As you enter the Psychology Department’s main office, the first person typically welcoming you is Jackie Rollins or “Ms. Jackie,” as she is affectionately referred to by graduate students. It is inevitably a greeting accompanied by a warm smile. Jackie has been an integral part of UF since 1993 and the Psychology Department since 2001. Her first position was working as a Word Processor at the Horticultural Sciences Department. She subsequently transferred to the Psychology Department as a Senior Word Processor. Jackie currently serves as the Program Assistant. As Jackie describes her job, she has “a host of duties that must be accomplished daily but some of my major responsibilities include the following: Graduate Student Records Management (GIMS), OPS/lump sums/Student Assistant Appointments, Grades Coordinator, etc.”
As the description implies, Jackie works closely with both graduate students and faculty. Jackie is largely responsible for ensuring that students complete all the paperwork required for their degrees. It is clear that she cares deeply about our students. She says, “What I like most about my position is having the opportunity to leave a positive imprint on the lives of the students who walk through our doors. Whether it’s greeting them with a friendly smile, answering their questions or offering some academic guidance and/or advice about life, I have been able to find joy in exercising a part of my heart that wants to see the younger generation succeed in every aspect of their lives.” This affection is mutual. For instance, Jessica Campbell, a second-year Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience graduate student, captures this relationship: “Ms. Jackie never ceases to bring a smile to my face. Regardless of what I bring to her or the questions I have, she always helps with such kindness and genuine care. I am grateful for her presence in the office — she brings a bit of sunshine to our department each and every day!”
In her time away from the office, Jackie enjoys talking with her daughters and sons who “keep me laughing daily, spending time at the beach with my husband relaxing with my toes, deeply planted under the sand and remembering how even in the hardest moments of life — there is still much to be grateful for because my feet landed on the upside of the grass.”