Leading the way in nursing education, practice, and discovery

Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston began 2026 with a dramatic increase in enrollment and more federal funding for research than any other nursing school in Texas, Dean Diane Santa Maria reported on Jan. 28. She recapped recent accomplishments and laid out future strategy in her “Leading the Way” address.

“Our mission at Cizik School of Nursing is to improve the health and well-being of our community by preparing tomorrow’s leaders to drive innovation and excellence in nursing education, practice, and scientific discovery,” said Santa Maria, DrPH, MSN, ACRN, PHNA-BC, FSAHM, FAAN, a Jane and Robert Cizik Distinguished Chair and the Huffington Foundation Endowed Chair in Nursing Education Leadership. “We could not do that without the strong commitment of our faculty, staff, university leadership, clinical and academic partners, and our many volunteers and supporters.”

Leading nursing science

From 2021 to 2025, the school’s funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) increased from approximately $1.7 million to more than $11.9 million, with additional grants of approximately $1 million received from other federal agencies including the Department of Defense, Department of Agriculture, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cizik School of Nursing was ranked No. 15 nationally in 2024 among nursing schools that receive NIH funding, and that ranking is expected to rise even higher when analysis of 2025 grants is complete.

The foundational $25 million gift from the Jane and Robert Cizik family in 2017, as well as endowments and seed grants from the PARTNERS organization and other stalwart supporters, laid the foundation for this meteoric growth, Santa Maria explained.

“The Cizik endowment enabled us to fund five chairs that allow us to recruit high-end researchers,” she said. “In addition, the annual PARTNERS luncheon provides funding to faculty that they need to analyze data or pilot test interventions, so when they go to NIH, they have a strong application.”

The school’s nurse scientists are advancing health care in a wide range of fields including stroke recovery, dementia family caregiving, pain management, prevention of firearm violence and HIV, and cancer care for children and adults. They are also helping youth and families experiencing homelessness by addressing issues related to mental health, food insecurity, human trafficking, parenting, and substance use.

Recent research milestones include establishing the NIH-funded Roybal Center for Elder Mistreatment Intervention Research – the only center of its kind in the U.S. and the only Roybal center in Texas – and the UTHealth Houston Cizik Nursing Research Institute (CNRI), which was made possible by the Cizik family endowment. The CNRI is a university-level institute building the foundational infrastructure needed to foster interdisciplinary, high-impact nursing science.

Financial support for nursing students

The school’s enrollment spike might seem abrupt – jumping from 93 new undergraduate admissions in the fall 2025 semester to more than 170 for spring 2026 – but it likewise could not have been achieved without years of preparation and generous financial support.

About 60% of Cizik School of Nursing students study on the graduate level. The pandemic dealt a blow to nursing admissions across the board, although the number of Doctor of Nursing Practice students has increased as most nurse practitioner programs transition away from the Master of Science in Nursing level. PhD admissions have mirrored national trends.

Recognizing that enrollment growth at all academic levels begins with undergraduate entry-to-practice, Cizik School of Nursing announced the UTHealth Houston Future Nurses Fund in June 2025. The university made a long-term commitment to fund grants for full-time Bachelor of Science in Nursing students who earn less than $100,000 annually in adjusted gross income. This opportunity fueled the spring’s enrollment increase, and eligibility may expand in the future thanks to additional funds from private donors and The University of Texas System.

“Our goal is to make undergraduate education free at Cizik School of Nursing,” Santa Maria said.

To that end, the UTHealth Houston Office of Development last year announced a limited-time 3-to-1 institutional match for pledges of $100,000 to $1 million that enhance existing nursing scholarship endowments or establish new ones.

“In the first four months of the matching program, donors have contributed nearly $1.7 million, unlocking a total of $6.7 million in scholarship funding for our students,” Santa Maria said. “With this early success, we are well on our way toward our ambitious goal of raising $40 million in scholarship support – an investment that will open doors and transform lives for years to come.”

Reaching the next generation of nurses

Cizik School of Nursing is pioneering programs to increase interest in and remove barriers to nursing careers, especially among youth from underserved communities.

Universities everywhere are facing the so-called “demographic cliff.” Between 2026 and 2030, the number of 18-year-olds entering college in the U.S. will decrease by about 300,000, said Maja Djukic, PhD, RN, FAAN, the John P. McGovern Distinguished Professor in the School of Nursing. To counteract this trend, she and D’Hania Miller, MSN, RN, CHSE, an instructor in the department of undergraduate studies, are leading efforts to inspire future nurses who are still in high school and even middle school.

“Designing novel nursing pipeline models is critical as we are currently facing stagnant enrollments in pre-licensure nursing programs,” Djukic said.

Beginning in 2023, Djukic and Miller developed, implemented, and evaluated two programs supported by the Hearst and HCA foundations. Since then, 175 high schoolers have completed weeklong summer camps where they earned up to five health care certifications. Another 300 students from 60 schools in nine local districts have participated in day-long immersions.

Tracking participants’ progress is critical to sustainability, Miller said. For example, of 25 students who completed the first summer program, 18 are now in college with seven enrolled in pre-nursing programs and six on pre-med tracks.

“Our next step is implementing a multiyear pipeline program with longitudinal follow-up to produce high-quality evidence that will enable us to advocate for state and federal funding to support nursing pipeline programs and scholarships,” Miller noted.

Preparing students for health care technology

Students often finish nursing school excited to begin their careers of caring but find workplace technology daunting. Cizik School of Nursing is addressing this potential burnout factor by integrating the Epic electronic health record into curriculum at all levels.

“Since 2023, we’ve made a significant impact for over 1,800 students, thanks to the collaboration of 24 faculty members. As nursing students add notes about simulated patients, students at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston can access them and respond accordingly,” Santa Maria said. “Our next steps are continuing to build out our inpatient cases, and these innovations will soon be available to other universities interested in integrating Epic for their undergraduate and graduate students.”

Additional highlights from 2025

Santa Maria touched on several additional milestones at the nursing school, including:

• Establishing the Pre-Nursing Pathway, which offers 24 hours of undergraduate prerequisites. Students who earn a grade of “B” or better in each required science course will be eligible to apply for direct admission to Cizik School of Nursing’s BSN program without taking nursing school entrance exams.
• Expanding the impactful undergraduate tutoring program through a generous gift from longtime supporter and past PARTNERS chair Dorothy Nicholson. More than 90% of students take advantage of peer tutoring.
• Launching the Foundation in Nursing Leadership course funded by Cizik School of Nursing alumna Debbie Adams.
• Creating a DNP entry option for the PhD program.
• Plans to create a BSN to DNP entry option for the Nursing Leadership and Administration track.

“As we look to the future, our path forward is clear, and it is powered by people, purpose, and possibility,” Santa Maria said. “From entry to advanced practice and leadership, our pathways are designed to make excellence accessible. This strategy positions Cizik School of Nursing to advance health and well-being for all.”

Sherri Deatherage Green