Alumni Spotlight: 3 Questions with Gregg Froio '84, '88
Gregg Froio first heard of Widener when his high school football team hung posters of the university in their locker room after adapting Widener’s offensive scheme. Today, he’s got two Widener degrees —a BS in management with an information technology minor in 1984 and an MBA in 1988—two children who are also proud Widener alumni, and over a decade of service to the Alumni Association, including serving on the Alumni Council. Now as a Florida resident, Froio is more committed than ever to bringing the Widener community together in the Sunshine State and encouraging other alumni to get involved no matter where they live.
Why is it important to you to give back to Widener?
As a student, my involvement with Zeta Beta Tau fraternity introduced me to people who encouraged me to pursue activities outside of my comfort zone. I became the treasurer and then editor of The Dome newspaper and really credit those out-of-class experiences with shaping my leadership skills. When my kids were younger, I was involved in soccer clubs and school boards so when my daughter came to Widener, it was natural to get involved here again as an alumnus and parent. Now as an Alumni Council member, I’ve been able to use the leadership skills learned at Widener to give back to the next generation of students like my kids.
How has partnering with the Office of Alumni Engagement supported your passion to build the Widener community in Florida?
A couple days before the spring training event in Clearwater, I hosted a happy hour for alumni in Fort Myers in partnership with Alumni Engagement. Many members of the Alumni Engagement team came down for the event which meant a lot to me and everyone there. It was a great chance to reconnect with old friends and get to know alumni who were either new to the area or new to events like these. Staying involved with Widener doesn’t necessarily mean a big commitment in terms of time. The Alumni Engagement team can help you set up a casual event in your area, and even coming out once a year helps grow our Widener community.
What encouragement or advice would you give to alumni across the country and world looking to get more involved with Widener?
We play a vital role as alumni in sharing our experiences with current students and the broader community. Hosting an event in your area is great, but you can also participate in mock interviews and career panels, attend virtual networking events, and contribute in so many other ways. There are over 60,000 Widener graduates out there in the world and counting—there’s a place for everyone to share in their own way.
If you’d like to partner with the Office of Alumni Engagement to connect with alumni in your area, reach out to us at alumnioffice@widener.edu.
