Long time Furman Assistant Athletic Director Rob Carson has been promoted to the position of Associate Athletic Director for Academic Success, Diversity, Inclusion, and Engagement, according to a press release from Sept. 3. Carson previously served in a similar role as Assistant Director for the Office of Academic Assistance. According to Athletic Director Jason Donnelly, "Rob has done an exceptional job leading the academic success of our student-athletes for the past 10 years. He is widely respected by our students, coaches, faculty, staff, and administration for his care and commitment to the mission of the university. We look forward to his continued leadership in the areas of diversity, inclusion, and engagement and supervision with our coaches and teams."  

Carson has been a part of the Paladin family since 2010. He worked in the athletic department of his alma mater, James Madison University, for 8 years before coming to Greenville with his wife, Jackie, who is a Furman alumna and became the women’s basketball coach that same year. As a student-athlete at JMU, Carson was a four-year letterman at fullback on the Dukes’ football team and was a captain his senior year. Carson earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in kinesiology in 2003 and 2006, respectively.

During his time at Furman, Carson has been heavily involved in the academic lives of student-athletes, from advising and monitoring athletes’ academic progress to overseeing Furman’s summer school funding. Carson has also served on numerous university committees, including the Diversity and Athletic Advisory Committees.

When asked about his new role he said he felt “blessed” and “excited” upon hearing the news and felt that his promotion showed that his hard work was being appreciated. One of his new duties will be to supervise the football program and its schedule. When asked about the current situation regarding Paladin football, Carson stated that the department would need more NCAA guidance about spring football to make any decisions. He also shared that his goals for Paladin athletics include overcoming COVID-19 and its impacts, building the department into a unifying force within the community, and facilitating open and honest dialogue about how to accomplish these goals. He is invested in improving the lives of Furman student-athletes in the classroom, as well as on and off the field.