ITHACA, N.Y. - The Ithaca College Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and Campus Recreation hosted its annual "Voices of Experience" Night as a capstone of its fall semester programming for the Department's innovative Leadership Academy on Thursday evening. The event gathered student-athletes inside Emerson Suites for a detailed panel discussion and question/answer session on the leadership topic of resiliency and experiences that student-athletes have encountered during their time at IC.
 
The event program began with some opening remarks from Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreational Sports, Susan Bassett '79, in which she introduced Leadership Academy to first year student-athletes and congratulated the Bombers on their Liberty League Championships and the wrestling program for claiming the Empire Collegiate Wrestling Championship for the 2022 calendar year. The Bombers tallied 10 Liberty League titles and claimed championships during the Winter, Spring, and Fall seasons of 2022. A well-crafted video by our Athletics Communication staff was met with excitement and pride as it replayed memorable moments from the victories.


 
Dr. Greg Shelley, proctored a discussion panel, which included five senior student-athletes: Elizabeth Pillow (Field Hockey), Antwan Robinson (Football), Emily Dorn (Women's Basketball), Andrew Tinnesz (Men's Lacrosse) and Moriah Byrd (Women's Track & Field).

Shelley and Bassett have worked extensively in creating and developing the programming for Leadership Academy, which was founded during the 2014-15 academic year.
 
"Our Voices of Experience event is a capstone to our work throughout the semester," Bassett explained. "The powerful messages from our senior leaders to their teammates and peers brings the Academy curriculum to life in meaningful ways for employing what we have learned together. Especially during the last two years of the pandemic. Bombers continue to succeed and show resiliency through the constantly changing landscape of athletics."
 
The conversation and comments by panel members touched on what they learned about resiliency through their participation in athletics. The conversation doubled down on how to navigate change, motivate their teammates, and keep coaches accountable. The panel of student-athletes took turns to share their views on resiliency and exchange personal narratives about how their teams have been able to come together in meaningful ways. They concluded by providing the audience hot button takeaways for continued conversation.
 
The session followed with a summary from emcee Dr. Greg Shelly and three-takeaways of his own then thanking administration and coaches for their commitment and support of the student-athletes. At the conclusion Bassett again reiterated the amazing success from the fall and passed the torch to the now in season winter teams. The crowed of 400 Bombers then gave a sendoff to the Football team that will be competing in the NCAA Quarterfinals tomorrow against North Central.
 
"I'd like to extend a big 'thank you' to Susan Bassett for her ongoing leadership and for continuing to promote great events like the "Voices of Experience" Dr. Shelley said. "It was special to have such a talented and committed group of senior student-athlete panelists. It is incredibly rewarding to watch the leadership growth of so many of our student-athletes as they progress through the programming."

The Leadership Academy, led by Dr. Greg Shelley, instills traits and philosophies that will be applicable in athletes' sport participation at Ithaca College, as well as their professional and personal endeavors for the rest of their lives. The program was first introduced during the spring of 2014 and has been a fully implemented program for IC student-athletes dating back to the 2014-15 academic year. Approximately 300 student-athletes representing all 27 varsity sports are participating in the program, which builds upon its curriculum across each year of the Academy.