Collegiate Times

Football superstar Michael Vick made a surprise visit to campus today to encourage a group of prospective students to attend his alma mater.

Speaking of the success that comes from studying at Virginia Tech, the Atlanta Falcons quarterback said he hoped to empower the assembly of high school seniors in the room.

?You can make it happen, whether it?s on the football field, basketball court or in the job field,? he said.

Finishing third place in the balloting for the Hiesman Trophy during his freshman year in 1999, Vick stayed at Tech until the end of his sophomore year, opting to enter the NFL draft instead of continuing his education. But Vick said completing his degree was not totally outside his plans for the future.

?That?s one thing that?s really been lingering on my mind,? Vick said. He noted that finishing his education was important to him and something that he owed to himself.

Vick also said the academic support he received as a student-athlete helped him during his two years here.

?I spent my extra time in the athletic center with tutors,? he said.

Though encouraging the prospective students to do well in their future studies, the former Hokie quarterback explained that academics were not his strong suit.

?I?ll be honest with you,? Vick said to the assembly. ?I wasn?t the best student academically. My GPA was only a 2.3, and I had to maintain a 2.0 to stay on the football team.?

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions picked the Atlanta Falcons quarterback to speak to the perspective students. Norrine Bailey Spencer, associate provost and director of undergraduate admissions, said Vick was the main speaker to a group of 118 students from high schools with large minority and underrepresented populations.

Known to university personnel as the Gateway Program, the weekend trip to Blacksburg allows high school seniors who have applied to Virginia Tech but not made their final decision a chance to get a taste of Hokie life.

And for one high school student from Richmond, Va., that taste lived up to her expectations.

?I think that this is a really great experience,? said Nakasha Norwood, one of the prospective Hokies who got a weekend look at the university.

Norwood, who hopes to pursue an undergraduate degree in biology, said she had decided to accept her offer to Tech. She added that the opportunity to meet Vick was ?pretty awesome.?

After speaking briefly to students about academic success and his experiences in Blacksburg, Vick spent a couple of minutes at every table in Old Dominion Ballroom to greet the Gateway participants and have his picture taken with them.

Despite the lighting storm of camera flashes from the participants in the Gateway Program, who were given one-use orange and maroon cameras for their weekend stay, the actual media coverage was limited. Vick?s appearance on campus was largely kept secret to reporters until the day of the event, the Collegiate Times being one of only two news agencies covering it.

For expanded coverage of Michael Vick?s surprise visit to campus, read Tuesday?s print edition of the Collegiate Times.