Tech football graduates coming back for more
Many of the 66 current and former Georgia Tech student-athletes who graduated on Saturday probably felt like the day couldn’t arrive soon enough. A few, namely junior football players Roddy Jones, Jason Peters , Kyle Jackson and Michael Peterson, might feel the day came too soon.
Jones, Peters, Jackson and Peterson redshirted in 2007, and none of them are going to let graduation shorten their football careers at Tech. They each plan to play one more season for the Yellow Jackets before moving on.
“I applied to the MBA program,” said Jones, a starting running back who received a management degree, same as Jackson and Peters. “If grad school doesn’t work out, then I’ll declare another major and take some classes, [and] get an internship to get some work experience while I’m finishing out football. I think it is a little bit amazing. [Graduation] kind of snuck up on me.
"I found out about a year ago that I was on track to graduate now, and I really didn’t have to load up on classes to do it. Taking classes in the summer will get you ahead.”
Peters, a starting defensive end, will seek a second undergraduate degree in biology, with the goal of going to medical school.
“It’s kind of funny that it’s here because when you look back on it, it doesn’t seem that long,“ he said. “But when I consider all the experiences and opportunities since I’ve been here, it’s been a good journey. It’s made me better as a man.”
Jackson, a reserve linebacker, will seek a second degree in public policy and likely finish in spring 2012.
“I started working on it last spring,” he said. “I like the legal background within public policy. Maybe one day law school is a hope of mine.”
Traveres Tillman, who played at Tech from 1996-99, took 14 years to graduate after interrupting his schooling to play for the Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans, Carolina Panthers and Miami Dolphins. He was among the 22 present or former Tech football players who graduated.
