Category / Staff

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Rosalyn Page: In Memoriam


The Emory History Department mourns the death of Rosalyn Page, who served as the department administrator for more than 25 years before her retirement in 2008. Becky Herring, current department administrator, writes that Rosalyn was “not only a patient and encouraging mentor, she was also a loyal and supportive friend. Her fun-loving spirit, joyful nature, and kind heart will be greatly missed by her loving family and cherished friends.” A funeral service will be held on Thursday, March 12, 2026, at 1:30 pm in Glenn Memorial UMC’s Little Chapel at Emory University in Atlanta. In remembrance, consider a donation to WABE or Friends of Disabled Adults and Children.

Rosalyn’s obituary, chronicling her rich life and character, follows:

Rosalyn Florence Page, beloved mother, sister, aunt and cherished friend, passed away peacefully in Tucker, Georgia, on February 16, 2026, at the age of 82, surrounded by her family and those she held dear.

Born on April 25, 1943, in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, Rosalyn was the first daughter of Joe E. Page and Cora Jane Page. She spent her childhood in Bristow, Oklahoma, and later in Englewood, Colorado, where she developed the curiosity, independence, and love of learning that would shape her life. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University, an accomplishment she carried with pride.

Rosalyn married Mike Phillips, and together they raised two children while living in Colorado, Kansas, and ultimately Stone Mountain, Georgia.  Whether substitute teaching, cheering at countless ball games or savoring summer camping, Rosalyn poured her heart into the moment.  Her devotion to her children was unwavering, and she nurtured them with the same warmth, humor, and optimism she offered to everyone she met.

She retired in 2008 from Emory University in Atlanta, where she served for more than 25 years as an Academic Department Administrator in the History Department. Rosalyn found fulfillment in her work, forming lasting friendships with colleagues and students who admired her intelligence, steadiness, and generous spirit.

A woman of many passions, Rosalyn was a longtime member of Glenn Memorial Methodist Church and an enthusiastic participant in the Atlanta Cajun Zydeco Association, where she embraced her love of dance and community. Known for her cheery smile, kindness, and unwaveringly positive outlook, she had a remarkable ability to make others feel seen, valued, and loved — and she never let them forget it.

Rosalyn was a lifelong reader with an insatiable thirst for knowledge, a talented cook and patient seamstress.  She was a dedicated student of the French language, enjoyed yoga and genealogy.  She was a treasured friend to all who knew her. Her presence brought light, laughter, and comfort, and her absence will be felt deeply.

She is survived by her daughter Lisa Phillips (Mike Owens) of Brevard, North Carolina; her son Trace A. Phillips (Jen Moran) of Edwards, Colorado; her sister Melissa Page (Hugh Simpson) of Los Lunas, New Mexico; and her former husband Mike Phillips (Susanne Pinkley) of Alpharetta, Georgia. Rosalyn is also remembered with love by many extended family members and countless friends whose lives she touched.  Her memory will continue to inspire those who were fortunate enough to know her.

by emoryhistorydept

Becky E. Herring Named Emory College Employee of the Year

On Thursday, August 15, 2024, at the College Staff Service Award Honoree Ceremony and New School Year Kickoff with speaker and host Emory College Dean Barbara Krauthamer, Becky E. Herring won the 2024 Emory College Employee of the Year Award. Seven letters of nomination were submitted for Becky, who serves as the History Department’s Senior Academic Department Administrator.

Herring with History Department faculty and staff and Dean Krauthamer after she won the award.

This college-wide award is designed to recognize one employee annually for outstanding contributions to Emory College. Any current college staff with 24 months of continuous service is eligible to be nominated for this award. The employee is selected based on job performance, interpersonal skills, and service to the Emory Community. Congratulations for this much deserved award, Becky!

by emoryhistorydept

Herring and Rollins Honored at 2023 Emory University Service Awards Luncheon

A.J. Rollins (husband of Allison), Allison Rollins, Becky Herring, and Department Chair Joe Crespino.

History department staff Becky Herring and Allison Rollins were recently honored at the Emory University Service Awards Luncheon. This year Herring, who is Senior Academic Department Administrator, marks 30 years of service at Emory. Rollins, the History Department’s Senior Accountant, completes 25 years in 2023. Herring and Rollins are among approximately 175 staff members throughout Emory celebrating reaching 25, 30, 35, 40 or 45 years of service this year. Congratulations, Becky and Allison, and thank you for your exceptional service to our department!

by emoryhistorydept

Becky Herring and Allison Rollins Recognized for Years of Service

At the Emory College of Arts and Sciences Staff Service Awards ceremony on Aug. 17, 2023, Becky Herring, Sr. Academic Department Administrator, and Allison Rollins, Sr. Accountant, were honored as milestone achievers for their length of service: 25 years for Allison and 30 years for Becky. The ceremony was hosted by new ECAS Dean Barbara Krauthamer. Congratulations and thank you to our exceptional department staff!

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Katie Wilson Named LGS’s Outstanding Program Administrator in the Humanities for 2022

From left to right: Katie Wilson, Humanities; Roberta Lynn, Cancer Biology; Renee Sevy-Hasterok, Economics; Joanna Young, Bioethics; Kimberly Jacob Arriola, Vice Provost for Graduate Affairs and Dean of the James T. Laney School of Graduate Studies; Jeffrey K. Staton, Senior Associate Dean of the James T. Laney School of Graduate Studies.

Congratulations to Katie Wilson, Senior Graduate Academic Degree Program Coordinator, on receiving the Laney Graduate School’s Outstanding Program Administrator in the Humanities Award. 2022 is the inaugural year for the award. The faculty, staff, and students of the History Department are delighted that Wilson has received this recognition for her 11 years of outstanding work in the Department.

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Emory History Department Updates in the Context of COVID-19

Emory University will extend spring break until March 22, after which the institution will transition to remote learning for graduate and undergraduate classes. Visit Emory’s COVID-19 page for details about these changes, and please contact History Department faculty and staff via email with individual questions or concerns. History Department staff and faculty will work remotely for the next several weeks.

All History Department seminars, workshops, and book events have been canceled for the remainder of the semester, including the History Department Workshop scheduled for this Friday, March 20, featuring Dr. Thomas D. Rogers and Dr. Jeffrey T. Manuel, and the celebration of Dr. Sharon Strocchia’s recently-published monograph, Forgotten Healers: Women and the Pursuit of Health in Late Renaissance Italy, slated for next week. In lieu of the in-person events featuring these works, check out two recent posts about them:

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Schainker, Yates Featured Among Emory’s Robust Contingent of Fulbright Scholars

Emory University was recently named a top producer of Fulbright scholars by the Chronicle of Higher Education. Six professors and administrators were awarded Fulbright Scholar Awards in 2019-20. Those awardees include Dr. Ellie R. Schainker, Arthur Blank Family Foundation Associate Professor of History and Jewish Studies. Schainker will conduct research in Israel and Lithuania for her current project, “Rites of Empire: Jewish Religious Reforms in Imperial Russia, 1850-1917.” Read our earlier story about Dr. Schainker’s project: “Schainker Wins Fulbright Global Scholarship and Fellowship at Moscow’s Jewish Museum & Tolerance Center.”

The awardees also include former academic department administrator Kelly Yates, who is now assistant director of the Halle Institute for Global Research. Yates received a Fulbright position in the U.S.-Germany International Education Administrators Program, which creates links with the societal, cultural and higher education systems of other countries.

Read about the other awardees in the last year from the Emory News Center: “Emory named a top producer of Fulbright Scholars.”

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History Department Welcomes Lakesia Hayes, New Undergraduate Academic Degree Coordinator

Image may contain: 1 person, smiling

The History Department staff has grown this past summer with the addition of Lakesia Hayes, who serves as the undergraduate academic degree coordinator. Hayes is a native of Decatur, GA and has a passion for creativity and the liberal arts. She graduated from Georgia Southern in 2009 as an English/English Education major and then moved to South Korea to teach English as a Second Language to elementary students. Living abroad helped her gain an appreciation for cultural diversity, tradition, and history. She returned to the United States and eagerly stepped into the classrooms of the Dekalb County School System, where she taught for four years. While new to the History Department, Hayes is not new to Emory. Her most recent position was with Emory Healthcare, where she worked side by side with a surgical oncologist. Welcome, Lakesia! 

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Cherise Thomas, History Department Work Study Student, Wins Gilman International Scholarship

Congratulations to Cherise Thomas, one of the History Department’s work study students, for winning a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. The Gilman scholarship, which is a grant program of the U.S. State Department, will fund Thomas’ summer study abroad in Salamanca, Spain. Thomas is one of only 10 students from Emory to win the Gilman scholarship in 2019.