Mars Hill University

Updated on Nov 11, 2023

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Type Private Endowment $50 million Students 1,444 Acceptance rate 62.1% (2014) Phone +1 828-689-1307 Colors Royal blue, Gold		Established 1856 President Dr. Dan G. Lunsford Undergraduate tuition and fees 27,590 USD (2015) Mascot Mountain Lion Graduation rate 37.5% (2014)

Motto Pro Christo Adolescentibusque "For Christ and For Youth" Address 100 Athletic St, Mars Hill, NC 28754, USA Notable alumni Gene Roberts, Dan Locklair, Archie Campbell, Wayne Oates, David Price Similar Lenoir–Rhyne University, Tusculum College, Wingate University, Catawba College, Carson–Newman University Profiles Facebook Twitter

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Mars Hill University is a private, coed, liberal arts university. The university is located in the town of Mars Hill, North Carolina, United States, 15 miles (24 km) north of Asheville. The university is part of the Asheville metropolitan area. From 1859 to 2013 the school was called Mars Hill College; in August 2013 it officially changed its name to Mars Hill University.

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History

Mars Hill University was founded in 1856, and it is the oldest college or university in western North Carolina. It started as the French Broad Baptist Institute, sharing a name with the nearby French Broad River. In 1859, the university changed its name to Mars Hill, in honor of the hill in ancient Athens on which the Apostle Paul debated Christianity with the city's leading philosophers. During the American Civil War the university was closed for two years, but it reopened after the war. From 1897 to 1938 the university, under the leadership of Dr. Robert Moore, enjoyed substantial financial and physical growth. In 1921 Mars Hill became an accredited junior college. Dr. Hoyt Blackwell served as president from 1938 to 1966, and under his leadership Mars Hill became an accredited four-year college in 1962. From 1966-1996 Dr. Fred Bentley served as the college's president. Dr. Bentley was, at the time of his appointment in 1966, the youngest college president in the United States. Dr. Dan Lunsford, a 1969 graduate of Mars Hill, is currently the university's president; he holds a doctorate in education, Ed.D, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Under Dr. Lunsford, Mars Hill University has constructed a new dormitory, a new health sciences building to house its new nursing program, a new classroom building to house the business department (the most popular major on campus), completely renovated and greatly expanded the math and sciences classroom building, greatly upgraded its athletic facilities, tripled its endowment, seen an increase in student enrollment, and started a graduate school in education. Mars Hill is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), and the university is a member of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, Council of Independent Colleges, and the Appalachian College Association.

Mars Hill University today

The university's enrollment is typically around 1,200 traditional students, and more than 200 students in its nontraditional degree program. In its annual survey of "America's Best Colleges," U.S. News and World Report ranks Mars Hill among the South's Top 20 Regional Colleges. U.S. News also rates Mars Hill as one of the Top 10 "Best Colleges for Veterans" in the South, based on its participation in "federal initiatives helping veterans and active-duty service members pay for their degrees." In 2012 and 2014 Mars Hill also ranked among the Top 20 baccalaureate colleges (out of 100 surveyed) in Washington Monthly's annual survey of the nations' best colleges. In 2015 Washington Monthly ranked Mars Hill 23rd nationally out of 344 baccalaureate colleges surveyed; in 2016 it ranked 24th nationally out of 230 baccalaureate colleges surveyed. Mars Hill has been named to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll five times since the award's inception in 2006, including twice "with distinction" for general community service.

The university offers seven degrees (Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Social Work, and Master of Education), and 34 majors. In May 2013 the university awarded its first M.Ed degrees. In August 2016 the university opened its new Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. The most popular majors are in the fields of business administration and management, education, social work, physical education teaching and coaching, and general psychology. The university is also known for its excellent departments in music and other fine arts. In 1932 Lamar Stringfield, a Mars Hill alumnus, formed the North Carolina Symphony, the first state-supported orchestra in the nation. The "Bailey Mountain Cloggers," the university's dance team, have won 23 national championships in clogging, and they have performed all over the United States and internationally in Canada, Mexico, England, Scotland, Ireland, Austria, France, Greece, Poland, and the Czech Republic. In 2002 the university opened the Ramsey Center for Regional Studies. Named after an alumnus who served a record four terms as the Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives, the center is dedicated to preserving the heritage and culture of the people of the Southern Appalachian Mountains.

The university has a scenic 194-acre (0.8 km²) campus; most of the dormitories are located atop two hills, named "men's hill" and "women's hill". The main campus is located in a small valley between the two hills. The university is surrounded by the Appalachian Mountains; from various points on campus, it is possible to see Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi River. Bailey Mountain (nicknamed "Old Bailey") is located less than a mile (1.5 km) from campus and is a local landmark. The college yearbook is called the Laurel, the college literary magazine is the Cadenza, and the college newspaper is The Hilltop.

In 2008, Mars Hill gained autonomy from the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina when the state convention voted to eliminate the requirement that it have final approval over who could serve as trustees for the school; this ruling allows the university to choose non-Baptists as trustees. The state convention also agreed to start transferring funds traditionally given directly to the university into a new scholarship fund for Baptist students. The move was made in conjunction with the four other remaining N.C. Baptist Colleges - Gardner-Webb University, Campbell University, Wingate University, and Chowan University. The university, while acknowledging its Baptist roots, is no longer directly associated with any Baptist church or organization, but proclaims in its mission statement that it "is an academic community rooted in the Christian faith", and that the university is "committed to an emphasis on service and Christian ethics."

Athletics

The university is a Division II member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and it is also a member of the South Atlantic Conference. Mars Hill's sports mascot is the mountain lion; the university's colors are royal blue and gold. In May 2011 the cycling team won the USA Cycling Collegiate Division II national championship; in 2012 they finished in second place. In May 2015 the Mars Hill cycling team finished the season ranked in first place nationally among Division II teams.

In December 2011, Mars Hill running back Jonas Randolph won the prestigious Harlon Hill Trophy, which is given each year to the best player in NCAA Division II football. The men's cross country team have also been highly successful over the last two decades; from 1997 to 2014 they won 18 straight conference championships; in 2016 they won their 19th conference championship. In 2014 the men's cross country team won the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional championship and advanced to the Division II national championship meet, and in 2015 they finished in second place in the Division II Southeast Regional championship and advanced to the Division II national meet.

Notable alumni

John S. Battle, (1890 - 1972), Governor of Virginia from 1950 to 1954, served on President Dwight D. Eisenhower's Civil Rights Commission. Attended Mars Hill when it was a junior college, later earned a law degree from the University of Virginia.

William L. Brown, (1922 - 2005), President and CEO of the Bank of Boston from 1971 - 1989. Doubled the bank's assets from $18 billion to $36 billion before his retirement.

Archie Campbell (1914 – 1987) was an American comedian, writer, and star of Hee Haw, a popular, long-running country-flavored network television variety show. He was also a recording artist with several hits on the RCA label in the 1960s.

Mike Houston, (born 1971), head football coach at James Madison University. In 2016, he coached James Madison to the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) National Championship with a 14-1 record. He was also named the American Football Coaches Association National Coach of the Year in 2016. At Mars Hill, he was a tight end on the football team.

Woodrow W. Jones, (1914 - 2002), United States Congressman from North Carolina from 1950 to 1957. Served as the Chairman of North Carolina's Democratic Party Executive Committee; was appointed by President Lyndon Johnson as the judge for the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina in 1968. He served as a federal district judge until his retirement in 1985.

Brent B. Kincaid (born 1931), retired President and CEO of Broyhill Furniture Industries.

Dr. Dan Locklair (born 1949), Professor of Music and Composer-in-Residence at Wake Forest University, internationally-known composer who has won awards from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. His work "The Peace May Be Exchanged" was performed at the funeral service for President Ronald Reagan at the Washington National Cathedral in June 2004.

Graham Martin, (1912 - 1990), Foreign Service Officer, U.S. Ambassador to Thailand (1963-1969); U.S. Ambassador to Italy (1969-1973); last U.S. Ambassador to South Vietnam (1973-1975). He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Dr. Wayne Oates (1917 - 1999), psychologist and minister at the University of Louisville medical school who fused psychology and theology to create many of the practices used in modern pastoral counseling. He is also credited with coining the word "workaholic".

Dr. Kenneth E. Peacock (born 1948), Chancellor of Appalachian State University from 2004 to 2014.

Becca Pizzi (born 1980), first American woman to complete and win the World Marathon Challenge. The event involves completing seven full 26.2-mile marathons on seven continents in seven days. She also broke the female record for the challenge, completing all seven marathons in 6 days, 18 hours, and 38 minutes.

Erwin Potts (born 1933), President and CEO of the McClatchy Company, the second-largest newspaper chain in the United States. Became president of the company in 1989 and was CEO from 1996 until his retirement in 2001. The company owns 30 daily newspapers in 15 states.

Dr. David Price (born 1940), United States Congressman from North Carolina's Fourth District from 1987-1995 and 1997 to the present. After graduating from Mars Hill, he earned divinity and doctoral degrees from Yale University and taught political science at Duke University.

Dr. H. Dean Propst (born 1934), Chancellor Emeritus of the University System of Georgia; holds a doctorate in education from Vanderbilt University.

Liston B. Ramsey (1919 - 2001), North Carolina state legislator who served 19 terms in the state assembly. He was elected Speaker of the State House of Representatives four times in the 1980s, and was the first legislator in the state's history to have been elected to the Speaker's office for four terms.

Jonas Randolph (born 1990), winner of the 2011 Harlon Hill Trophy, the NCAA Division II equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. As a running back for the Mars Hill football team he gained 5,608 yards from 2008-2011, a school and South Atlantic Conference record.

Eugene L. Roberts, Jr., (born 1932), National Editor of The New York Times from 1969 - 1972; Executive Editor of The Philadelphia Inquirer from 1972 - 1990; Managing Editor of The New York Times from 1990 - 1997. In 2007, he won the Pulitzer Prize in history for his book The Race Beat: The Press, the Civil Rights Struggle, and the Awakening of a Nation.

Lacy Thornburg (born 1929), North Carolina State Attorney General from 1985 - 1993; United States Federal District Judge for Western North Carolina, 1995-2009.

References

Mars Hill University Wikipedia

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