BATON ROUGE, La. – The Cox Communications Academic Center for Student-Athletes recently hired Ashley Granger as the associate director of academic affairs the center announced, joining the staff after working in various roles at the University.
Granger earned her bachelor’s degree in general studies, minoring in psychology, sociology and social work, while earning her master’s in social work as well, earning both degrees at LSU. She comes to the center after spending the last four years within University College.
“My personal mission has always been providing students with the education and resources needed to become successful LSU students with the hope for them to become successful LSU Alum,” Granger said.
Most recently in her role at the UCFY, Granger provided academic advisement on all undergraduate majors housed in the E.J. Ourso College of Business, College of Engineering, College of Human Sciences & Education, College of Humanities & Social Sciences, Manship School of Mass Communication and College of Science. She Identified and connected students to appropriate campus and community resources, served as a faculty advisor for the UFCY College Council and the LSU chapter of Alpha Phi Omega, National Service Fraternity.
“We are very excited to welcome Ashley to our team at the academic center. Not only will she bring her years of experience working with students, she will be a great role model for our staff, students and any stakeholder who comes in contact with her,” CCACSA Director of Academic Affairs Walt Holliday said.
For six years, Granger worked at the LSU Office of Health Promotions at the Student Health Center, where as the health promotion coordinator she conducted educational programs for various classes, residence halls, Greek organizations, student organizations and summer enrichment programs, assisted in the coordination of campus awareness campaigns and events and interviewed, selected, trained and supervised LSU School of Social Work graduate interns.
While at the SHC, she also was the Sexual Assault Victims Advocacy Program Coordinator, overseeing the program and provided continuing educational credit approved SAVA training for LSU staff and faculty on the topics of sexual and domestic violence, stalking and suicide. Granger developed and implemented Louisiana’s first college Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program, providing crisis counseling to student survivors and provided referrals to campus and community resources and conducting Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) self-defense classes for LSU female students.
Pursuing her master’s degree, Granger was a social work graduate intern at the SHC, assisting agency staff with wellness programs including Stress Management, Alcohol Awareness, Sexual Health, and Healthy Relationships. She planned, implemented and scheduled wellness programs with campus organizations and recruited student volunteers for peer groups and assisted the groups on community events.
She then moved on to be a social work graduate intern at a local clinic that works specifically with cancer patients, providing individual and family counseling to address adjustment to cancer diagnosis, support during chemotherapy and follow-up treatment, educational and resource materials and grief and bereavement counseling to clients and their families.
Granger is involved in the community by working with the local Girl Scouts of the USA chapter, while she has been awarded the Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity Section 45 Distinguished Chapter Advisor Award and LSU Advisor of the Year Award in 2013 and the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) Outstanding New Advising Award in 2014.
“I am excited to progress in my career journey at our esteemed university and to be a part of the Cox Communications Academic Center for Student-Athletes, a unit that is ‘…committed to challenging student-athletes to achieve their highest level of intellectual and personal development.’” Granger said. “I am honored for the opportunity to support and work with LSU student-athletes from the start of their college career to graduation.”
The Cox Communications Academic Center for Student-Athletes is a 54,000 square foot facility comprised of academic affairs, student affairs and an information technology teams, serving more than 530 student-athletes. The purpose is to provide an all-inclusive, student-centered support structure for all student-athletes from matriculation, through graduation and life beyond.