NACA Syracuse Archives | Neon Entertainment

NACA Syracuse 2023 Recap

October 30, 2023

We hope you had a fantastic time at the NACA Syracuse conference if you attended! But if you couldn’t make it or missed our presence at the event, there’s still a chance to catch up on the remarkable showcases we featured. The lineup included Comedian Derrick Knopsnyder, Free Money Game Show, Spoken Word Artist Lacey Roop, Magician John Rotellini and The Unauthorized Biography Series presented by Shaun Boothe. During the conference, we also organized a … Continued

Bazooka Ball

“Yes, last-minute we had to change location due to their being confusion with reservations, facilities, and the campus police. It ended up working out though as the change of location ended up being better for Jay and the setup with electricity being right there and not having to be setup. Those who played seemed to thoroughly enjoy the game, and we want to thank you for all of your help and assistance through the booking process. We look forward to continuing working with you throughout the rest of this semester and those to come. “

— Paige, East Stroudsburg University

Will Jay

“Everything was wonderful with Will Jay. He was easy to work with during the event and our students truly loved having him – I have already received requests to bring him to campus when we are allowed to do face to face events again. Here is what one person text me after the event, “I hope you can tell Will Jay how powerful it was, I’m talking to so many people about it and they all loved it and were touched by his songs and words”. There were multiple messages in the chat during the event last night talking about how amazing his lyrics were, his voice, most importantly students were able to relate in to the messages he was talking and singing about. I think Will Jay has a new fan base here at CMU and they are going to consume the music he has out now – and are eagerly anticipating what he has in store.”

— Wade, Central Michigan University

Andy Gold

“In planning a Retreat for medical professionals in recovery, we came across a YouTube video of Andy Gold. When we stopped laughing he was hired. Andy not only tailored his performance to be specific to the group, he also humbled himself to spend time with everyone in an AA meeting and overall fellowship. He was hysterically funny sharing personal experiences and life situations! Everyone loved him with a request to even have him return! He is worth his weight in gold and ended up being an inspiration to those who attended. If you are looking for a funny comedian who is real, he’s your guy. “

— Carolyn Westgate, Program Director, Professionals’ Health Program Kansas Medical Society

Maximize Your Buzz

“You [Max Buzz] made an impact on my decisions. That night I planned to go to a birthday party, and I was excited to drink with all my friends. However, after going to the program, I didn’t want to drink anymore. I just wanted to hang out with my friends, and remember the night rather than waking up the next morning wondering how I got home. So I know you don’t know me personally, but I thought you should know that you made a difference.”

— Brittney Gilman, University of New Hampshire, Student

Zero Shades

“You made an instant connection with the audience and delivered difficult content in a manner that was relatable and not preachy. What I appreciate about the program [Zero Shades] is that it cuts through the “clutter” of Title IX, VAWA, Cleary, etc. and provides the audience with a clear message… Feedback from students was positive and appreciative of both the information and the manner in which it was delivered. Thanks so much for being such a great educational partner!”

— Chris Jachimowicz, Millersville University

Elizabeth Acevedo

“She [Elizabeth Acevedo] was wonderful. It was a perfect fit for the event, the audience loved her! She gave them a space to explore some emotions they may have or need to understand from an outsider’s perspective or just a space to hear what she had to say abut her experiences, observations, etc. One of the students from the club we were collaborating with even said we need to bring her back in the future. She is one performer we will be keeping in our heads for future performances.”

— Emily Umstead, Aquinas College

Derrick Knopsnyder

“The event went great! We had a great turnout of about 70 students and they all seemed to love Derrick’s humor and jokes. He does a great job of using the information he knows about the university to relate with the students in the audience. Not many students answered our post-event survey (it’s almost impossible to get college students to do something without incentive) but those who did answer it said that they would definitely attend this event again! The stuffed animals are a great draw to get students to the event as well. We even had a group of students waiting 30 minutes early.”

— Ryleigh, Clarkson University

Brian Ledbetter

“Brian Ledbetter is a class above when it comes to entertainment! My students were in awe of his feats of mentalism and they were amazed at the interaction he shared with them. I would highly recommend Brian [Ledbetter] for any college looking for a great programming opportunity. His show is humorous, mesmerizing and incredibly entertaining! My students were left wanting more and they can’t wait to have Brian [Ledbetter] back on campus soon!”

— Jerry Keeton, Tennessee Tech