Early history and founding

The university's roots and educational philosophy can be traced as early as 1897 when Free Will Baptists in Pitt County, North Carolina, citing a growing need for education in the community, led a discourse on education within the church. These efforts ultimately resulted in the founding of the Free Will Baptist Theological Seminary and its successor institution, Eureka College, both in Ayden, North Carolina, to educate ministers and provide a liberal arts education to the local constituency. After a catastrophic fire destroyed the administration building in 1931, Eureka College ceased operations, and the Free Will Baptist church's efforts to fulfill its educational vision were reinvested in the founding of what is today the University of Mount Olive.^[6][7]

Cragmont Assembly, Black Mountain, North Carolina, location of the college's campus from 1952 to 1953.

From its inception as a junior college, the University of Mount Olive has been sponsored by the Original Free Will Baptist Convention. The institution was chartered in 1951 and opened in 1952 at Cragmont Assembly, the Free Will Baptist summer retreat grounds near Black Mountain, North Carolina, under the direction of the Reverend Lloyd Vernon. The school was originally called Mount Allen Junior College, taking its name from the mountain near Cragmont.

1953–1970

In September 1953, the college moved to Mount Olive, North Carolina, nearer the center of denominational strength in the eastern region of the state. Under the leadership of the Reverend David W. Hansley, chairman of the board of directors, plans were made to develop a junior college offering programs in arts and sciences and business. The Reverend W. Burkette Raper was elected president in the summer of 1954, and in September the college began its first collegiate year with an enrollment of twenty-two students.

First campus building in Mount Olive, North Carolina.

In 1956, the name "Mount Allen Junior College" was changed to "Mount Olive Junior College". In that same year, plans were launched for an enlarged campus which today consists of 250 acres. In September 1970, the college's name was officially changed to Mount Olive College.

1971–1990

In 1975, the college began an educational program in Goldsboro, North Carolina at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. Two years later, the Original Free Will Baptist Convention requested that the board of trustees of Mount Olive College work aggressively toward making the college a four-year institution. The 1979 session of the convention endorsed the projected timetable set by the college's board of trustees to add the junior year in 1984 and the senior year in 1985.

In 1986, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges accredited Mount Olive College as a four-year institution to award associate and baccalaureate degrees.

Aerial view comparisons of the main campus (Top to Bottom: circa 1980, 2012)

1991–2008

In the fall of 1994, the transfer of all operations to the main campus was complete and the original downtown campus was sold. In addition to the satellite campuses at New Bern and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, the college expanded operations to reach non-traditional students at four other locations in North Carolina (Wilmington, Research Triangle Park, Washington, and Smithfield).

In January 1995, the board of trustees selected J. William Byrd as the third president. Byrd assumed the duties of the office on January 31 and was inaugurated on September 30.

2008-present

In July 2009, an additional location was opened in Jacksonville, North Carolina in 2009, and academic delivery of some of the college's programs became available online in 2012. The same month, Philip P. Kerstetter, became the college's fourth president. Two years later, Mount Olive College officially changed its name to the University of Mount Olive.

In July 2018, David L. Poole became the university's fifth president. He was succeeded in 2020 by H. Edward Croom who was named the university's interim president.^[8] Later that year, the board named him the sixth president of the university.

Presidents

University presidents include:^[9][10][11]

Academia

• Nido Qubein '66 – motivational speaker and president of High Point University

Business

• Kenney Moore '83 – founder and chief executive officer of Hwy 55 Burgers Shakes & Fries^[19]
• Robert L. Tillman '62 – chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Lowe's Companies, Inc.^{[20][21][22][23]}

Sports

• Carter Capps '11 – MLB pitcher
• Jo Kurino '02 – professional basketball player and coach
• Tom Layne '07 – MLB pitcher
• Justin Melton '09 – professional basketball player
• Steve Mintz '90 – MLB pitcher
• Mike Moore '16 – professional basketball player
• Kodi Whitley – MLB pitcher
• Bruce Zimmermann '17 – MLB pitcher