Beth Shluger, founder of the Hartford Marathon will be the guest speaker at the University of Saint Joseph’s 2024年毕业典礼 to take place on Saturday, May 11 at the XL Center in Downtown Hartford.

“I am pleased to announce that Beth Shluger, founder of the Hartford Marathon, will be awarded an honorary degree and provide brief remarks at our commencement ceremony on May 11,” University of Saint Joseph President Dr. Rhona Free stated in a message to all members of the USJ community. “As many of you know, it is a USJ tradition to award honorary degrees at commencement to exemplary leaders, whose life and work reflect USJ’s values. I look forward to joining you to celebrate the accomplishments of our graduating students and to hearing Ms. Shluger’s inspiring words at USJ’s 89th commencement.”

出于对跑步和社区的热爱，Shluger于1994年创立了哈特福德马拉松基金会（HMF），通过健身和体育活动促进健康生活，并利用HMF活动支持慈善事业、可持续发展、旅游业和经济增长。

在她担任基金会首席执行官的近30年里，Shluger将其扩展到旗舰哈特福德马拉松（现在被称为Eversource Hartford马拉松和半程马拉松）以外的30多个年度健身活动，包括公路比赛，成人和儿童训练项目，铁人三项和双人三项，遍布康涅狄格州，罗德岛州和马萨诸塞州。 每场比赛都支持跑步和健身项目，以及当地的慈善机构。 单是everource Hartford马拉松就在一个比赛周末为该地区带来了约1500万美元的经济价值，并为慈善机构筹集了近900万美元。

Shluger和HMF在2013年举办了Sandy Hook Run for the Families，以支持来自邻近的康涅狄格州纽敦的受害者家属和急救人员。HMF因此次活动获得了Sports Travel杂志颁发的“美国最佳业余体育赛事”奖，为Sandy Hook学校支持基金筹集了43.8万美元。

Shluger是National Women’s Running Magazine Trailblazer Award的获得者，并被the March of Dimes认可为康涅狄格年度体育领袖。 她获得了托马斯·肖特尔体育界杰出领导奖，并被康涅狄格州妇女名人堂授予荣誉。

For more information about USJ’s 2024 Undergraduate and Graduate Students 毕业典礼 Ceremony, please visit: /about/commencement/