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OpinionDecember 7, 2018

Jay Knudtson has been a park board member, mayor, Southeast Missouri State regent, professional hockey referee and successful businessman. Next weekend he'll add college graduate to the list. The man, who has many political and professionall accomplishments, dropped out of college during his sophomore year...

Jay Knudtson holds his graduation cap proudly in the bullpen of the Rust Center for Media Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018, in Cape Girardeau.
Jay Knudtson holds his graduation cap proudly in the bullpen of the Rust Center for Media Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018, in Cape Girardeau.Kassi Jackson ~ Southeast Missourian

Jay Knudtson has been a park board member, mayor, Southeast Missouri State regent, professional hockey referee and successful businessman. Next weekend he'll add college graduate to the list.

The man, who has many political and professionall accomplishments, dropped out of college during his sophomore year.

He attended the University of Minnesota on a baseball scholarship, but a shoulder injury ended his baseball career and scholarship.

"They probably looked at my performance on the field and my performance in the classroom ... and probably thought this is a guy who hasn't held up his end of the bargain on either one," Knudtson shared with me. "'And so we're going to take his scholarship.' That was a crushing blow."

Leaving academics in the dust, he went straight into the retail workforce followed by becoming a hockey referee at a competitive level. He was likely within a year of joining the National Hockey League as a referee.

"I got to a point where I didn't have the financial means to keep doing that," Knudtson said. "It was a wonderful experience, but there was no stability with it."

An opportunity came with Fleet Mortgage Corp in Minneapolis. They transferred him to Cape Girardeau to start a new office and his career was launched. Later he was hired by Jim Limbaugh to join Boatman's Bank. Many local executives received their start with Boatmen's, forming a "dream team" of bankers.

Jay Knudtson holds his graduation cap in the bullpen of the Rust Center for Media Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018, in Cape Girardeau.
Jay Knudtson holds his graduation cap in the bullpen of the Rust Center for Media Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018, in Cape Girardeau.Kassi Jackson ~ Southeast Missourian

"I've always said that being a part of the Boatmen's team and meeting my wife here, who is a local, were probably the two biggest things that allowed me to have success in both the business and political arena," he said.

He married Cindy Cantrell and their son Gunnar was born in 1993.

In 2002 Knudtson helped found First Missouri State Bank with his friend Steve Taylor, the bank's president and chief executive officer. But even with professional success, he couldn't escape a festering feeling that he lacked a college degree.

Knudtson's career path continued its ascension. He was elected mayor and was one of the more well-known figures in town.

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A Southeast Missourian news story, which printed 25 years ago this past week, reported that Knudtson graduated from the University of Minnesota. It was part of a story announcing his candidacy for city council. Knudtson told the reporter that he attended the university. That was true. But the interpretation by the newspaper was that he graduated. Knudtson had a sinking feeling and knew he had to set the record straight.

"It's those feelings... where it really began to fester and it really became something that was painful. Because that was a hard phone call to make [to the newspaper reporter], but it was the right one to make. I was thinking, 'I wish I didn't have to make it...why didn't you do what you set out to do and you wouldn't have to make that call?'"

Going back to school is not an easy decision when you have a family and full-time job. And the lack of a college degree wasn't preventing him from anything.

"There was a window where with hard work and relationships, you could overcome that [lack of a degree]. I think that window's pretty much been closed today in many ways," he said.

While speaking a few years ago to a Southeast class on personal finance taught by Dr. Mary Ann Kellerman, a student asked what his degree was in, to which he admitted he did not finish school. The pride in his success, as significant as it was, dissipated. He didn't want students to think they, too, could drop out and have the same opportunity.

As his son Gunnar was growing up it was a non-negotiable that he would graduate college. The younger Knudtson graduated from Ole Miss in 2015. After conversations with university president Dr. Carlos Vargas, Knudtson made the decision to finish his degree and began the necessary paperwork to go back to school. In the fall of 2016, Jay Knudtson, the Southeast Regents president at the time, became Jay Knudtson the student.

His 80 hours from Minnesota transferred to Southeast and Knudtson spent two-and-a-half years working toward his bachelor's degree in general studies. Six credit hours in the fall and spring and more during the summer and winter sessions.

Most nights after work he grabbed some water or iced tea and hit the books. Other nights it was classroom instruction. Sunday afternoons he was back in the office to study -- even on the beautiful days where golf was a temptation. It was about 15 hours each week of school work on top of bank work, community engagement and home responsibilities.

Meanwhile he continued as the president of the board of regents. Along with the university president, the Regent president signs diplomas. Knudtson thought it would be fun, albeit somewhat selfish, to sign his own diploma. He later decided to defer the position as president to his friend Donald LaFerla, whom he would nominate.

Knudtson has plenty of "bling" on his graduation cap. "A degree matters" appears on the top. It's part of the message he wants to send to his fellow classmates and those sitting on the sidelines but thinking about doing the same thing. He uses the phrase "Control the controllables." While we can't change everthing, he said, focusing on the things we can change can make a difference.

"At every commencement address someone...will ask first generation college graduates to stand up," he said. "And at some point someone will ask all the SEMO graduates to stand. And after six years of sitting on the stage, flanked by five regents who stand up; I'll finally get to stand up."

At 55 years old with professional and political success already achieved, a college degree might not make Jay Knudtson more money or win him another election. But he has it. That was a controllable. It's something he can say he earned and finished. That festering feeling has healed. Maybe it inspires others. To that end, yes, his degree matters.

Lucas Presson is assistant publisher of the Southeast Missourian.

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