Kathrine Switzer, who has been at the forefront of change in women’s sports for more than 50 years, spent a recent afternoon speaking with students in the Sport Management “Race, Gender & Diversity in Sport Organizations” classes taught by Assistant Professor Lindsey Darvin.
When Kathrine Switzer ’68, G’72 famously became the first woman to officially run in the Boston Marathon in 1967, women in the United States could not apply for, yet alone own, their own credit cards.
In fact, women weren’t allowed to own credit cards until 1974, when the Equal Credit Opportunity Act enabled women and minorities to obtain credit cards and loans. That was a critical time for women in America, and Switzer continued the athletic and social revolution she started in 1967 by winning the New York City Marathon in 1974.
“In the 2024 New York City Marathon (on Nov. 3), there will be 52,000 runners and 27,000 will be women, and you can bet that all 27,000 have their own credit cards and will spend millions of dollars in New York City,” Switzer told students during a recent visit to the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics.
Switzer, an emeritus member of the Falk College Department of Sport Management Advisory Council, visited Syracuse and Falk College Oct. 24 for a variety of reasons, including a discussion with Syracuse University Libraries’ Special Collections Research Center about creating a collection of Switzer’s artifacts related to her career and women in running. Switzer discusses this collection, her time at Syracuse, her Boston Marathon experience, and more in an entertaining ’Cuse Conversations podcast scheduled for early December.
Kathrine Switzer will be the featured guest on an upcoming ’Cuse Conversations podcast with host John Boccacino from Syracuse University’s internal communications team. The podcast was recorded in the Falk College podcast room and is scheduled to air in early December.
Brooke Siket ’25, a sport management major in Falk and marketing minor in the Whitman School of Management, is one of the volunteers who’ll be working at The Fearless 50’s events. Siket, who currently works as a facilities and game management intern for Syracuse University athletics, was notified of this opportunity with The Fearless 50 through Internship Placement Coordinator Beth Perez and she was offered the internship after an interview with Kim Chaffee, 261 Fearless’ administration and communications manager.
“I was invited to attend all their weekend events, including a panel with Peloton, a panel with Kathrine Switzer, the brunch to commemorate the 50th anniversary of her victory at the New York City Marathon, and a cheer zone between Peloton and 261,” said Siket, who is a Falk College Peer Advisor and Ambassador and a member of the Charity Sports Auction team and the Sport Management and Women in Sports and Events (WISE) clubs.
“I am looking forward to marathon weekend as I will be able to interact with other volunteers, Kathrine Switzer, and others,’’ Siket said.
During the weekend, it’s likely that Switzer will at some point repeat the inspiring message that she gave to Falk College students during her visit when one asked about the best piece of advice Switzer had for them.
“Show up! Nothing happens when you stay at home,” Switzer told the students. “What’s out there may be scary, but you have to face it and that’s what opportunity is. When the world won’t give it you, you have to go out and get it.”
In 2018, Switzer delivered the commencement address at Syracuse University. To learn more about Switzer’s history and ongoing advocacy work, visit her marathonwoman.com website.