Staff spotlight

Johnlyn Rogers was born and raised in Hazlehurst, Miss. Upon graduating high school, she attended Alcorn State University where she obtained her Bachelors of Science in Biology. While in graduate school at Mississippi College she began her career at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) in 2011 as a unit secretary in Blair E. Batson Children Hospital (4C). Rogers completed her Masters of Health Service Administration degree in 2012, and began working in the School of Nursing (SON) as an administrative assistant in the school's Office of Business Operations. The SON became “home” for her, but she had a yearning desire for growth. If you know Rogers, she is always wanting to learn and do more.

In 2014, she was offered a position in the UMMC Division of Infectious Diseases as a program administrator for the Mississippi AIDS Education and Training Center (AETC) grant. There she was able to hone her skills in fiscal management and education. With the experience from her two degrees, Rogers was able to not only manage grants, but also provide education and training to the AETC’s “Big 6” which comprised of physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, dentists and social workers. This training included the importance of HIV testing and prevention; treatment for individuals living with HIV/AIDS; and cultural competency. Within three years, she was promoted to a sponsored program administrator position handling both pre- and post-award for 26 grants (HRSA, NIH, Mississippi Department of Human Services and Industry Sponsored grants). She also began consulting for a grant at Brown University in Providence, R.I. and became a trainer for the In It Together: National Health Literacy Project for Black Men Who Have Sex with Men.

Rogers loved working in infectious diseases, although the SON was “home”. She returned in 2018 as the project manager in the Office of Academic Affairs. She enjoys working with SON faculty and staff, and she feels there is no other "work family" compared to the SON around campus. In her position, she finds joy in assisting and meeting the needs of all students within the school.

She is married to Jimmy Rogers, Jr., and has two daughters — Elle Maree, three and Leigh Ann, 10 months. When she is not working, she enjoys spending time with her family. Each weekend she plans at least one fun activity for them to do together — movie night, mock cooking class, hiking, paleontology activities, ATV riding, painting, etc. —so their girls grow up knowing the importance of family and to be well-rounded citizens. Rogers is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and is actively involved in community service projects in the metro area. She lives by the motto of “In a world where you can be anything, be kind”.