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In her 11th year at the University of Houston, Maria C. Peden is the Associate Athletics Director for Student-Athlete Services. Peden joined the Academic Center for Excellence/Student-Athlete Services Staff in September 1996 as an Academic Counselor and has been the lead counselor for Men's Basketball, Football, Baseball, Volleyball, Softball and Swimming and Diving teams in previous years. Her other responsibilities include coordinating the Athletics Mentoring Program and study hall. She also participates in recruiting visits and works with the coaching staff to ensure that UH Athletics teams reach out to the community. In the past year, players have increased their public speaking and volunteer activities at local elementary schools, hospitals, libraries and centers for the disabled. Peden also coordinates the admissions process for signees, as well as housing requests and academic reports. She calculates graduation rates, semester grade reoprts and nominates UH student-athletes for Conference USA and national awards, while assisting with the UH All-Sports Banquet. Peden began her work with student-athletes as a tutor at the University of North Carolina. She returned to her hometown of Washington, D.C., where she was appointed the University Teaching Fellow at George Washington University to begin work on her doctorate. Peden came to Houston in 1996 and was the lead counselor for the Cougar football team from 1997-99. She left the University to travel and live in Ireland and rejoined student-athlete services staff in December 2000, when she was appointed the academic counselor for men's basketball. Peden earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from Trinity College in Washington, D.C., in 1986, and a master's degree in sociology/ statistics from the University of North Carolina. Peden and her husband, Patrick,a native of Normange, Texas, were married in July 2002. |
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