INDIANAPOLIS – Seven individuals represented the University of Dayton at the 2025 NCAA Impact Forum, an event that brought together leaders within intercollegiate athletics for transformational programming, including educational and engaging sessions centered around creating cultures of belonging and well-being. There was also a student-athlete experience component to this year's NCAA Forum, held Nov. 10-12.

The UD participants were: student-athletes Katherine Blandford (senior rower from Cincinnati, Ohio), Juliana Gonzalez (sophomore softball player from Lebanon, Ohio), Amir Gray (junior baseball player from South Holland, Ill.), Maya Murray (junior rower from Bexley, Ohio), and Daniela Peralta (senior track & field student-athlete from Gillette, N.J.), as well as staff members Vera Gomes, academic coordinator, and Krystal Warren, senior associate athletics director for student development and community engagement.

"I'm incredibly proud of our student-athletes for their thoughtful engagement and intentional presence at the NCAA Forum," said Warren. "The experience was truly transformational, and their energy and enthusiasm for bringing what they learned back to our campus is both inspiring and impactful."

The student-athletes share their experiences here through their reflections.

What were your biggest takeaways from the NCAA Impact Forum?
Amir Gray: Realizing how powerful collaboration and unity are especially in a time where it can feel like people are becoming more divided than ever. My three days in Indianapolis were filled with conversations and interactions with people who came from completely different backgrounds and brought their own stories and personal perspectives to the table. Hearing those experiences was extremely inspiring, especially as someone who prides myself on allyship and inclusivity. 

Kat Blandford: The importance of reflecting on my personal values and understanding how they guide my actions. I also learned about the Trust Triangle, which emphasizes that trust is built through authenticity, logic, and empathy. Understanding this framework helped me realize that trust is not automatic. Trust requires consistent effort and communication. The forum reinforced the importance of intentional reflection and building strong connections with teammates and others in my community.
 
Daniela Peralta: Understanding the importance of intentional leadership, authentic networking, and the broader impact of athletics beyond competition. One of the most valuable lessons was learning that success in the sports industry is about building meaningful relationships, being intentional, and staying committed to personal and professional growth. I also gained a deeper appreciation for how athletics can be used as a platform for social change, inclusion, and community impact. Hearing from professionals connected to the NCAA showed me that there are many different career paths within sports as well, and that resilience, communication, and confidence are key traits for long-term success.

Juliana Gonzalez: Your sport or job does not define who you are. It is not your identity; it is just something that you do. One of the quotes that resonated most with me was from Dwight White III, who asked, "When the game ends… who am I now?" This question carried a lot of weight for me because the game is never guaranteed. A career-ending injury can happen at any second, forcing you to reflect on who you are when you have to hang up your cleats. Thinking about who I will be when the game ends, while currently only in my second year of college, gives me the chance to build a life and identity that exists beyond being an athlete. Another takeaway came from Irshad Manji's "Moral Courage" session, specifically regarding the "together mindset." A quote from Irshad that stood out to me was, "Listening does not need to translate to losing." I found this impactful because it is easy to adopt a selfish mentality in college sports due to the pressure to get on the field. When you adopt a "together" mentality, the level of play seems to elevate for everyone. This quote was a powerful reminder of that truth.

Maya Murray: It was really such a cool experience. From discussing identity, the art of gathering, creating inclusive spaces and having dialogue with those who may see things differently the forum was a very cohesive event. I think that creating space for others and communicating well were the biggest things that I took away from this experience and I am excited because I can apply both of those things to so many different aspects of my life.
 
What was your favorite session?
AG: My favorite session was Dwight White's titled "Becoming Pivoting". His talk was filled with a new perspective on how to handle adversity, which opened my eyes on previous past experiences that I've had during my time in collegiate athletics. It was also my favorite session because I learned that I was the ball boy for Northwestern football during Dwight's time there. 
 
KB: My favorite session was Game Changers: Discovering Your Gifts and Values during the Student-Athlete Experience. It encouraged student-athletes to reflect on the gifts and principles that shape who we are, both on and off the field. I really appreciated the opportunity to think deeply about what drives my actions and how I can stay true to my values in all areas of life. Throughout the forum, the phrase "when the lights turn off, what is left" was repeated often, and this session gave me the space to reflect on that. As student-athletes, it's easy to get caught up in the moment of our sport, but this session helped me step back and consider who I am beyond athletics and how I want to carry that forward after graduation.
 
DP: Out of all of the influential sessions, my favorite session was the "Burn Bright, Not Out" Session. This session focused on research and strategies to prioritize self-care and mental health. The speakers emphasized the importance of work-life balance and how prioritizing that decreases burnout. A term they used that stuck with me was "workaholism" which is the pressure in sport thinking "it's not a job, it's a lifestyle." The professionals gave real solutions to and stressed the importance of resetting expectations, modeling healthy boundaries, and practicing mindfulness. As an athlete, I can experience burnout when the physical, mental, and emotional demands of my sport consistently outweigh my ability to recover. Understanding burnout means recognizing that it isn't a sign of weakness, it's a signal that my mind and body need rest, balance, and support.

JG: My favorite session was Dwight White III's "Embracing Humanity Beyond Performance." Dwight asked: when you live your whole life with the title of "athlete" and then lose that title, who are you? He suggested that instead of playing your sport just for the sake of it, you must find a true purpose behind it. He also said, "Curiosity is the bridge of who you are and what you want to become." I really liked this quote because it implies that to reach your goals and become the best version of yourself, you have to step out of your comfort zone. Personally, as an athlete, I find that I get stuck in a routine and become hesitant to try new things that do not involve my sport. Dwight's reminder pushed me to self-reflect and has already encouraged me to pursue activities outside of softball, such as joining new Bible study groups and trying new workout methods like Pilates!

MM: My favorite session from the forum was about dialogue with the speaker Irshad Manji. I think that in an increasingly polarized world the concept of not looking at conversations as battles was really important. In her speech she talked about how the real victory of conversations is not to win or lose, but to learn and that's what stuck with me. When we enter into conversations with a goal of understanding others instead of trying to prove ourselves, we not only improve relationships, but also have better outcomes for understanding and personal wellbeing. We discussed how the ego-brain, which reacts to life-or-death situations, often comes into play in disagreements and so by being more aware of this we are better able to recognize what may be a perceived threat as actually someone just disagreeing with us. While we may be biased toward reacting, when we take the time to slow down and challenge our ego-brains we are able to better take care of ourselves and our bodies, and your body will thank you for that.

What is something you learned at the Forum that you can share with our campus/your teams to help build community?
 
AG: One thing I learned from the Forum that I can bring back to campus is the idea of the "Trust Triangle," which is built on three main ideas: Authenticity, Competence, and Empathy. This turned out to be a great thing to keep in mind when you're interacting with new people and trying to build real relationships. Applying these in your everyday life can be a catalyst for stronger connections and becoming the kind of person others feel comfortable trusting and working with.

KB: I learned about the How We Feel app! This is an app where you can identify and share your emotions. It can help you figure out how you are feeling and track your feelings over time. This is something Maya Murray and I have already shared with our team. We are all friends with each other on this app, so we can see how each other is doing. This allows us to celebrate good times but also know when to check in with each other. This is helping us build our community with each other. 
 
DP: I was able to bring back to my teams here on campus was the importance of checking in on each other's well-being and embracing emotional awareness to build community. I was introduced to the "How We Feel" app, which allows individuals to track their moods, reflect on stressors, and develop healthy coping strategies. Encouraging teammates to use tools like this can normalize conversations about mental health, help everyone stay aware of their own and each other's needs, and create a culture of support and empathy. By paying attention not just to performance but to how we feel, we can strengthen our team bonds, foster resilience, and ensure everyone feels seen and valued.
 
JG: Something I learned that I have brought back to campus is the idea of having courage in your convictions, but more importantly, courage in your confusion. We should not have a one-sided way of thinking; rather, we must be able to understand and accept others' thoughts and perspectives. Especially on a diverse campus like UD, we have to be able to accept change, or at least accept that difference is okay. We must recognize that our own thoughts, feelings, or views are not always the only "correct" ones.

MM: I think that we got some really valuable information about pivoting and changing paths. Whether or not the transition from athletics to post -athletic life happens planned or not It will happen to most people at some time. Even for those who aren't in athletics sometimes things shift in life unexpectedly and this can be a really difficult space to manage. Due to this I think that what we learned about changing paths was really helpful. Going back to what we love and being flexible is important as well as remembering that our titles guide us and don't define us and even more importantly that our titles don't last. We live in spaces where we are asked to perform, but it's most important that we can be ourselves. There is a difference between who we are and what we do and while there may be some overlap it is important for us to know that difference and to be able to separate the two things. Lastly, thea speaker (name?) told us one message that I'd like to pass on as we think about who we truly are and what our purpose is in the midst of the chaos, but also when the noise goes quiet. Don't be afraid to stand still.
 
What would you say to encourage someone who is thinking about attending next year's forum?
AG: I would say go into it with an open mind and a clear heart, as that is the only way to truly be able to soak up all the information that's being thrown your way. 

KB: I would say just go for it. Going into the forum, I was not sure what exactly it was and what I wanted to get out of it, but I walked away wishing to go back. There is so much to learn from this experience, and it really opened my eyes to many things. I left this forum excited to tell people about my experience and everything that I learned. If you have the opportunity, please take it. This experience is worth it. 

DP: I would tell the future students that attending the NCAA Impact Forum is an incredible opportunity to learn, grow, and connect with people who are passionate about sports and leadership. It's a chance to hear from experienced professionals, gain new perspectives, and leave with practical insights you can apply to your own athletic and career goals. Even just being in the environment and engaging in conversations can inspire you, help you see the bigger picture, and motivate you to take action toward your future in sports. I'd encourage them to go with an open mind and take full advantage of the networking and learning opportunities.

JG: I think it is an incredible opportunity to meet people who are like-minded but come from completely different backgrounds, geographic locations, and upbringings. The forum was not only a great opportunity for athletes but also for the administrators who attended. Listening to speakers' direct sessions toward administrators was valuable for me as well, as they taught me lessons I can apply in the future when I enter the workforce.

MM: I would definitely recommend this experience. It gave me such a unique opportunity to learn from people who were similar and different to me. I got to meet other student athletes and connect with them as well as continue to grow personally and as a teammate. I feel like this experience has really helped me move through the world better and has allowed me to help my team grow as well. One of the most important things to me is that when we get poured into we get to pour back into others and after the forum I feel confident and excited to pour into the UD community.