Fifty Years Later, Earl Speights Still Lives by Lessons He Learned at Bowie State

Earl Speights ,76 is a bold trailblazer and torchbearer for Bowie State University.  

In May, he traveled from his home in North Charleston, S.C., to join fellow Class of 1976 Golden Graduates at commencement ceremonies, where Bowie State University President Aminta H. Breaux welcomed them and recognized their milestone anniversary. 

Speights is a retired science teacher with many professional and athletic accomplishments, but the first thing he wants Bulldogs to know is that he continues singing the praises of a Bowie State education.  

“I talk BSU up big everywhere I go,” he says. “After I speak with high school students, I know when they get home they’re getting online to learn more and apply to BSU. I’m happy to be a living representative of the school.” 

Speights graduated with a degree in health, physical education and recreation and says the rigor of the undergraduate curriculum was second to none. 

“I probably could have gotten into medical school because the university was so high on science classes, like kinesiology, biology and physical science. I was qualified for so many things thanks to my Bowie education.” 

His route to Bowie State began at the University of Maryland (UMD) in College Park. 

“I came to the area with some cousins and took some classes for a semester. That’s where I met a girl who became my wife of 56 years. She passed away in 2025.” 

Back when his then girlfriend was a full-time UMD student, Speights had a job at the U.S. Postal Service.  

“It was stable employment, but I wasn’t satisfied with where I was at in life. Something was missing.” 

Speights spent a lot of time on the UMD campus near his future wife and decided to stop into the Career Counseling office.  

“They questioned me to think of what would make me happy in my work life. I told them I’m most happy working with kids,” he recalls. 

That answer changed everything. 

Speights knew it was time to turn passion into a profession. Soon afterward, he eagerly applied for a position with a municipal recreation department. He was disappointed to learn the job required a college degree.  

At virtually the same time, he reconnected with a friend who attended Bowie State.  

“He knew I was a good athlete, and he said come on up to Bowie. He told me they just started a football program, and they got him playing quarterback, but he didn’t want to. Two weeks later I went to BSU and applied, got accepted and tried out for the football team. They named me starting quarterback for their first full season in 1972.” 

It was a big year in every way for Speights.  

“I got married during my freshman year at Bowie State when I was 23 years old. In one year I started college, played football, studied, worked part-time and became a husband. I worked hard but I had a great time during those four years.” 

His persistence in every area paid off. In 1975, the Bulldogs finished with a 9-1 record on the gridiron and earned recognition from Jet magazine as College Team of the Year. 

Half a century later, Speights is still in close contact with his Bulldog teammates.  

“We call ourselves the Glorious 13. We wanted the education. Grades first, and then we played football.” 

After graduation, he and his new wife moved to South Carolina. Speights also earned a master's degree from The Citadel and spent more than three decades teaching science, coaching football, basketball and track, and mentoring young people across South Carolina and Georgia. 

Some of his students were considered at-risk, but Speights saw potential. “I told the youngsters, ‘Educate to elevate. Use this education system to elevate yourself.’” 

Speights was determined to open doors for his students, and he personally connected athletes with college coaches across the country. 

“I probably have gotten 300 to 400 kids onto scholarships. I’ve hit the road for recruiting visits, stopping at every HBCU up and down Interstate 95 to tell the coaches about our athletes.” 

Over the years, his former students have attained degrees at Bowie State, Morgan State, Howard University, Towson University, Virginia State, Hampton University and Grambling University.  

Throughout his storied career as an educator and coach, Speights always remembered an influential mentor at Bowie State, Dr. Burkhardt of the physical education department. The instructor challenged aspiring educators. 

“He said a good teacher may not be an effective teacher. If you seek to be an effective teacher by really reaching students, that is the definition of a good teacher.” 

After 33 years in the classroom and on the fields, Speights retired despite his love for the job. He observed generational changes, and youngsters didn’t always welcome his mentorship. 

“My integrity was not for sale, and I didn’t want to take anything from a new breed of students.” 

Fifty years after earning his degree, Speights continues to be Bowie Bold. He is a past president of the BSU Georgia Alumni chapter and is one of the university’s most enthusiastic ambassadors. He attends college fairs and proudly shares the story of the institution that changed his life. 

“I tell parents, if your student goes to Bowie State, the only thing you might be mad about is they aren’t coming back home. The DMV area has everything you can think of with many well-paying jobs.” 

Speights’ golden impact spans communities and causes, reflecting the values of excellence that define the Bulldog experience.