Nursing White Coat Ceremony

Hunt School of Nursing Annual Fall White Coat Ceremony Welcomes 65 New Students

With 54 students from our Borderplex region, Accelerated B.S.N. program addresses acute nursing shortage

They may not be technicolor dream coats, but for 65 first-year nursing students, the white coats they now proudly wear are dreams come true.

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso's Hunt School of Nursing held its annual fall white coat ceremony on Aug. 29, marking a significant event in the university's ongoing 10th-anniversary celebration. The ceremony, conducted on the TTUHSC El Paso campus, welcomed students into the school's 16-month Accelerated B.S.N. program.

In a region where the nurse shortage looms large, 54 of the students hailed from our Borderplex region. The ceremony is not only a rite of passage for these future nurses but also a testament to the strong bonds between the school and the community it serves.

“Although most of the students are from El Paso, their backgrounds vary widely,” said Stephanie Woods, Ph.D., R.N., dean of the Hunt School of Nursing. “We’re excited to support these new students over the next 16 months and enthusiastic to see them graduate and enter nursing. The nursing shortage is extreme and every new Hunt School of Nursing graduate makes a difference locally and beyond.”

Each student received a white coat embroidered with the Hunt School of Nursing seal. The coat symbolizes the cloak of compassion, reminding each of the importance of humility when it comes to community care during their careers. Their stethoscopes, which they received earlier, represent science. Together, they provide the pillars of their training. The Hunt School of Nursing is the only nursing school in the region with a white coat ceremony tradition.

El Paso’s nursing shortage represents a critical challenge that has far-reaching consequences for the health care system in the region. El Paso has a deficit of hundreds of registered nurses, a shortage that is projected to grow by an alarming rate in the next decade. This deficiency translates into longer wait times for patients, increased patient-to-nurse ratios and potential compromises in the quality of care. This shortage exacerbates existing health disparities, with El Pasoans most in need facing reduced access to essential health care services.

The decision by TTUHSC El Paso to offer an accelerated nursing program is a strategic response to a pronounced health care crisis in the region. El Paso's nursing shortage, reflecting a broader national trend, is compounded by a rapidly aging population, with U.S. Census Bureau estimates suggesting that 16% of the region's inhabitants will be age 65 or older by 2030. Coupled with a growing population that is expected to exceed one million in the near future, the demand for health care services is set to rise sharply. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, Texas itself faces an anticipated shortage of 60,000 registered nurses by 2030.

The Accelerated B.S.N. program at the Hunt School of Nursing is designed to address these alarming statistics by providing an intensive, 16-month pathway to licensure, enabling a more rapid response to the health care needs of our Borderplex region and beyond.

“We have eight students who graduated from local high schools,” said Dr. Woods. “All completed their freshman and sophomore requirements for nursing in high school, and they are entering nursing school at the young age of 18 to 19. Additionally, our class includes students who are parents of children ranging from infants to teenagers. But as diverse as they are, they’re unified in their goal to become a nurse.”

The Hunt School of Nursing has emerged as a vital asset to the community in addressing the region's nursing shortage. Since its inception in 2012, the program has graduated over 1,200 nurses, many of whom are employed within the local health care system. The impact of the program is evident in reduced patient-to-nurse ratios and improved health care access.

For Hunt School of Nursing students, improved health care access begins with the white coat ceremony.

“This white coat confirms for me that my dream of being a nurse is finally becoming a reality,” said first-year nursing student Naomi Tarango Kim of El Paso. “Not only is it my dream, but my commitment to serve my community.”

Tarango Kim, like many in her cohort, began their nursing journey in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, enduring many long hours online with little direct human contact. This hardship in no way represented a barrier to their dreams.

Marissa Ramser comes from a family of health care professionals. The native El Pasoan discovered her interest in nursing at Austin High School, where she excelled in health care courses. After graduating from high school, she set her dream aside to earn her Bachelor of Arts in Middle East Studies at the University of Texas at Austin.

Unsure of what to do next, she turned to her father.

“My father’s a licensed vocational nurse,” said Ramser. “He worked long hours. I never once heard him complain. I realized nursing was my true passion and calling.” She once again embraced her original dream of becoming a nurse.

Kim and Ramsur will be making a difference in our Borderplex region. With a curriculum tailored to the unique health care needs along the U.S.-Mexico border, the Hunt School of Nursing educates graduates who are not only filling critical gaps in staffing but also bringing specialized skills that enhance patient care. By attracting students like Kim and Ramser from our local community, the program fosters a connection between the institution and the diverse communities it serves.

Members of TTUHSC El Paso’s President’s Development Council attended Tuesday’s event to watch as the students they generously supported through scholarships and sponsored white coats marked a significant milestone. Council members present at the ceremony were Ed and Margie Escudero, Bob Snow, Charles de Wetter, and Kelly Tomblin. Their contributions, along with those of other generous sponsors, not only provide tangible resources for aspiring health care leaders but also serve as a testament to our Borderplex community's commitment to advancing health care education and practice.

About Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso
TTUHSC El Paso is the only health sciences center on the U.S.-Mexico border and serves 108 counties in West Texas that have been historically underserved. It’s a designated Title V Hispanic-Serving Institution, preparing the next generation of health care heroes, 48% of whom identify as Hispanic and are often first-generation students.

Established as an independent university in the Texas Tech University System in 2013, TTUHSC El Paso is celebrating 10 years as a proudly diverse and uniquely innovative destination for education and research. According to a 2022 analysis, TTUHSC El Paso contributes $634.4 million annually to our Borderplex region’s economy.

With a mission of eliminating health care barriers and creating life-changing educational opportunities for Borderplex residents, TTUHSC El Paso has graduated over 2,000 doctors, nurses and researchers over the past decade, and will add dentists to its alumni beginning in 2025. For more information, visit ttuhscepimpact.org.