For nursing students, the path to caring for others can be complicated by the demands of balancing school, work and the needs of their own families.
To help our future nursing heroes, a $250,000 grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has funded the installation of secure lockers that provide nursing students convenient access to food, baby formula and diapers at Texas Tech Health El Paso’s Hunt School of Nursing.
Awarded in 2024, the grant expands support services for nursing students — many of whom are parents of young children — and helps at-risk students remain on track to earn their nursing degrees. In addition to the new locker system, the funding supports other initiatives designed to assist students balancing family, work and the rigorous demands of nursing school.
Samantha Gonzalez, who began the Hunt School of Nursing’s accelerated program this semester and is set to graduate in May 2027, is preparing not only for exams and clinical rotations, but also for the arrival of her second child. Already the mother of a 2-year-old son, Gonzalez is 36 weeks pregnant and balancing the demands of nursing school with family life.
“It’s been so much fun actually,” Gonzalez said of the program. “When I had my first baby, I had an emergency C-section and I relied on the nurses a lot. That really pushed me to pursue my dream in nursing.”
As a full-time student, Gonzalez is currently unemployed and her family relies primarily on her husband’s income. She said the nursing school’s locker and market bag program has been a significant help as they prepare for a newborn.
“That’s a huge help right now,” she said. “You have one kid, groceries, bills, a mortgage payment, car payments — it’s hard. Being able to get diapers, wipes and now formula soon means a lot. It’s really nice that the school has this program.”
Food pantry lockers offer convenience for busy students
The lockers are located on the third floor of the Hunt School of Nursing. The unit includes 14 lockers of various sizes — including eight refrigerated parcel lockers — where nursing students can pick up food pantry items, diapers and baby formula between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., outside the regular food pantry hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The extended hours offer added flexibility for students who often juggle coursework, clinical rotations and family responsibilities.
“Our nursing students need flexible access to food pantry items beyond regular business hours,” said Jene Hurlbut, interim dean of the Hunt School of Nursing. “Expanding access beyond the traditional workday allows our students to retrieve essential items at times that better accommodate their academic and clinical commitments.”
Students submit requests for items online. Pantry staff review each request, prepare a package and place it in the locker system. The system then automatically sends the student a secure access code to retrieve the items.
The locker system became fully operational in November 2025. The final phase of the project, which included the application of branded graphics to the lockers, was completed this month.
A collaboration between the nursing school and Student Services and Engagement
The locker concept emerged from discussions between the Hunt School of Nursing and the Student Services and Engagement office. Recognizing the need to expand food pantry access, the school secured the grant award, meeting criteria that support pregnant and parenting students.
The grant enhances student support both inside and outside the classroom. Beyond launching the first locker system of its kind at Texas Tech Health El Paso, the funding strengthens additional student services in partnership with Project ARRIBA, a regional workforce and economic development nonprofit.
Through the initiative, the school also provides emergency financial assistance, expanded mental health and wellness services, and outreach to students from foster-home backgrounds. The food pantry serves as a retention resource, helping students remain enrolled, engaged and on track to complete their nursing degrees.
“This is not just assistance — it’s about empowering our students,” Hurlbut said. “Our ultimate goal is to promote persistence, improve retention and support the successful completion of nursing degrees every step of the way.”
The Hunt School of Nursing has graduated more than 1,500 nurses, with approximately 90% remaining in the Borderplex region to practice.
The school offers an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing, R.N. to B.S.N., master of science in nursing, and a post-baccalaureate nursing leadership certificate.
To learn more about our nursing program and how to help future health care heroes, visit ttuhscepimpact.org.
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