UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State announced the hiring of Ericka Lavender as the director of the Morgan Academic Center today (Dec. 4). Lavender comes to Happy Valley after spending three and half years at Louisiana State University in the Academic Center for Student-Athletes. She will assume her role on Dec. 11.
“We are excited to have Ericka lead our Morgan Academic Center staff. She has a long history of working with student-athletes as they achieve success in the classroom,” said Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Patrick Kraft. “She understands the academic demands at a prestigious institution like Penn State and will work to provide the resources needed to help our student-athletes continue to perform at the highest level in their studies.”
“Ericka’s rich background in higher education and working with student athletes makes her a great fit to lead the Morgan Academic Center,” said Interim Vice Provost and Dean for Undergraduate Education Jeff Adams. “I am confident that under her leadership the Center will continue its tradition of providing outstanding support to student athletes, while also continuing to grow and innovate in how it prepares Penn State student athletes for success.”
In her role, Lavender is responsible for leading the Morgan Academic Center staff and ensuring staff provides comprehensive learning services to student-athletes in support of the academic and athletics missions at Penn State. She will oversee all academic reporting, such as NCAA Academic Progress Report and Graduation Success Rate. She will also serve as a resource member on the University Faculty Senate committee on intercollegiate athletics.
“I am deeply honored and grateful to have been selected to join the Penn State University community,” said Lavender. “This represents a professional milestone and a commitment to contributing my passion for student-athletes to a school committed to excellence. I am excited and eager to collaborate with the outstanding staff with the collective and collaborative goal of student-athlete success.”
During her tenure at LSU, Lavender served as the associate director for academic affairs where she was the academic adviser for men’s basketball, women’s volleyball and beach volleyball. She was also part of the University’s Academic Center for Student-Athletes’ (ACSA) executive leadership team, as well as the chair of the ACSA’s academic standards policy committee. Lavender also worked at LSU from 2009-15 as the assistant director of academic affairs (2009-13) and associate director (2013-15).
Prior to her second stint at LSU, Lavender spent five years at the University of Toledo as the associate athletics director for academic services. She was responsible for the daily operations in coordinating academic support to approximately 450 student-athletes. While at Toledo, the Student-Athlete Support Center won the Mid-American Conference Institutional Academic Achievement Award in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019, which achieves the highest overall institutional GPA for student-athletes competing for institutionally sponsored sports for the academic year.
The Steubenville, Ohio, native earned her bachelor’s degree in recreation administration from Ashland University in 2000, her master’s in sports administration from Xavier University in 2003 and is scheduled to earn her Doctorate in Higher Education from Toledo in May 2024.
Lavender is an active member of the National Association for Athletic Advisors, Minority Opportunities Athletic Association and Women Leaders in College Sports. She is also involved in the Women Leaders Institute for Administrative Advancement development program.