Former Tigers Eddie Kennison, Michael Ford, And Damien Lewis Earn Degrees This Weekend

BATON ROUGE – Three former LSU football standouts – Eddie Kennison, Michael Ford, and Damien Lewis – earned their college degree on Friday after participating in the Academic Center for Student-Athletes Project Graduation program.

The mission of Project Graduation is to assist former LSU student-athletes with completing graduation requirements by providing counseling and information. The commitment to assist former student-athletes in obtaining a degree is always honored, no matter the length of time since they last attended LSU.

Lewis graduated with a degree in sport administration, while Kennison and Ford both earned their degrees in interdisciplinary studies.

Kennison was a two-sport standout for the Tigers, starring as wide receiver and return specialist for football team from 1993-95 as well as being an All-America sprinter on the track and field squad. He earned six All-America honors and was a four-time SEC Champion as a sprinter for the Tigers from 1994-96.

In the spring of 1994, Kennison anchored LSU’s 4x100 meter relay team that won the outdoor national championship.

He was selected in the first round (No. 18 overall) by the St. Louis Rams in the 1996 NFL Draft. During his 13-year NFL career, he appeared in 179 games with 548 receptions for 8,345 yards and 42 touchdowns.

Kennison is currently a senior account executive with LSU Sports Properties.

Ford spent four years with the Tigers, helping LSU to the 2011 SEC Championship and an appearance in the BCS National Championship game that year. He capped his career with 1,392 rushing yards and 14 total touchdowns.

Ford spent time in the NFL with the Chicago Bears (2013-14) and the Atlanta Falcons (2015).

“Earning my degree represents a significant achievement and milestone in my journey,” Ford said. “It reflects years of hard work, dedication, and perseverance in the pursuit of knowledge and personal growth. Committing to complete a degree, particularly at a prestigious institution like LSU, demands both determination and resilience.

“Graduating from LSU marked a pivotal moment in my life, representing my journey of resilience, perseverance, and strength. It reinforced the notion that our light is meant to be shared, not concealed; it serves as a source of inspiration for individuals across all ages and generations. This experience has motivated me to engage with others and support them in illuminating their own paths.

Lewis, a starter on the offensive line for LSU’s 2019 national championship team, became the first member of his family to earn a college degree.

“It’s an honor and truly humbling to be the first person in my family to earn a college degree,” Lewis said. “The project graduation program allowed me to be able to focus on my career and finish my degree with ease. I hope this achievement serves as motivation to our younger generation of student athletes.”

Lewis was drafted in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. He spent four years as a starter on the offensive line for Seattle, before signing a four-year contract with the Carolina Panthers in the offseason.

Lewis, a who earned All-SEC honors in 2019, has started all 61 NFL games in which he’s appeared.

LSU has now had 104 former student-athletes earn their college degree due to the Project Graduation Program, which was established in 2010.

(Release via LSU Athletics)