PROGRAM HISTORY | APPLICATION | PAST PROGRAM RECAP
Important Dates
| July 31 |
Application opens |
| September 11 |
Application closes |
| September 15 |
Participants notified of acceptance |
| October 10-11 |
Symposium at Franklin & Marshall |
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 October 10-11 at Franklin & Marshall College, featuring keynote speakers Dr. Amy Wilson from the NCAA, Chelsea Christmas from At Her Core Fitness, and more. The Centennial Conference will cover meals 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
The Power of Me: Creating Impact That Matters
This year's program will celebrate the idea that meaningful change starts with individual action. By recognizing our unique strengths, embracing our voices, and leading with purpose, we unlock the power to create lasting impact in our communities, teams, and the world around us.
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 Snell Snapshot
Written by Keiko Chinen
The 28th Snell-Shillingford Symposium took place at Franklin & Marshall College. The theme of this year's Symposium was "The Power of Me: Creating Impact that Matters". Throughout this weekend, student-athletes and mentors learned about the many ways they can make an impact on the individual and community levels. Participants learned about how to bounce back from setbacks, become motivating and inspiring leaders on a team, and about the various careers in sport.
To begin the Symposium, participants and mentors watched a short video highlighting the history of the Snell Symposium and the work of Jen Shillingford and Eleanor Frost Snell, as well as their lasting impact on girls and women in sport to this day. Throughout the weekend, participants became part of this legacy as they learned how to lead in a meaningful way and make an impact on those around them.
Day 1: Finding Your Voice Through Mindset and Leadership
Own Your Impact: Navigating Setbacks and Reclaiming Control
Megan Weisheipl was the first speaker at the 28th Snell Symposium. She is a mindset coach, speaker, and author. She presented on the importance of being intentional about focusing on what is within our control and what is not in order to take action that aligns with who we aspire to be. By creating "snap-back" routines for setbacks, she taught student-athletes how to navigate challenges by pausing, noticing, and then choosing a course of action. Her presentation highlighted the importance of approaching challenges with intentionality and recognizing that, even when circumstances are beyond our control, we can choose how to respond.
Coaching Beyond The Game: Leadership, People, and Purpose
Our next speaker was Dina Henry, who currently serves as the head softball coach at Franklin & Marshall College and previously worked in athletic administration for over a decade and as a basketball coach at Dickinson College. Henry shared her own career experiences in the sports world and discussed what coaches do beyond coaching. She explained how coaches take on several other roles beyond improving athletes' abilities, such as fundraising, administration, advocating for student-athletes, recruiting, and mentoring. Henry explained how these responsibilities come together to allow coaches to lead their teams toward a shared vision.
Coming Home To Yourself: Movement, Community, and Passion
Our final speaker of the day was Chelsea Christmas, the founder of At Her Core Fitness. Christmas shared her personal journey of turning her passion for community into a fitness business. Through her work, she strives to redefine health and wellness by shifting the focus away from appearance and toward authenticity, connection, and individual well-being. She emphasized that wellness should be about discovering what feels right for each person rather than conforming to external expectations. As Christmas stated, "Wellness isn't about shrinking yourself, it's about coming home to yourself." Her message encouraged attendees to embrace their authentic passions and recognize that wellness can be found in building a supportive community while staying true to themselves.
Day 2: The value of mentorship in professional and personal growth
Career Development: Building Relationships, Confidence, and Understanding
The second day of the 28th Snell Symposium began with a sports panel featuring Bethany Miller, Katie Lytle, and Kate Corcoran. Bethany Miller works as a sports director at WGAL8, Katie Lytle serves as the Assistant Director of Athletics, Budget & Planning at Princeton University, and Kate Corcoran serves as the Director of Athletics at Millersville University.
With experience spanning a wide range of careers in sport, including administration, coaching, budgeting, management, and coordination, the three speakers shared their unique experiences and career paths, as well as advice on navigating career development. The speakers stressed the importance of building meaningful, lasting relationships and explained how these relationships can help individuals gain confidence and knowledge about an industry. Our panelists also emphasized the importance of advocating for yourself while remaining present, flexible, authentic, and genuine in your work. They encouraged participants to eventually take on mentorship roles to inspire and support future generations of women in the athletic world.
Find Your Team: Mentorship In Personal Growth
Our final speaker at the 28th Snell Symposium was Ashley Day Gibbs, the founder and executive director of Women Leading Baltimore, an organization dedicated to empowering high school girls through mentorship, leadership development, and community. Gibbs used the playing field as a metaphor for the mentors we need in our lives. Just as a team has players who serve different purposes, such as defending and scoring points, we also need people in our lives who fulfill different roles. For example, an anchor can provide perspective and grounding, while a challenger can encourage accountability and growth. These valuable connections help us navigate opportunities, setbacks, decisions, and transitions while pushing us beyond our comfort zones so that we can grow.
Takeaways
To take what was learned at the Snell Symposium, participants develop a takeaway project: an action that student-athletes can take to make a difference on their campuses. Representatives from each institution brainstormed project ideas throughout the weekend and presented them to the rest of the cohort to receive feedback.
I am grateful for the opportunity to have attended the 28th Snell-Shillingford Symposium, which taught me how to lead in meaningful ways that uplift, encourage, and inspire others. From our speakers, I gained valuable insight into career development and a better understanding of the opportunities available in the sports world. I am also thankful for the opportunity to meet and connect with student-athletes, mentors, Centennial staff, and guest speakers who share a common passion for making a positive impact and who are both uplifting and incredibly inspiring.
I look forward to seeing the impact the 28th Snell cohort makes on the communities they are part of and how the Snell-Shillingford Symposium will continue to shape student-athletes into inspiring leaders and encourage them to pursue careers in athletics.
The Experience
