CCM welcomes Jessie Grant as Assistant Dean of Student Services

UC College-Conservatory of Music Dean Pete Jutras recently announced the appointment of Jessie L. Grant, PhD, as CCM's new Assistant Dean of Student Services. In this role, Grant will coordinate CCM’s academic advising program, connect students with college and university-level resources, and evaluate CCM policies and processes to better serve the college’s undergraduate and graduate students. Grant's appointment officially began on June 2, 2025.

Grant brings three decades of dedication as a higher education leader who works to enhance student success, highlight belonging and promote holistic development. Throughout his career, he has maintained an unwavering dedication to enabling students from all backgrounds to reach their highest potential.

Grant advanced through progressively higher positions in student affairs, including roles as Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at the Cleveland Institute of Art and Associate Vice President for Student Life and Success at Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College, before taking a similar position at the University of Alaska Southeast. Throughout his career, he implemented programs to boost academic success and student development during each leadership role.

Grant’s leadership demonstrates a student-centered philosophy that establishes supportive environments where all students experience a sense of value. His leadership integrated academic and student affairs departments through partnerships that increased student engagement and improved persistence rates. At Bemidji State University, Grant developed a coordinated care model that brought together counseling services with academic support and student services to comprehensively support student needs. He started mental health and leadership development programs at the Cleveland Institute of Art, which enhanced community engagement to provide necessary resources and support for student success.

Grant’s professional approach stands out because of his steadfast dedication to student success. His relentless efforts focus on progressing programs that eliminate obstacles to success while building a welcoming environment for every student. He established training programs for faculty and staff that enhance cultural competency and welcoming behavior. He established mentorship programs that link students from historically marginalized backgrounds with industry leaders to build their confidence and prepare them for their careers.

Grant applies strategic thinking to utilize data-driven approaches for achieving student success results. He identified retention problems through assessment tools while setting up early alert systems and monitored advancement toward essential performance indicators. Grant's translation of data into practical strategies improved student engagement, retention and graduation rates across several academic institutions.

Grant expanded his impact on higher education by presenting at conferences and researching student affairs best practices while joining professional associations. He devotes himself to guiding new student affairs professionals through knowledge transfer and passion sharing to build future leadership talent.

Throughout his career, he has obtained a PhD in Higher Education Leadership at Western Michigan University, a master’s degree in Counselor Education from the University of Iowa and an undergraduate degree in Sociology from Kent State University. His academic qualifications and wealth of professional experience demonstrate his commitment to helping students achieve academic success alongside personal and professional development.

Grant demonstrates dedicated leadership by creating dynamic learning spaces that support student success and encourage them to participate actively in global citizenship.

"Dr. Grant comes to us with expertise in leading student affairs in both arts-oriented and academic settings. His most recent role was as Assistant Vice-President and Dean of Students for the Cleveland Institute of Art, and throughout his career he has worked in several aspects of student life," said Jutras. "I am grateful to our search committee chair Stephanie Schlagel and committee members Kevin Lawson, Michelle Conda and Amberly Maryo for their efforts with this successful search. I also want to extend a special thanks to James Bunte for helping to fill many of the duties of this office while it has been vacant. James has done a great job and we appreciate his efforts!"

Featured image at top: A portrait of CCM Assistant Dean of Student Services Jessie L. Grant. Photo/provided