Director of graduate training & mentoring joins Grad School staff

Jodi Cox has joined the staff of the Graduate School as the director of graduate training and mentoring.  In this role, Cox will direct and manage programs and services for GRAD 360°, the Graduate School’s comprehensive professional development program for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. Cox will be responsible for developing new weekly training opportunities for graduate students and postdocs and creating a portfolio of mentoring programs focusing on the needs of international students and students from historically underrepresented identities in graduate education.

Cox has worked extensively within higher education, specifically student affairs, serving her alma mater, St. Johns University (Queens, NY), for twenty years.  Within her last role as Senior Director of Campus and Cross-Cultural Engagement, her responsibilities included strategic planning, supervision and daily management of the areas campus activities, multicultural and international student success initiatives, Greek life, and leadership development. Cox has also served on numerous university committees such as the Presidents Multicultural Advisory Committee, member of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee convened by the Chief Diversity Officer, and Chair of the Community, Inclusion and Diversity Committee within the Department of Student Affairs.

According to Dr. Tia Dumas, assistant dean of the Graduate School, “we met Jodi as part of a national search for this position, and we were thrilled with the way her energy and experience will help GRAD 360° break new ground at Clemson. Her skillset is going to be very valuable in our continuing efforts to create and maintain an inclusive professional development environment for our graduate students and postdocs.”

Cox says her work is more than just a job: “the opportunity to help shape the minds and behaviors of students while assisting them in developing their skills towards their personal and professional goals is my passion.  The opportunity to impact the lives of students brings me immense joy and fulfillment.”