Kristal Mead Hillie Nursing Education Scholarship

Dr. 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 plans for her life were vastly different. In 2005, she began her studies at the former 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 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 graduate nursing degree at Arkansas State University. She graduated in 2014 with her Master of Science in Nursing degree and became a Certified Family Nurse Practitioner through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). In 2024, Kristal earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree at Delta State University.

Kristal uses her role as a nurse practitioner to educate and uplift the local community, family, and friends. She enjoys speaking in local schools, health fairs, and participating in educational opportunities such as the Special Olympics. She also enjoys precepting future nurses and nurse practitioners and uplifting women entrepreneurs.

Kristal sees the profession of nursing as an art and ministry and loves being able to share her faith, 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

2026 Kristal Mead Hillie Nursing Education Scholarship

By Project Impact MS

2026 Kristal Mead Hillie Nursing Education Scholarship