About Us
The goal of the Office of the Executive Director of Academic Advisement (OEDAA) is to promote the continuous improvement of Undergraduate Advisement at ETSU. The OEDAA serves as a referral source for students and as a resource for academic advisors, faculty, and staff.
Staff
Ethan Grey Hutchinson
Executive Director of Academic Advisement
hutchinsoneg@etsu.edu | (423) 439-8557
Ethan joined the Office of the Executive Director of Academic Advisement in July 2021. Born and raised in North Carolina, he earned both his bachelors in Parks & Recreation and master’s in Higher Education Administration from the University North Carolina at Greensboro. Though originally from the southeastern United States, Ethan spent much of his career directing an advising office at the University California Santa Cruz. His heart has always been in the Appalachian Mountains. He left California in 2018 to hike the Appalachian Trail, and could not feel more fortunate than to have joined the ETSU family. In his free time Ethan enjoys camping, backpacking and canoeing with his spouse, playing cards and board games with friends and family, teaching his cats to fetch, gardening, and sending postcards and mail through the USPS.
Jennie Scott
Associate Director of Advisement Training and Technology
scottjm1@etsu.edu | (423) 439-8557
Jennie joined the Office of the Executive Director of Academic Advisement in August 2025. She is originally from Indiana and earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and her master’s degree in Counseling with a Higher Education Concentration at East Tennessee State University. Jennie’s advising career includes roles at Florida Gulf Coast University, University of Tennessee, and East Tennessee State University. Jennie was thrilled to join the ETSU advising community in 2021 and is excited about expanding her contributions to the field of advising in her role as Associate Director for Advisement Training & Technology. In her free time, Jennie enjoys hiking, paddling, biking, pickleball, gardening, and fostering cats.
Suzy Hooven
Office Coordinator
hooven@etsu.edu | (423) 439-8557
Suzy is happy to be a part of the Office of the Executive Director of Academic Advisement. She was born in Australia and raised in New York City. She earned a degree in Court Reporting before moving to the beautiful mountains of East Tennessee. She loves ETSU’s students and community, and enjoys spending time with her husband and son. In her free time she loves being a baseball mom and making jewelry.
Rachel Swatzell
Navigate Coordinator
swatzellr@etsu.edu | (423) 439-8557
Rachel joined the Office of the Executive Director of Academic Advisement in February 2024. She is originally from Greenville, TN and has her bachelor's degree in English Literature & Creative Writing from Tusculum University and her master's degree in Digital Marketing from East Tennessee State University. During her undergraduate career, Rachel served as a student leader in multiple student support programs, impacting her decision to pursue a professional career in Higher Education Administration. Rachel is eager to be a part of coordinated care and content administration on behalf of advising and all our users. In her free time, Rachel enjoys attending concerts, pin trading, and being a full time Taylor Swift fan and goldendoodle mom to Fitz & Finn.
Hadley Griffy
Graduate Assistant
griffyh@etsu.edu | (423) 439-8557
Hadley joined the Office of the Executive director of Academic Advisement in August 2025. She is currently pursuing a master's degree in Counseling at ETSU and hopes to work as a school counselor after graduation. Hadley completed her Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education at ETSU in 2025. She is thrilled to be a part of the team and looks forward to gaining new experiences and meeting new people! In her personal life, Hadley enjoys reading, hiking, watching modern day pirate documentaries, talking to her sister, and playing with her pug, Tilly.
Tayo Adesuyi
Graduate Assistant
adesuyie@etsu.edu | (423) 439-8557
Tayo joined the Office of the Executive director of Academic Advisement in August 2025. She is currently pursuing a master's degree in Social Work with a dual track in Addiction Counseling at ETSU. Tayo previously earned a law degree and worked as an accredited mediator. She is passionate about contributing to meaningful change and excited to support the team's efforts socially! In her personal life, Tayo enjoys spending time with family and friends, as well as exploring the outdoors.
About the OEDAA
Mission Statement
The mission of academic advisement at ETSU is to provide an inclusive and equitable student experience that promotes intellectual inquiry. Academic advisement involves collaborative partnerships among students, advisors, faculty, family, and the university community. These supportive and relationship-based partnerships empower students to think critically and take ownership of their educational and personal goals. Advisors guide students toward undergraduate degree completion through transparent dialogue about exploring major and career choices, connecting to campus and community resources, and developing sustainable skills that prepare them for a life of learning in a diverse and global society.
Vision Statement
To provide a comprehensive, holistic academic advisement process that guides and supports students through their undergraduate education.
Values
The values and best practices guiding our work include inclusivity, equity, transparency, integrity, empowerment, active listening, and establishing effective and meaningful working relationships with students and our institutional and community partners.
Diversity Statement
The ETSU academic advisement community recognizes the barriers faced by traditionally marginalized students in academic settings. We are thus committed to respecting and valuing the diversity of our students by promoting equitable access to educational resources and advocating for inclusive practices and policies. Advisors will help all students realize their academic potential with conscientious consideration of race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, abilities/disabilities, age, cultural identity, religion, nationality, indigeneity, socio-economic, military-affiliated or veteran status, and all other ways of self-identifying.