Austin Grant, the assistant director of operations at the Mountainlair, has been selected for the September Non-Classified Staff Salute.
A Weirton native and proud University alum, Grant joined the Division of Student Life in 2023 as a night operations coordinator at the Mountainlair before landing his current position in April of this year.
In his role, he works to ensure events and other service needs are met while creating a comfortable space on campus where students, faculty, staff and other visitors can connect and build a sense of community.
“As a student, the Mountainlair felt like home, and I take great pride in continuing this tradition for both current and future students,” Grant said. “However, building a welcoming environment isn’t something my team can do alone, so I have made it my priority to build strong partnerships across the University.”
Some of these partnerships include Mountainlair Reservations, WVU Hospitality Group for dining service needs, Arts and Entertainment for WVUp All Night and Mountaineer Week, WVU Police Department for safety and security, and Facilities Management for event setup and more.
Grant also noted the success of these partnerships is reflected in the numbers. During the last academic year, more than 20,000 people visited the Mountainlair daily, approximately 90,000 students attended WVUp All Night, and nearly 9,000 reservations were made from tabling to large recruitment events.
Growing up, Grant spent his summers visiting his aunt and uncle in Morgantown. His family’s deep love for the University and eagerness to show off the campus during what he referred to as “Camp Aunt Judy” inspired him to attend WVU.
“Armed with a bag of quarters and a PRT pass, we would explore a new part of campus during my visits — including the Mountainlair,” he said. “And because of this experience, there was never any doubt that WVU was where I was going to go to school.”
Although Grant earned his bachelor’s degree in elementary education in 2021, leadership opportunities while working as a lifeguard for Campus Recreation shifted his passion from teaching to Student Life, leading him to pursue master’s degree in higher education administration.
Citing the people as the most rewarding part of his job, he said, “I have met some of my closest friends while working at the Mountainlair, and the opportunity to work with such amazing colleagues each day is a great privilege.”
When he is not at work, Grant enjoys exploring West Virginia and spending time with his family at Deep Creek Lake, Maryland.
Nominate a University employee for a future Non-Classified Staff Salute by sending an email to enews@mail.wvu.edu.