MANY YEARS OF HEALTH EDUCATION AT UTB/TSC  

Sept. 23, 2001

This past Friday, the Life and Health Sciences Building on the campus of UT Brownsville and Texas Southmost College was dedicated. This is the second UTB building to be constructed on the TSC campus.

It was a special ceremony because on that day, 75 years ago, the doors opened for the first time at the Junior College of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, now UTB/TSC.

The Life and Health Sciences Building is an outstanding facility and continues a long history of medical treatment, research and education carried on at Fort Brown for over a century.

During the 1800s, Fort Brown was the scene of serious illnesses and epidemics, requiring medical officers at the military post to provide extensive treatment to patients, and brought about important medical research. 

UTB/TSC has continued that tradition, with a growing curriculum of education in the health field. Through the School of Health Sciences, faculty is committed to educating health care personnel to improve health care in the Rio Grande Valley.

Many years ago, health education on campus began with the training of nurses, which continues today.

In 1966, the first college based nursing program in the Rio Grande Valley began when Texas Southmost College took over the Vocational Nursing program previously operated by Mercy Hospital.  UTB/TSC became the first college in the state to adopt a revised curriculum for Vocational Nursing, as approved by state boards in Austin.

UTB/TSC has operated the LVN program for 35 years.  Over 1,500 Licensed Vocational Nurses have graduated and worked in hospitals, physicians' offices, nursing homes and clinics.  At present, 31 students are enrolled in Brownsville and 11 in Port Isabel.

Margarita Barradas was Director of the LVN program from 1966 until 1990. She recalled graduates were always in demand and found employment quickly. The very first class of graduates in the LVN program began in 1967:Gloria Escobedo of San Benito, Isabel Escamillo, Maria Gomez, Maria Saldivar, Maria Buitueria and Beatrice Rodriguez of Brownsville. I invite them to send me their memories of the nursing program.

Dr. Lee Dale Jones, a Brownsville physician for 46 years, remembered that he employed five LVN nurses during those years.  Dr. Jones recalls that they were capable nurses and caring people.  He said the fact that they were from the local community and were bilingual was a plus.

In response to a continuing shortage of nurses in this area, in 1974 an Associate Degree in Nursing program was established.  This two-year program provides a more advanced curriculum, and continues on the campus, as well as at the Boggus Educational Pavilion at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen.  99 students are enrolled at the Brownsville and  Harlingen locations.

In 1991, UTB/TSC began a partnership with The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio to bring Bachelors and Masters degrees in nursing to the campus.  Before, nurses had to leave Brownsville or even he Valley to continue their education.

By 1995, faculty and administrators here had developed their own expertise and experience in this area, and the local university established a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

At Commencement ceremonies in May of 1997, seven women and two men made history when they walked across the stage and received their bachelor’s degrees in nursing, the first in the history of the program. Today, thirteen students are now enrolled in this program.

Last year, the curriculum was further expanded by the establishment of a Master of Science degree in Public Health. UTB/TSC is one of only four programs in the nation offerings a masters of Science degree in public health. Twenty-one students are enrolled in this new program.

The Allied Health Department provides a wide range of health education, with programs in five areas: Radiology, Respiratory Therapy, Medical Laboratory Technology, Emergency Medical Technology and Diagnostic Medical Sonography.

Several of these programs were established in the 1970s, and others have been added in later years in response to a growing enrollment. 

The Life and Health Sciences Building contains over 56,000 square feet and was built at a cost of $22.5 million.  Designed to mirror the graceful arches of Gorgas Hall, this attractive new building, occupying eight acres on the rapidly growing campus will greatly enhance the quality of higher education.

Three allied fields of study will now be under one roof:  Health Sciences, Biological Sciences and Allied Health.  Classroom and laboratory work will be located in one modern, well-equipped building.  The building contains the latest laboratory facilities, audiovisual equipment, computers and wireless web technology.

 As I toured the building with Dr. Eldon Nelson, Dean of the School of Health Sciences he said, “This is an exciting time for all of us and for medicine and public health in the Valley. We are building a future here and one day we will look back on this time and be amazed”

Carl Chilton is a retired certified public accountant and a historian. Readers are encouraged to share their memories of the college and university with Mr. Chilton. Please send your comments to anniversary@utb1.utb.edu