Texas Woman’s University (TWU), a coeducational college in Denton, Texas, with a student body that is 89 percent women, has announced a $15 million gift from the Doswell Foundation to create a school of aeronautical science focused on pilot training and developing the next generation of women leaders in aviation management.

The largest single gift in the university’s history will help establish the Doswell School of Aeronautical Sciences, which will offer two career tracks, with a degree program in aviation science providing students a curriculum that reduces the number of hours of flight training required to become a professional pilot and another degree program focusing on aviation management and leadership. The funding will provide seed money to hire faculty, purchase equipment, and offer scholarships for incoming students.

The university is also in the process of sending requests for proposals to flight schools to form a partnership and is looking to build relationships with Ft. Worth-based American Airlines and Dallas-based Southwest Airlines as well as Dallas-area airports.

“Texas Woman’s University and the Doswell Foundation recognize that women have been historically underrepresented in aviation and our shared commitment has led to the creation of the Doswell School of Aeronautical Sciences,” said TWU board chair Stacie McDavid. “The Doswell School of Aeronautical Sciences will address this issue of underrepresentation by establishing a new pathway for women to pursue careers in aviation [and] take Texas Woman’s to new heights.”

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