September 2021

National spotlight shines bright on TWU

Dear Friends:

I was thrilled to see Texas Woman’s recognized at the national level twice this month for achievements that speak to our diverse culture. First, Excelencia in Education, a national organization dedicated to accelerating Hispanic student success in higher education, tapped TWU’s PIONERAS program as one of 21 finalists for its Examples of Excelencia award. The PIONERAS program is a collaboration between Texas Woman’s and Denton ISD to advance bilingual education for the benefit of teachers, students and parents.

Second, in its 2022 “Best Colleges” issue, U.S. News & World Report named Texas Woman’s one of the most ethnically diverse universities in the country. According to the magazine, TWU ranks on the list with the fourth-highest diversity index in the nation and the second-highest in Texas. The U.S. News announcement came just days after Texas Woman’s reported minority enrollment of 57.9% this fall — the university’s most diverse student body ever. These recognitions reflect our commitment to ensuring higher education access and success to people from all backgrounds.

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TWU salutes Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month kicked off on Sept. 15 and runs through Oct. 15. Besides hosting a variety of events to celebrate the occasion, the university is featuring several profiles of Hispanic faculty, students and alumni on a dedicated webpage to mark these individuals’ outstanding contributions.

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A somber reflection on 9/11

^{Every year, the Student Veterans Association creates a memorial of 2,977 flags to honor each of the lives lost during 9/11.}

In a fitting tribute to lives lost in one of America’s darkest days in history, Texas Woman’s Division of Music presented a 9/11 memorial concert featuring performances by the TWU band, choir and orchestra. Songs included time-honored selections such as “America the Beautiful,” as well as contemporary pieces, including “A Hymn for the Lost and the Living.” Additionally, members of TWU’s Student Veteran Association placed flags near Brackenridge Hall on the Denton campus to mark the anniversary. Although there remains much angst and trauma over that event 20 years ago, there is a measure of comfort in knowing so many people reflect on this solemn occasion with patriotism and reverence.

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New pact to fuel teacher pipeline

^{From left, Russell Lowery-Hart, PhD, President for Amarillo College, and Barbara Lerner, PhD, TWU's Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies and Academic Partnerships.}

Texas Woman’s this month signed a general transfer agreement with Amarillo College to create a pathway for students in the panhandle community to complete their bachelor’s degrees entirely online or in person. Although the partnership applies to a wide range of degree programs, the impetus for it was teacher certification. The agreement allows students to live, work, study and fulfill their student teaching requirement in the panhandle. Texas needs more teachers and Texas Woman’s has an exceptional legacy of producing some of the state’s most dedicated educators. At a time when roughly half of Texas’ new teachers leave the profession within eight years, about 80% of TWU teacher education graduates have remained in the profession the last 10 years.

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Partnership gives boost to women business owners

In its ongoing mission to support women-owned businesses, many of which suffered significant financial loss during the pandemic, TWU’s Jane Nelson Institute for Women’s Leadership has partnered with Dallas-based The Slate to launch a women-owned incubator program and provide office space, training and other resources to women entrepreneurs in the heart of the Dallas Design District. It marks the institute’s first major reach into Dallas, and in addition to making available resources such as conference rooms and audio/video production facilities, the partnership will include an on-site adviser to help women business owners grow a dynamic workforce in the Dallas area.

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These women should wear capes

^{From left, Roxanne Gonzales-Vogel and Tammie Jo Shults.}

In a span of less than a week, Texas Woman’s will host virtual speaking engagements for two women who have performed heroic feats. On Sept. 30, TESSTalk Series features TWU alumna, mountaineer and sports nutritionist Roxanne Gonzales-Vogel, who has reached summits on each of the seven continents’ tallest mountains. Roxy has pushed her body to unimaginable limits in pursuing her extreme adventures, and she is still not done. Her next excursion is to the North Pole, where she hopes to complete what is known as the Explorers Grand Slam – the seven summits plus the North Pole – an endeavor that only 14 other women in the world are known to have achieved.

On Oct. 6, the featured speaker in our Paup Lecture Series will be airline pilot and author Tammie Jo Shults, who is famous for her successful emergency landing of a Boeing 737 following an engine explosion at high altitude in 2018. A former U.S. Navy fighter pilot, Shults landed the plane at Philadelphia National Airport, saving 148 passenger and crew lives. These remarkable women have inspiring messages to share and TWU is pleased to offer their talks for free.

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To close, I am sharing a photo taken at the Tea and Treats Mix and Mingle event earlier this month at our Dallas campus. The event kicks off the school year and gives students an opportunity to meet with other students, faculty and staff.

As usual, I promise to keep you updated on the activities that make us shine and provide a unique environment for our university family.

Thanks for your interest in Texas Woman’s. 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 3:39 PM, April 12, 2023