Laura Jacobsen

Bio

Laura Jacobsen is in her 24th year as an academic counselor for Jayhawk student-athletes. She joined Kansas Athletics in 1995 as a tutor while pursuing her master’s degree at Kansas. Jacobsen graduated from the University of Oklahoma, completing a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 1991. She was a four-year letter winner and Captain on the Women’s Basketball team as well as a letter winner on the Softball team for the Sooners. Following her career at Oklahoma, Jacobsen was a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative for Pfizer, Inc., for four years.

As the academic counselor for her assigned teams, Jacobsen is responsible for all aspects of the student-athletes’ academic structure including initial visits with prospective athletes, advising of degree and course options, and assisting with NCAA and Big 12 eligibility certification. She meets regularly with her new students to discuss academic and life challenges, set goals, develop success strategies, and evaluate their progress. Jacobsen supports her students in areas including study skills, time management, organizational skills, and methods for choosing balanced schedules, factoring in the demands of classes, practice, competition, travel and eligibility standards.

While working with the swimming & diving and rowing teams, Jacobsen assisted her student-athletes in reaching unprecedented success. Both teams have set team GPA records, including swimming & diving achieving the athletic department all-time record with 3.95 GPA in spring 2020.

Jacobsen is originally from Claremore, Oklahoma, where she was a sixteen-time letter winner in basketball, softball, golf and track & field. She was inducted into the Claremore High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2018. Jacobsen lives in Topeka, Kansas, with her award-winning photographer husband Jeff Jacobsen, where the pair enjoys cycling, traveling and spending time with their two grandsons.