2025 New York Leadership Engagement Conference

The College Student Personnel Association Of New York State (CSPA-NY) is ecstatic to welcome the return of the New York Leadership Engagement Conference to Keuka College in Penn Yan, NY for the second year in a row!

Save the date of Thursday, June 12, 2025 to join us for this amazing opportunity to network and grow professionally!

Through idea sharing, curiosity, and a desire to improve skills and strategies in achieving transformational campuses, attendees bring their experience and expertise from various functional areas, including but not limited to: student activities, residential life, career development, multicultural affairs, community service, athletics, and other areas that offer leadership development.  

Registration

• CSPA Member (Professional, Graduate Student) $50

• CSPA Non-Member (Professional) $95

• CSPA Non-Member (Graduate Student) $75

• CSPA Non-Member (Undergraduate Student) $50

*On Campus Housing $68 per night

Present at Conference

Proposal submissions will open on February 25. This year, our theme is Leadership by Lake: Building Connections; Breaking Barriers!
Deadline extended! Proposal Submission will close on April 25.
We can’t wait to learn from all of our wonderful presenters!

Details

• Location: Keuka College

• Date: Thursday, June 12, 2025

• Time: 9:30am - 4:30pm

• Theme: Leadership by Lake: Building Connections; Breaking Barriers

How to Get Here

Where to Stay

For individuals who wish to travel to Keuka the night before, rooms will be available on-campus (select during NYLEC registration). The rate is $68 per night - Single Room provided. You will select which night you need a room for as well.

If you’d prefer a hotel stay, here are some options:

• Hampton Inn Penn Yan

• Microtel by Wyndham

• Best Western Plus Vineyard Inn & Suites

• The Mansion at Keuka Lake

Keynote Speakers

RICHARD HARRIS, M.S.

Richard A. Harris is the proud husband of his wife Brooke and together they have been blessed with 3 children; Preston, age 10, Penelope, age 5, and Priya, age 4. Richard believes in a life of continual growth and improvement and feels that he will never be done evolving into the best version of himself.  

Richard earned both his B.A. and M.S degrees in Career & Technical Education (CTE) at Buffalo State College. Throughout his undergraduate and graduate experiences, he served in various paraprofessional roles within higher education such as; Orientation Leader, Resident Assistant, and Resident Director while also competing in Track & Field. Richard’s passion as an athlete led to him capturing Buffalo State’s first National Championship in 20 years in the 110 High Meter Hurdles. Richard is currently in the Athletic Hall of Fame at three separate schools for Track & Field.  

Richard has a vision and hunger for equity, diversity, and inclusion, as well as skill sets that allow him to build a sense of community wherever he is. To this end he has held such roles as the Assistant Director of Student Life for Commuter and Minority Student Services at Buffalo State College, Coordinator of Service and Community Building at The College at Brockport; Admissions Advisor at The Rochester Educational Opportunity Center (REOC) and he currently serves as a Senior Counselor within the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) at the University at Buffalo (UB) where he provides responsive academic, personal and financial counseling to students while emphasizing student success.

Richard believes in the value of building, sustaining, and maintaining relationships- both personally and professionally. With over 18 years of experience within higher education, Richard has developed practical frameworks and strategies to demonstrate how anyone can use these tools to build connections wherever they are and with whomever they come into contact with.    

Schedule at a Glance

8:30 am - Registration, Dahlstrom Student Center

8:30 am - Breakfast, Geiser Dining Hall

10:00 am - Opening Keynote, Hawkins Lounge

11:15 am - Educational Session Block #1,

12:15 pm - Lunch, Geiser Dining Hall

1:30 pm - Educational Session Block #2

2:30 pm - Educational Session Block #3

3:30 pm - Closing Keynote, Hawkins Lounge

Meet the 2025 NYLEC Planning Team

2025 NYLEC Co-Chair
-Frank Parsons | Area Coordinator, SUNY Geneseo
-Katie La Vecchio | Area Coordinator, University at Buffalo

Marketing, Chair
-Leah Degraw | Assistant Director of Campus Life, Keuka College

Logistics Committee
-Garrett Stauffer (Chair) | Community Coordinator, Keuka College
-Jay Vollmer | Resident Director, Finger Lakes Community College

Programming and Educational Sessions, Chair
-David Gosper | Resident Director, Monroe Community College

Conference Hospitality Committee
-Dana Dicker (Chair) | Graduate Assistant, Monroe Community College
- Hannah Smith Williams | Associate Director of Residence Life, Hobart William Smith

Site Coordinator
-Laura Dulski | Director of Campus Life; Keuka College

FAQs