Staff spotlight

If ever someone was made for school health, it’s LaDaryl Watkins.

LaDaryl earned her BA in Sociology in 2012, her MPH in 2014, BSN in 2017, and MSN in 2020. Ever the student, she is currently pursuing her PhD in Nursing at UMMC.

LaDaryl has been with the UMMC School of Nursing as an nurse practitioner since spring 2021 and was key in reviving the clinics after closure during COVID. She now serves as family nurse practitioner at Galloway Elementary and Lanier High School, where she provides compassionate, quality, and person-centered care to every child she meets.

You can call her a “full circle” nurse! LaDaryl completed the Accelerated BSN program and after a stint at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas, TX and UMMC, returned home to the SON. Prior to the ABSN program, she invested in the health of Jackson at the Mississippi State Department of Health, The Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi, and My Brother’s Keeper.

What her peers love most about her is that she is a champion for the underserved, an advocate for those who face unwarranted challenges to their health and well-being, and is not afraid to challenge processes to meet the needs of her patients. When asked to describe her favorite part about the SON, LaDaryl states, “Watching the [patients] show so much autonomy and independence in the clinic. Listening to a five-year old explain their symptoms is mind-blowing — in the best possible way.” LaDaryl and the SON clinic team have created an environment in the clinics where children feel safe, empowered, and cared for.

In her spare time, LaDaryl is a competitive bodybuilder and an avid collector of tennis shoes (Air Jordans and Nike Dunks to be exact).