Chris Boyd Named 2026 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year

Valdosta State University recently honored Chris Boyd with the 2026 College of Nursing and Health Sciences Alumnus of the Year Award. He is pictured with Dr. Kate Warner, interim dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences; Dr. Donald J. Green, president of VSU; and Thomas D. Head, president of the VSU Alumni Association Executive Board.

VALDOSTA – Valdosta State University recently honored Chris Boyd with the 2026 College of Nursing and Health Sciences Alumnus of the Year Award.

“Being named a Distinguished Alumni Award recipient is truly an incredible honor, and honestly, it still feels a little surreal,” he said. “Valdosta State University has always held a special place in my heart. There is something special about walking that campus, with the Spanish moss hanging from the trees, the Spanish Mission architecture, and that unmistakable Southern feel that makes Valdosta feel both welcoming and proud. This recognition is humbling because it comes from a university and community that helped shape who I am as a leader, professional, husband, and dad.

“This award is especially meaningful right now because my oldest son is getting ready to head off to his freshman year of college, where he will also be a Blazer, just at the wrong school, University of Alabama at Birmingham. As a family, we have been talking a lot about how important it is to really plug in, to join clubs, go to games, get involved in organizations, meet new people, and fully immerse yourself in the college experience. In other words, do more than just locate the dining hall and the closest place to take a nap, although those are also important survival skills. Valdosta State taught me that college is not just about where you go, but how fully you embrace the people, traditions, and community around you. More than anything, this award makes me feel proud that I am making a difference and, hopefully, representing Valdosta State well. Once a Blazer, always a Blazer!”

Boyd earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2008 and a Master of Public Administration in 2010. In 2012 he joined Wellstar Health System, where he currently serves in hospital operations.

“Chris Boyd’s journey reflects the profound difference that education, purpose, and a commitment to others can make in the lives we lead and the communities we serve,” said Dr. Kate Warner, interim dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences. “We are proud to celebrate his professional accomplishments and dedication to others and to recognize him as an outstanding ambassador for Valdosta State University and the College of Nursing and Health Sciences.”

VSU Alumni Relations: How did your time at Valdosta State University shape your personal and professional lives?

Boyd: My six years at Valdosta State University shaped almost every part of who I am today, both personally and professionally. During that time, I earned my bachelor’s degree in nursing and my master’s in public administration, and those experiences gave me the academic foundation, discipline, and confidence to be successful at whatever I put my mind to. VSU challenged me, supported me, and helped me grow from a student trying to figure out the next step into someone who believed he could make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

Some of the most important moments of my life also happened because of Valdosta State. It was during a mission trip to Hungary with the Baptist Student Union that I first felt called to go into nursing. I remember hitting up an internet café outside of Budapest to officially change majors. Valdosta is where I met my wife, and 20 years later we are still together and raising four kids. Our story started with meeting at a campus event, followed by a romantic date at the rec center, and then my very confident decision to pretend I knew enough chemistry to “tutor” her. She quickly figured out that was not exactly true, so I had to recruit a buddy who actually knew what he was doing. Somehow, that still worked out in my favor. Many of my closest friends today are still the ones I met in college, and that says a lot about the kind of community VSU creates. Valdosta State did not just prepare me for a career; it gave me a calling, a family, lifelong friendships, and a place that will always feel like home.

VSU Alumni Relations: What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of since graduating from VSU? 

Boyd: Since graduating from VSU, the accomplishment I am most proud of is the family my wife and I have built together. In 2017, we began our training to pursue foster care as a way to serve the Lord by helping care for vulnerable children, trying to live out James 1:27. That journey lasted six years, and after a lot of faith, patience, paperwork, court dates, appointments, prayers, and more case workers than one family should have to have, we had the privilege of adopting our oldest three children. My wife’s patience, steadiness, and willingness to help carry our family through every step of that process made the journey possible, and I am incredibly grateful for the way she loved and led our family through it. There are obviously work accomplishments and other milestones I am proud of, but prioritizing our family and saying yes to that journey is easily at the top of the list.

Being honored with the Wellstar Working Dad of the Year Award was also incredibly meaningful because it recognized something I care deeply about — trying to show up well at work while also showing up well at home. I have been blessed with opportunities to lead, serve, and grow professionally, but the greatest accomplishment is not a title or award. It is the daily commitment to love my family well, be present for my kids, and hopefully model for them that success means very little if it does not include the people who matter most.

VSU Alumni Relations: What person, experience, or opportunity at VSU had the greatest impact on your life?

Boyd: One of the experiences at VSU that had the greatest impact on my life was being part of the men’s tennis team. I was the lone American on a team filled with players from across Europe and South America, which meant I got a daily education in accents, cultures, food opinions, and the universal truth that America’s free refills and endless ice are somehow unmatched. Being surrounded by teammates from so many different backgrounds opened my eyes to the world in a way that no classroom could have done by itself. It helped spark my love of travel, my appreciation for other cultures, and my understanding that some of the best growth happens when you are willing to learn from people whose life experiences are very different from your own.

Of course, one of the greatest thrills was winning the 2006 NCAA National Championship in Kansas City, which was the first tennis national championship in VSU history. Seeing what that program became under Coach John Hansen, with so many more championships following, makes it even more special to have been part of that first one. I will always remember the long van trips to Pensacola, Florida, the brutal Valdosta heat, the stadium runs that felt like a punishment invented by someone with no regard for human suffering, and the teammate economy we built along the way. I helped proofread papers for my teammates, and in return they restrung my racquets. Looking back, that seems like a very fair trade, even though my grammar was probably worse than my backhand some days.

VSU Alumni Relations: What advice would you give today’s VSU students? What do you wish someone had told you when you were in college?

Boyd: My advice to today’s VSU students would be to plug in early and fully. Join the club, go to the game, take the trip, meet people who are different from you, say yes to opportunities that stretch you, and do not underestimate what can happen from one conversation on campus, one mission trip, one team experience, or even one questionable attempt to impress a girl by pretending you understand chemistry. I wish someone had told me that college is not just about earning a degree — although please do that too; your parents and future self will appreciate it. It is about finding your people and discovering what you are called to do. And last but not least, never leave a VSU football game early to go watch the Dawgs play.

VSU Alumni Relations: Where do you currently live and how do you spend your time? Your answer could include where you work and what you do there, community service you enjoy doing, the church you attend and organizations you are a member of, your family, your pets, your hobbies, etc.  

Boyd: I currently live in Woodstock, Georgia, after recently moving from Roswell because we decided our kids, and let’s be honest, my wife, really needed a pool. I have worked for Wellstar Health System since 2012 and currently serve in hospital operations, where I have the privilege of helping support teams who take care of patients, families, and our community every day. 

Outside of work, most of my time is spent with my family, which currently means raising an 18-month-old and an 18-year-old at the same time, with a couple more sprinkled in the middle just to keep things interesting and of course a dog for good measure. It is a wild season of diapers, college conversations, snacks, schedules, and trying to remember which child needs to be picked up from where and by whom. We are involved in our local church, and when we are not busy with school, activities, sports, or church, I am usually watching my wife diligently and meticulously plan our next family trip even before I have fully unpacked from the last one. Life is full, loud, and a little chaotic, but it is also a tremendous blessing.