The Utah State alum didn’t attend an HBCU, but that hasn’t prevented him from supporting – and using his brand to shine a light. When Wagner graduated from Colony High in Ontario, California – he only had one offer from Utah State University. There are no HBCU football programs on the West Coast, and if there was – Wagner never knew.
“I might’ve come to Alabama once, but I think the first time I came to the East Coast was when I was in the league.”
While he can’t go back 15 years, Wagner’s put his best foot forward in helping Black colleges in any way he can. In 2021, Wagner partnered with the NFL and the HBCU Legacy Bowl – the premiere showcase for Black college prospects.
“It’s an honor,” Wagner said in a statement, “to support the Black College Football Hall of Fame and HBCU Legacy Bowl in their efforts to provide more opportunities for students attending historically Black colleges and universities.”
The majority of the country’s Black colleges have existed for more than a century, but the effort to reach potential students across the globe continues to grow. That’s a big reason why Wagner flew from Seattle to Washington Wednesday evening, surprising the enamored group of Seattle adolescents as they arrived on Howard’s campus.
While some sat awestruck in the presence of their favorite Seahawk, others fired off a range of questions as sophomore Music Education major and tour guide Joshua John-Louis led the group through the historic campus. Wagner took some time to discuss how the reach of HBCUs has expanded over time as he took in Howard’s campus.
“I think it’s technology,” said Wagner. “When I was growing up, the only thing that I saw that was Washington DC was in movies. It’s literally on the other side of the country. We might’ve gone to Florida for a trip, not really thinking of going to DC. I think it’s just the more and more information that’s out there that you learn. And you see the experiences. Even watching the movie Drumline, to see that type of experience, but then to see it in real life – that’s probably a draw too.”
Wagner joined the group as they explored the various schools of education to learn Bison history. It was Wagner’s turn to be awestruck at the Chadwick Bozeman College of Fine Arts, as the group met esteemed actress and Dean of the school, Phylicia Rashad. The pair exchanged pleasantries and posed for pictures with the group, before Wagner joined the tour bus to head to the next stop – University of District of Columbia.
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