KENNESAW, Ga. | Dec 10, 2025

As a nurse at Emory Healthcare, Sydney Conrad ’15 took on some extra duties that involved her working in an educational role with patients and staff. She fell in love with the idea of becoming a nursing educator, so she returned to Kennesaw State University for a master’s degree.

Originally thinking she would focus on education at bedside, the variety of experiences she received in KSU’s Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program have her thinking bigger.

“I had originally thought I was going to expand my current role at the hospital, but through my experiences at KSU, I got to see the classroom side of things, working with students in the skills lab and simulation, as well as taking students to the hospital for clinical hours,” she said. “I liked more of the interaction with nursing students, and KSU offers a unique opportunity in that way because they do give you a lot of hands-on experience in the academic setting that not all programs can offer.”

Conrad earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Kennesaw State in December 2015 and 10 years later will graduate with her MSN. Professionally, she spent five years at Emory Midtown, first as a neurosurgical ICU nurse, then a wound ostomy continence nurse before transferring to Emory St. Joseph’s to work as a WOC nurse and Unit Nurse Educator. In the WOC nurse role, she treats wounds and ostomies – surgical openings created for waste elimination – while also counseling patients and caregivers on proper home treatments of wounds and ostomies at home.

Conrad is a married mother of one with another child on the way, so the in-person and online hybrid part-time track of KSU’s MSN program fit her schedule as she continued to work full-time at Emory.

“I had some online time, but also face-to-face class time, as well as my clinical rotations,” said Conrad, who maintained a 3.9 grade-point average through it all. “I also spent time with the faculty here to see how the program works and all that goes into creating these courses for the students. All of it really benefited me.”

While at KSU, she worked with Anne White, professor of nursing and coordinator of the MSN program, in updating the student success mechanisms in place for students in the Wellstar School of Nursing. White said Conrad went above and beyond as a student through mentorship, both in working with students and with faculty to improve teaching methods.

“She has contributed significantly to student success and faculty growth, including designing a streamlined tutoring system, creating the Student Success website, and mentoring Student Learning Assistants with kindness and creativity,” White said. “Her role in curriculum redesign has been influential, encompassing proctoring exams, developing and analyzing test questions, updating instructional materials, and delivering engaging lectures with case studies and interactive activities.”

White acknowledged Conrad’s ambition to build a career in academia where she can continue inspiring and leading future nurses, a potential path that became clear to Conrad during her second stint at KSU. Conrad said she will return as a guest lecturer in wound ostomy nursing, along with working as an instructor in the WOC Nursing Education Program through Emory University. She stands as an endorsement for KSU’s MSN programs and recommends her alma mater to anyone seeking to further their education in nursing.

“The biggest thing when deciding to go back for a master’s is there are a lot of options out there and trying to decide what kind of program will best support you,” she said. “KSU was that perfect middle ground of allowing flexibility for people who are still working full-time, and I felt really supported at KSU to get the most of my experience in the seven semesters that I've been back.”

– Story by Dave Shelles

Photos by Matt Yung

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 51,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university's vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.