Wilma Rudolph (1940-1994)

Wilma had to be tutored at her home. Because of her serious illness, mainly polio, scarlet fever, and double pneumonia, schools could not accept her. In junior high school at Burt High school , Wilma joined the basketball team, following her sister's footsteps. Her coach did not let her play a single game for three years. It wasn't until her sophomore year that she became the starting guard. Ed Temple, the coach for a women's track team, observed Wilma's performance and invited her to Tennessee State University (TSU) for a summer sports camp. When Wilma graduated from high school, she received a full scholarship to TSU. At TSU, she began to be a track runner and became a celebrity. She also took a year off of her studies to compete in international track events. During this time, she competed in the 1956 and 1960 Olympic Games, winning a bronze metal and three gold metals. Wilma returned and received her Bachelor's degree in education in 1963.

Tennessee State University is where Wilma Rudolph recieved her bachelor's degree.