Every four years, the Winter Paralympic Games inspire audiences around the world with stories of resilience, skill, and determination. Athletes compete in sports such as alpine skiing, sled hockey, and wheelchair curling, demonstrating that perseverance and talent can overcome immense challenges. But behind many of these incredible athletes is another powerful force helping shape their futures: higher education.

For many American Olympians, the journey to the world’s biggest winter sports stage starts long before they don the Stars and Stripes at the Opening Ceremony (or in today's case, the Closing Ceremonies). Often, it begins on a college campus, where elite coaching, competitive rivalries, snowy environments, and world-class facilities intersect to shape future medal contenders.