Wake Forest Athletics
My Wake Reflection: Donald Stewart
2/27/2023 8:14:00 PM | Football
I entered my name into the athletics transfer portal in December 2020. At the time, I had no idea where I would end up or how this whole new process would turn out, but I knew it was time for a change. I was ready to take on a new chapter of my life. I wanted a new beginning, a new chosen family, and a fresh start to my journey.
When I arrived at Stanford University in 2016, I was just a kid from New Jersey excited to play college football in California. It was a dream come true. By the time I entered the transfer portal, I was young man preparing to leave behind four years' worth of memories and relationships. I was overwhelmed with emotions and often juggled the overwhelming thought of playing my last year with a completely different team. Through much prayer and support from my family, I felt confident that it was time.
All it took was one visit in January 2020 for me to decide that Wake Forest would be my new home. Deep down, I knew Wake would be a good fit. It was an opportunity to get my masters, to be closer to home, and to play in a spread offense against the top teams in the ACC. It was also an opportunity rep black and gold, my high school colors at Paramus Catholic. It almost seemed like a no brainer – a subtle nod back to my roots as the kid whose dream was to play college football.
When I got sent home from Stanford on March 13, 2020, due to the pandemic, I began to think that maybe I wouldn't ever actually attend Wake Forest University .
It was the height of the pandemic when I arrived at Wake three months later. All my stuff had been boxed and shipped from Stanford to an apartment in North Carolina. Meanwhile, I had no clue if or how we would even play the 2020 season.
That offseason was awful, between not being able to leave campus, watching social injustice riots replay on tv, and practicing with covid masks over our face in 95-degree weather, I was ready to be done with football.
In this moment, there was one person who made sure I stayed strong and found a way to make the most of my situation: Dwight Lewis. Before we could meet in person, Dwight emailed me every week to learn about my upbringing, my time at Stanford, and my future goals. Over many conversations, he always stressed the importance of mentorship, strong relationships, and good food.
For months, Dwight checked in with me every single week. Once the world opened back up, our conversations started to take place over meals in his home with his family. He inspired me to have no ceiling and encouraged me to pursue goals beyond football, which included acting, motivational speaking, and starting my own business. Dwight encouraged me to follow my professional football dream, but also made sure I had support to pursue other goals. He taught me the importance of mental endurance for the journey God set out for me. Without Dwight, I'm not sure how I would've handled life at a new school during the pandemic.
As classes started, I started looking forward to Dr. Torren Gatson's African American history class every week. If there were a class poll, I have no doubt that every classmate would vote, he cold called me the most. Though I absolutely hated it, there was something about the way Dr. Gatson called on me. I later had a conversation with him that significantly changed my perspective on his method. He wanted me to be great. He told me that it was my duty and utmost responsibility to know my history and to pour back into the young people who would one day come up behind me.
Dr. Gatson saw something in me. He wanted to make sure that, when I left his class, I would be prepared to both uphold my responsibility as a leader and continue to remember that what I stand for is more important than catching footballs. Dr. Gatson gave me hope that I didn't need football to be great and reminded me how to use my gifts to help make the world a better place by investing back in the communities that invested in me.
My 2020 season was tough. In the second game of the season (against NC State), I sustained a high ankle sprain on the last drive of the game. I was performing extremely well, seeing the most playing time since high school. I suddenly had a tough battle to get back the rest of the season – my first in this new home I had been so excited to attend.
Perhaps luckily for me, I was granted another year of eligibility because of the pandemic. After my evaluation at the end of the year with the football staff, I was certain I knew what to do and exactly how to do it. In the spring, I balled out. I was ready to attack camp in August 2021.
In the spring, the team added one of its best hires: Wendell Dunn. A former player turned director of player development. Wendell made sure I met with all of my advisors, alumni, and helped me participate in community events. Every other week, we participated in freedom school, a special program where Wake football players would read, mentor. and conduct activities with local middle school students. It was in this program that I realized I truly had a passion for mentorship.
Over the months, I would become very close with Wendell. One day, he sat me down and helped me strategically plan all my goals for my last season. We talked about fears and lessons learned from past shortcomings. He quickly told me that it was time to be a leader. Not just a leader on the field, but in the classroom, on campus, and in the community. Wendell appointed me as a football ambassador and I was selected to do interviews, speak on panels, do charity events as well as be a liaison between the players and the coaches. I quickly began to realize that my voice did matter and people felt encouraged and empowered through my leadership. Wendell turned into a big brother figure at Wake and made my last year of college the best one.
During black history month, I am reminded of the people who consistently and intentionally invested in me and my future, often without much credit or thanks. Throughout my time at Wake Forest, Dwight, Dr. Gatson, and Wendell mentored me. These men modeled for me what it means to pour back into the next generation of black leaders. To all of you, I am forever grateful. Black history month is a time to reflect on how far my people have come. It is the time to build on the investments my people have made in me, and to pass the lessons I've learned onto the next generation. Their investment and trust in my leadership is not a responsibility I carry lightly, and I am ready to pass along everything they've taught me. These men make me proud to be an alumnus of Wake Forest University. Now and always, I am extremely blessed to know and have their support as I pursue my purpose.
When I arrived at Stanford University in 2016, I was just a kid from New Jersey excited to play college football in California. It was a dream come true. By the time I entered the transfer portal, I was young man preparing to leave behind four years' worth of memories and relationships. I was overwhelmed with emotions and often juggled the overwhelming thought of playing my last year with a completely different team. Through much prayer and support from my family, I felt confident that it was time.
All it took was one visit in January 2020 for me to decide that Wake Forest would be my new home. Deep down, I knew Wake would be a good fit. It was an opportunity to get my masters, to be closer to home, and to play in a spread offense against the top teams in the ACC. It was also an opportunity rep black and gold, my high school colors at Paramus Catholic. It almost seemed like a no brainer – a subtle nod back to my roots as the kid whose dream was to play college football.When I got sent home from Stanford on March 13, 2020, due to the pandemic, I began to think that maybe I wouldn't ever actually attend Wake Forest University .
It was the height of the pandemic when I arrived at Wake three months later. All my stuff had been boxed and shipped from Stanford to an apartment in North Carolina. Meanwhile, I had no clue if or how we would even play the 2020 season.
That offseason was awful, between not being able to leave campus, watching social injustice riots replay on tv, and practicing with covid masks over our face in 95-degree weather, I was ready to be done with football.
In this moment, there was one person who made sure I stayed strong and found a way to make the most of my situation: Dwight Lewis. Before we could meet in person, Dwight emailed me every week to learn about my upbringing, my time at Stanford, and my future goals. Over many conversations, he always stressed the importance of mentorship, strong relationships, and good food.
For months, Dwight checked in with me every single week. Once the world opened back up, our conversations started to take place over meals in his home with his family. He inspired me to have no ceiling and encouraged me to pursue goals beyond football, which included acting, motivational speaking, and starting my own business. Dwight encouraged me to follow my professional football dream, but also made sure I had support to pursue other goals. He taught me the importance of mental endurance for the journey God set out for me. Without Dwight, I'm not sure how I would've handled life at a new school during the pandemic.As classes started, I started looking forward to Dr. Torren Gatson's African American history class every week. If there were a class poll, I have no doubt that every classmate would vote, he cold called me the most. Though I absolutely hated it, there was something about the way Dr. Gatson called on me. I later had a conversation with him that significantly changed my perspective on his method. He wanted me to be great. He told me that it was my duty and utmost responsibility to know my history and to pour back into the young people who would one day come up behind me.
Dr. Gatson saw something in me. He wanted to make sure that, when I left his class, I would be prepared to both uphold my responsibility as a leader and continue to remember that what I stand for is more important than catching footballs. Dr. Gatson gave me hope that I didn't need football to be great and reminded me how to use my gifts to help make the world a better place by investing back in the communities that invested in me.
My 2020 season was tough. In the second game of the season (against NC State), I sustained a high ankle sprain on the last drive of the game. I was performing extremely well, seeing the most playing time since high school. I suddenly had a tough battle to get back the rest of the season – my first in this new home I had been so excited to attend.Perhaps luckily for me, I was granted another year of eligibility because of the pandemic. After my evaluation at the end of the year with the football staff, I was certain I knew what to do and exactly how to do it. In the spring, I balled out. I was ready to attack camp in August 2021.
In the spring, the team added one of its best hires: Wendell Dunn. A former player turned director of player development. Wendell made sure I met with all of my advisors, alumni, and helped me participate in community events. Every other week, we participated in freedom school, a special program where Wake football players would read, mentor. and conduct activities with local middle school students. It was in this program that I realized I truly had a passion for mentorship.Over the months, I would become very close with Wendell. One day, he sat me down and helped me strategically plan all my goals for my last season. We talked about fears and lessons learned from past shortcomings. He quickly told me that it was time to be a leader. Not just a leader on the field, but in the classroom, on campus, and in the community. Wendell appointed me as a football ambassador and I was selected to do interviews, speak on panels, do charity events as well as be a liaison between the players and the coaches. I quickly began to realize that my voice did matter and people felt encouraged and empowered through my leadership. Wendell turned into a big brother figure at Wake and made my last year of college the best one.
During black history month, I am reminded of the people who consistently and intentionally invested in me and my future, often without much credit or thanks. Throughout my time at Wake Forest, Dwight, Dr. Gatson, and Wendell mentored me. These men modeled for me what it means to pour back into the next generation of black leaders. To all of you, I am forever grateful. Black history month is a time to reflect on how far my people have come. It is the time to build on the investments my people have made in me, and to pass the lessons I've learned onto the next generation. Their investment and trust in my leadership is not a responsibility I carry lightly, and I am ready to pass along everything they've taught me. These men make me proud to be an alumnus of Wake Forest University. Now and always, I am extremely blessed to know and have their support as I pursue my purpose.
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