Oklahoma State University Athletics
Former All-American sprinter Dr. Krystal Beamon receiving the 2017 Rising Star Award.
From Spikes to Students
October 19, 2017 | Cowgirl Cross Country & Track
STILLWATER — Dr. Krystal Beamon hung up her spikes in 1999, and earned her Ph.D. in sociology in 2005 from Oklahoma State. Before pursuing another path, Beamon won two First-Team All-America honors and was a member of the indoor 4x400 relay team that holds the fastest time in school history.
So what would lead a talented young athlete with Olympic aspirations from the track back to the classroom? To her, it was her sociology professor and mentor, Dr. Patricia Bell.
"I was pre-law all the way, but I met a professor by the name of Dr. Patricia Bell," Beamon said. "She examined race and race relations and over the years, I saw how I could infuse that into studying something that I love, sports."
That passion for diversity in sports led Beamon to pursue her research, and after earning her Ph.D., she eventually became a tenured professor of sociology at UT-Arlington.
Her extensive research into how race influences sport and vice versa was recognized by OSU on Oct. 12 with the reception of the Rising Star Award from the Division of Institutional Diversity.
The Rising Star Award recognizes OSU graduates for standing out and making an impact in the various fields of diversity. For Beamon, the honor was one that stood out.
"I was so humbled," Beamon said. "I've won some awards, but for your alma mater and your home to recognize you're doing a great job and to pat you on the back, it was such an honor."
The Rising Star Award is just one of the many recognitions Beamon has earned. In her time at OSU, she was awarded the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award, which recognizes undergraduate student-athletes who have excelled in their sports and their studies.
She was also granted the NCAA Ethnic Minority Postgraduate Scholarship to help pay for her graduate studies.
Even after all the fame and accolades, her humility stayed intact. Beamon said she puts an emphasis on being a mentor and role model to her students, just as Dr. Bell was to her.
"That's something that was instilled in me from a very young age," Beamon said. "You always reach back."
The former All-American sprinter has also given back in more ways than one.
Along with being a role model to her students at UT-Arlington, Beamon wrote a book titled, "The Enduring Color Line in U.S. Athletics." The book emphasizes her research on the effects race has on sports, especially elite African-American male athletes.
Her book highlights the notion that sports bring people together.
"Sport is one of those universals," Beamon said. "When we're at games, we're not cheering for a color or a race. We're cheering for a team."
The first time Beamon ran in an OSU uniform, it had the Big Eight logo on it. Although a lot has changed since, she said she still hasn't lost that sense of pride in her alma mater.
Coincidentally, Beamon received her award in the very week the water turns orange and the school spirit runs high, Homecoming Week.
"It was so exciting," Beamon said. "I'm so proud and happy for athletes who are coming up now. It's absolutely breathtaking."
So what would lead a talented young athlete with Olympic aspirations from the track back to the classroom? To her, it was her sociology professor and mentor, Dr. Patricia Bell.
"I was pre-law all the way, but I met a professor by the name of Dr. Patricia Bell," Beamon said. "She examined race and race relations and over the years, I saw how I could infuse that into studying something that I love, sports."
That passion for diversity in sports led Beamon to pursue her research, and after earning her Ph.D., she eventually became a tenured professor of sociology at UT-Arlington.
Her extensive research into how race influences sport and vice versa was recognized by OSU on Oct. 12 with the reception of the Rising Star Award from the Division of Institutional Diversity.
The Rising Star Award recognizes OSU graduates for standing out and making an impact in the various fields of diversity. For Beamon, the honor was one that stood out.
"I was so humbled," Beamon said. "I've won some awards, but for your alma mater and your home to recognize you're doing a great job and to pat you on the back, it was such an honor."
The Rising Star Award is just one of the many recognitions Beamon has earned. In her time at OSU, she was awarded the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award, which recognizes undergraduate student-athletes who have excelled in their sports and their studies.
She was also granted the NCAA Ethnic Minority Postgraduate Scholarship to help pay for her graduate studies.
Even after all the fame and accolades, her humility stayed intact. Beamon said she puts an emphasis on being a mentor and role model to her students, just as Dr. Bell was to her.
"That's something that was instilled in me from a very young age," Beamon said. "You always reach back."
The former All-American sprinter has also given back in more ways than one.
Along with being a role model to her students at UT-Arlington, Beamon wrote a book titled, "The Enduring Color Line in U.S. Athletics." The book emphasizes her research on the effects race has on sports, especially elite African-American male athletes.
Her book highlights the notion that sports bring people together.
"Sport is one of those universals," Beamon said. "When we're at games, we're not cheering for a color or a race. We're cheering for a team."
The first time Beamon ran in an OSU uniform, it had the Big Eight logo on it. Although a lot has changed since, she said she still hasn't lost that sense of pride in her alma mater.
Coincidentally, Beamon received her award in the very week the water turns orange and the school spirit runs high, Homecoming Week.
"It was so exciting," Beamon said. "I'm so proud and happy for athletes who are coming up now. It's absolutely breathtaking."
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