UMO Senior Inspired by Career and Family
UMO Senior Inspired by Career and Family
WILMINGTON- Wilmington native, Edward Carter, looks forward to graduation in August of 2016. Carter is a non-traditional student who enrolled at the University of Mount Olive (UMO) Wilmington location in the fall of 2013. On August 27, he will earn a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice/criminology.
Carter graduated from New Hanover High School in 1988. As the fourth in a family of nine children, he did not believe college was financially an option that he could afford. So, he went directly into the workforce. His interest was public safety, so he took a job with the New Hanover EMS. Carter also volunteered with the local fire departments and the Wilmington Police Department.
In 1991, Carter joined the United States Air Force and became a “Gulf War Veteran.” After four years of service, he returned home and joined the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office and EMS agencies. Through hard work and perseverance, Carter became a lead fraud and fire-arson investigator with the office. It is a position he has held for over 18 years.
After working as a law enforcement officer for years, Carter decided it was time to return to school. “When I first started, over 20 years ago, the only people in my field who needed degrees were chiefs and executives. Now, a college degree is essential for even entry level work,” stated Carter. “I researched the options available and discovered that the University of Mount Olive was the best place for me to advance my education and career goals in law enforcement and public safety.”
Carter began his college journey in one of the busiest times of his life. He had just become a new dad and both he and his wife were working full time. It became a careful balancing act juggling work, school, and family life. Many nights it seemed that he was burning the candle at both ends. But now, at the age of 46, he can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and he believes it has all been worth the effort.
“I have gained a sense of accomplishment by completing my education,” he said. “I have also found a new sense of self-worth and renewed respect from my friends and peers. I am also proud that my daughter will now have two college-educated parents.”
Carter resides in Supply, NC with his wife, Laura, and daughter, Mary Grace. He attends Shallotte Presbyterian Church. He is also a Mason and a member of several professional associations. In addition he is an adjunct instructor at Brunswick Community College.
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 old.umo.edu.