At the upcoming Falk College Convocation on May 10, Olympic gold medalist Benita Fitzgerald Mosley will deliver the keynote address. Fitzgerald Mosley won her gold medal in the 100-meter hurdles at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, narrowly defeating British favorite Shirley Strong.
Fitzgerald Mosley has dedicated her life to helping others achieve success both in business and personal endeavors. “My gold medal is the gift that keeps on giving,” she stated. “I am forever grateful, so I want to pay that gift forward.”
She emphasizes five key principles for achieving goals: having a good start, setting high goals, running one’s own race, overcoming obstacles, and finishing strong. “You have to ask yourself, why not me?” she said. “Why can’t I be the best in the world at what I do?”
As a trailblazer in athletics and leadership roles such as CEO of Multiplying Good, Fitzgerald Mosley has continuously advocated for sports as a catalyst for inspiration and change.
Dean Jeremy Jordan invited Fitzgerald Mosley to speak at Falk College due to her impactful career across various sectors. “Benita’s ‘why not me?’ message encourages us to challenge societal expectations and embrace our potential,” Jordan remarked.
Fitzgerald Mosley’s journey began with encouragement from her parents who were educators and supported her participation in diverse activities including track where she excelled from an early age.
During high school, Fitzgerald Mosley’s coach inspired her Olympic aspirations by suggesting she could reach such heights just like teammate Paula Girven. This encouragement was pivotal during her time at the University of Tennessee where she became a decorated athlete despite missing out on competing in the 1980 Olympics due to a boycott.
“At that point, people didn’t have these long careers spanning three and four and five Olympic Games,” Fitzgerald Mosley explained about changes allowing athletes longer competitive careers post-1980s.
The full story of Benita Fitzgerald Mosley’s inspiring journey is available on the Falk College website.
