The Amarillo Center now houses 250 undergraduate bachelor of nursing students and about 20 nursing faculty and staff. In its 25,000 square feet, the BCS Nursing Education Floor includes state-of-the-art simulation labs and other innovative educational spaces. As the population ages and the healthcare needs become more complex, the demand for nurses will continue to rise, said Dr. Holly Jeffreys, dean of WT’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences. “Today, Laura and Joe Street made a courageous decision to take WT nursing to the next level in becoming a school of nursing,” Jeffreys said in prepared comments. “For both students and faculty, this means additional opportunity for growth while ensuring ample educational resources and support. For you as a consumer of healthcare, it can mean better health outcomes, as the quality of care you receive directly impacts the outcomes of your health. For WT, it means we will continue to work together to meet the needs and demands of the Texas Panhandle.” Established in 1972 and graduating its first students in 1974, WT’s Department of Nursing currently provides about 70% of nurses employed throughout the Texas Panhandle. WT nursing graduates, over the past five years, have averaged a 97% score on the National Council Licensure Examination, required by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing to test the competency of nursing school graduates in the United States and Canada. Nationally, the average is 85%; in Texas, it’s 87%. “Your gift is transformative, not only for WT, but also for the Panhandle, the region, the state and, from here, the world,” said Leah McLain, cochair of the One West campaign leadership committee, in prepared comments. The Street School of Nursing is the second school established during the One West campaign, following the February 2023 announcement of the Amarillo National Bank School of Accounting Economics and Finance in the Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business. Before the campaign, it had been nearly a decade since WT had formed a school, since both the School of Music and the School of Engineering & Computer Sciences were formed in 2012. In January 2020, Engineering was elevated to the College of Engineering. 29 DEALERS’ CHOICE
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