The Panhandle Great 25 Nurses event is a meaningful opportunity to honor nurses across all practice areas for their outstanding contributions to the communities in which they live and work. Over the past eight years, the success of this celebration has allowed the Great 25 Committee to award $91,500 in nursing scholarships, supporting nurses in continuing their education and expanding healthcare access across the Texas Panhandle.

As the late Dr. Valerie Kiper, founder of the Panhandle Great 25 Nurses, passionately stated:

“Recognizing nurses isn’t just about their accomplishments—it’s about lifting the profession and inspiring others to serve with excellence, compassion, and leadership.”

In honor of her lasting legacy, our 9th Annual Panhandle Great 25 Nurses Celebration will award scholarships to seven registered nursing (RN) students ($2,000 each) and one doctoral nursing student, who will receive the distinguished Dr. Valerie Kiper Doctoral Leadership Scholarship ($2,500).

We invite you to join us in celebrating the 25 deserving honorees at this year’s event:

Thursday, November 6, 2025
5:30 PM
Legacy Hall on the campus of West Texas A&M University. 

Your support makes it possible to recognize excellence in nursing and continue awarding scholarships to future nurse leaders.

We deeply appreciate our past sponsors, whose generous contributions have made this event a continued success. We now extend the opportunity for 2025 sponsorships to our corporate, healthcare, and community partners, as well as individual supporters. With your help, we can continue building a tradition of recognition and support that uplifts the nursing profession throughout the Texas Panhandle.

All proceeds from donations and sponsorships are used solely for event expenses and for funding scholarships through the Panhandle Great 25 Nurses Foundation and a component fund of the Amarillo Area Foundation.