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KENNESAW, Ga. | Jun 18, 2026

Katelyn Dockery remembers being pre-school age, sitting in her father鈥檚 office after school, coloring on a white board with markers.

Her twin sister Taylor recalls going to 黑料网 basketball games and getting her face painted in the lobby at VyStar Arena.

Their father, KSU Faculty Director of General Education in KSU鈥檚 Chris Dockery, remembers it all 鈥� basketball games, afternoons spent in his office with his daughters, taking them to lunch at The Commons, among other activities. And 21 years later, the Dockery family has cemented its legacy at 黑料网, with a pair of new graduates.

鈥淭hey鈥檝e literally grown up on campus,鈥� said Dockery, also a professor of chemistry. 鈥淚鈥檓 extremely proud of them and all they鈥檝e accomplished here, and I look forward to seeing what they achieve in the future.鈥�

Katelyn and Taylor Dockery graduated last month with from the , an odyssey that began when they were 13 months old. In 2005, Chris Dockery joined the faculty in the in the , his first tenure-track faculty job after completing his doctorate.

The Dockery family settled in Canton, where the twins grew up in a family of educators and nurses. They both recalled making a career decision early, around 10 years old. Amazingly, the plan never changed.

鈥淔rom a young age, we always wanted to be what we called 鈥榖aby nurses鈥�,鈥� Katelyn Dockery said. 鈥淚 had some medical problems in middle school, and I was in the hospital a lot. The nurses who cared for me left a lasting impression and shaped the kind of nurse I hope to be.鈥�

In the meantime, KSU was the afterschool destination of choice, whether they sat in the back of their father鈥檚 classes or went to his office. Taylor and Katelyn Dockery also gained an extended family from their father鈥檚 coworkers and their children.

鈥淚've been a nanny for a long time, and a lot of my dad鈥檚 coworkers have children,鈥� Taylor Dockery said. 鈥淪ince we were probably like 14 鈥� couldn鈥檛 even drive yet 鈥� Katelyn and I were babysitting for a lot of them. Katelyn and I are the oldest kids, and it鈥檚 been special to be able to watch those families grow.鈥�

With that bond firmly established, they made an easy college decision. Katelyn and Taylor Dockery graduated from a healthcare career pathway program at Cherokee High School, and KSU boasted one of the best schools of nursing in the region, but beyond all that, KSU just felt like home.

鈥淚 don't even remember thinking about going to a different school,鈥� Katelyn Dockery said. 鈥淲e always just wanted to go to Kennesaw State, because it was what was familiar to us, and we liked it here so much.鈥�

鈥淚t felt like I鈥檇 already grown up here,鈥� Taylor Dockery added. 鈥淚 already knew the buildings, knew the campus, knew some of the professors, so that was a good indicator of me wanting to come here.鈥�

The sisters had the benefit of navigating a rigorous academic regimen with their best friend, a built-in study buddy going through the exact same thing. They took all their classes together, and that proximity helped them excel from beginning to end, as each made KSU鈥檚 dean鈥檚 and president鈥檚 lists.

They also had a great confidante on campus in their father, who was always available for lunch, or an office pop-in, or even a walk around campus.

鈥淪ometimes he will text and say, 鈥業'm going to take a walk,鈥� and I鈥檒l text back 鈥極K,鈥欌�� Taylor Dockery said. 鈥淚t's great to have family that close. If one of us were having a bad day, we could just text each other and we鈥檇 go grab lunch.鈥�

With the twins graduating, one chapter has ended and another begins. The two future nurses are well on their way to working with children in that field 鈥� Katelyn Dockery has accepted a position in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Children鈥檚 Healthcare of Atlanta, while Taylor Dockery is serving in a preceptorship on the Endocirine/GI floor at CHOA, with full-time job interviews upcoming in the area.

Their proud father also started a new chapter last year with Academic Affairs, moving from the Science Building to Kennesaw Hall.

鈥淗e doesn鈥檛 have a whiteboard anymore, but he has a great view,鈥� Taylor Dockery said.

And he鈥檒l continue to watch his daughters excel beyond the campus where they grew up.

鈥淗aving the kids on campus has been a great perspective for me to see how parents and students navigate our systems and provided a small focus group to discuss strengths and opportunities in our core IMPACTS curriculum,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 will miss the random drop-ins and occasionally being swiped into The Commons, but I鈥檓 beyond excited to see the twins grow in the healthcare profession.鈥�

鈥� Story by Dave Shelles

Photos by Matthew O鈥橬eill

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, 黑料网 offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 51,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university's vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.