by Troy Landrum Jr.

Alert and engaged, I sat in the second row at the Othello-UW Commons, on the evening of Thursday, April 13, with ears sharp and eyes focused on one of the most popular athletes and coaches in the state of Washington. Will Conroy, the associate head coach of men’s basketball at the University of Washington — or as we know it, UDub — allowed us to explore his life and spoke about his thoughts on “The Future of the Student-Athlete.” This was one of the many topics presented by University of Washington’s “Louder Than Words 2023,” a series of monthly conversations that cover the influences that divide our communities, with a focus on finding what unites us and building a better tomorrow.