Fan Profile: Donna Tydings
Georgia Southern University alumna Donna Tydings (’04, ‘13) comes from a True Blue family.
Tydings and her husband, Spencer Tydings (’79), both hold degrees from Georgia Southern.
“Spencer graduated from Georgia Southern in 1979 and has been a practicing CPA for 34 years. His goal for me was to attain a college degree which I did not have at the time we were married,” Tydings said. “So I began my experience at Georgia Southern in 1999 at the age of 39. I completed my B.S. in 2004 at the age of 44. My master’s degree was acquired from Walden University at the age of 46. On May 10, I graduated from Georgia Southern with my Ed.S. degree.”
As a mother of three, Tydings continues to be involved with Georgia Southern by attending football games and on occasion, she and her husband attend play performances on campus.
In addition, Tydings stays involved with the University through her children, who have followed in her and her husband’s footsteps. Her son, Eric (‘11), daughter-in-law Amanda Bailey (‘08) and oldest daughter Christi (‘10) hold degrees from the University. Her youngest daughter, Nicole, will complete her degree in December 2014.
“My children are just very education oriented and they like change, they like learning, they like new experiences and I just felt like Georgia Southern played a huge role in all of those,” Tydings said. “My husband breathes Georgia Southern and we both love Georgia Southern football.”
Tydings is a third grade teacher for Dublin City Schools in Dublin, Ga., where she has worked for nine years. She said the experience she gained while at Georgia Southern has helped her career.
“I was so prepared for the classroom when I actually got in the classroom,” Tydings said. “With the amount of time you have to spend in the classroom with a practicum and student teaching, I found that when you get in the classroom, its like you already have two years under your belt. When I would have meetings with parents, they were amazed I had just started teaching.”
Tydings said her family will always “live and breathe Georgia Southern,” a place she considers near and dear to her heart.
“Georgia Southern has provided my family with the opportunity to be successful in our careers and maintain a wonderful lifestyle,” Tydings said. “It means opportunity. It means football, it means lifelong friendships, livelihood and a feeling of accomplishment. It is hard to put into words.”
