Scholarship Recipients

2024 Virginia Chandler Dykes Scholars

Jennifer Conner
College of Arts & Sciences

Jennifer Conner is a PhD candidate in the English/Rhetoric program at Texas Woman’s, where she is also pursuing a graduate certificate in Multicultural Women’s & Gender Studies. Her intersectional research interests include Black feminist rhetoric, communication theory and activism. She has nearly 19 years of experience in education, teaching courses in English language arts, speech communication and first-year composition. Conner has worked as a freelance journalist with articles focused on the African-American communities in New Orleans and Dallas.

Kelsie Barta
College of Nursing

Kelsie Barta is a Family Nurse Practitioner and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. She works at the Lactation Foundation in Houston, providing compassionate support to families struggling with breastfeeding. She obtained a BSN from the University of Missouri, an MSN from UTHealth Houston, and expects to complete her PhD in nursing science from Texas Woman’s University in May 2024. For her dissertation research, she developed and validated an instrument measuring the psychological needs of lactating individuals, and examined relationships between those needs, breastfeeding outcomes, and postpartum depression symptoms.

Gladys Elena Roa Albert
College of Professional Education

Gladys Elena Roa Albert was born and raised in Venezuela. In 2008, she and her family came to Texas for a more promising future. In 2018, she earned her bachelor’s degree in education from Texas Woman's. Subsequently, in August 2023, she completed her master's degree in multilingual and multicultural studies as a practicing bilingual educator. With more than five years of experience as an educator, she has gained insight into the challenges facing multilingual students. Gladys is furthering her own education to enhance her ability to support multilingual students, their families, and fellow educators.

Ruth George
College of Business

Ruth George is pursuing her MBA and MHA from Texas Woman’s University. She was born and raised in Doha, Qatar, and moved to the U.S. when she was 13. She graduated with her BSN from TWU in 2021 and is currently working as a Registered Nurse in Dallas County. As a dedicated healthcare professional passionate about delivering exceptional patient care, she is excited to embark on a transformative journey by pursuing dual master’s degrees. With a strong foundation in nursing, she is eager to leverage her clinical experience and contribute to the dynamic intersection of healthcare and business management.

Alondra Ammon
College of Health Sciences

Alondra Ammon is a first-generation American-born U.S. Air Force veteran pursuing her PhD in occupational therapy at Texas Woman’s. Ammon is a recipient of the WoMentoring in Graduate Education Fellowship through TWU’s Jane Nelson Institute for Women’s Leadership. The fellowship supports women in leadership and research. She has spoken on national television with Telemundo about mental health awareness within the Latino community, and was awarded the 2023 Recent Graduate Health Impact Award from Samuel Merritt University, where she serves as an adjunct faculty member.

Past Scholars

2023 Scholars

Headshot of Erica Garcia

Erica Garcia
College of Arts & Sciences

Graduation portrait of Thuc Nguyen

Thuc Huynh Nguyen
College of Business

Headshot of Anne Sullivan

Anne Sullivan
College of Health Sciences

Headshot of Tracy Tyner

Tracey Tyner
College of Nursing

Headshot of Connie Hicks

Connie Hicks
College of Professional Education

2022 Scholars

Roxi Victorian
College of Arts & Sciences

Danielle Quintana
College of Nursing

Kyle Karen
College of Health Sciences

Sarah Massey
College of Professional Education

Ngoc (Thao) Nguyen
College of Business

2021 Scholars

Esther Oluwashina Ajayi-Lowo
College of Arts & Sciences

Stephanie Vela
College of Nursing

Jennifer “Jenny” Whittaker
College of Health Sciences

Elizabeth (Lyzi) Hinderer
College of Professional Education

Ibidunni Oyewole
College of Business

2020 Scholars

Aubree Evans
College of Arts & Sciences

Nisha Mathews
College of Nursing

Lou Ann Hintz
College of Health Sciences

Lorna Durrant
College of Professional Education

Alex Conner
College of Business

2019 Scholars

Paramita Basu
College of Arts & Sciences

Amie Bedgood
College of Nursing

Janice Kishi Chow
College of Health Sciences

Patricia Flint
College of Professional Education

Meghan Labiak
College of Business

2018 Scholars

Geethanjali Ravindranathan
College of Arts & Sciences

Dawn Murphy
College of Nursing

Kaye Rubio
College of Health Sciences

Lorraine Cadwallader
College of Professional Education

2017 Scholars

Kamica King
College of Arts & Sciences

Katheryn A. Courville
College of Nursing

Laurie Stelter
College of Health Sciences

Julie D. Southward
College of Professional Education

2016 Scholars

Erin Graybill Ellis
College of Arts & Sciences

Mary Kathryn Roberts
College of Nursing

Veronica Thessing Rowe
College of Health Sciences

Tara L. Signs Roush
College of Professional Education

2015 Scholars

Tawny LeBouef Tullia
College of Arts & Sciences

Heidi Gilroy
College of Nursing

Lenin Grajo
College of Health Sciences

Lena Jackson-Lynch
College of Professional Education

2014 Scholars

Sheila Bustillos-Reynolds
College of Arts & Sciences

Laura Thomas
College of Nursing

Angie Boisselle
College of Health Sciences

Amy Johnson
College of Professional Education

2013 Scholars

Elodie Singer
College of Arts & Sciences

Lisa L. Ferguson
College of Nursing

Lt. Col. Steven M. Gerardi, USA (Ret.)
College of Health Sciences

Jill Bellomy
College of Professional Education

2012 Scholars

Tiffany Smith
College of Arts & Sciences

Kathleen Shannon
College of Nursing

Heather Roberts
College of Health Sciences

Hannah Mills
College of Professional Education

2011 Scholars

Brenna A. Tucker
College of Arts & Sciences

Briyana Morrell
College of Nursing

Angela Shierk
College of Health Sciences

Rebecca Molidor
College of Professional Education

2010 Scholars

Ilana Morgan
College of Arts & Sciences

Kimberly Bookout
College of Nursing

Kalyn Myers Briggs
College of Health Sciences

Marlene Montgomery
College of Professional Education

2009 Scholars

Miranda Livingston
College of Arts & Sciences

Barbara Gruendemann
College of Nursing

Jessica Lampert
College of Health Sciences

Denise Ford
College of Professional Education

2008 Scholars

Minyu Sun
College of Arts & Sciences

Debora Simmons
College of Nursing

Gilbert Perales, Jr.
College of Health Sciences

Phillip Stager
College of Professional Education

2007 Scholars

Jana C. Perez
College of Arts & Sciences

Debbie A. Arbique
College of Nursing

Claudette Voekel Fette
College of Health Sciences

Annette Torres Elías
College of Professional Education

2006 Scholars

Gail Poskey
School of Occupational Therapy

Patrice Caldwell
College of Nursing

2005 Scholar

Fermond L. Washington
School of Occupational Therapy

2004 Scholar

Evelyn Andersson
School of Occupational Therapy

2003 Scholar

Hope A. Martin
School of Occupational Therapy

Page last updated 3:06 PM, March 8, 2024