Gov. Greg Abbott announced Aug. 7 that eight higher education institutions across Texas would receive more than $5.6 million in state grants to support new and expanded projects that improve or extend nursing programs.
Of the $5.6 million, the University of Houston received $750,000 from the Nursing Innovation Grant Program to expand its expertise, learning and technology at the Andy & Barbara Gessner College of Nursing.
The local impact
Raji Pillai, assistant professor at the nursing college, said receiving this grant from Gov. Abbott is a "significant investment" in both the students at UH and the future of healthcare in Texas.
"We plan to use these resources to expand our clinical learning environments, acquire new simulation technology and train both newly hired and existing faculty on the most advanced technologies for clinical practice, ensuring our students enter the workforce practice-ready from day one," she said.
University officials said they intend to use the $750,000 grant to advance UH Health, the campus's integrated academic health enterprise and its focus on connecting education, research, innovation and community impact. Specifically, the two-year grant, which runs from Sept. 1, 2026 to Aug. 31, 2028, will go toward:
- Expanding clinical learning environments where students develop hands-on skills and experience
- Investing in new simulation technology that allows students to practice clinical decision-making and patient care in realistic settings
- Strengthening faculty expertise that can advance research
Kathryn Tart, founding dean of the UH Gessner College of Nursing, said this investment comes at a critical time as Texas works to meet the growing demand for highly skilled and educated nurses.
The need
Texas has been facing an ongoing nurse shortage for the past several years. State health data and the Texas Hospital Association project a deficit of more than 57,000 registered nurses by 2032. Additionally, the Lone Star State continues to see one of the fastest-growing and aging populations in the country, causing the demand for medical care to increase exponentially.
Texas Higher Education Commissioner Wynn Rosser said providing quality healthcare and increasing access to care requires a strong infrastructure of education for nurses and other medical professionals. He said that grants from programs like the NIGP will help contribute to that framework.
Before you go
In addition to the University of Houston's grant, seven other schools across the state received awards that vary from $459,840 to $750,000, including Houston-area schools such as Sam Houston State University and Texas Women's University.
