A Calling to Healthcare
Texas Tech Health El Paso Graduates Step Into the Future of Healthcare
Graduates will enter the workforce as physicians, nurses, dentists and biomedical researchers.
For Carolina Mendez, M.D., graduating from the Foster School of Medicine represents the fulfillment of a dream shaped by personal loss, and her commitment to serving the Borderplex.
The El Paso native became the first physician in her family when she joined fellow Texas Tech Health El Paso graduates during commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 16, at the Plaza Theatre in Downtown El Paso. Four commencement ceremonies throughout the day and evening brought together graduates from the Foster School of Medicine, Hunt School of Nursing, Hunt School of Dental Medicine and Francis Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
“Caring for the people of my hometown has made my training deeply fulfilling,” Dr. Mendez said. “This community has kept me grounded and motivated me to improve healthcare access in the Borderland.”
Dr. Mendez said her father’s two-year battle with pancreatic cancer helped shape her decision to pursue medicine, sparking her interest in emergency care. During frequent visits to the emergency department, she saw firsthand how compassionate care could improve a patient’s quality of life.
She will begin her residency in emergency medicine at the University of Southern California this summer.
“We celebrate graduates from each of our schools, all of whom have demonstrated extraordinary dedication, compassion and resilience throughout their educational journeys,” said Richard Lange, M.D., M.B.A., president of Texas Tech Health El Paso. “As they begin the next chapter of their careers, they carry forward our mission to serve communities across the Borderplex and beyond through excellence in patient care and research.”
Hunt School of Nursing
The school honored 120 students who completed the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, and R.N. to B.S.N. program. The graduates included spring and summer cohorts. An additional four students graduated with a Master of Science in Nursing. Of the 124 students who graduated from the Hunt School of Nursing, 119 are from El Paso County and three from Doña Ana County, New Mexico.
Nursing graduate Yazmin Lapsov, R.N., said her experiences as a patient after a soccer injury inspired her to pursue nursing and serve the El Paso community where she was born and raised.
Lapsov is preparing for a career in labor and delivery nursing and said the opportunity to remain in El Paso and care for local patients feels especially meaningful.
“I realized that when it comes to healthcare, we have to improve. I’m probably not going to change the whole healthcare system, but me becoming a nurse, I can at least make that tiny little difference,” she said.
Students in the accelerated B.S.N. program completed up to 17 credit hours per semester across four consecutive semesters, along with over 1,000 hours of clinical rotations. The 16-month program is the only accelerated nursing program of its kind in the region.
Students in the R.N. to B.S.N program are licensed nurses who previously earned associate degrees. They completed 36 credit hours at the Hunt School of Nursing to earn their bachelor’s degrees and expand opportunities for career advancement.
Hunt School of Dental Medicine
The Hunt School of Dental Medicine, which opened in 2021, celebrated their second graduating class. The Class of 2026 consists of 61 students, including 11 from the Borderplex region.
Although she was not born in El Paso, dental graduate Kyanna Spain, D.M.D., said the Borderplex became home after she attended El Dorado High School. Spain said she chose to pursue her dental education in El Paso because of the region’s strong sense of community and the need for additional dental providers.
Dr. Spain said early clinical experiences and serving patients facing barriers to care shaped her time at the Hunt School of Dental Medicine.
“Treating patients who face real barriers to care, whether due to language, finances or systemic challenges, gives your education a deep sense of purpose,” Dr. Spain said. “Seeing a patient leave the chair pain-free, confident and smiling because of the care we provided in the clinic is the most rewarding feeling.”
After graduation, Dr. Spain will begin an advanced education in general dentistry residency at the Dayton VA Medical Center in Ohio.
The dental school’s curriculum places students in clinical settings beginning in their first semester, along with Spanish-language training to help graduates better serve the community. Each graduate earns a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree, and a Community Health Certificate.
Three graduates – Gabriella Gonzalez, Danielle Salcido and Luma Chenyi – earned Doctor of Dental Medicine and Master of Public Health dual degrees through a partnership with the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health in El Paso.
Founded with a $25 million gift from the Hunt Family Foundation, the school is the first new dental school in Texas in more than 50 years and the only dental school on the U.S.-Mexico border. With over 200 students across four classes and over 60,000 patient visits provided annually, the school is expanding access to oral healthcare in the region.
Francis Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
The graduate school honored 25 students graduating with a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences, and seven students graduating with post-baccalaureate certificates in biomedical sciences. Of the 25 students graduating with a master’s, 16 are from the Borderplex. Two graduating with a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate are also from the area.
Graduate Mia Salazar, an El Paso native, said she chose the Francis Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences because it aligned with her long-term goal of attending dental school. It also allowed her to return home after completing undergraduate studies outside El Paso.
Salazar said her graduate research experience became especially meaningful on a personal level.
“I didn’t know it at the start, but my lab’s research in heart disease would become pretty prominent in my life,” Salazar said. “One of my family members started to experience the very issues we were looking at. Knowing exactly what was happening and the progress being made to treat it was comforting.”
After graduation, Salazar will attend the Hunt School of Dental Medicine as part of the Class of 2030.
“I’m super excited to continue my education at home and learn how to serve this community that’s supported me for so long,” she said.
The school prepares future scientists and health professionals through a research-focused learning environment emphasizing innovation, discovery and student success. This year, the school launched its Ph.D. program in biomedical sciences.
Many graduates continue their education in medical, dental school or doctoral programs.
Foster School of Medicine
The medical school honored 106 students graduating with Doctor of Medicine degrees.
The school’s curriculum includes early clinical experience and Spanish-language training to help graduates better serve their community. This year, four graduates – Sangavai Ganeshm, Brandon Michael Godinich, Erin Elizabeth Toro, and Teresa Valencia-Huerta – earned Doctor of Medicine and Master of Public Health dual degrees through a partnership with the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health in El Paso.
Earlier this year, graduates matched to residency programs across the country, including programs in El Paso and at Texas Tech Health El Paso. Physicians often practice in the communities where they complete residency training, supporting the school’s mission to increase the number of physicians in West Texas.
About Texas Tech Health El Paso
Texas Tech Health El Paso serves 108 counties in 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 provides medical, nursing, biomedical sciences and dental education.
Focused 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.