Leah Frierson

Dr. Frierson has worked for over 20 years in higher education and has extensive experience in academic advising and student support. She is currently employed at the University of Cincinnati where she serves as the Director of University Advising Leadership and provides central coordination and support for University academic advising and supports student success and retention efforts at the university. Prior to her arrival at the University of Cincinnati, she served as the Associate Dean of Academic Advising and Director of Student Academic Affairs, where she directed four central functional areas of Student Academic Services within the College of Arts and Sciences (four-year advising and the first-year experience; student progress and academic success; academic policies and administration; and post-graduate and pre-professional planning). She was also responsible for setting, coordinating, and monitoring the priorities for diversity, equity, and inclusion across these functional areas, training & development and served as an expert guide in the College’s efforts to support students from diverse backgrounds. In addition to serving on the leadership team, Dr. Frierson also engaged in communication and coordination of intiatives with campus partners across the university.

At Duke University, she served as the Assistant Director of Academic and Scholar Programs for the Robertson Scholars Leadership Program, a cross-campus initiative between Duke and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to working with the Robertson Scholars Program, she held the position of Director of Academic Advising at the University of Richmond and has also served as Assistant Dean of Advising and Assistant Director of the McNair Scholars Program at UNC. In these positions, Dr. Frierson has gained valuable experience in academic and career advising, student development, training & development, and data and assessment. Further, she has worked to implement the principles and practices of diversity, equity, and inclusion in systems, processes, and policies related to student success. Dr. Frierson is also actively involved in the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA), where she is graduate of the Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) and also currently serving on the ELP and Administrators Institute Advisory Boards, as well as the Inclusion and Engagement Committee.

Prior to her career in academic affairs, Dr. Frierson coached college women’s basketball for almost 10 years. A first-generation college student from Belleville, IL, she received her associate’s degree from Southwestern Illinois College, her B.S. from Austin Peay State University, her M.A. from the University of North Carolina Pembroke, and her Ed.D. from the University of North Carolina Wilmington.