{shortcode-64dcb36483ee331c6f67eab6bd1e0d46a4e8a71f}
{shortcode-e64d65eabc2c8945c17364f3d09655b667e30e03}auren Scruggs ’25 had her summer internship cut short by a trip to the Paris Olympics, where she went on to make history. In the deciding bout against No. 1 Italian fencer Arianna Errigo, Scruggs won by a single point, eliciting an uproarious reaction from her opponent and locking in Team USA’s win. She ended up with an individual silver and team gold in foil fencing, becoming the first Black American woman to win an individual medal in the sport. Overnight, she rose to athletic stardom, earning a solo piece in the New York Times.
In some ways, Scruggs got into fencing because of “Star Wars.” Her older brother, Nolen, who would go on to fence at the varsity level representing Columbia University, was first drawn to the sport for its similarities to the world of talking robots and lightsaber face-offs, Lauren says. By the time she was seven years old, she followed in her brother’s footsteps and found that she, too, had a unique talent for the sport.
Scruggs is from Queens, and she gives her New York City roots credit for the confidence she takes with her out onto the strip. “People from there are very tough, hard, a little cocky,” she says, “I think that kind of translates to how I fence.”
She believes that this mental fortitude is required when it comes to fencing at such a high level in a predominantly white sport. Oftentimes, she is the only Black person in an entire competition, an experience that she says can be “isolating.”
“Sometimes we’re going to countries where you’re not going to see a Black person, ever,” she says, like Serbia and South Korea. At competitions, she realized that she didn’t always get some of the same calls as her peers from referees. Scruggs learned to adjust her fencing technique to combat potential bias on the strip. “Competing in an all-white space,” she adds, “you have to be a lot tougher, mentally, than your peers”.
Growing up, Scruggs had few role models in fencing who looked like her. When she began competing in senior level tournaments, she became interested in taking her fencing to the next level. She sought mentorship from Peter Westbrook, the first Black American to win a medal in fencing at the Olympics. “He’s basically a fencing legend,” she says. “Peter has been a big influence in terms of the mindset aspect of things.”
Now, Scruggs takes the opportunity to give back with Saturday practices at the foundation, where youths from underserved communities in New York City can learn fencing and even receive support with academics and standardized tests, including the SAT. “It’s been great to see the kids grow, and spread the sport to people who generally don’t fence,” she says.
In mentoring through the foundation, Scruggs hopes to increase diversity within the sport, but she believes that organizations can do more to lower the “high barrier to entry.” “It’s not a sport like basketball, where you just go get a basketball and you’re done,” she says. “Fees pile up.” She cites tournament registration, equipment costs, and club memberships as “financial barriers.”
“Having more funds or programs to offset those costs would attract a lot more people to fencing,” she says.
While preparing for the Olympics, Scruggs worked a 9-to-5 internship, after which she would head to the fencing club and train until 8 or 9 p.m. She had longer sessions on the weekends where she trained for “Lord knows how long.” She also attended several training camps throughout the summer with the other competitors on Team USA.
While in Paris, Scruggs seized the opportunity to watch other athletes at the top of their sport compete. “I got to see gymnastics: Simone Biles, and all the Team USA girls, which was really cool,” she says. Once she finished fencing, she made a point to watch basketball games as well as attend Track and Field events in the Stade de France. She also explored restaurants and Parisian eateries, indulging in some of the best food the city has to offer.
Since the Olympics ended, Scruggs has remained close to her foil fencing teammates. She says they exchange original memes in their highly active group chat, singling out Jackie Dubrovich for producing some of the best ones. “Jackie is big,” Scruggs says. There is also an ongoing battle, according to Scruggs, between the older and younger members on the team, with two teammates in their thirties and two in their twenties. “We always make fun that they’re older,” she says.
Returning to campus this fall, Scruggs says she doesn’t feel excess attention on her due to the Games. “At Harvard, everyone is a celebrity in their respective field,” she says.
— Magazine writer Dannie C. Bell can be reached at dannie.bell@thecrimson.com.
