One idea, lasting impact: How Kenadie Glasgow built a Special Olympics tradition at Miami
Swimmer developed idea after experience in Scott Osterfeld’s class
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Published
One idea, lasting impact: How Kenadie Glasgow built a Special Olympics tradition at Miami
Swimmer developed idea after experience in Scott Osterfeld’s class
•
Published
Kenadie Glasgow, a junior on Miami University's swimming and diving team, worked to create a Special Olympics event with help from the swim team, with additional help from the swim team and Butler County.
Glasgow was initially drawn to Miami through the swim recruiting process. She stated that she had a friend who swam for the university for all four years and only had great things to say about the program and the school. However, it was during her official visit that she truly fell in love with the campus and the culture Miami has to offer. After committing, she said it was the amazing team environment and opportunities the swim team provided that kept her here.
One such opportunity presented itself in a class taught by Scott Osterfeld, visiting assistant professor of Family Science and Social Work. Osterfeld is relatively new to Miami but has spent many years working with nonprofits and developing young leaders like Glasgow. During this particular instance, Glasgow attended a soccer match hosted by the Special Olympics, where, as she stated, “I got to hand out bracelets to spread awareness and met some pretty amazing people in the process.” This experience, along with her connection to swim at Miami, ultimately planted the seed in Glasgow’s mind to start such an event for swimmers in the area.
While the idea seemed straightforward in theory, it was quite the opposite. Glasgow spent the remainder of her first year and her entire sophomore year working closely with her captain, Emma Schueler, to bring the event to fruition. The process required extensive planning and presentation of the details alongside collaboration with members of the swim team, Special Olympics, and Butler County pool staff. It all paid off when the event was officially hosted in November of 2024 where Special Olympic athletes from across the area competed in a meet that counted toward their regional times.
With the success of the 2024 meet and the massive support from the participants, families, staff, and Miami Swim team, the event has since become an annual occurrence. More recently, Glasgow actually met with the Miami Athletics Board to discuss the future possibility of other Miami sports teams hosting similar events. For Glasgow, though, the significance of the event extends far beyond expansion. “I think it’s so important because it makes the entire team grateful for the opportunities we have with the sport, and both the participants and Miami swimmers running it have so much fun,” she said.
Those moments of gratitude are exactly what stand out the most when Glasgow reflects on the meets. When asked about her favorite moment from the event, Kenadie recalled a swimmer from the first year recognizing her at the second meet, running up, and giving her a huge hug, a small moment that showed just how meaningful the event had become for the athletes involved. On the other hand, for Osterfeld the fulfillment comes from, “investing in individuals like Kenadie and helping them take the next step as human beings, professionals, and helping others.”
Events like these show the lasting impact young leaders can have when given the resources and opportunity to act. And while Glasgow’s junior season is coming to a close, leaving her with just one year remaining at Miami, the impact she has already made, both within the program and throughout the Butler County community, will extend far beyond her time on campus.
Established in 1809, Miami University is located in Oxford, Ohio, with regional campuses in Hamilton and Middletown, a learning center in West Chester, and a European study center in Luxembourg.