The lecture, sponsored by the Jane Nelson Institute for Women’s Leadership, will be at 7:00 p.m. Oct. 14 in the Southwest Ballroom of the Student Union at Hubbard Hall, and will be followed by a conversation with Tammie Jo Shults, 2025 Paup Lecture Series ambassador and one of the first female F/A-18 Hornet pilots in the U.S. Navy.
The event is free and open to the public, but registration is requested. For more information or to register, visit: twu.edu/pauplecture.
Earhart, who piloted a single-engine aircraft 28,000 nautical miles around the world in 2014, draws on her record-setting flight to inspire audiences to navigate challenges with confidence and purpose. Shults, a retired U.S. Navy pilot and former Southwest Airlines captain, is widely recognized for her leadership in safely landing Flight 1380 after an engine failure in 2018, a story she shares to empower others in leadership and crisis management.
The Paup Lecture Series was established through the generosity of Nancy and Ted Paup to bring bold, innovative, and nationally recognized speakers to the TWU and Denton communities. The Paups, longtime supporters of Texas Woman’s, created the series to inspire thought-provoking dialogue and highlight leadership across disciplines.
This year’s lecture heralds TWU’s recent launch of the Doswell School of Aeronautical Sciences, which is charting a bold new flight plan for women in aviation through its Bachelor of Science in Aviation Science program.
"Amelia Rose Earhart and Tammie Jo Shults exemplify the courage and leadership that define pioneers in their field,” said Shannon Mantaro, executive director of the Jane Nelson Institute for Women's Leadership. “Their stories will resonate deeply with our community — especially as we celebrate the launch of TWU's Doswell School of Aeronautical Sciences. We're grateful to Nancy and Ted Paup for their continued commitment to empowering the next generation of women leaders."
In addition to the lecture, TWU will honor recipients of the Regents’ Scholarship Endowment Initiative, established in 2023 by the Paups to recognize academic excellence and leadership. The initiative challenges TWU regents, alumni and friends to help create named Regents’ Scholarship endowments by the culmination of the DREAM BIG Campaign in 2026.
2025 Regents’ Endowed Scholarship Recipients include:
Chelsea Wierenga, of Argyle, Texas, a junior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, recipient of the JHG Texas Regents’ Endowed Scholarship.
Kamille Zarlengo, of Littleton, Colorado, a senior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Education, EC–6 ESL, and member of the TWU gymnastics team, recipient of the Sharon Faye Wilbur Regents’ Endowed Scholarship.
Candela Fidalgo Garcia, an international student from Spain, member of TWU’s artistic swimming team and a senior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, Exercise Science, recipient of the Ellen A. Amirkhan Regents’ Endowed Scholarship.
Giselle Fernandez, of Sanger, Texas, a senior pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting, recipient of the Nancy P. & Thaddeus E. Paup Regents’ Endowed Scholarship.
Stephanie Lusk, of Montgomery, Texas, a senior majoring in Political Science, recipient of the Nancy P. & Thaddeus E. Paup Regents’ Endowed Scholarship.
For more information on the Regents’ Scholarship Endowment Initiative, contact Jamie Porter, interim executive director of the TWU Foundation, at 940-898-3861 or jporter9@twu.edu.
The Jane Nelson Institute for Women's Leadership at Texas Woman's University is dedicated to preparing women for successful careers in business and public service. Its three specialized centers—Center for Leadership Research and Workforce Development, Center for Women Entrepreneurs, and Center for Women in Government—ensure women have the education to establish careers as successful executives, the skills for building entrepreneurial businesses and the framework needed to excel in public service.
Find out more at twu.edu/lead, or connect with JNIWL on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.
