Dyer says her favorite thing about the classrooms on Kent State University at Geauga is the small class sizes within the nursing program.
“Coming from that Texas university, there were a lot of big classes, I was always terrified to talk to a professor,” Dyer said. “What changed when I moved to Geauga’s Campus was that it’s smaller so you can actually talk to a professor and not feel intimidated by them.”
Dyer's former Quantitative Methods professor, Julie Evey, Ph.D., was not originally aware of her challenges prior to introducing this award.
“One of the things I like to do when there is an award that involves having a hardship or some kind of need, I'll just tell the class about it and say, ‘If you think this fits you, come talk to me. We are not always aware of our students’ challenges,’” Dr. Evey said. “So Krystal did, and we had a really interesting talk about her experiences in life.”
Before being aware of Dyer's past, Dr. Evey had recognized her strong work ethic in the classroom.
“Krystal was someone who I actually recommended for scholarships as well because she is that strong of a student,” Dr. Evey said. “Then when this came up, there was a chance to share her story. It’s a little nerve-wracking because it’s so personal but it’s also very uplifting, especially to other students who may have similar challenges.”
Dyer has taken advantage of additional opportunities on campus as well by taking her promotion into her own hands applying for nursing awards and scholarships. These efforts have been successful for her and upon graduation, she would like to work at a local hospital as a nurse practitioner.
Dyer’s grandfather had a Master’s degree in education and worked as a history teacher. But neither of her parents went to college. Her grandfather acts as a major motivation for Dyer - she wanted to go further with her own education for her daughter’s sake.
“Being a single parent makes me work even harder,” Dyer said. “I mean you have to because that little person depends on you. I want to be her role model, so she can watch me study 
Dr. Evey always felt as though Dyer’s spirited attitude, despite her busy schedule, did not go unnoticed.
“She’s got a wonderful personality so I just see her as such a great representative of Kent State,” Dr. Evey said.
With a pending graduation in 2022, Dyer acts as a leader not only in the classroom but in the community as well. She enjoys time with her horses, which she says are therapeutic for her. She is active in barrel racing and oftentimes will take others with her to the events. Dyer also regularly assists other students with material in the classroom. She participates often and will ask questions to ensure she understands the material.
Dr. Evey was unaware that Dyer had won until a nursing colleague notified her of it. The faculty member informed Dr. Evey that while Dyer would like for her to attend the banquet, she assumed that Dr. Evey’s schedule would leave her with no time to do so.
“I immediately reached out to Krystal and said, ‘I’m supposed to be in class all day but I will make other arrangements to make sure I can be there,’” Dr. Evey said. “I think sometimes as instructors, we forget that our presence matters to students. It’s tough to do it all but we do what we can.”
Dyer feels the best piece of advice for students would be to take advantage of any opportunity you can get.
“You’re never promised tomorrow. I mean that sounds generic, but after my husband’s passing, it was totally a wake-up call,” Dyer said. “I think education is best. Since I’m older now I can see that.”
Since 2015, the Sage Project has been a way for the Women’s Center to recognize women-identifying, full-time students in good academic standing who have overcome some kind of adversity that has affected their experience while attending Kent State.
The selection committee chooses ten women from all of the nominations, who are recognized and honored at the annual luncheon. In addition, their stories are shared on the Women’s Center website to continue to inspire other female students.
To learn more about the Sage project or the Women’s Center, visit: https://www.kent.edu/SageProject.