Below you’ll find all of the scholarships that the Pioneer Alumni Association supports, given through the generosity of proud TWU alumni. Scroll through the list carefully to check for deadlines, qualifications, and materials needed as they will vary.
Donor: Karen Kearns Harper and Ron Harper
Established in 2006 by her daughter, Karen Kearns Harper, Class of 1965, and husband Ron Harper. Lula worked for 30 years at TWU as a purchasing agent.
Donor: TWU Class of 1955
In honor of their 50th Class Reunion in 2005 and the 100th year of the Former Students Association, their class gift endowed this scholarship.
Donor: Rudolph Guilloud
Established in 2009 by her husband, Rudolph Guilloud, upon her death. She received a Home Economics degree and taught school for over 20 years.
Donor: Donor: Ludie Clark Thompson and the Southern California Alumnae Chapter
Established from her estate in 1982 and endowed in April 1985 by Southern California Alumnae Chapter, Ms. Clark was a 1974 TWU Distinguished Alumnae and an artist. She had art exhibitions where she earned many awards and taught art to Hollywood social club members. She was grateful that her art education served her well. Ms. Clark donated a collection of her painted china and paintings to TWU prior to her death in 1980.
Donor: Mary Briant Healy, 1935, TSCW
Established upon her death in 2011, Ms. Healy received her B.S. in Vocational Home Economics and was the President of the Alice Freeman Palmer Club.
Donor: Daughter of Zenda Aschbacher
Zenda Aschbacher graduated from the College of Industrial Arts in 1926 and returned to TWU in 1957 to earn her Masters in Library Science. She loved being on campus so much that she became Dormitory Director of Stoddard Hall from 1958 to 1960. In 1961, the Mary Gibbs Jones Hall was opened and as a dorm mother, she became the beloved “Ma” of many TWU students until 1974. The scholarship was established in 1984 by her daughter following “Ma’s” death.
Donor: Friends and family of Vada Hale
The Vada Francis Hale Scholarship is awarded to a student studying in the Fine Arts area. The scholarship was raised by friends and family of Vada Hale. Mrs. Hale graduated in 1922 in Fashion Design and kept in close contact with TWU afterward. She served two terms as National Alumnae President from 1946 to 1950, organized the Dallas Chapter, and hosted both the annual picnic for the Dallas Alumnae Chapter and the Dallas Chapter’s Founder’s Day Tea for 34 years. She was recognized as a Distinguished Alumnae in 1979.
Donor: Ulas James Ramsey
From 1928-55, Ramsey was stage manager at the Margo Jones Theatre. Mr. Ramsey donated over 200 programs from different performances at CIA & TSCW along with a check to the Alumnae Association. His son, Curtis Ramsey, was an adjunct faculty member at TWU. The scholarship was established in his name for music and drama students.
Donor: Almarie Morris Field
Almarie received a degree in Home Demonstration and returned often for the annual Homecoming activities. Established in 1990 for undergraduates in the Family Sciences by her children because she appreciated her education.
Donor: Dr. Mary Evelyn Blagg-Huey
Graduating with an Art degree, Norine’s career was as an art educator. Established in 1981 by her sister, Dr. Mary Evelyn Blagg-Huey, class of 1942 and the first female president of TWU from 1976 to 1986.
Donor: Dr. Esther Broome
Following the 1998 Homecoming program “Great Women of Texas” featuring alumni from the English doctoral program, Dr. Esther Broome established this scholarship in memory of her sister-in-law, Johnnie Lee Feemster. Johnnie received her BA degree with an emphasis in English and Music. She was very active on campus working as a student assistant in the Department of Modern Languages, serving as an exchange editor of the Daedalian Quarterly, and was a member of the Chaparral Literary Club, the Texas Club, the Press Club, and the Y.W.C.A. Dr. Broome was also an alumna and faculty member of TWU.
Donor: Houston Chapter
Donor: Dallas Chapter
Donor: Fort Worth Chapter
Donor: English Chapter
Donor: San Antonio Chapter
Donor: Dental Hygiene Chapter
Donor: Denton County Chapter
Donor: Violets and Pearls Chapter
Violets and Pearls Chapter is a scholarship-based organization designed to support the students on campus at the university, address the mission of the Alumni Association, and promote the empowerment of students (especially African American women) for future endeavors. Up to two scholarship(s) will be awarded to an incoming freshman and/or sophomore female student of African-American descent who meets designated criteria.
Donor: Mary Bryant Healy
Established upon her death in 2011, Ms. Healy received her B.S. in Vocational Home Economics and was the President of the Alice Freeman Palmer Club.
Donor: Moh Lien Tsai Trust
Established in 2009 by her trust upon her death. Ms. Tsai came from Shanghai, China to receive her MA in Sociology.
The Pioneer Alumni Association (Formerly the TWU Alumni Association) is seeking applications for scholarships. Applications are due every year by March 1st.
Please follow the link below to review the directions and checklist, and begin your application. A member of our organization will review your application and determine which scholarship(s) and/or grant(s) you are eligible for. You will be required to provide one recommendation form from someone who knows your work, such as a high school principal, counselor, dean, department chair, major professor, advisor, or instructor. Please download the form below for your application.
Beulah Kincaid was the first graduate of the Girls Industrial College (now Texas Woman’s University) in 1904. She, along with nine graduates from the Class of 1905, organized at Commencement and founded the Alumnae Association, now the Pioneer Alumni Association.
A year later the Association established a permanent memorial fund. Each member was asked to donate fifty cents. The Class of 1907 donated a grand total of $15. In 1908 the interest from the fund was used to start an Alumnae scholarship. The early scholarships amounted to $3 to $5 a year.
Thus began an enthusiastic focus of the Pioneer Alumni Association’s mission. For the past 116 years, the Association has supported students with financial need by annually funding almost three dozen academic scholarships of $1,000 a year.
In addition, the Association supports the University’s strategic commitment to those who have served our country. To reduce veterans’ out-of-pocket expense for textbooks, the Pioneer Alumni Association partners with the CARE Office every semester to provide a Boots-to-Books textbook stipend of $250 for fifteen or more veterans. They may purchase or rent textbooks at the TWU Bookstore or on Amazon.
Each semester, the Association also partners with the Center for Student Research to fund two $500 scholarships for research. One is to fund special materials and costs involved in a student conducting research. The other is for a student who has completed her research and needs funding to travel to a professional conference to present the results of her research, or to pay to have her research results reported in a professional journal.
And finally, the Pioneer Alumni Association has a Student Emergency Fund for extreme cases of immediate need. During the pandemic that meant funding students who were not eligible to receive federal dollars given to the university, such as international and undocumented students. Association funds helped these students who were in dire need of money for rent, food, and every day necessities.
In the fall of each semester the Association hosts a reception to officially recognize scholarship recipients. Family, friends, faculty, and staff are invited to attend in-person or virtually. If you would like to donate by credit card to any of the scholarship funds listed below, please complete the email form below.
If you prefer to donate by check, please make checks payable to the Pioneer Alumni Association, designate the scholarship in the Memo line, and mail to our office at 400 W. Oak Suite 204, Denton , TX 76201. Donations of any amount are gratefully accepted.
The Association provides careful stewardship for scholarships in honor of TWU alumni. Donors specify the criteria for students to be eligible to receive the scholarship. Funds are established as an endowment and invested by HighGround Advisors in Dallas, the leading asset manager for over 450 non-profits. The yield from these investments is used annually to fund scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students. If you have an interest in establishing a scholarship in honor of a TWU Alumna, please complete and submit the email form below. The Treasurer will respond to you shortly to obtain your credit card information.
