McHenry Community High School graduate Ryan Wildenhain shared a message about overcoming obstacles to 200 Class of 2026 members who have earned the Distinguished Warrior graduation honor.
He told at the May 3 Distinguished Warrior banquet that when he was getting ready to graduate in 2003, he had a below-average grade point average (GPA), no job and no community service. But you don’t always see the struggles that happen outside of the classroom.
“Sometimes the most meaningful growth comes from the moments that you don’t look that impressive on paper,” he said.
Distinguished Warrior is a graduation honor for students who earn a 3.0 GPA or above, take career pathway capstone classes, have a job, perform community service, among other criteria. Distinguished Warriors get an orange stole for graduation and a celebratory banquet featuring alumni speakers.
Wildenhain, a four-year football player in McHenry, said he knew he wanted to work in sports in some way. After serving in the U.S. Air Force for four years, Wildenhain developed an interest in sports injuries after suffering one of his own. That led him to collegiate athletic training and ultimately to his current role as associate athletic director for student athlete development at Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia.
He told Distinguished Graduates to not let challenges hold them back from their dreams. He also encouraged them to embrace their struggles and hold on to their values.
“Even good stories have bad chapters,” Wildenhain said. “Don’t be afraid to write a story that’s different than everyone else’s.”
Wildenhain earned his bachelor’s degree in athletic training from Illinois State University and later completed a master’s degree at California University of Pennsylvania where he was honored with the Highmark Graduate Student Award for excellence in a health-related field.
In 2024, Wildenhain was selected as one of only 21 athletics administrators nationwide to participate in the NCAA Pathway Program, a leadership initiative preparing future athletics directors and conference commissioners. In 2026, he was also selected to serve on a NCAA Effective Facilitation Workshop.