Jean Driscoll

Director

Jean Driscoll is a motivational speaker, author, award-winning athlete, and advocate worldwide for persons with disabilities. She has also done work as a television sports commentator and currently serves as the Assistant Dean for Advancement in the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Jean was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with spina bifida (an open spine). It affected her ability to walk and included other neurological complications as well. Although there were challenges during childhood, her determination to get the most out of life was always present. She began using a wheelchair at the age of 15 and started pursuing athletic opportunities with fervor. After being recruited to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, she became one of the world’s most successful athletes.  As a student, she earned a BA in Speech Communication (with Distinction) and an MS in Rehabilitation Administration.

During her athletic career, Jean was the first eight-time winner of the Boston Marathon. She set 5 new course records, 5 world best times, and held Boston’s fastest time in the women’s wheelchair division for 21 years. In addition to her success in Boston, Jean also won two Olympic medals, 12 Paralympic medals, and set several world records on the track.

Her successes have been celebrated by many.  Sports Illustrated for Women magazine recognized Jean as one of the top 25 female athletes of the twentieth century and in July 2012, she was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.  That same year, Jean received the state of Illinois’ most prestigious award when she was honored as a Lincoln Laureate by the Lincoln Academy of Illinois, joining previous recipients such as President Ronald Reagan, Jack Benny, and Walter Payton.  Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines extended one of its highest honors to Jean in 2003 when they named her the Godmother of their Voyager Class Series ship, Mariner of the Seas.  Additionally, she received honorary doctorate degrees from the University of Rhode Island (1997), the Massachusetts School of Law (2002), and Gettysburg College (2021).

Jean has served as a corporate spokesperson for Ocean Spray, United Airlines, Lighthouse Foods and the California Date Commission. She has also been featured on programs such as Good Morning America, the Today Show, ABC Nightline, Lifetime TV, ESPN, CNN, and The Late, Late Show.  She has spent time with three U.S. presidents and shared the speaking platform with people like tennis legend Billie Jean King, Olympic gold medalists Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Joan Benoit Samuelson, film star Goldie Hawn, and many others.

For over 30 years, Jean has offered encouragement and motivation as a speaker to people worldwide. She has also led track camps in 2001, 2002, and 2010 for wheelchair athletes in Ghana, West Africa.  Largely due to her efforts, Ghana sent its first two athletes in history to the Paralympic Games in 2004.  After their inaugural appearance in Athens, the Ghana National Paralympic Committee sent athletes with disabilities to the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, 2012 Games in London, 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, and 2020 Games in Tokyo.