The Division of Student Affairs and Academic Support is thrilled to welcome Lisa Jerald to the role of chief of staff, Deonne Yeager to the role of director of parent and family programs and Rhonda Laylo to the role of director of student services and special assistant to the vice president.  

J. Rex Tolliver, Vice President of Student Affairs and Academic Support shared his enthusiasm. “I congratulate Lisa on her well-deserved promotion and welcome Deonne and Rhonda to the Division of Student Affairs. Each with a unique set of skills and extensive experience in their field, I look forward to seeing them execute their strategic vision for advancing the student experience and engagement within the division.”

As Chief of Staff for the division of Student Affairs and Academic Support effective Dec. 2, Lisa will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight to the division as well as support high profile projects, events, and manage various executive committees.  In addition, Lisa will continue to oversee Student Advocacy and Parent and Family Programs. 

Following a national search, Deonne has been named the director of parent and family programs, effective Jan. 13. In this role, Deonne will provide leadership and strategic direction to the Office of Parent and Family Programs, with the goal of connecting families to campus resources that will aid in the success of their student.   Deonne holds an Ed.D. in higher education from Brenau University, a master’s in counseling and guidance services from Clemson University and a bachelor’s in communications from Queens University of Charlotte.   

Effective Nov. 20, Rhonda Laylo has been named director of student services and special assistant to Vice President of Student Affairs, J. Rex Tolliver.  Rhonda will serve as the point of contact for various programs and initiatives including the James Clyburn Foundation, Canzater Scholars, Meeting Street Scholars and Evans Scholars, working closely with these programs to ensure a seamless and enriching experience for their students.  Rhonda joins the University of South Carolina with an impressive 14 years of experience in various Student Affairs and Auxiliary Service roles. Most recently, she served as the executive assistant to the President at North Park University in Chicago, IL. Rhonda holds a Green Belt in Six Sigma Certification and earned a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Illinois at Chicago.