WALTHAM, Mass. – The Bentley University Athletics Be a Force Speaker Series continued recently with the men's soccer team interacting with one of their own, 1977 graduate Terry Carleton.
 
Carleton, a senior vice president for wealth management and private wealth advisor for UBS Financial Services, Inc., has been giving back to his alma mater for decades. He served 22 years on the Bentley Board of Trustees, including seven as chair and two leading the university during a presidential search.
 
Over his tenure on the board, Carleton helped steer the growth of the university, including Bentley's transition from college to university while also overseeing a period of major expansion in academic, residential and athletic/recreational facilities. He also chaired the search committee for the next Northeast-10 commissioner at the request of the league's presidents' committee.
 
A standout athlete on the soccer team during the early years of the program, Carleton was inducted into the Bentley Athletic Hall of Fame in 1986. He was one of two Northeast-10 representatives on the NCAA Division II 40^th Anniversary Team and in 2014, was enshrined into the Academic All-America Hall of Fame, which recognizes lifetime success in their professional careers as well as community service.
 
In 2022, Carleton was honored with the Harry C. Bentley Alumni Achievement Award as a Falcon who embodies the tenets of the school's founder, by achieving excellence in professional, community and Bentley settings.
 
The Be a Force Speaker Series was created by Rick Miller '80, the Executive-in-Residence for Bentley Athletics and also a former Falcon soccer player, and Grace Carter, the Manager for Student-Athlete Development at Bentley. The program connects student-athletes with former student-athletes who are role models that maintained their high levels of success after graduation, in both their careers and in their commitment to community service.
 
"It was a special night with Terry, an icon of Bentley soccer, sharing his experiences with our team," said longtime head coach Gary Crompton. "Hearing about the program's legacy and their reflections on Being A Force both on the field and in the professional world was powerful. This event gave our players the inspiration and tools to pursue excellence in everything they do."
 
Two members of the 2024 team also shared their thoughts.
 
"Hearing from a successful Bentley soccer alum was both inspiring and insightful, offering a valuable look into the qualities that drive success both on and off the field," said Luke Mollenhauer. "We're fortunate to have such a distinguished and supportive alumni network to look up to and learn from."
 
"It was great to hear from an alum who had such an amazing career on and off the field," said goalkeeper Cam Hall. "Getting to sit down and listen to Terry speak provided valuable insight into how to find what you want to do and then excel at it." 
 
This was the seventh edition of the Be A Force Speaker Series during the 2024-25 academic year.