UT Tyler School of Nursing Hosts 50th Anniversary Gala

February 2, 2026 | Elizabeth Wingfield

Program Honors Founding Chair

UT Tyler Provost Barbara K. Haas announces Dr. Doris Riemen, the founding chair of nursing, as faculty emeritus. The University of Texas at Tyler School of Nursing concluded its 50th anniversary celebration with a gala to recognize five decades of inspiring care. During the event, Provost Dr. Barbara K. Haas announced Founding Chair Dr. Doris Riemen’s appointment as faculty emeritus, recognizing her service to the school.

“It is a profound honor to recognize Dr. Doris Riemen, as one of our founding mothers, whose visionary leadership helped lay the very foundation upon which this School of Nursing stands,” said Haas. “Five decades ago, she saw the potential for a program that would redefine health care in East Texas. Today, we don't just celebrate a 50-year milestone; we celebrate the thousands of lives saved and improved by the nurses who began their journey under the high standards of excellence she established.”

The School of Nursing first began as the Division of Nursing in 1975, with only 24 students compared to the school’s current enrollment of nearly 3,000 students. The division originally allowed registered nurses to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing after completing their prerequisites. In 1982, the first class of traditional BSN students began. The division became the School of Nursing in 1997. In 2008, the school introduced the PhD in nursing, UT Tyler’s first doctoral program. The school began year-round admissions in 2019, accepting 600 pre-licensure students annually to help meet the student demand and address the state’s nursing shortage. In the last two years, the School of Nursing has introduced critical care nursing pathways, including the adult geriatric acute care nurse practitioner certificate, the nurse anesthetist program and the nation’s second flight nursing continuing education program to meet the needs of the East Texas region.

“While the growth over the last 50 years has been staggering, our core mission remains the same,” During the UT Tyler School of Nursing 50th Anniversary Gala, Interim Dean Dr. Jenifer Chilton recognizes the school's growth over the past five decades, including introducing the PhD in nursing in 2008—UT Tyler's first doctoral program—and beginning the nation's second flight nursing education program. said Dr. Jenifer Chilton, School of Nursing interim dean. “We are here to serve the students who will serve East Texas. Ultimately, we have reached this 50-year milestone because we care deeply about our faculty, our students and our community—and just as importantly, because this community has shown that same unwavering support for us. As we look to the next 50 years, we remain committed to excellence in nursing education, equipping future generations to meet the evolving health care needs of our region.”

With a mission to improve educational and health care outcomes for East Texas and beyond, UT Tyler offers more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 11,500 students. Through its alignment with UT Tyler Health Science Center and UT Health East Texas, UT Tyler has unified these entities to serve Texas with quality education, cutting-edge research and excellent patient care. Classified by Carnegie as a doctoral research institution and by U.S. News & World Report as a national university, UT Tyler has campuses in Tyler, Longview, Palestine and Houston.