On April 21, 2026, Farmingdale State College (FSC) welcomed members of its campus community to Gold Medal Mindset: A Conversation with Olympic Gold Medalists Aly Raisman & Laurie Hernandez. The hour-long, "fireside chat" style event was held in the Nold Athletic Complex as part of the College’s 4th Annual Day of Service celebration.   

At the packed morning event, Raisman and Hernandez sat down with Title IX Coordinator Kathleen Flynn and Sam Russo, ’28, a nursing major and student athlete, to share their stories of leadership, advocacy, and inspiration. 

Raisman, team captain of the gold medal-winning USA Women’s Gymnastics teams in 2012 and 2016 and one of the most decorated American gymnasts of all-time, became the first American to win gold on the floor exercise in 2012. Today, she is a sought-after brand ambassador, keynote speaker, advocate, two-time New York Times best-selling author, and on-air analyst for ESPN's college gymnastics broadcast. 

Hernandez, a gold and silver medalist at the 2016 Rio Olympics, made history as the first U.S.-born Latina to make the U.S. Women’s Olympic Gymnastics team in over 30 years, inspiring a new generation with her talent, authenticity, and resilience. Today, she is a two-time New York Times best-selling author, passionate advocate for mental health, television actor, sports commentator, and acclaimed Broadway dancer.  

“We're honored to be joined by Aly Raisman and Laurie Hernandez, who understand what it means to strive for excellence at the highest level,” said FSC President Robert S. Prezant, PhD. “They understand that a gold-medal mindset is not limited to athletics. It's about discipline. It's about resilience. And it's about a commitment to something greater than yourself. It's represented by how we support others, push beyond convenience, and stay engaged even when the work is difficult. I want to extend my deepest thanks to the many individuals and offices who made this day possible.”  

During the engaging and thoughtful conversation, Raisman and Hernandez shared details about their rigorous Olympic training, how they stayed balanced during high-pressure moments, lighthearted interludes and teammate pranks behind the scenes, and the true bonds behind their remarkable team dynamic. 

“In gymnastics, there's so little room for error. If you breathe at the wrong time or your shoulder dips one degree, you’re off the beam.” said Raisman. “The one thing that sticks out the most is the friendships that I've made and the meaningful relationships that I have because of gymnastics. All of us really leaned on each other to help each other.” 

“We all recognized that it was a pressurized environment,” agreed Hernandez. “And I think there's a lot of really special moments that happened outside of practices or competitions that made us feel really connected with one another.” 

“I just love the banter that you have with each other, and I love it because you brought Sam and I into that,” noted Flynn. 

The pair also discussed their career changes since competing, the impact of positive representation in sports, advocacy for safe and supportive athletic environments, tools for staying grounded, and the importance of self-care and mental well-being.  

“I think the fact that we're able to sit up here and talk about mental health and taking care of ourselves is already such a huge step in the in the right direction,” said Hernandez, who shared that she utilizes box breathing as a relaxation technique. “Growing up, I didn't see a lot of athletes talking about mental health and it terrified me that I was struggling so much, and I felt like I was the odd one out or that there was something wrong with me when there wasn't.  

“I encourage everyone to really know who you are and to be really patient with yourself and give yourself a lot of grace,” she added, “And know what tools you need to keep moving forward in a way that feels authentic and natural to you, while also being present.” 

“I think mental health is still very stigmatized,” said Raisman. “I think more people than we realize are struggling and maybe don't have a support system. So, I think it's really impactful and really special [to have this event] and I wish that more organizations followed [FSC’s example]. Letting people know that there's help out there is very important.” 

“Listening to Aly and Laurie’s perspectives really stood out to me as a student-athlete because it showed the mental side of sports that people don’t always see,” said Russo. “It reminded me that even at the highest level, athletes deal with pressure, expectations, and challenges that go beyond just performance. Hearing their experiences made me reflect on my own mindset and the importance of resilience, balance, and self-awareness in athletics. I think that FSC providing this experience for their campus community was extremely important because it gave students, especially student athletes, a chance to hear firsthand experiences from elite athletes in a way that’s both relatable and inspiring.” 

Day of Service 

Additionally, FSC’s 2026 Day of Service celebration featured a Community Service Awards Ceremony, a Green Giveaway thrift event, a food and toiletry drive supported by A Little Food and Community and AHRC, and a Can Castle Design Competition supported by Farmingdale Fraternity/Sorority Life, which yielded over 71,000 pounds of non-perishable goods for FSC’s Food Pantry.  

“I enjoy the opportunity to give back,” said Kivens Chery, ’26, a health promotion and wellness major and Day of Service student volunteer. “And the skills that I have developed, teamwork, communication, and critical thinking--personal development was a huge reason why I decided to volunteer. And Farmingdale has given me so much--education, friends, opportunities—that I wanted to give back,” he added. 

2026 Community Service Award recipients: 

Student Award Winners: 

• Ashley Menendez – School of Business 
• Vincent Cataldo – School of Engineering 
• Lauren Varagnolo – School of Health Sciences 
• Mathew Rubesh – School of Arts & Sciences 

Faculty Award Winner: 

• Professor Orla Smyth-LoPiccolo 

Staff Award Winner: 

• Christopher Trypuc, Facility Operations 

Student Club Award Winner: 

• Farmingdale Fraternity – Sorority Life 

The Office of Community and Civic Engagement (OCCE) Faculty Future Engaged Grant Winner: 

• Professor Laurie Rozakis, PhD/Autism Spectrum Disorder Student Program at Farmingdale Public Library

To view more photos from Gold Medal Mindset: A Conversation with Olympic Gold Medalists Aly Raisman & Laurie Hernandez, please view our Flickr Gallery.

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