Prior to this week, no one in Buck Allen's family had ever graduated from college. Certainly no one had ever played in the NFL, and for the most part, no one had ever called a city west of the Mississippi home.It's been a long journey for the former USC running back who dared to leave Florida and cross the country to attend school, thanks to prodding from his grandmother who urged him to make a life for himself somewhere new.
For more on Allen's story, click here.
His adjustment to USC on all fronts wasn't easy. One of the first papers he ever wrote got him in trouble for plagiarism, and as he was buried on the depth chart his first two seasons, Allen sometimes wondered if he had made the right decision.
With help from the academic support staff at the Stevens Academic Center, and due in large part to an indomitable will, Allen's story at USC is ending quite differently than it started. The once unsettled freshman so far from home is now the first college graduate of his family and a promising NFL rookie, recently selected in the fourth round (125th overall) of the NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens.
"I never thought I'd be in the position I am today, especially graduating from college," Allen says. "I definitely didn't do it all on my own. I really think that the academic staff doesn't get enough credit because without them I wouldn't be getting the piece of paper I am this week."
Allen will get the opportunity to share his story as one of two student-athletes speaking at this year's Student-Athlete Graduation. When he approaches the podium, sociology degree in hand, he'll have the pleasure of looking out at his family who will be traveling to Los Angeles for the important occasion.
"Honestly, it hasn't fully hit me yet," Allen explains. "To have my family witness me walk across stage and get a piece of paper that many people never thought I would get is a blessing. It goes to show that if God has a plan for you no human can change that even if they try."
To watch a live stream of Student-Athlete Graduation beginning at 2 p.m. PT, click here.
Antwaun Woods has a similarly remarkable story, but one that isn't quite finished yet. The defensive tackle will also become the first person in his family to graduate on Thursday, and while his undergraduate days are now behind him, he still has one year of eligibility remaining.Â
Growing up in Baldwin Village, a tough Los Angeles neighborhood that locals call "the jungle", Woods wasn't surrounded by many people who emphasized the importance of college. What lacked in number however, was more than made up for in his father Phillip, a single dad intent on making his son's life better than his. When football opened a door for Woods to not only attend college, but attend the school he'd always dreamed of playing for, his father's dreams were coming true as well.
To watch the full story on Woods and his father's close bond, click here.
"It definitely wasn't easy," Woods says of the last four years. "There were times when I struggled. Maybe some people would have dropped a class, but I made an effort to make sure that I didn't have to do that just so I could stay on track to graduate on time. It was difficult, it was a lot of time spent on academics, but at the end it was worth it."
Despite a cap that fits a little too snug, according to Woods, Thursday is shaping up to be a near perfect day. His father will be in attendance to watch his son receive his degree and the redshirt senior can't wait to share the moment with the one person who never doubted this moment would come.
"I think it's a great accomplishment," Woods says. "When I first came to USC, my dad made a point to always tell me to get my education. Every time I'd talk to him about the NFL and football, he'd end the conversation by talking about education. I'm really excited just to make my dad proud. Not a lot of people get the chance to graduate from USC with a degree."
