I’m delighted to be joined by Fairbanksan Susan Schwartz in this special episode of Conversations.
Susan is the mother of first-time United States Olympian, Kendall Kramer, a graduate of the University of Alaska Fairbanks and an 8-time All-American. She’s earned accolades for her cross country work on both her feet and on skis, earning runner up status in the 2024 NCAA Division II Women’s Cross Country (running) Championships and winning the 2025 NCAA Women’s Cross Country (skiing) 20-Kilometer Freestyle Championship.
Susan, who administers the Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks‘ Junior Nordics program, shares what it’s been like to have a world class athlete in the household and the impact Kendall’s decision to ski for the hometown university has had on the NSCF.
One thing it most-assuredly means for Susan is plenty of travel and, thanks to a very accomodating employer at the Fairbanks Catholic Schools, has been able to see the majority Kendall’s races all over the U.S. and large swaths of Europe skiing at both UAF and for the Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Team (whose members comprise half of the U.S. Olympic team).
Susan plans to be in northern Italy for the Games, but as Kendall is in her first Olympics and was among the last named to the team, there was no guarantee she’d compete, but she did, placing 38th in the Women’s 10km Interval Start Free.
Susan was able to see her daughter realize her dream.