SC Connecticut News

Nathan Chen, a figure skater who won gold at the Beijing Olympics, returned to Yale University as a data science major with a newfound appreciation for college traditions.

When Chen arrived at Yale in the fall of 2018, he was already eyeing the 2022 Winter Olympics and knew that he would need to take time off from his studies to prepare and compete. Despite a demanding training schedule that included morning classes and afternoon rink time, Chen embarked on an impressive winning streak during his freshman and sophomore years. He earned a world title, two U.S. titles, and first place in two Grand Prix Finals and four individual Grand Prix events.

Chen continued to dominate figure skating during his two-year leave of absence from Yale, culminating in his gold medal win at the Beijing Olympics in February 2022. His performance included a record-setting short program and an electrifying free skate featuring five clean quad jumps.

Following his Olympic victory, Chen toured Japan and the U.S. with Stars on Ice and made appearances on talk shows like Jimmy Fallon's. When he returned to Yale in the fall of 2022, it was with renewed enthusiasm for being a student again.

As a statistics and data science major, Chen delved into his studies while also making time for campus experiences he had missed during his initial stint at Yale. He chose to live on campus in Jonathan Edwards (JE), his residential college, where he found a sense of community.

"I didn't really know that many people coming back, so it was really helpful to have that community and a group of people I could rely on and fall back on," said Chen. "They were very JE people — so they brought me to intramural sports, Wet Monday [the college’s annual water fight], things that were integral to the JE experience."

Chen also discovered new academic inspirations at Yale, particularly through Jennifer Kwan's lab. Kwan, an assistant professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine and a physician-scientist, focuses her research on cardio-oncology. Working in Kwan's lab sparked Chen's interest and passion outside of skating.

"Their work leverages genetics and other -omics data which fortunately aligns with my data science background," Chen said. "I’m learning a lot of new skills and exploring the world of medicine and health care from an angle that isn’t only sports medicine."

After graduation, Chen plans to start a year-long post-baccalaureate program in Baltimore to fulfill his pre-med requirements.

While he enjoys being a student, Chen has also capitalized on his raised public profile as an Olympic champion. In the past two years, he has performed again with Stars on Ice, written two books, attended the 2023 White House Lunar New Year celebration, filmed a music video, and worked with philanthropic organizations such as StandUP for Kids, Figure Skating in Harlem, and Athletes for Hope.

Although he hasn't ruled out competing in the 2026 Olympics, it's not currently on his mind. Skating remains an integral part of his Yale experience; he frequently skates at Ingalls Rink (also known as "The Whale"), which he describes as one of his most treasured spots at Yale.

"Being at the Whale — being able to be on the ice, that’s a memory I’ll take with me," Chen said. "It was a haven away from everything."