TWU Celebrates Major Milestones

Approximately 275 guests, including six members of the Texas Woman's University Board of Regents, gathered last month to celebrate major milestones - the centennial anniversary of Texas Woman's University, and the 40th anniversary of the TWU Houston Center.

Founded in 1901 by an act of the 27th Texas Legislature, TWU was then known as the Girls Industrial College. In 1957, the college's name was changed to its current title, and in 1960, the TWU Houston Center opened.

"For many, this evening was a celebration of the past," said Dr. Kathryn Stream, vice provost for health affairs, Texas Woman's University Institute of Health Sciences - Houston. "But from my perspective, I see it as launching TWU forward into an era of new beginnings."

Kay Williams Goodman, a member and chair of the TWU Board of Regents, not only is an alumna of TWU, but has a legacy tied to the university, as well. Her great-grandfather was on the board that originally acquired land for TWU in Denton.

Rules were strict regarding behavior of the boarding students. Goodman's father was "blacklisted" from the campus when he arrived one night to pick up her mother for a date, pulled up behind one of the dorms, and honked his horn.

Goodman was excited to be part of the festivities.

"Any time you get invited to a 100th birthday party, you should make a point to go!" she said.

Dr. Ann Stuart, chancellor and president of Texas Woman's University, came to TWU in December of 1999. She arrived just in time for the legislative session and the centennial year.

"What a year to be a part of TWU. What a year to be a part of an institution that is 100 years old," said Dr. Stuart. "One of my pleasures has been to delve into that history to find out that the health care professions were part of our founding curricula, to understand the importance of what we have given back to the citizens of Texas."

In the past 100 years of service in Denton and the past 40 in Houston, TWU annually graduates approximately 250 baccalaureate nurses into the workforce, 90 percent of whom stay in the field and in Texas.

"When we talk about a nursing shortage, there is indeed such a shortage, but TWU is the institution that has consistently and persistently put nurses into that workforce and has been trusted and respected to have made a contribution," Dr. Stuart said.

"It is with such pride that I can say `hello' to students on the Houston campus and thank them for the work that they are doing," she continued. "And as always, I thank the faculty who have dedicated themselves to their work, who have built the reputation for these nursing, teaching, occupational therapy, physical therapy, hospital administration, and nutrition/dietitian programs."

Dr. Michele Sabino, grant officer for the Houston Endowment, was on hand to accept the TWU Founders'Award.

The Houston Endowment is a charitable foundation, founded and endowed by the late Mr. and Mrs. Jesse H. Jones of Houston, that has supported TWU for almost 50 years. With the M. D. Anderson Foundation, the Houston Endowment provided a grant to fund facilities for Houston's nursing program.

"TWU broke ground for the Houston Center on July 1, 1959, and construction of the center almost doubled clinical training facilities for the TWU nursing students," said Dr. Stuart.

By the fall of 1973, the foundation had contributed $600,000 for the addition of six floors to the Houston Center. The Houston Endowment continues to support TWU through the Mary Gibbs Jones Endowment Scholarship for Nursing Students.

Dr. Sabino's relationship with TWU began prior to her affiliation with Houston Endowment.

"Several colleagues of mine were on the faculty here, and they invited me to be a guest lecturer on more than one occasion, mostly addressing the issue of cross-cultural communication, my specialty. And one time I was even invited to do a workshop in writing across the curriculum."

"The next time I came in touch with Texas Woman's University was when I took a professional detour to an institution that contributed to the very bizarre nature of my resume, and that was as the education coordinator at the Houston Police Academy," she continued.

The university had just been awarded a March of Dimes grant to establish a nursing preceptorship program to address the issue of domestic violence. The program was implemented in hospitals, and particularly maternity wards.

"The young officer who worked for me, and I, prevailed upon the university to make presentations to police officers in our in-service program. Little did I know that in 1991, when I accepted a position with Houston Endowment, I would become the liaison to Texas Woman's University and to all the Texas Medical Center institutions. It is a double pleasure for me to be here representing the foundation both personally and professionally."

Dr. Richard Wainerdi, president and CEO of the Texas Medical Center, commended TWU by saying, "I want to congratulate you for the exemplary service that we've seen from the friends, faculty and students of TWU through the years who have been wonderful citizens and participants in the Texas Medical Center life and adventure."

"I want to thank TWU, Kathryn Stream and the faculty at TWU for their participation on so many boards and committees throughout the Texas Medical Center, and even on the Greater Houston Partnership," he continued. "Dr. Stream is the current chair of the board of the Texas Medical Center-Houston Academy of Medicine Library, and she is vice chair of the Texas Medical Center Thermal Energy Cooperative. I think I can fairly say that no person is more widely respected than Kathryn Stream. Kathryn, we thank you."

Dr. Wainerdi concluded by saying, "I want to thank the university not only for what you've done in the Texas Medical Center and in Denton and Dallas, but for what TWU has meant to America. This is a very important institution, and through the years the valuable contributions have been many."

Dr. Carolyn Gunning, dean of TWU's School of Nursing, said she is proud to be part of such a valuable institution.

In addition to the evening's centennial activity, nearly 50 of TWU's top 100 nursing alumni were present at a luncheon in Houston to receive awards for their outstanding achievements in the nursing field.

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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