I am honored to serve as the dean of Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston, which is one of the highest-ranked nursing programs in the State of Texas and the Nation. Our graduates at the baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral levels are in high demand, and our more than 13,000 alumni are contributing to the global community in leadership, research, clinical, and entrepreneurial positions.
Our home is a beautiful, state-of-the-art facility for teaching, research, and student services, located in the heart of Houston’s world-famous Texas Medical Center. The eight-story, $57-million nursing building, encompassing 195,000 sq. ft., is certified with the coveted Leed® Gold rating for its sustainability and environmentally friendly design. Recognized as one of the top green buildings in the U.S., Cizik School of Nursing has received 11 prestigious local, state, and national architectural design awards since opening in 2004.
To ensure financial assistance to our students, this year we have been the fortunate recipients of $17 million in financial aid and scholarships. We also are the grateful beneficiaries of financial support from the PARTNERS organization, which now holds a scholarship endowment of over $3-million and has awarded 118 full tuition and 229 total nursing scholarships. We all are committed to “pass it on,” so that future generations of nurses can be educated in the world’s largest healthcare center, by our world-class faculty.
BSN nurses are in high demand. Hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and a variety of other clinical facilities prefer nurses with bachelor’s degrees, especially those who have completed internships/residencies after graduation. Advancing a nursing career increasingly requires additional education at the master’s and doctoral levels. The majority of our graduates go on to graduate school.
Our graduates are educated in a diverse interdisciplinary environment, where we emphasize the role of nurses in the interprofessional healthcare team, from RNs to nurse practitioners to Doctors of Nursing Practice. Nurse scientists, graduates, and faculty in collaboration with other disciplines are contributors to ground breaking scientific discovery in health disparities, population health, symptom management, and preventive care.
Our pacesetting legacy in academic programs, practice, and research has carried us far along this successful path. The Cizik School of Nursing graduate of the future must meet the challenges of practicing in a healthcare model that is undergoing constant change as we improve health for all. But one thing is certain: Cizik School of Nursing will be working to achieve a common vision – delivering innovative solutions that will create the best hope for a healthier, equitable future. We are leaders educating leaders in nursing.
Diane Santa Maria DrPH, MSN, RN, ACRN, PHNA-BC, FSAHM, FAAN
The Jane and Robert Cizik Distinguished Chair
Huffington Foundation Endowed Chair in Nursing Education Leadership
Dean, Cizik School of Nursing
Professor, Department of Research