Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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WHERE HAVE YOU GONE? panied that success forced me to take ownership of my voice." During her time in the WNBA, Riley became an even greater champion in various humanitarian efforts. In 2006, Riley joined the United Nations Foundation's "Nothing But Nets" campaign as a spokesperson to fight malaria, including regular ob- servation trips across Africa to create awareness about the deadly disease and aid funding for such low-cost items as bed nets, while inspiring other athletes to join the cause. She also is heavily involved in the "No Kid Hungry" campaign devel- oped by Share Our Strengths, a non- profit organization committed to end- ing childhood hunger in America, from teaching families how to cook healthy meals on a budget, to helping build public-private partnerships to end hunger on a national and state level. As an ambassador for the NBA/ WNBA Cares, Riley travels around the world — recently with former NBA star Dikembe Mutumbo — to showcase basketball as a positive out- let across communities, while on a lo- cal level she serves in hospitals and schools to create positive impact. In addition to the Executive MBA program, serving as a color commenta- tor with play-by-play man Bob Nagle for Notre Dame women's basketball and moonlighting as a motivational speaker, she is tentatively scheduled this year to make a trip to Panama, a few trips back to Africa and probably head to South America, too. This past Nov. 28, Riley was hon- ored in Leipzig, Germany, by the Ju- nior Chamber International (JCI) as the Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World recipient in the category of humanitarian and/or voluntary lead- ership. She was the first American to receive the global award since 2008. "My commitment to helping oth- ers comes from a life of gratitude that was initiated by my faith," Riley said. "I was raised to be grateful for what God has given me. Because we didn't always have a lot of money growing up, I was also grateful to those who helped my family and I, either finan- cially or with the time they invested in me. "I don't think it was the poverty that made me empathetic, as much as it was my realization that whether you have money or not, there is a deeper story behind each of us." Even on the Notre Dame campus, she works as a facilitator for the Rosen- thal Leadership Academy for the Irish student-athletes and with the Notre Dame Initiative for Global Develop- ment offices to provide international service and learning opportunities to the student-athletes. "I am amazed at the journey God has me on, the places I have traveled to and the organizations I have had the pleasure to work with," Riley said. She still remains passionate about McGraw's program. "I have no doubt that 2001 will not be the only banner to hang from our rafters," Riley said. It's the banner life led thereafter that becomes even more significant. ✦