Yondell Masten, R.N., Ph.D., professor, associate dean for outcomes management and evaluation and The Florence Thelma Hall Endowed Chair for Nursing Excellence in Women's Health, was named the School of Nursing’s Nurse of the Year. Kimberly Kidd was named the school’s Student Nurse of the Year.

“Nothing pleases me more than being able to congratulate excellence,” said School of Nursing Dean Michael L. Evans, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN. “Dr. Yondell Masten is very deserving as nurse of the year for the SON and Kimberly Kidd is equally deserving of recognition as student nurse of the year. I warmly congratulate both of them on this significant recognition.”

Nurse of the Year

Masten was chosen as Nurse of the Year for her tireless work to improve the health care of women, her leadership and expertise in guiding our school through arduous accreditations and her long-term contributions to the School of Nursing. Teaching at TTUHSC for more than 25 years, Masten has prepared generations of nurses and been frequently recognized as a distinguished authority in the health care industry.

She has served on local, state and national women’s health boards, presented childbirth education to teens for local pregnant teens, led adolescent pregnancy panel discussions, and provided women’s health-focused continuing education. In addition, Masten has published a variety of women’s health articles and books.

Masten received her Ph.D. in engineering from Texas Tech. She also holds a Master of Science in Nursing in maternal/child nursing from the University of Texas at Austin and a post-master’s certificate as a women’s health nurse practitioner from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. She is a member of several professional nursing organizations, including the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses and the National Association for Women’s Health Nurse Practitioners. In 2011, Masten received a Distinguished Teaching Award from the Chancellor’s Council.

Student Nurse of the Year

Kidd, Programs and Projects Director for the Texas Tech Student Nurses' Association (TNA), was chosen as Student Nurse of the Year for working diligently throughout the semester to promote the involvement of TNA chapter members in many events to serve the Lubbock community over the past year.

Events she has recruited volunteers for include the Storks Nest, Texas Tech Flight Drill Team Activities with ROTC, Relay for Life with the Huttelism Team in memory of Dr. Ray Huttel, volunteers for the TNA banquet, visits to the Cancer Society Hope Lodge and Ronald MacDonald House, Mentor Tech Picnic, Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, the Color Run and the March of Dimes’ March for Babies.

In addition, under Kidd’s leadership, the TNA chapter surpassed its goal of raising $2,000 for Susan G. Komen for the Cure, reaching an actual donation total of more than $2,750.