My institution is celebrating its centennial year. Next weekend’s preview day/campus visit theme is A Century of Leaders. I went through a list of 25 Notable alumni of Lamar University and decided that I would like to research Florene Miller Watson. I felt I had a personal connection after touring the WASP Museum in 2018.
Here, I’ll share a few of my findings to compile some talking points about her.
Born in San Angelo, Texas**
Born on December 7, 1920**
BA at Lamar Tech University***
After the war, she attended Lamar State College of Technology (now LU), majoring in secretarial science.**
“Florene lived her life cheerfully giving to others and always believing the best in everyone she met” (***).
““Do not undervalue your abilities. You have abilities that you haven’t had a chance to use. Now, find something you want to use them on and get after it!” (Soundbytes of the WASP***)
- 1 of 25 women of the Women’s Air Force Service Pilots (WASPs)*
- Completed flight training by age 19*
- Taught servicemen to fly*
- Army service volunteer – moved aircraft from factories to bases*
- Obtained a Master’s Degree in Business Administration*
- Taught college for 30 years*
- UH**
- Howard College**
- Frank Phillips College**
- Distinguished Flying Corps Member in Krister Aviation and Space Museum, Amarillo, Texas*
- National Medal of Honor, Daughters of the American Revolution*
- Lifetime Achievement Award, Air Force Association*
- 1st woman inducted into the Texas Panhandle Veterans Hall of Fame*
- Galveston Aviation Hall of Fame*
- International Women in Aviation Hall of Fame*
- Ninety-Nines International Forest of Friendship***
- Texas Aviation Hall of Fame***
- Congressional Gold Medal***
Eagle Profile, Gathering of Eagles Foundation
Florene Miller Watson, Wikipedia
Florene Miller Watson, NASA Headquarters Oral History Project
Florene Miller Watson WAFS, Final Flight
WASP: Women in the WW2 US Army Air Force
Women of Courage, TV documentary
Florene Miller Watson. (2023, August 28). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florene_Miller_Watson
The Advisor That Cares 
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