When Stephen Cerrone first offered to donate a boat to the University of Miami’s women’s rowing team, he did not expect the reaction it would spark.
“The impact that it had on the team of donating just one boat was unbelievable,” said Cerrone, professor of professional practice at the University of Miami Patti and Allan Herbert Business School.
What began as a conversation with a student-athlete in his class quickly grew into something larger. Cerrone has since donated multiple boats and is helping fund the team’s travel to the Henley Regatta, the world’s most prestigious rowing event. It is support that, until recently, had not existed for the program.
“It’s not about the boat,” Cerrone said. “It’s about a message that someone believes in you and what you’re capable of.”
That belief, and the idea of making a meaningful impact, has long shaped Cerrone’s approach as both a practitioner, professor and mentor. After a corporate career in human resources, he chose to teach full-time, drawn by the opportunity to influence students’ lives in meaningful ways.
“It’s hard to describe the impact you can have in a classroom,” he said.
His involvement with the rowing team has reinforced lessons he emphasizes with his students: trust, accountability and shared purpose. In rowing, as in business, success depends on everyone committing to the same direction, rhythm and goals.
“If everybody’s not rowing in the same direction, the team doesn’t work,” he said.
The team’s progress has reflected that mindset. Since Cerrone first became involved, the women’s rowing team has climbed in national rankings and was recently ranked as high as No.14, a milestone that underscores both its growth and competitive momentum.
Cerrone also stresses the importance of character, a quality he believes cannot be taught through credentials alone.
“Be someone people want in the boat,” he said. “Who you are—how reliable and trustworthy you are—matters.”
Those lessons extend beyond athletics and into the classroom, where Cerrone focuses on experiential learning, encouraging students to think critically, take risks and develop resilience.
“Your plan is not going to go the way you think it is,” he said. “The way you bounce back tells a lot about who you are.”
For Cerrone, supporting students and student-athletes, whether through teaching or philanthropy, comes down to a single goal: making a difference and leaving a footprint.
“I want my legacy to be that I’ve had an impact,” he said.
His experience with the rowing team has only strengthened that belief.
“The magnitude of the difference you can make by simply showing people that you care and believe in them,” he said, “is greater than you think.”
