On Friday, March 28, the Marist Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) hosted its first alumni event held at the Historic Cornell Boathouse. Current SAAC representatives had the opportunity to network with former committee members, who gave insight into their own experiences as student-athletes and postgraduate life.
Five former SAAC athletes – Eleni Waskiewicz (women's crew), Brian Townsend (men's cross country/track & field), Evan Guarini (men's lacrosse), Raeanna Gutkowski (volleyball) and Chelsea Botta (women's soccer) – with various backgrounds met with Marist student-athletes in small groups in a type of “speed-networking” style, giving all of the current SAAC members the opportunity to interact with the alums.
“They [SAAC members] were able to get some great career advice, as well as the do's and don'ts of what they should do while they are still in school to prepare for the real world ,” Elizabeth Donohue, Associate AD/Senior Woman Administrator and SAAC advisor, said. “It was really informative.”
The SAAC alumni, whose professional backgrounds range from pharmaceuticals to environmental science, helped answer questions regarding not just school-related topics, but also real world topics such as budgeting and life skills.
There are currently 38 student-athlete representatives on the committee. Over half of those student-athletes were in attendance at the event, and Donohue received positive responses from both those students and the visitors.
“Overall, we had a lot of good feedback, both from the current SAAC members and the alums,” Donohue said. “It is something that we are going to build upon and expand each year.”
SAAC athletes are chosen to serve on the committee based on the leadership qualities they have exhibited in practice, games, and in the classroom. Coaches often recommend athletes to Donohue, and the class varies from seniors to freshmen. The committee not only works to strengthen the bond between athletic teams, but also with the rest of the Marist student and Poughkeepsie community.
