Students Meet Highly Acclaimed Female Sportscaster Lesley Visser

Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar (SFS-Q) recently hosted Lesley Visser, CBS Sports Reporter, for the program The NFL Today, for an inspiring discussion with students and faculty about the journey that led her to becoming a highly acclaimed female sportscaster of all-time.

“I’m truly honored to be at Georgetown University, here in Qatar. I have been following the university for many years and being here at the invitation of your Chairman Paul Tagliabue is a privilege. It’s exciting to see the campus and experience Qatar’s rich culture” said Visser.

During the event organized by SFS-Q Women’s Centre, Visser took the opportunity to share her inspirational story of achievement as a pioneer, giving a unique insight into her long and prestigious trailblazing career which has seen her as the first and only woman to be recognized by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Amongst Visser’s many other accolades also include being the first in-game female NFL commentator in the booth and on the side-lines, as well as being voted the No. 1 Female Sportscaster of All Time.

However, beginning her career as a sportscaster at a time when it was completely unheard of for a woman, Visser spoke about the countless obstacles that she faced in a male dominated industry, and her unwavering passion which enabled her to stay focussed and not give up despite the countless hurdles.

Recalling the lessons she’s learned from almost every great athlete and coach in three decades of covering sports, it was evident that one of the main driving forces behind Visser’s success is her love and belief in the power of Sport, as she quoted the inspirational Nelson Mandela, “Sport has the power to change the World”.

Visser applauded Qatar’s commitment to developing Sports in the country, as laid out the in National vision 2030, and encouraged the students and younger generation to fully immerse themselves in this transformational experience, “The fact that Qatar will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup is an enormous achievement for the country. This major sporting event will bring the World to Doha and is a wonderful opportunity for your youth to shine”.