Aug 6, 2024 4:38:30 PM
Lauren Scruggs: Making Olympic History and Inspiring Future Generations
Lauren Scruggs is the first Black American woman to earn an individual medal in Fencing.
Standing in disbelief with a silver medal around her neck, Lauren Scruggs, a Harvard senior, achieved what she never imagined possible at her first Olympic Games. The 21-year-old Queens, New York native captured silver in the individual foil event at the 2024 Paris Olympics, becoming the first Black woman to win an Olympic fencing medal.
Scruggs’ journey began at age seven, inspired by her brother's love for "Star Wars" and her mother’s encouragement to continue fencing after buying the equipment. Her dedication to the sport led to victories at the 2019 and 2022 Junior World Fencing Championships and the 2023 NCAA title.
Reflecting on her historic win, Scruggs hopes to inspire young Black girls to see themselves in the sport. Scruggs said,
"Fencing has largely, historically been a non-Black sport ... I hope to inspire young Black girls to get into fencing and to think that they can have a place in the sport."
Scruggs' Olympic journey was marked by intense matches, starting with a narrow 15-13 victory against Singapore’s Amita Berthier, followed by a win over her Harvard teammate Jessica Zi Jia Guo. She then faced Italy’s Arianna Errigo, securing a dramatic 15-14 victory to advance to the semifinals. There, she defeated Canada’s Eleanor Harvey 15-9 to reach the gold medal match, ultimately falling to her Team USA teammate, Lee Kiefer.
Throughout her career, Scruggs has been an All-American in all three years at Harvard, greatly influenced by her coach, Daria Schneider. She credits her New York City upbringing for her confidence and toughness, essential qualities for her Olympic success.
Beyond fencing, Scruggs is preparing for her senior year at Harvard, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy. She has a keen interest in business, demonstrated through her involvement in the Harvard University Black Consulting Group and the Harvard Alternative Investment Society, along with a recent internship at Bank of America.
As she looks ahead, Scruggs remains determined to see how far she can go in fencing, aspiring to shoot for the stars. Her historic achievement not only marks a significant milestone in her career but also paves the way for future generations of Black athletes in fencing.
Read more about Lauren's history-making win.
Lisa Hollenbach is Senior Digital Manager for Education Post. Prior to joining Education Post, Lisa developed digital and content strategy for Teaching Channel. She served on the Bill and Melinda Gates Teacher Advisory Council from 2014-2017 and was active in the planning and execution of several Elevating and Celebrating Effective Teachers and Teaching (ECET2) convenings at both the regional and national level. Lisa attended both private and public schools in Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of the Pennsylvania State University and holds a bachelor’s in secondary education social studies, a bachelor’s in public policy, a minor in women's studies and a master’s in community psychology and social change. A former educator, Lisa taught for more than 15 years in both traditional public school and public charter school settings. She also served as a leader of her local and regional teachers association from 2001-2016. Lisa has worked with several universities throughout her career and is currently an adjunct professor at the Pennsylvania State University, teaching courses in sociology, psychology, education and their intersections. She is passionate about helping education advocates share their stories and creating an equitable education system that serves all students.
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