EDUCATION

Produced by
utb.edu/careercenter • The next in this series will appear on May 15, 2015.
CALL TO NURSING
Admission Requirements for
UTRGV entering freshmen for Fall 2015
Students at UTRGV will be talented, compassionate,
hard-working, goal-oriented, and community-minded.
So when we look at applicants, we won’t simply focus
on grades and test scores. We will take a holistic
approach to admissions so that we get a well-rounded
picture of who each applicant is and how they would
impact our campus community.
High school graduates in the top 10 percent of their
graduating class receive assured admission to
UTRGV. All UTRGV entering freshman applicants will
have their own portfolio, and admissions decisions will
be based on that portfolio and their accomplishments
in high school. Factors for review will include:
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Litdsy Cortez is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
UTRGV College of Health Affairs to target community needs
Litdsy Cortez, a junior nursing
major at The University of Texas at
Brownsville, looks forward to the day
she will see the letters B.S.N. after her
name. Cortez said she aspires to become
a good nurse who shows compassion
while caring for her patients.
“I am learning so much in my classes,
that the primary duty of every nurse is
the assessment of a patient’s physical
and emotional well-being,” Cortez said.
“We are taught that an effective nurse
needs to communicate with patients,
co-workers, primary care providers
and other health professionals in a very
fast-paced environment.”
“After receiving my B.S.N.,
I eventually want to further my
education and become a Family Nurse
Practitioner,” Cortez said. “I want to
be able to meet patients’ healthcare
needs when a primary caregiver
is not available.”
Ann Rentfro, Ph.D., R.N. M.S.C.S., Professor and Interim Associate
Dean for the College of Nursing at
UTB, said the nursing curriculum
places emphasis on teaching students
interpersonal skills and how to relate
to people to improve their health.
“Nurses are known for their technical
skills and caring strategies,” Renfro
said. “We calculate doses and monitor
patients’ temperatures and blood
pressure. Nurses are the backbone of
the healthcare system.”
The University of Texas has a long
history of preparing nurses in the
Rio Grande Valley, starting with the
Bachelor of Science in Nursing for
registered nurses at The University
of Texas Pan American in Edinburg
established in 1983. UT Brownsville
followed suit after it was founded in
1991. Subsequently, Master of Science
in Nursing programs have been
added, including one with a Family
Practitioner track.
With the opening of The University
of Texas Rio Grande Valley in August
2015, Nursing, in the College of
Health Affairs, will offer a Bachelor of
Science in Nursing (B.S.N.), a B.S.N.
for Registered Nurses, and three
Master of Science in Nursing Degrees.
The Master in Nursing Education and
Nursing Administration will continue
to be offered online and a Master in
Nursing Family Nursing Practitioner
will be offered as a hybrid course.
Nursing Administration will continue
to be offered online and a Master in
Nursing Family Nursing Practitioner
will be offered as a hybrid course.
Nurses will have more opportunities
to develop beyond a bachelor’s degree
to specialize in areas that will be in
high demand in the Valley. Expansion
in nursing clinical specialties and
advanced nursing practice roles will
be facilitated with the opening of
the UTRGV School of Medicine
in Fall 2016.
“Graduate nursing programs will
strengthen educational opportunities
for our population and are essential
in preparing professional nurses to
position themselves in decision-making
arenas regarding patient care delivery,”
said Dr. Eloisa Tamez, Professor
of Graduate Nursing Education at
UTB. “These programs have added
value and will keep up with the needs
of the community.”
Tamez was co-principal investigator
on a grant which was funded with
$142,367 by Valley Baptist Legacy
Foundation to create a Post-Master’s
Certificate for Psychiatric Mental
Health Nurse Practitioner.
For more information on the
Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree
at UTRGV, call 956-882-5072 or
[email protected].
ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS RIO GRANDE VALLEY
UTRGV was created by the Texas Legislature in 2013 in a historic move that will
combine the resources and assets of UT Brownsville, UT Pan American, the
Regional Academic Health Center and for the first time, make it possible for
residents of the Rio Grande Valley to benefit from the Permanent University Fund,
a public endowment contributing support to eligible institutions of The University
of Texas System and the Texas A&M University System.
UTRGV will also be home to a School of Medicine and will transform Texas and
the nation by becoming a leader in student success, teaching, research and
healthcare. UTRGV will enroll its first class in the fall of 2015, and the School of
Medicine will open in 2016.
Quick Facts: Registered Nurses
2012 Median Pay...........................................................................................$65,470 per year
Number of Jobs, 2012...............................................................................................2,711,500
Job Outlook, 2012-22......................................................... 19 percent (Faster than average)
Employment Change, 2012-22..................................................................................526,800
Class Rank
Prior College Hours
College Entrance Exams (SAT/ACT)
The rigor of high school courses completed
Leadership Experience
Community Involvement
Career goals
If you attended a private high school or home school,
you must submit a Uniform Admission Policy form.
All required documents must be submitted to:
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Undergraduate Admissions
1201 West University Drive, VC 1.113
Edinburg, Texas 78539-2999
Financial aid checklist
1.Complete the Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA) online to apply for federal
and state grants, work-study and loan programs
(fasfa.ed.gov) using the school code 003599
(currently school code for UTPA). Parents
and students should apply for a pin number
at pin.ed.gov.
2. Students will receive either a Student Aid Report
(SAR) or a Student Aid Acknowledgement and
must review the information for accuracy.
3. A financial aid advisor will review the FAFSA.
Comply with all Office of Financial Aid requests
for verification of information or to request
additional documentation.
4.Once the file is completed and cleared, the
student will receive a letter stating his/her
eligibility status and/or award offer by email.
5. After clearing admissions requirements, register
for classes before the designated deadlines as
indicated in the course schedule; pay balance
at the Office of Accounting and Finance before
payment deadline.
PARTNERS IN
EDUCATION
States with highest employment levels for registered nurses, May 2011:
State
Employment
Employment
per 1,000 jobs
Hourly mean
wage
Annual mean
wage
California
250,230
17.82
$43.68
$90,860
Texas
184,890
17.94
$32.49
$67,580
New York
176,180
20.91
$36.23
$75,370
Florida
164,800
23.04
$30.78
$64,020
Pennsylvania
130,740
23.56
$32.28
$67,140
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Your future at
UTRGV
starts fall 2015.
APPLY NOW
UTRGV.EDU