Patterson's passion and drive lead to numerous recognitions and honors

Collaborator, mentor, advocate, resource, graduate student. These are all words that describe Kerseclia L. Patterson, academic outreach coordinator for Southwest Indiana Area Health Education Center (SWI-AHEC), housed in the USI College of Nursing and Health Professions. Add to this list wife, mother, church member and community volunteer, and it becomes obvious Patterson is one busy person. She came to USI in 2012 and has received numerous awards and honors for her contributions.

She was recently recognized for her professional work and dedication to lifelong learning when she was named one of 20 Hoosier women selected to receive a 2016 POWER Scholarship from the Indiana Power Caucus. Each year, hundreds of applicants apply for the POWER scholarships, which are given to non-traditional female students whose education was delayed or interrupted, including women who are returning to school after a hiatus, or in Patterson's case, seeking advancement in their career or work life. She is currently pursuing a master's degree in health administration at USI. 

Patterson has bachelor's degrees in psychology and criminal justice from North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina. Before she joined SWI-AHEC in 2012, she worked as a developmental disabilities coordinator for Value Options in Morrisville, North Carolina.

In her current role, she collaborates with regional K-12 educators, community organizations, health professionals and health care providers to support SWI-AHEC's mission to enhance access to quality health care for medically-underserved and rural populations. One example is the certified nursing assistant program for high school students that Patterson helped launch at the Academy for Innovative Studies during the summer of 2015. This is a partnership between SWI-AHEC, Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation, Southwestern Indiana Health Services Academy and WorkOne. The 2015 class had a 100 percent pass rate on the Indiana State Board exam, with 100 percent employment.

In 2015, Patterson was one of 11 individuals from Vanderburgh and Warrick counties to complete 40 hours of Youth Mental Health First Aid instructor training as part of a regional collaboration. She is now certified to instruct other adults who regularly interact with adolescents and transition-age youth, ages 12-18 (teachers, school staff, coaches, youth group leaders, parents, etc.). She teaches the risk factors and warning signs of a variety of mental health challenges common among adolescents in an effort to build understanding of the importance of early intervention.

She also recently participated in the Faculty Women of Color in the Academy conference at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The conference offers female faculty, university administrators, post-doctoral fellows and graduate students a unique educational and professional opportunity to network, engage and learn with peers from around the country.

In addition to her work and graduate student responsibilities, Patterson is also involved in church, community and civic activities. She is chair of the health task force for the Evansville Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and is a member of the board of Project Reveal, a local non-profit organization through which women can help other women by sharing their stories of strength and hope through diary, video and photo reveals.

Patterson says her goal is to be a strong advocate for medically underserved populations. "I would love to continue community collaboration between the colleges and universities in Southwestern Indiana," she said. "There's nothing I love more than to assess the specific needs of a community and build partnerships to address areas of disparities and/or deficits. Then, together, we can create programs and provide resources to equip the community with what they need to grow and learn to be self-sufficient. I'm a fan of the wrap-around process; it works when the key planners have the people at heart."