BOLDLY GO newsletter

September 2025

New facilities and milestones mark the start of the academic year

Dear Friends,

The start of a new academic year always brings a special energy to our campuses, a mix of anticipation and possibility—and pride. This fall, that energy has been magnified by milestones that reflect who we are as a university: bold, student-centered, and committed to service. From the opening of two transformative facilities in Denton, to statewide recognition for our foster care programs, to the continued success of our student-athletes, Texas Woman’s is beginning this year with momentum that will set the tone for the academic year ahead.

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Welcome Center at Brackenridge Hall opens its doors

More than 400 students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members turned out for the ribbon cutting of the new Welcome Center at Brackenridge Hall — an event that made a splash in the Denton Record-Chronicle. The building carries forward a proud legacy: originally built in 1916 as a dormitory and later reborn in 1969 as the student union, Brackenridge Hall now enters its third chapter as the university’s official gateway. Named for Mary Eleanor Brackenridge, one of Texas Woman’s first regents and a noted suffragist, the facility embodies the pioneering spirit of our earliest leaders.

Inside its 82,000 square feet, visitors and students alike can find a true one-stop hub. The Welcome Center brings together Admissions, Financial Aid, Registrar, CARE, Career Connections, Student Money Management, Student Legal Services, ROTC, Scholar Programs, Veteran’s Center, and many other essential offices. It also houses Minerva’s Market, the Campus Store, ID Services, Parking, and Conference Services — all under one roof. The design reflects more than convenience: it tells every guest, “This is Texas Woman’s — bold, welcoming, and student-focused with an unparalleled call to excellence.” Now the building just needs a naming gift to really ignite the tinder of possibility inside. Imagine this: (Your name here) Welcome Center at Brackenridge Hall.

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Shaping the future of health care

This fall, Texas Woman’s opened the doors to its new Health Sciences Center in Denton — a 136,000-square-foot complex the envy of colleagues across the state and nation. Designed from the ground up around interprofessional education, the building brings together students and faculty from nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, communication sciences, nutrition, marriage and family therapy, and more. Shared classrooms, simulation labs, clinics, faculty “hoteling-style” offices, and even a teaching kitchen reflect a “teach, train, treat” model that prepares graduates to work as teams in today’s fast-changing health care environment.

The center expands what is possible on our Denton campus. New nursing and physical therapy cohorts — long based only in Dallas and Houston — are now studying here, strengthening our commitment to rural health and creating a single location where patients and families can access an array of services.

The road to opening was not without challenge. In August, a roof fire threatened to delay the building’s debut, but thanks to the quick response of Denton firefighters and the determination of our facilities team and faculty resilience, the center welcomed students on schedule this fall. A formal ribbon cutting is planned for Oct. 21.

Looking ahead, Texas Woman’s is seeking a transformational naming gift to ensure the beautiful intent of this state-of-the-art facility is fully realized — maximizing the impact on the students who learn here and the patients who will be cared for in its clinics. With the Health Sciences Center, we are not only expanding access to care — we are reshaping the way teams are trained, and the way patients are treated, across Texas and beyond.

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Texas Legislature expands TWU’s model program for foster youth

This summer, the Texas Legislature created the Foster Care Alumni Success (FCAS) Center, a statewide hub that will be based at Texas Woman’s. The center will help foster youth prepare for college with enrollment assistance, a guidance hotline, and training for high school counselors.

Lawmakers chose Texas Woman’s because of the success of our FAST Academy, a summer bridge pilot program that has proven the model by helping dozens of former foster youth adjust to college, build community, and even earn early college credit. With this investment — $1.4 million to continue FAST and $1.6 million to launch the new center — we will extend what we’ve learned here in Denton to benefit foster youth across Texas.

This is more than funding. It is recognition that foster youth can thrive in higher education — and that Texas Woman’s is the right place to lead this work.

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Pioneers excel in the classroom and in competition

It is one thing to grow. It is another to grow while maintaining quality. TWU Athletics has done both — more than doubling in size, from 96 student-athletes in 2019 to 216 in 2025 — while continuing to shine.

Academically, our Pioneers posted an overall GPA of 3.60 this past year, with many teams ranking among the best in the nation. Basketball earned the third-highest GPA among all NCAA Division II programs, Gymnastics ranked third across all NCAA divisions, Wrestling led the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, and STUNT topped the Lone Star Conference. Several other teams, including Artistic Swimming, Volleyball, Soccer, and Dance, also recorded GPAs well above 3.3 — a testament to the discipline and intellectual talents of our student-athletes.

In competition, our success was just as impressive. Basketball claimed its third consecutive Lone Star Conference championship and advanced to nationals. Gymnastics celebrated its 13th National Invitational Championship. And Dance captured its first NDA Spirit Rally national championship.

At Texas Woman’s, we believe academic success and athletic achievement go hand in hand. Our student-athletes embody that balance, proving that growth and excellence are not opposites — but partners in the Pioneer journey.

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These stories are more than headlines. They are signs of how Texas Woman’s continues to grow while staying true to our mission — investing in students, strengthening communities, and expanding opportunities for the people of Texas. I close out this update with a picture capturing the festive mood at our annual Block Party, the campus-wide celebration that puts an exclamation point on Welcome Week activities for our students.

As always, email me with your comments or questions. I am delighted that you have spent a few minutes with me today.

Warm Regards,

 

 

 

 

 

Follow Carine M. Feyten, Ph.D.

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Page last updated 3:09 PM, September 16, 2025