Virginia Adds Three Coordinators To Academic Affairs Staff

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Aug. 29, 2006

CHARLOTTESVILLE – University of Virginia Executive Associate Director of Athletics Jon Oliver announced on Tuesday (August 29) the addition of three academic coordinators to the athletics department’s academic affairs staff. Joining Virginia’s academic affairs’ staff are Bo Greenwood, Kelly Jordan and Robert Smith. In their new positions, they will be responsible for providing counseling and support to student-athletes in the areas of degree requirements, career planning, University resources and academic performance.

“The addition of Bo, Kelly and Robert strengthens our academic affairs area,” Oliver said. “I believe our student-athletes will benefit from the diverse experiences they bring to the academic affairs staff. The academic goals for our student-athletes are integral to the success of the department and these individuals will assist us in our efforts to reach the department’s ten year goals.”

Greenwood earned his bachelor’s degree in sports medicine from UVa in May of 2005 and his master’s degree in student affairs practice in higher education in July of this year. He served as an intern in the office of Jane Miller, Virginia’s senior associate director of athletics for programs, in 2005-06 and completed an undergraduate practicum in the same office in 2004-05.

Greenwood was a four-year letterman with the UVa men’s swimming and diving team. He was a team captain in 2004-05, won five individual Atlantic Coast Conference titles, earned NCAA All-America honors three times in the 400 individual medley and was a USA Olympic Team Trials competitor in 2000 and 2004. He was also a Student-Athlete Mentor (SAM) and a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Greenwood was a member of the ACC Honor Roll each of his four undergraduate years and he earned numerous awards, including the Jim and Pat Thacker Scholarship in 2005. He was the inaugural recipient of the scholarship, presented to an ACC student-athlete who demonstrates outstanding performance both in athletic competition and in the classroom.

“I could not be more pleased about joining Virginia’s athletics department as an academic coordinator,” Greenwood said. “I am excited to have the opportunity to continue to be associated with intercollegiate athletics at Virginia, and be involved with the academic and athletic experiences of the finest student-athletes in the country.”

Jordan comes to Virginia after serving as an intern in the office for diversity and inclusion at the National Collegiate Athletic Association for the last year. She was a teacher’s assistant in the College of Natural Resources at North Carolina State University in 2003-04.

Jordan earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in parks, recreation and tourism management from North Carolina State University. She earned her bachelor’s degree in 2003 and her master’s degree in 2005. Jordan was a member of the North Carolina State women’s varsity soccer team for four years. She also served as an academic assistant in the Academic Support Program for Student-Athletes (ASPSA) in 2003, a peer teacher in the athletics department (2003), an intern in ASPSA (2002), a symposium counselor in the multicultural student affairs office (2001) and a diversity ambassador in the College of Natural Resources (2002-03). She earned numerous awards and was a member of the Golden Chain Honor Society and the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.

“I am very excited to be a part of the UVa athletics department’s academic affairs staff,” Jordan said. “The commitment to “uncompromised excellence” is truly genuine and each person is focused on improving the experience of the student-athletes.”

Smith comes to Virginia after serving as an academic advisor in the athletics department at the University of Texas at San Antonio since October of 2004. Prior to that he was an academic advisor in the athletics department at Georgia Tech (2003-2004), a graduate assistant in the athletics department at Georgia (2002-2003), and an academic tutor and mentor at Georgia (2000-2003). Smith also served as a graduate teaching assistant in the history department at Georgia (1996-2002) and as an instructor in history at Georgia (January of 2002 to December of 2002). He was a voluntary intern in the Georgia athletics department during the summer of 2001.

Smith graduated from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1996 and earned a master’s degree in United States history from Georgia in 1998. He is currently working on his doctorate in United States history. He received recognition for his teaching assistant work at the University of Georgia.

“I am delighted to be joining the academic affairs office in the athletics department at the University of Virginia,” Smith said. “Virginia has an outstanding academic reputation and a storied tradition in athletics. The athletics department staff at Virginia is first class with a sense of mission and purpose. This is a great opportunity for me. My wife, Carolanne, and I look forward to living and working in Charlottesville, and to meeting new friends and colleagues.”

Greenwood and Jordan are already working in their new positions, while Smith is scheduled to join the academic affairs office staff later this fall.