2026 Welcome Back Fiesta!

Texas Tech Health El Paso Celebrates New School Year at Welcome Back Fiesta

Electric Company Charitable Foundation announces $40,000 in scholarships for dental and nursing students

Texas Tech Health El Paso nursing and dental students will receive $40,000 in scholarship support from the Electric Company Charitable Foundation to help prepare the region’s future healthcare workforce.

The gift was announced Tuesday, Sept. 15, during Texas Tech Health El Paso’s annual Welcome Back Fiesta, where students, faculty and staff gathered outdoors for a celebration of the new academic year. The foundation will provide $20,000 for scholarships for Hunt School of Nursing students and $20,000 for scholarships for students in the Hunt School of Dental Medicine. 

“Scholarships give students the opportunity to focus on their education and prepare for careers that can transform their lives and strengthen our community,” said Robert Almanzan, president of the Electric Company Charitable Foundation. “By expanding our support for nursing and dental students at Texas Tech Health El Paso, we’re investing in future healthcare professionals who can build rewarding careers and make a lasting difference for families across our region.”

The scholarship announcement comes as 1,112 students are enrolled across Texas Tech Health El Paso’s four schools this fall. Enrollment includes 541 students at the Foster School of Medicine, 274 at the Hunt School of Nursing, 237 at the Hunt School of Dental Medicine and 60 at the Francis Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

For students like Yanira Lozano Palacio, scholarship support can mean having the financial breathing room to concentrate on becoming a healthcare professional. Thanks to scholarships, Lozano Palacio doesn’t have to take a part-time job while working on her degree in the Hunt School of Nursing’s accelerated B.S.N. program.

“The scholarship gave me a lot of peace of mind,” Lozano Palacio said. “I didn’t need to go back to work. I could make ends meet and actually concentrate on school without worrying whether I could afford everything.” 

Lozano Palacio also relied on financial aid and student loans to cover tuition and living expenses. But the scholarship assistance allowed her to keep her loans to a minimum.  

Raised and educated in Ciudad Juárez, Lozano Palacio plans to begin her nursing career in El Paso, where her family and support system remain. She’s interested in women’s health, including labor and delivery, mother-baby care and newborn nursing. 

“The program is very challenging, but it shaped me in a lot of ways, and I grew in ways that I didn’t think I needed to,” Lozano Palacio said. “I learned a lot about teamwork and about advocating for my patients.” 

Celebrating Scholarships and a New Academic Year

The Welcome Back Fiesta quickly drew crowds in and outside Medical Science Building II, where attendees lined up for mini tacos and aguas frescas and packed the Proper Printshop area to customize T-shirts, hoodies and totes with a new Texas Tech Health El Paso spirit logo.

Outside on the lawn, participants tried their luck at Soccer Showdown games, kicking soccer balls toward goals and bowling pins for a chance to win prizes, while others played giant Jenga, giant Connect 4 and cornhole. Ozzy from El Paso Locomotive FC and the Electric Company’s Power Pack mascots joined Texas Tech Health El Paso mascots Teeth Rex and HOPE the Fox for the festivities.

What’s New at Texas Tech Health El Paso

As the academic year begins, Texas Tech Health El Paso’s four schools enter the fall semester with new milestones and opportunities for students.

Hunt School of Nursing

With 274 students enrolled this fall, the Hunt School of Nursing continues to prepare nurses to serve patients and families throughout the Borderplex. The school welcomed one of the largest incoming classes in its history this year.

The Electric Company Charitable Foundation’s $20,000 scholarship gift will help reduce financial barriers, allowing students to complete their programs and enter the workforce.

The school is also preparing to expand its educational offerings. In August, the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents approved the university’s request to establish a Doctor of Nursing Practice in the Executive Leadership program. The proposed program will next be presented to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for approval and could welcome its first students as early as fall 2028.

The five-semester, 36-credit-hour doctoral program would be offered online, making it available to nurses in El Paso and throughout Texas. President Richard Lange, M.D., M.B.A., said expanding doctoral nursing education is increasingly important as Texas works to prepare both nursing leaders and the faculty needed to educate future nurses.

“They’re essential not only for executive leadership, but we can’t educate the nursing students we have now without doctorate-trained nurses,” Dr. Lange said. The proposed program would help address that need locally and statewide. “It’s a direct need not only for our area, but across the state as well,” he said.

Hunt School of Dental Medicine

With 237 students enrolled this fall, the Hunt School of Dental Medicine continues preparing future dentists to address oral health needs in West Texas and the Borderplex.

The Electric Company Charitable Foundation’s $20,000 gift will support scholarships for Hunt School of Dental Medicine students, helping them focus on their education and clinical training as they prepare to care for patients in El Paso and beyond.

The school is also preparing for a major expansion of the Texas Tech Dental Oral Health Clinic. In August, the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents approved the project’s concept and $1.3 million for design and preconstruction services. The approximately $11.5 million project is expected to renovate nearly 13,750 square feet and create dedicated orthodontics, surgical and special needs clinics.

The expansion will increase capacity for dental education and clinical training while improving access to specialized oral healthcare throughout the Borderplex. The project is currently in the design phase.

Foster School of Medicine

The Foster School of Medicine welcomed its largest-ever entering class in July. Of the 138 members of the Class of 2030, 122 are from Texas, including 22 students from El Paso. Their arrival continues the school’s role in educating future physicians with ties to the state and the Borderplex. Across all four classes, the school has a total enrollment of 541 students.

Members of the Class of 2030 will train in a region facing significant health challenges, including cancer, adolescent mental health, diabetes and access to healthcare in rural communities.

Francis Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

With 60 students enrolled this fall, the Francis Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences is marking a major academic milestone with the launch of its new Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences program.

The doctoral program welcomed its inaugural class of five students on Aug. 24, creating a new pathway for students to pursue advanced biomedical research and training at Texas Tech Health El Paso.

The milestones celebrated at this year’s Welcome Back Fiesta reflect Texas Tech Health El Paso’s continued growth across healthcare education, research and patient care. The Electric Company Charitable Foundation is helping fuel that growth by investing in students who will help shape the region’s healthcare future.

About Texas Tech Health El Paso

Texas Tech Health El Paso serves West Texas and is dedicated to preparing the next generation of healthcare professionals. Established as an independent university in 2013, Texas Tech Health El Paso is a uniquely innovative destination for medical, nursing, biomedical sciences and dental education.

Focusing on excellence in healthcare education, research and clinical service, Texas Tech Health El Paso has graduated more than 2,600 professionals over the past decade. For more information, visit ttuhscepimpact.org.