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Millersville graduate Tamsin Hircock is one of just 101 athletes chosen to represent the United States at the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy. Tamsin is competing in the snowboarding event from March 7-15, 2025. She earned a bronze medal in the Intermediate Giant Slalom Division 10 with a time of 3:47.740 on March 12.
Tamsin and her father, David Hircock, are excited about their journey to compete in the Special Olympics. “Although I want to win a gold medal, I love being with my U.S. team members and am so excited to meet teams from around the world,” Tamsin says. “I am also hoping to meet with the delegates from India, a country I have worked in for 20 years, gifting bikes to girls so they can travel to school.”
Tamsin’s love for snowboarding started at a young age – three years old – but continued through her time at Millersville as she completed the integrated studies program. Millersville’s integrated studies initiative provides students with intellectual disabilities access to an inclusive postsecondary education and residential experience. The program aspires to prepare each student for gainful employment.
“I love Millersville and all the friends I made and still have from my time there. Millersville taught me to be independent. I also had many jobs at MU, from working in the gym to the coffee shop. This has helped me so much as I now work at the YMCA,” shares Tamsin.
David also remarks on how Millersville impacted both Tamsin and their family.
“Millersville enabled Tamsin to be independent. What I observed that impressed me so much was the culture of Millersville, which truly integrated students within the college,” David says. “I believe their program is unique, and all the students lived the Millersville mission to provide diverse, dynamic, meaningful experiences to inspire learners to grow both intellectually and personally enabling them to contribute positively to local and global communities. It is not just Tamsin who misses college; her whole family also does!”
Visit turin2025.org/en to learn more about the Special Olympics Winter World Games.
For more information on Integrated Studies click here.
