Important Dates
| October 1 |
Application opens |
| October 31 |
Application closes |
| November 21 |
Participants notified of acceptance |
| January 24-25 |
Symposium at Haverford College |
The Legacy
About
The Snell-Shillingford Symposium began in 1999, founded by Jen Shillingford, the then-athletic director of Bryn Mawr College, to encourage women undergraduates to enter the field of coaching. Over the years, it has evolved into a leadership program that empowers undergraduate students to pursue various positions of leadership in athletic administration, coaching, athletic training, athletics communication, and more.
This two-day program aims to enrich participants' skills and expand their professional network. This year's symposium will be held on January 24-25 at Haverford College, featuring keynote speakers Dr. Amy Wilson from the NCAA, Anna Goorevich from Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport, and more. The Centennial Conference will cover meals, the full cost of attendance, and the hotel stay for participants.
History
The symposium honors the contributions of two of the most influential women in the coaching profession, Eleanor Frost Snell and Jen Shillingford.
Eleanor Frost Snell (1900–1993), known as "Miss Snell," was a trailblazer in women's athletics and physical education. From 1931 to 1971, she served Ursinus College as professor, department head, and coach, establishing the school as a powerhouse in Division I field hockey. Generations of young women proudly called themselves "Snell's Belles," carrying forward her lessons of resilience, teamwork, and integrity.
Her student and mentee, Jen Shillingford, continued that legacy as a field hockey coach and athletic director at Bryn Mawr College for more than 20 years. She gained national recognition as an umpire in field hockey, basketball, and lacrosse, and served as president of the United States Field Hockey Association (USFHA), where she advanced the sport on a national level. A dedicated mentor, Shillingford devoted her career to preparing the next generation of women leaders in athletics.
Together, Eleanor Frost Snell and Jen Shillingford symbolize a powerful lineage of women who shaped the landscape of athletics through excellence, advocacy, and mentorship, values at the very heart of the Snell-Shillingford Symposium.
The Theme
Elevate: Lift Your Voice. Expand Your Vision. Strengthen Your Impact.
Elevate is more than a call to action; it is an invitation to reimagine what is possible when leaders bring their full selves to their teams, their institutions, and their communities. The Snell-Shillingford Symposium will explore how elevating ourselves and others can transform not only the culture of sport but also the future of leadership.
By embracing this theme, participants are encouraged to rise with confidence, inspire with authenticity, and lead with purpose, creating a ripple effect that empowers those around them.
The Lineup
Learn from leaders, administrators, researchers, and top professionals about how to position yourself for any professional career or a career in athletics.
The Snapshot
Written by Olivia Rizzi
This year, Haverford College hosted the 27th Snell-Shillingford Symposium. The theme, "Elevate," challenged student-athletes and mentors alike to think intentionally about lifting their voices, expanding their vision, and strengthening their impact within athletics and beyond. To kick off the symposium, attendees watched a short video detailing the symposium's history as well as Jen Shillingford and Eleanor Frost Snell's trailblazing work that laid the foundation for girls and women in sport today. Their impact on athletics continues to inspire leaders, and their vision was present throughout the weekend.
Day 1: Diving into Mindset, Legislation, and Coaching
Built to Win: Mindset, Failing Forward, and Goal Setting for Female Leaders
Mindset coach and speaker Megan Weisheipl opened the day with an interactive and empowering approach to mastering mindset. Weisheipl shared that her own personal hardships challenged her to pivot and pave a path forward while also appreciating how a difficult moment can be the best teacher. Later, Weisheipl identified that the fear to fail lives at the intersection of performance, expectations, and identity and taught attendees how to set simple but intentional goals to achieve the bigger ones.
Senior Woman Administrator Panel
The day's next event featured four Senior Woman Administrators (SWAs), Dr. Val Gomez of Swarthmore College, Sandy Lagna of McDaniel College, Kelly Mannix of Johns Hopkins University, and Annette Hunt-Shepherd of Gettysburg College. The session gave attendees the opportunity to learn more about leadership roles and career pathways for students interested in working in sport. Historically, an institution's SWA is the highest-ranking woman administrator in the athletics department, a designation that promotes meaningful representation of women in the leadership and management of collegiate athletics.
Title IX's History and Application to Athletics
Dr. Amy Wilson returned to this year's symposium to discuss Title IX's history and how it applies to athletics. Wilson is deeply knowledgeable and passionate about Title IX and serves as the NCAA's Managing Director of Inclusion. At the berth of her career, Dr. Wilson had the premier opportunity to work with nationally recognized Title IX expert Dr. Christine Grant, who also served as Wilson's mentor. Throughout her presentation, Wilson explained that Title IX covers 10 areas, including access to higher education, athletics, career education, and more. Later, Wilson explained the three prongs of Title IX within athletics and debunked common Title IX myths.
Many Hats of Coaching
To end the day, Head Swarthmore volleyball coach Harleigh Chwastyk discussed the multiple responsibilities held by coaches. Chwastyk is successful in her field with over 350 career wins, four conference coach-of-the-year titles, and an NCAA Elite Eight appearance. Chwastyk emphasized that to coach is to mentor and shape young people; in addition to developing athletic skills, aspiring coaches must be prepared to communicate clearly and honestly, have difficult conversations, organize with precision, be a leader, and a motivator, all while building genuine relationships and leading with humility and authenticity.
Day 2: Mentorship, Trailblazing Research, and Takeaways
Leadership Through Gratitude
To open day two, Sherryta Freeman shared her career journey in athletics, which culminated in her current role as Lafayette College's athletic director. Freeman is a well-respected administrator within athletics, earning recognition as the 2020-21 Nike Administrator of the Year and a place on Sports Illustrated's and Onyx's "100 Influential Black Women in Sports." Grounded in gratitude, Freeman advised attendees to approach leadership positions as teammates and to give gratitude and credit to others wherever possible. Freeman also explained how she maintained mentor relationships throughout her career and emphasized how important it is to lift others as we climb.
Past, Present, and a Positive Future for Girls and Women in Sport: a Research Journey
Former Snell-Shillingford attendee and intern Anna Goorevich spoke next, sharing research from her work at the Tucker Center for Research on Girls and Women in Sport. A Fulbright Scholar and PhD candidate, Goorevich conducts barrier-breaking research that provides critical insight into female bodies, an area that remains significantly underfunded. She presented data on female participation in coaching girls' and women's sports, inspiring attendees to become more involved in the field. Goorevich later shared captivating research and provided an overview of the impact on female athletes.
Takeaways
A key component of the symposium is the takeaway, which challenges student-athletes at each Centennial Conference institution to empower female athletes on their campuses. Representatives from each institution brainstormed project ideas to bring back to campus. Later, each institution shared their plans with the larger group and received feedback.
I am grateful to the Snell-Shillingford Symposium for broadening my understanding of what a career in athletics can look like and for empowering me to lead with confidence, authenticity, and humility. Having had the opportunity to sit in a room with so many passionate, driven women inspires me to get involved and pursue my career goals unapologetically. Everyone from the Centennial staff, guest speakers, mentors, and student-athletes is so welcoming and supportive, making it easy to learn from both the presentations and my peers. After attending the symposium as both a participant and an intern, I can confidently say that I found people who see me and my passion for female leadership in sports and transformed how I see myself in those spaces. I am excited to see how the students I met at the symposium impact athletics in the future, and I cannot wait to see how the Snell-Shillingford Symposium will continue to break barriers for women and encourage them to pursue a career in athletics.
The Impact
The Experience
