Don Carey ’10
Don Carey, A groundbreaker for Norfolk State University. Don Carey, a native of Norfolk, Virginia, attended Norfolk State University and was drafted into the NFL as the first NSU football player in the Division I era. Carey has won numerous honors for his achievements on the field and in the community during his ten-year professional career. The Detroit Lions' Walter Payton Man of the Year Award was one of these. Carey was inducted into the NSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019 after winning Norfolk State University's Graduate of the Last Decade honor in 2018. He still serves the Chesapeake community by serving on a number of boards and taking part in groups that promote constructive change around the city.
Furthermore, on July 1, 2020, Carey was chosen to serve a four-year term on the Chesapeake City Council. After leaving the NFL, Carey established The Don Carey REECH Foundation Inc., which connects with and educates youngsters about STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) vocations through sports.
In addition, Carey's first book, It's Not Because I'm Better Than You, was released in 2017. It tells his own journey and outlines the values that he and others have applied to succeed.