Tuesday, October 2, 2018
  Around Campus

By Jennifer Berghom

  PHOTO GALLERY by Paul Chouy
Password: somwfs (case sensitive)

EDINBURG, TEXAS – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine hosted Workforce Solutions’ Healthcare Industry Taskforce, Tuesday, Oct. 2, during the university’s annual Hispanic Engineering, Science and Technology (HESTEC) week.

Taskforce members received updates on the UTRGV College of Health Professions, School of Medicine and School of Nursing, and took a tour of the Medical Education Building on the Edinburg Campus.

‘‘I think this university is going to do great things for the Rio Grande Valley.
—Francisco Almaraz, CEO of Workforce Solutions’’

Dr. John H. Krouse, executive vice president for Health Affairs and dean of the School of Medicine for UTRGV, told taskforce members about the creation of the Division of Health Affairs at UTRGV and about development of new programs and schools under this new division.

Dr. Sharon Radzyminski, dean of the School of Nursing, and Dr. Michael Lehker, dean of the College of Health Professions, provided updates on new programs being developed. 

The taskforce, composed of leaders in the Rio Grande Valley’s healthcare industry, meet quarterly to discuss challenges and develop best practices in recruiting and maintaining employees. 

Francisco Almaraz, CEO of Workforce Solutions, said Workforce Solutions is grateful to UTRGV and the School of Medicine for hosting the taskforce meeting on campus, because it allows members to learn more about what the university is doing in producing future employees for them. 

“The healthcare industry is the fastest-growing industry. It also has a lot of occupations that are high-paying, so that’s very good for the economy,” Almaraz said. “I think this university is going to do great things for the Rio Grande Valley.”



ABOUT UTRGV

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) was created by the Texas Legislature in 2013 as the first major public university of the 21st century in Texas. This transformative initiative provided the opportunity to expand educational opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley, including a new School of Medicine, and made it possible for residents of the region to benefit from the Permanent University Fund – a public endowment contributing support to the University of Texas System and other institutions.

UTRGV has campuses and off-campus research and teaching sites throughout the Rio Grande Valley including in Boca Chica Beach, Brownsville (formerly The University of Texas at Brownsville campus), Edinburg (formerly The University of Texas-Pan American campus), Harlingen, McAllen, Port Isabel, Rio Grande City, and South Padre Island. UTRGV, a comprehensive academic institution, enrolled its first class in the fall of 2015, and the School of Medicine welcomed its first class in the summer of 2016.