Parker named as the new Assistant AD for Academics

Story from JSU Athletics:
JuWan Parker joins Jackson State Athletics in the fall of 2023 as the Assistant Athletic Director for Academics.

Parker’s primary responsibility is providing leadership and oversight of academic success for all JSU athletics teams, including oversight of the Jackson State Tiger Center. His focus is to collaborate closely with university partners to ensure alignment between the athletics department and campus practices that put JSU student-athletes on a path to graduation and career success. He also advises and coordinates academic services for the women’s basketball and baseball teams directly.

Parker comes to JSU after two years at Texas Southern University serving as the football athletic advisor. During this time at Texas Southern, he was instrumental in producing over 20 SWAC Commissioner’s Honor Roll athletes annually as well as assisted the academics department in winning the SWAC Academic Success Award during the 2021-2022 year for posting the highest collective ranking in the categories of highest four-year Academic Progress Rate (APR) average, highest single year APR average, and highest Graduate Success Rate (GSR).

Prior to his tenure at Texas Southern, Parker spent 4 years within athletics at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff where he served in growing capacities ranging from graduate assistant, and academic advisor, to Assistant Director Of Student-Athlete Academic Services, where he oversaw all academic and academic-related tasks for baseball, softball, volleyball, and men and women’s track teams respectively along with developing student-athlete programs and oversight of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). During his time as the Assistant Director of Student-Athlete Academics, Parker helped the department achieve its highest cumulative GPA in school history, where all of his teams posted a 3.0 or higher GPA.

A graduate of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Parker obtained his undergraduate degree in Physical Education with an emphasis in Leisure and Recreation and obtained his Master of Education in Physical Education. During his undergraduate tenure, Parker was a highly decorated All-SWAC Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field athlete who took pride in graduating with high honors and medaling in several individual events to accompany his host of relay medals. He is currently pursuing a Doctoral Degree in Educational Administration (Higher education)

The Lake Village, Arkansas native is a member of N4A (National Association of Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals) and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Parker is committed to providing student-athletes with a holistic experience that extends not only into the classroom but into the field of life as successful individuals.