The group recently hired a Senior Manager in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Affiliation.
“We would like to see Olympic athletes coming from non-traditional fencing disciplines,” he said.
In New York, Olympic medalist fencing Peter Westbrook launched a foundation to help potential fencers of various races and economic backgrounds. Among the beneficiaries was his fencing coach, Ivan Lee, who eventually became a two-time national champion and is now Long at Island University.
Lee, who grew up in Brooklyn and attended St. John’s College, said: Lee, 41, says even 20 years ago, his parents considered fencing a path to college.
Can fencing maintain its benefits?
Eileen Yeh, who attended the private Brearley School and trained at the Manhattan Fencing Center, will not be a recruited athlete this fall and will be attending Harvard University.
Still, she said, “I think fencing has been added to my application.”
Ye was good enough to make the women’s team, one of 15 students on the roster, just as fencing and other elite sports are under the microscope.
Again, it can be hard to let go of the exercise-oriented tradition.
Two years ago, Stanford University, facing financial hardships caused by the pandemic, decided to phase out fencing and 10 other sports (men’s rowing, sailing, squash and synchronized swimming), citing high costs.
After a backlash from alumni, they were reinstated.