Jada Russell

Jada Russell

Executive Director of Academic Advising and Enrollment Management Assistant Professor of Practice

Biography

Jada earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a Concentration in Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology and a Master of Public Health with a Concentration in Community Health Education from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Her passion for working in higher education was first ignited during her time as an Academic Coach at the Student Success Center. During her tenure while working in this position, she realized working in higher education was her calling. This discovery lead her to further her education to complete her doctoral degree in Higher Education Administration program.

Jada previously served as the VolsTeach Academic Coach and Recruiter, VolsTeach Assistant Director and Assistant Director for Recruitment and Retention for the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences. She is an active member of the Graduate Nursing Admissions Professionals (GNAP), Global Community for Academic Advising, also known as the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA), Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives at the University of Tennessee and Knoxville community.

Jada focuses her research on access to higher education for marginalized populations such as first generation and underrepresented minorities, retention first time freshman and persistence to graduation. Her favorite quote is “Live, Laugh, Love.”