USU Moab Nursing Instructor Dianne Wright to Retire

MOAB, Utah — After 25 years in the nursing teaching industry, including nine years at Utah State University Moab, Dianne Wright has announced her retirement.

Wright spent three years teaching part time and six years teaching full time as a professional practice assistant professor in the S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Agriculture & Natural Resources at USU Moab.

During her time at USU Moab, she also spent time as the CNA program coordinator. Wright said the best part of her time at USU Moab was seeing her students.

“I am proud of the accomplishments of the students and being a part of helping them meet their goals,” she said. “I love teaching and have enjoyed watching the students grow in knowledge and seeing their confidence increase.”

Samantha Campbell, associate vice president of USU Moab, described Wright as someone who believed in her students, celebrated their accomplishments, and who helped launch the careers of countless healthcare professionals that now serve in Grand County.

“Dianne has had an incredible impact on USU Moab through her unwavering commitment to her students and to the CNA program,” Campbell said. “She was deeply invested in every student's success, going out of her way to help them feel prepared and confident as they entered the healthcare profession. Each semester, she eagerly waited to hear how her students performed on their licensure exams because their success truly mattered to her.”

Campbell hopes that Wright is remembered for her genuine kindness, generosity and the sense of community she created at USU Moab. She said that Wright’s caring presence will be missed.

“Diane wasn't just an outstanding instructor — she made a point of checking in with faculty and staff, sharing produce from her garden during the growing season, and encouraging all of us to collect bottle caps to support a charitable cause that was important to her,” Campbell said. “Whether she was teaching, caring for patients as a nurse, serving her faith community or volunteering through her sorority, Dianne consistently looked for ways to serve others.”

Prior to joining USU Moab as a full-time instructor, Wright spent five years as a registered nurse at Canyonland Care Center in Moab. She also worked in the nursing profession at healthcare facilities in Texas as well as a two-year stint as the school nurse at the American School of Kuwait. In total, Wright spent more than 25 years in the nursing teaching profession and more than 30 years as a nurse.

A native of Monticello, Utah, Wright began her college studies at USU, taking first-year classes. She would later earn an associate degree in applied science in nursing at Victoria College in Texas, then a bachelor’s degree in nursing and a master’s degree in occupational training and development from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christ before serving as a captain in the US Army Nurse Corps Reserves.

Now entering retirement, Wright plans to spend time doing things she has put off.

“I'm looking forward to getting back to my oil painting, sewing, reading, gardening and just spending time with my family,” she said.

Located in the outdoor recreation paradise of Moab and boasting one of the greenest buildings on any USU campus, Utah State University Moab offers students the personalized attention and small class sizes of a small-town college with the resources of a large university. With programs such as Nursing, Elementary Education, Recreation Resource Management and Social Work, technical education in Health Professions, Automotive and Business, and degree options ranging from associate to doctorate degrees, USU Moab offers programs that help fuel local economies and empower individuals and their communities. Learn more at moab.usu.edu.