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Background

From the time he was eight-years-old, Norman Raison has been playing football. During his senior year at Cheltenham High School, Norman played in the Montgomery County All Star Game with a broken arm and a pulled hamstring. He credits his parents for a lot of his motivation and for instilling in him a desire to succeed.

Why IUP

After high school, Norman went to his first choice college, Norfolk State University in Virginia. Norman describes it as a black school in which the football team is like a family. He played there his first year but lost his scholarship due to an injury. He was forced to choose between sitting out a whole year at another Division I school or moving down to a Division II school where he could play immediately.

Norman chose to play.

So, he began looking for Division II schools in Pennsylvania. He decided on IUP based on the football team’s winning record and the availability of his major.

Things You Do

Football. Football. Football. Camp begins in early August and games begin around the start of the semester. Between workouts, practices, meetings, and games, football occupies his weekdays from 2 to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from about 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. More time gets devoted to athletics when travel is involved and the further the team progresses in the play offs.

Norman plays fullback. He’s at IUP on a scholarship, enjoying the opportunities to travel and get an education while bonding with his teammates.

School Stuff

Norman chose marketing as a major because he enjoyed a sports marketing course he took in high school. It’s a wide field and “you always need advertising,” he said.

According to Norman, he feels fortunate to have had many excellent teachers.  “Good teachers help students,” he said. “People like to help people that want to be helped.”

That’s why Norman makes an effort to study, take good notes and go to class. That work ethic has earned him a place on the Dean’s List.

“Like anything in life, you get out of it what you put into it.”  School isn’t hard if you show up and do the work, he said.  “Football might not always be there,” Norman said. “But an education, that’s always going to be there.”

Around Here

Norman was somewhat surprised when he first came to IUP and found out it was bigger than Norfolk State. It took some time to get “readjusted to the atmosphere,” but he found summer orientation as a transfer student to be pretty friendly.

It seemed to him that more people were from Pittsburgh than Philly, but his role on the football team helped him to bond.

He considers IUP one of the best Division II schools for all sports. And, even if you’re not interested in playing, it’s a good school to come to and cheer on the teams, he said.

“It’s easy to enjoy yourself here.”

With all kinds of majors, many helpful teachers, strong athletic and educational opportunities, Norman feels that IUP is “a place where you can succeed.”