Teresa Hines to head UMO advancement team
By From staff reports
Published in News on August 21, 2016 1:45 AM
Teresa Hines
MOUNT OLIVE -- Teresa Hines of Mount Olive has been appointed interim vice president for institutional advancement at the University of Mount Olive.
Her responsibilities will include providing leadership and direction in all the advancement efforts of the university, including development, alumni relations, church relations, capital campaigns, planned giving, and public relations.
Mrs. Hines will replace Jimmy Williams, who was recruited out of retirement to lead fundraising efforts in institutional advancement for the track/lacrosse complex.
"Jimmy and his institutional advancement colleagues have been very successful in this endeavor, which is very visible over by the eastern entrance to campus off Henderson Street," President Philip P. Kerstetter said. "Jimmy has now expressed his desire to step back from his leadership role and responsibilities in institutional advancement."
According to Kerstetter, Williams will continue working part time in institutional advancement to finalize some of the initiatives he has started and to be of assistance to Mrs. Hines as she transitions into her new role, Kerstetter.
"I applaud Jimmy for all of the exceptional work that he has done on behalf of UMO, and I am excited about Teresa stepping up to this new role and responsibility." he said. "I am confident that she will continue to be a tremendous asset to UMO."
Mrs. Hines' history with the institution dates back to her childhood when she attended Mount Olive College dinners as a member of Holly Springs Original Free Will Baptist Church in Newport.
After high school, Mrs. Hines enrolled at Mount Olive College to obtain her two-year degree.
"Part of my passion for our university is that I am a direct product of the generosity of others who came before me," she said. "My father died when I was 16, and I didn't have the money to attend college.
"Mount Olive College told me to come and they'd find a way. The financial assistance they provided through scholarships and by working outside jobs made it possible for me to obtain a two-year degree."
When Mount Olive College made the leap to a four-year institution, Mrs. Hines signed up. She was a member of the first four-year graduating class in 1986.
Mrs. Hines has been employed in the banking industry for much of her career, having served most recently as vice president with The Little Bank in Goldsboro.
She began working at the university in 2014 as director of planned giving.
"It seemed natural after I left the banking industry to join UMO, because I have a deep and abiding love for our university, and I owe it a debt of gratitude," she said, "I know first-hand how the university can change lives and help students pursue their life's dreams."
In her new role, Mrs. Hines said she feels the most important aspect of advancement is communication.
"I have found that most people want to do good by others and for others," she said. "However, at the same time, they want to feel that what they are doing is making a difference. Many times donors are simply not aware of a particular need or they might want their gift to be used for a personal passion.
"It is up to me and my colleagues to share the vision of what the University of Mount Olive is, the changes we make in our student's lives, and the impact we have on North Carolina. Do we want people to give? Yes, of course we do, but we want them to give and feel good about it afterwards. It's up to us to build those relationships with our donors so they know of their importance as individuals and share with them first-hand the difference their gifts are making."
Mrs. Hines is married to David Hines, the university's vice president for academic affairs.
They met at Mount Olive College in 1978 and have been married for 36 years. They have one adult daughter, Ashley H. Rodriguez.
The University of Mount Olive is a private institution rooted in the liberal arts tradition with defining Christian values.
The university, sponsored by the Convention of Original Free Will Baptists, has locations in Mount Olive, New Bern, Wilmington, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Research Triangle Park, Washington, Jacksonville, and in Smithfield at Johnston Community College.
For more information, visit www.umo.edu.