Headshot of Jana Lynn Patterson

Jana Lynn Patterson

Associate Vice President for Student Life/Dean of Student Health & Well-Being/Assistant Professor

Department: Student Life

Office and address: Koury Center (Athletics), Office 103B 2515 Campus Box Elon, NC 27244

Phone number: (336) 278-7333

Brief Biography

Jana Lynn Patterson arrived at Elon in 1986 and since that time she has supervised nearly every department within the Division of Student Life and served as chief student affairs officer on an interim basis in 1993. She was named Associate Vice President in 2013 and when Dean of Students was added to her title in 2018 she become the first female leader at Elon to hold the title “dean of students” in the 50 years since the former “dean of women” and “dean of men” positions were merged. In her current role, she supervises departments that contribute to student health, welfare, and wellbeing. Additionally, she oversees the university’s emergency administrative response system and is part of the university emergency management team. She was previously the university’s Title IX and ADA officer, and currently serves as the coordinator for HIPAA compliance. Known affectionately by many students and alumni as “Dean P,” she was a long-serving advisor to the Student Government Association (SGA), Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and Sigma Kappa sorority. Jana Lynn was awarded the Administrative Staff Member of the Year in 2001- 2002 ,the Ward Family Excellent in Mentoring Award in 2013, and the 2015 LGBTQIA Community Enrichment Award. In 2024, she was named a American College Personnel Association Diamond Honoree. 

News & Notes

Education

B.A.,  Psychology,  North Carolina  State University

M.Ed., Counseling, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro

PhD. Industrial/Organizational Psychology (Organization Development), Northcentral University

Employment History

Associate Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Student Health and Well-being, June 2025-present

Associate Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students, Elon University, June 2018-2025

Associate Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Student Health and Wellness

                                                            Elon University, June 2013-May 2017

Assistant Vice-President for Student Life and Associate Dean of Students                                                                                    Elon University                      June 2007-May 2013

Associate Dean of Students               Elon College/University        June 1989-May 2007

Interim Dean of Students                   Elon College               June 1993 – December 1993

Assistant Dean of Student Affairs     Elon College               September 1986 – May 1989

Assistant Professor                             Elon College and Elon University

September 1986 – Present

Coordinator for Residence Life/Student Activities, North Carolina School of the Arts,                                September 1982 – August 1986

Flight Attendant Trainee, Piedmont Airlines, May 1982-August 1982

 

Courses Taught

Counseling Skills for Peer Counslors and Educators (Human Services)

Leadership (Human Services)

Elon 1010 (Formerly Elon 101)

 

Leadership Positions

CAMPUS SERVICE:

 

  • Serve as University Title IX, Section 504, and HIPAA Compliance Coordinator
  • Faculty Advisor to: 
  1. Student Government Association
  2. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Omicron Epsilon Chapter
  3. Alumnae Advisor, Sigma Kappa Fraternity, Kappa Zeta Chapter
  • Serve as Deputy Emergency Operations Commander and Operations Sector Coordinator, Elon University Emergency Management Team
  • Secretary, Committee on Wholeness of the Campus, Southern Association Accreditation
  • Academic Support Staff Representative, Academic Council

Faculty and Student Life staff member to University Committees:

  • Strategic Planning Work Group: Generations in the Workplace
  • Records Retention Committee
  • University Safety and Risk Management Committee
  • Academic Standing
  • International Students and Scholars
  • University Athletic Committee
  • Academic Summit Committee
  • Ethics and Technology Task Force
  • Sexual Assault and Gender Issues Advisory Board
  • University Committee on Alcohol and Other Drugs (chair)
  • Provost Search Committee (2006, 2018, 2022)
  • General Studies Review Committee
  • ADA Audit and Transition Plan (chair)
  • COVID-19 Planning Tak Force
  • COVID-19 Data Team
  • Infectious Disease Response Team (co-chair)
  • First Generation Students Advisory Committee

 

Research

Generational Differences in Work Values of Student Services Administrators Employed By Private Institutions of Higher Education (Dissertation)

Publications

Co-author, “Student Affairs Resources Beyond the Budget: Traditional and Non-Traditional”, Student Services: Issues, Problems, and Opportunities.  The University of North Carolina General Administration, April 1983.

 

“Home For The Holidays”, Elon College Parent Newsletter.  Fall 1989 and 1990.

 

“Wellness”, Second Monday, Spring 1990.

 

“An unlikely pairing” National Association of Student Personnel Administrators Women’s Forum, Summer 2016

Presentations

Dealing With Sensitive Issues In Orientation, Southern Regional Orientation Workshop, April 1987; National Orientation Director’s Association Annual Conference, October 1987; and North Carolina Orientation Director’s Association, February 1989.

 

Integrating the Inter-Association Standards For the Elimination of Alcohol and Drug Abuse into Orientation Programs, Southern Regional Orientation Director’s Workshop, April 1988.

 

Graduate Student Caucus Facilitator, Southern Regional Orientation Workshop, April 1988.

 

Discussing Controversial Topics On a Small College Campus, Decision ’89, October 1989.

 

A View From the Trenches, Decision ’90, October 1990.

 

Building on Each Other’s Strengths, Academic and Student Affairs.  Reshaping the Campus Culture.  The University of Miami Annual Conference on Excellence in Higher Education, January 1999

 

Academic and Student Affairs Collaboration, Women Administrators in North Carolina Higher Education Annual Conference, 2004.

Who’s afraid of a little protest?  Student activist activities on campus,  NACA Student Activities Advisor Conference,  June 2016

Generations In The Workplace,  North Carolina College Personnel Association Fall Conference,  October 2016.

Mitigating Railway Safety Concerns Through Collaboration, Federal Railway Association/ NC Department of Transportation Meeting, November 2022. 

Professional Activities

  • Chair, Alternative Sources of Funding Task Force, American College Personnel Association Commission, Administrative Leadership.
  • Substance Abuse Prevention Program Consultant to the Colleges of Mid- America, FIPSE grantees, and Salem College
  • Consultant, Patrick County Educational Foundation, 2006-2008
  • Consultant, Methodist University Student Life Staff, 2009-2025
  • Consultant, Guilford County Community College, 2014
  • Consultant, Farmhouse Fraternity National Office, July 2018

 

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:

  •        North Carolina Association for Women In Education (NCAWE) Board of Directors, 1999
    • President-Elect 2000, President 2001
  • North Carolina Higher Education Addiction Prevention Professionals (NC HEAPP),
    • President 1990-92
  • National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA),
    • NC Recruitment and Orientation Chairperson, 1989
  • American College Personnel Association (ACPA)
    • Elected to Administrative Leadership Directorate, 1989-92
  • Southern Association For College Student Affairs, (SACSA)
  • Research Committee 2001
  • Steering Committee, Network of Colleges and Universities Committed to the Elimination of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse, 1991-1996
  • American College Health Association, 1992-present
  • Association for Title IX Officers (ATIXA), 2014-2016
  • American Society for Training and Development

 

Service Activities

COMMUNITY  AND SERVICE ACTIVITIES

  • Graduate- Leadership Alamance, 1994-1995
  • President-Elect (1991) and President (1992), Alamance Coalition Against Drug Abuse
  • Alamance Civic Dance Company, Performer, Junior Company Director and Board of Directors, 1986-1993
  • Volunteer, Burlington-Alamance Schools, 1990-2012
  • Volunteer, Elon University Habitat for Humanity, 1988-2013
  • Volunteer, Williams High School After prom All-Nighter, 1990, 1991
  • Volunteer, Alamance County School Bond Committee, 1998
  • Volunteer, Elon Elementary Parent-Teacher Organization, 1997-2004
  • Volunteer, Alamance Youth Leadership Academy, 2018
  • Parent Representative, Alamance-Burlington School System Middle School Task Force, 2004-2005
  • Volunteer Coach, Western Middle School Tennis Team, 2006, 2007
  • Representative, Town of Elon Land Use Steering Committee,  2019

 

 

Skills

TRAINING & CERTIFICATIONS:

 

Rape Advocate Certification, Forsyth County, NC, Spring 1983

 

Administrator Certification – Myers Briggs Type Indicator, September 1987

 

North Carolina Department of Human Resources Substance Abuse Prevention Level I Training, May 1988

 

Center for Creative Leadership, Education Leadership Workshop, January 1989

 

North Carolina Department of Human Resources Substance Abuse Prevention Level II, Training the Trainer, March – May 1989

 

US Departments of Education, Transportation, and Health and Human Resources, Policies and Programs For the 1990’s, Training the Trainer, November 1990

 

Test of Attention & Interpersonal Style (TAIS), Certified Administrator, October 1997

 

NC Substance Abuse Prevention Professional Certification, Summer 1991

 

FIPSE Grant Writing Institute, January 2000

 

Advanced Threat and Risk Assessment Training, US Department of Homeland Security, Spring 2010.

 

Title IX Certification, February 2012, September 2014,

 

FEMA Emergency/Disaster Training, Levels I and II, Spring 2013

 

ADA Coordinator Certification, May 2015

 

HIPAA Compliance Professional Certification, March 2017

 

FERPA Training,  2019

Professional Development

  • Rape Advocate Certification, Forsyth County, NC, Spring 1983
  • PlayFair Facilitator, 1984
  • Administrator Certification – Myers Briggs Type Indicator, September 1987
  • North Carolina Department of Human Resources Substance Abuse Prevention Level I Training, May 1988
  • Center for Creative Leadership, Education Leadership Workshop, January 1989
  • North Carolina Department of Human Resources Substance Abuse Prevention Level II, Training the Trainer, March – May 1989
  • US Departments of Education, Transportation, and Health and Human Resources,

Policies and Programs For the 1990’s, Training the Trainer, November 1990

  • NC Substance Abuse Prevention Professional Certification, Summer 1991
  • National Coalition Building Institute, 1992
  • Test of Attention & Interpersonal Style (TAIS), Certified Administrator, October 1997
  • Grant Writing Institute, January 2000
  • Advanced Threat and Risk Assessment Training, US Department of Homeland Security, Spring 2010.
  • Title IX Certification, February 2012
  • FEMA Emergency/Disaster Training, Levels I and II, Spring 2013
  • Certified HIPAA Administrator, March 2017, April 2022
  • FERPA Training, Level I and Level II, FERPA.gov, June 2019

Awards

 

North Carolina State University, Outstanding Senior Award, May 1982.

 

National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Region III, Recruitment and Orientation Award, 1985.

 

Omicron Delta Kappa, National Leadership Honorary, March 1990.

 

Elected First President, North Carolina Higher Education Addiction Prevention Professionals, 1990.

 

Elected to the Commission I, Administrative Leadership Directorate of The American College Personnel Association, 1989.

 

Order of Omega National Greek Honorary, November 1993

 

Barb Hanke Carlton Award for Outstanding Faculty Advisor, Elon University 1998

 

Elon University, Administrative Staff Member of the Year, 2002

 

Elon University Greek Organization Advisor of the Year, 2004

 

Elon University Professional Development Award, May 2012

 

Ward Family Mentoring in Action Award, May 2013

 

Elon LGBTQIA  Alumni Service Award, Fall 2016

 

Phi Kappa Phi, Spring 2017

American College Personnel Association Diamond Honoree, 2024