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When Marla Dyson decided to go back to school after 25 years, she planned to earn a Master of Science in Nursing degree to become a family nurse practitioner. Instead, she chose nursing education track and found a path that’s provided personal fulfillment and a professional challenge.

“Teaching became a more attractive option once I saw what a rewarding experience it was; I had 25 years of nursing under my belt so I was able to help shape future nurses,” she says. “I enjoy being able to make a difference and touch not only the students who are going to be nurses, but also their patients.”

Dyson now teaches in the �������Ƶ Bachelor of Science in Nursing program — the same program she completed 25 years ago. She says even then, she knew she wanted to pursue an MSN degree.

“One of my professional goals was always to get a master’s degree,” she says. “UL Lafayette prepares you very well in the profession, but nursing is a lifelong learning career. I always had desire to learn more, be more skilled, and advance.”

Dyson says once her children were older and more self-sufficient, she thought it would be a good time to look into earning her advanced degree.

“When I first got out of nursing school, the only option you had to earn a master’s was to actually come to campus for night classes,” Dyson says. “That really wasn’t feasible with family and young kids.
But with the online program, I was able to work with a more flexible schedule and achieve my goal of getting a master’s degree.”

The nurse educator says she was nervous about reprising her role as a student after more than two decades in the workforce and adapting to the fully online environment. But through UL Lafayette’s nationally ranked online MSN program, she found the support to rise to the challenge.

“There was a learning curve, especially with the teaching style and not being in a classroom, but the instructors were very engaging and helped me to overcome that,” she says. “They also had different activities to bring students together for interactive learning. They did their best to meet everyone’s learning needs.

“The first semester was difficult, but if you stick it out; it becomes easier and extremely rewarding.”

Her professors served as mentors, reinforcing Dyson’s decision to pursue the nursing  education track.

“They were good role models of how I wanted to be and really encouraging,” she says. “The faculty in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences really wants people to do well and to succeed. They’re willing to go over and above to make sure that happens.”

Meanwhile, going back to school while balancing work and family allowed Dyson to be an example for her children.

The support from her high-school-aged children as well as her husband were critical to her success in the online graduate program, Dyson says, along with her own planning efforts.

“My family was very supportive, and I was doing homework right alongside my children,” she says. “They saw that I was studying to make good grades and to achieve my goals. They were very proud of me when I graduated.”

She says she assessed her schedule weekly to designate when she would work on which assignments based on upcoming deadlines and due dates.

“It was manageable when you planned ahead, scheduled the time and actually did it when it was scheduled,” she says. “You have to look at it as a commitment and stay focused on your goals.”

Dyson’s commitment paid off with a full-time faculty position with UL Lafayette’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences in January 2019. She teaches the first clinical course for undergraduate nursing students and will take on another course in the fall, emulating faculty who have become colleagues.

“Nursing has provided a challenge for me my entire career,” she says. “This is yet another challenge it’s presenting to me. It’s very rewarding not only as a career, but also in my own goal fulfillment — making a difference.

“I absolutely love my role as a teacher.”

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