ODESSA, Texas —
The University of Texas Permian Basin announced Tuesday that it has received a $10.6 million donation from the Permian Strategic Partnership to help cover schooling for students studying healthcare.
The money will go toward a four-year scholarship for students in Nursing, Pre-Med, Pre-Dental and Pre-Pharmacy.
Donna Beuk, Dean of the College of Health Sciences and Human Performance spoke about the impact the donation will make on students.
“Our goal is to grow the next generation of healthcare providers in the Permian Basin,” said Beuk. “This funding will allow so many students the opportunity to earn a high-quality education – with little to no debt. The thought of student loans and massive debt can deter many qualified students from following their passion of becoming a doctor, nurse, dentist or pharmacist. Thanks to the support of the PSP, we can now remove that burden, so they can focus on being excellent medical professionals.”
Tracee Bentley, President and CEO of the PSP said they hope the money will help combat the current shortage of healthcare workers in the area.
“The UTPB nursing and pre-med program expansions come at a time when there is a great shortage in our region,” said Bentley. “We are seeing nurses become burnt out from strenuous hours and increased stress. Once established, this program will add up to 60 nursing graduates and 60 pre-med graduates by 2027 and annually thereafter. We look forward to building this local pipeline with our partners at UTPB.”
Funding is awarded through a combination of federal, state and institutional funds to qualifying students. PSP Scholarship candidates must:
Have a GPA of 2.5 or higher
Be a permanent resident of the Permian Basin
Be admitted to UTPB
For Nursing, must also be admitted to the School of Nursing
For Pre-Health, must declare a pre-health major
Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher each semester
Additionally, scholarship recipients must agree to work three years after graduation in their health-related field for an employer in the Permian Basin.
For more information on the scholarship and how to apply, click here.