Staff Directory
- Title:
- Associate Director | Academic Services (WBB, VB)
- Email:
Celestine Akoro joined Baylor Athletics in June 2026 as Associate Director of Academic Services within the Student-Athlete Center for Excellence (SACE). In her role, she provides academic oversight for Baylor Women's Basketball and Volleyball, guiding student-athletes through academic planning, degree progression and academic eligibility while collaborating with coaches, faculty and campus partners to support student success.
Prior to Baylor, Akoro served as Assistant Director of Academic Services at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign from 2025-26 after working as a Senior Academic Counselor during the 2024-25 academic year. Before her time at Illinois, she was an Academic Counselor and First-Year Seminar Instructor at Missouri State University from 2023-24. Akoro began her full-time career in student-athlete development as a Graduate Assistant in Academic Advising at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville from 2021-23, building a strong foundation in academic support, NCAA eligibility and student-athlete success programming.
In addition to her campus experience, Akoro is actively involved in the profession through the National Association of Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals (N4A), where she serves as chair of the Academic Programs & Practices Committee.
A native of O'Fallon, Illinois, Akoro earned a Bachelor of Science in General Studies with a minor in Child Development from Southeast Missouri State University in 2021 and a Master of Science in Education in Higher Education and Student Affairs from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 2023.
Outside of work, Akoro enjoys spending time with her dog, Oaty.
