Preparing for the Future

Texas Woman's Is Dreaming Big

The Opportunity is Too Big to Dream Small

Pioneers at Texas Woman’s come from a diverse range of backgrounds and bring different perspectives and rich experiences with them. Pioneers are resilient and dare to achieve what they dream. To honor this legacy and prepare future generations of TWU graduates for success, TWU Chancellor and President Carine M. Feyten announced the launch of Dream Big — The Campaign for Texas Woman’s University — this past fall.

Focusing on three pathways — Open Doors, Fuel Innovation and Cultivate Grit — Texas Woman’s has a goal to raise $125 million to celebrate its 125-year anniversary in 2026.

“Together, we will raise $125 million to ensure the pioneering spirit of the largest woman-focused university system in our nation continues advancing opportunities and leadership,” says Feyten. “One million dollars for every year of our history — that’s what it means to dream big.”

A door can be a powerful symbol. Among its many metaphors, a door can represent transformational opportunities, signaling a wide array of possibilities. At Texas Woman’s, the many doors of opportunity are thrown wide open, empowering all students to dream big.

From student scholarships, graduate assistantships, funding for study abroad opportunities and other forms of critical support, Texas Woman’s provides the needed resources and educational opportunities for students to be successful and live productively. Scholarships and fieldwork opportunities have opened doors for current graduate student and single mother, Alicia Becker ’20, who earned a bachelor’s degree in family studies with a track in pre-occupational therapy before being accepted into the occupational therapy graduate program.

Becker is training to become an occupational therapist because she “wants to help people regain the skills they lost, so they can return to their everyday activities.”

“Texas Woman’s scholarships have been vital to my degree completion as a single mother and working student. And, I will complete my fieldwork experience at AGAPE Clinic in Dallas, where I will engage in practice-based learning and provide quality healthcare to underserved people. Scholarships and the opportunity to train in the community are opening doors for me to new and innovative experiences,” says Becker.

"We celebrate every success. We’re there to lend a hand when anyone stumbles. We are committed to honoring the pioneering qualities of hard work, tenacity and taking risks to achieve important things."
Regent Ellen Amirkhan ’79

From a single building in 1901 to the first woman-focused university system in the nation, Texas Woman’s continues to blaze its own trail.

The Fuel Innovation pathway builds on transformational ideas. Expanding funding for research, establishing named academic positions and developing academic programs in high-demand fields and industries will bring the unique perspectives of Texas Woman’s talented faculty and students to real-world problem solving and creative, ground-breaking solutions.

David Pugh is a second-year graduate student in the physical therapy program. He chose Texas Woman’s after earning a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from Texas A&M University, “because TWU has one of the best physical therapy programs in the country.”

Pugh began blazing new trails his very first semester. With his background in biomedical engineering, he was invited to join Assistant Professor Hui-Ting Goh in researching the relationship between mental functions and motor movements in stroke patients.

“I am proud to serve on this innovative research team,” says Pugh. “Adding to the collective body of research knowledge can make a real difference in patients’ lives. I am inspired by this work.”

Grit is the desire to see the job done right and the perseverance to see it to completion. Texas Woman’s provides tailored environments that help cultivate a culture of grit. Expanding opportunities, supporting programs, and providing learning experiences and leadership opportunities gives students the confidence to make their dreams come true.

Scholarship recipient Patty Lobos Valle belongs to the weekend/evening nursing cohort on the Dallas campus. An immigrant from El Salvador, she dropped out of school to support and care for her family members. Despite challenges, Lobos Valle never lost sight of her dream to earn a college education, and she returned at the community college level.

“I transferred to TWU because the weekend/evening nursing program provides flexibility and allows me to continue to work,” says Lobos Valle. “My faculty mentors at Texas Woman’s have taught me that no dreams are off limits. After I complete my undergraduate nursing degree, I plan to pursue my doctorate so I can pay it forward as a mentor and leader.”