CHESTER, Pa. — The junior class of the Widener Athletic Leadership Initiative has shown it has the makings of being incredible leaders in all facets of life, especially right now as student-athletes for the Pride.

To help them enhance its leadership skills and inspire others in the Widener community to become better leaders, the 16-member class hosted the third annual Widener Athletic Leadership Panel last Monday night at Alumni Auditorium. This year's event, called "Bridging the Gap: Building Resiliency and Trust Within the Pride," featured a leadership panel that included Widener alumni Meghan Walton '13, Trina (Menta) Hanna '09 and Keith Wilford '00, who discussed the importance of resiliency and trust in their leadership roles.

"The Leadership Panel that was set up by the WALI junior class was beyond imaginable," said WALI junior Stephen Posner, who is a member of the baseball team. "Our guests Trina, Keith and Meghan shared their unique stories involving hardships and resiliency as a Widener athlete and could not be more grateful for their guidance. It was an amazing learning experience."

"The third annual Widener Athletic Leadership Panel was a fantastic example of the amazing works our student-athletes do on a daily basis here in Chester," WALI coordinator and Widener men's soccer head coach Ross Liberati said. "The hard work and ownership our Junior WALI class demonstrated to execute this event at such a high level was inspiring to witness. They have set a very high bar for future WALI classes who will carry on this tradition next spring!"

During the panel, the WALI junior class and those students who attended the event got a chance to ask Walton, Hanna, and Wilford questions about how they got better as leaders during their years as Widener student-athletes and in their current careers.

Walton, a former Widener women's volleyball standout and current assistant coach for Widener's men's and women's volleyball teams, said that she was able to deal with the passing of her mother by focusing on academics and athletics and establishing trust with her team, coaches, friends, and professors. In addition, she overcame other struggles in her life, such as when she was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.

"These hardships taught me to see other people's perspective," Walton said. "You don't know what it's like for that person unless you are in their shoes…You also have to talk to those who are close to you before they may be gone and out of your life."

Hanna, who was a standout in both field hockey and softball at Widener from 2005-09 and the valedictorian of her graduating class, said she prioritized her time management and focused on "being in the present" instead of other things. Hanna, who is now a controller at Valley Forge Financial Group, said it was also "important to connect with others on a personal level" and find the "positivity" in everyone.

For Wilford, who was Widener's first All-American in men's lacrosse in 1999 and currently works as a motivational speaker, he shared a story about how he worked with Navy SEALs and the group taught him about the how to evolve as a leader.

"Even through darkness, fatigue and bad times they went through, they showed how tough they were," Wilford said. "I learned that ruts will cycle their way around, but they don't determine who you are. You are enough. Allow yourself to live through it and own it."

Members of the WALI junior class were greatly inspired by the panel.

"The main lesson that I took away from the event was that life will be hard, things will not always go your way, but how you respond to those situations and hardships is what defines you," Widener junior softball player Kaylin Johnson said.

"I learned that anything can happen at any given moment, and to cherish what is in front of you," added Posner.

About the Widener Athletic Leadership Initiative (WALI)
The Widener Athletic Leadership Initiative (WALI) was founded on the principle that collegiate athletics is a breeding ground for aspiring leaders. We believe the student athlete experience at Widener University has the power to create influential leaders who will implement tangible management skills in their respective communities, careers, and personal lives in profoundly positive ways.
WALI's curriculum is centered on helping our student-athletes hone their leadership skills as both a teammate and a team leader during their years competing for The Pride. Student-athletes move through the program in class-affiliated levels, and the foundational programming for each level is delivered through interactive sessions that maximize athlete-athlete engagement and personal discovery. We will proved opportunities for experiential learning, mentoring, and workshops with guest speakers to augment the curriculum.