Foundation, charity contribute to support nursing students

One gift came from a foundation started by a Dallas couple with hearts as big as Texas, the other was from a longstanding charitable group devoted to caring for the sick and poor. Together, they gave $100,000 to Texas Woman’s University in support of nursing students this spring.

The first was from the Houston J. and Florence A. Doswell Foundation, which continues a legacy of giving started by the generous couple years ago, including $3 million to help construct TWU’s T. Boone Pickens Institute of Health Sciences-Dallas Center and $2 million to establish the Doswell Nursing Informatics and Doswell Teaching Excellence endowed chairs. The Doswells also established biennial conferences to support informatics and teaching, and the College of Nursing at the Dallas center now bears the couple’s name.

Although both passed away years ago, their philanthropy continues through their foundation, which in April contributed $25,000 to support a student emergency fund and an additional $25,000 for scholarships in the College of Nursing.

Emergency funds can be used to pay for food, rent, utilities, child care and other such costs while the scholarships can be applied toward tuition and fees.

The other $50,000 gift came from JHG Texas, a humanitarian organization in Texas that is part of the international Johanniter community. The funds will support nursing scholarships to help increase the number of registered nurses in Texas by helping financially needy nursing students who would otherwise be unable to afford the cost of attending nursing school.

JHG Texas has contributed $76,000 in the last two years to support scholarship and academic enhancement for nursing students at TWU.

The Johanniterorden, or Knightly Order of St. John of the Hospital of Jerusalem, is the protestant branch of the Knights Hospitaller that originated with the founding of the first Christian hospital in Jerusalem in 1099. The organization’s mission is to serve the sick and the poor and to foster a sense of charitable community.

“These funds come at a critical time of need for nursing students, who have the added challenge of paying for TB testing, vaccinations, health insurance and other required instructional costs,” said College of Nursing Dean Dr. Rosalie Mainous. “We are pleased the Doswell Foundation and JHG Texas recognize the hardships our students are facing and have stepped in to support TWU nursing students in multiple ways.”

Page last updated 3:47 PM, September 27, 2021