Contact Us
SCHOOL OF NURSING
Brownsville Office:
Life and Health Science Bldg (LHSB) 2.720
956-882-5070
Fax: 956-882-6827
Edinburg Office:
Health Affairs Building East (EHABE) 2.201
956-665-3491
Fax: 956-665-5253
General Information and Program Inquiries:
Maria Pilar Pedraza, BS
Administrative Assistant I SON Office
956-665-2194
Karina Gutierrez
Program Specialist-Student Services
(956) 882-5072
Carmen Vela, BS
Program Specialist-Student Services
956-665-2204
Graduate Programs:
MSN-FNP, Post Master's PMHNP and FNP
Certificates, MSN-Education, MSN-Administration and DNP
Meagan Banks, BS
Program Coordinator-Student Services
956-665-3499
Undergraduate Programs:
BSN Generic, 2nd Degree BSN, and RN to BSN
Alma Castillo
Program Coordinator-Student Services
956-665-7082
OR
Lourdes Sanchez, BAAS-IS
Program Coordinator-Student Services
956-882-5070
Program Coordinator
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Bio:
Andrya R. Rivera-Burciaga is an Assistant Professor at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. She has over 22 years of clinical experience as a registered nurse, family nurse practitioner, advanced hospice and palliative care nursing, nursing administration, and nursing education. Recently she has focused on her clinical practice in community-based Palliative Care. She is married and has 1 son.
She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Baylor University in May 1999. In 2010, she completed her Master of Science in Nursing with a focus on Adult Health. In May 2011, she also received her Post Masters Certificate as a Family Nurse Practitioner from the University of Texas-Pan American.
Andrya has always been passionate about advanced education and her community. Her focus is driving change through improving clinical outcomes and community projects to improve end-of-life care for Mexican Americans in the Rio Grande Valley. Her focus has been on increasing Advance Care Planning among Hispanics. This work is challenging, and she quickly learned she needed advanced education to bring about “BIG” change in healthcare. During her time as a Doctor of Nursing Practice student, she was able to spend time with mentors at the Texas Health Institute who influenced her and helped her bring about change in her community. She started an annual hospice and palliative care educational seminar for healthcare providers and is also an End of Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) train the trainer. In 2017, she received her Doctor of Nursing Practice from The University of Texas Health Science Center Houston – School of Nursing. Since then, she has gone on to graduate from the Duke – Johnson and Johnson Nurse Leader Fellowship in May 2021.
Since graduation, she has been invited to participate with a diverse group of Advanced Practice Registered Nurse to write a piece in regard to Health Equity in Palliative Care Education.
