A decade after beginning college journey, Marcus Kemp earns UH-Manoa degree

A total of 113 student-athletes participated in the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s spring commencement ceremony on Saturday morning.

Among the crowd of ‘Bows was former UH football standout Marcus Kemp, who walked the stage with an economics degree.

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Kemp, who has two Super Bowls to his name, now has a college diploma as well, fulfilling his mother’s wishes.

Kemp first arrived at the UH-Manoa campus in 2013 as a freshman out of Layton High School in Utah. Kemp, who hasn’t officially retired but says he is transitioning to a life outside of football, finished his final semester online.

“Now that I’m transitioning out of football, this graduation, this degree became more and more important in my life,” Kemp told KHON2 sports director Rob DeMello. “My mom always told me I needed to graduate and I need to finish school. It was one thing I knew I didn’t finish, I came a semester short. When I left for the NFL, I knew I had to come back and complete it.

“I remember being that nervous kid that walked on the island and had no idea what was next for me. Just trust the process and live in the moment. Enjoy it while you have it. Don’t try to rush to the next step because I feel like that’s what happened. You just kind of get in that grind where you’re focused on what’s coming next. So if I could tell them to enjoy it, focus on what you need to focus on and really live for the moment. Everything will work out. If you set that goal, then you can achieve it and it will work out the way it’s supposed to.”

Kemp is a father of three and married to his college sweetheart.