Russell Wilson tells graduates 'Go make it happen'
May 14, 2016 | Football
Former Badgers quarterback returns to Camp Randall as commencement speaker
MADISON, Wis. — On Saturday, Russell Wilson returned to the field on which he made a season's worth of memories for Wisconsin football fans.
Wilson was back inside Camp Randall Stadium as the featured speaker for UW-Madison's spring commencement exercises, sharing some laughs — and a few lessons — with a crowd of 47,251 people that included approximately 5,900 newly-minted graduates. The Seattle Seahawks' All-Pro quarterback shared his message with the crowd before joining in a spirited edition of "Jump Around" that was a welcome warm-up for a crowd braving temperatures in the 40s and some mixed precipitation.
Wilson's remarks largely centered around how to respond when life tells you no. "If you know what you're capable of, if you're always prepared, and you keep things in perspective, then life has a way of turning no into yes," he told the graduates. You can read the text of his full speech here.
He also sprinkled in humor while mentioning his fiancée, pop star Ciara, and the painful ending he and his Seattle teammates endured en route to a loss in Super Bowl XLIX.
"Of course, I'm also here to share some things I've learned," he said. "Things like: If you're dating a woman that's way out of your league, ask her to marry you. If you can throw a football 80 yards, for some reason people think that's pretty cool. And if you're playing New England in the Super Bowl and you've got 26 seconds left and you're down by four and it's second and goal on their 1 yard line, try not to throw an interception.
"That last one is purely hypothetical, though, of course."
Wilson signed off by imploring the graduates to make the most of the potential that comes along with earning a degree from UW.
"So 'On, Wisconsin!'" he concluded. "I would say good luck, but I don't believe in good luck. Go make it happen. This is my story. Now it's time to write your own."
Among UW-Madison's spring graduates are several members of the Badgers football team: Thaddeus Armstrong, Terrance Floyd, A.J. Jordan, Reggie Love, Tyler Marz (master's), Drew Meyer, T.J. Reynard, Jack Russell and Austin Traylor, as well as former players James Adeyanju and Vonte Jackson.
In all, more than 90 UW student-athletes were expected to take part in the commencement ceremony.
