Rhonda James is celebrated by colleagues at the St. Augustine campus for her 35-year career at USAHS.
When Rhonda James began working with University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) founder Dr. Stanley Paris in 1991, the St. Augustine, FL institution was a four‑person nonprofit known as the Institute of Graduate Physical Therapy, located in a suite in the Jakadofsky building at Flagler Hospital. Today she is the Manager of Institutional Research at USAHS, and her 35‑year journey mirrors the university’s own evolution.
“Almost everything has changed,” she said. “What hasn’t is the focus on preparing healthcare professionals well.”
James has held nearly every nonacademic role imaginable as the university grew from a single location to a multi‑state institution. She worked in marketing, scheduling, budgets, accounting, building renovations and even IT. Her titles ranged from Director of Continuing Education to Vice President of Finance and Operations, and interim CFO and Controller. She later helped build financial services and aid operations across campuses before moving into institutional research.
Through it all, she says the people kept her here. “Colleagues became friends, and students came through nervous and left ready,” she said. “I’ve stayed because the work kept growing and so did I.”
A Founder’s Influence
James credits much of her growth to working closely with Dr. Paris. Their partnership spanned decades and shaped her career.
“Stanley would have a spark of an idea and trust me to make it happen,” she said. That trust led her to launch a journal with partners in Oregon, build a placement company that exchanged service for tuition scholarships, and secure financial pathways for students.
Their relationship was not always easy, but it was formative. “I believed in his vision, and he trusted me with the mission,” she said. “Ours was a relationship of mutual respect, the kind that inspired me to do my best work.”
Memories That Built a University
Some of James’s most vivid memories come from the early days, when the team was small and resourceful. She recalls the moment Dr. Paris turned to her and colleague Trish Baker and said, “Let’s get the Master’s degree accredited.” The two set out to build everything the accreditor required, typing coursework late into the night and becoming a close‑knit team in the process.
“We got accredited, and we celebrated,” she said.
She also laughs about the time she tried to “correct” Catherine Patla Paris’s use of the terms adduction and abduction while typesetting an early textbook. “We had a good laugh as she gave me a quick lesson in extremities,” James said.
The USAHS Executive team in 1996/97 poses for a group photo in front of the former campus on University Boulevard, which James helped get named. From left to right: University founder Dr. Stanley Paris, faculty member Dr. Catherine Patla Paris, Vice President of Business Affairs Rhonda James, Director of Advanced Studies Dr. Trish King, and Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Ray Patterson.
A Legacy of Innovation and Service
James helped automate major university functions, acquire the usa.edu domain, secure a $400,000 federal work‑study grant, and keep the cohort default rate under 1 percent. She chaired the first Administrative Outcomes Assessment Committee and earned both an MBA and an EdD while working full time.
But the achievement she values most is the sense of purpose the university gave her. “More than anything, it gave me a sense of purpose that’s followed me well outside of work,” she said.
That purpose shows in her long record of community leadership. In addition to becoming the fifth female president of the St. Augustine Rotary Club, she served Rotary as Publications Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer before stepping into the presidency. Her broader community involvement includes service on the Board of St. Francis House and the Betty Griffin Center. She also served on the St. Johns United Way Allocation Committee and the Florida Education State Legislature Committee, along with several other local committees over the years.
Wisdom for the Next Generation
James hopes new employees experience the same opportunity to grow that she found.
“Say yes to the work that stretches you, even when it isn’t in your job description,” she said. “Build real, authentic relationships. Stay curious, because the place you start won’t be the place you’re standing in 10 years.”
As she looks ahead, James remains committed to supporting the university’s effectiveness and the students it serves. After 35 years, her gratitude runs deep. “The people, the opportunities, and 35 years that went faster than I’d ever have guessed,” she said. “If you asked me how old I feel, I’d say 47.”
