Brittaney Dyer's parents always motivated her to get a college education. The first-generation student from Blairsville, Georgia, accomplished that feat and is aiming for much more.
A University of North Georgia (UNG) alumna, Dyer decided to pursue a master's degree in criminal justice at her alma mater with her eyes on a doctoral degree. Her ultimate goal is to earn her doctorate degree and teach college students.
"I realized through my bachelor's degree and the organizations I was part of that I liked interacting with students," Dyer said. "I also knew I could be an example that you can achieve what you want to pursue, no matter what kind of challenges you face."
The 27-year-old knows about overcoming obstacles, especially financial ones. After her Pell Grant ran out last year, Dyer applied for several scholarships to finish her Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice. Fortunately, she found one.
"That helped me graduate on time and is helping pay for some of my master's degree," said Dyer, who is a graduate assistant at UNG.
Though she is a graduate student, Dyer still plays a role in the student organizations that she was part of as an undergraduate.
Dyer is vice president of Phi Kappa Phi, which promotes literacy throughout the area. Last year, the group purchased a book for each student at Woody Gap School in Suches, Georgia. The books were delivered just before Christmas break in December.
"The look on their faces was unforgettable," Dyer said. "One girl was 10 or 12 years old and all she wanted was a joke book. She got it and went around the room telling jokes from the book."
Dyer also was president of the leadership honor society Omicron Delta Kappa. In April 2018, the society purchased and placed 23 single-stream outdoor recycling bins around UNG's Dahlonega Campus to increase the recycling and sustainability efforts.
"The goal here is to recycle more and cut down on the amount of waste sent to the landfill," Dyer said. "The landfill is only so big."
Dyer said it was her favorite community project because she has a passion for the environment. This passion led her to volunteer at the Historic Vickery House and the Environmental Leadership Center.
Her focus, however, has always centered on criminal justice. She was an active member of the Criminal Justice Society of Alpha Phi Sigma as an undergraduate and now is on the Young Alumni Board.
"I've always wanted to go into law enforcement," she said. "Through the associate degree program, my interest transferred to Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Then during my bachelor's program, I started thinking about wanting to be a teacher."
Now, Dyer is doing it.
"Right now, I am substitute teaching classes on my own," she said. "And I'm really enjoying it."
