Saint Ursula Academy hosted Cincinnati native and 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist, Mary Wineberg as the keynote presenter at a student diversity assembly. Wineberg now works as a motivational speaker/author/educator. She spoke to SUA students about setting goals and seizing opportunities in a presentation sponsored by Saint Ursula’s Parents of African American Daughters (PAAD).
Wineberg’s key message was to set goals and believe in yourself. She warned that you should try not to hold yourself back because of fear.
“Go for your dreams and seize the opportunities when they come, because if you don’t, someone else will!” said Wineberg.
Mary Wineberg was born in Brooklyn, New York, but was relocated to Cincinnati at the age of 4 where she had to adjust to her new life. She started running track at Walnut Hills High School, then attended The University of Cincinnati on a track and field scholarship and majored in Health Promotions.
When her college career was over, she was not ready to hang up her track spikes and believed there was more for her to accomplish in the sport. It was a relentless grind over the course of several years, but Mary worked her way up to the highest level in her sport. She was twice ranked top 10 in the World, but her biggest accomplishment came when she won an Olympic Gold Medal as the lead off runner of the USA 4x400 meter relay team in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Mary had a 10-year professional running career and was inducted into the University of Cincinnati Athletics Hall of Fame.
Students also enjoyed musical presentations as part of the diversity assembly, which followed the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. Students enjoyed the sounds of Ellis Williams on the saxophone and a dance and drum performance by BI-OKOTO, a professional African dance company.
Mary Wineberg Track and Field Career Highlights • 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist - 4x400 meter relay
• 2008 Olympic Trials Runner-up - 400 meters
• 2007 World Champion - 4x400 meter relay
• 2007 USA National Championships - 3rd place - 400 meters
• 2 x’s ranked top 10 in the World
• 6 x’s ranked top 10 in the USA Post Track and Field
• Career Highlights: Educator - Cincinnati Public Schools (2nd Grade)
• Motivational Speaker Author - “Unwavering Perseverance”
Saint Ursula Academy is a Catholic, college-preparatory, secondary school for young women known for academic excellence and rich tradition. Saint Ursula welcomes students from more than 90 grade schools in the Greater Cincinnati area. The Academy is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School. The campus, located at 1339 E. McMillan Street in East Walnut Hills has been the home of St. Ursula Academy and Convent since 1910. The Class of 2017 earned college scholarships totaling more than $21-million. ###