Tyler ISD, in partnership with the Texas Workforce Commission Vocational Rehabilitation Services, proudly honors CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Hospital as the December 2025 B.R.I.D.G.E. Partner of the Month. This recognition celebrates CHRISTUS’ exceptional commitment to inclusive employment practices and its long-standing role as the host business for Tyler ISD’s Project SEARCH 18+ transition-to-work program.
Inclusive partners like CHRISTUS provide students of varying abilities with meaningful, real-world workplace experiences in an integrated hospital setting. Project SEARCH is a business-led, one academic year employment-preparation program that takes place entirely at the workplace. Total workplace immersion combines classroom instruction, career exploration, and hands-on training through rotating internships. Through these opportunities, interns develop competitive work and employability skills by performing authentic workplace tasks across departments at the hospital.
Tyler ISD, CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Hospital, and Texas Workforce Vocational Rehabilitation have an established shared language and vision—true community partners aligned around the same goals. That shared vision, together with CHRISTUS’s core values of dignity, integrity, excellence, stewardship, and compassion, pairs seamlessly with Tyler ISD’s mission of Successful Student Outcomes and Vocational Rehabilitation’s mission to help people with disabilities get ready for, find, or keep a job. This alignment ensures students experience consistent expectations, supportive coaching, and clear pathways from training to employment.
"The success of this Tyler Project SEARCH is 100% attributed to the investment that CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Hospital has made in our students and our school district," stated Tyler ISD Special Education Transition Coordinator Abby Dominy.
This partnership exemplifies the spirit of a B.R.I.D.G.E. Partner—Businesses Reaching Individuals Determined to Gain Employment—and highlights the collaborative work of Tyler ISD, Texas Workforce VR, Winning Edge Employment Services, Andrews Center, and CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Hospital. As Tyler ISD Vocational Services says, “Big Dreams. Real Skills.” Project SEARCH enables students to transfer classroom learning to real jobs, build confidence, and pursue long-term careers.
Project SEARCH at CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Hospital has a proud 11-year history: 103 interns have participated through workplace immersion at the hospital. Of those, 23 interns have been hired by CHRISTUS; 17 remain currently employed there, and 6 have enjoyed consecutive employment with CHRISTUS for more than 10 years. Interns who complete Project SEARCH gain transferable job skills they can use inside and outside the hospital—while many have been hired by CHRISTUS, numerous interns have also been proudly hired by other community businesses as a direct result of the skills and experience acquired through the program. These outcomes show that when we invest in partnerships, believe in potential, and remove barriers, interns don’t just get jobs — they change communities.
Abby Dominy, Tyler ISD Transition Coordinator, shares that workplace immersion at CHRISTUS gives students opportunities they can’t get in the classroom alone. Real responsibilities, consistent routines, and supportive hospital staff help students generalize skills, increase independence, and prepare for competitive employment. Dominy, Tyler ISD, and the Project SEARCH team are deeply grateful to CHRISTUS for providing students with such rich, real-life learning experiences.
CHRISTUS leaders and staff say hosting Project SEARCH is a meaningful way to give back to the community. Their teams gain the satisfaction of watching interns learn, grow, and become valued contributors to the workplace. The hospital’s welcoming culture and commitment to training create a true win-win: students gain skills and independence while CHRISTUS gains potential dedicated, trained employees.
Get Involved
Interested in partnering with Tyler ISD Vocational Services and Texas Workforce Commission Vocational Rehabilitation Services to empower students through work-based learning? Learn how your business can make a difference by visiting our Vocational Services webpage.
Tyler ISD is deeply grateful to CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Hospital for being an incredible and generous host business. Their ongoing partnership helps students become job-ready, builds an inclusive workforce, and strengthens our community. Together, we continue to open doors to employment and lifelong success.