After a distinguished career spanning more than three decades at Ithaca College, Ellen J. Staurowsky has announced she will formally retire on December 31, 2025, marking a new phase in her lifelong commitment to sports, education, and social justice. A professor in the Roy H. Park School of Communications, Staurowsky has been internationally recognized as a leading voice on gender equity, Title IX, college athletes’ rights, and equity in sport media throughout her tenure.
Staurowsky’s connection to Ithaca began long before her faculty appointment—rooted in family ties to the region and deep personal meaning tied to her father’s birthplace. After earning her master’s at Ithaca College in the 1970s and later a doctoral degree, she returned as a faculty member and became an integral part of the sports media program. Her work has extended far beyond the classroom, as she has co-authored influential books, contributed expert research on athlete exploitation and inequality, and served as editor-in-chief of the Title IX Alert.
For nearly 30 years, Staurowsky taught and mentored students who were drawn to her passion for sport as both a cultural force and a platform for justice. She helped create innovative courses like Women’s Sports Media Incubator and produced podcasts that challenged the next generation to rethink the role of policy and representation in athletics.
Despite her formal retirement, Staurowsky insisted she is not stepping away from her work. She plans to continue writing, researching, and supporting former and current students as they pursue careers in sport, media, and advocacy. Her legacy at Ithaca College is defined not by an end, but by the ongoing ripple effects of her scholarship, mentorship, and unwavering dedication to equity in sport.
“For nearly three decades I have been grateful for the opportunity to teach, mentor, advise, and work shoulder to shoulder with our most wonderful students,” Staurowsky said. “We have shared a love of sport and social justice, sense of purpose, and keen interest in making a difference in the world. To my current and former students, you have represented the hope of the future in all its iterations. I pray I served you well. To my dear faculty colleagues in the Park School and across campus who I deeply admire, it has been an honor and privilege to hold place among your ranks. And to our tremendous staff, my gratitude for your kind support knows no bounds.”
