Amy Parsons: Hi, I’m Amy Parsons, president of Colorado State University and host of The Next 150 podcast. We have so many remarkable people in our community, and this is where we’re going to hear their stories. We’re going to get their perspective on CSU’s next 150 years, and gather their very best advice for today’s CSU students. Let’s get started, Rams.

Amy Parsons: Hi Rams, Amy Parsons here. Thanks for joining us on another episode of The Next 150. And today, it’s my absolute honor and privilege to be here with one of CSU’s all-time greats, an Olympian all-time great, Amy Van Dyken. Amy, thank you for being here. This is such a thrill for me to be with you.

Amy Van Dyken: I’m so excited. I’ve watched you forever, Miss Amy, on your podcast. So I’m excited to be a guest.

Amy Parsons: Watched me forever? So Amy and I just realized that we were at CSU at the same time.

Amy Van Dyken: Right.

Amy Parsons: And I’d like to think that we hung out together a little bit, even though we don’t remember. I think we probably did.

Amy Van Dyken: You know what? It’s a CSU life if you don’t remember who you hung out with.

Amy Parsons: That’s exactly right.

Amy Van Dyken: We’re fine.

Amy Parsons: We had fun.

Amy Van Dyken: We did.

Amy Parsons: We had fun.

Amy Van Dyken: It was a great time.

Amy Parsons: You were out there breaking records, breaking American records, and I’m just working in the student center. But I still think that we probably hung out at some parties…

Amy Van Dyken: We totally did.

Amy Parsons: … at the same time.

Amy Van Dyken: Absolutely.

Amy Parsons: So I’ve been following your journey from the very beginning…

Amy Van Dyken: Thank you.

Amy Parsons: …from CSU. And no one has a journey like yours. It’s just been so inspiring to watch all the different segments of your life and the way that you continue to lead today in so many different ways. You know?

Amy Van Dyken: Thank you.

Amy Parsons: Everyone knows you’re a six-time Olympian and one of the most dominant swimmers. But now, we really get to hear your voice and your advocacy for what you’re doing today for disability access and pain management and adaptive sports. So I just can’t wait to get into it with you today. You are back here on campus at CSU because you’re being inducted into the inaugural class of the Ring of Honor for Athletics.

Amy Van Dyken: It’s crazy.

Amy Parsons: We’ll see you honored at the basketball game and with the swim team.

Amy Van Dyken: Yep.

Amy Parsons: So first, congratulations…

Amy Van Dyken: Thank you.

Amy Parsons: …on that.

Amy Van Dyken: Thank you.

Amy Parsons: All of Ram Nation is thrilled to see it and thrilled to have you back on campus.

Amy Van Dyken: Thank you. It’s so good. It’s so good to be back here.

Amy Parsons: What does it feel like to be back on campus?

Amy Van Dyken: I feel like I’m going to go to a Sigma Chi party tonight.

Amy Parsons: You could, Amy. If you want, I’ll go. Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: Also, keg stand, let’s go.

Amy Parsons: Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: Come on. But it’s so good. I have a friend here, my friend Lisa, my bestie from Arizona. I kept showing her, I was like, “That’s where I lived. That’s where I went to school. That’s where I swam.” So it’s been so much fun to relive it and to show her a part of my childhood, I guess, or my young adulthood.

Amy Parsons: Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: I kept saying, “This is where I grew up.”

Amy Parsons: Right.

Amy Van Dyken: So to be back here is so cool. So thank you for this. It’s crazy to think that this is even happening. When I got the call, I was like, “Are you crazy?”

Amy Parsons: That’s awesome.

Amy Van Dyken: But I’m so honored, so thank you. Because you know, this school means everything to me.

Amy Parsons: Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: So I’m appreciative.

Amy Parsons: Well, you mean everything to Ram Nation. We’re so proud of you. And I hope that you also drove on Amy Van Dyken Way. You know, we have a street named after you on campus, so.

Amy Van Dyken: I do know this.

Amy Parsons: Hopefully, you go and drive on that street a little bit.

Amy Van Dyken: I mean, I did, but I don’t want to complain. Amy, I don’t want to complain, but here we are. It’s the shortest and the slowest road on campus. I don’t want to talk about it.

Amy Parsons: Slow is good.

Amy Van Dyken: Not in my world.

Amy Parsons: People enjoy the ride.

Amy Van Dyken: But I’m a sprinter. We need to go at least 70 through campus.

Amy Parsons: True.

Amy Van Dyken: We’ll be fine.

Amy Parsons: Okay.

Amy Van Dyken: But also, it is so cool.

Amy Parsons: I hear you.

Amy Van Dyken: When I pull up the Google Maps.

Amy Parsons: Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: I’m like, “Oh, my God. That’s my name.”

Amy Parsons: That’s amazing, right?

Amy Van Dyken: It’s unreal. What you guys have done for me is so cool, so thank you.

Amy Parsons: That’s so well deserved.

Amy Van Dyken: Thank you.

Amy Parsons: And we’re so happy to have you back on campus and to be able to honor you in this way.

Amy Van Dyken: Thank you.

Amy Parsons: And also, congratulations on being on the cover of People Magazine.

Amy Van Dyken: Thank you.

Amy Parsons: Just in December.

Amy Van Dyken: Yeah.

Amy Parsons: Along with your dog, Dillon.

Amy Van Dyken: Dillon, yeah.

Amy Parsons: Right?

Amy Van Dyken: Yeah.

Amy Parsons: And we’ve got a picture of it here.

Amy Van Dyken: Yep.

Amy Parsons: And I was just so excited when I saw that. Let’s just start there.

Amy Van Dyken: Okay.

Amy Parsons: Talk about what that experience was like for you to do this story for People Magazine and to be able to tell your story today on that platform.

Amy Van Dyken: It was amazing. When I got the call, it was first about being an asthmatic, because I’m a severe asthmatic since 18 months old, had to deal with it at Moby, all of it. So that’s what the original thing was about. But then as we started talking, it became more into advocacy for people with disabilities, so I became very proud of it.

Amy Van Dyken: Talking about asthma, it is important. But at the same time, my life has made such a 180, and I feel it’s really important to talk about that because I do have a voice. And a lot of the people in the disability community do not have a voice. And so, I want to give that voice to them and be able to show people who don’t know. Like I do my teachable moments, like things you might not know. Paralyzed people can also break their foot and get a cute little Rams green…

Amy Parsons: Saw that.

Amy Van Dyken: …cast.

Amy Parsons: Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: Right? I just didn’t know for two weeks.

Amy Parsons: Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: But it’s fine. But I want people to know the ins and outs. So I became very proud of that. And then to be able to have Dillon, of course, named after the town and the mountains, our favorite town.

Amy Parsons: Oh, nice.

Amy Van Dyken: Spelled the right way with an I.

Amy Parsons: Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: Yeah, to be able to have him on the cover with me was so cool, but he is such a diva. He is now being like, “I do not want that kibble.”

Amy Parsons: He knows he’s famous.

Amy Van Dyken: He does. And he’s like, “Hello, everybody. I’m Dillon Rouen. It’s fine.”

Amy Parsons: That’s amazing. Well, he is very cute and very photogenic.

Amy Van Dyken: Oh, yeah. He feels so-

Amy Parsons: On the cover of People.

Amy Van Dyken: He does look cute with those little white teeth, right?

Amy Parsons: Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: God love him.

Amy Parsons: Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: He’s so cute.

Amy Parsons: He does. I mean, you talk about your time at CSU and how transformative that was, but it almost didn’t happen.

Amy Van Dyken: Right.

Amy Parsons: You almost didn’t come to CSU. And you mentioned that a little bit in the magazine.

Amy Van Dyken: I did.

Amy Parsons: So talk about that a little bit, just the circumstances around how you became a Ram in the first place.

Amy Van Dyken: Yeah. So I was recruited out of high school by John Mattos, and had a chance to go to the University of Arizona. And as a Colorado native, I was like, “Huh! Somewhere where it doesn’t snow? I’m going to go there.” Well, I found out at 19, I had surgeries, and I couldn’t have kids. That was really hard. And then during Christmas training, I got mono, so I couldn’t go back for that. And that’s a big part of swimming is those four weeks where we do triples and we’re never dry, and I wasn’t there. And I just remember thinking like, “This is not the path for me. I don’t want to swim anymore. Arizona doesn’t have my major because I wanted to teach…”

Amy Parsons: Don’t want to swim anymore?

Amy Van Dyken: I didn’t want to swim anymore. No, I was done. I hung up my Speedo. We were over it. And they didn’t have my major because I wanted to teach high school biology to deaf students. And so, I transferred to Colorado State, no intention of swimming, run into John Mattos at orientation. And he’s like, “Amy, I didn’t know you were on my swim team.” And I’m like, “Because I’m not.” And he goes, “How about this?” And immediately he said it, Amy. It was so brilliant. He goes, “I’ll tell you what. You swim for me for one semester, and if you like it, you keep going. But if you don’t, you can quit, and I’ll pay for the rest of your school year.”

Amy Parsons: Wow.

Amy Van Dyken: I didn’t take a Math Mod, so I’m not really that smart. So I was like, “I get that math.” And it was like-

Amy Parsons: We’ll talk about Math Mods later.

Amy Van Dyken: Oh, Math Mods. I hope you got rid of those, but also-

Amy Parsons: We did.

Amy Van Dyken: Okay, good. Those were awful. But yeah, so I went and I swam for him my first swim meet. I was leading the NCAA in all my events, even my worst event. And I remember at the semester…

Amy Parsons: Wow.

Amy Van Dyken: …he said to me, “How do you feel? We’re going to check in.” And I was like, “I am leading the NCAA. I am not quitting.” And that year, I broke my first American record ever, went to my first world championships, and it just progressed.

Amy Parsons: That’s incredible.

Amy Van Dyken: So if I didn’t come back here to CSU, I would be teaching somewhere probably in Castle Rock to a deaf and blind school, probably loving life, but it would be very different.

Amy Parsons: Very, very different.

Amy Van Dyken: Very different.

Amy Parsons: What are some lessons when you think back about his coaching, right? From that first conversation…

Amy Van Dyken: Yeah.

Amy Parsons: …to how he sort of opened that new front for you and really unlocked that incredible potential that you had. What lessons are in there for maybe today’s coaches and working with today’s athletes?

Amy Van Dyken: I’m going to cry. So he told my husband, he said “When Amy came to campus, I had to rechange how I coach people.” He was like, “I completely made the sprint group totally different because she was so overtrained. I had to rest her.”

Amy Parsons: Oh, wow.

Amy Van Dyken: So I was resting the whole year, which a lot of people don’t know, which is unreal for swimmers. And I just kept getting faster and faster. The thing that I think if you could take away from John Mattos is just his humility. He is so humble. He treated each of us like we were all full-ride scholarship people, even though we had walk-ons, who were still treated like I was.

Amy Van Dyken: And I just thought that was so brilliant and just such a way to bring a team together and such unity. And it didn’t make me feel like I was standing out. It made me feel like I was a part of the team. And that was just so special. This is a man that when I get called to do anything that’s a big deal that’s going to make my life change, I call him first.

Amy Parsons: Wow.

Amy Van Dyken: Before anybody. And we talk about it and he talks me through it, just the way he did when I was swimming. “All right, Ames, let’s take a step back. What’s going to happen if you do this? What’s going to happen if you don’t do this?” And that’s how I get through life. And I just think that having that, I guess, that synergy with your athletes is so important. And I do think, again, my husband played football. It is kind of rare. And I do think that John Mattos is a special coach. When he retired, I feel like everyone kind of lost out a little bit. I mean, now we have Woody, which…

Amy Parsons: Yeah, yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: I mean, he’s a spinoff of John, which is so perfect. But John is really that man that I look to in my life more than I look to anybody aside from my husband.

Amy Parsons: When in that journey did he or did you start thinking like, “We can go out and win Olympic gold medals. This is what we can do.”

Amy Van Dyken: I think it was after the college season. I had gotten Swimmer of the Year, he got Coach of the Year, I had broken American records, and I qualified for world championships. And I looked at him and I went, “This is a big deal.” And he goes, “Amy, this is not as big of a deal as your life will be.” He said, “Just focus on what you’re doing, swim in your own lane lines.”

Amy Van Dyken: Because that’s hard. You want to look at everybody else and be like, “She’s got world records,” and da, da, da. Swim in your own lane lines. And that’s what I did until the day I retired, and it ended up being so great. I never paid attention to a name or a person. And I think that’s just really important. That’s something I took away. And I still in my life swim in my own lane line.

Amy Parsons: Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: You know?

Amy Parsons: Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: And I don’t look outside. I just do my own jam, man.

Amy Parsons: No one’s in your lane.

Amy Van Dyken: I mean…

Amy Parsons: You have your own lane.

Amy Van Dyken: I’ll, spit at ’em, Amy.

Amy Parsons: In so many ways. That’s amazing.

Amy Van Dyken: I don’t want to talk about it. I’ll spit at ’em. It’s fine.

Amy Parsons: I mean, so you go on to Atlanta.

Amy Van Dyken: Yep.

Amy Parsons: You win the gold medals, more than any other American woman in history. Win two more after that, just dominated the sport. When you look back now at that time in your life in the Olympics and winning the gold medals…

Amy Van Dyken: Yeah.

Amy Parsons: How does it make you feel? What do you think about it now in hindsight when you think about that period in your life?

Amy Van Dyken: I just think of, like, hard training, early mornings, late nights, all of that. But really what sticks in my mind is the teammates that I had and the fun that we had in the warmup pool, the warm down pool. Michael Phelps was 15. I was getting ready to retire. I had just come off this great Olympics, so people were looking to me who were rookies. I remember, I’m in the shower, which was a public shower, so I had my swimsuit on. “Amy, Amy, do I need to put my swimsuit on? Amy, do I need to warm up?” So I would like to say you’re welcome, America. Because without Amy, you would have a naked, unwarmed up Michael Phelps.

Amy Parsons: Thank you.

Amy Van Dyken: You’re welcome. I mean, also you’re welcome. But yet, those are the things I remember, right, is mentoring those younger kids who ended up becoming great athletes. And it’s just really fun to watch. And I still look at him like he’s 15.

Amy Parsons: Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: I still look at what I’ve done and I don’t believe that I did it because it’s so cool. But I still have those six pieces of metal sitting there, and it’s kind of cool to be able to show it off, especially when you don’t get a good reservation. And they’re like, “I’m sorry, we’re booked up.” And then you show up, and you’re like, “I’m sorry, table for nine.” They’re like, “In the back, ma’am.” It’s fine.

Amy Parsons: Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: But, yeah.

Amy Parsons: See, your own lane. No one else can play that card.

Amy Van Dyken: No one else will swim in my lane.

Amy Parsons: That’s awesome. Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: But yeah, so when you talk about all these things that I’ve done and things that I’ve done on campus and things, it honestly doesn’t feel like it was me. I know I did those things. I’m not really that dumb.

Amy Parsons: Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: But it also is just, I was doing what I loved, I was with my teammates, I just kept progressing, and the progression just led me to where it was. But again, it’s six pieces of metal. And if that changes me in a way that is so 180 from what I was, then I wasn’t really who I thought I was.

Amy Parsons: Right.

Amy Van Dyken: So that was kind of an introspective moment, too, when that all happened, and I’m like, “Who am I now?”

Amy Parsons: Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: And I just remember John being like, “You’re Amy.”

Amy Parsons: Mm-hmm.

Amy Van Dyken: “And that’s who you are and that’s who you’ll be”. And I’m like, “Listen, I am a lot. I am very ADHD.” Unmedicated. And you know what? I’m loud and I’m a little bit outspoken. But you know what? If you can handle me, we’re going to have a great time.

Amy Parsons: Well, it’s also what made you so great as a broadcaster and on TV and talking about the sport.

Amy Van Dyken: Thank you.

Amy Parsons: Right?

Amy Van Dyken: Yeah.

Amy Parsons: I mean, your expertise and your experience, but just your personality and what you bring to it and being your authentic self. And I’ve been thinking about the Olympics and you. The Olympics are coming up again. And having been in it, covered it, being in broadcasting.

Amy Van Dyken: Yeah.

Amy Parsons: To me, the Olympics are kind of a force for good in the world.

Amy Van Dyken: Yeah, I agree.

Amy Parsons: Right? At a time that we really need it to be able to rally behind our heroes.

Amy Van Dyken: Yeah.

Amy Parsons: And our athletes and bringing people together.

Amy Van Dyken: Yeah.

Amy Parsons: So what do you think about the Olympics today and sort of the role that it plays in the world? I know that’s a big question.

Amy Van Dyken: No.

Amy Parsons: But I really feel like Olympians and the Olympics are a force for good.

Amy Van Dyken: I kind of feel like you do, right?

Amy Parsons: Mm-hmm.

Amy Van Dyken: We can have all this catastrophe in the world. But for two weeks, every two years, the only thing a lot of Americans and people in the world are focused on are those athletes, and you get to know them in a way that’s so personal. I just think it’s wonderful. It kind of lets us shut our brains off for a couple of weeks and watch these athletes.

Amy Van Dyken: And you have to remember when you’re watching them, they didn’t start last year. They’ve been working since they’re five, six years old to be where they’re at. And it’s just all of a sudden that’s the culmination of work. I just think it’s so beautiful. And again, when we needed time to just kind of shut it off, it’s so beautiful. And I agree with that.

Amy Van Dyken: One of the best things that ever happened to me in the Olympics had nothing to do with swimming. It was after a race, the deck was completely clean. It was me and Franziska van Almsick from Germany. And she gave me a huge hug, and there was no one else around, and it was on the cover of USA Today.

Amy Parsons: Wow.

Amy Van Dyken: And that picture I think sums up my Olympic years and everyone’s Olympic years. It’s not about the races. It’s not about the hardware that you bring home. It’s about those memories and those friendships. I can call up a friend from Finland right now, and be on a plane tomorrow, and be able to stay at their house.

Amy Parsons: Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: It’s just really a cool thing. Everybody who gets into it, please get into it.

Amy Parsons: Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: And back those athletes because everyone has a great story. You hear some of the great stories, but you don’t hear all of them, but every story is awesome.

Amy Parsons: Every story is awesome.

Amy Van Dyken: Yeah.

Amy Parsons: And it binds people together across age, ideology, all of these things because we’re cheering on and being inspired by these athletes.

Amy Van Dyken: Yeah.

Amy Parsons: And I don’t know that there’s anything else out there that can really do that.

Amy Van Dyken: I don’t think so either. And I’ll tell you what, our fans with the U.S., we are crazy.

Amy Parsons: Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: And we support our team like no other. So I’m really proud every two years to watch how America gets behind our athletes.

Amy Parsons: So you tune in, you’re in there.

Amy Van Dyken: Girl, listen.

Amy Parsons: You’re cheering everybody on. Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: I am. I mean, my husband played football, but also he was a great skier back in the day. He had done some stuff with Warren Miller, but then he had to take his SATs, whatever. I’m like, “Really?” But he was a great skier and he always wanted to do the Olympics. So that’s one of his dreams is to watch downhill. So he may get that dream one day.

Amy Parsons: Yeah, that’s awesome.

Amy Van Dyken: Yeah, but it’s cool. So we both watch both winter and summer, and I just think it’s so cool.

Amy Parsons: Yeah. Well, I mean, both of you are a great example of careers after you retire from sports. So I am curious about what advice you would have for students who are wondering like, “What’s next for me after I retire from my sport? How do I take those skills and that discipline and that passion and translate it into my own voice and my own career?”

Amy Van Dyken: And listen, that’s what you have to do. That’s all you have to do is be yourself. Listen, you’re going to be told no more times and you’ll be told yes. It’s going to build character. But at the end of the day, that’s what you want. You want to be a high-character person going into an occupation. And again, I can say to all of the students, you have the background coming here from Colorado State, you truly do.

Amy Parsons: Yes.

Amy Van Dyken: And the only thing… Go Rams. I’m proud to be. But I just think they don’t realize that. And they get out in the real world and they just are told no once or twice and they’re like, “Huh! I’m going to cower.” Don’t do that. Remember who you are, remember what you want, and you will get that at the end of the day. You know, they had that book, The Secret, right?

Amy Parsons: Mm-hmm.

Amy Van Dyken: I never dreamt of a red bicycle.

Amy Parsons: Yes.

Amy Van Dyken: But you know I dreamt of covering the Olympics, and here we are. So if you dream it, you can believe it. And you have to have that knowledge within yourself that you’ve prepared yourself as well as you can, go out there, be who you are, and just kick some booty. And we’re all going to be so proud of you. Because Ram Nation, as big as the school is, we’re a small community. You know?

Amy Parsons: It’s true. Small and passionate…

Amy Van Dyken: Yes, we are.

Amy Parsons: …community. Absolutely.

Amy Van Dyken: Yes.

Amy Parsons: I mean, when I think about the journey that you’ve been on since your accident, the ATV accident in 2014. Obviously, that was something you never could have foreseen or predicted. But you’re coming into that moment in your life already with so much knowledge of who you are and perseverance and determination. And I know that accident sent your life in a direction that you could never have anticipated.

Amy Van Dyken: Yeah.

Amy Parsons: Talk to us about that arc in your journey from the accident to the voice that you have today.

Amy Van Dyken: It’s very different than what I had before. You know, I was the only female voice on Fox Sports Radio. So again, when people tell you no, it’s a nasty lady. You know?

Amy Parsons: Mm-hmm.

Amy Van Dyken: Just ignore it, and I did. We were on a sports talk show. We were on SiriusXM. We were in so many markets. We were Top 10 in a lot of those, but I didn’t really have a lot of passion. I love sports. But when I got injured, I was like, “Oh, my goodness. This is it. This is what I was made for and this is why I’m here. This is why I survived this accident because I am not done yet.” And so, I took everything that I had learned from school, friends, perseverance, being knocked down several times, and I just said, “This is what we’re going to do.”

Amy Van Dyken: When I got the first phone call from Pac-12 Network, when I was in ICU, saying, “We’re going to hold your spot for you. And when you’re ready, you come back.” I was like, “Are you kidding me? How are they going to build a set for me in a wheelchair?” You know what? They did it. They do it in the Olympics. If you want it bad enough, everyone will make sure that you’re okay. It has been the most amazing experience to be able to come out, to commentate for the Olympics, and then to be like, “Hey, by the way, let’s talk about handicap parking.”

Amy Parsons: Mm-hmm.

Amy Van Dyken: You know? It’s like a juxtaposition, if you will, but it’s something that I’ve really fallen into. I love it so much. And you know what? I don’t care if people like me. I mean, I’ve lost in the last two weeks, like 3000 Instagram followers. I know the kids are like, “Ugh.” But also, you know? You just have to look at it and go, “Those are people that weren’t supposed to be there anyway.”

Amy Parsons: That’s right.

Amy Van Dyken: You know?

Amy Parsons: Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: And so, that’s how you have to think. And when you leave school, you just have to know that you are the brightest, you are the best. And that’s what I believed, and I’m turning it into something different. I’m turning it into advocacy for people with all sorts of disabilities because people don’t know what it’s like to wake up in the morning, to be in so much pain 24/7, look at your wheelchair and go, “That is my life, and I have to get up, and I have to do it again.” It’s really hard. I went from being at the top of the world to being… Let me look. I’m six feet tall. I always wore five-to-six-inch stiletto heels, skinny jeans. You know? Mm.

Amy Van Dyken: They’d be out, and I walk into a room, and I’d get a reaction. Well, now I go into a room, and I get a reaction, but it’s very different than the one I used to get. But I just, in my head, say, “Oh, no, no. It’s the same reaction. All those men think I’m hot. I got 26-inch rims on my butt. What’s hotter than that?” Don’t talk about a BBL over here. But you know, you have to kind of do that to yourself and make those changes in your mind. And that’s what I did. And I had to do it very quickly, and I did it, and I’m very proud of the work that I’m doing now.

Amy Parsons: Yeah. Well, we’re very proud of you. I mean, you’re such a hero to so many people and the way that you are authentic with your voice. And what do you most think that people maybe don’t understand about your situation, or spinal cord injury, or being in a wheelchair? What do you wish people knew that maybe they don’t know?

Amy Van Dyken: I am told to live in a world and be happy about it and be grateful for the ADA law, which was implemented in 1991, has not been changed since 1991. And I’m supposed to live in this world that’s not made for me, but I’m supposed to be happy about it. Right? And so, that’s something that is really hard to deal with, hard to deal with. I got told one time by a guy, “You should have told me you were looking for a handicap spot, and I would’ve gotten out of it.” I’m like, “That’s not my responsibility.”

Amy Parsons: That is not your job. Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: Right? So yeah, it’s just… I don’t know. I just use my voice in a way. Listen, I’m a lot, and I get that. And I know a lot of people can’t hang out with me, so I’m grateful for my friends that are still here. But you know, I do use that. It is one of those things that is kind of eye catching when people turn on the Instagram. If you want to follow me at @AmyVanDyken, I’ve lost 3000 followers. It’s fine.

Amy Parsons: I follow you.

Amy Van Dyken: I know you do. I follow you. Fangirl. I’m fangirl-ing. You know, it’s so interesting to look at how things work in the world. I just feel very passionate about how I’m doing things because I’m in a world that’s not made for me at all.

Amy Parsons: Mm-hmm.

Amy Van Dyken: Every place has stairs, especially here in Colorado.

Amy Parsons: Mm-hmm.

Amy Van Dyken: Every house has stairs. And you know what? I’m supposed to be happy about it. And a lot of days, I am, but there’s a lot of days where I have bad days. So if you ask me what people don’t know about me that they maybe should.

Amy Parsons: Mm-hmm.

Amy Van Dyken: I have a lot of bad days where I sit in my car and cry by myself, you know? But we all do.

Amy Parsons: Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: Who doesn’t? You know, someone had a bad grade on an exam. They are probably in their car crying as well. It’s for different reasons, but we’re all doing the same thing. We’re all just trying to get along in the world. So I’m trying to tell people, just treat everyone as a human being. No one is bigger than or less than. We are all equal. We all put our pants on the same way. Except for me, I’m in a wheelchair. It gets a little awkward. But we all do, and we’re all human beings.

Amy Parsons: Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: So treat everyone like that. That’s one thing that I want to put out there. And that people need to know about me is I really don’t look at, you’ve done this and you’ve done that and I’m going to hang out with you. I look at you and I go, “You know what? You’re a flipping cool person, man. And I’m going to hang out with you.”

Amy Parsons: Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: And I think that’s what we need to do in life.

Amy Parsons: Well, it seems to me too that you’re still an athlete, right?

Amy Van Dyken: Oh, yeah.

Amy Parsons: And that maybe people don’t know that you are an athlete today, right?

Amy Van Dyken: Yeah.

Amy Parsons: I mean, you’re water skiing.

Amy Van Dyken: Yeah.

Amy Parsons: You’re doing all of these things.

Amy Van Dyken: Yeah.

Amy Parsons: So what does it mean to you today to be an athlete?

Amy Van Dyken: It’s crazy. I still do CrossFit. I competed in the CrossFit Wheelchair Games as the second fittest seated female athlete on the planet.

Amy Parsons: Oh, my gosh. Incredible.

Amy Van Dyken: Well, you’ll love this. So the girl that gets third, I look over and I go, “Hey, Sydney. You know what’s really sad about this?” And she goes, “What?” And I go, “I’m old enough to be your mom, and I just kicked your ass.” But you know what? It’s ingrained in me. I feel like when I went to school here, that’s how it was too, right?

Amy Parsons: Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: I’d take a test, and I wanted to be the best at the test. I wanted to be that top of the bell curve. So it’s just something in me. And even my friend Lisa, who’s here with us this weekend, she’s like, “You guys are still so competitive.” Yes, we are. Get the best parking spot.

Amy Parsons: It’s in you, it’s in you.

Amy Van Dyken: It’s totally in me. Yeah, I will never lose it. Never.

Amy Parsons: Yeah. Well, it’s amazing to see how far adaptive sports have come.

Amy Van Dyken: Yeah.

Amy Parsons: Right? And what you’re able to do with new technology and to be out there. So I just find that so inspiring that you’re going to be an athlete, you’re going to be competitive, you’re going to do this no matter what.

Amy Van Dyken: Exactly. It’s just in your blood. You know?

Amy Parsons: Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: Could I talk about para swimming? Absolutely. Did I do it? No. So that’s why I talk about able-bodied swimming. A lot of people had a problem with that. How would she… Ma’am. I’m so sorry. I don’t know how I would know about swimming.

Amy Parsons: No kidding.

Amy Van Dyken: We’re fine. Everyone move on.

Amy Parsons: Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: You know? But again, behind a microphone, nobody really knows that I’m in a wheelchair.

Amy Parsons: Right.

Amy Van Dyken: So it’s pretty cool. In my car, no one knows.

Amy Parsons: Yeah. What are you looking forward to right now? What’s happening with Amy Van Dyken right now?

Amy Van Dyken: Oh, my gosh.

Amy Parsons: What’s on the horizon for you?

Amy Van Dyken: I’m so excited. As we’re sitting here on your podcast, Miss Amy, Miss Presidente. Actually, me and my friend, who’s here, came from Arizona with me to be here for this event, we’re starting our own podcast.

Amy Parsons: Oh, my gosh.

Amy Van Dyken: I know. It’s going to…

Amy Parsons: Are you really?

Amy Van Dyken: … be called The Power of One. Look for it. Anyway.

Amy Parsons: I love it.

Amy Van Dyken: Yeah.

Amy Parsons: That’s so exciting.

Amy Van Dyken: So we’re getting ready to start that. I’m still doing my swimming commentary, still going out and speaking to large groups about don’t ever give up. People look at Olympians, and they think it’s so easy, but people don’t understand. My first Olympics after my first race, they told me to go home. They said, “It’s not your time. You’re not good enough. You go home.” And I said, “Okay, I have a race tomorrow. I’m going to go to sleep now. And if I screw up again, then we’ll talk.” I ended up making history.

Amy Parsons: Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: So don’t let anyone tell you no or that you can’t do something. But it’s still ingrained in me. I still never let anyone tell me no.

Amy Parsons: Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: Even the police officer that pulls me over, “You’re speeding too fast.” No.

Amy Parsons: I can see that. I can see that.

Amy Van Dyken: I’m a little sassy.

Amy Parsons: I’m so excited for your podcast.

Amy Van Dyken: Thank you.

Amy Parsons: Yes.

Amy Van Dyken: We have to have you on.

Amy Parsons: Congratulations on that.

Amy Van Dyken: Thank you.

Amy Parsons: I would love to be.

Amy Van Dyken: Cannot wait.

Amy Parsons: That is amazing.

Amy Van Dyken: It’ll be so cool.

Amy Parsons: We’re all tuning in and seeing. So we’re going to have to start wrapping up.

Amy Van Dyken: Okay.

Amy Parsons: Unfortunately.

Amy Van Dyken: I love it.

Amy Parsons: I could talk to you all day.

Amy Van Dyken: We have time, Ames.

Amy Parsons: Your journey is amazing.

Amy Van Dyken: Thank you.

Amy Parsons: At CSU, obviously we are invested in our students and in student success.

Amy Van Dyken: Oh, yeah.

Amy Parsons: There’s so much that our students can learn from you and your journey and all of the different iterations of your journey.

Amy Van Dyken: Thank you.

Amy Parsons: If you have any advice for today’s students, just starting their little CSU journeys here at CSU, what would you tell them?

Amy Van Dyken: Have fun, enjoy every moment, go to class, study for your tests, but just enjoy this beautiful campus. We have things here on this campus that other schools don’t have.

Amy Parsons: Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: Enjoy it. Understand that you are special and understand that you’re now a part of a fraternity that you get to have me and El Presidente doing keg stands at your fraternity party.

Amy Parsons: Lifelong Rams. That’s right.

Amy Van Dyken: There we go. I love it. But yeah, just enjoy the ride. I feel like a lot of times we don’t enjoy it. We’re so focused on our grades. Enjoy your people, because these are your friends you’re going to have forever.

Amy Parsons: That’s right. Well, that’s great advice. Congratulations, again, on being inducted into the Ring of Honor.

Amy Van Dyken: Thank you.

Amy Parsons: You’re just one of the greatest of all time Rams, and we’re so proud of you.

Amy Van Dyken: I’m proud of you.

Amy Parsons: Thank you for being here.

Amy Van Dyken: To be a female president of a big university, that’s a big deal, Miss Amy.

Amy Parsons: Thank you.

Amy Van Dyken: I am so proud of you. When I saw that come down, I was like, “And let’s go. And her name is perfect.” I can just change the last name on the nameplate, and no one will know.

Amy Parsons: That’s right. We’re fueled by Ram Pride.

Amy Van Dyken: We are. Yeah.

Amy Parsons: There we go. Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: But I just wanted to let you know because you’ve been saying a lot about me, but I am very proud of you. I just want you to know. I know that this is a big deal. I know it’s not easy, and you are absolutely killing it.

Amy Parsons: Thank you.

Amy Van Dyken: So I want to say thank you so much.

Amy Parsons: Oh, I really appreciate it.

Amy Van Dyken: I don’t think you get to hear that from students enough, but I know they all appreciate it. And what you’ve done for this football program. Stop. Don’t get me started. Also, my husband played for CU, so let’s go Rams.

Amy Parsons: I know. I know. Let’s go Rams.

Amy Van Dyken: So thank you for having me and thank you for having me back. I just am so honored. This is such a great thing to be back on campus. I feel like a student again, although I will not be in the econ building. It was fine.

Amy Parsons: Little trauma associated with that.

Amy Van Dyken: That’s right. I know. Yeah.

Amy Parsons: You don’t need to go back to some corners of campus.

Amy Van Dyken: A little PTSD. It’s fine.

Amy Parsons: Yeah.

Amy Van Dyken: But yeah, so thank you for having me back and thank you for being who you are.

Amy Parsons: Absolutely.

Amy Van Dyken: And having the charge and the determination and the view and the vision that you have for this school because it’s amazing.

Amy Parsons: Thank you.

Amy Van Dyken: Thank you.

Amy Parsons: Amy, that’s going to fuel me for a good long time hearing that from you. That really means a lot. Amy Van Dyken everybody. Proud of me. It’s amazing.

Amy Van Dyken: I am.

Amy Parsons: Thank you for being here. Congratulations.

Amy Van Dyken: Thank you for having me. Thank you, Amy.

Amy Parsons: Thank you.

Amy Van Dyken: I appreciate it.

Amy Parsons: Go Rams.

Amy Parsons: Thank you for listening. I’m Amy Parsons, president of Colorado State University, and you’re listening to CSU’s The Next 150, where we explore what comes next for CSU by chatting with change makers who are already leading the charge and shaping our next 150 years. I’m gathering their very best advice for today’s CSU students.

Stay tuned to wherever you get podcasts for our next outstanding conversation. Go Rams.