As a part of the O’Brien Student-Athlete Leadership Initiative Guest Speaker Series, the Prep welcomed former Marine captain, Invictus Games medalist, and graduate of the Wharton School of Business and Harvard Kennedy School Patrick Nugent to campus.
Nugent carries with him a profound story of perseverance and grit which he shared with the Prep community on Monday, March 23.
Established by Colleen and Bill O’Brien ’88, the O’Brien Student-Athlete Leadership Initiative helps shape young student-athletes into leaders both on and off the field. A part of this endowed fund supports speaking engagements from guests like Nugent to come to campus.
Following a gunshot wound sustained as a U.S. Marine infantry officer, Pat’s life changed forever. In the months and years that followed, Pat learned that real strength is not just about enduring hardship, but also owning your story, finding purpose in the pain, and using that experience to lead yourself and others through uncertainty.
From his experience with the Marines, Pat had much to share with the students on good leadership habits. He started the day bright and early with team captains for a workout in the Leo and Joan Mahoney Wellness Center, something he shared was important to him and his Marines to do together as a way of building trust and resilience.
Moving into the day, Pat spent lunch with students members of the LEAD program (Leadership Education and Development program) where he imparted the first of many lessons in leadership:
“Leaders eat last.”
To Pat, a good leader puts their team first and takes small, actionable steps in serving others. He spent the lunch sharing his experiences in leadership with students in the program from both the Middle School and High School, helping them create solid steps they can take to be better leaders in the Prep community and beyond.
“A good leader knows their people,” Pat said to the students. “Take time to actually invest in your team’s lives, interests and goals, because it’s that respect you show for them that they will pay back to you when it matters.”
Spring student-athletes and their coaches then gathered in the Dianne and Carey ’67 Field House that afternoon for Pat’s keynote presentation, titled “Beyond Grit”. In his presentation, Pat shared the story of the injury that left him paralyzed from the waist down and how he found the grit to persevere and recover. “It was my crucible moment.” He said. “A moment that would decide who I would become and test who I was.”
He shared his tips for students on how to navigate their own “crucible moments,” which he broke down into the acronym, GRIT:
G – Grow your grit. For Pat, this meant the discipline and practice he built as a part of the Marine Corps. "More than anything else, I’ve found that grit is the greatest indicator that someone will be successful.”
R – Regulate your response. This was his advice for “in the moment” management of stress. He quoted author and philosopher Victor Frankl: “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing… to choose one’s attitude in any given circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”
I – Insist on finishing. Pat elaborated by saying that “Finishing is a habit. Once you establish a practice of finishing things, it becomes easier to push through when it becomes difficult.”
T – Turn pain into service. This was the impetus for Pat’s own change in career, the calling he felt to serve others using his story and struggle.
As he concluded, Pat took the time to meet with students as they headed to practice for the afternoon, ensuring that the lessons he imparted would be taken out onto the field in small but impactful ways.
Learn more about the O'Brien Student-Athlete Leadership Initiative here.