Texas Womans Spring 2024 Magazine

Pioneers
> STACIE D.
MCDAVID ’80
& ELLEN
AMIRKHAN ’79
TWU Regents
Right on Track
From Teammates to Regents
ELLEN AMIRKHAN ’79 AND
STACIE D. MCDAVID ’80
arrived at Texas Woman’s in
the 1970s as track and field
athletes. Little did they know
that their time at TWU would
lead to invaluable lifelong
lessons and friendship.
They first met at former
head track and field coach
and director of athletics Bert
Lyle’s house, where they
would become fast friends
and roommates.
“My superpower is the
women I surround myself
with, and it started with
Ellen. When I first met her in
1974, I thought, she’s brilliant.
I had been around bright
people, but I felt that I’d
found my person, someone
who makes you better and
lifts you up. That was Ellen
for me,” says McDavid.
Throughout their time
at TWU, the two women
worked hard inside and
outside of the classroom.
Both credit their experiences
to great mentors and strong
work ethics from the “lessons
and traditions we both
gained from our immigrant
families who became
successful entrepreneurs
in the U.S. and Texas,”
says Amirkhan.
Amirkhan’s grandfather
immigrated from Armenia
in 1909 and established a
rug cleaning plant. McDavid
grew up in Denton and was
surrounded by family and
friends from Lebanon.
The two friends would
go on to become highly
accomplished entrepreneurs.
Amirkhan took over her
family’s Dallas-based rug
business in 1980 and hasn’t
looked back since. McDavid
currently serves as CEO
of McDavid Investments
Company and has a long
and successful track record
of running businesses and
serving on numerous boards,
partnerships and charitable
organizations.
Both women find
themselves full circle —
working together and
making important decisions
as members of the Texas
Woman’s University System
Board of Regents, where
they set policy direction
that ensures a quality TWU
educational experience
for all students.
20 TEXAS WOMAN’S