Herschel Walker
Alumni Office, Financial Planning, Housing and Consumer Economics
UGA legend, Heisman Trophy winner returns for his degree, fulfilling a promise he made to his mother
- Hometown
Wrightsville, Ga.
- Major
Housing Management and Policy
- Activities/Honors
- President’s List
- Recipient of Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans Award, which honors the achievements of outstanding individuals and encourages youth to pursue their dreams through higher education
- Recipient of 1982 Heisman Trophy
- 15-year veteran of USFL/NFL
- Member of 1992 Winter Olympics bobsled team
- Undefeated mixed martial arts fighter
- Recipient of 2017 Doak Walker Award
- International Sports Hall of Fame inductee, 2017
- President/CEO of Renaissance Man Food Service, the largest minority-owned business in the food service arena
- Motivational speaker
- Has made visits to 400+ U.S. military installations
- Co-chairman, President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition
- Board member, Sotherly Hotel Group
- Why I chose my major
It’s a well-rounded major and it will allow me to help people in rural communities.
- What I like most about FACS
When I first came to the University of Georgia, I think I was sheltered in a sense. I never really got a chance to look around because there was so much pressure and I stayed so busy. When I speak to athletes now, I tell them to stop for a moment and smell the roses and look around you. So I’ve done that. I’ve enjoyed being back here. I’ve enjoyed all my professors, and I’ve enjoyed being around the students, even though I’m old enough to be their grandfather.
I have also always preached education, and I believe it’s an equalizer. It gives people an opportunity to see and understand, and I want to encourage other people to pursue education. It’s not going to be easy – nothing is easy in life. But I want to show them that you can do it – I did it and they can do it as well. It’s not about the money you make. It’s about what are you showing to the next generation?
Another thing is my mom. She’s not big into sports. She has never said ‘Herschel, I love the way y’all won that game.’ She never told me that. But the other day she told me ‘I’m so happy that you’re graduating!’ and I was like ‘Mom, why didn’t you ever tell me it was that important to you?’ I would’ve done it earlier!’ But I’m her first child to be able to do this and that’s another reason I wanted to get my degree.
- Post-graduation plans
I want to get into these rural areas and use my degree to see what I can do to help these communities. I’m a big advocate for education, but also giving back to the community. We all have to work together to get things done. The University of Georgia wins championships as a team, and that’s how you do it in society as well. I want to be on the team to help make things a little better.
