The long-awaited opening of a brand new academic school at St. Edward’s was officially held this last week. During the grand opening celebration of the nursing program within the School of Health Sciences at St. Edward’s University, representatives of the university, the greater Austin area and national representatives came together to celebrate the occasion, and tour the new facilities available for students.
After Phase I of construction was completed this summer, the first nursing program cohort was welcomed to campus, beginning classes in Fall 2024. The new floor is equipped with multiple simulation labs, where high fidelity mannequins are used to create real-life hospital scenarios. Students are able to practice working with children, pregnant mothers, emergency situations and more in the Simulation and Learning Resource Center (SLRC).
Introduced in the Fall 2023 semester, the nursing program is the first in a series of new programs that will be offered at St. Edward’s University.
“We are starting with nursing,” university President Montserrat Fuentes said. “We will have the first cohort, and next will follow occupational therapy, physician assistant (and) physical therapy – and we’ll have master’s and doctoral degrees in nursing. So we are going through the process of accreditation for all the different degrees that will be at the graduate level.”
Joe DeMedeiros, vice president for university advancement, welcomed the crowd gathered in Munday Library’s North Reading Room. DeMedeiros invited Rev. Rick Wilkinson, director of Campus Ministry, to lead invocation over the group. DeMedeiros then acknowledged the participation of various donors, alumni, students, administration and representatives, thanking them for their support and commitment to St. Edward’s mission for the future.
Fuentes reiterated that the nursing program will elevate the school and demonstrate the school’s dedication to Strategic Plan 2027, a vision first established in 2021. The program will focus on academic excellence by providing quality education and aims to impact Austin by providing healthcare professionals to help with the oongoing nursing shortage.
Mayor of Austin, Kirk Watson, took the stage and spoke on how impactful St. Edward’s has been to Austin in the 140 years of the institution. Watson has a special connection, not only to St. Edward’s, but to the practice of nursing in general. He saw the work of St. Edward’s through his son’s education here, and was able to get a first hand glimpse at the importance of nursing through his mother, who was a nurse.
“I was allowed as a kid to see nursing firsthand and to see the loving, caring, deeply human service that is provided to people,” Watson said. “The phrase has been used time and time again today already and that is ‘to be a more just place.’ The idea that health care serves as just one of the core principles of this wonderful university in trying to seek justice to make Austin and the world a more just place – I just love that nursing is at the front of that … I’m thrilled to get to be here to celebrate the great opening with the staff, the faculty, the students, the alumni, the donors and community supporters together as we celebrate this milestone.”
U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett took the stage, and explained how St. Edward’s specifically will help the community. As a Hispanic Serving Institution, over 40% of the student body is composed of Latino students. Doggett explained that once these students join the medical field, they will be vital to connecting Austinites, easily navigating communication with Latino members. He reiterated that the future nurses will reflect diversity in their care, and that they are the most essential form of hope. In his words, St. Edward’s is ‘one of the best class universities we have available (in Texas).’”
Andy Davis, the CEO of Ascension health care, said that the program will be a “strong pipeline for future leaders in health care.” He mentioned that currently there are over 1,000 open nursing positions in the Austin area.
Donna Beuk, interim dean of the School of Health Sciences and founding director of nursing, had the final remarks. She mentioned that nursing, over 23 years, has held the position of the most trusted profession in the U.S.
The Ladies of Charity of Austin attended the celebration and participated in signing their donation to the program. An oversized check for $1 million was signed by members of the charity. The group has been serving Austin since 1880, five years before St. Edward’s first opened.
Afterward, the group transitioned to newly-renovated Fleck Hall for a ribbon cutting ceremony. As the crowd moved toward Fleck, light rain started to fall. Fuentes, along with university representatives and the visiting government officials, gathered behind the navy blue ribbon at the building’s entrance. In an attempt to avoid the rain, pictures were quickly taken and Fuentes cut the ribbon, officially opening our School of Health Sciences.
Immediately following the ceremony, faculty from the nursing program broke everyone into groups and began the tours of the SLRC. Tours were given by students and faculty from the nursing program, showing attendees where students will simulate learning in real hospitals.
Watson spoke with Hilltop Views before taking part in the tours. He cemented his support for this university and the opening of this program, reemphasizing his personal connection to both health care and this university’s mission.
“I am here because of access to early, effective and frequent health care,” Watson said. “And St. Ed’s is providing more opportunity for people in our community and all people in our community to have access to early, effective and frequent health care by a program like this. So as I’ve said a couple of times today, this is so St. Edward’s to me. It sees a need, it sees justice to be served and it steps into it.”
