Industry News
On Sunday, June 15, Dartmouth College, New Hampshire, awarded American alpine ski legend Mikaela Shiffrin an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters during its commencement ceremony, recognizing not only her record-breaking career but also her advocacy for mental health and her resilience in the face of personal loss.
Shiffrin, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and the most decorated skier in World Cup history, was one of seven honorary degree recipients at the graduation, which saw over 2,100 students awarded degrees. The Class of 2025 included more than 1,200 undergraduates and hailed from 47 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam.
For Shiffrin, the moment carried a deeply personal connection. Her father, Jeff Shiffrin, who passed away five years ago, was a Dartmouth alum from the Class of 1976 and a former member of the Dartmouth Ski Team. “Hey Dad, guess what?” she wrote on Instagram following the ceremony, posting a photo in academic regalia. “I received an honorary degree from Dartmouth today. Who’d have ever thought we’d have two Dr. Shiffrins in the fam,” the 30-year-old athlete wrote, honoring her father’s medical degree. “Felt a bit closer to you in the past 24 hrs—for the first time in a really long time—and I’m so grateful for that,” and seeing today was Father’s Day, she closed with, “Happy Father’s day. I miss you, always..”
While her 101 World Cup wins, 16 season titles, and three Olympic medals have cemented her legacy on snow, it was her courage off the hill that Dartmouth emphasized. “Throughout your career and life, you have encountered challenges we can all relate to,” her citation read. “It is in how you’ve responded to those challenges—with vulnerability, grace, and resilience—that your true greatness lies.”
Shiffrin’s openness about her grief following her father’s sudden death, performance pressure, and the mental health struggles of elite athletes has helped shift the conversation in sports. “Because of your work as a champion of mental health,” Dartmouth noted, “young people across the world are having conversations they’ve never had before.” Shiffrin shared the stage with fellow honorees including actress Sandra Oh, Game of Thrones co-creator David Benioff, Olympic rower Judy Geer, Rev. William Greason, former U.S. Surgeon General Antonia Novello, and tribal attorney and public official Lynn Trujillo.
“For building a legacy far beyond the slopes—for teaching us all how to go beyond our comfort zone and for reminding us it’s not how we fall, but how we get up—Dartmouth is proud to award you the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters,” her citation concluded.
Receiving the degree on Father’s Day made the moment even more special for Shiffrin—a reminder of where she started, the challenges she’s overcome, and the impact she’s making beyond skiing. It’s a recognition not just of her achievements on the slopes, but of the resilience and heart that define her both as an athlete and as a person.
