Sports Management Faculty
Dr. Diane Para, Program Director/Professor
Dr. Diane Para is in her 36th year at SUNY Canton. Dr. Para served as Director of Athletics for 18 years, and during that time also served as Assistant to the Vice President for Student Affairs. She became Program Director and lead faculty for the Sports Management and Health and Fitness Promotion programs in 2010.
Dr. Para designed and wrote the Sports Management program and oversees all the curriculum development for the program. In addition, she teaches many of the upper-level program courses. The Ogdensburg native brings a wealth of experience to the classroom. As an educator, Dr. Para believes in the value of experiential learning both in and out of the classroom. She has developed working relationships with professional organizations across the United States to provide opportunities for students to put theory to practice and gain valuable hands-on experience. "Any career in Sports Management is people driven. Getting our students involved in activities outside the classroom in real life events will help deepen their learning, strengthen learning outcomes, and build important people skills. They also provide a unique experience to network with professionals in the field and to show case their own capabilities."
During her time as Athletic Director, Dr. Para was co-creator of the Northern Independence Conference while a National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) program and served as its first commissioner. While the program was a member of the NJCAA, Dr. Para served on the Region III Board of Directors and served as Chairperson for the Region III Women's Volleyball and Men's Ice Hockey committees.
During her tenure as athletic director, she led efforts for program expansion which included the addition of women's volleyball, men's baseball, and men's and women's cross country, and led the push for major facility improvements which included a new turf field, baseball field, and softball field, and served on the design team for the College's new 40-million-dollar athletic facility. In addition, Dr. Para was committed to developing and fostering an academics first athletic program earning much respect from campus faculty. According to Dr. Para, "we worked very hard to make sure the right message was delivered, the right policies were in place, and the right decisions were made to ensure the balance of academics and athletics remained healthy, successful, and rewarding for our student-athletes."
In addition, Dr. Para successfully directed the schools transition from a two-year athletic program to a four-year athletic program as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). She also oversaw the transition of the men's ice hockey team from a two-year program to a four-year program as a member of the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) and led the development of a strategic plan for membership into the NCAA. In addition, Para orchestrated the college's re-branding efforts in becoming the Roos.
While Athletic Director, Dr. Para also served as the women's volleyball and softball coach for numerous years earning Coach of the Year honors twice for volleyball and twice for softball. Leading the softball program into four-year competition, Dr. Para led her team to back-to-back Sunrise Conference regular season titles and Conference Tournament titles earning bids to the NAIA Division I National Championships in 2010 and 2011.
Dr. Para has earned many prestigious awards during her tenure at SUNY Canton. In 2007, she was awarded the Presidential Meritorious Service Award after successfully guiding the college into the NAIA. In 2016, she was awarded the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. In 2022, the SUNY Canton yearbook was dedicated to her for her commitment and contributions to the college.
Dr. Para is a member of the North American Society of Sport Management (NASSM), the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators (NACWAA), and Women in Higher Education. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Ogdensburg Boys and Girls Club where she also volunteers as a mentor, and most recently was selected to serve on the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority Board of Directors.
Dr. Para earned a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and Sports Management from Ithaca College, a master’s degree in Athletic and Recreation Administration, and a doctorate in Leadership for Higher Education from Capella University.