Shawna Rogers grew up in Pawhuska, Oklahoma and has fond memories of her days as a student of Pawhuska Elementary. Her mom was a nurse and her dad worked in the oil and gas industry throughout Oklahoma until the energy bust of the 1980’s. Following that event, her family moved roots from their legacy home in Oklahoma to Pennsylvania for new opportunities. .  

Shawna was a student at Manheim Township High School when, at the age of 16, she would become an expecting mother to her first-born daughter. Like many young, single mothers, Shawna was reliant on welfare and social programs at the time of her daughter’s birth. With the new demands of motherhood, Shawna did not return for her Senior year of high school. 

Regardless of the unforeseen plans of being a new single parent, Shawna always possessed a desire to be a nurse, just as her mother was before her. She courageously decided to continue to pursue nursing, with help from her mother who frequently would assist her with her newborn child. She completed her G.E.D. and made the decision to attend nursing school at Willow Street Vocational Technical in Lancaster, PA., where she graduated with her nursing degree in 1995. 

After completing nursing school, Rogers again exhibited the courage of a leader by moving to Arizona to study pre-med at Arizona State University While at Arizona State, Shawna worked as an LPN nurse at Good Samaritan Hospital. It was there, she met a Physicians’ Assistant (P.A.) who loved her role and encouraged her to go to school for that skill: “Ironically,” Rogers recounted, “my dad always said he saw me going to physician's assistant school, so it couldn’t have been more timely.”

Rogers’ determinedly decided to pursue the goal of being a  goal with faith that there was nothing to lose, and so much to gain. She was able to move back closer to family when she was accepted to Direct University for P.A. in Pennsylvania. In 2003, she received her Bachelors’ in Science licensing as a Physicians’ Assistant. 

Fast forward to today, and Rogers is anticipating the celebration of  her 15^th year of work as a physicians’ assistant for St. Johns’ Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her first daughter is now 18 years old, and Shawna remains passionate about the work she does and the people she serves every day. Shawna considers the education she received well worth the investment required, regardless of the unforeseen circumstances in the beginning of adulthood. 

When asked about something she would challenge others’ with regarding being relentless in times of hardship, she shared: “Time is going to pass either way, start one step at a time and  move forward with your goal. You don’t need to have a specific plan, just set a near-term goal, even if it looks different than you think. You will experience road-blocks along the way, but it  doesn’t mean it will be impossible.”

Rogers urged others: “Never compare your specific journey to the person next to you, move forward regardless of setbacks. You will get through it to the other side.” She was not negligent to the fact that large goals require much determination, sacrifice, hard work, and the reliance on others’ help.

She shared what Seneca-Cayuga Nation means while opening up about her family legacy: “My grandfather was Seneca-Cayuga and the patriarch of our family. He always valued the traditions and lived a life that prioritized his children, his grandchildren and beyond. It made a difference. His legacy is great and he has taught not only  himself but all of our relatives,  to not only set large goals, but to honor the Seneca-Cayuga Nation while defining our legacy.” 

To read more on this story, follow along in the coming weeks for a member feature on the Roger family legacy.