From The Circle To The Classroom: Thai Star Stamp Fairtex Aiming For Master’s Degree Next
Stamp Fairtex has plenty to be proud of in her fighting career, and earlier this year, she celebrated a major accomplishment outside of ONE – her college graduation.
The Thai megastar recently earned her bachelor’s degree in Digital Marketing with an impressive 3.62 GPA. That achievement stands as an inspirational statement about balancing a world-class athletic career with educational pursuits.
Currently recovering from a devastating knee injury suffered last year, Stamp spoke to onefc.com about her dual life as a student and fighter:
“I graduated with a bachelor’s degree even though I am a professional athlete, which is proof that professional athletes can complete their studies too.”
The 27-year-old’s academic journey demonstrates the same dedication and discipline that Stamp has brought to her historic martial arts career – one that’s seen her claim ONE World Titles in kickboxing, Muay Thai, and MMA.
Throughout her time in college, Stamp balanced intense training camps with her studies, even while preparing for high-stakes World Title bouts.
And although she was able to achieve massive goals in three different combat sports, she recognizes that such accomplishments aren’t realistic for most athletes, which is exactly why education is so important:
“Not every fighter can stand at the top and be successful, so we should not drop out of school.”
Never content to rest on her laurels, the Fairtex Training Center representative is ready to take her education to the next level and has already enrolled in a master’s program.
She’ll begin studying soon, pursuing a graduate degree in Sports Management, Tourism, and Recreation:
“I’ll begin the first semester in May. The reason I chose to continue my studies immediately is because I felt that if I could still do it, I wanted to do it. If I still have the opportunity, I want to study at a higher level. As for how far I will continue my studies, we will see later.”
Stamp’s Advice For Other Students
Stamp Fairtex’s experience as a full-time student and fighter offers valuable insights for other young people facing similar challenges.
She admitted that the balancing act isn’t easy, with the demands of school pulling her in one direction while the rigors of elite-level training pull her in another.
For other college students, Stamp advised them to focus on applying their learnings practically after graduation and readying for the inevitable pressures of professional life:
“Think about how you will use the knowledge you have gained to further develop yourself after graduation, and prepare yourself to handle the pressure well.
“You have to be a good listener because you will meet people from all walks of life, and adapting to the working society is very important.”
