Listening, learning, and looking ahead
(Photo by UTHealth Houston)
As I mark six months as president, I want to express my deep appreciation for this extraordinary community. Even before I arrived, I recognized both the opportunity and responsibility of leading Houston’s health university, and my experience here has only strengthened that understanding. Each day, I continue to witness the dedication, expertise, and sense of purpose that define UTHealth Houston at every level.
When I arrived last fall, my top priority was to learn from the people who make this university what it is. Since then, my ongoing outreach has taken me to all seven schools and into our research, clinical, and educational settings, where I have met with students, trainees, faculty, staff, and community partners in both large forums and small discussions. I have spent time with highly funded research faculty to better understand what it takes to remain competitive in today’s funding environment and where institutional support can make the greatest difference. Conversations with members of the University Classified Staff Council reinforced the importance of clarity, communication, and follow-through in our shared success. At the Dunn Behavioral Sciences Center, I saw firsthand how our faculty and staff are advancing efforts to address behavioral health and substance use disorders, among the most urgent and complex challenges facing our community. I have also spent meaningful time with members of our Development Board through meetings and events both on and off campus, and I am deeply grateful for their engagement, counsel, and steadfast support of UTHealth Houston’s mission.
Across these conversations, I have heard a strong sense of pride in the work underway, a clear understanding of the pressures facing academic health centers, and thoughtful ideas about how we can strengthen our institution and better support the people who carry it forward.
I am proud of what we have accomplished together since last fall. Despite a challenging national environment, UTHealth Houston’s NIH funding has continued to grow, reflecting the depth of our faculty and the resilience of our research enterprise. At the same time, our Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences admitted a record number of students this year, while many peer institutions have contracted enrollment. For the 11th time, UTHealth Houston earned a Top Workplace designation from the Houston Chronicle. Through the Future Nurses Fund, we provided our first class of eligible nursing students with tuition-free education, strengthening the nursing workforce for Texas. The McGovern Medical School Class of 2026 achieved a 100% residency match rate, and our community outreach efforts, including School of Dentistry's Give Vets A Smile and the UTHealth Houston Cares health fair, continue to expand our reach and impact. Across our discovery platform, the School of Public Health is leading a statewide CDC-funded effort to increase access to colorectal cancer screening, and McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics secured more than $5 million in NIH and NSF funding to advance the use of health data. We are also expanding clinical care closer to where people live, including continued buildout of the UT Physicians Bellaire Station campus.
One of the most significant moments of my first six months was welcoming the UT System’s Chancellor’s Council Executive Committee for its Winter Business Meeting. This was the first time in two decades that UTHealth Houston hosted this meeting on our campus. Over two days, we had the opportunity to introduce Regents, System leadership, and supporters from across Texas to the depth and breadth of our work. Faculty-led breakout sessions highlighted our expertise in areas such as stroke and dementia, behavioral health, early childhood development, and addiction response and recovery. The record attendance and engagement reflected both the strength of this university and the importance of telling our story clearly and confidently.
Beyond campus, I have focused on building relationships that advance our university’s role as a civic and academic partner. I have met with elected officials, including Houston Mayor John Whitmire, to discuss how the university can continue to contribute to the health workforce and economic vitality of our region. These conversations are essential to ensuring that UTHealth Houston remains a trusted voice and an active participant in shaping the future of health in Houston and across Texas.
Partnership has also been a central focus. We have made meaningful progress in our affiliations with Memorial Hermann and Harris Health, which are foundational to our work. With Memorial Hermann, we are working to clarify shared priorities and expectations in support of our joint programs. With Harris Health, we are engaged in forward-looking discussions about the future of care, including work anchored by the new Harris Health John M. O’Quinn Hospital on the Lyndon B. Johnson campus. Time spent with leaders and teams across both organizations has reinforced how closely aligned our goals are and how much more we can accomplish together.
There have of course also been moments that reflect the unique spirit of this community and region, including my very first rodeo. On Texas Medical Center Night at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, I found myself in the middle of it all—literally. Standing in the dirt as the arena filled with energy and commotion, watching Texas 4-H and FFA students sprint forward with total focus during the calf scramble, was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime moment.
Looking ahead, UTHealth Houston will also be “taking the bull by the horns” as we launch our first university-wide strategic planning process in more than a decade. This will be a deliberate and inclusive effort, informed by what you have shared during my ongoing listening tour, and focused on setting clear priorities for the years ahead. To lead the process, Michael Patriarca, MBA, MS, FACHE, will join UTHealth Houston at the end of April as our first Executive Vice President and Chief Business Affairs and Strategy Officer. There will be many opportunities for engagement across our community, and I look forward to shaping this plan together.
Our forward momentum is especially fitting at this time of year. Commencement season is almost here, a reminder that universities are defined by moments of transition and possibility. For our graduates, it is the beginning of a new chapter. For UTHealth Houston, it is a time to build on our strong foundation while preparing for what comes next. I am honored to serve as your president, grateful for your engagement and honesty, and confident in what we will accomplish together in the months and years ahead.
Melina R. Kibbe, MD
President Alkek-Williams Distinguished Chair
