History
Learn about the history of NATAS
NATAS had an interesting beginning. It all began one lunch when Al Beninato, Ryan Goodenough, Jon Mason, and Hans Smucker had an idea for a "TRF House," somewhere where TRF majors could all live together and share ideas. Well, a month later, the idea was only on a napkin that had been thrown away in the Kimmel Dining Center. That was where it would stay until, one day, Ryan Goodenough went to the CDC to try to find some alumni to get things going.
After the initial email had been sent out to the alumni, Ryan and Jon went to a meeting with Michael Schoonmaker, head of the TRF department, to discuss their idea. Ryan and Jon left that meeting with a name in their head: NATAS. Ryan decided to call William Hanauer, executive director of the NY Chapter. Ryan found out that NATAS had existed on campus before, but not officially. So, Bill had an idea. Ryan should come down to the NY Chapter headquarters and make a presentation on this new SU division of NATAS.
Sure enough, by the end of December, Shawn Abraham and Ryan were driving back from their meeting in the city, with an "official" status for the organization, approved by NY Chapter President Maury Povich.
So, what has the SU division of NATAS done since then? For starters, we've established good relations with the entire NY Chapter, people who can help guide us for the rest of our lives. We also went to a seminar on film and TV scoring along with one on desktop editing at the Apple Computer Store in NYC. And we produced our own TV show, Syracuse Legends guided by Lindsay Bigda, our excellent programming chair. Ryan Goodenough and William Snyder, Albany Regional Vice President, hosted the first annual excellence in programming awards in April, handing out nine awards judged by the same people who judge the Emmys each year. One more thing! Seventeen of us were able to attend the 2004 NY Emmys sitting in $300 seats paid for us by the generous Maury Povich. Just think, all this in our first semester.