UNT Health College of Nursing receives federal funding to prepare future nurse educators
Nursing students running through a hands-in exercise.
As Texas continues to face a growing nursing shortage, UNT Health Fort Worth's College of Nursing has received a $216,643 federal award to help prepare the next generation of nurse educators.
The funding, awarded by the Health Resources and Services Administration through its Nurse Faculty Loan Program, will provide financial assistance to graduate nursing students pursuing careers in nursing education.
According to the Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies, Texas faces a projected shortage of more than 56,000 registered nurses by 2036. While the demand for nurses continues to grow, a shortage of qualified faculty is limiting nursing school’s ability to educate enough students to meet workforce needs.
“There is something incredibly powerful about investing in a nurse who feels called to educate the next generation,” said Dr. Cindy Weston, founding dean of UNT Health's College of Nursing. “The HRSA Nurse Faculty Loan Program allows us to support our graduate students as they pursue that calling, easing financial barriers while strengthening the future nursing faculty workforce. Their impact will extend far beyond the classroom, touching generations of nurses, patients, families and communities.”
Through the program, eligible graduate nursing students can borrow up to $40,000 annually for tuition costs. Graduates who complete four consecutive years of full-time faculty service at an accredited nursing school may qualify to have up to 85% of their loan principal and interest canceled.
Dr. Rebecca Burns, associate dean and chair of undergraduate education at the College of Nursing, serves as principal investigator for the program.
“In Texas, we have people who want to become nurses, but we need more qualified educators to teach them,” Burns said. “Investing in nurse educators helps expand our capacity to prepare future nurses and address the growing workforce needs across the state.”
For the 2026-27 budget period, HRSA awarded the college $216,643. Combined with a required institutional contribution of $24,071, the program will have $240,714 in total funding.
By reducing financial barriers to advanced nursing education, the program will help strengthen the pipeline of qualified faculty needed to prepare future nurses and support the growing healthcare workforce in Texas and beyond.