University of Mount Olive freshmen move in, join Trojan Nation
By From staff reports
Published in News on August 21, 2018 5:50 AM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Ashley Byrd of Pink Hill smiles as she moves into a dorm at the University of Mount Olive Saturday. Ashley will be majoring in elementary education. Also pictured are her parents, Delores and Randy.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Dan Vollert and Michael Grady lift a cart up the stairs while helping University of Mount Olive students move into the dorm Saturday.
MOUNT OLIVE -- There was a flurry of activity over the weekend at the University of Mount Olive as more than 265 new freshmen arrived on campus for move-in day.
This year's freshman class is evenly distributed with 50 percent male and 50 percent female, said Dr. Barbara Kornegay, university vice president for enrollment.
"Seventy-nine of the class of 2021 students are first-generation college attendees," she said.
In addition to freshmen, about 95 or more new transfer students have enrolled, swelling the UMO undergraduate traditional population to more than 1,030.
Nearly 60 percent of those students will reside on campus.
Thanks to the addition of one new residential housing unit in Kerstetter Commons, this will be the first year in a long time that a housing shortage does not seem to be an issue for the university.
"Our campus housing continues to be an excellent option for students, and we now boast some of the most competitive facilities in the state," said Dr. W. Dan Sullivan Jr., vice president for student affairs.
Over the last few years, the university has spent considerable resources to renovate its more traditional halls while continuing to expand on apartment-style facilities with expanded amenities for upper-class students, he said.
"This continues to be a high priority for the university as we attract more students from out of state and internationally," Sullivan said.
While the majority of UMO students still hail from North Carolina, the number of out-of-state students accounts for 27 percent of the overall traditional student population.
At least 45 new international students will call Mount Olive home this year. Many of those will be student athletes.
"Due to the variety of academic programs and the many athletic opportunities for students at UMO, we continue to attract a broad range of new students from North Carolina, out of state and from abroad," Kornegay said.
"We have an outstanding group of new freshman students who are ready to begin studies in their respective fields," said university President Dr. David L. Poole.
"During freshman orientation activities, it's clear that this group has a heart for service and will be a solid addition to UMO and the broader Mount Olive community. This is an exciting time in the life of the university and a great year to be part of the Trojan Nation."
Classes for traditional students at the university started today.
In addition to its traditional program, the university continues to expand its educational opportunities at its other educational centers throughout the region for nontraditional students using its one-night-a-week degree program format.
The university also has seen significant growth in its online degree programs for nontraditional and graduate students.