... During the Valedictory Exercises, UVa alumna Val Ackerman, a former basketball player who went on to become the founding president of the Women’s National Basketball Association, hiked up the microphone as she stepped to the podium to deliver her address. “My advice to you is just to relax, take a deep breath, accept that whole new chapters are about to unfold for you,” Ackerman said. “And embrace the journey. Trust me, it will be a journey.”