Local News

67-year-old NC man finishes college 44 years after dropping out

You're never too old to learn. A 67-year-old North Carolina man is proof of that.

Posted Updated

WILMINGTON, N.C. — You're never too old to learn. A 67-year-old North Carolina man is proof of that.

Philip McGee dropped out of UNC Wilmington in 1977 and pursued a career with Lowe's.

His choice ate at him for much of his life, and he had an epiphany after suffering a heart attack.

Several years ago, McGee went back to UNCW and rushed the same fraternity his son did, Pi Kappa Alpha. His brothers decided to let him rush due to his legacy status.

"One Sunday afternoon I went around and found the fraternity house," McGee said. "I knocked on the front door and they were scattering. They didn't know who this old guy was."

McGee embraced all his responsibilities, fraternity parties and functions, school work, and traveling as many as 1,200 miles a week for his own business.

He aced it, recently graduating with a business degree along with a 3.8 GPA and cum laude honors.

 Credits 

Copyright 2024 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.