On October 12th, Michelle attended the 30th Annual Women Sports Foundation Awards Gala. She wore a beautiful black gown with a butterfly accent in the center. She looked absolutely beautiful. Michelle has continued to participate in this event year after year.

Lois Elfman, who sent us a photo to use last year, has graciously sent us a picture this year. All credits and  copyrights go to her.

According to Korean presses and the latest Associated Press article ‘Kwan returning to ice in August show‘, Michelle will be making her first public skating appearance since touring with Champions on Ice the summer of 2006. She and Yuna Kim, this year’s World Champion, hold each other in very high regard and the timing for Michelle to accept the invitation worked out right. Ice Stars 2009, will take place August 14-16 where Michelle has prepared two gala programs.

Shep Goldberg, Michelle’s agent, was quoted in the article saying “Michelle is feeling healthy and has her abilities up to the standards she sets for herself, which are very high standards.”

This is the moment all of us here at the Michelle Kwan Forum have been waiting for. Now all of us here at the forum will be eagerly awaiting her performance and will enjoy the speculation of what she will skate to, dress in. Most of all, we’ll be looking forward to the smile she wears so brightly when she performs once again on the ice. It’s easy to say that we are already wearing huge smiles on our faces.

Congratulations to you Michelle! Michelle graduated from the University of Denver this past Saturday June 6, 2009. She received her Bachelors of Arts Degree in International Studies from DU Chancellor Robert Coombe with a brimming smile from ear to ear.

Copyright Photo Wayne Armstrong

Michelle has been accepted to Fletcher School, the International Affairs graduate school at Tufts in Medford, Massachussets. It is currently unknown when she plans to attend.

In the weekend of her graduation, she also kept busy attending such events such as the 20th “A Time for Heroes Celebrity Carnival” which benefits the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, and attending the 2nd game of the NBA Finals at Staples Centre, watching her favorite basketball team, the LA Lakers beat Orlando Magic.

Also in previous months, Michelle also:

• attended the C-100 Mentoring Event early May in Washington DC
• played golf at the 2nd National Kidney Foundation Celeb Golf Classic in L.A.
• attended the American Idol show & finale in May
• attended Boulder Creek Festival over Memorial Day Weekend
• met with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to talk about her on-going role as public diplomacy envoy
• attended many Lakers games
• commentated for NBC during the Ladies Free Skate broadcast during the World Championships at the Staples Center, Los Angeles late March

Regarding Michelle’s graduation, to you Michelle: Here at MKF, we’re all very proud of you and are looking forward to whatever you bring in your years ahead. Your past accomplishments were nothing short of amazing, and your future accomplishments look, if at all possible, even more inspiring and amazing than those of the past.

Getty Images / Frazer Harrison

Hi all! I’m a bit behind in posting several items of news on Michelle, but here’s a quick update.

Latest news: Michelle will be traveling to Ukraine starting February 28 and end March 7 as an American Public Diplomacy Envoy where she will visit Kiev, Yalta, Sevastopol, Bakhchisarai and Odessa. This will mark Michelle’s fourth trip as an American Public Diplomacy Envoy. Resource and Discussion here.

Phil Hersh announced on his Chicago Tribune blog that Michelle will be commentating for NBC for the Worlds Championships taking place in Los Angeles end of next month. Truly exciting for those of us who will be there, and now, just as exciting for those sitting in the comfort of their home watching the competition. She will be joining Bob Costas and Dick Button as part of the commentating team in giving insight, overviews and reflections of the women’s free skate - live on NBC (March 28th). Be sure to watch for that! Discuss with the rest of the forum!

On the 20th of this month, Michelle was spotted at the Lakers vs. Hornets game at the L.A. Staples Center with fellow figure skater Amber Corwin. A beautiful photo from Getty Images captured her there. Read the discussion and view the picture.

Michelle was also part of Vice President’s Joe Biden Special Olympics delegation earlier this month. She handed out flowers to winners at the Skating competition and attended the Speed Skating competition. She and Scott Hamilton also served breakfast to the competitors one morning. View the discussion and pictures here and IdahoStatesMan pictures of the event in this thread.

It’s been a truly busy month for our girl. She was also spotted at the Grammy’s on the 8th of this month, wearing a beautiful detailed black dress, with her hair pulled back. Old news, but here’s the thread to read up on the forum, if you’re curious.

Courtesy of Lois Elfman

Michelle attended the 29th Annual Women’s Sports Foundation on October 14, this past Tuesday. She wore a gorgeous full length, purple velvet gown that looked phenomenal on her. Michelle has supported the Women’s Sports Foundation for many years and continues to attend their events as a way of giving back when she received a grant from the foundation when she was 13.

rzw7 aposted a nice interview from the event that IceNetwork.com conducted with her and you can see more photos in the following thread:
http://mkforum.net/forum/showthread.php?t=21013.

Thank you Lois Elfman for sharing your photos. They are absolutely lovely.

Michelle appeared on a fluff piece with Caroline Zhang, where she was sitting next to Caroline, helping her skate. She looked beautiful, was smiling and laughing with Caroline. You can read and discuss more on the forum here.

Be sure to take a part of the continuation of the Trivia Challenge that started last year. Here are the rules, and you can take the questions that appear bi-weekly in the Join in the fun at MKF! section of the forum.

Thanks!

Michelle was awarded earlier this month by the Women’s Sports Foundation for her contribution in developing women’s sports.

Quote:
for helping the development of women’s sports. Kwan is the most decorated figure skater in U.S. history, winning five world titles, nine U.S. titles and two Olympic medals. Kwan was named the first U.S. public diplomacy envoy in 2006 by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, a post that takes her around the world to meet with youth about social and educational issues.

Reference: Ochoa, Kwan among those honored by sports foundation, USA Today

On Wednesday, June 27, Michelle will take part during ESPN’s “My Wish” series, which airs during SportsCenter. The first airing is during the 6-7p broadcast of SportsCenter, but the piece will air on other SportsCenter airings throughout the night. Don’t miss it!

For more info, check out the “My Wish” thread:
http://www.mkforum.net/forum/showthread.php?t=18504

Michelle is in China for her first oversees trip as the US Public Diplomacy Envoy! She will be in Beijing from January 17-21, in Guangzhou from January 21-23, and in Hong Kong from January 23-25.

Check out pictures of Michelle’s trip (continually updated as the pictures come in)

Come join the discussion about the trip: OFFICIAL thread - MK visit to China as US Envoy!

From the AP report:

Michelle Kwan, the American figure skater who owns nine national championships and five world titles, is about to become a nonsalaried U.S. diplomat.

On Thursday, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice plans to name the 26-year-old Californian and daughter of Chinese immigrants from Hong Kong as a public diplomacy ambassador, said a senior U.S. official who spoke anonymously pending the formal announcement.

Kwan, the biggest star in her sport for a decade, will represent American values especially to young people and sports enthusiasts and is expected to travel widely, the official said.

The announcement will be made Thurs, Nov 9, at 4pm. Come join the discussion about the appointment: Condoleezza Rice to Announce Michelle as nonsalaried U.S. diplomat