Alumni Achievement Awards
Nominations Are Now Closed
Thank you for submitting your nominations for the 2025 Alumni Achievement Awards. The 2025 awardees will be celebrated during Homecoming on the Denton campus.
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2024 Honorees
Distinguished Alumni Award
Nancy P. Paup ’73, ’76
Nancy P. Paup ’73, ’76 manages and directs business, real estate and ranching interests in Texas and is actively involved in the arts and historical preservation efforts throughout the state. In 2022, Nancy Paup was appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. In addition, she currently serves on the Humanities Texas Board, the Cultural Foundation of the Texas Panhandle Advisory Board at West Texas A&M University and the TWU Jane Nelson Institute for Women’s Leadership Advisory Council. She is an elected member of the Philosophical Society of Texas and co-founder of the Nancy P. and Thaddeus E. Paup Lecture Series and the Pioneering Women: Leaders and Trailblazers Book Series at Texas Woman’s. Nancy Paup has served on the TWU Foundation Board of Directors. In 2013, she was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to the TWU Board of Regents. She served as chair of the Academic Committee in 2015 and was appointed vice chair of the TWU Board of Regents in 2017. Nancy Paup received a bachelor’s and master’s in education from TWU. Her post-graduate studies include attending Dartmouth College, Harvard University, and the Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania.
The Jane Nelson Institute for Women’s Leadership Distinguished Public Service Award
Congresswoman Sylvia R. Garcia ’72
Sylvia R. Garcia ’72 was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in November 2018, becoming the first Latina ever to represent the Texas 29th Congressional district. Garcia is a native of Palito Blanco, a South Texas farming community. She earned a scholarship to Texas Woman’s, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in social work and political science. She then received her law degree from Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University, working several jobs to pay for her tuition. In 2013, Garcia was sworn into the Texas State Senate representing Senate District 6. She became the seventh woman and the third Hispanic woman to serve in the upper chamber. She successfully ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018 and was sworn in to represent Texas Congressional District 29 in 2019, becoming the first Hispanic member of the Houston Congressional Delegation and one of the first two Latinas to represent Texas in Congress.
Chancellor’s Alumni Excellence Award
Kimberly J. Phillips ’85, ’92
Kimberly J. Phillips ’85, ’92 serves as the Special Education Director for Denton County Special Education Cooperative (DCSEC), a shared-services arrangement currently composed of five school districts within Denton County. In her role, Phillips ensures legally compliant and effective services for students with disabilities within DCSEC’s member districts. An educational leader committed to delivering quality services for students with disabilities, Phillips has expanded programming for students with mental health disabilities through the DCSEC Challenge and Journey programs, and she has received recognition from the Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders. Phillips earned her bachelor’s in psychology and master’s in special education from Texas Woman’s. She has been a member of Texas Council of Administrators of Special Education (TCASE), serving as vice president; an executive board member; and on various committees.
Maroon and White Award
Jennifer L. Flanagan, PhD, ’04
Jennifer L. Flanagan, PhD, ’04 is a DFW native. She graduated with her MBA from Texas Woman’s and earned her doctorate in educational psychology from Texas A&M University – Commerce. She also holds a post-doctoral degree in marketing and management from the University of Florida. Flanagan has spent 22 years in education, with 18 of those serving in higher education roles. In 2016, Flanagan joined the faculty of TWU’s College of Business, which earned accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business in 2023. She is an associate professor of management, faculty advisor for the COB Beta Gamma Sigma International Business Honor Society inaugural chapters, and the college’s assessment coordinator, which involves creating, implementing and monitoring the assessment plans for the college’s three accreditors. Flanagan is a member of the inaugural cohort in the TWU Provost Leadership Academy.
Young Alumni Award
Paramita Basu, PhD ’19
Paramita Basu, PhD ’19 obtained her doctorate degree in molecular biology from Texas Woman’s and during her time at TWU received several accolades for her academic achievements, including a National Phi Kappa Phi’s Love of Learning award, Graduate Council awards for exceptional original scholarship, Virginia Chandler Dykes Scholarship award, and the Chancellor’s student research scholar award for outstanding achievement in research for four consecutive years. Basu’s dissertation led to the identification of novel phytochemicals from a Texas native plant, Euphorbia bicolor, which could serve as non-opioid alternative therapeutics to treat pain. After completing her doctorate, Basu joined the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh’s Pittsburgh Center for Pain Research and was recently promoted to research assistant professor. Basu is an active USASP advocacy committee member and co-chair of Acute to Chronic Pain SIG. She is a reviewer for many biomedical science journals and a review editor for Frontiers in Pain Research.
Past Recipients
Distinguished Alumni Award
2024 Nancy P. Paup ’73, ’76
2023 Dianne Randolph ‘69, ‘71
2022 Lisa Fusillo, PhD, ’78, ’82
2022 Beverly Walker-Griffea, PhD, ’04
2021 Geraldine Haggard, EdD, ’49 ’52
2021 Carolyn M. Oddo ’81, ’88
2021 Maria Alicia Rodriguez Travelle, PhD, ’55, ’71, ’76
2019 Anne Alexandrov, PhD, ’02
2019 Yvonne Randall ’87
2018 Deborah Ann Brown ’79, ’86
2018 Vicki Tigert Davis, PhD, ’73
2017 Helen Benjamin, PhD, ’89, ’77
2017 Donna Alexander Israel, PhD ’82
2016 Therese Bartholomew Bevers, MD, ’81
2015 Lillie Mae Dukes Biggins ’81
2015 Linda C. Hilgenbrinck, PhD, ’01
2014 Betty Bohon Alford, PhD, ’54, ’56, ’65
2013 Carolyn “CAD” Dennehy, PhD, ’82, ’89
2012 Anne Gudmundsen, PhD, ’62
2012 Johnnie Roebuck, EdD, ’64
2012 Lillie Tucker-Akin ’58
2011 Billie J. Askew, PhD, ’82
2011 Gayle Ziaks Halperin ’87
2011 Bettye Myers, PhD, ’46, ’47
2010 Virginia Chandler Dykes ’53
2010 Karen P. DePauw, PhD, ’80
2010 Rosemary Luquire, PhD, ’97
2010 Claudine Sherrill, EdD, ’55
2009 Lola Chriss ’88
2009 Dana L. Gibson, PhD, ’81, ’84
2009 Elma Gonzalez, PhD, ’65
2008 Anita Cowan, PhD, ’62
2008 Darlene Kluka, PhD, ’85
2008 Sally Roden, EdD, ’60
2007 Carolyn Gunning, PhD, ’65
2007 Colleen Smith, PhD, ’97
2007 Norma Silva-Quinn ’74
2006 Barbara D. Nunneley ’75
2006 Dianne Baker ’75
2006 Elizabeth Ray Hall Burns, PhD, ’78
2006 Marie Chapman Martch ’65
2005 Margaret Beard, PhD, ’79
2005 Betty Ferrell, PhD, ’84
2005 Connie Sitterly, EdD, ’75, ’78
2004 Margaret Lowe Bogle, PhD, ’89
2004 Janie M. Hott Humphries, EdD, ’64
2004 Virginia “Ginger” Purdy ’48
2004 Glenda Brock Simmons, PhD, ’60
2003 Corina Gardea, PhD, ’75
2003 Cecilia May Moreno, EdD, ’68
2003 James H. Rimmer, PhD, ’82
2003 Mary Beth Foshee Scull ’47
2002 M. Diane Dwight ’76
2002 Alice Ludeman Spencer ’29
2002 Kaye Stripling, EdD, ’62
2002 Kathryn Yandell ’60
2001 Margaret Varner Bloss ’50
2001 Greta Joy Dicus ’61
2001 Elizabeth Ann Nalley, PhD, ’75
2001 Emily-Mae Stafford ’56
2000 Cornelia Marie Beck, PhD, ’78
2000 Gloria Vasquez Brown ’67
2000 Patricia E. Horridge, PhD, ’69
2000 Rosie M. Collins Sorrells, EdD, ’87
1999 Cheryl Blalock Aspy, PhD, ’71
1999 Rosanne Casey Keller ’59
1999 Beverly A. Mitchell-Brooks, PhD, ’70
1999 Anne Durrum Robinson ’36
1998 Laura V. Estrada ’70
1998 Major General Mary L. Saunders ’70
1998 Mary Ann “Windy” Windham Sitton ’71
1998 Charlotte “Toby” Anne Tate, PhD, ’69
1997 Geraldine “Polly” Parrott Bednash, PhD, ’65
1997 Ignatius Morgen Chiminya Chombo ’87
1997 Carol “Maggie” Snyder ’76
1997 Kathy Williams ’81
1996 Sandra Lynn Allmon Anderson ’70
1996 Janice Franklin, PhD, ’88
1996 Katherine “Kitty” Winter Magee ’34
1996 Marsha Pyle Martin ’59
1995 Rubye Jo Williams Jones, PhD, ’77
1995 Sheila Whitaker Kellagher ’81
1995 Mary Ann Odom ’59
1995 Beth C. Vaughan-Wrobel, EdD, ’65
1994 Mary Ann Baker ’80
1994 The Honorable Sylvia R. Garcia ’72
1994 Elizabeth Silverthorne ’61
1993 Carolyn Cody, PhD, ’75
1993 Kay Williams Goodman ’58
1993 Melinda Lou Kinkade McClanahan, PhD, ’71
1992 Susan A. Moucha ’85
1992 Kathryn Coffey Ragsdale ’63
1992 Veatrice A. Gipson Williams ’76
1991 Lois Jean Moore ’70
1991 Patricia Fine Swerda ’41
1991 Vi Marie Buster Taylor, PhD, ’51
1990 Dolores Gomez Barzune ’63
1990 Shirley Abbott Tomkievicz ’56
1990 Ann Ferrell Williams ’68
1989 The Honorable Maryellen Whitlock Hicks ’70
1989 Sook He Kim, PhD, ’62
1989 Louise Ritter ’82
1988 Laura Nell Gasaway ’67
1988 Barbara Luther Taylor ’52
1988 Mary Alexander Walker ’50
1987 Louise Kuehn Appleman ’62
1987 Cheryl Anne Holland Bridges ’68
1987 Lou Halsell Rodenberger, PhD, ’47
1986 Mickie Newbill Edwardson, PhD, ’50
1986 Jill Shugart, PhD ’72, ’80
1986 Beatrice “Bea” Paschall Stebbing ’38
1985 Sylvia “Sibby” Christensen ’57
1985 Lucyle Hook, PhD, ’22
1985 Millie Hughes-Fulford, PhD, ’72
1985 Mara Smith ’69
1984 Jerry A. Johnson, EdD, ’52
1984 Margaret Murrell ’47
1984 Barbara McFalane Staton ’52
1983 Ruth M. Bain, MD, ’40
1983 Dee Anne Dyke ’66
1983 Carolyn A. Williams, PhD, ’61
1982 Margarette Reeve Bolding ’45
1982 Vonette Zachary Bright ’48
1982 Jerline Kennedy ’39
1981 Johnie Christain, PhD, ’26
1981 Dymple C. Butler Cooksey, PhD, ’72
1981 Boots Cooper, MD, ’51
1981 The Honorable Anita Carraway Hill ’50
1981 Ann Badoloti Roznovsky ’58
1980 Agnes Thorton Bird, PhD, ’43
1980 Freida Loyce Carson, PhD, ’47
1980 LaVerne Collins Chatfield ’42
1980 Betty Green Heitman ’49
1980 Mary Martha Monroe Lappe ’60
1979 Constance Stanley Ashley ’66
1979 Laura Lane ’33
1979 Jo Ann Miller ’49
1979 Sue Titus Reid, PhD, ’60
1978 Gussie Nell Davis ’27
1978 Madelyn Pulver Jennings ’56
1978 Geraldine Segars Pool Marcus ’58
1978 Aline McKenzie Snyder ’28
1977 Elizabeth A. Crisp, MD, ’43
1977 Natha Howell ’29
1977 Sara Bernice Honea Moseley ’37
1976 Katherine Fewell Moore ’32
1976 Nell Morris ’27
1976 Patricia Tobin O’Connor, PhD, ’47, ’48
1975 Rae Ann Kaufman Fichtner, JD, ’50
1975 Jackie Matthews Greer ’29
1975 Mary Ellen Tisdale Hughes ’21
1974 Hazel Weber Brodersen ’43
1974 Mary Evelyn Blagg-Huey, PhD, ’42
1974 June Hyer ’42
1974 Ludie W. Clark Thompson ’10
1973 LaVerne Harrell Clark ’50
1973 Frances Matsler Gordon ’45
1973 Ola Lummus ’38
1972 Mary Alice Brown Ficklen ’43
1972 Oline E. Nicholson ’22
1971 Kate Adele Hill, PhD, ’25
1971 Lura Burton Kendrick ’31
1971 Aileene Simpson Lockhart, PhD, ’32
1970 Lottie Ray Caldwell ’36
1970 Frances Arnold Ellis ’37
1970 Mary Ellen Haggard, PhD, ’45
1970 Lucille Morgan Terry ’31
1970 Dorothy Hill Volk ’46
1969 Nelle C. Johnston ’42
1969 Lou Bullington Tower ’41
1969 Autrey Nell Wiley, PhD, ’22
1969 Opal Warren Yarborough ’24
The Jane Nelson Institute for Women’s Leadership Distinguished Public Service Award
2024 Congresswoman Sylvia R. Garcia ’72
2023 Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses ‘83
Chancellor's Alumni Excellence Award
2024 Kimberly J. Phillips ’85, ’92
2023 Carol Ireton-Jones, PhD ‘82, ‘88
2019 Ann Nalley ’75
2018 Donna Schloss ’65
2017 Jay-lin Jane ’78
2016 Beverly Sgro ’63
2015 Kathleen Robinson ’70
2014 Holly Williams ’94
2013 Deneese Jones ’74
2013 Nancy Moody ’78
2012 Anngienetta Johnson ’71
2012 Maggie Richard ’85
2011 Pat Costner ’61, ’64
Maroon and White Award
2024 Jennifer L. Flanagan, PhD, ’04
2023 Empowering Women as Leaders Dallas and Forth Worth Chapters
2022 Mickey Faust ’73
2022 Missina Minter ’93, ’96
2022 Mike Rydin
Young Alumni Award (Formerly Hallmark Alumni Award)
2024 Paramita Basu, PhD ’19
2023 Tiana James ‘14
2022 Tasha Moore Whitaker ’09
2022 Emily Ramser ’20
2021 Marisa De Leon ’17
2021 Faizan Kabani, PhD, ’11
2021 Aimee Piller, PhD, ’16
2021 Peace Ossum Williamson ’13
2019 Amiesha Brown ’95
2018 Lindsay Renfro, PhD, ’05
2017 Mandy Goff ’08
2016 Francine Anderson Wright, PhD, ’99
2015 Anne Utech, PhD, ’05, ’12
2014 Jennifer Lee Cranfill ’09
2013 Carolyn Caldwell ’97
2013 Jessica Setnick ’97
Page last updated 1:56 PM, November 13, 2024