Alumni Spotlight
Jennifer Null
Today we honor Jennifer Null who was recently named the Athletic Director at Parkersburg South High School!
Jennifer graduated from OVC in 2001 receiving a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education with an emphasis in Multi-Categorical Education. She is originally from Parkersburg, West Virginia, and still resides there with her two daughters.
Jennifer’s career in education has led her down an interesting path. In August 2003, she received her first teaching contract as a Multi-Categorical Teacher in an elementary setting. She stayed in this position for three and a half years before moving to Parkersburg South High School in 2007 as a Behavioral Disorders Teacher. She also taught Multi-Categorical Special Education at the Alternative Center for Education (ACE) from 2002-2019. After receiving her Master’s of Education from Salem International University, she was hired for her first administrative position and became the Assistant Principal at Neale Elementary in Vienna, WV and the Caperton Center for Applied Technology in Parkersburg, WV.
In the summer of 2020, Jennifer was named the first female athletic director in the history of Parkersburg South High School. When asked her thoughts and feelings about becoming South’s AD, she said, “I felt grateful and blessed. I also felt honored to be able to return to Parkersburg South as Athletic Director.”
During her first year in this position, Jennifer has had to face challenges that no other has had before her. With COVID regulations in place she said, “Staying positive, patient, and adapting to the guidelines that were prescribed to us ensured our athletes were safe and able to begin participating in sports. Constant communication with coaches made sure that they had the most up-to-date information. I tried to focus on things that were in our control, which eliminated stressors. I was blessed with a fantastic Athletics Staff, supportive boss, and strong Southside community.”
While Jennifer has done much since leaving OVC, she shared that her favorite memory was “building relationships while at Ohio Valley. Softball was my passion and the friendships and lessons that sports provided are invaluable.”
In particular, Jennifer mentioned a very memorable trip to Cocoa Beach, Florida during Spring Break with the softball team. “The ride on the OVC People Mover was long and one to remember! Cultivating friendships while talking during the trip, playing as a team while on the field, and hanging out making memories during our downtime. Also on that trip, I had hit a homerun and the lift on the ball soared it to the next field and it was only stopped by the netting! Coach (and alum) Chris Cameron will still reminisce about it with me when we see each other.”
Jennifer also appreciated the faculty and staff at OVU. “I took an Ethics class one of my last few semesters. The professor I had led open conversations about ethics, we wrote papers, and even though there were multiple perspectives - our teacher never judged, always listened, was patient, and provided meaningful feedback to everyone.”
She also enjoyed days during Chapel “where we only sang. All A Capella, with the music bouncing back off the walls- it was very memorable; it was breathtakingly beautiful.”
When asked the advice she would offer to women and young girls who desire a career that has traditionally gone to men in the past she said, “focus on your strengths, strive to be a person of excellence, take risks, be of service to others, and have grit.”
Thanks to Jennifer for sharing her experiences and successes with us. We are so proud to have alumna like Jennifer Null changing the world one day and one child at a time.
“Focus on your strengths, strive to be a person of excellence, take risks, be of service to others, and have grit.”
Jennifer Null
