Olympic Gold Medalist and Auburn Alumna Kirsty Coventry Speaks at Philanthropy Luncheon

Theadoris Morris
September 16, 2009
The Women’s Philanthropy Board's 2009 Fall Luncheon was a gold medal event, where Olympic Gold medalist and Auburn University alumna, Kirsty Coventry, was the keynote speaker.
More than 300 special guests, Philanthropy Board members and students were in attendance at the luncheon Friday, September 11, at the Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center Ballroom.
Auburn University’s Women Philanthropy Board is an organization of the College of Human Sciences that is led by an executive committee of women leaders in business and public service, who are committed to inspiring, educating, and enabling women, according to the Women’s Philanthropy Board (WPB) web site at www.humsci.auburn.edu/wpb.
“It is not just about giving money, it is for the love of mankind,” said Margaret Bentley, president of the Women’s Philanthropy Board and WPB benefactor member.
The theme of the luncheon was “Thriving in the New Normal: Maximizing Your Philanthropic Footprint”. Coventry spoke about gold medal philanthropy and how to make an impact in the world through giving one’s time, talent and treasure.
“She spoke from her heart and is certainly an inspiration to everyone particularly the students,” said Kathleen Petznick and Lil Cross, benefactor members of WPB. “The pride of Auburn was up there today.”
Being a native of Harare, Zimbabwe, Coventry spoke about the differences between being in Auburn and her native country, and how they both helped make her into the person she is today.
“I don’t think I would have gotten to this point without coming to Auburn,” said Coventry.
As Coventry took her place at the podium on stage, while the entire room stared attentively; she explained how nervous she was to be there.
“I’m way more nervous than any swim meet ever,” Coventry said. “Is it warm in here? Did they turn the heat up?”
Coventry began her speech by thanking everyone and explaining how much of an honor it was to be back in Auburn, and went on and spoke about how she became a member of the Auburn family.
“I walked onto campus and I met the team for the first time and there were 25 women and about 30 men and I didn’t expect them to automatically just become my family, and luckily we became the biggest and strongest family that the swimming community had to reckon with and we were very proud of that,” Coventry said. “It was the first time really in my swimming career where I became a part of a team.”
Coventry earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management in the College of Human Sciences in 2006. She was recruited to Auburn by head swimming coach, David Marsh, to join the AU women’s swimming team and led the team to an NCAA Championship in 2003 and 2004. During her college career she earned numerous titles for her achievements from, the College Swimming Coaches Association Swimmer of the Meet, to the 2004-2005 SEC Swimmer of the Year. In 2004, Coventry became a world record holder and winner of gold, silver and bronze Olympic medals in swimming. Coventry broke the world record and won gold and three silver medals in the Women’s 200 meter backstroke in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Most recently, at the 2009 World Championships in Rome, she took home another gold medal for the 200 meter backstroke breaking the world record and silver for the 400 meter individual medley.
Coventry spoke about accountability, how she became a philanthropist and how she began thinking about how she was going to leave her footprint and impression on the world not only in her swimming career, but in her community back home in Zimbabwe.
“Kirsty is a humble leader with a relentless passion to succeed,” said Jay Jacobs, Auburn’s director of athletics. “We talk to our student athletes about growing physically, spiritually and mentally and she encapsulates all of those. She has a giving heart and passion to win not only in the field, but also for her country and for her fellow man and woman. That’s the greatness. That’s the footprint.”
Coventry also spoke about the impact that she had on her country after her Olympic wins and bringing her country back together to be a family after its segregation on politics and other issues. Coventry uses what she loves as an opportunity to keep the media informed and to aid her country through charity.