#40 Pivoting to Stay on Track with Ashton Henderson

Ashton Henderson is a former football student-athlete, having played at Michigan State University (MSU). Ashton earned his advertising degree in 2010, after suffering a career-ending injury during his senior football season. As he pivoted and began to focus on life after football, he started a role as a graduate assistant in Student-Athlete Support services at MSU while earning his master’s degree in Public Relations.

Upon the completion of his master's degree, Ashton moved back home to Tallahassee, FL, and obtained a role as an Academic Program Specialist for football and the men’s and women’s track and field program at Florida State University. Before long, Ashton had the opportunity to serve as Associate Director of Football Academics at Clemson University before returning to Florida State to serve as the Associate Director of Football Academics and lead the Seminole Leadership Program.

Ashton transitioned into two new roles in 2021: one in professional athletics and one within the National Association for Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals (N4A). Ashton was appointed the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the Detroit Pistons in January 2021. He also began his tenure as the N4A President, leading an organization with over 2,600 members.

Ashton joined us to discuss his background and how it shaped the professional experiences he has had to date. He also shared his thoughts and insights on transitioning from a career in college athletics to the pro sports realm, and how he believes it will aid him in achieving his ultimate goal of becoming an athletic director.

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