BATON ROUGE – The LSU Cox Communications Academic Center for Student-Athletes (CCACSA) recognizes student-athletes for their scholastic and community achievements each month. Student-athletes are chosen based on their commitment to academic success and for their devotion to volunteerism and service to the community.
Here are the December 2023 CCACSA’s staff Student-Athletes of the Month:
Aalyah Del Rosario
Women’s Basketball, Freshman, International Studies
Reason for nomination: For someone who told me “She didn’t like math,” Aalyah sure has done well with it! Her determination and unwillingness to settle for ‘just ok’ has propelled her accomplishments in this class. Aalyah’s smile is contagious when she does well on a problem or an assignment, and I look forward to seeing many more of those “success smiles” in the years to come.
Nominated by: Brad Jones, Manager of Student Support Services/Math Specialist
Ella Chesnut
Women’s Track & Field, Sophomore, Accounting
Reason for nomination: Ella Chesnut has excelled academically and athletically since arriving at LSU. Ella has always been a pleasure to work with because of the high level of maturity and discipline with her day to day tasks. Though tutoring and study hall hours are not required for Ella, utilizes the Academic Center for Student-Athletes to ensure she completes all assignments. Even though she is exceptional student, Ella has excelled in her sport as she had the opportunity to compete at the NCAA Cross Country National Championship. Chestnut is the third woman in program history to qualify for cross country championship and is the highest regional finisher in program history. We are proud of Ella for her accomplishments athletically as she continues to perform great academically.
Nominated by: Xavier Shannon, Assistant Director and Maerys Joseph, Academic Affairs Graduate Assistant
Rickie Collins
Football, Freshman, Mass Communication
Reason for nomination: Ricki has been exceptionally motivated and committed to his academics this semester. He has maximized his time during academic sessions, advocated for himself when in need of help, and has demonstrated excellent communication skills when it comes to ensuring his success.
Nominated by: Football Academic Team
Leah Miller
Gymnastics, Freshman, Mass Communication
Reason for nomination: Leah has been such a joy to work with this fall semester. I am so proud of her and how quickly she has become a successful college student. She is extremely hard-working and shows up each day with a “get better” attitude. Leah pushes herself and those around her to excel, and I look forward to a stellar academic and athletic tenure for her at LSU.
Nominated by: Brad Jones, Manager of Student Support Services/Math Specialist
Helen Sava
Women’s Swimming & Diving, Freshman, Animal Science
Reason for nomination: Helen has done a very nice job getting acclimated to LSU and balancing her schedule and academic workload. She is doing extremely well in her courses, has shown attention to detail, and great communication. We appreciate her efforts and are excited to see her continue to blossom as a Student-Athlete!
Nominated by: Jason Shaw, Director of Academic Affairs
Angelica Velez
Women’s Basketball, Freshman, Sport Administration
Reason for nomination: The first semester at college can be quite an adjustment, but Angelica has made the transition look easy. She is never afraid to ask for help and continuously strives to be better than before. Her determination to be the best is evident in her studies and on the court. Angelica has a contagious personality and maintains a positive attitude, making those around her strive for greatness. With her dedication, the sky is the limit! Proud of all of her hard work!
Nominated by: Caroline Ammons, Tutorial Graduate Assistant
Accountability – Commitment – Success – Integrity – Diversity – Teamwork – Service – Education
It is through living the values of the Total Team Commitment 2017-2022, particularly education, academic success, and service to the community that six student-athletes are recognized as Cox Communications Academic Center Student-Athlete of the month. These values are fundamental to the growth and development of our student-athletes as they enter to learn, then leave to serve.
The Cox Communications Academic Center for Student-Athletes is a 54,000 square-foot facility composed of teams for academic affairs, student affairs and information technology, who annually serve more than 500 student-athletes. The purpose of the CCACSA is to provide an all-inclusive, student-centered support structure for all student-athletes from matriculation, through graduation, and life beyond.