Health system to donate $750,000 as part of $10 million commitment to expanding partnerships with HBCUs and HSIs

HCA Healthcare, Inc., one of the nation’s leading healthcare providers, announced that it will donate $750,000 to The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) to create multiple graduate-degree opportunities for students interested in healthcare careers.

The four-year partnership will support more than 30 nursing fellows and more than 50 healthcare administration opportunities. It is part of HCA Healthcare’s broader commitment to give $10 million over three years to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) in order to advance diversity in healthcare. Since making the pledge in 2021, HCA Healthcare has now provided approximately $3.75 million toward multiple partnerships. UTEP is one of the largest Hispanic-serving institutions in the country with a student body that is 84 percent Hispanic.

“We are proud to work with UTEP to provide access to fulfilling careers in healthcare for the students of El Paso,” said Jon Foster, president of HCA Healthcare’s American group. “Las Palmas Del Sol Healthcare has cultivated a long-standing relationship with the university, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact these programs will have on the community.”

The gift will help establish graduate nursing fellowships and create a graduate degree to advance healthcare administration. The graduate program to advance healthcare administration outlines a master’s program based on certificates that will allow students to follow a path that suits them (e.g., data science, healthcare, business administration, leadership and more). Students will receive a scholarship to participate in the nursing fellows or healthcare administration program, with a total of 60 students expected to receive scholarships over the next four years. Students will also have access to scholarships for graduate studies in nursing administration and management, as well as certificates and other credentials.

“We are excited to announce this partnership with UTEP to support the development of their graduate programs,” said Sherri Neal, chief diversity officer of HCA Healthcare. “As the third in our series of commitments to HBCUs and HSIs, this demonstrates our continued efforts to develop a diverse pipeline of healthcare professionals and future leaders.”

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As a part of the partnership, UTEP students will have opportunities for internships at facilities across HCA Healthcare’s Central and West Texas division at hospitals in El Paso and Austin, as well as the HCA Healthcare corporate office in Nashville, Tennessee. Students will also have year-round leadership development opportunities. HCA Healthcare will provide an executive advisor for healthcare management at UTEP and targeted recruiting events.

“Health and human services is the fastest-growing employment sector in Texas. This partnership with Las Palmas Del Sol Healthcare and HCA Healthcare will help develop future leaders in healthcare to serve the community,” said UTEP President Heather Wilson. “I am thankful to HCA Healthcare for partnering with us to create more opportunities for our students.”

HCA Healthcare has a history of partnering with organizations to help develop future healthcare leaders. Earlier this year, HCA Healthcare gave $1.5 million to Florida International University’s (FIU) Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences (NWCNHS) to expand its faculty and offer scholarships to increase enrollment and help address the national nursing shortage. In 2021, HCA Healthcare announced a $1.5 million donation to Florida A&M University’s (FAMU) School of Allied Health Sciences to strengthen students’ pathways from undergraduate to graduate to management careers in the healthcare industry. In 2019, the HCA Healthcare Scholars at Fisk University program was created to provide scholarships, career planning support and internship opportunities for high-achieving undergraduates. In addition, HCA Healthcare committed $1 million to Tennessee State University in 2015 to fund internship opportunities and support the growth of the Health Information Management program. These partnerships and others with industry- and school-based associations, including the National Urban League, the National Association of Health Services Executives and the National Association of Latino Healthcare Executives, are part of HCA Healthcare’s continued efforts to strengthen the diversity of the organization’s talent pipeline.

Source: HCA Healthcare