University of Mount Olive to Celebrate Founders Day
University of Mount Olive to Celebrate Founders Day
MOUNT OLIVE – The University of Mount Olive (UMO) will celebrate 63 years of Christian higher education at its annual Founders Day event on Tuesday, November 18, at 11 AM in Southern Bank Auditorium. The Founders Leadership Award will be presented during the event. Employees celebrating continued years of service at the University will also be recognized during the celebration. The Reverend Almond (Al) Warrick will deliver the keynote address.
Warrick, a Johnston County native, attained his A.S. degree from Mount Olive Junior College (now the University of Mount Olive) in 1969. He then finished his undergraduate studies at Atlantic Christian College (now Barton College) with a B.S. in education and then finished his M.A. in education at East Carolina University. Warwick returned to Mount Olive in the early 80s to coach the Trojan basketball and softball teams, during which time he was named NJCAA Region 10 Coach of the year in 1983 and 1984. After serving a year in the Resource Development Office, Warrick became dean of students, a post that he held for four years.
Warrick left Mount Olive to become the director of the College Foundation at Johnston Community College in his hometown of Smithfield in 1993 and served also as the dean of Vocational and Technology Programs. In 2000 he was named the dean of College Advancement and executive director of the Foundation where his department won a commendation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools as a department of distinction. In 2005, Al was awarded the Distinguished Service Award and Lifetime membership into the North Carolina Council of Officers for Resource Development for his service and leadership in that organization.
During his work at JCC, Warrick began pastoring as a bi-vocational minister and served Palmer Memorial OFWB in Garner from 1996-1999. He later served his home church, Johnston Union OFWB from 2001-2004. Warrick began at Micro OFWB as the interim pastor in November, 2014, and upon retiring from the Community College System, began full-time ministerial duties at Micro in June of 2005 where he still works.
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.