With the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in the rear-view, many around the world have renewed senses of hope and competition, but John Fleming, Texas State’s Dean for the College of Fine Arts and Communication, always has them.
As an Olympic torch bearer, Fleming strives to bring the foundational values of the Olympic games to Texas State.
Approaching the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Fleming received an entry form from his teacher for an application to a Milwaukee business competition. The prize was participating as one of 10,000 Americans and 675 Greeks to escort the Olympic flame to Los Angeles via torch-running.
“[The competition] was basically based on grades, community service and an essay,” Fleming said. “It just happened that I was also a distance runner at the time, that I ran track and cross country at the same time.”
The 18-year-old Fleming earned his place in the competition by excelling in his academics and being an active member of his community. However, the thoughtful values he displayed in his entry pushed him over the line, bringing him the opportunity to run for his country and the world as a whole.
“The Olympics represent a time when countries can set aside their differences and come together to engage in peaceful competition,” Fleming said in his 1984 competition entry. “The Olympic torch is a ray of hope for unity and shows the burning desire for peace. I want to be a part of this movement that carries the torch of peace.”
Though 40 years passed since this entry, these values have held true to Fleming, and he uses them to propel Texas State’s College of Fine Arts and Communication to a higher level with strengthened merit.
“The original modern Olympic movement was founded on the values of excellence, friendship and respect. The goal was not just about sports, but also culture and education with an overall view of building a better world,” Fleming said. “Then I said that ‘what we do in the College of Fine Arts and Communication is rooted in similar values, similar aims.’”
According to Fleming, the Olympic motto, ‘swifter, faster, higher,’ provokes thoughts of aspiration, which is why he presents it to his faculty and student body.
“In its own way, [the Olympic motto] challenges us to strive for excellence in teaching, research and service,” Fleming said. “As teachers, we have to foster opportunities for students to exceed their initial expectations.”
Taking action on his word, Fleming uses his position as dean to accelerate the success and goals of his students. He aids their connectivity through networking and advocating for ‘The Legacy of Tomorrow––’ his focus in the College of Fine Arts and Communications’ 125th-anniversary college report.
Fleming highlighted and mentioned 235 alumni in this year’s college report. He said through this, students may see what possibilities lie ahead and strive for academic and career-related wellness themselves.
“The larger purpose [of this annual college report] is that idea of ‘The Legacy of Tomorrow,’ as by highlighting alumni, it also shows current students what is possible,” Fleming wrote in this year’s report.
In the end, the $200 reward Fleming received for his participation in Olympic traditions wasn’t the only thing he pocketed. New values and a strengthened sense of longevity remained to Fleming a sentiment which is reflected in Texas State’s community, day after day.
“[Following the Olympic motto] demands that we continually innovate, [and] that we ensure that we are offering our students the cutting edge knowledge and skills they need to succeed in an ever-evolving world,” Fleming said.
Fleming’s torch now sits in a metal hand mounted on the wall of his office in Old Main. However, the eyes of Texas State can see it isn’t the only relic remaining from his participation.
