A gift that put a new name on TCU’s science college is now helping pay for the people and equipment behind its research. In an October 8 update, the Fort Worth university said the $40 million endowment from alumna Louise Dilworth Davis is supporting doctoral stipends, postdoctoral positions, faculty resources and lab equipment.
The distinction matters: this is a report on how an earlier gift is being used, rather than a newly announced $40 million donation. TCU announced the naming gift on November 5, 2025. It supports the Louise Dilworth Davis College of Science & Engineering and its deanship.
For students, the university describes the benefit as more chances to work alongside faculty in research laboratories. Chemistry professor Kayla Green, the college’s associate dean for research, said stronger research opportunities can help faculty compete for outside funding and create additional opportunities for students.
One example reaches beyond campus. A $3.6 million NASA-funded project led by Rhiannon Mayne will develop public education around asteroid Apophis’ 2029 approach to Earth. According to the college’s project description, plans include a Texas meteor-observation network, six learning modules and three planetarium shows, with museums, parks and other partners helping deliver the programming.
