Feliciano's Journey to Graduation
By David Villavicencio
Every May college students become college graduates ready to take the next step in their journey through life.
This year, 70 student-athletes participated in the Spring Commencement exercises at the University of Miami.
Each new Canes graduate had a unique path that led him or her to this point in their life, but few have experienced what offensive lineman Jon Feliciano has lived and that made graduation May 9 even more special for the Davie, Fla., native.
“It’s big time for me,” Feliciano said about earning his bachelor’s degree in management. “I’m the first person in my family to graduate from college and to do it at such a prestigious place like Miami, I am really proud of that. I’m also really grateful for all the help I had along the way.”
Feliciano, who is originally from New York, considers himself a local. He moved to Miami when he was about four years old and has resided in Davie for the past decade. After spending the majority of his life in South Florida, Feliciano could not help but fall in love with the Hurricanes.
“I remember being young and I would always wear my Ray Lewis Ravens jersey,” Feliciano said. “I wanted to be just like him. In high school, I wore 76 because of Warren Sapp and my first few years I played defensive tackle like him. I moved to left tackle, but I kept 76. It was always a big thing for me to come here and play for ‘The U’ and represent Miami the right way.”
The 6-foot-5 offensive lineman did not start playing football until the ninth grade, originally preferring the hardwood floors of basketball over the gridiron. But once Feliciano put his pads on, he was hooked.
“When I started playing football, I really wanted to come to Miami to play tight end,” Feliciano said. “That was my goal my whole life. I had a lot of small schools looking at me and then Miami offered and I committed on the spot. Then a bunch of other big schools started coming after me, but I didn’t give them a chance. I knew this was where I wanted to go and now I’m here playing left guard. It was the best decision of my life.”
Feliciano has had a lot of success at Miami, earning his degree while being a two-time All-ACC honorable mention selection on the football field. But there was a time when few could have predicted the success that Feliciano has achieved.
“Growing up in high school, things were pretty hard for me and my family,” Feliciano said. “During my high school days, I was basically homeless. I was bouncing around houses and living with my friends. I would go from house to house. I didn’t really have any money and had to live without power sometimes. Football was one thing that always kept me motivated and kept me going.”
The second of three brothers, Feliciano stayed in Davie with his mom when his younger brother, Christopher, moved back to New York to live with their dad. Despite the challenges he was facing in life, Feliciano blossomed into a standout at Western High School in Davie.
“I always wanted to stay, especially at Western [High School] because I had such good relationships with my coaches and teammates,” Feliciano said. “I kind of hung around and lived with my friends for a year and then lived in a house with no power and sometimes had no water. It was like that for a few years. Now I have a house here with Shane [McDermott] and Danny [Isidora] and being able to have light and be cool every day is amazing.”
The struggle Feliciano endured and overcame earlier in his life motivates him to work hard every day to improve as a complete student-athlete.
“It keeps me going every day,” Feliciano said. “My little brother is deaf. I want to be able to take care of him later on in life. That really pushes me academically and on the field. I keep that with me every day and never forget where I came from. I know I am blessed to be here at Miami. I feel like I am one of the players that was bred for Miami with the toughness that I bring. There is no place for me but Miami.”
Feliciano has been a key member of Miami’s offensive line. He has made 33 starts, including all 25 games the past two seasons. A standout lineman with the ability to play both guard and tackle, Feliciano has been a leader on the line and in the locker room.
“I never let the bad stuff affect me growing up,” Feliciano said. “I just always looked at the positives and I think it helped me become a leader. I understand people go through tough times and I can talk to them and tell them I’ve been there and help them get through it. I wouldn’t want to have grown up any other way because it’s helped me become the man I am today.”
Feliciano will be back in the orange and green in 2014, his final season playing for the Hurricanes. He could not be prouder to represent Miami and could not be more grateful of what the people at Miami have helped him achieve and become.
“We have so many great people here that really look after you and help mold you into a respectable gentleman,” Feliciano said. “I think that’s what has happened in my four years here.”
Following his redshirt senior season, Feliciano hopes to play in the NFL, but he knows exactly what he wants to do once his playing career is complete.
“I think I want to coach basketball,” Feliciano said. “My first love was always basketball, so I think I want to coach that or football in high school. I don’t think I want to go collegiate. I want to be able to interact with young kids and make an impact on their lives.”
