Meet the Hulsey’s

Dean of the School of Nursing Dr. Tara Hulsey was born in Georgetown, S.C., and was raised in Orangeburg, S.C. At an early age her maternal grandparents moved closer to Tara’s family to help care for Tara and her sister.

Her grandfather was a Lutheran minister, who preached well into his 80s, and her grandmother was Baptist, and as Tara recalls “never said anything bad about anyone.” Both had a strong Christian influence in her life, and Tara publically accepted Christ at age 13.

After graduating from high school, Tara received a bachelor of science in nursing at Clemson University. “I always knew I wanted to be a nurse – even at age 7. I wanted to serve others,” said Tara. She went on to earn her master of science in maternal and child nursing from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and her Ph.D. in nursing science from the University of South Carolina.

Prior to assuming the role of Dean of the Derry Patterson Wingo School of Nursing in July 2007, Tara served as associate dean for faculty, associate dean for academics, department chair and program director at the MUSC College of Nursing. She has taught at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels and was one of the first nurses in the country to earn the distinction of certified nurse educator. She was also instrumental in the development of a master of science in nursing program, a nurse educator certificate program, and a Ph.D. in nursing program at MUSC. While at MUSC, Tara met her husband, Dr. Tom Hulsey.“Finding a spiritual mate was always paramount, and I knew I had found that in Tom,” she said.  Tom is a native of Round O, S.C., and graduated from the Baptist College at Charleston (currently CSU) with a bachelor of science in biology. He earned his master of science in public health from the University of South Carolina and his doctor of science in maternal and child health from Johns Hopkins University.He is currently a tenured professor of pediatrics and director of the division of pediatric epidemiology at MUSC. He holds similar academic appointments at MUSC in the department of obstetrics and gynecology and the department of biostatistics and epidemiology. He is the founding director for the MUSC master of science in clinical research programs. He is also the director of clinical research training and career development for the MUSC General Clinical Research Center. Tom has authored more than 300 published scientific reports and has been the primary mentor to more than 100 master’s, doctoral and postdoctoral students. He encourages others, regardless of their field, to “keep mentoring, keep educating, keep guiding.” As both Tom and Tara have had multiple career and service opportunities, they spend careful time in prayer when these new opportunities arise. “I don’t believe that prayer has a beginning and an end; it is a constant,” said Tara. “God always gives me the tools I need for all the roles I have had.”  With their busy schedules, the Hulseys must be intentional about their time together. They have found their home gym to be the perfect place to spend time together. Tara also communicates to her nursing students the importance of taking time for themselves so they will be able to effectively care for others. When asked what Tara views as the biggest challenge today in nursing from a Christian perspective, she did not hesitate, “Making ethical decisions and that makes it even more important to keep your faith at the forefront,” she said. Tara concluded by encouraging attendees to live out their faith as they will be recognized by the way they live their lives. A case in point is the positive comments she hears from hospital nurses about the CSU nursing students and the impact they are making in the local medical centers. “Our students are different,” said Tara. “The way they interact with patients and their families is different, and the nurses attribute that to their salvation.”