By Justin Lafleur, Lehigh Sports Communications
For Phillylacrosse.com. Posted 5/18/20
The word culture is used often in the context of sports and team building.
At its core, culture revolves around one word… relationships.
Graduating senior defenseman Daniel Rivera (La Salle) of the Lehigh men’s lacrosse team has not only enhanced culture on the field, but also in the business world. Because of the Lehigh student-athlete experience, he enters the working world as a well-rounded individual who has fostered his strengths and improved any weaknesses.
“I wasn’t a starter with lacrosse, but I enjoyed spending time with the scout defense,” said Rivera. “The tendencies and relationships I formed with this group of guys over the years helped us be successful. When we were successful and clicking on all cylinders, we created a challenge for the starting offense.
“Relationships are a huge part of the game I play.”
Because of his selfless mindset, Rivera is also set up for success in the game of life. That mindset led him to a valuable experience earlier this academic year, which had nothing to do with sports.
“I had a two-week abroad experience in Vietnam and Singapore,” said the finance major. “While there were no classes involved, we were able to see how different countries operate their businesses and make business decisions. That was the main reason for – and takeaway from – the trip.”
Rivera first heard about the Singapore-Vietnam Global Lab through a former Lehigh teammate, Danny Norris (Avon Grove).
“One of the professors, Doug Mahony, came in and spoke to my Management 301 class in the fall,” said Rivera. “I thought this might be one of my only opportunities I’d have to go abroad through Lehigh University, and one of the only opportunities to get to a part of the world you don’t typically think about visiting. I applied and interviewed with the professor, who passed me along through the process. I was one of 16 students selected.”
Going on the trip meant Rivera would be away for part of winter break, and would even get back to campus halfway through day one of Lehigh men’s lacrosse’s preseason.
In a lot of Division I athletics departments, Daniel wouldn’t have been allowed to go. But at Lehigh, the focus is on learning, growing and leading, and an opportunity like this would help Rivera grow as a student, and person.
“I approached Coach Cassese this fall and had a big boy conversation,” said Rivera. “As part of the meeting, I said that not only has my goal been about lacrosse and trying to help our lacrosse team, but it’s also been about my personal development. I explained how I was accepted to this abroad program which would help me grow – especially as someone who wants to operate in a global business environment.”
Cassese was extremely supportive.
“I am a big believer in allowing our team members to maximize their Lehigh experience, and this was an opportunity for Dan to do exactly that,” said the 13th year head coach. “Lacrosse is important, but what’s most important is that our young men get the most out of the Lehigh experience, broaden their horizons and get prepared to go out in the world and be successful in whatever they decide to do.”
Rivera was grateful for the support and flexibility.
“I expressed my gratitude to Coach Cassese and the entire coaching staff,” he said. “That part of the world was never a place I thought I’d want to go in my life, but now that I went there, I can’t wait to go back someday.”
Rivera wants to go back because of the different ways of doing business and different ways of life, an approach that fits his strengths.
“I saw an underlying theme with each of the businesses. They were all centered around people,” he said. “One of the places was called The Hive, a co-working space very similar to how we work, except in a more relaxed space. It’s like a home away from home, where most businesses in the U.S. have more of a corporate feel to it.
“Our host at Glass Egg, a digital arts video game production company, said they’re about making sure their clients want to come back,” Rivera continued. “They even take their clients out to the beach.”
Rivera’s time overseas included a little bit of everything. The Lehigh students were accompanied by management professors Doug Mahony and Charlie Stevens.
As explained on the program website, “Over the course of two weeks, students will interact with individuals such as key business stakeholders, business owners, business executives, and government officials in Vietnam and Singapore.”
“On the business days, we would wake up early and leave the hotel around 8:30 a.m. to arrive at the company by 9,” said Rivera. “We’d complete two company visits per day.”
The group enjoyed several cultural experiences as well.
“A host family in Vietnam took us in for an authentic Vietnamese meal, which was home-made at their family restaurant,” said Rivera. “We also went to the Cu Chi Tunnels that were used by the Viet Cong in the Vietnam War. We even crawled through some of the larger tunnels.”
For everything Rivera saw and learned, the biggest common denominator throughout was people.
“Everyone there is really focused on making relationships with people, which I’ve always tried to do throughout my life,” he said. “Find a common area or interest, then start to develop a relationship.”
Relationship building should suit Rivera when he begins his full-time position at Big Four accounting firm Ernst & Young in New York City. He will be a management consultant in the business advisory program.
“A lot of what EY tries to do is build trust with their clients,” said Rivera. “That means not only doing good work, but also being a good person.”
Being a good person means doing what’s right for the collective good, something Rivera knows very well as both a student and athlete.
“Gaining personally doesn’t help if the team loses,” he said. “I always ask myself what I can do to help the team get better. It’s the same thing in the business world.
“Make sure you’re coming to work each day and trying to better serve the people around you,” Rivera continued. “I definitely saw that in Vietnam and Singapore, and also observed the employees’ work ethic. They weren’t sitting back waiting for business to come to them. They were making sure they were finding business and delivering on their promises.”
Lehigh Athletics promises growth as more than just athletes. That growth can only happen if those individuals embrace the student-athlete experience and make the most of their time.
“Dan has truly embraced the student-athlete experience at Lehigh,” said Cassese. “He has been a resilient worker and a selfless teammate over the course of his Lehigh Lacrosse career. He has excelled in the classroom at an extremely high level and has pursued programs to help him expand his knowledge base and force him to get out of his comfort zone.”
Moving outside his comfort zone has set Rivera up for success post-graduation.
“I’d like to receive my MBA from either Columbia or Wharton in the next few years and aim to be a managing director within 10,” he said. “My parents have always told me you can’t shoot higher than you aim. That’s something I’ve tried to do throughout my athletic career, my academic career and now for my professional career as well.
“I’m striving to be as successful as my mom, who is CEO of Tokio Marine HCC in Texas,” Daniel continued. “Seeing her passion for her work, and her drive to make an impact on a business and set it up for generations to come, is really incredible. She has been a huge role model for me, and my dad as well who was close to being a partner at Coopers and Lybrand before they became PricewaterhouseCoopers.
“I wouldn’t be the same person without them in my life.”
It’s safe to say Rivera’s parents have made a big impact on his life. His trip to Vietnam and Singapore made a small, yet significant impact. In the end, all the people and experiences in his life have come together to mold him into the person he is today.
“It was truly a once-in-a lifetime trip,” said Rivera. “It was a chance to really grow outside my athletics family and to better understand people from the school community.”
It’s clear Rivera enhances the culture of all communities he’s involved in, a skill that will pay dividends for years to come.
