John Abraham Finishes What He Started – University of South Carolina Athletics

South Carolina football legend John Abraham (1996-1999) finished what he started. After a Hall of Fame career with the Gamecocks in the late 1990s followed by 15 years in the National Football League, Abraham came back to campus to finish his coursework and walked across the stage with his degree in hand last weekend.

“After playing in the NFL for 15 years and going through all the mental health stuff that I went through, knowing that I had this incomplete thing in my life that led to a lot of stuff in not feeling like I was smart enough to finish college, this means a lot,” said Abraham, who earned his degree in liberal studies with an emphasis on psychology and sociology. “When I was in college, we were athletes, but we weren’t really thinking of ourselves as being scholars. When I first came to school, I came with the intention of getting my degree. In talking over the years with people like (Executive Associate Athletics Director) Maria Hickman, I finally felt comfortable enough to come back and do it.

“I have four daughters. My oldest daughter (now 23) reminds me that she graduated from college before I did and that she was the first person in the family to graduate. She holds that over my head, so being able to finish what I started and show it to my daughters (the others are ages 16, 8, and 1) is a big deal. You can finish anything you start. You don’t have to be the best to finish something.”

South Carolina student-athletes have the ability to come back and finish their degree through the Athletic Department’s Degree Completion Program, which is part of the Gamecock Student-Athlete Promise. It is for student-athletes who left the university in good academic standing to pursue a professional career or did not complete their degree due to personal circumstances. The program allows them to apply to be readmitted to come back to campus and finish their degree while eligible to receive funding if needed for room, board, books, and tuition. They also have access to all of the resources offered to current student-athletes, such as tutors, laptops, and use of the Dodie Anderson Academic Enrichment Center. Some may not need all of the assistance as it’s not uncommon to have a return to school written into professional contracts.

Abraham credits Hickman and staff from South Carolina’s Dodie Anderson Academic Enrichment Center for helping him achieve his goal.

“The work was hard, but they made it easy because they were always…