Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Texas A&M University- Texarkana held a press conference to announce the addition of the university’s new College of Nursing, Health, and Human Services, the Honors College, and the School of Professional Education and Community Engagement. The new academic structure will be in place for the upcoming fall 2024 semester.
The addition of the two new colleges brings the number of colleges within the university to four, including the existing College of Arts, Sciences, and Education and the College of Business, Engineering, and Technology.
Taking on the role as the inaugural dean of the College of Nursing, Health, and Human Services will be Dr. Heather McKnight, who was previously the director of the university’s nursing program. “I am honored to serve A&M-Texarkana and the community as the inaugural Dean of the College of Nursing, Health, and Human Services,” said McKnight. “East Texas is a region rich in history, culture, arts, and natural beauty, but we face significant challenges in healthcare access and outcomes. A&M-Texarkana will be introducing new healthcare degree pro-grams to take a crucial step toward addressing these challenges. The degrees include respiratory therapy, medical imaging, healthcare administration, speech language pathology, and occupational therapy, among others. These programs will not only train the next generation of healthcare professionals right here in our community but will also help retain talent within our region.”
