Well-versed in the field of nursing and healthcare administration, Dr. Kristy Williams is working tirelessly to prepare her pre-nursing students for the hard work ahead. As a former nurse herself, Dr. Williams understands the uphill battles nurses and students receive daily. From the mental exhaustion to the physical toll it can take on your body, nursing is not for the faint of heart. Understanding the worldwide shortage of nurses and healthcare professionals, it’s up to program directors like Dr. Williams to figure out how to best educate, train and motivate students to become healthcare experts interested in filling the needs of hospitals and clinics. Hoping to continue growing ACU Online’s programs within the College of Health & Human Services, Dr. Williams has her eyes set on the future and is eager to get started as the newest program director for the Certificate in Pre-Health Professions.  

Carolina On Her Mind

Amid the hustle and bustle of Charlotte, North Carolina, Dr. Kristy Williams grew up wanting to do something with her life. Seeking a way to start making money as a teenager, Dr. Williams says she knew she needed to figure out a way to become her own person and get to work. So, when she heard that going into nursing meant only two years of college, she was all in. After earning her associate’s degree, Dr. Williams felt like she was finally on her own. She became a cardiac ICU nurse in her local hospital and says she saw all sorts of patients, which allowed her to really think about how healthcare is taught to new nurses. Fast forward a few years, Dr. Williams found herself completing her bachelor’s and master’s degrees and was promoted to nursing supervisor. What once was a woman who wanted nothing to do with school, quickly became a well-educated healthcare professional. Still, though, something felt off to her. In a way, she kept wondering what she wanted to do long-term. Was nursing her real life’s calling? 

“It wasn’t like I didn’t want to be a nurse anymore,” Dr. Kristy Williams said. “It was just like I felt I needed to do more than just be a supervisor. I think I’m typically that way. I’ll do something for a while and when I feel like it’s time for me to move, I do. So, I truly believed that maybe I was meant for more, and I was interested in figuring out what that was.” 

And then, it happened. In her search to make a little extra income, Dr. Williams was asked to serve as a clinical instructor; her first role as an adjunct professor in North Carolina. Aiming to make full use of this new position, Dr. Williams says she worked tirelessly to become a full-time instructor by really digging into the curriculum and more importantly, focusing all her efforts on her students. By 2010, Dr. Williams was serving as a full-time faculty member in a wide array of courses and programs including associate degrees, accelerated nursing programs, bachelor’s, online master’s and even online doctoral programs. Whether it was helping a new student understand a scientific concept or showcasing a specific nursing technique, Dr. Williams was shining. Not only did she have experience in the field but she also had the drive and ambition to push students toward their next big career move – and it was then that she realized teaching was where she needed to be.  

“I loved it,” Dr. Williams said. “Wow, I just remember looking back at my time as a nurse and thinking about what my next move would be. And then, to be hit with the fact that I was now an instructor and professor? It was mind-blowing and rewarding at the same time.” 

And while she says she wasn’t looking for something new per se, she realized quickly that ACU was put in her path for a reason. 

Becoming A Wildcat From Afar

In many ways, Dr. Williams would like to think that she didn’t find ACU, but ACU actually found her. After talking with one of her colleagues about possibly switching teaching positions, she remembers her friend, ACU faculty member Dr. Christina Lea Ryan, mentioning the open positions at ACU Online. Raving about their innovative new healthcare degrees and certificates, she was convinced and decided to contact the school. And, in a flash, was signed up to begin her adjunct career with ACU Online. 

“I feel like I won the jackpot,” Dr. Williams said. “I laugh at myself, but it feels like I died and went to heaven. This is my dream school and job.” 

Teaching various classes, Dr. Williams quickly saw the potential to build an established online nursing program unlike any other. Because of her experience at competing universities, she had seen how fast a program can grow when given the proper resources and how students are in dire need of a variety of nursing programs that fit their dream career paths. So, when she heard about ACU Online’s new certificate in Pre-Health Professions, she decided to throw her name in the ring as a potential program director. By September 2024, Dr. Williams was named the newest program director – a position she never thought she would achieve. 

“I was just blown away,” Dr. Williams said. “ACU has been so kind and welcoming to me, and it’s just made me even more motivated to make the program all it can be.” 

Hoping to inspire and draw more students to the program, Dr. Williams is pushing to make this certificate known across the country from the comfort of her North Carolina home. To her, the program opens the door for more students to get involved, interested and engaged in the wondrous world of nursing and health careers. Whether she’s working with a student or attending meetings about where the program currently stands, Dr. Williams smiles from ear to ear knowing that ACU has its eyes set on the future. 

Interested in learning more about the Certificate in Pre-Health Professions? Visit our website and book an appointment with one of our admissions advisors today!