•"Be excited about your future." - Sherron Rogers

SLIS alumna Sherron Rogers (MIS'02) is now the Executive Director, Environmental and Transportation Services with Indiana University Health in Indianapolis, Indiana. In an email interview, we asked her about her job, and for tips for students. Her responses are included below. SLIS graduates have a variety of career opportunities. This is an exciting time for the field.

Main job duties:
Responsible for a team of 625 employees responsible for 24/7 hospital operations support, including housekeeping and patient transportation services at Methodist Hospital, University Hospital and Riley Children’s Hospital. Also responsible for Methodist Tower Inn that provides hotel accommodations for visiting patients and families. Teams are directly responsible for patient satisfaction scores and hospital reimbursement rates.

Successfully manage $28 million dollar budget and multiple vendor contracts. Within the first 6 months in the role, led the team to 25% improvement in staff utilization and a 50% reduction in overtime due to improved financial controls. Reduced 2011 budget by 5% by improving contract leverage and staff efficiency.

Revising all aspects of the department including branding, service expectations, leadership accountabilities, technology, and operational processes. Leading innovative collaboration projects with other teams to improve IU Health’s overall outcomes and support service team’s delivery of services. Within first year in the role, increased employee engagement and satisfaction results and in turn, improved productivity, customer satisfaction and hospital outcomes.

Favorite job duties:
Each day, I get satisfaction in knowing the work we do helps to prolong and enhance the lives of others. In addition, I have an opportunity to lead, empower and inspire a large team of people who, due to their role, are sometimes forgotten or dismissed. I get my energy from identifying opportunities for improvement and seeing others set and accomplish goals – needless to say, although this role requires a lot of energy, as I see us grow and improve, it also continuously refreshes my energy.

Tips for students:
1. Be excited about your future! You’ve made an outstanding choice to invest in yourself through the SLIS program. Upon graduation you will have a perspective and experience that not many others in the workforce can match. You will have learned from and been challenged by some of the best and no matter what field you choose, it will be easy to apply what you’ve learned throughout the rest of your career.

2. Develop lasting relationships with students and professors. It has now been 10 years since I graduated from the SLIS program and value that there are still administrators, professors and colleages that I can reach out to for guidance or help.

3. Get involved in the community. Sure it builds your resume, but more importantly, our society needs your ideas, knowledge and your time. Taking time to invest in young people or in a civic organization will allow you to put your skills to use and it will also allow you to reinvest in the world around you.

Something new you are learning:
Right now, I am extremely excited about participating in the Stanley K. Lacy Executive Leadership Series. Each year, a group of 25 people from central Indiana area (ages 25-45) are selected to participate in a year-long program designed to help emerging leaders become more informed about issues and needs facing central Indiana. I am honored to be selected to participate in the 2012-2013 series, excited to learn from the others in the program and looking forward to using what I learn to impact the community in a more significant way.

Posted September 17, 2012