In 1963, Bobby Bell left the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis to pursue what ended up being a Hall of Fame career in the NFL. One week ago today, on May 14th, an older and wiser Bobby Bell received his degree in
parks, recreation and leisure studies.In doing so Bell fulfilled a promise he had made to his father when he left North Carolina back in 1959 to become a undergraduate in Minnesota.
Bell was 13 credits shy of his degree when he entered the working world, both for the Chiefs and General Motors. He played in two Super Bowls and carved out a pro career that got him enshrined in the Hall of Fame, but he never forgot about the promise he made to his father to make education a priority.
His father has long since passed away, but Bell still made it a point to get his degree and proudly wore a watch his father gave to him when he got on the plane for Minnesota almost 60 years ago.
Bell said he originally pursued a degree in parks and recreation because, in the small town of Shelby where he grew up, all of the parks and recreational facilities were "whites only".
Bell was able to complete his college requirements in part because of the Gopher Graduation Program set up by the University to support former student-athletes in their completion of the degree they did not get their first time around. Bell re-enrolled the summer of 2014 and finished his online course work in time for graduation this May. He also made the dean's list.
"I really wanted to dance across the stage," he said. "So many people here touched me and they were on the stage. The faculty members, all of them, came up in the back to shake my hand. They grabbed me; they hugged me."