2024 Nancy P. and Thaddeus E. Paup Lecture

The Jane Nelson Institute for Women’s Leadership is honored to present the 2024 Nancy P. and Thaddeus E. Paup Lecture “Follow Your Passions While Honoring Your Priorities” featuring Karen Hughes, one of the world’s foremost communication strategists. We invite you to join us in person at TWU’s Bridges Auditorium or via livestream on Oct. 22, 7 PM to gain insights from her extensive leadership experiences.

Hughes, a Texas Women’s Hall of Fame inductee, will share her remarkable leadership journey, offering personal anecdotes and invaluable lessons on empowerment, resilience, and self-advocacy. She will inspire you to embrace your strengths, pursue your ambitions, and overcome obstacles with confidence while emphasizing the importance of mentorship, networking, and mutual support in achieving success.

View the recorded lecture

About the Speaker

Karen Hughes began her distinguished career in 1977 as a television reporter in DFW. Within seven years, she was appointed Texas press coordinator for the 1984 Reagan-Bush campaign. Following the campaign’s success, she became a public relations and media consultant in Dallas, establishing herself as a highly effective political and communications strategist.

Hughes served as Governor George W. Bush’s Communications Director from 1994–2000 and was a key leader in his successful presidential campaign before being named Counselor to the President from 2001–2002. As a key advisor, she provided strategic counsel and oversaw all public communications from the White House, playing a pivotal role in the administration. From 2005–2007, Hughes served as Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. In 2020, she was inducted into the PRWeek Hall of Fame for her exemplary work as Worldwide Vice Chair of BCW Global, where she specialized in strategic messaging, crisis communications and executive positioning.

About the Regents’ Scholarship Endowment

Established in 2023 by the Paups, the Regents’ Scholarship Initiative supports students who excel academically and based on the following criteria: 3.5 GPA or higher, junior or senior year of study, and leadership both inside and outside the classroom. Our goal is a minimum of 10 commitments to the Regents’ Scholarship Initiative by the culmination of the DREAM BIG Campaign in 2026. With the Paups having established the first Regents’ Scholarship Endowment, Texas Woman’s University and the Jane Nelson Institute for Women’s Leadership are challenging both current and former TWU Regents, alumni, and friends to join TWU in creating named regents’ scholarship endowments today.

For more information, contact Lisa Rampy at 940-898-3860 or lrampy@twu.edu.

Meet this year’s scholarship recipients:

Nancy P. and Thaddeus E. Paup Regents’ Endowed Scholarship

Jessica McAdams

• Senior, Collinsville TX
• Art/Graphic Design

Ashley Latchford

• Senior, Buffalo NY
• Kinesiology
• Member of Artistic Swim

Sharon Faye Wilbur Regents’ Endowed Scholarship

Mercedes Shook

• Senior, Fort Worth TX
• Music Therapy

Ellen A. Amirkhan Regents’ Endowed Scholarship

Malia Viernes

• Senior, Cibolo TX
• Business Administration
• Member of the Volleyball team

Page last updated 3:54 PM, October 30, 2024