Texas Woman’s University Creates the Institute for Women’s Leadership

Texas Woman’s University has announced the establishment of the Institute for Women’s Leadership at the university’s main campus in Denton. The new institute will combine the existing Center for Women in Business and Center for Student Leadership with a new Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy.

The new institute and its three centers will focus on encouraging more women to run for political office, to become successful entrepreneurs and corporate executives, and to gain professional leadership skills and experience. The Institute for Women’s Leadership also will include a new high-tech interactive exhibit that chronicles the state’s female political leaders and provides important online research for visitors, residents, scholars, and students.

Retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Mary Saunders, an alumna of the university, will lead the new institute. She holds a master’s degree in guidance and counseling from Rider University in New Jersey. Saunders previously served as executive director of the Center for Student Leadership at Texas Woman’s University.

Saunders notes that “our institute joins other centers across the country with similar missions, and we all look forward to advancing the women’s leadership nationally through collaboration, education, networking and research.”

The institute has received $7.2 million in state start-up funds. Two dozen of Texas’ top female leaders in business, politics, finance, education, law, real estate and communications have come forward to serve on the institute’s advisory council.

“This group of dynamic women will provide significant direction for events, speakers, networking opportunities and research,” Saunders said. “In addition, their participation is critical in creating an extraordinary interactive environment for young Texans to learn about the contributions of women leaders throughout Texas’ history.”

Texas Woman’s University was founded in 1901 as the Girls Industrial College. It took its present name in 1957. The university began to admit men in 1972. Today, women make up 87 percent of the undergraduate student body.