Students at the University of New Orleans will get their last lesson before graduating from a true Saints legend.
Saints Hall of Fame receiver Marques Colston is the keynote speaker for UNO's fall commencement ceremony on Friday, where he'll give life advice to more than 800 students from around the world receiving their degrees.
Colston is the most prolific wide receiver in Saints history, never playing for another team in his 10-year NFL career. He leads the franchise in all-time receptions, receiving yards and total touchdowns, and played a pivotal role in the Saints' Super Bowl XLIV victory.
"A seventh-round draft pick from Hofstra University, Colston defied the odds to become the most productive receiver in team history from 2006-2015," a university spokesperson said in a statement.
Colston's achievements haven't stopped since hanging up the boots for the Saints. Off the field, he's an entrepreneur and business owner.
He founded Dynasty Innovation, a sports management and marketing firm. He's also a director of Main Squeeze Juice Company, a New Orleans-based smoothie bar with more than 40 locations throughout the country, according to UNO officials.
He also the director of the Center for Innovation at Virtua Health System, a New Jersey-based healthcare provider, and serves on the board of the One Team Collective, a sports technology company run by the National Football League Players Association.
During the ceremony, Colston will receive an honorary degree along with the 830 students eligible to graduate. Those students hail from 31 U.S. states and 23 different countries, UNO officials said.
With that honor, Colston, a Pennsylvania native, will become the second in his family to earn a UNO degree; His wife, Emily, received a bachelor's in planning and urban studies in 2014, university officials said.
The ceremony begins at 2 p.m. Friday at the UNO Lakefront Arena. UNO's last commencement speaker was WWL-TV's Sheba Turk.
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