On Monday, Hunter Powell was announced as this year’s Colorado State University-wide commencement speaker, according to a CSU SOURCE article.

Powell is a Fort Collins native, having attended Fort Collins High School where he ran for the FCHS track and field team. He didn’t run for the varsity team until he was a senior and didn’t receive a single letter offering him a spot on a collegiate athletics team. However, he went on to walk on to track teams at both Western Colorado University, where he began competing in the decathlon event, and Baylor University before transferring to CSU.

Powell graduated from CSU in 2019 after completing a successful two seasons with the CSU Track and Field team, having won the Mountain West Championships in the indoor heptathlon and outdoor decathlon in 2019, which qualified him for NCAA championships. Unfortunately, Powell’s NCAA championship dreams were cut short when he rolled his ankle in the practice days just days before the competition. He competed anyway and completed the 100-meter event before withdrawing from the meet entirely.

After continuing to train for the decathlon and working as a volunteer track coach at CSU, Powell eventually found his way to bobsledding in 2024 after a suggestion from his fiancee, Kaysha Love, who is also an Olympian bobsledder. He went on to compete in the Salt Lake City bobsled combine and attended a rookie camp in New York. Just weeks later, he was named to Team USA’s four-man bobsled team for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games in February where Team USA placed 11th overall.

Powell will address graduates from every college at the Universitywide Commencement, drawing on his unconventional Olympic journey to inspire and offer wisdom to graduates as they transition to alumni.

CSU President Amy Parsons said on SOURCE that Powell’s story of chasing his dreams and committing to a life of hard work is the perfect message for college graduates.

“As a Fort Collins local and proud CSU alum, Hunter Powell embodies the spirit of the Ram community,” Parsons said. “His journey — from multi-sport standout and conference champion to Team USA Olympic bobsledder — shows the determination and adaptability required to pursue bold goals. We’re thrilled he’ll inspire our graduates as they begin their next chapter.”

Universitywide commencement will be held from 10-11:30 on Saturday, May 16, at Canvas Stadium.

Reach Claire VanDeventer at news@collegian.com or on social media @RMCollegian.