Olympic freestyle skiing star Eileen Gu took part in Stanford University’s commencement ceremony on Sunday. She graduated with the Class of 2026.
Gu excelled in academics long before dominating global ski slopes. The Bay Area native graduated high school a year early and scored 1580 out of 1600 on the SAT.
The 22-year-old Olympic champion has attended Stanford since 2022 after her breakout at the Beijing Winter Olympics. At Stanford, she explored quantum physics, became part of a sorority and later selected international relations as her major.
She also completed a study abroad program at Oxford University in England in 2024.
Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
On Monday, Gu shared graduation photos on Instagram. The post featured scenes from the ceremony and campus celebrations. One photo showed her in a white commencement gown alongside her mother, who earned a Stanford MBA in 1994.
“I think therefore … 🤓 #ilovestanford #farm4L,” Gu wrote in the caption.
The post quickly drew congratulatory messages from athletes, celebrities and fans.
“Congratulations ❤️,” Natalia Bryant, the daughter of Kobe Bryant and Vanessa Bryant, commented.
“Congrats!!” alpine skiing superstar Lindsey Vonn said.
“Congrats angel ❤️,” fashion model and entrepreneur Caroline Daur wrote.
“Congrats!!” fellow freestyle skier Elizabeth Swaney remarked.
“EPPPP!!! What can’t she do! Congratulations queen 🥰🥰🥰💋,” a fan commented.
“Congratulations! You’ve already achieved so much and are so wise beyond your years… keep doing you and shining bright!” another added.
Gu’s academic achievements closely mirror her historic athletic career. Competing for China, the Chinese-American freestyle skier became the youngest Olympic freestyle skiing champion at Beijing 2022 at age 18.
She also made history as the first freestyle skier to win three medals at a single Games. She earned gold in big air and halfpipe, plus a slopestyle silver in Beijing.
Gu cemented her legacy at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics by winning one gold and two silvers. She successfully defended her Olympic halfpipe crown while also winning silver in both the slopestyle and big air events.
By reaching the podium in all three freeski events, Gu brought her career total to an unprecedented six Olympic medals. With that historic haul, she became the most decorated freestyle skier in Olympic history.
After the Olympics, Gu became the inaugural Snow League freeski world champion. The achievement further cemented her status as one of the sport's all-time greats.
