Athletes

Venerated figure skater Michelle Kwan is the only multiple winner of U.S. Figure Skating’s Skater of the Year Award, which she won for the seventh time in 2003. The organization recognized the precedent by renaming the award in her honor, calling it the Michelle Kwan Trophy. Throughout her career, Kwan accumulated 43 championships, including two Olympic medals, five world championship titles and nine national titles. In 2006, Kwan served as a spokesperson for the Women's Sports Foundation to help raise awareness of the Foundation’s efforts to inspire girls to live healthy, active lives and appeared in a public service announcement created by WE TV’s WE Empowers Women initiative. Kwan personally experienced the benefits of the Women’s Sports Foundation’s work in 1993 when she received its Travel & Training grant, which helped the rising star with training costs. The Foundation later honored Kwan with its Sportswoman of the Year Award in 1998 and the Billie Jean King Contribution Award in 2007. The leading role model has also partnered with corporate sponsors to better promote girls and women in sports. As a student-athlete, Kwan teamed up with Chevrolet’s R.E.W.A.R.D.S. (Recognizing Excellence of Women in Academics and Rewarding Dynamic Student-Athletes) scholarship program, which supports outstanding female athletes aspiring to attend college. Kwan has also lent time to the California Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, promoting the health benefits of fitness. Her work within figure skating and local communities earned her recognition from Self Magazine as one of the Most Inspiring Women of 2006. That same year Kwan was named by Condoleezza Rice as America’s first public diplomacy envoy. This position allows Kwan to work internationally raising an understanding of the United States and sharing all of her life experiences. (8/08)