Alumni Spotlight: Mary Pat Rapp, PhD ’06, MSN ’89, RN

Mary Pat Rapp, PhD ’06, MSN ’89, RN, explored working in many areas of nursing— including a burn unit, kidney transplant unit, cardiac intensive care, emergency room, and labor and delivery—before finding her passion in caring for older adults. She earned a master’s degree at Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston to become a gerontology nurse practitioner and later returned for her doctorate. Her thesis sparked a lifelong interest in research, eventually leading her to join the school’s faculty.

“It was gratifying to see my students go into the community and foster excellence in the care of older adults in a variety of settings, from nursing homes to teaching roles in medical center hospitals and as key members of interdisciplinary teams,” says Rapp, who is now retired.

Having received philanthropic support during her own nursing education, she is dedicated to giving back. She created an endowment to support faculty research and included Cizik School of Nursing in her estate plans to provide student scholarships and further advance nursing science.

“This is my opportunity to contribute,” Rapp says. “Dedicating resources to research may help attract faculty who are starting their research journey or interested in mentoring students in research endeavors. Providing scholarships eases students’ financial burdens and helps shape the next generation of nurses.”