Don Schwenneker, left, stands with his son, Mason.
PEMBROKE – Don “Big Weather” Schwenneker has delivered forecasts for decades — predicting storms, sunshine and everything in between. But there was one life milestone he couldn’t predict: graduating from college side-by-side with his son, Mason.
That long-awaited moment finally arrives this Saturday, 35 years after he first set foot in a college classroom. The father-and-son duo will be among 942 graduates at UNC Pembroke’s Spring Commencement.
“I can’t believe 35 years after high school, I finally get to graduate from college,” Schwenneker said. “It still feels surreal.” In the late 1980s, Schwenneker was studying at Drake University when an offer from WHO-TV Channel 13 News in Des Moines changed his course. His professor encouraged him to take the job, hoping he would one day return to finish his degree.
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That “one day” turned into decades of weather reporting, raising a family and becoming a household name as chief meteorologist for ABC11 Eyewitness News (WTVD) in Durham.
“One of my biggest regrets was that I never got my degree,” Schwenneker said. “My grandparents always wanted me to finish. I’m a first gen. My parents didn’t go to college.”
Schwenneker chose UNC Pembroke’s online program after hearing glowing feedback from his children. His daughter, Maddie, recently graduated from UNCP, and his son, Mason, is about to follow.
“The professors were fantastic about working with an adult student,” he said. “Once I got into the rhythm, it wasn’t bad at all.”
The biggest challenge? Getting up to speed with today’s technology. But Schwenneker credits support from his children, professors and the University Writing Center staff for helping him adjust.
Mason, who is earning a degree in history, sees graduation day as more than a personal milestone.
“It means the world to me because he was my role model growing up,” Mason said. “He always talked about going back. Seeing him walk across that stage proves you can accomplish anything you put your mind to.”
A former wrestler with a near-perfect GPA, Mason has been active on campus as a resident advisor, REACH fellow and member of the Maynor Honors College.
When Don offered to postpone his graduation to December—so as not to overshadow his son’s moment—Mason wouldn’t hear of it.
“I said to Mason, ‘I’ve waited 35 years. I could wait another six months,” Don recalled. “He said, ‘Dad, it would be really special to graduate with you.’” For Schwenneker, the degree represents more than academic achievement.
“It was more about the goal,” he said. “I hope to inspire other older students who may have put off their goals. Through my UNCP experience, I’ve expanded my horizons. The one thing I will take away from this is that there’s always more to learn.”
Mark Locklear is a public Communications Specialist with University Communications & Marketing. Reach him by email at [email protected].
