Mildred Tribble ’45, who turns 100 in October, displays a giant map of the world on the wall of her home office. Red pins mark the dozens of countries she has visited — from England to Brazil to China to Kenya — often accompanied by her sister, Marie Tribble ’46.
Now, Mildred wants “to give other people the same opportunities that we had to travel,” she says. The Mildred and Marie Tribble Study Abroad Scholarship Endowment will honor Mildred and the memory of Marie, who passed away in 1994, while enabling students in the College of Professional Education to enjoy the cultural enrichment the sisters shared.
Mildred studied home economics education and graduated in 1945, while her sister earned her degree in food and nutrition the following year. Attending college during World War II, they relied on ration coupons to purchase groceries. “We were very privileged to be able to go to college then, and I’m glad I earned my degree,” Mildred says.
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES
The sisters began traveling the world in their 20s, sparking a lifelong passion for adventure. “Travel enhanced and broadened our lives,” says Mildred. “It made us realize that we live in a wonderful country, but we’re also influenced by tradition and history from other countries. We learned that there are different ways of living.”
The sisters didn’t go the traditional route of marriage and family after graduating from college, instead earning master’s degrees and building careers — Mildred in the marketing department of a utility company and Marie as a food and nutrition specialist for the Texas Agricultural Extension Service. “Texas Woman’s University fostered leadership skills in women of my generation,” Mildred says.
What is Mildred’s advice to students who travel internationally? “Travel light and absorb all you can!” Thanks to the Tribble sisters’ gift, countless TWU students will have an opportunity to experience the world. 