Kristal Mead Hillie Nursing Education Scholarship

Kristal Mead Hillie is a 1999 honor graduate of Collins High School in Collins, MS. During high school, Kristal was a member of Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) where she participated in learning about various health occupations. It was through this vocational experience that her love for nursing began. In addition to this, she saw her mom care for her ailing grandparents and wanted to be as involved as possible.

After graduating from high school she became a Certified Nurse’s Assistant and worked serving the residents of her community at the Covington County Nursing Home also in Collins, MS.

Kristal graduated from Mississippi State University in 2004 with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. She did not know God’s plan for her was very different. In 2005, she began her studies at Baptist College of Health Sciences (BCHS) in Memphis, TN. She graduated from BCHS with a Bachelor of Nursing degree in 2007 and began working as a nurse in ICU Stepdown. It is here that her passion for nursing training & education enlarged. She trained new nurses and worked with nursing students. She greatly enjoyed caring for the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of her patients as well. A few years later she realized she wanted an opportunity to serve her patients in a greater capacity. In 2010, she began pursuing a Master of Nursing degree at Arkansas State University. She graduated in 2014 with her MSN degree and became a Certified Family Nurse Practitioner through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). Kristal uses her role as a nurse practitioner to educate and uplift the community, family, friends. She enjoys speaking in local schools, health fairs, participating in educational opportunities such as the Special Olympics, as well as helping to train future nurses.

Kristal sees the profession of nursing as an art and ministry and loves being able to share her faith in God, offer holistic treatment options as well as healing to her patients and community. She practices nursing from the Biblical basis of 3rd John 1:2 (BSB) “ Beloved I pray that in every way that you may prosper and enjoy good health, as your soul also prospers”. She uses this to promote spiritual & physical responsibility & interconnectivity.

Past Recipients

2025 Kristal Mead Hillie Nursing Education Scholarship