New Building for Baylor Nursing School Made Possible with Lead Gift

Baylor University has announced a lead gift by Louise “Lou” Herrington Ornelas of Tyler, Texas, which made possible the purchase of the Baptist General Convention of Texas building in Dallas for use as the new home for Baylor’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing. Baylor will begin plans to renovate the facility, to be named the Louise Herrington Nursing School Building, to house the outstanding academic programs and simulation training for which the School is nationally recognized.
“I gave the gift because I love the nursing school students,” Ornelas said of her support for the School’s future growth.

Located at 333 N. Washington Avenue, the four-story building stands near Baylor’s current Nursing School campus and the Baylor University Medical Center. In 1999, Ornelas made it possible for students to pursue their calling to nursing through a generous endowment gift. The nursing school proudly became the Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) in her honor.

“Our longtime champion, Mrs. Louise Herrington Ornelas, has stepped forward once again to give the Louise Herrington School of Nursing a wonderfully generous lead gift,” Baylor President and Chancellor Ken Starr said. “Our hearts overflow with gratitude for the impact this gift will have on thousands of young men and women who are preparing for lives of dedicated service and transformational leadership in the expanding field of health care.”

“This gift from Mrs. Ornelas ensures that the Louise Herrington School of Nursing, already widely known for the excellence of its graduates, will be able to further expand its influence in nursing education and strengthen its preparation of future generations of health care professionals,” said Dr. Shelley F. Conroy, dean and professor of the LHSON and inaugural dean of Baylor’s new Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, which includes the LHSON and three other academic units. “Everyone at some point in life needs a competent and caring nurse. Our students are drawn to Baylor because we emphasize the calling to learn, lead and serve.”

In addition to the generous gift from Mrs. Ornelas, the nursing school also announced a successful Going for the Gold Gala through which donors contributed $1.5 million to fund nursing school scholarships and academic priorities.