Regents authorize names for social work division, new nursing center

Feb. 18, 2022 – DENTON – The Texas Woman’s University System Board of Regents today approved naming features for a new nursing research center to be established at the university’s Dallas campus and for the existing division of social work at the Denton campus.

The naming features honor longtime philanthropists who have supported Texas Woman’s University.

Regents authorized the naming of the Houston J. and Florence A. Doswell Nursing Center for Scientific Research and Discovery and approved a name change for the social work division to the Orien Levy Woolf Division of Social Work. 

Before her husband’s death in 1974 to cancer, Florence Doswell began developing strong relationships with the nursing team that cared for him. After his death, she made a series of significant contributions to the university’s nursing school. In 2009, Florence Doswell founded the Houston J. and Florence A. Doswell Foundation to continue supporting TWU and several local charitable operations, including the North Texas Food Bank, Dallas Life and Hope Cottage.

The new nursing research center will benefit faculty from TWU’s three campuses who are conducting original research as well as those engaged in clinical translational, quality improvement and evidence-based practice investigations.

Woolf was a longtime community volunteer and founder of the Dallas Home for Jewish Aged, Golden Acres, and was president of the board of directors of the Jewish Family Services. She also was inducted into the Sisterhood Hall of Fame at Temple Emanu-El.

Woolf also contributed to Texas Woman’s, UT Southwestern Medical School, East Dallas Community School, Community Home for Adults, the Visiting Nurse Association and Temple Emanu-El. Her namesake charitable trust continued her legacy of giving by establishing the Orien Levy Woolf and Dr. Jack Woolf Social Work Scholarship Endowments, one for graduate students and the other for undergraduates.

“We are so grateful for the continuing support from both foundations, and these new investments will help ensure that our students and faculty have access to scholarship and program support in perpetuity,” said Kimberly Russell, Texas Woman’s vice president for University Advancement.