U.S. Ski/Snowboard (re)partners with SLC’s Westminster University to tier tuition

President and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, Sophie Goldschmidt, speaking at Westminster University for their renewed partnership. Photo: TownLift // Michele Roepke

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Becoming an Official Four-Year College Partner through 2034 for student-athletes is what Westminster University announced on its campus alongside representatives from the U.S. Ski & Snowboard on Tuesday.

“I am so unbelievably fortunate to have had the opportunity to earn my arts degree from Westminster. Even though it took me 12 years to earn my four-year degree, every professor and person on my education team was so helpful and understanding of my student/athlete life,” Olympian Ski Jumper from Park City, Abby Hughes Ringquist, told TownLift.

“With the financial burden of being an athlete who wasn’t fully funded-everything I had, everything I earned (my three jobs at the time) all went to my skiing, travel and equipment, there’s no chance I would have been able to fund my education,” She continued. “So the fact that my education was funded through Westminster was huge. I wouldn’t have been able to achieve my B.A. and compete at the Olympics without the partnership between the US Ski & Snowboard Team and Westminster.”

Hughes Ringquist is now using her degree to give back to her home community as an art teacher in the Park City School District.

Initially launched in 2005 and renewed through 2018, the University’s past partnership with U.S. Ski & Snowboard provided dozens of athletes with access to Westminster’s comprehensive liberal arts education through significant tuition discounting and tailored academic advising support. More than 30 U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes have earned degrees from Westminster since the initial partnership launch 20 years ago. 

Through the new partnership, U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes will receive an updated tiered tuition discounting model that incentivizes undergraduate degree completion. Athletes, as with all Westminster students, will benefit from Westminster’s renowned small class sizes, extraordinary faculty, and tailored academic support. 

Sophie Goldschmidt, President and CEO of U.S. Ski  & Snowboard, delivered prepared remarks at the lectern to students and school staff on this school day, in the quad. Before her toutings and thankings, she said to the crowd how streamlined it was, logistically, if nothing else, to get to the University from Park City’s headquarters in “a quick 25-minute drive,” making this partnership, on so many levels, a win-win. 

Westminster University has a proud legacy of supporting those who dream of competing on the world stage and the Olympic spirit. More than 50 Olympians have pursued their educational aspirations at Westminster, earning degrees while also winning 10 Olympic medals. 

 While athletes will benefit from flexible degree completion timelines and access to online coursework, they are expected to maintain good academic standing.