Jean Palmer Gulyas was a three-year letter winner in basketball at DU, and she was a four-year member of the Big Red field hockey and lacrosse teams. She served as field hockey captain during her junior and senior seasons, and she captained the lacrosse team her senior year.

An outstanding student at Denison, Gulyas was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and Mortar Board and was a member of the Omicron Delta Epsilon economics honorary. She also served as a head resident, a campus tour guide and was on the June orientation staff. Gulyas was also a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. After graduation, she played field hockey and lacrosse for a Cleveland club and competed in national tournaments for both sports.