Women in Athletics, Marathoner & CIA Spy
Leading Women: Breaking Barriers in Athletics
Laura Gentile, MBA ’96, the founder and president of ESPNW, an ESPN brand marketed to women, and Dr. Jen Welter ’00, the first female NFL football coach, have spent their carriers breaking gender barriers in the world of athletics. With Professor Amy LaCombe leading the conversation, the passion of the three women on stage, all former athletes, led to an empowering discussion.
The conversation began with Gentile and Welter discussing their love for sports and the pure passion that has driven both in the past and continues to drive them today. The idea of scholarships or playing to get recognized were never notions that pushed them. Gentile explained that for her, “it started with being a little tomboy not afraid to get dirty,” and from there, her career in field hockey developed because she “played for the love of the game.” As a child, Welter wanted to be a tennis player but was told she was not strong enough. Her passion for sports allowed her to prove to others that she was strong enough to play any sport she pursued, even football.
Gentile and Welter spoke about their respective journeys. Gentile said she carried around the idea of ESPNW for 18 months, pitching it to anyone at the company who would listen, and never stopped until it became a reality. Welter balanced multiple jobs while she played football, explaining that the most valuable check she has ever received was a check for $12 after completing a season with a team from Dallas. It may not have been much, but it meant she was a professional. How have these two women been able to come so far in such a male-driven industry? As Welter worded it, they “promised [themselves] to take on any challenge that came along the way.” Welter and Gentile were candid about their failures. When asked if they were ever deterred by the idea of failure, Welter responded, “I had no fear of failure, because without sacrifice there is no change.”
The women also spoke about leadership and its importance both on and off the field. From leading their teams in college to leading businesses and professional teams today, the women explained their leadership skills have changed and grown over time. Gentile described how as a team captain she was unable to lead her team to the title win, but through that experience she was able to identify ways to become a better leader. She explained that “leadership is a practice and you will only get better over time.” Welter also felt that leadership is a process that is observed and learned. She spoke about how she learned by observing leaders and embracing the good leadership qualities which have enabled her to create a path of leadership that is uniquely hers. She also stressed that “good leaders know not only what is needed in a situation but stay authentic to themselves and recognize others’ strengths.” Much of their success has come from being able to lead others and speaking up for themselves, and as Gentile eloquently worded it, “women are super smart and accomplished, but, in a male-dominated environment, there is no greater need than to speak up.”
Gentile and Welter have been able to foster a change in the way people think and view women as athletes and sports fans. They are both proud of the changes they have been able to make but acknowledge that there is still work to be done. They left the audience with a sports analogy. They conveyed to the audience that by “fostering unique talents and claiming a journey that is uniquely your own,” you can “find a new way to play the old game.” That is precisely what these two women did.
Gabrielle Hanlon '17, Winston Ambassador
Presented with the Boston College Women’s Summit: OWN IT
The Marathon Man
Faith, patience, and discipline. These are the values that Meb Keflezighi emphasized to the greater Boston College community when he returned to the city where he made history two years ago as the winner of the 2014 Boston Marathon. Meb shared the lessons he has learned in his career as a professional runner and also as a refugee fleeing war-torn East Africa.
Talking in front of a standing-room-only audience a few days before the 121st running of the Boston Marathon, Meb explained how walking for days to escape Eritrea and ultimately making it to the USA has made him profoundly grateful for the opportunities he has had in both his life and running career. Faith got him through some of his toughest ordeals – the sudden death of his training partner during the 2007 US Olympic trials, the difficult period he lost his Nike endorsement, and the tragic Boston Marathon bombings in 2013. Minutes before the bombings, Meb was standing at the finish line, unable to run that year due to injury. He took that hardship and turned it into motivation to win in 2014.
As the first American to win the Boston Marathon in 31 years, Meb was not even considered a favorite to win the race. However, he was racing for more than just himself. He was racing for the bombing survivors. He was racing for Boston. He was racing for hope.
At 41 years old, Meb has been a professional runner for almost 20 years and remarkably some of his biggest successes have come recently. In a career full of ups and downs, Meb is the only man in history to win the New York City Marathon, an Olympic Medal, and the Boston Marathon. This summer Meb traveled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for an incredible fourth trip to the Olympics.
Carson Truesdell ’17, Jenks Student Director
Presented with WeRun51˛čąÝ and Share Your Sport
51˛čąÝ’s Own Real-life James Bond: Bill Plunkert ’68
Bill Plunkert '68 was a former CIA spy featured in The Billion Dollar Spy: A True Story of Cold War Espionage and Betrayal by David E. Hoffman. In his talk, Plunkert set the stage by describing the Soviet Union during the Cold War. The phrase “existential threat” may sound commonplace today, but it was reality in the late 70s and early 80s as East and West feared the possibility of nuclear war. As a case officer for the CIA, Plunkert was sent to work in the Soviet Union during the Cold War and described how difficult life was there for a CIA officer and their family. The Soviets used their manpower and resources to monitor the daily movements of every American, and as Plunkert described the dangerous state of the Soviet Union it was clear how difficult the mission was.
Plunkert’s mission was to meet with a Soviet “asset,” Adolf Tolkachev. He said that Tolkachev may have been one of “the most important defenses of the CIA” since the information he had was so valuable. As he walked around the room with excitement, passion, and genuine emotion in his voice, Plunkert recounted the story of the meetings and every close call with the KGB. These meetings went undetected by the KGB for many years, but due to a leak in the CIA, Tolkachev was eventually captured, arrested, and executed.
“Integrity is what you do when no one is watching, and when you are in the field no one is watching,” Plunkert said. After a mission, an officer can report what they want because they were the only one there with no surveillance present. Therefore, truth and objective honesty are critical virtues for a CIA case officer. Plunkert asserts that his work as a spy was his vocation as he was called to a life of serving others, and even today he continues to dedicate his life to the service of others as a spiritual director.
Gabrielle Hanlon '17, Winston Ambassador
Presented with the Political Science department and the International Studies program