An Urgent Shift, But Our Spirit Endures

Recently, the U.S. Department of Education reclassified advanced nursing degrees—MSN, DNP, APRN—as non-professional for Title IV funding eligibility. This change threatens student loan limits, faculty pipelines, and access to advanced nursing care. It’s more than a policy tweak—it’s a direct challenge to the identity and value of our profession.

Texas nurses, these are trying times. But let me remind you:

• You earned your title through rigor and compassion, not funding categories.
• You heal, advocate, and educate—and you’ve never needed someone else’s permission to be professional.
• Every challenge strengthens our resolve.

We are nurses first, and leaders always. Our profession is built on science, ethics, and humanity. No federal reclassification can erase that truth.

As your State President—and as someone currently pursuing a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)—I felt the sting of this announcement deeply. For a moment, I had to step back, breathe, and remind myself not to let this injustice pull me down to its level. Instead, I chose to rise above it and become a voice for change—a voice that demonstrates, without question, that nursing is and always will be a profession grounded in science, ethics, and compassion.

We cannot stay silent.   CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL MESSAGE AND LETTER TEMPLATES