Kennesaw State University Honors Jane J. Yarbrough with Portrait Unveiling

Kennesaw State University’s Wellstar School of Nursing (WSON) celebrated the life and legacy of the late Jane J. Yarbrough on Tuesday with the heartfelt unveiling of a portrait painted by her husband, retired public relations executive and syndicated columnist Dick Yarbrough. The event, attended by family, friends, and university representatives, paid tribute to Jane’s profound impact on nursing education and her enduring spirit.

In a moving ceremony hosted at the WSON, KSU President Kathy S. Schwaig and Yarbrough unveiled the portrait of his beloved wife, a dedicated nurse and advocate for healthcare education. To further honor her memory, he established the Jane J. Yarbrough Nursing Faculty Fellowship earlier in 2024 and the Jane J. Yarbrough Nursing Scholarship in 2022.

Attendees at the celebration included University System of Georgia Regent Sam Holmes, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Craig L. Schwall, Leigh Stuart, Ken and Jackie Yarbrough, Wellstar College of Health and Human Services Dean Monica Swahn, WSON faculty member Christie Emerson, and KSU President’s Parliament Scholar Ambassador Aliyah Johnson.

“Jane was a beacon of compassion and excellence in nursing,” Dick Yarbrough shared during the ceremony. “Through these endowments and the placement of Jane’s portrait, I hope to ensure that her legacy lives on, empowering aspiring nurses to make a difference in their communities.”

Schwaig shared her admiration for Jane Yarbrough, who overcame obstacles to earn her degree later in life. 

“I love Jane’s story,” Schwaig said. “She was a nontraditional student in her 40s, but that didn’t stop her. Our nursing faculty and students gather often in this room – how appropriate that the room will be adorned with this portrait of Jane, who loved medicine so fiercely.” 

Media contact: 
Dedra Waindi, Wellstar College of Health and Human Services
Kennesaw State University
(404) 775-4594
dwaindi@kennesaw.edu

 

Ken and Jackie Yarbrough, Dick Yarbrough, Dean Monica Swahn, and WSON faculty member Christie Emerson