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After Team Canada's figure skater Madeline Schizas revealed the email she sent her professor for an extension since she was competing at the 2026 Olympics, her university shared his response.
See Every Moment from the 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony
Madeline Schizas isn't trying to skate by in her college classes.
While the Team Canada figure skater was competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics, she realized she missed an assignment deadline. And after emailing her professor about an extension, he shared a sweet message in response.
"Hi Madeline. Wow! What a special moment," Professor Vic Satzewich wrote in the Feb. 7 email posted to Instagram by McMaster University. "Yes, in the circumstances, an extension is perfectly fine. I'd say focus on the competition right now and submit it directly to me when it is done."
"Good luck—the whole country is rooting for you and your teammates," he added, before quipping, "PS, When I was ten, I scored a goal in hockey and that was challenging enough for me."
In her email, Madeline—who placed sixth in the women's singles short program during the team event, with Canada earning fourth overall—simply requested a few more days to complete the assignment. (USA earned gold, Japan took home silver and Italy placed third.)
"I am a student in your Sociology 2FF3 course and am wondering if I could get a short extension on this week's reflection," she wrote in her email, which she shared on her Instagram Stories Feb. 7. "I was competing in the Olympic Games yesterday and thought the reflection was due on Sunday, not Friday."
Alongside the screenshot, the 22-year-old quipped, "LOLLL I [love] being a student athlete."
Meanwhile, Vic—who only learned that Madeline was an Olympian from her email—commended his student on the message.
Tang Xinyu/VCG via Getty Images
"I respect the fact that she wasn't using that as a reason to get special treatment or accommodations," he told The Wall Street Journal in an interview published Feb. 8. "Good for her for keeping it under her hat."
As for what the assignment was? Students were supposed to research how different Canadian cities integrate immigrants into metrics like the economy and housing, according to the professor.
"This one is a good one because it's hard to use AI on it," he explained. But he emphasized, "It's a pretty tiny assignment. It's not Earth-shattering."
While Madeline waits to return to the ice for the women's singles short program Feb. 17, keep reading for a closer look at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games.
Daniel Kopatsch/VOIGT/GettyImages
Never Give Up
U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn looks determined as she attends a training session on Feb. 6, days after rupturing her ACL in a crash.
Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Ice to See You
Alysa Liu of United States performs the Biellmann spin during the women's single skating short program event on Feb. 6.
Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images
Jennifer Dodds
Team Great Britain's Jennifer Dodds has a nail-biting reaction to the curling mixed doubles round robin match against South Korea on Feb. 6.
Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images
Curl It Like It's Hot
Snoop Dogg, serving as an Olympics correspondent for NBC, tries his hand at curling at a Feb. 6. practice.
Tim Clayton/Getty Images
In Sync
U.S. figure skaters and real-life couple Evan Bates and Madison Chock are a perfect match while performing their rhythm ice dance routine on Feb. 6.
Federico Manoni/NurPhoto via Getty Images
On the B-rink of History
Laila Edwards, the first Black woman representing the U.S. in Olympic hockey, faces off against Czech player Sara Cajanova during the United States vs. Czech Republic game on Feb. 5.
Hannah Peters/Getty Images
Friendship Knows No Borders
Australian snowboarder Valentino Guseli shares a hug with Team Czechia's Jakub Hrones during the men's snowboard big air qualifiers on Feb. 5.
Javier SORIANO / AFP via Getty Images
Photo Finish
Bulgarian ski jumper Vladimir Zografski hits the brakes during a Feb. 5 training session.
Al Bello/Getty Images
Swept Away With Joy
American curler Korey Dropkin lets out a victorious shout after his team defeats Switzerland in a mixed doubles round bobin match on Feb. 5.
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