Celebration of a New Academic Year
TTUHSC El Paso Kicks Off School Year with Welcome Back Fiesta
Event Celebrates National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week
Beautiful El Paso weather and warm smiles greeted the campus community at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso’s Welcome Back Fiesta, Tuesday, Sept. 13.
Students, residents, fellows, faculty and staff took a break from work and classes and headed to the lawn outside Medical Sciences Building II for a free TTUHSC El Paso T-shirt and a churro catered by Frontera Churros to snack on. Early birds at the event also were able to snag mini-piñatas.
The campus community got to meet El Paso Locomotive FC athletes and team mascot Ozzy the Bat, as well as the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s mascot, Churro. Attendees also captured memories in an interactive photo booth donated by El Paso 360 Photo Booth Co. and quenched their thirst with beverages donated by Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages.
The Welcome Back Fiesta also celebrated the beginning of National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week, observed Sept. 12-18 this year. TTUHSC El Paso is one of three health sciences centers in the U.S. designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and the only one on the U.S.-Mexico border. Forty-eight percent of TTUHSC El Paso students identify as Hispanic, and 70% of the university’s personnel, including faculty, are Hispanic.
Currently, 52% of TTUHSC El Paso students are from border counties throughout Texas. Their education and training prepare them to remain in or return to their hometowns to practice in areas with unique needs and a shortage of health care professionals.
Whether you’re starting elementary school or finishing up the last year of medical school, there’s always something unique about a new school year. Here’s a snapshot of what’s happening at TTUHSC El Paso:
Foster School of Medicine
Boasting 124 students, the class of 2026 is one of the largest in Foster School of Medicine history. TTUHSC El Paso aims to increase class sizes to 150 in the near future, which will help reduce local, regional and state-wide physician shortages.
First-year medical student Melissa Esparza lived most of her childhood in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, before moving to El Paso at 12 years old.
“My family and I came to this country fleeing from the wave of violence that emerged in the area,” Esparza said. “Although I was only 12, I understood that as a woman in Mexico, my opportunities were limited. If I were to have a job, it would have to be in a safe and monitored area, and a job with night shifts seemed out of the question.”
In middle school, Esparza became fascinated with science, which led to a discovery of the world of medicine. She decided to pursue a career in the medical field.
“Attending medical school in my hometown has been a very enriching experience,” Esparza said. “It’s allowed me to give back to the community that shaped me into who I am today.”
Since opening in 2009, the Foster School of Medicine has educated nearly 800 graduates who have become or are on their way to becoming practicing physicians. The school’s faculty trains students in culturally competent care with the goal of preparing future physicians, such as Esparza, to practice in the Borderplex, serving a predominantly Hispanic population.
The U.S. Census Bureau predicts a continued climb in the number of Hispanic people in the nation, accounting for 25% of the population in 10 years. However, less than 6% of physicians in the U.S. identify as Hispanic. As the only health sciences center along the U.S.-Mexico border, TTUHSC El Paso is preparing the next generation of Hispanic health care providers. In 2020-2021, 64% of the university’s graduates, including M.D. recipients, identified as Hispanic.
Hunt School of Dental Medicine
Anna Ceniceros, of Clarendon, Texas, has the first year of dental school under her belt and is looking forward to year two.
“The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that there’s always more to learn and more skill development,” said Ceniceros, part of the school’s inaugural class of 2025. “At this school, we’re very fortunate to have early clinical experiences. I’m grateful for all my lovely patients who have been patient with me and my peers and enjoy allowing students to learn.”
In her second year, Ceniceros said she looks forward to improving her dentistry skills and mastering medical Spanish. The Hunt School of Dental Medicine is the first and only dental school that requires medical Spanish courses.
“Dental school has pushed me to my limits, but it’s also shown I can surpass them and create new goals,” she said. “I’m excited to put into action all the new procedures we’ve learned and serve the community that supports us.”
The new Hunt School of Dental Medicine is bustling with activity. This year, the class of 2026 joined Ceniceros and the other 39 members of the inaugural class in the school’s Dental Learning Center and community clinic. The class of 2026 consists of 61 first-year students, with more than a third coming from West Texas and the Mexico border region, including 11 from El Paso and three from New Mexico.
About 34% are first-generation college students, and 61% speak more than one language. Because most graduating dentists establish practices close to their dental schools, the Hunt School of Dental Medicine will help alleviate a severe shortage of dentists in the Borderplex. In El Paso County, there’s only one dentist for every 4,840 residents, compared to the national average of one dentist for every 1,638.
Hunt School of Nursing
Born and raised in El Paso, Matthew Lopez is part of the Hunt School of Nursing’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. He and his cohort of 70 students are part of the only accelerated program in the region where students earn a B.S.N. in just 16 months. He’s among the 80% of the school’s students who identify as Hispanic.
“I look forward to starting my journey at the Hunt School of Nursing by learning the importance of trust,” Lopez said. “It starts with our professors entrusting their knowledge, their experiences and teachings to us. It continues with our future patients and their families who will trust us to provide quality and safe care. As we grow into nursing professionals, we put our trust in our implemented skills, judgment and drive.”
Lopez chose the Hunt School of Nursing because he feels the school will best prepare him for the future of health care. This includes having professors who are active in their profession and who advocate for continuing education.
Since opening in 2011, more than 1,140 nurses have graduated from the Hunt School of Nursing, with 90% staying in the region. As a result, the number of registered nurses in the county has increased by 45%.
The Hunt School of Nursing features a curriculum for cross-disciplinary collaboration, preparing its students to work in clinical teams alongside physicians. The school’s curriculum also prepares students for leadership positions in hospitals and clinics.
Francis Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Fall 2022 is the first full semester under the school’s new name, the L. Frederick Francis Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.
In February, El Paso businessman Rick Francis and his wife, Ginger, announced a historic $10 million gift to endow the graduate school and advance the future of biomedical sciences at TTUHSC El Paso.
The endowment will help the school develop a Ph.D. program and recruit world-class faculty researchers.
El Pasoan Josh Montes, in his second year of pursuing a master’s degree in biomedical sciences, is looking forward to Francis Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences’ researchers reaching their lab goals.
“If one of us succeeds, we all succeed,” Montes said. “Our lab will be focusing on the development of genetically engineered vaccines against tuberculosis.”
The significance of studying at a Hispanic Serving Institution is not lost on Montes.
“It’s very important to me to be doing research at a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Having a place to continue my education In El Paso, where I grew up, has had a huge impact on myself and other minorities who live in this area,” Montes said. “My colleagues and I can continue to grow and lead by example for others in this community. It’s also important because this school will always be a symbol of hope in the continuation of the betterment of El Paso and serving all those who reside here.”
Francis Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences students are exposed to a variety of research experiences and explore the dynamics of several health conditions, including those directly impacting Hispanic and border populations. Currently, 60% of students identify as Hispanic. With the growing Hispanic population nationwide, the need for diversity among biomedical researchers also is growing.
According to the most recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report, there are about 143,000 people employed as "medical scientists” in the country. Among them, 58.2% were White, 33.8% were Asian, 7.9% were Hispanic, and 5.1% were African American. “More diversity initiatives are needed to address health sciences demands and U.S. demographic changes,” the Society for Diversity in the Biomedical Sciences website states.
About Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso
TTUHSC El Paso is the only health sciences center on the U.S.-Mexico border and serves 108 counties in West Texas that have been historically underserved. The university's mission is focused on preparing the next generation of health care leaders who will serve our Borderplex community and beyond.
TTUHSC El Paso was established to focus on the unique health care and educational needs of our Borderplex community. In 2023, TTUHSC El Paso will celebrate its 10th anniversary as an autonomous university within the Texas Tech University System. In those 10 years, the university has graduated nearly 2,000 doctors, nurses and researchers, soon adding dentists to its alumni.