UTICA — Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC) announced it is adding a new associate-degree program in sports management, which the college describes as a “growing field with many transfer and career opportunities.”

MVCC will offer the program in the spring semester at its Utica campus after the New York State Education Department approved it Nov. 5.

The program is intended for students who plan to transfer to another college or university, MVCC added.

Regional transfer options include SUNY Cortland, SUNY Canton, SUNY Brockport, SUNY Fredonia, Cazenovia College, and St. John Fisher College. 

Career opportunities include sports event manager, personal agent, athletic director, or an executive in businesses that support professional and amateur sports, MVCC contends. Other possibilities include roles at fitness centers, recreation centers, and ice arenas, as well as sporting goods sales and marketing.

The school says it designed the curriculum to help graduates “be successful” in any sports management or business-related transfer program, “regardless of the transfer school chosen.” 

Coursework can include economics and accounting, along with a “basis in various areas” of general education and liberal arts. 

MVCC considers the program a “perfect fit” with its Jorgensen Athletic and Events Center, along with the school’s Field House and Fitness Center, which it contends will allow students to “gain hands-on experience in a real-world setting,” and an athletic department that offers 19 intercollegiate sports.

SYRACUSE — Leadership Greater Syracuse (LGS) announced that 52 area citizens are ready to take on high-level community roles in Central New York after graduating from the LGS Class of 2018 on Nov. 14 at The Rail Line, a new event venue in downtown Syracuse. 

New Onondaga County Executive J. Ryan McMahon II was on hand to congratulate the graduates. 

“The Board of Directors, staff and I are very proud of this class. They have been immersed in the issues and achievements of our community and now have the tools and the connections they need to give back to CNY,” LGS Executive Director Pam Brunet said in a news release. 

The participants represent a cross-section of local businesses and nonprofit organizations. “The LGS Class of 2018 is also our most racially diverse class with 15 percent identifying themselves as racial minorities,” said Brunet.

Founded in 1991, LGS is a nonprofit organization that says its mission is to inspire current and future leaders to make a difference in the community in which they live and work. 

Each year, the DeWitt–based organization selects a new class of about 50 to 55 people to participate in its yearlong training program to expose them to key community leaders and organizations and the most important issues facing the community. The program teaches participants about community leadership, empowerment, group dynamics, community opportunities, and trends.

“The future is bright for the organizations that will benefit from their knowledge and involvement as the LGS Class of 2018 is made up of very enthusiastic and capable leaders,” Brunet said. Approximately 80 percent of all the LGS graduates remain in CNY. A recent survey shows that they have held more than 800 volunteer positions.

Leadership Greater Syracuse was founded by CenterState CEO, Onondaga County, the City of Syracuse, and Onondaga Community College. LGS is financially supported by many organizations including United Radio and VIP Structures. Media sponsors include Charter Communications, Advanced Media Group, and the Business Journal News Network.

The Leadership Greater Syracuse Class of 2018 graduates are: Daniel Amedro, Bristol-Myers Squibb; Angela Au, Bristol-Myers Squibb; Trevor Bacon, Community Bank; Raymond Banach, UPS; Mark Barlow, Catholic Cemeteries for Syracuse Diocese; Eric Bishop, M&T Bank; Cecelia Cannon, Bousquet Holstein PLLC; Joseph Carfi, Syracuse University; Colleen Cicotta, Syracuse University; Franchesca Clemente, Catholic Charities of Onondaga County; Chelsea Colon, Cooperative Federal; Casey Cone ,OneGroup NY, Inc.; John D’Eredita, Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office; Madeleine DiGristina, SRC, Inc.; Dan DiMarco National Grid; Donald Drum, Excellus Health Plan; Wells Eshleman, Lockheed Martin; Catherine Fiorello, O’Brien & Gere; Ethan Gilbert, Rockbridge Investment Management; Phillip Grome, OCM BOCES; Elizabeth Hartman, CNY Community Foundation; Scott Hopkins ,Carrier Corporation; Thomas Horth, C & S Companies; Diana Jones, Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists; Kathleen Keough, SUNY Upstate Medical University; Michael Keys, Spectrum News; Sherry King, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield; Michael Kite, Advance Media New York; Daniel Knapp, POMCO/UMR; Clara LaPrease, Saab Defense and Security USA LLC; Sean Lawless, 174th Attack Wing; Adam Legg, The Hayner Hoyt Corporation; Alice Maggiore, Downtown Committee of Syracuse; Liza Magley, Bond Schoeneck & King; Lorraine McGee, Key Private Bank; Elisabetta Metot, CenterState CEO; Mackenzie Naum, Blue Rock Energy; Tatiana Parker, United Way of Central New York; Deborah Plochocki, SRC, Inc.; Ramona Rabeler, City of Syracuse; Charles Rivers, PEACE, Inc.; Todd Robertson, AXA Equitable; Daniel Ryan, Onondaga Community College; Jeffrey Ryan, Welch Allyn; Andrew Sabbaghzadeh, The Salvation Army; Whitney Schmidt, Hancock Estabrook; Richard Shaler, VIP Structures; Stephanie Smith, Chemtrade; Michael Sylvester, Dairy Farmers of America; Kristin Thompson, American Heart Association; Kara Welch, SUNY Upstate Medical University; and Jessica Willey, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield.  ν