When the 1,189 spring and summer graduates of The University of Texas at San Antonio’s six health professional schools walk across the stage for their commencement ceremonies this weekend, they will begin the next chapter of careers and advanced training dedicated to improving health and well-being. The achievement is the culmination of countless hours spent in laboratories and study rooms, lecture halls and clinical spaces.
This year’s commencements mark a year of academic progress and key milestones across all the university’s programs and holds an especially historic meaning for the Kate Marmion School of Public Health, as it celebrates its inaugural graduating class.
Kate Marmion School of Public Health
Established in 2022 under the joint vision of the late William L. Henrich, MD, former president of The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, and UT San Antonio President Taylor Eighmy, PhD, the Kate Marmion School of Public Health serves as the region’s first comprehensive academic home for public health. The school began accepting students in its master’s program in public health in 2024.
After a $30 million gift from the Kate Marmion Charitable Foundation in December 2025, the UT System Board of Regents approved the naming of the Kate Marmion School of Public Health in honor of the daughter of Janey Briscoe Marmion and granddaughter of former Gov. Dolph Briscoe Jr. and Janey Slaughter Briscoe.
The school has already secured a top national ranking this year. The Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research placed the school No. 36 among 70 schools of public health nationwide for academic research funding.
South Texans face significant health challenges, including higher rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other chronic conditions, which are compounded by limited access to healthcare. Many areas of the city and South Texas are identified as Health Professional Shortage Areas by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration. The 25 graduating students of the school’s inaugural class receiving their Master of Public Health degrees will be the first in a new generation of “change agents” working with the community to develop solutions to address these health issues.
“As the inaugural graduates of the Kate Marmion School of Public Health, these students mark a historic turning point for our university and all of South Texas,” said Dean of the School of Public Health Vasan Ramachandran, MD, FACC, FAHA. “As public health leaders and ambassadors of our school, they are the stewards of a healthier future, who will serve the community with humility, and turn their knowledge into action that lifts every life around them. I am proud of their accomplishments and cheering them onwards and upwards.”
Commencement for the Kate Marmion School of Public Health will take place May 16 in the Holly Auditorium.
While the School of Public Health marks a historic beginning, UT San Antonio’s other health professional schools continue a long-standing tradition of excellence, graduating students ready to advance research, education and patient care.
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Commencement for the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences will take place May 15 in the Holly Auditorium at the UT San Antonio Health Science Center. The school will confer 91 degrees to its graduates.
“This final milestone in the graduate journey marks the transition from learning to explore how life works to the opportunity to help improve it,” said Dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, David S. Weiss, PhD.
Doctoral graduates of the school achieve excellent employment outcomes, with 78% securing employment after graduation compared to a 59% benchmark. This performance reflects the competitiveness of the school’s training and the readiness of graduates for the workforce.
Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine
The Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine has a history of high residency match rates. The Class of 2026 matched 98% to a residency program of their choice, exceeding the national match rate and indicating the highest degree of competency for students. Of these graduates, 21% will remain in San Antonio for their residency and 59% will remain in Texas, helping to bolster the healthcare workforce of the region.
Commencement for the Long School of Medicine will take place May 17 at St. Mary’s University. The school will confer 213 degrees to its graduates.
“As the Long School of Medicine celebrates its Class of 2026, the milestone marks the culmination of years of rigorous training and the beginning of a professional calling,” said Robert A. Hromas, MD, FACP, dean of the Long School of Medicine. “Graduates enter a rapidly evolving field prepared to lead and shape the future of healthcare, carrying forward a shared mission to improve lives, expand what is possible in medicine and advance health for generations to come.”
School of Nursing
Commencement for the School of Nursing will take place May 17 at St. Mary’s University. The school will confer 283 degrees.
“Today we celebrate our nursing school graduates who have answered the call to advance health, improve access and lead with compassion,” said Sonya R. Hardin, PhD, RN, APRN-BC, FAAN, dean of the School of Nursing. “At UT San Antonio, we are proud to prepare graduates who are ready to meet the growing demand for nurses in our community, and we confidently welcome them as the next generation of nurse leaders.”
The School of Nursing earned the prestigious Center of Excellence in Nursing Education designation from the National League of Nursing in Promoting Pedagogical Expertise of Faculty in 2025. The designation recognizes the exceptional teaching, mentorship and scholarly contributions of the school’s faculty, which underscores its commitment to graduating highly skilled nursing professionals.
School of Health Professions
Commencement for the School of Health Professions will take place May 17 at St. Mary’s University. The school will confer 378 degrees to its graduates.
“Our graduating students provide essential healthcare services that change lives in San Antonio and beyond,” said School of Health Professions Dean David Shelledy, PhD, RRT, FAARC, FASAHP. “As we celebrate this year’s graduates, we do so while recognizing the school’s 50th anniversary and its legacy of excellence. The impact of our school is directly tied to the commitment our graduates make to provide the very best care to our patients and the community, while upholding the highest ethical standards and practices.”
The School of Health Professions has an overall 99% pass rate on licensing exams in all programs. It offers the only entry-to-profession Master of Science in Imaging Sciences degree in the U.S. and is one of only eight institutions in the country to offer an entry-to-profession Master of Science in Respiratory Care degree. The school’s Master of Physician Assistant Studies program ranked 35th out of 206 qualifying programs, within the top 17% of all ranked programs, in the U.S. News and World Report’s list of best graduate schools for 2025.
School of Dentistry
The School of Dentistry is now ranked No. 1 in Texas and 9th nationally among all schools of dentistry that received National Institutes of Health funding in 2025. In 2024, the school established two interdisciplinary centers of excellence, the Center for Regenerative Sciences and the Center for Pain Therapeutics and Addiction Research, helping to drive outstanding faculty recruitment and ensure that scientific discoveries translate into improved patient care.
Commencement for the School of Dentistry will take place May 18 at St. Mary’s University. The school will confer 199 degrees.
“Graduation marks a significant accomplishment for our School of Dentistry students and residents, who are well prepared to advance the profession of dentistry in meaningful ways,” said School of Dentistry Dean Ken Hargreaves, DDS, PhD. “Whether they go on to provide exceptional patient care, pursue discovery through research or educate future clinicians, they carry forward a commitment to excellence that defines our school. I congratulate each of them on this achievement and look forward to seeing the many ways they will make a meaningful difference in the communities they serve, and how they will shape the future of oral health.”
Together, the graduates from UT San Antonio’s health professional schools represent a growing, highly trained workforce committed to improving health outcomes across the region and beyond. As they step into careers in medicine, research, nursing, dentistry, public health and allied health fields, their work will help create a healthier future for generations to come.
Click here for more information about the Class of 2026 commencement ceremonies.
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