Olympian Campbell to be honored at WIPL’s Celebration of Inspiring Women
The annual celebration and awards were created as an important and lasting way to recognize women who have had a substantive and positive impact in South Carolina and beyond. Since the program's inception in 2011, 37 women have been recognized. Joan Robinson-Berry, vice president and general manager of Boeing South Carolina, will also be honored at the upcoming celebration.
A 2004 graduate of Coastal Carolina University, Campbell finished sixth overall in the women's hammer throw at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. She finished with a throw of 72.74 meters - the highest for a U.S. female hammer thrower - just two meters away from the bronze medal. She also competed in Beijing in 2008 (21st place) and London in 2012 (13th place).
During her four years at Coastal, Campbell was a five-time NCAA All-American and 16-time Big South Champion - seven titles in indoor track and field and nine crowns in outdoor track and field. She won four individual titles in the indoor weight throw and three in the shot put, and was crowned champion four times in the discus. She won the outdoor hammer throw three times and the shot put twice. Campbell was named the Big South Women's Track Athlete of the Year each of her final three years, and, in 2002-03, was honored as the conference's Female Athlete of the Year.
The only three-time recipient of the Big South's Women's Track and Field Athlete of the Year award, Campbell still owns CCU records in the weight, indoor shot put, outdoor shut put, discus and hammer throws. She was voted to the Big South's Women's Track and Field All-Decade Team for 2000-09. She is a member of both the Coastal Carolina and Big South Hall of Fame.
Campbell competed for the USA at the IAAF World Championships (2005, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015) in the hammer, and she won gold in the hammer at the 2015 North American, Central American and Caribbean Championships. She placed third in the 2011 Pan American Games and second in 2015, and is a three-time USATF outdoor champion in the hammer throw - winning in 2010 (71.52m / 234-8), 2012 (71.80m / 235-6) and 2015 (72.36m / 237-5).
Campbell works for the City of Myrtle Beach as the organizational development coordinator in the human resources department. In May 2017, she served as CCU's commencement speaker and was presented an honorary Doctor of Science. She also is a member of the Chanticleer Athletic Foundation board of directors.
The Women's Leadership Conference and Celebration of Inspiring Women brings together women from all walks of life for two days of education, professional and personal development, and networking. Entrepreneurs, professionals, community volunteers and activists, students, moms, and women in transition all enjoy this dynamic program with incredible opportunities to learn and grow.
WIPL was founded in 2007 under the leadership of CCU first lady Terri DeCenzo. It is committed to inspiring, connecting and empowering women to strengthen their individual and collective voices in leadership at CCU and in the community, state, region and beyond. Members include faculty, staff and community leaders who are committed to creating and supporting opportunities for women in all areas of leadership and across all disciplines, while continuing to invest in scholarships for CCU students. Since its inception, WIPL has awarded 184 students more than $200,000 in financial support through a fully endowed scholarship and annual awards.