Gregg Cantwell Achieves Degree Four Decades in the Making

June 18, 2026Gregg CantwellPrograms of study:General Studies

For Gregg Cantwell, the road to earning his degree was a journey spanning nearly four decades. From his first college experience in the mid-1980s to completing his general degree at Montreat College in December 2026, Cantwell’s story is one of perseverance, faith, and the fulfillment of a recently important goal.

After graduating from high school, Cantwell enrolled at Franklin College in Indiana. However, he left before completing his degree to embark on a successful career. He sold real estate and insurance before finding his niche as a bookkeeper for a small engineering company started by his father and others. Eventually, he became a partner at the company and remained there for more than 20 years. For the past decade, he has moved over to the county courthouse as a surveyor for Johnson County, the 11th most populous county in the Hoosier State.

With a successful career, returning to school wasn’t on Cantwell’s radar until a life-changing health scare shifted his perspective.

“When your heart stops and they bring you back to life, it changes your view,” he said. “That heart issue led me to think about closing some things out, and I definitely wanted to do something with the handful of credits I had built up.”

Although returning to Franklin College would have been the convenient option, Cantwell was disappointed that the college had strayed far from its religious roots. Instead, he turned to a place he had visited nearly 30 years earlier. His connection to Montreat College dated back to 1992, when he attended a Presbyterian history conference.

“I fell in love with the campus,” he reflected. “In fact, I bought a cross, and I’m still wearing it today. When I went to look at doing something with my college credits, I checked out Montreat College. Thankfully, they had online learning, and here I am as a Montreat graduate.”

In addition to the school’s online learning options, Montreat College’s commitment to a Christ-centered education further solidified his decision.

“I liked the conservative nature of Montreat,” he said. “I might have even been a little uncomfortable at first coming from a government job. We don’t pray much in the work setting, at least not out loud, so that was different about Montreat, and I enjoyed that.”

Returning to school after nearly 40 years presented some unique challenges. Cantwell often stayed late at his office or came in on weekends to complete assignments, taking advantage of his desktop and work resources.

Gregg with his wife, Diane

“Back in 1984, we were still typing on typewriters. I didn’t use computers in any formal education, so that was probably my biggest challenge,” he shared. “Of course, as we dinosaurs die off, the next generations aren’t going to have a challenge with that.”

Through the challenges, however, Cantwell discovered an unexpected passion for writing and rekindled his love of learning.

“It’s never too late to learn,” he said. “I picked up a lot of skills, especially computer-wise, and I’m continuing to use that knowledge. I never really thought of myself as a writer, but that may have been my favorite part of learning. I looked forward to spitting out a 1,500-word essay every other day.”

Beyond using his new organizational and computer skills, Cantwell deeply appreciated the spiritual growth he experienced through his coursework.

“I really enjoyed the religious classes, and I have a lot more tools in my bag from those classes as well,” he reflected.

Now that he has completed his degree, Cantwell is proud to have reached his goal of displaying his diploma on a wall in his office, and he has one clear message for those considering finishing their education later in life.

“Don’t wait because a lot of good things come out of it,” he advised. “Although I really didn’t need any more education, it affected me more internally than externally. It was a challenging time, but it was worth it. It buoys you up and makes you feel like you’ve accomplished something. Even if that little piece of paper doesn’t make a difference to the world, it has immense value to me.”