Member Spotlight - Dr. Kimberly Hays
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Name: Kimberly Hays Position: Associate Professor of Biology and Faculty Athletic Representative, Number of years in the position: 7 years as faculty, 2 years as FAR Alma Mater: BS Biology Jacksonville (AL) State University, Hometown: Wetumpka, Alabama Classes taught: Principles of Biology, Ethical Issues in Science, Field Biology |
The FARA 15
- How did you become an FAR?
Previous experience with collegiate athletics while a graduate student and a transition in our athletic department resulted in a call from the president! - What is your favorite part of being an FAR?
I love getting to know all of the student athletes. Many are majoring in different fields and I would never know them if I was not the FAR. - What is the biggest challenge of your job?
Balancing responsibilities between two very different departments on campus - If you could go back to your first day as an FAR, what would you tell yourself?
Document, document, document! - What is your favorite show/movie?
The Godfather “It’s not personal, it’s business” - What has been the highlight of your time as an FAR?
Seeing our student-athletes complete their degrees and move into jobs and internships - What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
There are very few decisions that cannot be undone. - What can you not live without?
My pillow and my dog - Who are your favorite teams (other than your school’s of course)?
Chattanooga Football Club, Atlanta United FC, Nashville Predators, Atlanta Falcons - Who was your most memorable or inspiring student that you have worked with and why?
When I was an athletic tutor during graduate school, I worked with a student-athlete who was completely deaf. His entire experience – athletically and academically – was so vastly different from his peers and he did a lot to inspire deaf athletes in our community. - How does your school approach certifying students in the ECP software?
The FAR plays the primary role in pulling data from our system and entering data. Coaches, the registrar, and the AD serve as a check of the information. As a small department this works well for us.
- What do you like to do in your free time?
Read, watch or attend sporting events, play the saxophone in our local community band
- If you have a question related to your position as FAR, who do you contact?
Our conference eligibility chair, Ron Melton, is a wealth of knowledge and always takes the time to help
- Do you have any pets?
Vito (aka the Dogfather) a beagle-dachshund mix
- How do you navigate being a part of two different departments on campus?
This is the biggest challenge I face! I have found that having separate email addressed for faculty/academic work and athletic work has been very helpful and I keep office hours in our athletic facility for a few hours a week. Coaches know I will be available then and things that aren’t time sensitive can wait until they see me later in the week.
View more FARA 15 Member Spotlights here.
