As part of Cal's Office of Student-Athlete Development's mandatory speaker series, the Bears welcomed Dr. Derek Greenfield to Zellerbach Hall last week. Greenfield is an in-demand speaker who inspires his audiences with messages of inclusive excellence and positive change. A former college professor and administrator, Greenfield spoke to Cal's student-athlete population as part of the athletic department's biannual event in which student-athletes are required to attend a presentation by a guest speaker.

When Greenfield took the stage, he immediately had the Bears standing, clapping and dancing to his walk-out song. Exercises included blind introductions to fellow student-athletes, sitting next to someone they hadn't met before and going through a number of activities to get to know each other better.

Greenfield relayed messages of success, diversity and inclusion. He challenged the student-athletes to examine their own biases.

The most powerful segment of the presentation was the end, in which Greenfield passed the microphone around to any student-athletes that wanted to share a personal story. Peers heard about injuries, self-doubt and supportive teammates.

The community of student-athletes left Zellerbach Hall with new connections and teammates, and a renewed sense of how special it is to be a Golden Bear.

Watch the accompanying video for a closer look at the special evening.