SUNYAC Symposium- “Exploring College Athletics”
Hosted By: New Paltz - State University of New York
May 24-25, 2016
The 10th annual State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Symposium is being held on the campus of the State University of New York at New Paltz from Tuesday, May 24, through Wednesday, May 25, 2016.
The two-day event will occur in New Paltz's Student Union Building in room 401.
The Symposium is open to all SUNYAC students, interns and assistant coaches who are interested in pursuing a career in collegiate athletics. Successful applicants will be introduced to a variety of topics presented by current SUNYAC professional staff members. Attendees will be housed in campus dormitories throughout their stay. Should attendees need accommodations on May 23 due to extensive travel, please use the contact information below. All meals listed on the Symposium schedule will be provided. There is NO COST to the attendees, other than travel, to attend the Symposium!
To celebrate the 10th Anniversary, this year’s Symposium will mirror Year 1, using Cecile Reynaud’s book She Can Coach as a guide. She Can Coach was utilized as the educational platform at the inaugural event. It is a worthwhile read for any prospective coach or athletics administrator, and will be the basis for this year’s Symposium.
Contact Matt Giufre, New Paltz women’s volleyball coach, at 845-257-3919 or giufrem@newpaltz.edu should you have any questions.
2016 Application
2016 Schedule (updated 3/28/16)
Driving Directions
Campus Map
Visitor's Information Guide
Testimonials:
"...I am currently coaching, and loving it! I'm the assistant swim coach at King's College in PA and am also getting my master's. Going to the symposium the last two years was very helpful, and I also think it helped to give me an edge over other people who applied for the position. I have found myself many of times thinking back to what was said at the symposium, and trying to apply it to situations I found myself in. I'm very thankful for the symposium to truly opening my eyes to the world of coaching, and also allowing me to hear some advice from some wonderful coaches and administrators."
Jacqueline Michalski
SUNY Oswego '10 (swimming & diving)
"Thank you for the honor of speaking at the annual SUNYAC Symposium. I was very honored and look forward to mentoring students I've met for years to come. The vision, care, and organization put into this event is tremendous. Congratulations."
Tracey Ranieri
Director of Athletics
SUNY Oneonta
"I am now working as an intern for the Women's Basketball Coaches Association located in Georgia. It is a lot of prep work for their National Convention that coincides with the Women's Final Four every year (it's in Indy this year), and I get to go and get hands-on experience working a big event like that. There is no doubt in my mind that the Symposium helped me get this position, and I am still using the tools I learned from the sessions last year every day in my current position."Angela PucciarelliSUNY Fredonia '09 (women's basketball)
"The SUNYAC Symposium gave me a great opportunity to interact with other young professionals that were trying to enter the field of Intercollegiate Athletics. The sessions were very informative and gave us an idea of what to expect when moving forward with the application and interview process. I am currently working in the SUNY New Paltz Athletic Department as the Assistant to the Athletic Director. I would like to thank all of the coaches and administrators that came and spoke because they helped to prepare us for our futures in Intercollegiate Athletics." Ryan HooperSUNY Cortland '08 (baseball)
"The SUNYAC Symposium was a fantastic event to participate in. I developed close relationships with fellow attendees and staff, and I had the opportunity to continue learning about so many different aspects of coaching at the college level. The people who were asked to speak were captivating, open, and extremely helpful. I will definitely be able to apply the things that I have learned to my future career, and I know it has already been helpful in my recent job searches. The SUNYAC Symposium is perfect for those who are looking to get into coaching or athletic administration, and is even helpful for those who are just looking to better their leadership skills. Events like this one are priceless for renewing enthusiasm for your desired career path, to have an opportunity to network with other like-minded people who are trying to take the right steps toward achieving their goals, and learning from those who are already there."Julia DeckerThe College at Brockport '08 (women's lacrosse)
"I have attended the Symposium for two years now and have found it to become more and more useful each go around. Every time I have left the Symposium, I have come out with tons of knowledge and had the luxury of meeting many different administrators, coaches and players involved within the SUNYAC . This Symposium has help me realize what I want to with my life and how to get there. I have acquired an internship at Pace University in their athletic department doing a lot of marketing/promotions work. The experience this summer has been more than I could have imagined, picking up computer skills that will only help me further on down the road. For anyone with any interest at all in college athletics, I strongly urge you to take the time to look into this growing Symposium. It is truly an excellent experience."Jeff ChristianSUNY Oneonta '13 (men's soccer)
"The SUNYAC Symposium provided me the fantastic opportunity to meet numerous coaches, administrators and players. I was able to listen about their experiences, which will be useful as I complete my college career and head into a career path. As a former student-athlete, the Symposium gave me specific ways, as well as a general overview, as to how to remain involved in athletics by becoming an administrator and/or coach. After attending this year's Symposium, I feel confident that this is an experience that I will remember and reflect on in years to come. Thank you to all of the staff who took the time to assist student-athletes and their peers in helping us become prepared for our future careers in intercollegiate athletics."Rebecca FitzgeraldSUNY Geneseo '14
"The coaches' symposium really lit a fire in me to become the next 'great.' I learned of the many challenges coaches and athletes face on a day-to-day basis. The mentality of an individual is the only factor that can propel them from the mediocre status of 'good' to achieving excellence and 'greatness.' One of the takeaways I had was that 'greatness is a lot of small things done well.' If we settle for what's easy, we will never uncover the greatness that lies within. Since the symposium, I've learned to stop looking at life as an obstacle; life is an opportunity. You need to create your own opportunities to reach greatness--not wait around for opportunities to present themselves."Dani AckermanState University of New York at New Paltz '16 (field hockey)
