Like Father, Like Daughter
Like Father, Like Daughter
MOUNT OLIVE – For most students, college is a leap into the unknown; new people, new places, and a new way of life. But for Samantha Futrelle, it is a little closer to home and to heart.
Samantha is a Mount Olive native, living only fifteen minutes from the campus, and is a commuting freshman at University of Mount Olive this year. Hoping to major in healthcare management, she found the combination of location, education, and values the perfect match for her. What makes her choice to attend MOC more special is the fact she is following in the footsteps of her father, George, who graduated from the College in 2004. Just because she won’t be far from home, doesn’t mean she isn’t stepping outside of her comfort zone.
“I am a shy person and I do not easily talk to people I do not know. However, I hope that maybe University of Mount Olive will allow me to get out of my comfort zone and make new friends,” she said.
Samantha, a Southern Wayne High School graduate, was drawn to MOC by its close proximity to her home and the reputation she associated with it through her father.
“My daddy encouraged me to go to MOC. I am sure he has done it for two reasons: because it is a great college and because he wants to keep me close by,” she smiled. “However, both my parents told me to make my own choice, taking into consideration what would ultimately make me happy.”
Another factor connecting the father and daughter to University of Mount Olive is the Christian values woven into the school. George serves as the pastor of Daly’s Original Free Will Baptist Church, near Seven Springs. Since MOC is founded by the Original Free Will Baptist Church, the Futrelles have spent a lot of time on the campus for Sunday afternoon lunches, ministry conventions, ballgames, and youth events. “The Christian values of the school is another aspect that really won me over,” she said.
Luckily for George and his wife, Renee, they won’t have to face the dreaded empty nest that so many parents must endure when they send their children off to college. But even if it had been so, George would have rested easily in the firsthand knowledge that MOC is a great place to nurture and grow for young people. When he attended MOC back in the early 2000’s, he was working full time, and helping to raise a young family. He found the small class size allowed for great benefits, and also helped to create lasting relationships with those surrounding him; just one of the reasons that his daughter decided to follow him into life as a Trojan.
“I have told Samantha that she will enjoy the overall atmosphere of the beautiful campus and the friendly faculty and staff. I have also told her how nice the smaller class sizes are, which fosters the ability to develop lasting relationships.”
University of Mount Olive is a private institution rooted in the liberal arts tradition with defining Christian values. The College, sponsored by the Convention of Original Free Will Baptists, has locations in Mount Olive, New Bern, Wilmington, Goldsboro, Research Triangle Park, Washington and Jacksonville. For more information, visit www.moc.edu.