OGDEN, Utah — After 20 years as a nurse, Brian Maynard knew he’d need to go back to school to advance in his career. Luckily, he knew exactly which university would help him succeed.
Maynard works as a flight nurse at McKay-Dee Hospital and as a nurse practitioner at a local urgent care center – satisfying but physically demanding jobs.
“Age kind of starts creeping up on me,” Maynard said. “It’s a pretty physical job. It’s a young man’s game.”
Wanting to broaden his expertise and ensure a lasting impact in the healthcare field, Maynard decided to pursue a doctorate in nursing practice at Weber State University in Ogden. Maynard is no stranger to WSU, having previously earned an associate’s degree in nursing, an additional associate’s in paramedic studies and a bachelor’s of nursing from the university.
“I’ve never felt like a number at Weber State,” Maynard said. “Everyone here cares, and they want to see you succeed. It’s a big college with a small town type of community. It feels like home.”
Throughout his life and career, WSU and the Annie Taylor Dee School of Nursing have been a driving force behind Maynard’s accomplishments. But his path to obtaining his degrees wasn’t always smooth.
Benjamin Zack | Brian Maynard
He initially started his studies at a junior college, but didn’t connect with the coursework.
“It just wasn’t clicking. School wasn’t clicking, the environment wasn’t clicking,” he said.
Maynard briefly enrolled at WSU to study before he decided to join the army. There, he earned his licensed practical nursing (LPN) degree while serving in Fort Sam Houston, Texas. After a few years, he decided it was time to return to Utah and found a job at McKay-Dee Hospital as an LPN. There, he often worked alongside registered nurses and quickly realized that continuing his education would open more doors.
Weber State’s nursing school produces more nurses than any other institution in Utah. In 2022–2023, more than 800 nursing students graduated from WSU, ready to seamlessly make the transition from student to healthcare professional. At WSU, Maynard experienced firsthand the support and training needed to find continued success in his field.
“I’ve always felt supported here,” Maynard said. “Even when I was struggling to stay engaged at school in my bachelor’s program, everyone at Weber encouraged me and helped me get through it.”
He dreamed of one day becoming a flight nurse, knowing it would be a challenge. He rotated between working as a registered nurse in the ICU and the emergency room, while also serving as a firefighter paramedic in his local community. His unwavering determination paid off and became a flight nurse in 2013, working for Intermountain Life Flight and saving lives across the Mountain West.
“I just kind of progressed in my RN career. I really can make a career out of doing this. I enjoy it that much,” he said.
When the DNP was announced, almost a decade after he finished his bachelor’s degree, returning to Weber State was the natural choice. He was part of the university’s first class of DNP graduates in 2021.
“When the opportunity presented itself to be part of the first doctorate program, it was exciting,” Maynard said. “My family had so much history at Weber State, and I had been here so long, it just felt right. I wanted to continue my education and be part of Weber State history.”