Name: Nancy Goodyear 
Job Title and Current Employer: Retired, Georgia University System
Home Town: Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Current Location: Hoschton, GA
Short Description of your time in the Bacteriology MS Program: Research S. aureus food poisoning in fermented Genoa sausage at The Food Research Institute
MS Degree Received in: 1969
Describe your career path from graduate school to your current position. UW to mission work in the Bahamas to teaching in public schools in Pine Bluff, Ar. To teaching anatomy, physiology, and microbiology courses for RN students and general biology for general ed students at Bainbridge Jr. College, Bainbridge, Ga. For 25 years to teaching anatomy, physiology, and microbiology courses for RN students at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, Ca. for 8.5 years to retirement in N. Ga.
Describe a “day in the life” of your current job. Walk the dog, putter in yard, take exercise classes, read, do some volunteer work, enjoy nature.
How did your experience in the Bacteriology MS Program shape your career? My knowledge of bacteriology prepared me to teach Medical Microbiology for RN students, as well as incorporate bacterial information into courses in general biology and environmental science.
What challenges did you face in your graduate degree, or in launching your career? After receiving my MS from UW, I did mission work for 2 years. It took me several years when I got back to make contacts in my field again and to procure a college teaching job.
What do you like best and what do you find challenging about your current job? Students have changed a lot along with technology and our knowledge of organisms.
What is your favorite story/memory from your time in the Bacteriology MS Program? I enjoyed my food science courses the most, as food poisoning is not an uncommon problem that persists with foods today.
What is the most important lesson you have learned throughout your career? Be flexible and keep your sense of humor.
What is your best piece of advice for current graduate students preparing for their careers? Reaching your goal takes persistence, patience, dedication, and lots of hard work.
What person, course, or experience most influenced you? Dr. Bergdoll was my advisor at The Food Research Institute. He helped me a lot in the progress of my research—how to set up my project and what factors to measure and how to do that.
What are some skills that have served you well through your career? Inoculation techniques and how to read results of various tests and how to assess results on various media.
What is one of your favorite memories, classes, professors, or activities while in the Bacteriology MS Program? I enjoyed working beside Joyce Czop at The Food Research Institute. As a grad student, she figured out how to take the cell wall off S. aureus to see if that affected the organism’s ability to produce enterotoxin. (It didn’t). She was an inspiration and great help to me.
What is one of your proudest professional or personal accomplishments? Setting up a regional science fair at Bainbridge Jr. College. Students from the SW corner of Georgia came to this fair. Winners went to the State Science Fair at The University of Georgia.
What extracurriculars were you involved in during your time? Science fair, serving on college committees, representing the college in community events.
What are your interests outside of work? I now do volunteer work in the local Methodist soup kitchen once a month.