Bo-Dean Sanders

Bo-Dean Sanders was born in Jacksonville, Florida where he and his siblings were raised by their single mother. He learned his values by attending his grandmother’s Baptist church. His love of sports began while watching college football on Saturdays and NFL games on Sundays. In 1981–1982, Bo-Dean represented Jean Ribault High, his all-Black high school, as the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) athlete of the year in football. Bo-Dean started his college football career in 1984 as a walk-on at Cheyney University, the oldest Historically Black College-University (HBCU) in America. He transferred to Villanova University where he played football on a majority white team (Villanova had previously dropped football after the 1980 season but reinstated it in 1984.) In 1989, he earned his varsity jacket and ring and became the only male on his mother’s side of the family to receive a four-year, Bachelor of Arts degree.