The University of Texas at Arlington, the state's largest producer of baccalaureate-educated nurses, has received a grant to expand its efforts to address the critical nursing shortage in Texas and across the nation.
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board recently approved more than $5 million in funding through its Nursing Shortage Reduction Program.
"We are deeply grateful to the Texas Legislature for its continued investment in the Nursing Shortage Reduction Program and for its steadfast commitment to tackling the critical nursing shortage in our state," said Tanya Sudia, interim dean and chief nursing officer of UTA's College of Nursing and Health Innovation. "This support enables institutions like UTA to expand enrollment, enhance training capacity, and produce the highly skilled nursing workforce that Texas urgently needs—especially in rural and underserved communities."
Texas is projected to face a shortfall of more than 57,000 full-time registered nurses by 2032, according to the Texas Hospital Association. UTA is already working to close that gap, awarding more than 10,000 bachelor's degrees in nursing since 2021—including 2,528 in 2023-24 and 2,191 so far in 2024-25, with more expected to graduate this summer.
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UTA is a recognized leader in nursing education. It holds three simultaneous National League for Nursing Center of Excellence designations, operates one of just 26 internationally endorsed Smart Hospitals, and was the first university in the nation to use a virtual immersion room for clinical training.
UTA also houses the Center for Rural Health and Nursing, which works to expand access to health care in rural Texas and strengthen rural nursing education. A $1 million mobile training lab launched last spring brings hands-on training directly to these underserved communities.
Nursing faculty are consistently recognized for their contributions too. Most recently, Jennifer Woo received the 2025 Nursing Faculty Excellence Award from the Texas Nurses Foundation.
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"I'm proud of the great work UTA has done—and will continue to do—in advancing the nursing workforce," Dr. Sudia said. "Texas needs more registered professional nurses; to meet that demand, we must expand enrollment through strong, innovative nursing programs. This grant will allow us to further position UTA as a leader in professional nursing education—not only in DFW, but also throughout the state, including rural and remote areas. We want students to learn and remain in their home regions to serve local health care needs."
About The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
Celebrating its 130th anniversary in 2025, The University of Texas at Arlington is a growing public research university in the heart of the thriving Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. With a student body of over 41,000, UTA is the second-largest institution in the University of Texas System, offering more than 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Recognized as a Carnegie R-1 university, UTA stands among the nation's top 5% of institutions for research activity. UTA and its 280,000 alumni generate an annual economic impact of $28.8 billion for the state. The University has received the Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation from the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities and has earned recognition for its focus on student access and success, considered key drivers to economic growth and social progress for North Texas and beyond.
