The LSU Cox Communications Academic Center for Student-Athletes is proud to host the 2026 Student Support Summit, a free virtual conference designed for academic and student support professionals across higher education. This annual event brings together practitioners, scholars, and leaders committed to advancing the academic, personal, and holistic success of today’s students.
With the theme “Reimagining the Journey: Student Success in the Age of Transformation,” this year’s summit explores how shifting educational landscapes, emerging technologies, and evolving student needs are reshaping the way we guide, support, and empower learners. The summit invites participants to step into a new era of innovation—one defined by bold ideas, intentional design, and transformative practices.
Whether you work in student-athlete support, learning assistance, academic advising, student success initiatives, or any area dedicated to helping students thrive, this summit offers rich opportunities to:
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Learn from leading experts on forward-thinking strategies that improve academic performance, wellbeing, and engagement.
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Examine real-world case studies showcasing successful programs, interventions, and data-driven approaches.
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Engage in meaningful dialogue that challenges traditional perspectives and sparks fresh thinking.
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Connect with colleagues nationwide, expanding your network and opening doors for collaboration, research, and shared learning.
We are now accepting session proposals that spotlight innovative models, impactful research, and student-centered practices that reflect the rapidly evolving landscape of higher education. Presenters are encouraged to share work that inspires, equips, and elevates the collective mission of student support.
Don’t miss your chance to be part of a dynamic professional development experience that pushes the boundaries of what student success can look like.
Together, let’s reimagine the journey and chart a new path forward for student success.
Registration is Now Open/Space is Limited
Register HERE
Student Support Summit Schedule (All Times in CST)
The 2026 Student Support Summit brings together thought leaders and practitioners for a day of meaningful dialogue, reflection, and application. This schedule has been intentionally designed to balance high-level perspective with practical strategies, creating space for both learning and connection. We invite you to engage fully and select sessions that best support your work and impact.
Opening Session & Featured Speaker - 9:00 AM – 10:20 AM
Kick off the 2026 Student Support Summit with opening remarks from Summit leadership, followed by a featured presentation from WyKeshia Atkins, Chief Partnership Officer at College Bound & President-Elect of the College Reading and Learning Association. As our opening speaker, WyKeshia will help frame the day’s themes, offering insight into the evolving role of student support professionals and setting the tone for meaningful engagement throughout the Summit.
Concurrent Session 1 – 10:30 AM - 11:20 AM
Attendance to Action: Designing Student Support That Transfers
Peaches Brown - Assistant Athletic Director, Student-Athlete Development, Drexel University Athletics
Many student support programs generate strong attendance and positive feedback, yet fail to produce sustained behavior change. This interactive workshop helps participants shift from measuring participation to designing for transfer. Using a practical framework focused on clarity, ownership, and application, attendees will examine how existing support experiences influence student follow-through. Participants will audit a real advising, programming, or support interaction and redesign one element to move students from attendance to action without adding programs, staff, or additional resources.
Demystifying the Quarter System
Kelli N. Hinton - Associate Athletic Director, Student-Athlete Academic Services, University of South Florida
Abby Crowell - Assistant Athletic Director & Assistant Director of Academic Counseling, Academics for Student-Athletes, Oregon State University
Quarter-based academic calendars present unique opportunities and challenges for student success, particularly in advising, credit transfer, and academic planning. This session explores the structure of quarter school academics, the impact of accelerated timelines on student learning, and the complexities of transferring credits between quarter and semester systems. Participants will gain insight into common student challenges and learn practical strategies for supporting students through effective advising, clear credit transfer education, and intentional alignment of support services in fast-paced academic environments.
Accessibility for All: Applications of Universal Design for Learning
Ciara Quinn - Head Undergraduate Peer Communication Coach, Communication Across the Curriculum, Louisiana State University
Although one in four Americans experience some form of disability, there is an overwhelming lack of consideration put forth in designing accessible spaces. Accessibility is often considered only as an afterthought, leading to inconsistencies in the design of everyday spaces, particularly in education. In an effort to provide equal opportunity to all students, it is imperative that we recognize the varied needs of those with disabilities, and work together to achieve flexible solutions. Using the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) educational framework, this presentation will discuss alternative ways to make learning spaces comfortable and accessible for all.
Integrating Care into Student Success to Foster Well-Being and Academic Persistence
Quinneka McDonald - Associate Director Residential Experience, Residential Life, Louisiana State University
Cassie Miller - Residential Life Case Manager, Residential Life, Louisiana State University
Student well-being is foundational to academic success yet often operationalized as a series of reactive interventions rather than holistic support. This session examines how care as a practice — not just a concept — can be intentionally embedded into institutional strategies to improve retention, engagement, and student resilience. During this session, we will share practical models, measurable outcomes, and applied practices that operationalize care through advising, referral systems, crisis response, and community building. Participants will walk away with tools to assess current care practices, strengthen cross-departmental collaboration, and implement scalable strategies that reinforce student well-being across the academic lifecycle.
Concurrent Session 2 – 11:30 AM – 12:20 AM
Integrated Academic Coaching: How a Connection to Accessibility Resources Benefits Overall Student Success
Majestik De Luz - Access Consultant & Academic Success Coaching Coordinator, Accessibility Resources, Linn-Benton Community College
Come learn about how commonly used terms like “student-centered” and “strength-based” embody more intentional and practical applications when Academic Success Coaching is closely connected to Accessibility Resources. This session examines how integrated coaching creates pathways for students with disabilities to receive individually-tailored coaching, while ensuring all students can access support that aligns with their unique strengths and preferences. We also explore how cross-campus partnerships promote equitable, consistent services, even amid budget challenges. Hear insights from students, staff, and faculty and explore holistic coaching strategies that support students not only in their academic goals, but in their growth as whole people.
Major and Course Selection of Black Student Athletes
Megan Goforth - Football Academic Coordinator, Athletic Academic Services, Duke University Athletics
This presentation explores how institutional structures shape major selection for Black male student-athletes at Division I institutions. Drawing on qualitative research, it examines advising practices, scheduling barriers, and eligibility pressures that limit academic autonomy and offers practical strategies to expand academic access, equity, and student-centered decision-making.
IPv4 Addressing & Subnetting: A Visual, Step-by-Step Teaching Approach
Shams Abdulhameed - Academic Tutor & Teaching Assistant (Networking and Information Systems), Tutoring and Academic Success Center, Monterey Peninsula College
IPv4 addressing and subnetting are foundational networking topics that many students find difficult to understand. This session presents a student-centered, technology-enhanced approach developed through tutoring and academic support practice at the Tutoring and Academic Success Center (TASC) at MPC. Using visual explanations, real-life analogies, and structured digital slides, the presentation demonstrates how to clarify subnet masks, CIDR notation, and address ranges. Participants will gain practical strategies to improve student comprehension, confidence, and success in networking and other technical courses.
Midday Featured Speaker - 12:30 PM – 1:20 PM
Join us for a featured midday session with Ron Moses, Deputy Athletics Director for Student-Athlete Advancement, Revenue Growth, and Competitive Strategy at Old Dominion University and Past President of N4A. This session will provide a strategic perspective on the future of student-athlete support, offering insight to deepen reflection
and re-engage attendees for the afternoon sessions.
Dr. Ron Moses is the Deputy Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Advancement, Revenue Growth, and Competitive Strategy at Old Dominion University. Since joining ODU in 2019, he has provided leadership across student-athlete development, NIL and revenue-share programming, academic services, alumni engagement, and competitive strategy, with a focus on aligning student success, competitive excellence, and sustainable financial growth.
He leads key initiatives in external engagement and fiscal innovation, including corporate partnerships, donor relations, and community collaborations, and has been instrumental in building ODU’s comprehensive NIL and revenue-share infrastructure in partnership with campus and external stakeholders.
Nationally, Dr. Moses serves as Vice Chair of the NCAA Committee on Academics and Eligibility and is a former President of the National Association of Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals (N4A), where he has championed academic reform and student-athlete well-being.
A proud U.S. Army and Army National Guard veteran, Dr. Moses brings a mission-driven leadership style rooted in service, accountability, and innovation. He holds degrees from the University of Georgia, Western Kentucky University, Louisiana State University, and Kansas State University.
Concurrent Session 3 – 1:30 PM – 2:20 PM
Leading from Every Seat: The Art of Managing Student-Athlete Development in Today’s Athletic Landscape
Shaquana "Shaq" Miller - Assistant Athletics Director of Student-Athlete Support, Anderson University Athletics
This session explores how student-athlete development and life skills professionals can lead effectively from any role within an athletic department. Participants will examine the balance between leadership and management, learn how to build influence without positional authority, and gain practical strategies for collaborating across departments to better support student-athlete success. Through real-world insights and actionable takeaways, attendees will leave empowered to maximize their impact, strengthen campus partnerships, and intentionally lead from every seat they occupy.
Connection Checks: Making the Most of the Questions You Ask
Grace Jackson - Graduate Teaching Assistant, English Department, Louisiana State University
You know about the importance of comprehension and retention checks—but could you go deeper when asking your students questions? In this presentation, you will discover “connection checks”—questions that not only probe students’ comprehension and retention, but also prompt them to trace connections across course material and make that material their own.
Concurrent Session 4 – 2:30 PM – 3:20 PM
More Than Study Hall: Reimagining the Academic Center as the Student-Athlete's "Third Space"
Miranda Hayes - Athletic Academic Advisor, Student Athlete Academic Services, UL Lafayette
While most academic support centers were built for surveillance, the modern student-athlete requires an environment that fosters psychological safety and belonging as well as meets their academic needs. This session explores Ray Oldenburg’s sociological concept of the “third space,” and discusses how small acts of intentionality can mitigate academic anxiety and improve outcomes. Participants will discuss ways to transform their existing facility into high-energy hubs that bridge the gap between the locker room and the classroom.
Leading from Experience: How Student Support Backgrounds Shape Effective Athletic Department Leadership (A Fireside Chat)
Trayvean Scott, Ph.D. - Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics, Grambling State University
Ventric Fletcher - Assistant Director of Academic Affairs, Cox Communications Academic Center for Student-Athletes, Louisiana State University
Athletic departments are increasingly tasked with balancing competitive success with educational outcomes, mental health priorities, and evolving NIL and career readiness demands. Athletic Directors who have served in student support roles possess a comprehensive understanding of the daily challenges student-athletes face while navigating academic, athletic, and personal responsibilities. This session will highlight how that perspective shapes leadership philosophy, promotes holistic student-athlete development, and drives operational effectiveness.
Drawing from direct experience in student-athlete academic services and development, this presentation will illustrate how a student-centered leadership lens influences departmental priorities. Leaders with this background often approach administrative decisions with a deeper awareness of the interconnected systems supporting student-athletes, allowing for more strategic and mission-aligned decision-making. This perspective elevates student support services from auxiliary functions to essential drivers of departmental success.
Connecting Campus Communities: Innovative Approaches to Faculty Engagement for Student‑Athlete Success
Sean Hendricks, Ed.D. - Sr. Associate Director of Athletics, Compliance & Student-Athlete Development, Brown University Athletics and Recreation
Jennifer Miller-McEachern - Associate Director of Athletics, Student-Athlete Development, Brown University Athletics and Recreation
This session explores a comprehensive faculty engagement strategy designed to strengthen collaboration between academic and athletic communities. Presenters will highlight three key initiatives including a faculty liaison program, a faculty‑coach collaboration group, and a faculty and staff engagement strategy that offers campus partners a behind‑the‑scenes look at the student‑athlete experience. The session will demonstrate how these efforts create meaningful connections and enhance support for student‑athletes. Participants will gain practical insights and lessons learned to inform similar initiatives on their own campuses.
Concurrent Session 5 –3:30 PM – 4:20 PM
Who Supports the Support Staff?
Malea Jackson – Graduate Assistant, Cox Communication Academic Center for Student-Athletes, Louisiana State University
Jonathan (JD) Koch - Graduate Assistant, Cox Communication Academic Center for Student-Athletes, Louisiana State University
This session is an interactive, panel discussion focused on the mental health, well-being, and professional sustainability of academic support staff working in college athletics. As academic support professionals increasingly navigate high caseloads, emotional labor, role strain, and expectations to respond to student-athlete mental health concerns, this session centers on effective practices, emerging resources, and innovative models that support the helpers themselves.
Supporting Student-Athletes with Invisible Disabilities in High-Performance Academic Environments
Silent Marie McCarthy, M.Ed., Ed.S. - Visual Impairment Specialist & Access Case Manager, Disability Services, Louisiana State University
Student-athletes with invisible disabilities navigate intense academic and performance demands that traditional support models often fail to address. This interactive workshop engages participants in examining real-world scenarios, identifying system breakdowns, and practicing strategies that support both access and performance. Through guided discussion and applied activities, participants will explore how to reframe accommodations as performance supports, improve collaboration across campus units, and implement proactive approaches that reduce crisis-based intervention.
Reclaiming the Analog: Making Room for New/Old Habits in an Age of Distraction
Kathleen Crosby - Learning Specialist, Academic Support Program for Student-Athletes, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
We, and our students, live in a world of perpetual information, access, and distraction. What does this mean for our students as they navigate learning in a space that is replete with nonstop connection? How can we deliver tutor training sessions that encourage our tutors to think through the use of the analog and the use of the technological to support students? This presentation looks at ways we can reclaim the analog, and support the digital, in our work with students and tutors so as to best support student learning in an age of distraction.
