For Buffs' Awuzie, Earning Degree Was Never In Question
May 10, 2017 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — When Chidobe Awuzie arrived in Boulder as a University of Colorado freshman in 2013, he had a goal and a dream.
As far as his family was concerned, the goal — a college degree — was non-negotiable.
The dream — a chance to play in the National Football League — was up to him.
In typical Awuzie fashion, he not only achieved both, but did so in outstanding fashion.
Last December, Awuzie earned his degree from the Leeds School of Business, reaching the goal in 3½ years — a timespan considered excellent for any student, and almost mind-boggling for anyone involved with the time demands and rigors of Division I athletics.
In April, Awuzie became the 60th overall pick in the NFL Draft when the Dallas Cowboys made him their second-round selection.
To those who know him well, neither came as a surprise.
"Chido is one of those rare people I've seen who is able to prioritize both equally," said Katie Bason, CU's Director of Football Academics. "As a Division I student-athlete at the University of Colorado, people say you should be a student first and an athlete second. You hear that a lot. But some people say in reality, you're an athlete first and a student second. You hear that a lot, too.
"Chido is a representation of being a student and an athlete first. That is amazing because it's very, very difficult to do. Most guys at some point find themselves prioritizing one over the other. Chido didn't do that. That's what made him really, really special."
In an interview earlier this year, Awuzie said earning his degree was never a question. His family made it quite clear that he would make sure his future was solidified with a diploma.
"In a Nigerian household, academics is definitely a high priority," said Awuzie, whose parents immigrated to the United States. "Coming from a family where my brothers and sisters and cousins have all accomplished that already, it was pretty much understood. Doing it in this fashion, while playing football, has been difficult, but I definitely had an idea that I wanted to finish college early."
According a 2014 study by "Complete College America," fewer than 20 percent of college students at public universities in America earn their degree in four years. The fact that Awuzie did it in 3½ while playing Division I football at an elite level is a testament to his work ethic and discipline.
Just how important is that degree to Awuzie?
Figure this: the Cowboys will host their first rookie minicamp of the year this week. It is the first chance for all Dallas rookies to impress their new bosses.
But the minicamp also happens to coincide with Friday's commencement ceremonies in Boulder. The Dallas Morning News has reported that Awuzie is expected to miss a day of his first professional football camp to walk in his graduation ceremony and pick up that diploma.
"I didn't expect anything different from Chido," said CU head coach Mike MacIntyre, who convinced Awuzie to become part of his first recruiting class at Colorado. "He's always been extremely intelligent and does really well. He has great character, great time management skills. He'll go play in the NFL for a while, then he'll be one of those guys that gets into a company or starts his own company and he'll be extremely successful. I don't expect anything different from him because that's the type of young man he is."
Awuzie admits it didn't come easily. He had to learn how to dedicate himself to the classroom.
"When I came into college, I wasn't very studious," he said. "I didn't have a great academic mindset. But having a business major, you have to develop that. Being around those kind of people really helped me learn how to be successful."
Awuzie earned his degree in business with an emphasis on operations management. Bason said professors and advisors at the Leeds School of Business were instrumental in Awuzie's success.
"The people in the Business School are the people who pushed him and explained to him, 'If you are going to do this, this is the level we need you to be at,'" Bason said. "We love the Business School because if one of our students goes to them and says 'Here's the plan I want to do,' they say, 'Great. Here's how we're going to get there and here's what we need you to do.'''
Awuzie said the atmosphere in the Business School helped him succeed in the classroom in the same manner that good coaches helped him succeed on the field.
"When you start taking upper-division classes, you get teachers who know you and care about you and know your story," Awuzie said. "It gives you extra motivation to not let them down. I was able to have great teachers who cared about me and great classmates who took me in and helped me figure it out."
Awuzie enjoyed a spectacular senior season for the Buffs, earning team co-MVP honors after helping Colorado produce a 10-4 record and a Pac-12 South championship. He was also a first-team All-Pac-12 selection and was was one just 22 players to attend the NFL Draft with his family in Philadelphia.
Now, his selection in the draft means there is a hefty contract in his future.
But, had football not panned out the way he envisioned, he still would have had his business degree. He still plans to utilize that diploma in the future — only it will now likely be put on hold for at least a few years.
"I'm not really a proud guy," Awuzie said. "I try to stay humble when it comes to accomplishments and achievements. But this is one thing I can really say I was able to tackle and did it without any expectations of doing it. I was able to set a goal early and accomplish it, so I really feel proud of this accomplishment more than anything else, honestly."
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
