Meet the Team
MEET COACH EMILY MCCLAINE
Associate Director for Academic Success Design
Emily McClaine is a proud first-generation college graduate. She holds a Master of Education in Higher Education Administration and Student Personnel with certificates in College Teaching and Career and Academic Advising from Kent State University. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education degree in Administration and Leadership Studies at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Prior to her graduate studies, Emily earned her Bachelor of Arts in English with minors in Public Relations and Digital Media Arts at Duquesne University where she graduated Summa Cum Laude. In her former professional roles, Emily has worked with TRIO Student Support Services, McNair Scholars Program, and Academic Diversity Outreach departments within University College at Kent State University, as well as the Choose Ohio First Scholarship Program at the University of Akron. As an alumna of a TRIO Upward Bound program, Emily knows firsthand the benefit and empowerment that support and achievement programs provide. Emily’s passion in higher education is to create environments that encourage students’ intrinsic motivation, invite students to explore their sense of self, and empower students to embrace challenge and persevere as they strive toward their personal and professional goals. Her interests focus on educational equity and ensuring that students from all backgrounds have the support and opportunity to succeed. Emily resides in Austintown, Ohio with her husband, daughter, and two cats. She loves strategic board games, Star Trek, and spending her summers gardening, kayaking, and hiking.
MEET COACH JULIE FERRINGER
Assistant Director for Academic Success
Julie has been a part of the SRU family since 2005. Prior to serving in her current role, she spent 13 years serving as an Environmental Educator at the McKeever Center. While there, she fostered many relationships and was a support to students of all ages. The connections made there stem from her passion to empower others to always strive for success and be committed to lifelong learning. She hopes to continue to instill these important characteristics within her role as an Academic Life Coach at SRU. It is important to her that everyone in our campus community feels supported, empowered and embraced as an integral piece of the puzzle that makes SRU such a special place. Julie received her Bachelors and Masters degrees from Edinboro University. She is passionate about the environment, student success, fly fishing and trail running. She lives in Utica, PA with her husband, Mark, three children, Grace, Molly, Rory, and their Black Lab, Kinzua.
MEET COACH GRACE BENNETT
Assistant Director for Life Design and Academic Success
Grace Bennett works as a Success and Career Coach here at SRU. She earned a BA in International Studies from Arcadia University with a concentration in globalization, development, and human rights. While at Arcadia, she was able to spend three amazing spring semesters studying abroad in London, South Africa, and Wales further fueling her desire to travel and work abroad. After graduating in 2014, Grace moved to Taiwan to work as an English as a Foreign Language teacher to students ages 3-30 for almost seven years. In 2021, Grace came back to PA, a native of Grove City, to study at the Rock and earned a MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Grace’s research focuses on culturally responsive teaching (CRT), a pedagogy grounded in the educator’s practice of cultural awareness, sensitivity, communication, and recognition of the students’ lived experiences. After almost ten years of working in education, she describes herself as a teacher, a coach, and a cheerleader for her students. Her goal is to assist and support all individuals to be successful before, during, and after their time at SRU. She values trust, honesty, and communication and encourage the students she works with to be open and authentic about their goals, desires, and curiosities for their lives. Grace’s coaching philosophy is student-centered, focusing on self-advocacy, organization, cultural competency, and connection. Outside of the Rock, Grace enjoys listening and dancing to live music with family and friends, practicing joyful movement, and learning new languages.
MEET COACH MELISSA MURRAY
Academic Life Coach
Melissa works as an Academic Life Coach here at SRU. She earned her bachelor’s degree from LaRoche College in Pittsburgh, PA with a concentration in Child and Family Studies. During her studies, she worked in after school programs helping students with their studies and planning activities. From there she decided to further her education and pursue her master’s online at Edinboro University. She graduated in May of 2022 with a concentration in School Counseling. Melissa worked as a high school counselor in her hometown before coming to SRU. Her passion has always been to help students achieve their goals. She continues this passion here at SRU with students to help them develop, set, and accomplish personalized academic goals. Melissa resides in Ellwood City, PA and during her free time, she loves kayaking, playing pickleball, walking her dog Millie in the park, and spending time with friends and family. Along with Millie, Melissa also has two cats named Louie and Grant.
MEET COACH HANNAH RUNAS
Academic Life Coach
Hannah Runas works as an Academic Life Coach here at SRU. She is a proud alumna of Slippery Rock University and earned her degree in Special Education Transition Programming and a minor in Art in 2021. After, she pursued a graduate degree in the south, graduating in 2023. Hannah holds a Master's in Special Education from the University of South Carolina. Her degree was concentrated on students within higher education and focused on behavioral analysis. During her studies and work experience prior, she has learned the value of being person-centered and individualized. She believes learning is for everyone and that students can grow through empowerment, support and motivation. She is excited to be at SRU to help students create and navigate their own personal college journey. Hannah recently returned to the area so she could be closer to family and now resides in Deer Lakes. When she is not on campus, she enjoys spending time outdoors, being with friends and is always eager to plan a trip.
MEET THE PEER ACADEMIC COACHES
- Lucian Dean, Secondary Education (Social Studies/History) major
- Madison Caldwell, Early Childhood Education major
- Kennedy Thomas, Physical Activity and Fitness Management (Pre-AT)
- Sarah Danner, Physical Activity and Fitness Management (Pre-AT)
- Leontina Slovak, Exercise Science major
- Isabel Snyder, English Literature major
- Dari Sakhanova, Sport Management major
- Amaya Robinson, Early Childhood Education major
- Riley Whitehill, Psychology major
- Eli Johnson, Secondary Education (Social Studies/History) major