Alanna Landreth began her career at Clemson in 2004 as box office manager with the Brooks Center for the Performing Arts. Over the course of the next few years, she also earned her first introduction to working closely with and appreciating the experiences of Clemson students.
Landreth taught three semesters of music appreciation at Clemson. But admittedly, she didn’t realize at the time just how beneficial the experience would prove to be further into her career.
“Teaching at Clemson has given me a lot of insight into what professors need from their students when I am working with students going through academic concerns,” said Landreth, who has transitioned between departments within the Division of Student Affairs.
Landreth has been named assistant director for the Office of Advocacy and Success. Her role will include managing CARE reports, developing outreach and education for the department and helping coordinate the dean on-call system. In short, she will be part of a team who serves as a conduit to campus resources for students.
She began managing CARE reports in the Fall term, estimating anywhere from 10-20 student contacts each week. She knows her workload will increase, but she’s excited about the opportunity to work closely in support of students.
“I was asked to help out with file management in the CARE network in October and really enjoyed it,” she said. “Now, I’m in a full-time role and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Prior to this new role, Landreth spent about 12 years as a member of the Campus Reservations & Events team, through several departmental iterations. She worked as box office manager at Littlejohn Coliseum when her department was in charge of coordinating events inside the facility.
In Summer 2009, the office moved to Hendrix Student Center and she assumed the role of assistant director for client services. She managed the reservations and ticketing desk in Hendrix through Fall 2013. She developed policies and compiled website content, skills that will be utilized in her new role. From 2014-20, she served as assistant director for event services, helping coordinate anywhere from 50 to 80 large-scale events and planning workshops each semester.
“One of my favorite things in my previous job was when student employees would come to me and ask, ‘Can I come talk to you about some of the things going on in my life?’” she said. “Whether they needed advice or assistance, I loved that aspect the most out of my work. To now be able to do it all day, every day and work with students and see them be successful — many times before I move on to another student’s case — is really rewarding.”
Landreth joins an office managed by Senior Associate Dean of Students Kimberly Poole. The group has telecommuted most of the semester due to the ongoing impact of COVID-19, but rotates each weekday so that a professional staff member is present within Hendrix Student Center as needed.
Kathy Cauthen — who has been with the Office of Advocacy and Success since its inception — continues to lead the team’s CARE response as an assistant director. She also oversees the department’s training and will be able to help Landreth in her transition. Poole is thrilled to have a fully integrated team, especially as the idea of student advocacy and support takes on more and more importance within higher education.
“Alanna definitely has a passion for this type of work,” Poole said. “Over the past few months, she has demonstrated the ability to excel in this role. She is a good fit for the position because of her unique skill set and experience level. We look forward to her continuing to impact our students in a positive way.”