MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – An impressive showing of leaders from throughout the sports, business and legal worlds came together on Tuesday evening at the Fernandez Family Center for Leadership and Wellness on the St. Thomas University campus where they spoke to a group of over 260 student-athletes on the principles behind the NAIA's Champions of Character program. In a panel discussion, the leaders of their respective professions, conveyed the application of the five core values of
Respect, Responsibility,
Integrity,
Sportsmanship and
Servant Leadership to the student-athletes in real world terms.
"With the help of Mr. (Arthur) McNeil, we put together this panel discussion to provide our student-athletes with real-life examples of how the core values of the NAIA Champions of Character program translate into success both in sports and in life," said
Laura Courtley-Todd, St. Thomas University Director of Athletics. "On behalf of the entire athletic department, I would like to thank all of the panelists for their insight, candor, and perspective that proved to be invaluable to our student-athletes."
International Tennis Hall of Fame member Butch Buchholz, professional race car driver Milka Duno, and former Miami Dolphins Player Judge Edward Newman headlined the list of panelists at the inaugural event. Also serving on the panel were Florida State Representative Kionne McGhee, Criminal Defense attorney Arthur McNeil, St. Thomas University professor Debbie Goodman-Lerner, Boston Red Sox professional scout Wilie Romay, and Manny Tarich, Esquire. ESPN and BIG 105.9 FM broadcaster Dave Lamont moderated the discussion.
Duno was a particular hit with the student-athletes, with roughly 50% of the audience being female and several student-athletes hailing from Venezuela, the multi-talented auto racer's home country. She effectively communicated the Champions of Character core values to the student-athletes through her unique story as a female auto racer in a male-dominated sport.
"You have to dream. You have to look inside yourself to see what you really want to do in life and in the future," Duno told the audience. "I had the drive to succeed in my sport even though it was a male dominated sport. It was very important that I did not let anything intimidate me. You have to just choose a goal and go in that direction."
Questions were presented to the panel from STU's respective sports teams, members of the Student-Athlete Advisory Board, as well as St. Thomas coaches and administrators. The panelists then answered the questions, sharing with the student-athletes their personal experiences as they related to the Champions of Character mission. Questions ranged from what employers are looking for, to how to handle adversity, to hot-button topics such as social media and performance enhancing drugs.
"As a former student-athlete I think it is important for these core values to be continuously grilled into them," said State Representative McGhee. "It is important that the values of Champions of Character are taught to excel on the field and in the real world."
"It was a wonderful opportunity for our student-athlete and student leaders to get a blueprint on life from professionals and leaders," added Professor Goodman-Lerner. "Every day, character counts. It is good to always remind our students to do the right thing at whatever level they happen to be at in life."
To view a video replay of the Champions of Character Panel Discussion go to
www.new.livestream.com/stusports/championsofcharacter. For more information on St. Thomas University Athletics, go to
www.stubobcats.com
About NAIA Champions of Character: Champions of Character was developed by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), which formally teaches character through athletics at its member colleges and universities. Since 2000, Champions of Character has provided free training and resources to help those who work in athletics make character development a priority. Since the inception of the program, St. Thomas University has been recognized as a
Champion of Character Five-Star Institution by the NAIA for exemplary implementation of the program. For more information on the NAIA Champions of Character program, visit
naia.org
About the Panelists:
WILLIE ROMAY: Currently serving as an Area Scout in Southern Florida for the Boston Red Sox, Romay previously spent 14 years as a scout for the Major League Baseball Scouting Bureau. With Major League Baseball, Romey spent time in all three types of baseball scouting: professional, international and amateur. Prior to his scouting career, Romay played professionally as an outfielder for the Seattle Mariners (1989-91), Los Angeles Dodgers (1992) and Florida Marlins (1994) minor league systems. A member of the Miami Senior HS Sports Hall of Fame, Romay was drafted by the Mariners in the fifth round of the 1988 MLB Amateur Draft.
ARTHUR MCNEIL: A Criminal Defense attorney in Miami, McNeil represents individuals accuses of crimes in both State and Federal Courts. McNeil's legal career began at the Public Defender's Office in Miami-Dade in 2005 and in 2008 he opened his own law firm. McNeil received his Juris Doctorate from Howard University School of Law in Washington, DC in 2005, and his Bachelor of the Arts from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke in 2002. While enrolled at UNC-Pembroke, Arthur was a three-time Academic All-American and two-year Co-Captain of the Wrestling Team, Chancellor's Scholar, Dean's List Honoree, Student Government Association Senator, Fraternity President, amongst other honors.
BUTCH BUCHHOLZ: Inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2005, Buchholz was the junior champion at Wimbledon and Roland Garros in 1958, reached No. 5 in the world as an amateur in 1960, and was a U.S. Pro Champion in 1961. Following his playing career, he began a business career that included posts as the Executive Director of the ATP and the Commissioner of World Team Tennis. He later founded the Lipton International Tennis Players Championships in South Florida in 1985. That event, today known as the Sony Open, has established itself as one of the world's premier tournaments at its permanent home in Key Biscayne, Fla.
MILKA DUNO: The first woman to win a major international sports car race in North America and the first Latina to qualify and race in the Indianapolis 500, Duno joins the panel as part of her
Milka Way educational initiative. This year, the Venezuelan native completed her first full season in the ARCA Racing Series, finishing seventh in the driver point standings to become the second highest finishing female driver in ARCA's 61-year history. Duno, a certified Naval Engineer who holds four master's degrees - the last three earned simultaneously - and author of the award-winning bilingual children's book
Go, Milka, Go!, has helped thousands worldwide through her
Milka Way educational program.
PROFESSOR DEBBIE GOODMAN-LERNER: Specializing in a wide range of Criminal Justice topics, including: report writing, ethics, communications, human behavior, juvenile justice, criminology, criminal justice, and leadership, Goodman-Lerner is a Professor of Criminology at St. Thomas University, an accomplished author, and a former TV Host. She is the originator and series editor of Prentice Hall's
PACTS: Police And Corrections Training Series and was honored in 2002 and 2005 by
Who's Who Among America's Teachers as one of the nation's most talented college instructors. Professor Goodman-Lerner is committed to providing quality education and training to police and corrections officers, criminal justice students, and practitioners.
REPRESENTATIVE KIONNE L. MCGHEE: Currently a Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives, McGhee represents the 118th District, which includes central Miami-Dade County, stretching from Richmond Heights to Florida City, since 2012. McGhee was born in Miami, and attended Howard University, where he graduated with a degree in political science in 2000, and the Thurgood Marshall School of Law, where he received a Juris Doctorate. McGhee is a national motivational speaker, a college professor, and the author of a memoir:
a mer (e) I-CAN is AMERICAN. He is also the President and founder of 2NOIT Media & Publishing.
JUDGE EDWARD NEWMAN: A member of the 1973 Super Bowl champions and a four-time Pro Bowler, Newman played offensive guard for the Miami Dolphins from 1973 – 1984 under Don Shula, the NFL's all-time winningest coach. During his career, he spent every training camp on the campus of St. Thomas University, the home of the Dolphins practice facility from 1970-92. During his playing career, Newman began studying law and today is a County Court Judge in Miami-Dade County. His most significant charitable contribution during his NFL career came in the hundreds of hours spent encouraging the public to donate blood. As a result, NW 17
th Street in Miami was renamed Ed Newman Street.
MANNY TARICH: With a focus on both complex litigation and transactional matters, Tarich represents clients both domestically and internationally and serves as corporate counsel for many national and regional companies, small businesses and individual clients in all phases of litigation in state and federal courts. Prior to opening the Firm, he served as a Law Clerk for the Magistrate Robert L. Dube of the Southern District of Florida. Tarich is the youngest individual to ever be licensed by the National Football League and has represented players in nfl contract negotiations. Tarich received his Juris Doctorate from St. Thomas University School of Law, in 2003, and Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting and Finance from Florida State University in 1999.
DAVE LAMONT (MODERATOR): A longtime South Florida radio personality who has spent more than 30 years in the market as a talk show host and reporter, LaMont joined ESPN and ABC in 2004 as a football sideline reporter and became a play-by-play commentator in 2005. In the 1990s, LaMont won the South Florida A.I.R. Award for best play-by-play for University of Miami basketball. As the "Voice of the Canes" in 1998, LaMont called four College World Series games on the Hurricanes Radio Network, including their national title run in 1999. He also spent six seasons as the host and substitute play-by-play announcer for the Miami Heat from 1993-99. South Florida listeners can catch Lamont on weekday mornings where handles sports for the Paul and Young Ron Show on BIG 105.9 FM.
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