“When we’re trying to strive for something, we forget the root of why we’re doing it,” Olympic gymnast Simone Biles said in front of an awe-struck audience of students. “At the end of the day, it is ultimately to have fun.”
Coming from the most decorated gymnast in history, the reminder carried weight. Despite her record-breaking achievements, Biles has become an advocate for the idea that success is not constrained to medals or concrete achievements.
On Friday, Oct. 9, students gathered at Garrison Theater at Scripps College to commemorate Biles being awarded the Ellen Browning Scripps Medal.
Students, families and community members gathered at the theater to celebrate Biles, whose career has made her one of the most recognizable figures in sports. The ceremony was originally set to happen in May 2026 but was postponed due to personal reasons.
The medal is Scripps’ highest distinction for high-achieving women who demonstrated strength in leadership, compassion and influence. The distinction has previously been awarded to three women in Scripps’ 100-year history.
Biles is a seven-time Olympic gold medalist, holding 23 world titles. Beyond gymnastics, Biles is known for her humanitarian work. As an advocate for children in foster care, she works with the Friends for Children nonprofit and has also been recognized for championing mental health. In 2021, she also received national attention after testifying in a sexual abuse case against Team USA gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar, speaking publicly about the systemic failures that allowed the abuse to continue.
Event organizer Carolyn Robles described the committee process for selecting Biles as a speaker, wherein students nominated potential awardees.
“In the process, she was one of our top people because she’s young, she’s a woman of color, she’s done such amazing things,” Robles said. “And the community is super excited. People are coming with their little girls, and that’s so cool to see.”
“As a young Black girl looking up to two Black women in gymnastics [Gabby Douglas and Biles] at the top of their game … [Biles] was really inspiring to me,” Herd said.
Following the medal dedication, Carolyn Wu Kurtzig SC ’97 spoke with Biles, asking questions gathered from the Scripps community. A packed auditorium laughed and nodded along at her comments, the conversation ending with three waves of standing ovations as the curtains came down.
When asked about accomplishments in her sport, Biles turned to the importance of redefining what success looks like and deciding next steps when met with obstacles. Rather than treating every competition as a verdict on her abilities, she described setbacks as opportunities to reassess and try again, competing against her own personal best.
“There are times when I haven’t made podium and there have been times where I haven’t gotten the gold,” Biles said. “I just go back, talk to my coaches, reevaluate, try to reprocess and say, ‘okay, let’s try to do this differently.’”
As a prominent advocate for mental health, Biles also spoke on the importance of dealing with wellness and gradually developing the confidence for her own advocacy in this area. She referenced other prominent Black athletes like Naomi Osaka and LeBron James who left their legacies as advocates for mental health.
“As I got older and more athletes started to speak about mental health … I felt a little bit more comfortable and confident enough to do so,” Biles said. “I was like, ‘wow, people in the same room as me are speaking up about what they’re going through, so it’s not so much of a voodoo topic.’”
Biles’ comments reflect a broader shift in how athletes approach success, particularly as more prominent competitors have spoken openly about the pressures of elite sports. For an audience of college students and young girls, her message extended beyond gymnastics: Achievement and personal well-being are not mutually exclusive.
After the ceremony, student attendees expressed their appreciation for Biles and her words of encouragement for the audience — many of whom were college students and young girls.
Julia Ihly SC ’28 was impressed by Biles’ stage presence, as well as her approach to activism. Ihly lost her home in the Eaton Fire in 2025, and recalled how Biles’ words motivated her to continue her own community activism.
“When she spoke about giving back to her community and [advocating] for the rights of foster kids, that really touched my heart,” Ihly said.
First-year student Destiny Herd SC ’30 echoed Ihly’s appreciation for Biles’s advocacy and activism, especially emphasizing the importance of representation in sports.
“As a young Black girl looking up to two Black women in gymnastics [Gabby Douglas and Biles] at the top of their game … [Biles] was really inspiring to me,” Herd said.
The ceremony concluded with Wu Kurtzig asking about the status of Biles’ participation in the upcoming 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Biles left the possibility open, resisting the pressure to make a decision before she was ready.
“I know everyone wants to know, is she gonna be on the floor or in the stands?” Biles said. “I haven’t made a definitive decision yet … but definitely cheering for Team USA when the time comes.”
For now, Biles’ next steps are up in the air, but her message at Scripps was clear: Have fun with your dreams and always be willing to reinvent yourself.