By Saira Cabrera

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS – NOV. 24, 2025 – Long before she became a neuroscientist, a dean, and a mentor shaping the next generation of physicians, Dr. Kelsey Baker was a struggling undergraduate student sitting in an advisor’s office being told she “wasn’t cut out for science.”

Those words could have ended her path before it began.

Instead, they lit a fire that carried her onward.

Today, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is celebrating her induction into the University of Texas Kenneth I. Shine Academy of Health Science Education, the UT System’s highest recognition for educational excellence.

Baker is one of 17 faculty members statewide selected for the 2026 cohort, an honor reserved for educators whose careers demonstrate exceptional leadership, scholarship and commitment to advancing health science education.

“I am incredibly humbled to join the Shine Academy,” Baker said. “My own journey taught me how powerful resilience can be, and how life-changing it is to have mentors who believe in you.

I want every student to feel that same support, especially when they face obstacles that feel impossible.”

A DISTINGUISHED HONOR

The Shine Academy, founded in 2005 and renamed in honor of Dr. Kenneth I. Shine, exists to elevate educational excellence across the UT System. Each year, the Membership Committee reviews up to four nominations per UT health institution and selects a maximum of 16–17 new inductees who represent the highest standards of teaching, innovation, and service.

Baker’s selection places her among the most respected educators across all UT academic health centers.

Dr. Kelsey Baker is one of 17 faculty members statewide selected for the 2026 cohort, an honor reserved for educators whose careers demonstrate exceptional leadership, scholarship, and commitment to advancing health science education. (UTRGV Photo by Heriberto Perez Zuniga)

“Dr. Baker represents the very best of our mission,” said Dr. Everardo Cobos, interim dean of the UTRGV School of Medicine and chair of Medicine and Oncology.

“She leads with empathy, inspires with resilience and advocates fiercely for students. Her induction into the Shine Academy is a well-deserved recognition of her extraordinary impact.”

“TRUST YOUR OWN RESILIENCE”

Known for her warm approach and student-centered leadership, Baker has transformed the pre-clerkship experience at the UTRGV School of Medicine. She has expanded research opportunities for medical students, many of whom enter her office saying, “I’ve never done research before.”

She remembers that feeling well.

“I faced those same doubts when I was a student,” she said. “But those doubts can be overcome with the right guidance. Watching students discover their confidence, publish their work and earn competitive internships is one of my greatest joys.”

Her mentorship has helped students pursue projects that directly affect Rio Grande Valley patients, including stroke rehabilitation, disability support and community-based health interventions.

“I have seen firsthand how research improves lives here in the Valley,” she said. “It means everything to know our students are making that difference.”

For her, the Shine Academy induction is both a milestone and a reminder of her purpose, especially as she continues to champion women in science and students navigating adversity.

“There will always be resistance, and challenges will come in many forms,” she said. “But with supportive allies and the courage to trust your own resilience, you will rise. Onward and upward.”