UTMB’s School of Nursing has come a long way since it first opened in 1890 as the first nursing school in Texas. Of the 10 
women who enrolled in the school’s inaugural class in March 1890, six graduated in 1892. This year, more than 500 new nurses — including men and women of various ages and backgrounds — received their diplomas on April 24.
“With 125 years of educating nurses, UTMB School of Nursing is the most distinguished school in Texas,” said Dean Pamela G. Watson. “It has been and remains our goal to educate the best nurses for Texas, the nation and the world.”
The commencement ceremony, held at Moody Gardens Convention Center in Galveston, recognized all graduates in the last year, including those who will complete degree requirements in August. Of the more than 500 graduates, 180 earned an advanced degree, including 15 Doctor of Nursing Practice graduates. Eight other nursing students will graduate in May with a Ph.D. from the UTMB Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Five students also were recognized as the first cohort to graduate from the new Baccalaureate Nursing Honors Program, which was established in 2013.
Dr. Danny Jacobs, executive vice president, provost and dean of the School of Medicine, told graduates that they are now well-prepared to handle the many health care challenges facing the world today.
“It’s a vital time — an important time — to be part of the health care workforce,” said Jacobs. “Communities in Texas and across the country have a need for nurses of your caliber. With the skills you have acquired and the discipline you have cultivated, you are well-equipped to lead change and improve the health care of everyone we serve.”
Ruth Constant (SON ’66), delivered this year’s commencement address. Constant was selected as the 2014 recipient of the School of Nursing Distinguished Alumnus Award, and the honoree traditionally delivers the commencement address at the following year’s ceremony. Among her accomplishments, she developed the first home health agency in Texas certified under the Medicare program in 1966.
Constant reminded graduates that they chose nursing as a profession because of their passion for helping others.
“Let your diploma serve as a good foundation for which to build your knowledge base and nursing skills, but let it also serve as a moral code to guide you and direct you in areas of compassion and caring,” said Constant. “Assess and evaluate your patients’ signs and symptoms, but also look beyond their diagnoses and see the patient inside, as an individual. It’s not necessarily your technical skills that make you a good nurse - it’s right here (points at heart), what’s inside that counts.”
Several awards were presented to graduates, including the Euphemia Jane Ritchie RN Excellence in Nursing Award, given to the most outstanding student in the senior nursing class. Kirby Ruth VanWinkle was the recipient for 2015.
Awards were also given to outstanding faculty who were chosen by vote of the graduating classes. This year’s Outstanding Faculty Awards went to Safa’a Al-Arabi, Accelerated Baccalaureate Program; Laura King, Traditional Baccalaureate Program; Carol Wiggs, RN-BSN Program; Carole Mackavey, Master’s Program; and Linda Rounds, Doctor of Nursing Practice Program.
David Marshall, UTMB’s chief nursing and patient care services officer, was named as the 2015 Distinguished Alumnus. Marshall joined UTMB in 1983 as a staff nurse, advancing to the positions of assistant head nurse, nurse manager, nursing supervisor, nurse administrator and director of nursing. Since 2001, he has also held an appointment as an adjunct associate professor in the School of Nursing.
Earlier in the day, the graduates participated in a pinning ceremony. The nursing pin symbolizes the allegiance and pride the students have in their school.
This year’s commencement marked a milestone in the lives of all graduates. KHOU-TV was there to cover the special day, including one student’s story of overcoming cancer and how that experience helped her find her calling in nursing. The news ultimately made it across the country, appearing as part of the series Inspiration Nation in USA Today.