NCAA All-American Football Player, NFL Free Agent, & LGBT Athlete
Michael Sam encourages you to boldly and courageously pursue your dreams and define your success with his impassioned personal story of resilience over life’s challenges.
A University of Missouri football star primed for an early-round pick in the 2014 NFL draft, Michael’s talents on the field were nearly sidelined when he came out as gay during an ESPN interview. While his revelation sent shockwaves through the sports world and resulted in a last round pick by the St. Louis Rams, Michael emerged as a powerful and prominent icon for inclusion, a pioneer for the LGBTQ community, and an exemplar of the resilience and tenacity of the human spirit. Among his many career accolades, Michael was awarded ESPN’s Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2014 ESPY’s. He is currently an NFL free agent.
Revered for his unwavering courage, graciousness and fortitude, Michael inspires with his personal journey of triumph over intense adversity. Authentic and heartfelt on the stage, his candor empowers audiences to overcome their own impediments to self-truth, love and acceptance.
Thursday, February 27, 2020 at 6:00pm
Class of 1944 Visitors Center, Self Auditorium
230 Kappa St, Clemson, Sc 29634
Athletics, International/Multicultural, Lectures / Seminars / Speakers, Diversity and Inclusion, LGBTQ+
Student Affairs, Centers and Institutes, Gantt Center, University Commissions, Commission on Black Faculty and Staff, Inclusion and Equity, LGBTQ Commission