When Tony Welch came to Viterbo University four years ago, he didn’t take things too seriously. He was studious, sure, but at first he wasn’t looking at his college education as being anything beyond a benefit to himself (and a chance to keep playing soccer).
Four years later, he’s been transformed, graduating with a degree in sports management and leadership and a sense of mission in life. “No matter the situation, I always want to put myself in the shoes of others and take care of people by being kind,” said Welch, a native of Lino Lakes, Minn. “Ultimately, I hope to capitalize on the power of sport to make a positive difference in the community.”
Welch, who graduated with honors with a 3.94 GPA, shared his perspective on his transformation as the student speaker at the 2022 spring commencement ceremony, using a sweet metaphor inspired by a question from a practice job interview question: What kind of candy bar would you want to be?
“When I reflect on my time at Viterbo University, I like to tell people that the university has changed me from a Laffy Taffy candy into a 3 Musketeers bar,” Welch said in his commencement address. “In 2018, I came to Viterbo University as a small Laffy Taffy. I loved to make jokes, be the funny guy, and not take anything too seriously. I cared about my studies and playing soccer; however, I never really focused too much on others.”
A 3 Musketeers bar looks like any other candy bar from the outside, Welch explained, but the whipped mousse filling sets it apart. In Welch, that light and fluffy center symbolizes concern for others and for the common good.
“Our values and this university have transformed me into a 3 Musketeers bar,” Welch continued. “May we leave Viterbo with hearts that care deeply about others. My hope is that Viterbo has shaped all of you into 3 Musketeers bars so you go forward and serve your communities through acts of hospitality, service, stewardship, integrity, and contemplation.”
Ultimately, Welch wants to put his education, skills, and values to use as a community engagement director for a professional sports team, leveraging the admiration and esteem for athletes to make for a better community and society. His favorite sports team is the Minnesota Vikings, and he’d love to work for that organization, but he realizes that nobody can expect to come out of college and walk into a position like that. He needs to prove his community engagement skills first, and it doesn’t really matter if it is for a sports organization or something else.
Welch got some great community engagement experience as a Viterbo student through a spring 2022 internship with Habitat for Humanity. The organization tasked him with developing a campaign to increase volunteer participation in and financial support for the annual Neighbors Day event.
Welch’s multifaceted campaign included creating a brochure and a layered and targeted email and telephone campaign seeking help from La Crosse area churches and businesses. He also developed a video promotion plan deployed on TikTok, the social media app, and other online promotions.
His work was a smashing success and got a rave review from his Habitat for Humanity supervisor: “His work played a direct role in making this our most successful Neighbors Day event ever. We recruited 500 volunteers, compared to 400 from our best previous year. He raised over $5,000 in cash and in-kind donations, compared to $1,500 in our best previous year.”
This summer, Welch starts a job in the Twin Cities as community engagement specialist for Opportunity Partners, planning events for people with special needs and helping them interact with the community, but he said he’s interested in staying involved with Habitat for Humanity, too.
Welch also was part of some impressive improvements as a member of the Viterbo men’s soccer team. His first year on the team also was the first year for coach Luke Dunn, and the team won only two games all season.
This year, the team nearly qualified for a trip to the national tournament, compiling a 16-0-1 record before losing its only game of the season in the semifinal round of the Continental Athletic Conference championship tournament.
Welch was the only member of this year’s remarkable team that also played on the team that only won two games. Win or lose, Welch treasured all of his time with the soccer team.
“My favorite memory from Viterbo is being a part of the men’s soccer team and being able to connect with my teammates as we worked toward a common goal and continually pushed each other to be better,” he said. “I will miss the long road trips and the fun we had along the way.”
In addition to being on the soccer team, Welch also was a member of the Viterbo Social Justice and Equity Committee and was involved in the National Society of Leadership and Success. He also got some valuable insights through his participation in the Dahl School of Business mentorship program, which paired him with Ben Kapanke of the La Crosse Loggers baseball team.
Welch also conducted a study of the effects of the pandemic on minor league baseball teams through participation in Viterbo’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program. His work was so impressive he was invited to present his findings at last February’s Applied Sport Management Association national conference in Indianapolis.
Giving his presentation at that national conference helped convince Welch that he could get up and talk in front of his classmates at the commencement ceremony, but he might have done it even without that experience.
“I’m a pretty anxious person, normally. Even though it was a huge honor to be asked to do it, I wasn’t sure it was something I wanted to do,” he said. But then he thought about a lesson his parents emphasized growing up, that the biggest regrets in life are always about the things we didn’t do, not the things we’ve done.
Welch mentioned that lesson in his commencement speech, and he had no regrets about his decision to accept the invitation to be class speaker.
“I felt really good about it afterward,” he said. “In a way, it doesn’t feel real that I was able to do that.”
