Lauren Hillman - Director, Career Readiness & Academic Advising - Staff Directory

Staff Directory

Lauren Hillman

Title:
Director, Career Readiness & Academic Advising
Email:

Lauren Hillman moved into a role within Memphis' academic services department in March 2026, currently serving as the Director of Career Readiness & Academic Advising.

Hillman previously worked on the Memphis Football staff in 2021-25 as Director of Player Relations, where she oversaw all personal and professional development for football student-athletes, as well as all community outreach involvement. She also acted as the football liaison with Student Affairs, Financial Aid, Residence Life and the Counseling Center. She assisted the Director of Recruiting with the newcomer admissions process and prospective-player parent communication and is the secondary liaison for current player parents.

Prior to joining the football staff, she served as academic counselor for football (2013-19) and Assistant Director, Center for Athletic Academic Services (CAAS) from 2019 to 2021. In that role, Hillman evaluated all domestic freshman football potential student-athlete transcripts for initial eligibility and served as liaison with the NCAA Eligibility Center, Director of Recruiting Operations and University Admissions. She met with prospective student-athletes during official and unofficial visits and coordinated professor involvement, and she consistently tracked and monitored initial and continuing eligibility and academic progress of football student-athletes.

Hillman also coordinated and taught ACAD 1100 (Learning Strategies) during the summer bridge session to freshman football student-athletes, which covers effective learning strategies, study skills, time management and the transition to college.

Prior to Memphis, Hillman was an academic counselor and the Life Skills Coordinator at the University of Southern Mississippi. During her tenure, she advised several sports, including men's and women's basketball, soccer, softball, men's and women's golf and volleyball. From 2008 until 2012, as part of Student-Athlete Development, Hillman oversaw events such as the First Annual SAAC Date Auction and the Mardi Gras Ball, mentoring and literacy awareness at local elementary schools, the annual department-wide canned food drive, Operation Christmas Child shoe box project and hosting special needs students for athletic facility tours and activities.

Hillman earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees in sport administration from Southern Miss. She is originally from Brandon, Miss., and enjoys traveling, shopping, DIY'ing, watching sports and spending time with her nieces and nephews and fur baby, Candy.