Russell Wilson/Photo courtesy of WRAL
Seattle Seahawks team captain and quarterback Russell Wilson returned to his alma mater to deliver words of inspiration last weekend. On May 14, Wilson delivered the commencement address at North Carolina State University (NC State) to the 2021 graduating class.
Wilson began his speech on a nostalgic note and talked about the “good times” like scoring touchdowns against rivals at other universities, riding his bike through campus, and eating biscuits early in the morning at Bojangles.
His tone took a more serious when he acknowledged that during his time at NC State, his beloved father also became ill, went through an amputation, and passed away during his junior year.
“I look back and I ask myself how did I get through it,” the football player said. “I got through it by having great people around me. That’s how,” Wilson continued. Those people, he said, believed in what he could be and that propelled him to be his best.
He then reflected upon the fact that in order to make an impact on the world, the graduates would need vision. “To me, vision isn’t about what you plan to do or what you hope to do. Vision is what you’re called to do,” Wilson said.