Saturday April 18th, 2026
Event Overview
The inaugural Metcalf Summit brings recreation and tourism professionals together to address social isolation through collaboration. This advocacy-oriented event features discipline-specific and cross-sector discussions that help participants build partnerships, enhance their careers, and demonstrate why recreation services are vital to community health.
Pre-Approved for 0.8 CEUs for CTRS
Registration is Open
How The Metcalf Summit Differs from Traditional Conferences
Traditional conferences feature passive lecture-style presentations with limited networking. The Metcalf Summit engages participants in facilitated roundtable discussions that generate actionable outcomes and concrete 90-day pilot initiatives. Morning discipline-specific sessions transition to afternoon interdisciplinary collaboration, fostering cross-sector partnerships rarely achieved elsewhere.
Participants need not submit presentation proposals or prepare materials—they simply bring their professional expertise and lived experience to structured conversations. This removes the gatekeeping inherent in traditional conference models while ensuring every attendee actively contributes to solutions. Students and professionals work together throughout, creating authentic mentorship beyond typical conference interactions. Moderators compile findings into reports distributed within a month of the event, maintaining momentum and accountability after the event.
Our Keynote
Dr. Bryan McCormick
Dr. Bryan P. McCormick is a professor in the recreational therapy program within the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at Temple University's Barnett College of Public Health. His work directly addresses the summit's central focus—combating social isolation and loneliness through evidence-based recreation interventions.
As principal investigator of a federally-funded Disability and Rehabilitation Research Project (DRRP) titled "Being Needed: Building Social Connections that Matter," Dr. McCormick leads research on reducing social isolation and loneliness among community-living adults with serious mental illness. His inquiry focuses on how social connection supports health and community inclusion—the core outcomes this summit aims to advance.
Dr. McCormick brings distinguished leadership credentials to the field. He served as president of the American Therapeutic Recreation Association and holds fellowships in both the Academy of Leisure Sciences and the National Academy of Recreational Therapists. His scholarship includes over 150 peer-reviewed publications and research abstracts that have shaped contemporary therapeutic recreation practice.
His commitment to global health equity is demonstrated through his work as a two-time Fulbright Scholar in Serbia (2010) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (2017), and as a Fulbright Specialist leading a global mental health project with the University of Mindanao in the Philippines (2025).
Registration
Registration is Open
The Metcalf Summit registration is $30 for professionals, including eight hours of professional development, networking lunch, and 0.8 CEUs. This accessible pricing connects you directly with SUNY Cortland's academic programs and emerging professionals, fostering mentorship opportunities while advancing field-wide advocacy efforts.
Registration Fees
Students ... Free
Professionals ... $30
Summit Schedule
Saturday April 18th, 2026
Moffett Center, SUNY Cortland Campus
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM - REGISTRATION & CHECK IN
9:00 AM - 9:30 AM - WELCOME & OPENING REMARKS
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM - KEYNOTE PRESENTATION
Theme: Professional Advocacy and Addressing Social Isolation Through Recreation and Tourism
10:30 AM - 10:45 AM - BREAK
10:45 AM - 12:00 PM - DISCIPLINE-SPECIFIC ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS
Discussion Focus: Participants explore how loneliness manifests in their discipline, identify unique professional strengths and solutions, and develop concrete 90-day action initiatives.
12:00 PM - 12:15 PM - MORNING ROUNDTABLE REPORTS
12:15 PM - 1:15 PM - NETWORKING LUNCH
Lunch is provided
1:15 PM - 2:30 PM - INTERDISCIPLINARY ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS
Discussion Focus: Mixed-discipline groups share morning insights, design collaborative community initiatives, identify advocacy priorities, and establish concrete cross-sector partnerships.
2:30 PM - 2:45 PM - BREAK
2:45 PM - 3:30 PM - FINDINGS REVIEW & WHOLE GROUP DISCUSSION
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM - NEXT STEPS & CLOSING REMARKS
3:45 PM - ADJOURNMENT
Summit Features
Action Oriented Professional Development
The Metcalf Summit moves beyond passive learning to create concrete outcomes. Participants develop personalized advocacy action plans, identify specific initiatives to pilot within 90 days, and leave with implementation strategies, timelines, and professional connections needed to advance both individual careers and the field.
Interdisciplinary Networking
Connect across recreation, parks, tourism, therapeutic recreation, and outdoor education sectors to build partnerships that address community challenges. The summit's structured roundtable format facilitates meaningful professional relationships between students, emerging professionals, and established field leaders, creating lasting collaborations that extend beyond the event.
Measurable Learning Outcomes
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Develop Professional Advocacy Skills: Create personalized advocacy action plans using evidence-based strategies to advance the therapeutic recreation profession.
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Apply Career Development Strategies: Identify and implement career advancement techniques including professional networking, mentorship engagement, and strategic positioning.
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Integrate Professional Values with Practice: Synthesize conservation, inclusion, and wellbeing principles into professional practice and advocacy efforts.
Have Specific Questions?
Please use the contact form below to reach out, we'd love to hear from you.
