Getting Realce

Over the next five years, more than $2.5 million will be given to the School of Nursing to improve first-time pass rates on a nursing licensure exam and faculty instruction.

The U.S. Department of Education funding began in October and supports the Realce: Academic Skills Enhancement for South Texas Nurses project through the school’s newly created Student Success Center.

The school educates and graduates a racially and ethnically diverse group of students and Hispanic enrollment numbers continue to increase, with a 169 percent increase in the accelerated track between 2012 and 2015. The school also is one of the largest educators of male nurses.

To address the increasingly diverse student body, Realce will develop and improve academic support programs. It also will provide tailored faculty development activities, and a new summer undergraduate research program that will connect Hispanic, first-generation, low-income and at-risk students with faculty engaged in groundbreaking research in nursing.

“These funds allow our Student Success Center to deliver narrowly tailored support programs that address academic issues commonly faced by our diverse undergraduate learners, and improves faculty-student engagement in the school through undergraduate research and faculty development initiatives,” said David A. Byrd, Ph.D., associate dean for admissions and student services in the School of Nursing.

“In the end, this grant enhances the student learning experience and ultimately improves the School of Nursing to better prepare nurse leaders who will help address the health care needs of our South Texas community.”