Regan Davis

April 27, 2020

COMM 4451
Writing Project 2: Feature Story

The Hurdles of a Determined Nurse

Dr. Kelly Dyar is a successful nursing professor at the University of West Georgia. She works as
an assistant professor for nursing teaching in the undergraduate and graduate programs.

Dyar’s road to UWG was not an easy one. Dyar started her career in 1990 as a registered nurse.
In the start of her career, although she was a registered nurse, she had not received any degrees.
In 2009 she went back to school to earn her bachelor’s degree. Dyar also explains, “Managing
schoolwork, working full- time, and raising all five children was definitely a challenge.”

In 2013, she made the decision to move from a full-time clinical practice to teaching. She started
looking for jobs and came across a position at UWG. The school was only hiring faculty with a
doctorate, which she did not have at the time. However, in the summer of 2015, UWG
announced that they were soon going to have open positions in the nursing department. Dyar
decided to apply again and was chosen to join the faculty in the nursing department. She
received her master's degree in 2013, but while pursuing it her father passed away unexpectedly.
She then went on to receive her doctorate degree in 2017, and unfortunately during this time her
younger sister passed unexpectedly.

“Every challenge or struggle is meant to be a life lesson and a way to improve, which is what I
am striving to do every day,” she says.

Dyar has gone on to accomplish major things in her life. She has received a scholarship award
from the National League for Nursing. She also won a dissertation award from the NLN and the
Southern Nursing Research Society. Most recently, this year she was selected as UWG’s
nominee for the University System of Georgia’s Regent’s Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
award.

“Although nursing is considered a caring profession, caring science gives us clear ways to
explain and describe caring behaviors that nurses and I believe, educators should have,” Dyar
says.

Dyar has many mentors and friends that have been a great support system and have helped guide
her. Dr. Erin Horkey, a longtime friend and coworker, who met Dyar through their doctorate
program, describes her to be a committed, articulate, caring, dedicated, ethical, and brilliant
person. Horkey says, “Dr. Dyar has published several articles in peer reviewed journals, been
promoted to a tenure-track faculty position, completed valuable nursing education, and won
numerous awards. She is a wonderful mother and a great wife. I feel that she has made a major
impact in the UWG community.” Another close colleague of Dyar is Mr. Williams, who she met
through nursing. Williams explained, “Kelly is an amazing educator and has always been so
passionate about helping those in need.”

Dyar is a Douglasville, Georgia native. She has been married to the love of her life, Bill, for
almost 31 years and they have five amazing children named Laura, Joshua, Hannah, Rebekah,
and Stephen. Her daughter Laura is married, and gave Dyar her first granddaughter, Braylee. Her
son, Joshua, is a Lieutenant in the Georgia Army National Guard, and is also married. Her
second daughter, Hannah, is a student at Georgia Southern. Her daughter Rebekah is a high
school junior. And her youngest son, Stephen, is an 8th grader. Whenever Dyar gets free time,
she likes to just relax. Reading books and watching Hallmark movies are what she prefers to do
the most. She is also an active member at her church. She enjoys teaching Sunday School classes
to some of the senior ladies of the church.

Dyar says, “I am incredibly blessed and definitely realize how fortunate I am. I love my job and
the work that I can do at UWG. I am very active in several professional nursing organizations,
which allows me to connect with colleagues not just locally but all over the world. My family is
healthy and happy, and I love watching my adult children start their adult lives and families.”

After 30 years of working in nursing, she is still exemplifying hard work and greatness. She is
showing people that no matter what you go through, you can always reach your goal if you set
your mind to it.