Texas Woman's Magazine - Fall 2022

DONOR IMPACT
The Gift of Health:
Nurturing the Body
and Mind
Alumna promotes
wellness philosophy
by funding scholarships
for health and
kinesiology students
> DAWN CHANEY, Ph.D.,
’63, ’66, ’70
Stewarding one’s health is the key
to helping others. That belief led
Dawn Chaney to create opportunities
for TWU students in fields ranging
from exercise science and physical
education to occupational therapy
and sport management.
The two Dawn S. Chaney
Undergraduate and Graduate
Scholarship Endowments totaling
$100,000 support students in the
School of Health Promotion and
Kinesiology. In recent years, students
in the school have conducted
research exploring equity issues in
COVID-19 health responses, circadian
desynchronization and much more.
“Whether it is developing NASA
award-winning devices that
improve space travel or analyzing
the biomechanics of elite PGA
golfers, our students are inspired
by unique learning opportunities
to make a difference in the world,”
said Christopher Ray, dean of the
College of Health Sciences. “With
philanthropic investments like the
Chaney endowments, we will continue
to forge bold new discoveries that not
only elevate our legacy of educating
outstanding health and wellness
professionals but also enhance the
human condition.”
LEADING THE NATION
The School of Health Promotion
and Kinesiology is a national leader
ranking among the top 10 online
programs for bachelor's degrees in
the health sciences.
TWU kinesiology students also have
bested the competition two years in a
row at a NASA-sponsored design event.
The team’s 2022 project was enhanced
by adding a red therapeutic light to
the device to further improve
astronauts’ sleep quality.
Graduates of the school go on to
impressive careers. Bolstered by her
Ph.D. in kinesiology with a sport
management concentration, Lisa
Langston ’10 said she is “a better
manager, a better leader and a better
critical thinker” thanks to her
TWU education.
“Every project I completed,
every research paper I submitted
was related to my role as an
interscholastic athletic administrator,”
said Langston, director of athletics
for the Fort Worth Independent
School District.
A VISION FOR BOLD WOMEN
At the heart of Chaney’s decision
to endow the TWU scholarships is
her desire to expand educational
opportunities at the woman-focused
8 TEXAS WOMAN’S