Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski Former Penn State and NFL running back Lydell Mitchell (right) talks with Saint Francis University Associate Professor of Communications Pat Farabaugh prior to Thursday’s event.

Lydell Mitchell has lived a dream for most of his life, going all the way back to his days growing up in New Jersey to the football fields at Penn State and then in the National Football League for nine seasons.

If you don’t believe that, you can just ask him. Better yet … maybe you’ll be lucky enough to hear him speak someday.

That is what happened for more than 100 area high school students on Thursday at the Blair County Convention Center where the ninth annual United We Can Luncheon Series took place and Mitchell was the guest motivational speaker.

The event’s founder, Sue Griep, said the program was basically born with the idea to inspire students who may wonder whether or not they have the abilities and facilities to succeed in accomplishing their dreams.

“When I worked in the district attorney’s office, I came in contact with a lot of kids who didn’t have a lot of dreams and I used to think to myself how sad that was, so I developed “United We Can” with a lot of friends who were willing to come on board,” she said.

Mitchell spoke to a group of reporters before the event, and then entertained the gathering, which included teachers who brought their students to the Convention Center from 11 school districts in Blair and Cambria Counties.

“I don’t do as many of these as I used to, but I got some phone calls from people who work with me and I like talking to young people and sharing my experiences with them,” said Mitchell, who at 76 still runs the Parks Sausage Company in Baltimore. He and former Penn State teammate Franco Harris also started the Super Bakery, a company that produces nutrition-oriented foods for school children.

“I grew up knowing Lydell and Franco, and my friends work for the Super Bakery company, and I do the Coaches for Cancer Golf Tournament at Penn State and he always golfs in it,” replied Griep, when asked how she was able to get Mitchell to Blair County on Thursday.

In between stories about his football days and growing up in New Jersey, Mitchell offered up common-sense directions on how to approach life as a youngster in today’s world.

“Surround yourself with good people. It’s going to take a lot of hard work, regardless of what you do in life,” he said. “School isn’t for everyone. Maybe it’s a trade school that’s right for you. But it’s time for you young folks to step up and take over for us old folks.”

One student asked how Mitchell was able to balance playing football at Penn State while being a student, and he talked about how proud he was to be a graduate, regardless of the fact that graduation was canceled the year he finished school because of a hurricane.

“I remember I used to go down to the Hub (at Penn State) and they put up on the wall if you made the Dean’s List, and people I didn’t know and who didn’t know me … I would point to them and tell them that was me up on the wall,” he smiled. “Don’t cheat yourselves. Take advantage of the things in front of you. I would not have been able to go to college if it weren’t for a scholarship.”

A lot of the recollections he shared were involving the football field in and around Beaver Stadium.

“I remember I was going to go to Ohio State. My grandparents lived there and Joe (Paterno) found out about that and he talked to me and basically told me you’re afraid to come to Penn State,” Mitchell recalled. “Joe always knew how to push the right buttons. I remember coming to camp with like 27 other running backs, and I thought I was the best running back. But then I had to tell (Ohio State coach) Woody Hayes that I wasn’t coming to Ohio State and that I was going to Penn State.”

Mitchell told the crowd about how he tried out for baseball when he was little but that he didn’t have a glove. He went and caught the ball with his bare hands in a tryout and then his family went and bought him a glove. There was the story about scoring 30-plus touchdowns in what Mitchell called “Little League football” and that he got a quarter for every touchdown.

“When you get older, you talk to everybody because you want to have a conversation with everybody,” he said. “I was a straight shooter. When you think of me, I want a smile to come over your face.”

Mitchell definitely was smiling, inside and outside, when he shared stories about his former teammate and friend, Harris, the legendary Steeler who died in December of 2022.

“One of the first games I remember, I had five touchdowns and Franco had zero touchdowns and Joe told Franco don’t worry, you’ll get yours,” Mitchell remembered. “The next week, I had 200-something yards and zero touchdowns and Franco had four … Joe took care of us.”