by Barb Kowal, CoSIDA Director of External Affairs
In the spirit of the holidays and a new year, we have new series leading into 2016:
12 Days of CoSIDA. Leading up to January 1, you'll see us:
• showcase different CoSIDA programs, contests, award recognitions and initiatives
• highlight some of the individuals who contribute to growing our vibrant member-focused organization
Day 1: We started the series by taking a look at our new
Mentorship Program.
Day 2: (below) - read more about our Convention Attendance Grant & hear from some of last year's grant recipients
Next up:
Tuesday, Dec. 22: Send in your holiday photos for our CoSIDA Holiday Photo Gallery! Post your photos to Twitter with the specific @CoSIDAnews #CoSIDAHoiday hashtag. The photos can be your interactions with colleagues during the holiday break (at games or socially with holiday outfits) traveling with your teams, being with your family and friends. Photos can also be sent to
barbkowal@cosida.com for a website gallery.
DAY 2: Why Our Convention Attendance Grant Might Be For You ... Or A Colleague
For the 2016 Convention in June, CoSIDA will award twenty (20) grants of $800 each to CoSIDA members to help defray the cost of attending our annual convention
(this is $800 PLUS complimentary convention registration). This is the second year that CoSIDA will offer 20 grants and this is the third year of the convention grant program.
The 2016 event takes place June 12-15 at the Hilton Anatole (Dallas) in conjunction with NACDA & Affiliates Convention Week where we join
Go to CoSIDA.com to apply!
our colleagues for joint programming and social events.
Convention Grant facts:
• All applicants must be current 2015-16 CoSIDA members
• Convention grant applications must be made online. Applications are currently open and close on Tuesday, February 9, 2016.
• Access the online application here:
http://forms.cosida.com/conventiongrant.aspx. Each individual must provide two documents, a letter of application and a supporting letter from a superior/supervisor that explains the need for the financial request.
• This grant total of $800.00 per person will go towards registration, travel and hotel accommodations. The selected attendees will be awarded funds post-convention on a reimbursement basis. (Note:
Convention registration and hotel reservations began on Monday, February 1.)
• In February and March, the Convention Attendance Grant Program selection committee will review the applications and choose the 2016 recipients.
• Members awarded a previous convention grant may not apply for the grant in the future.
Read some testamonials from 2015 Convention Attendance Grant recipient below.
Please share this information with worthy individuals to provide them with the tremendous opportunity to join colleagues at our annual convention!
THOUGHTS FROM 2015 CoSIDA CONVENTION GRANT RECIPIENTS
"THIS WAS MY first year attending the CoSIDA Convention, and I sincerely hope to make it an annual trip. The convention not only gave
me a chance to put faces to names that I interact with over e-mail throughout the course of the school year, but allowed me to forge new relationships and friendships as well. In the months since the convention, I have sat in on numerous administrative meetings not only in athletics, but also in university communications, and offered up incentives and ideas that I took away from the convention. The information I gathered from sessions on branding and social media were particularly useful for our university.
I can’t thank the CoSIDA committee enough for the opportunity to attend the convention and awarding me one of the grants. The grant program is so wonderful in allowing schools like mine with limited budgets to attend, and now I’m hooked! I’ve already mentioned the program to other SIDs in my conference and suggested they apply for 2016. I also believe that it’s a perfect mid-summer event to help recharge the batteries and come back to campus energized and full of new and exciting ideas to grow the department."
-- Dave Albrecht, Midland University (NAIA)
"ONE OF MY most favorite moments at the convention were the ones spent getting to know others in the SID world, especially all the other grant recipients and members that run the CoSIDA organization. Being only 25 years old, I do not know where I am going to end up in the long run. So, to be given the opportunity, with all of the socials and receptions, to connect and network with the best SIDs in the country is very beneficial for my future.
All of the panels and sessions were loaded with so much information that I took back and implemented into the office. I also can add bits and pieces to my daily regime that I never even thought of doing before. Without the Convention Attendance Grant program, I wouldn’t have been able to learn, connect, network and grow in this profession."
-- Chelsey Chamberlain, University of New Mexico (NCAA Division i)
"What an incredible experience! As a grant recipient, not only are you afforded the opportunity to attend the convention, but also you are given first rights to volunteering at events, socials and registration. Volunteering to help at these locations is the perfect way for newcomers and seasoned veterans alike to get involved and meet colleagues. As a first-time attendee, being able to jump right in through volunteering to work in different areas allowed me to meet many of the board members and experienced individuals of the field which I believe I would not have been able to accomplish as quickly on my own.
I was paired with two other grant winners to be roommates to cut down the cost for all of us. To say this was a hit would be an understatement. The three of us had never met prior to the convention (outside of emails in preparation and planning) but we are now extremely good friends and text nearly every day. We spent the majority of our time together (Mollie Hanke, Molly O’Mara and myself) and it truly made the experience that much more exciting having new friends in the business."
-- Danielle Jenkins, Piedmont College (NCAA Division III)
"The 2016 Convention was the most helpful event I’ve attended as a sports informational professional. As one of the only two-year colleges with an SID in the state of Texas, the opportunity to network with others is almost nonexistent. The convention allowed me make friends with other SIDs from all division levels and I have gained invaluable knowledge from each of them. It is reassuring to discover that you are completing tasks and facing obstacles in a one-man shop that are similar to those in the larger offices. Building that network gives me a list of colleagues that I can reach out to when I have problems that no one on my campus can fully grasp. Like many other colleges and universities across the country, budget cuts are a reality so the attendance grant made it possible for me to not miss out on such an awesome experience."
-- Candice Kelm, McLennan Community College (NJCAA)
"Late nights and early mornings were a necessity in order to gain the most from my experience in Orlando at the 2015 CoSIDA convention. I can’t stress how enjoyable and informative this year’s experience was. I want to again thank CoSIDA, its staff and the entire Board of Directors for selecting me as one of this year’s grant recipients. Attending the convention is an invaluable experience for any professional. Regardless of whether you are an undergraduate worker, a recent graduate, or a 25-year veteran, I can assure you that everyone in attendance will leave with a new connection, a new piece of information or a story that will provide personal or professional benefit going forward. The convention should be a “must-see moment” on everyone’s annual calendar. When you depart for your return back to your campus, you will be reenergized and ready to roll for the upcoming academic year.”
-- Michael Kobylanski, Southern Connecticut State University (NCAA Division II)
"Thanks to CoSIDA's Convention Grant Committee, the CoSIDA staff (Doug Vance, Barb Kowal, Will Roleson and Laurie Bollig) and former CoSIDA President Eric McDowell for this wonderful opportunity. Because of large athletic budget cuts, I was not allowed to travel to the CoSIDA Convention in 2014 and feel like I missed out on some great convention programming along with networking opportunities and missing out on the entire NAIA-SIDA Convention.
With the convention grant I was able to re-connect with SIDs from around the country, participate in some amazing sessions and was voted onto the NAIA-SIDA Board of Directors. What an amazing opportunity that will be to help serve my fellow NAIA SIDs on the NAIA-SIDA Board!
CoSIDA is such a wonderful organization and I am truly blessed to be a part of it. I was just so fortunate to have been selected to receive this grant. I also enjoyed meeting other grant recipients and made some new friends along the way. I came back to Baker and sat down with my AD, showing her the many things I learned from the convention and am implementing a lot of the things I learned for our University."
-- Tyler Price, Baker University (NAIA)
"The opportunity to attend the CoSIDA Convention was an amazing experience, something that helped me personally, spiritually and professionally. Interacting face-to-face with so many of my peers in the media relations world was unlike anything I have experienced in 18 years in the profession.
The learning opportunities, from different panels to open discussions, to just talking amongst ourselves about what practice works best, was second-to-none, while the evening activities allowed my batteries to be recharged. I am stoked to be part of the NAIA leadership team and will definitely be more active in CoSIDA. There is no way I could have made it to CoSIDA without the grant – the ability to show my administration the importance of the convention will be beneficial in the future.
Thank you again to the CoSIDA staff and grant commmittee for making it possible."
-- Mike Safford, College of Idaho (NAIA)
"On the way to Florida for the convention, I had a self-absorbed mentality. Fresh off of graduating with a master’s degree, and ending a graduate assistantship at San José State, my thoughts were about extending my network. How was I going to market myself to others? What were my strategies going to be when conversing with potential employers down the road?
The mission changed quickly upon arriving at the sports information mecca.
One of the only disadvantages of being a seven-year veteran in the San José State sports information office has been a lack of exposure to the way other schools do things. My supervisor and mentor Lawrence Fan even told me prior to the convention that part of him really wanted me to stay at SJSU, but part of him really wanted me to go and experience something new and different. And that’s what happened for me at #CoSIDA15.
I met so.. many.. people over from all across the country and at all levels of collegiate athletics. What I took back to the west coast with me ... new StatCrew inputting tricks; new social media tactics; ways to bridge the gap between the sports info and marketing departments; how and when to successfully use an infographic. The list goes on and on. I learned some things this week from other schools, which can help us step our game up at SJSU. It became more about what I can learn to make my athletics department better, and less about my personal achievements and connections.
A special thanks to the CoSIDA grant committee for selecting me for the attendance grant, and to Lawrence Fan and Judy Willson for the support through the application process."
-- Dominic Urrutia, San José State University (NCAA Division I)
"It was an honor to be selected for a grant with such a great group of dedicated people who put so much work into the sports information field. My experience in Orlando will greatly impact my future in this profession, which in turn will only help increase the exposure for our student-athletes. I have stayed in contact with numerous grant winners that I would not have had the privilege of meeting if it were not for this great opportunity.
I was glad to see that CoSIDA took in to consideration an array of sports information directors when determining the grant recipients, from prominent NCAA Division I programs, to junior college SIDs. I believe this benefits everyone in attendance and allows each individual to learn different aspects of the industry from one another.
2015 was my first experience at a CoSIDA convention. I previously attended the NACDA convention, but as a member of NATYCAA. I can say that as an SID, the CoSIDA experience proved to be more beneficial than I could have imagined. As a panel speaker for 2YSIDA at a NATYCAA session in 2015, I was able to discuss new ideas that I had just learned during CoSIDA sessions the day before. I look forward to continuing a close relationship with all of CoSIDA for years to come as this year’s attendance at the convention has motivated me to reach the success of those that I was able to meet during the week in Orlando. Thank you for the opportunity!"
-- Ricky Webster, Marshalltown Community College (NJCAA)