The Ila Faye Miller School of Nursing and Health Professions

The Ila Faye Miller School of Nursing & Health Professions was founded in 1931, making it the first accredited school west of the Mississippi River to offer a baccalaureate degree in nursing. Over the years, new programs have been added, offering students additional opportunities to enhance the health and wellness of those from all walks of life. The school was named in honor of Ila Faye Miller, a registered nurse at Santa Rosa Hospital and an Incarnate Word supporter.

School Highlights

  • Bachelor’s degrees offered in Community Health Education, Kinesiology, Nuclear Medicine, Nursing, Public Health (Minor), Sport Management and Healthcare Sciences
  • Master’s degrees in Nursing, Kinesiology, Sport Management, and Athletic Training
  • Doctoral degree in Nursing
  • Received three awards from the Texas Nurses Association (2018).

Accreditations and Approvals Earned

Rooted in Health

  • We trace our roots to 1869, when the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word heeded a call from the Catholic bishop of Texas to care for the multitude of sick, infirm and orphaned on the Texas frontier.
  • The Sisters arrived in San Antonio (pop. 12,000) and built the region’s first public hospital — Santa Rosa Infirmary (now CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital and CHRISTUS Health System).
  • The Sisters announced that the hospital would be open to "all persons without distinction of nationality or creed."
  • On Dec. 3, 1869, the day of the hospital's opening, the nine-bed hospital admitted eight patients.
  • Over time, the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word pioneered the idea of a total system of medical care that would offer the latest preventive, diagnostic and treatment facilities to care for the mind, body and spirit of all the inhabitants of San Antonio and South Texas.