Ithaca College

It is with deep gratitude and profound respect that I thank the many faculty and staff across campus who made the recent NYSACAC conference such a tremendous success.  I cannot begin to relay how impressed our attendees were with the conference and our College.  One of the many compliments I received was from a high school guidance counselor who said, "I knew Ithaca was a good college, but WOW, I didn't know you were capable of this."

And the compliments were not just about one particular aspect of the conference.  The facilities team had the campus looking fantastic.  The Ithaca-affiliated speakers were substantive and thought provoking. The conference ran seamlessly thanks to IT and catering staff.  Summer Housing and Public Safety staff made sure everyone had a safe and comfortable stay. Our student volunteers were tremendously helpful and engaging.  The food and drink were first rate.  The Downtown Ithaca Alliance collaborated with us to showcase local business and culture. Even the signage across campus was recognized and appreciated.

David Coates, School Counselor at Kenmore East High School and NYSACAC President, asked me to covey to our campus community his thoughts.  David said, "The Ithaca College team went above and beyond to make this year’s NYSACAC conference a special event. Conference attendees were impressed by every aspect and left the Ithaca campus with a new appreciation for the College.”

While my heartfelt thanks goes to all of those involved across campus, I do want to single out a few individuals who have been involved with the planning of this conference for over a year and whose work cannot go unrecognized.  Dave Prunty and the Conference and Events staff, once again, displayed why they are such a resource to our institution.  Dave’s professionalism, attention to detail, and constant nervousness translated into a first-rate experience for all. His team executed the plan in a way few could even imagine possible.

Secondly, I want to recognize Gerard Turbide and the Office of Admission staff. Gerard introduced many successful changes to this conference and worked with David Coates to see those changes come to fruition. The Admission team spent countless hours making sure every detail of the conference was considered and attended to.

I cannot adequately express how proud I was to see such a total team effort and impressive display of professionalism. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.