Austin Peay Student Affairs reports new internship grant, dining growth and basic‑needs gains

Dr. Leonard Clemons, Austin Peay State University’s vice president for student affairs, presented the division’s annual impact report to the Board of Trustees Student Affairs Committee on June 1, outlining new grants, program expansions and student‑support outcomes from the 2024–25 academic year.

The report said the Career Success Center received a $50,000 grant in partnership with Workforce Essentials and Workforce Development of Montgomery County to launch a 10‑week paid summer internship program with local employers. Clemons said the program is intended to boost career development and create pathways to employment for students. "So we're really excited about that," Clemons told trustees.

Clemons reported a new dining venue in Catherine Evans Harwell Hall opened in fall 2024 in partnership with Sodexo, contributing to an average of just under 15,000 meal swipes per month across campus venues and meal‑plan participation that rose by just over 8% from the previous year. "The new food hall has been well received by faculty, staff, [and] students alike," he said.

The report highlighted the Governors' Success Institute, a weeklong early‑arrival program for first‑year residential students identified as needing additional academic support. Clemons said the institute’s cohort showed a 98% fall‑to‑spring retention rate and a 45% increase in students reporting they felt strongly prepared for their first year at Austin Peay.

Academic support and early‑childhood education also expanded: the Middle Gulf Shaw Learning Center added two classrooms to increase enrollment capacity, and the university opened summer enrollment for the Little Govs program for the first time.

Clemons described student basic‑needs work by the student affairs team, including outreach that resulted in more than 70 students being approved for SNAP benefits in Tennessee. He said some students who engaged with the outreach also discovered eligibility for Medicare‑related programs. "We are excited about meeting the basic needs of students because we know until those needs are met, it is much more difficult for them to focus and be successful in the classroom," Clemons said.

The report also listed longstanding campus efforts and usage figures: Helping Elf marked about 30 years of providing holiday gifts to eligible students' children and has assisted more than 1,400 children over time; The Allstate student newspaper celebrated 95 years. Clemons said the division hosted almost 1,000 programs and events over the year, noted a 9% increase in fraternity and sorority membership, recorded about 4,600 visits to the campus food pantry (an 86% increase over the prior year), more than 3,000 counseling visits (a 37% increase), and about 95,000 visits to the university recreation center.

Clemons closed by noting philanthropic and staffing efforts tied to the division’s work, including the university’s newly launched advisory council and the hiring of Victor Phelps as inaugural director of philanthropy. He thanked the student affairs staff and marketing partners for producing the published impact report and said the report will be shared with trustees for review.

This item was presented for information and required no committee action.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of April 11, 2025 student affairs committee minutes: Motion moved by the meeting chair; seconded by Trustee Semler. Approved by voice vote; tally not specified in the record.

- Motion to adjourn: Motion moved by the meeting chair; seconded by Trustee May. Approved by voice vote; tally not specified in the record.