The UTMB School of Nursing was proud to have four presentations featured at the 14th ICN Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nurse Network Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.
1
73
“You have purpose here. Your passion belongs here. And you are ready.”
Keynote speaker Kristin Elsner, Director of Nursing Professional Excellence, shared these words with our Fall 2026 BSN cohort during last week's White Coat Ceremony.
Congrats, students!
1
70
We are proud to recognize PhD students Diane Blair, Clayton Collins, and Amy McNicoll for representing our school at the American Association of Colleges of Nursing's (AACN) Graduate Nursing Student Academy (GNSA) Conference in Washington, D.C.
Congratulations!
64
On Monday, graduating students in the Policy and Leadership (PLUS) Honors Track presented their capstone projects to faculty, staff, peers, family, and friends.
Congratulations!
44
Congratulations to our UTMB School of Nursing faculty members recognized through the Good Samaritan Foundation's 2026 Excellence in Nursing Awards program!
61
Congratulations to Dr. Laurie Anne Ferguson of the UTMB School of Nursing on being selected as co-project lead for a Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Eugene Washington Engagement Award Program project in partnership with the National Grange.
1
3
108
The UTMB SON congratulates Dr. Jacquelyn Svoboda, Assistant Dean for Educational & Practice Innovation and Associate Professor, on being elected Nominating Committee Chair for Texas Nurses Association District 9!
56
This week's Feature Friday highlights Kailyn Waye, a first-semester BSN student.
"My favorite class has been Pathophysiology. Being able to connect what we learn in the classroom to the patients we care for during clinicals has been especially rewarding," she shared.
Congrats!
52
The application deadline for our Fall 2026 DNP program is quickly approaching. Apply by July 15!
Advance your nursing career through our:
• BSN-DNP pathway: FNP, AGACNP or Dual FNP/AGACNP
• MSN-DNP pathway
Apply through @NursingCAS today!
1
49
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Amber High, Nurse Anesthesia Asst. Program Director, on receiving the UTMB 2026 Excellence in Education Award.
2
66
We are proud to share that Dr. Patricia Blair has been selected as a member of the American Academy of Nursing’s 2026 Class of Fellows, one of the highest honors in the nursing profession.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Blair on this incredible achievement!
43
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Sheba Luke on her appointment as Graduate Department Chair!
Following a period of strong and steady leadership as Interim Chair, Dr. Luke has been named Graduate Department Chair, effective July 1, 2026.
37
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Kristen Starnes-Ott on being named Sr. Vice President, Dean of the SON, and Nursing Workforce Pipeline Development for the UTMB Health System. We are thrilled to have her continued leadership and look forward to working together.
Dr. Kristen Starnes-Ott has been named Senior VP, Dean of the @utmbson, and Nursing Workforce Pipeline Development for the UTMB Health System!
She will continue to advance excellence in nursing education, research, and workforce development. Announcement: utmb.us/g0a
1
80
UTMB School of Nursing launched the SON SHINE Strategic Plan on May 4, bringing together faculty, staff, leadership, and Advisory Council members to mark this important milestone.
Explore the SON SHINE Strategic Plan: utmb.us/fyn
3
40
We are proud to celebrate our students recognized at the Houston Nursing Education Foundation (HNEF) Scholarship Awards Luncheon.
Representing our undergraduate and graduate programs, these awardees reflect excellence, dedication and impact in health care.
Congratulations!
1
3
71
We welcomed 100 future nurses to the SON! Our White Coat Ceremony marks the start of a journey rooted in compassion, resilience and purpose.
We cannot wait to see the impact these students will make in healthcare.
Photos to come!
🎥 Media Production: UTMB Media Production
4
4
684
Continuing our Nurses Week celebration. Proud to recognize UTMB School of Nursing faculty Sarah Hibbs and Bushra Manakatt and student scholarship recipient Amirah Abu-Tair as Houston Chronicle Salute to Nurses honorees.
Learn more about their impact: utmb.us/ftd
1
56
We are incredibly proud to share this announcement and deeply grateful to the Sealy & Smith Foundation for its continued support of nursing education at UTMB.
During National Nurses Week, The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) is announcing a $4 million gift from the Sealy & Smith Foundation to launch the ISLAND (Integrating Student Living to Advance Nursing Development) Promise. This transformational initiative will provide tuition assistance, housing support, and a direct pathway to employment at @utmbhealth for selected UTMB School of Nursing in Galveston (@utmbson) students, helping remove financial barriers while strengthening the future nursing workforce.
The ISLAND Promise reflects a shared commitment to investing in nurses at every stage while addressing critical workforce needs in healthcare. It also serves as a powerful reminder that honoring nurses means investing in their future.
Thank you to the Sealy & Smith Foundation for its enduring commitment to nursing excellence at UTMB, and to our nurses, whose compassion, expertise, and dedication make a difference every day.
Read more: utmb.us/fu9
#WherePurposeMeetsPassion
2
71
