POSTPONED: The March 19 keynote by former professional football player Maurice Clarett has been postponed until further notice.
Former professional football player Maurice Clarett, who overcame addiction to become an inspiration for those facing challenges, will give a talk at Illinois State University.
Clarett will present “My Life. My Story. My Redemption.” at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 19, in the Brown Ballroom of the Bone Student Center. The talk, sponsored by Student Access and Accommodation Services, is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6 p.m.
The talk will focus on Clarett’s journey overcoming a rough upbringing and ultimately becoming the nation’s top freshman running back before drugs and alcohol led to his fall.
He is the founder of The Red Zone (TRZ)—a behavioral health agency dedicated to empowering youth and adults in need by providing comprehensive and therapeutic services in 2016 after he noticed a need for mental health awareness and access in his community.
TRZ currently serves more than 1,500 children and adults in north and central Ohio, who are impacted by drug and alcohol abuse, low-income disparities, and mental illness. Its meteoric growth is due to The Red Zone’s holistic methodology of creating evidenced-based initiatives that facilitates social and emotional support that’s engaging, fun, and collaborative.
Clarett played an instrumental role in The Ohio State Buckeyes team, clinching the National Championship in 2002 with two pivotal plays. He would later play professionally for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League. Clarett was drafted on the first day of the 2005 NFL Draft with the final pick of the 3rd round (#101 overall) by the Denver Broncos.
After a series of personal set-backs, which interfered with his destined NFL career, Clarett stood at a crossroad in his life with two paths—either succumb to his challenges or overcome them. He chose the latter, compiling the lessons he learned throughout his tumultuous journey of being dismissed from The Ohio State University and 7 ½ year prison sentence to develop The Maurice Clarett brand, which offers an acute acumen and expertise in the worlds of athletics, education, and business.
As the CEO and founder of MCB, Clarett’s distinctive personality and drive to empower diverse audiences over the world has made him a nationally sought-after speaker, garnering partnerships with some of the nation’s top businesses and professionals, including Warren Buffet. His success as an author and motivational speaker is a testament to his transparency and ability to teachings of self-accountability and personal responsibility.
Those who need more information or special accommodation to attend this event can contact Zach McDowell and Abby Weber of Student Access and Accommodation Services at (309) 438-5853, the relay service of (309) 319-7682, or via email at AbleISU@IllinoisState.edu.
