Denton businesswoman’s gift will help TWU aviation students soar

As a West Point graduate and commissioned U.S. Army officer, Kathleen Hildreth flew VIPs in Vietnam and served as a maintenance test pilot.

After her military stint, she found other ways to support her country through Department of Defense contracts, giving to veterans causes, and serving on the board of the Wounded Warrior Project.

Now, as a successful businesswoman and philanthropist, Hildreth is serving her country in yet another way: by helping some of its youngest prospective pilots gain solid footing in an industry badly in need of new aviators.

Among her most recent efforts was a $1 million gift to Texas Woman’s University, half of which is funding scholarships for every student in the university’s inaugural class of the Doswell School of Aeronautical Sciences. The other half will match future donations to the school’s aviation program.

Although she didn’t attend Texas Woman’s, Hildreth became connected to its aviation program through business associates from her Denton-based company, M1 Support Services, which supports military aviation.

Over her career, Hildreth’s business success has resulted in several accolades. She became the first veteran to be named to the Forbes list of “America’s Richest Self-Made Women,” on which she has remained since 2019. This year, Hildreth was named a Distinguished Graduate of the United States Military Academy and was inducted into the Texas Business Hall of Fame.

Helping students on an expensive academic journey toward earning their wings has reinvigorated Hildreth’s passion for aviation.

“I’d like to be able to give back — especially to things I know will make a difference in the future,” she said during a recent visit to Texas Woman’s, at which she met the students who benefitted from the scholarships. “You can see the results of your investment. I think it’s really impactful.”

Each aviation student will receive approximately $40,000 in scholarship money over the course of the aviation program — a huge boost toward earning a degree and the necessary piloting certifications that will cost in excess of $100,000 when completed.

Carolyn Young, among the 24 students who received the scholarships, was moved by Hildreth’s generosity, which she said will go a long way toward funding her education and flight training. She added that she was thrilled to be able to thank Hildreth in person.

“It’s really inspiring, too, knowing that someone other than my family and friends, is rooting for me,” Young said.