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Strengthening Every Step: Enriching Your Leadership Journey 

The Debbie Adams Leadership Academy at Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston prepares nurses to lead by offering curriculum that focuses on fostering effective leadership, communication, and teamwork skills.

Programs offered by the academy provide experienced nurses and new nurse leaders with the confidence and skills to be effective leaders in complex health care environments. Our goal is to serve as a nursing leadership educational hub for students, alumni, clinical partners, and the community.


Leadership Development Opportunities

Foundations in Nursing Leadership

The Foundations in Nursing Leadership course is offered twice a year to Cizik School of Nursing MSN, DNP, and PhD students not currently studying in a leadership track, alumni, and other nurses in the community. This intensive, two-day program supports the academic objectives of fostering effective leadership, communication, and teamwork skills.

Spring 2025 schedule:

  • Foundations in Nursing Leadership course offered in-person Thursday, March 27, and Thursday, April 10, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Registration deadline extended to March 3.
  • Space is limited, so early registration is encouraged.

Scholarships:

The Debbie Adams Leadership Academy will offer two full scholarships for the Spring 2025 Foundations in Nursing Leadership course to candidates who demonstrate a commitment to leadership development and exhibit potential for significant contributions to the nursing profession.

Course Details

  • Benefits
    • 12.75 hours of nursing continuing professional development*
    • Priority enrollment for future Leadership Academy offerings
    • Designation as a Debbie Adams Leadership Academy Scholar
    • Current students receive a one-hour, one-on-one career coaching session with a distinguished member of the Leadership Academy Advisory Council before graduation from your academic program
  • Eligibility

    Registered nurse with a minimum of two years of experience

  • Cost
    • Students: $300
    • Alumni: $400
    • General registration: $500

Scholarship Details

  • Scholarship criteria
    1. Eligibility Requirements
      • Must be a licensed Registered Nurse (RN) or Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN).
      • Must have at least two years of professional nursing experience.
      • Currently employed in a health care or academic setting.

    2. Leadership Potential
      • Demonstrates a commitment to leadership within their workplace or community.
      • Actively participates in initiatives or projects that improve patient care, team dynamics, or health care outcomes.
    3. Professional Goals
      • Articulates clear, achievable goals related to leadership in nursing.
      • Desires to apply leadership skills to drive innovation and excellence in nursing practice or education.
  • What you will need to apply

    The scholarship application requires submission of a current CV, your RN licensure number, and a personal statement that addresses your area of academic interest, future nursing aspirations, and how receiving a scholarship will benefit you. Your statement should also address any specific challenges you face in your nursing practice that you hope this program will help address. The statement should be no longer than one page, double-spaced, with 1-inch margins using 12 pt. New Times Roman.

  • Submission instructions and deadline

    Applications must be submitted by Feb. 5, 2025, at midnight for the Spring 2025 Foundations in Leadership course. Selected scholarship recipients will be notified by Feb. 17, 2025, and register for the program by Feb. 21, 2025. Apply for the scholarship.

Debbie Adams: Fostering nurse leadership

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Deborah Garret “Debbie” Adams earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston in 1984 and served as an emergency department nurse for 14 years before transitioning into a business career. She combines her love of nursing with her business acumen to help talented students become nurse leaders.

A long-time partner of Cizik School of Nursing, Adams helped establish the Ambassador Program in 2016, enabling undergraduate nursing students to work with mentors and engage in leadership development activities.

Students learn management, teamwork, and communication skills to become the health leaders needed to face our country’s growing nursing shortage and health care challenges.

In 2022, Adams made the single largest gift to the school from an alumna to establish the Deborah Garrett Adams Leadership Academy. Students learn everything from business networking to strategies for managing challenging interactions in the workplace.

Adams spends most of her time on her Ceilito Lindo Ranch, dedicated to the conservation of the Texas Longhorn cattle breed.