The Division of Student Affairs and Academic Support is excited to announce the appointment of Ambra Hiott to the role of Associate Vice President for Student Life and the addition of Justin Lawhead as Assistant Vice President for Career Readiness and Post-Graduate Success at the University of South Carolina.

As Associate Vice President for Student Life beginning on July 1, Hiott will create and execute her vision for the Department of Student Life and its functional areas. Hiott will be responsible for leading the student experience through her department and serve as an important member of the university’s emergency management team. She will lead a staff of more than 100 staff and student employees that execute over 300 annual events and programs, reaching nearly all parts of the student body each year.

J. Rex Tolliver, Vice President of Student Affairs and Academic Support, shared the impact of this announcement. “I am proud to elevate Ambra to this role and appreciate her excellent guidance of the Leadership and Service Center. Her skillset and impressive resume stood out amongst a talented candidate pool, and I look forward to seeing her flourish. I am confident Ambra and her team will execute her strategic plan and continue to elevate the student experience at the University of South Carolina to its best level yet."

Hiott brings more than 12 years of experience in Student Affairs to the role, including serving as Director of the Leadership and Service Center at USC for the last eight years. In that role, she has provided guidance and direction for student organizations, leadership development, community engagement and student governance for the Division of Student Affairs and Academic Support and served on the Student Life Leadership Team. Hiott has served as an instructor for UNIV 401 Graduation with Leadership Distinction for the past six years.

Prior to her time at USC, Hiott worked in several student affairs roles at Emory University and earned both a doctoral and master’s degree in education from the University of Georgia. Hiott also holds a bachelor’s degree in communication studies from Furman University.

In his role, Lawhead will provide visionary leadership for the strategic direction of the University of South Carolina Career Center and initiatives aimed at helping students deepen their professional skills. He will oversee the development and improvement of partnerships with academic and administrative units and employers to integrate career readiness into the student experience, effective June 1, 2025.

“I am excited to welcome Dr. Justin Lawhead to our team as Assistant Vice President for Career Readiness and Post-Graduate Success,” says Dr. Silvia Patricia Rios Husain, Associate Vice President for Student Success. "Justin’s experience and vision will be instrumental in transforming and expanding the impact of the University Career Center’s efforts to prepare students to be career and life ready. Together, we will position the University of South Carolina as a national leader in the college-to-career readiness space.”

Lawhead joins the Division of Student Affairs and Academic Support from the University of Memphis, where he served as the Dean of Students and Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and previously as the Associate Dean of Student Leadership and Involvement. Prior to Memphis, Lawhead served as a leader in student life at Kent State University, University of North Carolina Wilmington and Delaware Valley University.

In addition to his wealth of student affairs experience, Lawhead is a seasoned educator, having consistently taught courses on leadership and personal growth during his time at the University of Memphis. He holds a doctoral degree in higher education earned at the University of Memphis as well as a master’s degree in educational counseling and a bachelor’s degree in political science, both from the University of Pittsburgh.

Lawhead is actively engaged in the National Association for Campus Activities, serving as chairman from 2004 to 2005, and the National Association for Student Personnel Administrators, serving as the Tennessee state representative from 2016 to 2018.

“I’m looking forward to Ambra and Justin joining our leadership team.  Both of them bring a wealth of experience and a passion for students," Tolliver says. "As we continue to reimagine the student experience, I’m confident that both will lead their respective areas in ensuring that our students have improved outcomes.”