an American opera company based in New York City, currently resident at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center), Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Referred ...

Company of New York, the

Deutsche Oper Berlin The Deutsche Oper Berlin is a German opera company located in the Charlottenburg district of Berlin. The resident building is the country's second largest opera house (after Munich's) and also home to the Berlin State Ballet. Since 2004, the ...

, and in Amsterdam, Boston, Philadelphia, and Fort Worth * Mary L. Saunders (B.S. 1970), retired major general in the United States Air Force, first female Director of Transportation in the USAF, and highest ranking African-American woman at the time * Millie Hughes-Fulford (Ph.D. 1972),

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...

astronaut An astronaut (from the Ancient Greek (), meaning 'star', and (), meaning 'sailor') is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a List of human spaceflight programs, human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member of a spa ...

who studied

osteoporosis Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disorder characterized by low bone mass, micro-architectural deterioration of bone tissue leading to more porous bone, and consequent increase in Bone fracture, fracture risk. It is the most common reason f ...

and flew aboard STS-40 Spacelab Life Sciences (SLS 1) in June 1991, the first Spacelab mission dedicated to

biomedical Biomedicine (also referred to as Western medicine, mainstream medicine or conventional medicine)

studies; first civilian scientist on a space mission * Elizabeth Ann Nalley (Ph.D. 1975), former President of the

American Chemical Society The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 155,000 members at all ...

* Huda Salih Mahdi Ammash (M.S. 1979), a.k.a. Mrs. Anthrax, studied microbiology and went on to become a high-ranking Iraqi scientist; after surrendering herself in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, she was later deemed not a security threat and was released in 2005 * Louise Ritter (B.S. 1982), won the 1988 Olympic gold medal in the women's

high jump The high jump is a track and field event in which competitors must jump unaided over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without dislodging it. In its modern, most-practiced format, a bar is placed between two standards with a crash mat f ...

* Alia Moses, a.k.a. Alia M. Ludlum, ( B.A. 1983), serves as District Judge for the

United States District Court for the Western District of Texas The United States District Court for the Western District of Texas (in case citations, W.D. Tex.) is a federal district court. The court convenes in San Antonio with divisions in Austin, Del Rio, El Paso, Midland, Pecos, and Waco. It has ...

* Juan L. Maldonado (Ph.D. 1986), president of Laredo Community College since 2007 * Shirley Cothran Barrett (Ph.D.), served as

Miss America Miss America is an annual competition that is open to women from the United States between the ages of 18 and 28. Originating in 1921 as a "bathing beauty revue", the contest is judged on competition segments with scoring percentages: ''Priva ...

in 1975 * Donna Campbell (M.S.N), member of the

Texas Senate The Texas Senate is the upper house of the Texas Legislature, with the Texas House of Representatives functioning as the lower house. Together, they form the State legislature (United States), state legislature of the state of Texas. The Senate ...

and an emergency room physician from New Braunfels *

Sylvia Garcia Sylvia Rodriguez Garcia (born September 6, 1950) is an American lawyer and politician who has been serving as the U.S. representative for Texas's 29th congressional district since 2019. Her district covers much of eastern Houston. A member of t ...

(B.A. 1972), social worker and Texas legislator * Alma Dawson (Ph.D. 1996), Russell B. Long Professor of Library and Information Science at Louisiana State University *

Jill Marie Jones Jill Marie Jones is an American actress and former professional dancer and cheerleader. Jones is best known for her role as Antoinette "Toni" Childs-Garrett on the UPN comedy series, '' Girlfriends'' (2000–2006). Jones has appeared in a ...

(B.A. 1999), actress, most recognizable role as 'Toni Childs' for six seasons in '' Girlfriends'' * Carly Patterson (B.S. 2014), won the 2004 Olympic gold medal in the women's gymnastics individual all-around, silver in individual balance beam, and silver in team competition

Notable faculty

* Mary Eleanor Brackenridge (1837–1924), founding university regent, suffragist, and community organizer * Carlotta Corpron (1901–1988), professor of photography, design, and art history * Pauline Gracia Beery Mack (1891-1974), professor and Dean of the College of Household Arts and Sciences; noted chemist and nutritionist and first woman to receive the NASA Silver Snoopy award * Autrey Nell Wiley (1901-1990), B.A. 1922; professor and chair; American literary critic * Toni LaSelle (1901-2002), instructor and professor in Art History and Studio Arts; developed the Art History program at TWU *

(1945 – 2021), lecturer in History and Political Science; argued Roe v. Wade before the United States Supreme Court; White House Director of Political Affairs for President Jimmy Carter from 1979-1981

References

External links

*
Athletics website
*

Texas Woman's University Texas Woman's University (TWU) is a Public research university, public coeducational research university in Denton, Texas, with two health science center-focused campuses in Dallas and Houston. While TWU has been fully co-educational since 1994, ...

on DentonWiki
Texas Woman's University
on Texas State Historical Association {{DEFAULTSORT:Texas Woman's University Public universities and colleges in Texas Buildings and structures in Denton, Texas Education in Denton County, Texas Women's education in Texas Former women's universities and colleges in the United States Universities and colleges in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex Universities and colleges in Houston Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Universities and colleges established in 1901 1901 establishments in Texas Public university systems in the United States