October 2024 CCACSA Student-Athletes of the Month – LSU

BATON ROUGE – The LSU Cox Communications Center for Academic Student-Athletes (CCACSA) recognizes student-athletes each month for their academic and community achievements. Student-athletes are selected based on their commitment to academic success as well as their dedication to volunteerism and service to the community.

Here is the list of CCACSA Student-Athletes of the Month for October 2024:

Jade Demps

Senior, Animal Science – Science and Technology Concentration, Volleyball

Reason for Nomination: I nominate Jade for her dedication to her studies and service to the community. Jade was enrolled in a 10-hour course during the summer term. During this time, she fulfilled her academic responsibilities, competed in Europe for 2 weeks, supervised training, and volunteered with the Baton Rouge Pet Alliance. Jade embraces challenges, pursues her passion for helping animals, and makes a positive contribution to our team. Jade’s total commitment and dedication to her studies and community service serves as a wonderful example for all LSU Tigers.

Candidate: Ashley Granger, Senior Deputy Director of Internal Affairs

“Jade is an absolutely phenomenal volunteer and has spent countless hours with us here at the shelter. She participated in our internship in partnership with LSU, and during this time Jade completed over 90 hours of volunteer work in July alone. In fact, she was also our volunteer with the most hours this month! She oversaw the surgeries and was a huge help in treating our many animals. Jade truly is an amazing volunteer and we look forward to seeing her again!” – Haley Loyd, Volunteer Manager, Pet Alliance of Baton Rouge

Thomas Dowling

Senior, Chemistry, Men’s Swimming and Diving

Reason for nomination: Thomas, a transfer student-athlete last school year, excelled both academically and in the pool, making a smooth transition to LSU. He is conscientious, communicates effectively with faculty and staff, and demonstrates strong teamwork skills. His ability to achieve academic success during the intensive five-week summer 2024 session was particularly impressive. We look forward to his continued success in his second year at LSU!

Candidate: Jason Shaw, Director of Academic Affairs

Jardin Gilbert

Senior, Interdisciplinary Studies, Football

Reason for Nomination: Since transferring to LSU, Jardin has been able to smoothly transition and adjust to the academic load at LSU while juggling his athletic responsibilities. Jardin consistently demonstrates independence and responsibility in all aspects of his studies. Jardine is excellent at communication and always ensures assignments are completed on time. This summer, Jardin was able to successfully manage a 12-hour course load by taking the initiative to come to the Academic Center extra and stay after class if he needed help. Jardine has always done an excellent job of advocating for himself when it comes to his studies and the support he needs.

Nominated: Football Academic Team

Lilian Tichenor

Junior, Chemical Engineering, Women’s Swimming and Diving

Reason for nomination: Lillian had an exceptional 2023-2024 school year, demonstrating remarkable dedication and balance between academics and athletics. She has maintained an impressive GPA in Chemical Engineering (over 4.00), which is a testament to her hard work and talent. Faculty and staff praised her strong work ethic, positive attitude and leadership skills. We are excited to see her continued growth and success in her third year at LSU!

Candidate: Jason Shaw, Director of Academic Affairs

Craig Walton

Sophomore, Interdisciplinary Studies, Football

Reason for nomination: Craig is a pleasure to work with! He constantly brings a positive attitude and enthusiasm that brightens the environment. Craig has done a great job of utilizing the resources provided by the Academic Center and never hesitates to ask for help if he needs it. Additionally, Craig advocates for himself and demonstrates exemplary communication skills. Craig inspires his teammates by being a proactive leader and consistently doing the right thing.

Nominated: Football Academic Team

Zavion Thomas

Sophomore, Interdisciplinary Studies, Football

Reason for nomination: Zavion not only has a good academic record, but was also a brilliant student and now has all A’s in all subjects. He is never late for study hall and never misses classes. When he first arrived as a transfer, he was a little difficult to communicate with, but over time he opened up and accepted all the help and advice that was offered to him. He communicates with the people around him and pushes his teammates to be their best. He puts as much effort into the counseling staff and his grades as he does on the field. For him, his performance in the classroom and in the game are the same thing, so he tries his best in both. He always has a smile on his face and is always very positive.

Nominated: Football Academic Team

Accountability – Commitment – ​​Success – Integrity – Diversity – Teamwork – Service – Education

It is through living the 2017-2022 Total Team Commitment values ​​of education, academic excellence and service to the community that six student-athletes were recognized as the Cox Communications Academic Center Student-Athletes of the Month. These values ​​are fundamental to the growth and development of our student-athletes as they come to learn and then leave to serve.

The Cox Communications Academic Center for Student-Athletes is a 54,000-square-foot facility consisting of academic, student affairs and information technology teams that serve more than 500 student-athletes annually. CCACSA’s goal is to provide a comprehensive, student-centered support structure for all student-athletes from college through graduation and life beyond.