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 benefits 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 challenges 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 four fur-kids (two dogs and two cats). She loves strategic board games, Star Trek, training her dogs to learn new skills, and spending her summers gardening, kayaking, and hiking. Emily and her pup, Tribbles, also trained together to become a certified therapy dog team with Alliance of Therapy Dogs.
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 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 CHEYENNE CRAVENER
Academic Life Coach
Cheyenne works as an Academic Life Coach here at SRU, where she supports students in achieving their academic and personal goals. She is a proud PASSHE alumna, earning her bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in disability studies from Shippensburg University. During her undergraduate years, Cheyenne worked as a tour guide and orientation leader for three years, welcoming prospective students to campus. She also served as a peer psychology tutor, where she discovered her passion for helping students succeed academically. After graduation in 2023, Cheyenne earned a Master of Science degree in educational Psychology from The Pennsylvania State University, where she studied the science of learning and how to measure learning outcomes. Her thesis research focused on various learning strategies used by undergraduate students. While at Penn State, Cheyenne worked in Career Services and in the academic support unit that serves student athletes. Her work is driven by a genuine passion for student success, and she finds great fulfillment in helping students build confidence, resilience, and a sense of purpose in their academic journeys. Cheyenne brings a holistic, student-centered approach to her work at SRU. She is committed to building meaningful relationships that empower students to confidently navigate their academic, personal, and professional journeys. Outside of work, Cheyenne enjoys reading, shopping, learning arts and crafts, attending athletic events, and spending time with friends and family.
MEET THE PEER ACADEMIC COACHES
- Sarah Danner, Physical Activity and Fitness Management (Pre-AT) major
- Leontina Slovak, Exercise Science major
- Dari Sakhanova, Sport Management major
- Amaya Robinson, Early Childhood Education major
- Riley Whitehill, Psychology major
- Eli Johnson, Secondary Education (Social Studies/History) major
- Kiley Furman, Chemistry (Pre-Pharmacy) major
- Diana Zenzano Cabrera, Psychology and Dance major