About UMO

Vision, Mission, Values & Covenant

Our commitment to intellectual, spiritual, and personal growth — grounded in Christian values and a tradition of excellence since 1951.

Vision

The University of Mount Olive will be a nationally recognized, regionally prominent institution that integrates Christian virtues into learning, leadership, and service for the cultivation of graduates who lead impactful lives to navigate an ever-changing world.

Mission

The University of Mount Olive is a faith-based educational institution committed to creating nurturing, student-centric experiences that promote sustainable opportunities for intellectual, spiritual, and personal growth.

Values

The following core values are fundamental to achieving our vision and mission and are articulated in our University Covenant:

Honesty & Trustworthiness Telling the truth fully and keeping commitments faithfully
Justice & Courage Acting fairly and standing for what is right, even at personal cost
Responsibility & Gratitude Owning our actions fully and acknowledging the support of others
Caring & Respect Meeting others' needs with sensitivity and behaving with dignity
University Covenant

The University of Mount Olive, its board of trustees, administration, faculty, staff and students are committed to integrating a chosen set of virtues into all aspects of the University. These virtues illustrate what the University considers appropriate and necessary for fostering the development of a healthy, safe, and caring university community.

Established by the Original Free Will Baptist Church, the University of Mount Olive calls for each person in this community to demonstrate the virtues modeled by Jesus Christ who taught that the demands of the gospel could be summarized in one word: love…

“Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart…soul…mind and…strength; love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”

— Mark 12:30–31

The New Testament word for love is agape — sacrificial love and the desire for the highest well-being of other persons. This kind of love provides the conceptual framework for the virtues that persons in this community are called to manifest.

Honesty & Trustworthiness

People who are honest tell the whole truth to people who have the right to know the truth, which includes telling the truth about issues that people may be unaware of but which directly affect them. They do not shade the truth, withhold parts of the truth, or remain silent when others are misrepresenting it. People who are trustworthy keep promises, commitments, and confidences, and are steadfast in their honesty, support, and loyalty.

Justice & Courage

People who are just are fair in their interaction with others, treating them in ways that they themselves expect to be treated, and are advocates for those who are not being treated justly. They do not place others at a disadvantage by harassing, intimidating, cheating, or in any way depriving others of their rights to free speech, privacy, equal opportunity, and due process. Courageous people have a moral compass which they carry in all situations and follow it even when it costs them dearly.

Responsibility & Gratitude

People who are responsible accept full accountability for all of their behavior, including mistakes and wrongdoing, and do all in their power to undo any harm their behaviors have caused. They do not shirk accountability by making excuses, blaming others, or diminishing the gravity of their mistakes. People who have gratitude acknowledge the help and support they receive from others and demonstrate their thankfulness in clear and meaningful ways.

Caring & Respect

Caring people are sensitive to the material, psychological, and spiritual needs of others, and are willing to make sacrifices to help others meet those needs. They do not assume a self-centered attitude that frees them to concentrate only on their own welfare. People who are respectful behave in a way that is appropriate for their environment — including physical location, people, and situation — and they are good stewards of our community.

The board of trustees, administration, faculty, staff, and students at the University of Mount Olive recognize the importance of Christian values and high standards of education. While people come to this university from many backgrounds, each person who chooses to be a part of this community is expected to strive for these high standards.

The University of Mount Olive prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, sex, genetic information, or age in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, financial aid, employment, or any other institution program or activity.