Former figure skating Olympic star Michelle Kwan, 32, knows what it takes to win. She shared her latest victories with reporters and students at Southeast Missouri State University earlier this month, reported the Arrow.
“Going to school and finishing my undergrad was a victory because it took me so long,” she said. “It was difficult because I was training and I was competing and traveling, so I was only able to finish a class here and a class there. It took about 10 years. I would always say I was on the 10-year plan.”
Michelle Kwan received a bachelor’s degree in international studies from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies with a minor in political science at University of Denver in 2009. This completed a journey she started at UCLA in 1999 where she studied for only one year until her education was interrupted to pursue an ice skating career.
In 2011 she received a masters degree in International Relations from Tufts University.
Kwan no longer skates on a regular basis. Her last performance was for an appearance at the Special Olympics a month ago.
“When I do get on the ice, though, it’s not the same feeling,” Kwan said. “I’m not doing the triple-triple combinations or the triple jumps; no triple Salchows for me.”
Kwan talked about her new marriage to Clay Pell and shared her story of inspiration with students.
Read more of the story here in the Arrow.
