Carrying the Olympic FLAME
The Olympic torch is a familiar icon, but the Olympics has another fire that burns just as brightly. It’s called FLAME — Finding Leaders Among Minorities Everywhere — and this past summer, senior Samuel Sok was one of 30 minority student leaders from universities across the nation selected by the U.S. Olympic Committee to attend the program.
FLAME provides students with an in-depth look at the Olympic movement and gives them a chance to explore the Olympic ideals of persistence, commitment, vision, focus and determination. Participants are mentored so they can apply Olympic-oriented principles to all aspects of their lives.
Sok, a sport management major with an interest in public relations, expects the experience to benefit his career. “My job will primarily be to create and maintain an acceptable image,” he said.“
Since the Olympics stands for worldwide unity in the world of sports and consistently enforces that image, I feel that the chance to learn from an organization that publicizes its brand very well and translates it into real-world situations is the opportunity of a lifetime.”
Sok said that because he is a minority — an Asian-American of Korean descent — creating a world where unity is possible is very important to him, and he considers his selection for the FLAME program an honor.
While attending the program at the U.S. Olympic Complex in Colorado Springs, Colo., Sok lived among U.S. Olympians, Paralympians and hopefuls.
The program itinerary included presentations by USOC and national governing body senior staff members, as well as one-on-one discussions with motivational speakers such as legendary Olympian Billy Mills (track and field, 1964), Paralympian John Register (track and field, 2000) and two-time Paralympian April Holmes (track and field, 2004 and 2008).
Additional activities included sport demonstrations conducted by USOC resident athletes, a networking-skills seminar and a hike through the famous Garden of the Gods.
“FLAME has consistently been one of the USOC’s most successful outreach programs,” said USOC acting Chief Executive Officer Stephanie Streeter. “FLAME program alumni have gone on to become Olympians, USOC college interns, USOC sponsor employees, and leaders in companies and organizations throughout the country.”