The Power of a Casual Comment
Two years ago, Niner Engineer Scott Stewart Jr. had a casual conversation with his father. The son jokingly mentioned that his father should join him at UNC Charlotte once he concluded his career in the U.S. Air Force.
“I remember I was just finishing up my sophomore year at Charlotte,” the younger Stewart said of his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering Technology. “That’s right around when my dad was getting ready to retire and I told him that he could come to school with me. It was said kind of as a joke or as an offhand comment.”
The comment hung in the air for a split second before the pair continued their discussion onto something else. But the suggestion stuck with father, Scott Stewart Sr.
The father knew the chance to reclaim lost time doesn’t come along every day. That lost time was due to his 38-year military career, with extended times traveling and away from his son, sometimes for years. The father realized he wanted to use his time after retirement to reconnect with his son and advance his civilian career.
The idea of enrolling at Charlotte was too good to pass up. “I viewed it as getting a year and a half back to spend with my son. I always tell everybody he’s my best friend, buddy, pal and son all rolled up into one.”
Later, the Niner Engineer learned that his offhand comment had made an impression on his father. “I guess he took it seriously. Almost six or seven months later, my Dad said, ‘Hey, I actually want to try it. I want to see if I can do it.’ That’s how it all started.”
When Stewart Jr. walked across the stage in Halton Arena on Friday afternoon to receive his engineering technology degree, his father was in the stands to enthusiastically cheer him on. Likewise, the son proudly stood witness as his dad graduated on Saturday with an MBA from the Belk College of Business.
The time spent together as Niners — and as roommates sharing an apartment — was capped by the turning of tassels at two commencement ceremonies this past weekend. The duo even timed their studies to graduate the same weekend to complete the adventure together.
