Jeanna D. Wilkes
Special Projects Coord-Academic Affairs
Department:
SER-Assoc VC Academic Affairs
Email:
jwilkes@umc.edu
Work Phone:
(601) 984-2429
Biography
Dr. Jeanna D. Wilkes, with over eleven years in higher education, currently serves as Special Projects Coordinator and Assistant Professor of Preventive Medicine at UMMC. Instrumental in advancing programs at the John D. Bower School of Population Health, she played a key role in developing master’s and doctoral programs in population health science, and biostatistics and data science—the 4th school of its kind in the U.S. Formerly at Delta State University, she directed student life and orientation and served as the graduate admissions and studies coordinator. Holding a Doctor of Health Administration from The University of Mississippi and earning an MBA, a Master of Commercial Aviation, and a Bachelor of Science from Delta State University, Dr. Wilkes engages in grant-funded projects, contributing to initiatives such as the NHLBI’s Graduate Training and Education Center and U.S. HHS’s Assets for Independence. Her expertise includes advising first-gen undergraduates, NCAA Division II student-athletes, and international students. Dr. Wilkes researches faculty burnout, notably contributing to The Bower Foundation’s IHL Faculty/Provider Burnout QOAL study and presenting The Teaching Huddle at the 2023 SACSCOC Conference. Beyond her professional endeavors, she advocates for #GiveBlood and #Recycle and enjoys outdoor exploration and trivia.
Education
| University of Mississippi, DHA, Doctor of Health Administration | 2023 |
| Delta State University, MCA, Master of Commercial Aviation | 2020 |
| Kansas State University, Certificate, Academic Advising | 2015 |
| Delta State University, MBA, Business Administration | 2013 |
| Delta State University, BS, Interdisciplinary Studies | 2012 |
Current Positions
| Assistant Professor, School of Population Health | 12/2023 - Present |
| The University of Mississippi Medical Center Jackson, Mississippi 39216 | |
Academic Appointments or Other Previous Appointments
| Instructor, Delta State University | 07/2015 - 03/2019 |
Sponsored Program Funding
| Extramural, Population Health Workforce Development Program, Bower Foundation | 05/2019 - 11/2021 |
| Extramural, Assets for Independence (AFI): Delta Dollars II, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services | 11/2017 - Present |
| Extramural, First in the World, U.S. Department of Education | 09/2017 - Present |
| Extramural, Legal Advocacy Fund (LAF) Express, American Association of University Women | 09/2014 - 08/2015 |
Publications
External Peer Review | |
| Pandemic Crisis Management Programs at Saudi Universities: Current Status and Future Perspectives International Perm State University Forum “Science and Global Challenges of the XXI Century.” Proceedings published in Springer’s Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems | 2022 |
Abstracts | |
| Wilkes, J. D., Burgess, D., David, D., Koka, S., Lirette, S., Mann, J., Schmitz, T., & Taylor, J. An exploration of the quality of life and wellness among faculty at one academic medical center Research Day Abstracts, 28, 43-44 | 2024 |
| Wilkes, J., Koka, S., Gaughf, N., Mann, J., & Lirette, S. An exploration of the Quality of Academic Life (QOAL) among faculty in Mississippi’s eight four-year public institutions and one academic medical center over the COVID-19 pandemic era Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences, 69(1), 141 | 2024 |
| Wilkes, J. D., Koka, S., Gaughf, N. W., Mann, J., & Lirette, S. An exploration of the Quality of Academic Life among faculty in Mississippi’s eight four-year public institutions and one academic medical center over the COVID-19 pandemic era Research Day Abstracts, 27, 38-39 | 2023 |
| Wilkes, J. D., Koka, S., Gaughf, N., Mann, J., & Lirette, S. An exploration of the Quality of Academic Life (QOAL) among faculty in four-year public institutions in Mississippi Research Day Abstracts, 26, 28-29 | 2022 |
Thesis | |
| Wilkes, J. Entrepreneurial Strategies and Establishment of a Small Business in the Mississippi Delta Region: Cleveland, Mississippi’s Advancement of Music Education and Performance [Unpublished] Delta State University | 2012 |
Dissertation | |
| Wilkes, J. D. An Exploration of the Quality of Life and Wellness Among Faculty at One Academic Medical Center in the Southeast ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global: The Sciences and Engineering Collection | 2023 |
Presentations
| Poster Presentation, The Gang's All Here! Implementing Faculty Development Across Six Health Professional Schools, Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions (ACEhp), Orlando, Fla. | 01/2025 |
| Regional Invited Seminars/Lectures, Beyond the Classroom: Professionalism in Practice, Southern Association for Institutional Research (SAIR), Atlanta, Ga. | 10/2024 |
| Regional Invited Seminars/Lectures, Enhancing Student Success and Evaluating Student Learning Through a SACSCOC’s Quality Enhancement Plan - Professionalism in Practice, Southern Association for Institutional Research (SAIR), Atlanta, Ga. | 09/2024 |
| Regional Invited Seminars/Lectures, Newcomer's Workshop, Southern Association for Institutional Research (SAIR), Atlanta, Ga. | 09/2024 |
| Regional Invited Seminars/Lectures, Enhancing Student Success in Health Science Education: Evaluating Student Learning Through a SACSCOC Quality Enhancement Plan - Professionalism in Practice, Texas Association of Higher Education Assessment (TxAHEA), San Antonio, Texas | 09/2024 |
| Regional Invited Seminars/Lectures, Enhancing Student Success and Evaluating Student Learning Through a SACSCOC's Quality Enhancement Plan - Professionalism in Practice, Southern Association for Community College Research (SACCR), Nashville, Tenn. | 09/2024 |
| National and International Invited Seminars/Lectures, An Exploration of the Quality of Academic Life Among Faculty in Mississippi’s Eight Four-Year Public Institutions and One Academic Medical Center over the COVID-19 Pandemic Era, American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), 2024 Forum on Advances in Healthcare Leadership Research, Chicago, Illinois | 04/2024 |
| Poster Presentation, An Exploration of the Quality of Life and Wellness Among Faculty at One Academic Medical Center in the Southeast, The University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Miss. | 04/2024 |
| State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, An Exploration of the Quality of Academic Life Among Faculty in Mississippi’s Eight Four-Year Public Institutions and One Academic Medical Center over the COVID-19 Pandemic Era, Mississippi Academy of Sciences, Biloxi, Miss. | 02/2024 |
| State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Empowering the Mind & Body, Women in Higher Education Mississippi Network (WHEMN), Oxford, Miss. | 02/2024 |
| Poster Presentation, The Teaching Huddle: A Collaborative Academic Orientation for Teaching Faculty, The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), Orlando, Fla. | 12/2023 |
| Regional Invited Seminars/Lectures, Data Show & Tell: Show the Story, Southeastern Association for Institutional Research (SAIR), Point Clear, Ala. | 10/2023 |
| Regional Invited Seminars/Lectures, Data Show & Tell: Tell the Story, Southeastern Association for Institutional Research (SAIR), Point Clear, Ala. | 10/2023 |
| State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Data Show & Tell: Tell the Story, Mississippi Association for Institutional Research (MAIR) | 08/2023 |
| State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Data Show & Tell: Show the Story, Mississippi Association for Institutional Research (MAIR) | 08/2023 |
| Poster Presentation, An Exploration of the Quality of Academic Life Among Faculty in Four-Year Public Institutions in Mississippi in a COVID-19 Pandemic Era, The University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Miss. | 04/2023 |
| Doctoral dissertation presentation, An Exploration of the Quality of Life and Wellness Among Faculty at One Academic Medical Center in the Southeast, The University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Miss. | 04/2023 |
| Platform Presentations, Invest in Success: a four-part Professionalism Presentation (Personal Statements, Resume & CV Basics, Professional Online Presence, and LinkedIn Profiles 101), The University of Mississippi Medical Center | 03/2023 |
| Poster Presentation, An Exploration of the Quality of Academic Life Among Faculty in Four-Year Public Institutions in Mississippi, The University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Miss. | 04/2022 |
| State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Patient Financial Communication, Mississippi Hospital Association (MHA), Madison, Miss. | 03/2022 |
| Invited Symposia, Go for the Gold! Champion Student Leadership, Delta State University, Cleveland, Miss. | 09/2016 |
| Platform Presentations, Recruitment 1.0, a Values-Based Recruitment, Delta State University, Cleveland, Miss. | 06/2016 |
| Invited Symposia, Linking Structured Activities, Assignments, and Technological tools to Achieve Student Success Outcomes for First-Year Seminar Students, Teaching with TechnologyStratgies & Opportunities for Unified Learning (S.O.U.L.), Cleveland, Miss. | 04/2015 |
| State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, The Mississippi Delta and its relationship to K-12 and Higher Education School Systems Throughout History, Teach For America, Delta Corps, Cleveland, Miss. | 06/2013 |
| State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Creating a Professional Resume Using Health Social Media Habts and Online Services, Delta Music Institute, Cleveland, Miss. | 10/2012 |
| Poster Presentation, Entrepreneurial Strategies and Establishment of a Small Business in the Mississippi Delta Region for the Advancement of Music Educaiton and Performance, Delta State University, Cleveland, Miss. | 04/2012 |
Honors, Awards, and Recognition
| Edtih Carter Scholarship, Southern Association for Institutional Research (SAIR) | 2024 |
| 2nd Place Outstanding Doctoral Research Award, The University of Mississippi Medical Center | 2024 |
| Joanne Olson Award for Mission-Driven Excellence, Nominee, The University of Mississippi Medical Center | 2024 |
| 2nd Place Outstanding Research Award, The University of Mississippi Medical Center | 2023 |
| Esprit De Corps Award, Nominee, The University of Mississippi Medical Center | 2023 |
| SACSCOC Travel Grant, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges | 2022 |
| 1st Place Outstanding Research Award, The University of Mississippi Medical Center | 2022 |
| Young Executive Award, American College of Healthcare Executives | 2022 |
| Leadership Development Award, The University of Mississippi Medical Center | 2021 |
| Going the Extra Mile (GEM) Award, Nominee, The University of Mississippi Medical Center | 2021 |
| Order of Omega, Coalition for Collegiate Women’s Leadership | 2017 |
| The Patrick House & Mississippi Education Foundation Award, Delta State University | 2013 |
| The Bobby Rowe Memorial Outstanding Leadership Award, Delta State University | 2012 |
| Year of the Student Service Award, Delta State University | 2012 |
| Who's Who Among Students in American Universities & Colleges, Who's Who Among Students | 2012 |
| Hall of Fame, Delta State University | 2012 |
| AAUW Student Award, Delta State University | 2012 |
| H.E.A.D.W.A.E. Student Honoree, Mississippi Public Universities | 2012 |
Professional Membership and Service
| Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association (AOPA), Member | 2017 - Present |
| National Association of Professional Women (NAPW), Member | 2012 - Present |
| National Academic Advising Association, Member | 2012 - Present |
| National Campus Leadership Council (NCLC), Member | 2012 - 2013 |
| Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK), Member | 2012 - Present |
| AIPAC Geller President's Council, Fellow | 2012 - 2013 |
| American Association of University Women (AAUW), Member | 2012 - 2019 |
| Mu Phi Epsilon (MPE), Member | 2011 - Present |
| Delta Delta Delta, Fraternity, Inc., Board of Advisors of a Company | |
| Southern Association for Institutional Research (SAIR), Member | |
| Mississippi Association for Institutional Research (MAIR), Member |
Committee Service
| Medical Center - QEP-SACSCOC Accreditation Committee, Member | 2020 - Present |
| MEDICAL CENTER-INSTITUTIONAL ASSESSMENT, Member | 2020 - Present |
| SCHOOL OF POPULATION HEALTH - STAFF COUNCIL, Member | 2019 - Present |
| Medical Center - Sustainability Committee, Member | 2019 - Present |
| Population Health Science Website Committee, Member | 2019 - 2020 |
| SOPH - Promotions and Tenure, Ex-Officio | 2019 - 2020 |
| SOPH - Curriculum Committee, Member | 2019 - Present |
| SCHOOL OF POPULATION HEALTH - ACADEMIC COUNCIL, Member | 2019 - Present |
| Bower SOPH Administrative Council, Member | 2019 - 2020 |
| eCampus, Member | 2019 - Present |
| Bower SOPH Leadership Team, Member | 2019 - 2020 |
| Bower SOPH Dean's Council, Member | 2019 - 2020 |
| First Year Seminar, DSU, Steering Comittee Member | 2015 - 2019 |
| Tech Savvy by AAUW, Volunteer Event Coordinator | 2014 - 2016 |
| Student Success Task Force, Task Force Chair | 2014 - 2019 |
| University Organizations Committee, Staff Representative | 2013 - 2019 |
| Year of Service, Steering Comittee Member | 2012 - 2013 |
| Union Renovation Committee, Task Force Member | 2012 - 2013 |
| Bookstore Search Committee, Member | 2011 - 2012 |
| Year of the Student Task Force, Co-Chair | 2011 - 2012 |
| Diversity Committee, Member | 2011 - 2013 |
| University Budget Committee, Member | 2009 - 2012 |
Community Service
| United Way of Cleveland and Bolivar County Board of Directors, Member | 08/2014 - 03/2019 |
| Bologna Performing Arts Center Board of Directors, Member | 08/2010 - 03/2019 |
Teaching Experience
| PHS 714, Population Health, Course, Course Director, U.S. Healthcare Organizations and Delivery | Fall 2024 |