“More Than A Game” virtual symposium

Falk College’s Sport Venue and Event Management (SVEM) master’s program is hosting “More Than A Game,” a virtual symposium dedicated to promoting athlete mental health awareness, on April 21. Speakers include Syracuse University student-athletes as well as industry professionals.

Brittney Sykes ’17 (current WNBA player for the LA Sparks), Cam Lynch ’15 (former NFL linebacker) Morgan Alexander ’21 (women’s lacrosse), and Quincy Guerrier ’23 (men’s basketball) will serve as panelists. Additional keynote speakers include Valorie Kondos Fields (PAC 12 Women’s Gymnastics Coach of the Century), Dr. Jessica Bartley (Director of Mental Health for the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committees), Breyah Richardson (former Loyola New Orleans women’s basketball player and founder of B.R.E.A.T.H.E., an organization designed to bring mental health resources to the Black community), Matt Davidson (Founder and President of the Excellence with Integrity Institute), Resa Lovelace (Founder of RBL Theory, an organization dedicated to promoting workplace diversity and inclusivity), and Dona Rodgers (Founder of Morgan’s Message, which strives to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health within the student-athlete community and equalize the treatment of physical and mental health in athletics).

The topic of mental health is relevance in our society, particularly amongst sporting communities, where, regardless of age, race, gender, and/or sexuality, nearly 35 percent of professional athletes cite that they are coping with some form of a mental health issue. The Syracuse University Sport Venue and Event Management program aims to bring awareness to mental health issues affecting athletes and to provide a safe space for sharing information and encouraging discussion.

This year’s symposium, “More Than a Game,” is a first of its kind within the program’s history as a completely online event.

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