In this video interview, Ann Varghese, administrator at the UTMB Clear Lake and League City campuses, talks about her career path, what makes a great leader and even a little bit about traffic on I-45.
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The position, which had been held by Beth Reimschissel since 2018 until her departure in February, oversees operations at ADC.
As part of an ongoing accreditation process, the UTMB PD invites public feedback via the CALEA Public Comment Portal.
The online master’s program provided by the School of Nursing at the University of Texas Medical Branch has once again been deemed one of the best in the nation. UTMB’s School of Nursing ranked 10th in the country according to the U.S. News & World Report 2025 Best Online Master’s in Nursing Programs released today.
“UTMB School of Nursing’s high-quality program offerings, strong levels of student engagement, and tailored faculty support, lead to an exceptional online learning experience,” said Dr. Deborah J. Jones, dean of the UTMB School of Nursing. “We offer several tracks that align with learner-specific educational preferences and diverse career goals, and our faculty are committed to preparing nurses to become leaders in their fields and to address the needs of the communities that they serve.”
In addition to the number 10 ranking overall in 2025 Best Online Master’s in Nursing Programs, UTMB School of Nursing also ranked in two other categories – fifth in Online Master’s Programs for Veterans and 10th for its Family Nurse Practitioner program.
Established in 1890, the UTMB School of Nursing was the first nursing school in the state of Texas and West of the Mississippi. Nearly 550 students graduate from the school each year and there are more than 15,000 UTMB School of Nursing alumni worldwide.
“The U.S. News and World Report Rankings provide a glimpse into the various online graduate programs offered across the country, and we are proud that our programs consistently rank top in the nation, and best in the state of Texas,” Jones said.
The rankings rated distance education programs on a scale. Each had to perform well on a variety of fronts – including student engagement, faculty credentials and available services and technologies – to earn a qualifying Best Online Programs ranking.
“Amid Texas' ongoing challenges in accessing healthcare, educating nurse practitioners is vital to closing the care gap,” said Dr. Sheba Luke, Master of Science in Nursing program director and associate professor.
Luke cites that nurse practitioners provide care to over one billion patients annually across the nation, demonstrating their key role in today’s healthcare landscape.
“Our program excels in preparing nurse practitioners to meet these demands with outstanding professionalism and compassion,” said Luke, further emphasizing UTMB’s number one ranking for Online Master’s in Nursing Programs in Texas.
This year's edition of U.S. News Best Online Programs evaluated more than 1,600 online bachelor's and master's degree programs using metrics specific to online learning. Prospective students can see how UTMB School of Nursing compares to other institutions and how the rankings are calculated on USNews.com.
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