University of Mount Olive to welcome new students August 18

MOUNT OLIVE – The University of Mount Olive campus will soon welcome new and returning traditional students to campus. New students move-in on August 18 and returning students will arrive on August 20. Traditional classes are set to begin on Monday, August 21.

“We are eager to see our campus filled with the excitement and energy that our students provide,” said UMO President Dr. H. Edward Croom.

The vast majority of this year’s freshmen class hail from 48 of North Carolina’s 100 counties. However, students from all over the world have chosen UMO as their college of choice. Students from 20 states, other than NC, and 14 countries will make the trek to Pickle Town this year to pursue their collegiate studies.

How do students from around the world end up in rural Wayne County to attend college? Vice President for Enrollment Tim Woodard said, “Students talk,” he said. “Word of mouth and social media are two of our best recruiting tools. Our personal attention, small class sizes, beautiful campus, award winning athletics, and Christian values are all attributes that appeal to students.”

That word of mouth is especially prevalent within the University’s Athletics Department. “About 52% of UMO’s entire traditional student body are considered student-athletes,” said Director of Admissions Nicole Balsamello. “Our award winning athletics programs are a big draw for students looking to take their skills and talents to the next level. Students hear about our successes from other students and they want to see what we are all about.”

“Interestingly enough, two sets of twins and six siblings are joining the Trojan nation this year,” Balsamello said.

Academically the incoming class has a wide variety of curriculum preferences. While a large number of freshmen are undecided about their major, many have designated their fields of study in areas such as business management, pre-nursing, recreation and leisure studies, agriculture education, agribusiness, and psychology, among others

According to Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Dan Sullivan, about 60% of UMO’s traditional students are residential students, bringing considerable revenue to the local economy.
Mount Olive Major Kenny Talton said, “Our local businesses are always happy to welcome UMO students back to town. They shop in our stores, frequent our restaurants, attend our churches, and add much-needed boost to our overall economy.”

The University of Mount Olive is a private institution rooted in the liberal arts tradition with defining Christian values. The University is sponsored by the Convention of Original Free Will Baptists.  For more information, visit www.umo.edu.