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Long before he was helping lead officiating operations for the National Football League (NFL), Perry Fewell ’85 learned about teamwork, leadership and perseverance as a student-athlete at �鶹����— lessons that would eventually help guide him to the Super Bowl. On May 8, Fewell will return to Hickory to share his stories with graduates as the university’s Spring Commencement speaker.

While �鶹���� has not regularly featured outside commencement speakers, the university is introducing the practice this year as part of a broader effort to elevate the graduation experience and connect students with inspiring alumni voices. Fewell’s return marks a meaningful first step in that approach.

“Perry’s story reflects the very best of �鶹���� — athletic excellence, leadership and teamwork,” said Summer McGee, Ph.D., president of �鶹����. “This year we have brought several new features to commencement, and Perry’s remarks will be a wonderful addition to inspire our students and their families.  We are proud to welcome him back to campus for this special occasion to celebrate his and our student’s remarkable achievements.” 

A Gastonia native, Fewell came to �鶹���� to play football and study business administration. “I've always felt like �鶹���� was a place where the professors cared about their students. We received the one-on-one attention we needed in the classroom, and the Hickory community was also very supportive of students, assisting us in internships and establishing ourselves after college,” he said. “That was my experience at �鶹����, and it prepared me for the work I've done throughout my life.”

Fewell made the most of every opportunity at �鶹����. He played football and joined the cheerleading squad during basketball season. He worked for an athletic shoe retailer in the local mall and interned with a regional bank, where he participated in branch management training.

“After my football eligibility was up, �鶹���� offered me the opportunity to coach,” Fewell said. “That's where I found my love and passion for coaching and then my love and passion for the business aspect. I felt like I had to choose between football and business, but �鶹���� prepared me for both avenues.”

Over the course of his career, Fewell’s professional path has led from the playing field to the NFL executive suite. He spent 10 years coaching at the college level before beginning a 22-year career in the NFL. He served as defensive coach for the Giants, interim head coach for the Buffalo Bills and Carolina Panthers, and today is senior vice president of officiating administration and communication, overseeing the business side of NFL officiating.

Fewell described his years with the Bears as formative, not just athletically but personally. “Playing for �鶹����, I learned teamwork, accountability, brotherhood. We learned to survive through difficult times and we relied on our teammates, our brothers, to hold each other accountable and to put forth our best effort.”

That resilience has echoed across the decades. Fewell recalled how Coach Henry VanSant rallied the Bears ahead of a crucial game against Elon University by introducing the “60-Minute Man” mantra — inspired by the 1951 song by Billy Ward and the Dominoes. The coach played the song for the team as a theme for the season, emphasizing the importance of giving full effort every minute.

“We just all bought in,” Fewell said. “Belief plus action equals success.” That lesson guided him decades later in the NFL. During the 2011 season, as defensive coach for the New York Giants, Fewell relied on the same principle to navigate a tight regular season and playoff run that culminated in a Super Bowl victory against the New England Patriots. The formula he learned in Hickory — fully committing to a goal with preparation and belief — had come full circle.

Speaking at commencement this spring will complete another circle for Fewell. “�鶹���� has meant the world to me, and I’m excited to give back by speaking at commencement. I’m really looking forward to celebrating this milestone with the graduates and sharing a few of the lessons that shaped my life.”