Seven of the nine honorees are members of the Red Raider family.
Texas Tech University and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) are well represented in this year's Women of Excellence Awards, the annual honors presented to notable community members by the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) of Lubbock.
Among the nine recipients of the 2022 awards are three current Texas Tech employees, four Texas Tech alumnae and one TTUHSC alumna:
The honorees are:
- Beth Bridges, Business: Bridges earned her bachelor's degree in marketing in 1990 and now works as the senior property manager for the South Plains Mall.
- Sandra Harris, Arts & Culture: Now executive director of the American Windmill Museum, Harris worked in the Horticulture Gardens and Greenhouse Complex while earning her bachelor's degree in horticultural science in 2002.
- Dina Jeffries, Human Services: Jeffries earned her nursing degree from TTUHSC in 1987 and is currently the CEO of the South Plains Food Bank.
- Janice Magness, Education: Magness, who graduated from Texas Tech with her bachelor's degree in education, serves as the director of the Transition Academy at the Burkhart Center for Autism Education & Research.
- Melinda Pharies, Mary Nell Strong Community Service Award: Pharies, a former member of the Texas Tech women's basketball team, earned her bachelor's degree in elementary education in 2000 and has since worked as co-owner of Carpet Tech.
- Comfort Pratt, Education: Pratt is an associate professor in the College of Education's Department of Curriculum & Instruction and faculty adviser for Sigma Delta Pi.
- Elizabeth Sharp, Social Justice: Sharp is a professor in the College of Human Sciences' Department of Human Development & Family Sciences and director of the Women's & Gender Studies program.
The Women of Excellence Awards are presented each year to recognize and honor women in the community who have achieved career excellence and contributed to business, industry, organizations and the community. Created in 1989, the awards have recognized nearly 300 women. The YWCA Women of Excellence Celebration & Dinner is scheduled for 6 p.m. March 3 at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center.
“Congratulations to these seven outstanding women on this most deserving recognition from the YWCA,” said Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec. “All are widely respected in their disciplines and throughout the Texas Tech and the Lubbock communities. We are proud of their achievements and representation of Texas Tech University and the Texas Tech University System.”
