Growing up, most people only dream of being the best at their favorite sport, let alone compete in the Olympic Games. Jen Lee, a College of Education junior, got the chance to live out that dream when he competed in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia and took home the gold medal.

Lee’s sport is sled hockey, which is a modified sit-down version of ice hockey for players whose disability prevents them from playing stand-up hockey.

Winning the gold medal and representing Team USA was “surreal” and a “dream” for Lee. One of the most enjoyable aspects of the sport, he says, is bonding with his fellow teammates.

Lee is a staunch supporter of the disABILITY Advocate Student Coalition, an organization associated with Services for Students with Disabilities that advocates for a greater awareness of disabled individuals.

Prior to coming to UT Austin, he worked as an aircraft mechanic in the U.S. Army for ten years. During his time in the military he served in Iraq from July 2006 to October 2007. In 2015, he took full advantage of the GI Bill to study physical culture and sports with the goal of someday working as a general manager or a public relations officer for the Paralympics or the NBA.