School of Nursing 35 Years – A Time Line of Caring

1972 – The School of Nursing opens its doors in March with Associate Dean Elizabeth Jones, housed at the Nurses Residence of the Hermann Hospital. The School of Nursing begins as a “clinical campus” of Galveston’s program of The University of Texas System School of Nursing.

– The School of Nursing moves into the Hermann Professional Building Annex (better known as “the garage”).

– On August 28, 98 undergraduate students are admitted into newly established BSN program, comprised of a faculty of 10.

1973 – The School of Nursing becomes an official campus of one of The System Schools of Nursing, which includes Galveston, Austin, San Antonio, El Paso and Fort Worth (Arlington).

– The first course catalogue is printed, with tuition costs for two semesters totaling $166.

1974 – Eighty-six students graduate from the School of Nursing.

– The School of Nursing moves to 1100 Holcombe Boulevard, formerly the Prudential Life Building, residing there for the next 30 years.

1976 – The System School of Nursing is dissolved. The School of Nursing becomes a part of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, with Charles A. Berry, M.D., as president and with Dorothy Otto, R.N., M.S., serving as acting dean from 1975 until 1977.

1977 – Arlowayne Swort, Ph.D., R.N., becomes dean of the School of Nursing.

1981 – Perinatal Nursing Program established with the last class admitted in the 2000-01 academic year.

1984 – Patricia L. Starck, D.S.N., R.N., is appointed dean of the School of Nursing. She subsequently is named the John P. McGovern M.D. Distinguished Professor.

1990 – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Program established jointly with Texas Women’s University, becoming independent in 2001.

1991 – UT Health Services opens first School of Nursing primary care clinic in Texas Medical Center.

1994 – PARTNERS established to provide advancement resources to nursing educators, researchers and students. Peggy Barnett serves as its founding chair.

– Joan Engebretson, Dr.P.H., R.N., and Diane Wardell, Ph.D., R.N., receive patent for the first pacifier designed for low birth weight babies, now marketed internationally as Wee Thumbie.

1996 – The Doctor of Science in Nursing program established.

– Family Nurse Practitioner Program established.

1998 – Nurse Anesthesia Program ranks 8th in the nation by U.S. News and World Report.

2001 – The School of Nursing ranks in the top 12 percent of U.S. nursing master’s programs by U.S. News and World Report.

2003 – The new School of Nursing and Student Community Center Building celebrates its grand opening.

2005 – The School of Nursing ranks in the top 8 percent of U.S. nursing master’s programs by U.S. News and World Report.

2006 – The School of Nursing and Student Community Center is recognized as one of the top 10 green buildings in the U.S. and receives an Honor Award from the Texas Society of Architects, as well as nine other prestigious national and state awards.

– The School of Nursing ranks in the top third of schools of nursing with research funding from the National Institutes of Health.

– The Doctor of Nursing Practice program is established as first in Texas.

– The PARTNERS endowment reaches $1 million in funding. The first PARTNERS Professorship is established with Thomas Mackey, Ph.D., named as first holder.

2007 – The School of Nursing ranks in the top 5 percent of U.S. nursing master’s programs by U.S. News and World Report.

– Gerontological Nursing Program ranks 8th in the country by U.S. News and World Report.

– Second PARTNERS Professorship endowed. Joanne Hickey, Ph.D., named as first holder.