Even when he was paving the way for the Hokies' backfield in the mid-90s, former Tech football offensive lineman Dwight Vick always had a life transition plan in place to help others.
"Between my coaches' and my parents' help, I knew I was not going to play football forever," said Vick ('99). "Everything I'm doing now is what I was talking about when I was living in Collegiate Suites and Fox Ridge Apartments."
The 1998 All-Big East selection and former captain currently heads his own consulting firm called "Vicktory Life," started in 2018 as a counseling program that works with youth in Northern Virginia. Vick, a licensed counselor, noted that his experience at Virginia Tech prepared him for a career that led him to assist people in need.
"The focus of 'Vicktory Life' is about helping others," he said. "It's about what Virginia Tech taught me. It's living out Ut Prosim, that I may serve."
Vick impressively applies Virginia Tech's motto into other areas outside the realm of counseling. He launched a sports branch of his LLC, "Vicktory Life Youth Sports," which oversees five AAU basketball teams under the name of "Virginia Legends." Outside of directly coaching one of the teams (of which his son is a member), Vick maintains the theme of mentoring athletes to find avenues to fuel success outside of sports.
"I love making sure student-athletes and their parents get the support they need," said Vick. "It's about making sure they understand what it takes to get into college if that's their goal, but basically what they need to be self-sufficient through sports."
On top of Vick's drive to mentor youth, the Virginia Tech letterwinner has sharpened himself into a sports-media utility knife. Vick is a frequent guest on local radio shows, and has crafted three podcasts of which he is a co-host, including "The Vick757 Show", where he discussed Virginia Tech Football with his distant cousin and former Hokies quarterback Michael Vick. Vicktory Life and Vicktory Life Youth Sports accept charitable donations, and Vick was delighted to see a good amount of them come from Hokie donors who are frequent consumers of his content.
"I'm never one to sit still and put myself in a box. I started the Vicktory Life Legacy Spotlight to interview people I've admired and I get to discuss their legacy," said Vick, who has had Frank and Shane Beamer as some of his featured guests.
Vick somehow finds a way to balance his roles as a counselor, coach, and media personality while also being arguably the most vocal leader in galvanizing alumni support from fellow former Virginia Tech football players. The former Tech offensive lineman works as an unofficial ambassador to get former players back to Blacksburg. In addition to that, Vick also served as a panelist for the Black Alumni Society at Virginia Tech in an effort to increase African-American enrollment at Virginia Tech.
"In the past 17 years I've been called upon a lot. I've always been great at bringing people together and I love doing it," said Vick. "I love Tech, I love my university. I get my best sleep in Blacksburg. It's my second home. I want everyone to enjoy that feeling."
Vick lives with his wife, Chanise, and three children in Gainesville, VA.
About the Monogram Club
The Virginia Tech Monogram Club is a membership organization that seeks to honor and engage former and current letterwinners through networking and fellowship events, in order to celebrate the traditions and promote the value of the Virginia Tech student-athlete experience. We seek to reconnect with all monogram winners in all past and present sports and support area students (managers, trainers, and video staff members) at Virginia Tech and have each of these become a connected and engaged member of the Monogram Club! Honor the Past, Celebrate the Present, and Support the Future!
