Ernest R. Kniffen

Ernest “Ernie” R. Kniffen was nominated for the Non-Trad of the Month honor by M. J. Giammaria, president of UNCW’s Non-Traditional Student Organization, who said “his generosity in time, support, enthusiasm and tenacity has been one of the many factors for the success of the NTSO. His usual response when he is asked to assist in something is ‘No problem.’”

Ernie is a 66-year-old geography major and history minor with a 3.75 GPA. Ernie transferred to UNCW from Cape Fear Community College, where he was named to the National Dean’s List, won the President’s Award in 2002, and became a member of Phi Theta Kappa, the International Honor Society of the Two-Year College. Now at UNCW, Ernie is the very active vice president for the Non-Traditional Student Organization (NTSO). He has also been a member of the F&A Masons, an international fraternity and service organization, since 1960.

Ernie also served our country in the US Marine Corps. He was drafted in “Ike’s original 900” and served for almost 6 years. While in the Marines, he achieved the rank of Captain.

Before coming to Wilmington, Ernie lived and worked in Detroit, Michigan, where he retired from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 58 in 1996. He held positions such as electrical foreman, general foreman, and electrical outage superintendent at several GE nuclear generating plants. Ernie was also field superintendent at several oil refineries, steel mills and auto plants and also project manager/ purchasing agent for different electrical contractors at these facilities.

Ernie and his wife, Judy, came to Wilmington in the winter of 1982 to visit a friend. “Judy and I came back several times and fell in love with the place. We bought a house here, with the idea that it would be a great place to retire.”

After retirement, Ernie took several refresher courses at Cape Fear Community College and then transferred to UNCW in the spring of 2003. He attends UNCW to “keep busy and active.” Ernie said that he wanted to be able to do something besides “just get old” when he retired.

Ernie feels that his biggest challenge has been learning how to use the electronic library. He misses the old card catalogs! He feels that his greatest achievement has been “learning to overcome feelings of being alone, feelings that no other student is having the same difficulty as I am, and realizing that we are all in the same boat.”

When asked about the individuals and/or departments that have been especially responsive to his needs as a non-trad, Ernie had several people to thank. “Kimberly Goerne with the registrar’s office has also been very helpful to me and other non-trads when returning to school. And all of the Library staff who help me at the library almost every day. I would like also like to thank Dana McKoy and Lynetta Karlson for introducing me to the NTSO and for their help in getting the organization up and running. And thanks to M.J. Giammaria and Rene Lewis for their friendship and support along with the other officers and members of the NTSO. The final person I would like to recognize is my best friend and confidant, my wife, Judith Francisco.”

His advice for other non-traditional students is “become active in an organization, be part of the university scene. Change the attitude of the college to be more attuned to the non-trad student.” Great advice Ernie!

After graduation…wait, Ernie doesn’t plan to graduate. He is going to become a professional student! He says he plans to graduate when he can no longer make it to school!

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The Seahawk Perch congratulates Ernie Kniffen as our February 2005 Non-Trad of the Month!