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Robert Montgomery was 10 courses shy of graduating from UNC Charlotte in 1999 when the lure of a paycheck launched him into the work world.
Saturday he was back on campus in cap and gown, getting his diploma through a pioneering program that reclaims dropouts and shepherds them through to graduation.
“It feels like I'm able to close the book on a chapter that's been open for too long,” said Montgomery, 33, of Midland.
He was among about 2,850 UNCC students who graduated Saturday in two ceremonies at Halton Arena on campus.
Other area schools with graduations Saturday included Queens University of Charlotte, Wingate University in Union County and Winthrop University in Rock Hill.
UNCC's 49er Finish Program, which helped Montgomery get his bachelor's degree in English Saturday, is one of the first programs of its kind nationally to streamline the degree process for students who were close to graduating but got sidelined, often for financial or personal reasons.
In Montgomery's case, he had the chance to go into management in his father's home inspection business. But after 11 years, his heart wasn't in it anymore. He had wanted to be a lawyer since taking a business law class at UNCC in the 1990s. Now that he has his bachelor's degree, he plans to take the standardized Law School Admission Test in September and start applying to schools.
Nearly 250 former students have earned degrees through the 4-year-old program. Coordinator Melissa LaMarche said the tough economy is bringing increasing numbers into the program because of layoffs.
Amid cheers at Halton Arena on Saturday, Montgomery and other students shook hands with their academic deans and then cleaned their hands with sanitizing wipes to guard against swine flu.
“No flu at the U,” Chancellor Philip Dubois told the capacity crowd of more than 9,000, as staffers handed wipes to the graduates.
Former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt received an honorary doctor of public service degree at the first of UNCC's two Saturday ceremonies and urged students to give back to their community.
There was no formal commencement address, but Dubois acknowledged the efforts that brought students to the arena.
“Whether you've been on the four-year plan, the five-year plan, the six-year plan or the I-can't-remember-when-I-started plan,” he said, “congratulations to everyone.”
