The University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNCP or UNC Pembroke) is a

public university A public university or public college is a university or college that is in owned by the state or receives significant public funds through a national or subnational government, as opposed to a private university. Whether a national universi ...

Pembroke, North Carolina Pembroke is a town in Robeson County, North Carolina, United States. It is about 90 miles inland and northwest from the Atlantic Coast. The population was 2,973, at the 2010 census. The town is the seat of the state-recognized Lumbee tribe of N ...

. UNC Pembroke is a master's level degree-granting university and part of the

University of North Carolina The University of North Carolina is the multi-campus public university system for the state of North Carolina. Overseeing the state's 16 public universities and the NC School of Science and Mathematics, it is commonly referred to as the UNC S ...

system. Its history is intertwined with that of the

Lumbee The Lumbee are a Native American people primarily centered in Robeson, Hoke, Cumberland and Scotland counties in North Carolina. They also live in surrounding states and Baltimore, Maryland. The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina is a state-rec ...

nation.

History

The educational institution that developed into UNC Pembroke has its origins in the circumstances of the post-Civil War South. This school was a part of the effort of the

Nation in North Carolina to preserve their unique identity. Access and authority over their own educational system were understood to be of key importance to retaining Lumbee culture, instilling a sense of pride, and improving the group's economic and social conditions. Croatan Normal School was created by the General Assembly on March 7, 1887, in response to a local petition, sponsored by North Carolina Representative Hamilton McMillian of Robeson County. This event occurred in the context of competition for support between the Democratic and Republican parties in North Carolina. Hamilton MacMillian's support for the school was connected to his personal interest and research on Native American history and culture. The school's initial name, Croatan Normal School, was selected in accordance with the debatable view that this tribe included descendants of the Outer Banks Lost Colony of

Sir Walter Raleigh Sir Walter Raleigh (; – 29 October 1618) was an English statesman, soldier, writer and explorer. One of the most notable figures of the Elizabethan era, he played a leading part in English colonisation of North America, suppressed rebelli ...

The normal school opened in the spring of 1888 with one teacher and 15 students with the goal of training American Indian public school teachers. Initially, enrollment was limited to the American Indians of Robeson County. In this period school enrollment was often quite limited among the general population. Funding by the state was patchy at best and there was a high level of illiteracy. The creation of a centralized training school for teachers was thought to be the best method of addressing this problem in the given circumstances. In 1909, the school moved to its present location, about a mile east of the original site. The name was changed in 1911 to the Indian Normal School of Robeson County, and again in 1913 to the Cherokee Indian Normal School of Robeson County, tracking the legislature's designation for the Indians of the county, who at one time claimed Cherokee descent. In 1926 the school became a two-year post-secondary

normal school A normal school or normal college is an institution created to train teachers by educating them in the norms of pedagogy and curriculum. In the 19th century in the United States, instruction in normal schools was at the high school level, turni ...

; until then it had provided only primary and secondary instruction. In 1939 it became a four-year institution, and in 1941 was renamed Pembroke State College for Indians. The next year, the school began to offer bachelor's degrees in disciplines other than teaching. In 1945 the college was opened to members of all federally recognized tribes. A change of name to Pembroke State College in 1949 presaged the admission of white students, which was approved in 1953 for up to forty percent of total enrollment. The '' Brown v. Board of Education'' ruling the following year by the United States Supreme Court ended race restrictions at the college. Between 1939 and 1953, Pembroke State was the only state-supported four-year college for Indians in the United States. In 1969 the college became Pembroke State University, a regional university that was incorporated into the

system in 1972. The first master's degree program was implemented in 1978. On July 1, 1996, Pembroke State University became The University of North Carolina at Pembroke. On March 14, 2012, UNC Pembroke began a 14-month celebration of its 125th anniversary, to conclude with the spring 2013 Commencement ceremonies in May 2013.

Campus

University of North Carolina at Pembroke water feature and amphitheatre

The university's campus is situated just north of Pembroke, located directly behind N.C. Highway 711. Interstate 74 is located just minutes from campus, as is

Interstate 95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the Canadia ...

. The center of campus is considered to be the Chavis University Center (often referred to as the University Center, or the UC). Students can

bowl A bowl is a typically round dish or container generally used for preparing, serving, or consuming food. The interior of a bowl is characteristically shaped like a spherical cap, with the edges and the bottom forming a seamless curve. This makes ...

, play pool and related games as well as socialize in the lounge. The dining hall and a fast-food outlet are located in the UC. The UC lawn, an open grass area in front of the UC, is where students play amateur sports, read on benches, or use the area for

free speech Freedom of speech is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction. The right to freedom of expression has been recog ...

. The eastern side of campus includes the Livermore Library, Oxendine Science Building,

Old Main Old Main is a term often applied to the original building present on college or university campuses in the United States. The building serves today as home to administrative offices, such as the president or provost, but in its early inception may ...

, and Wellons Hall, among other buildings. The campus on the west side has the Business Administration Building, Education Center, and most of the residence hall communities such as Oak Hall, Pine Hall, North, and Belk. Lumbee Hall, the Dial Humanities building, the Sampson building, the Auxiliary building, the Jones Athletic Center, and the Givens Performing Arts Center make up most of the north end of campus. The campus is home to

Givens Performing Arts Center The University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNCP or UNC Pembroke) is a public university in Pembroke, North Carolina. UNC Pembroke is a master's level degree-granting university and part of the University of North Carolina system. Its history ...

, a regional center for culture, arts, and entertainment. GPAC hosts numerous Broadway shows, orchestras, shows geared towards children, and also hosts the "Distinguished Speaker Series," in cooperation with the Association of Campus Entertainment, which has brought in notable people such as

Cory Booker Cory Anthony Booker (born April 27, 1969) is an American politician and attorney who has served as the junior United States senator from New Jersey since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, Booker is the first African-American U.S. se ...

Bill Nye William Sanford Nye (born November 27, 1955), popularly known as Bill Nye the Science Guy, is an American mechanical engineer, science communicator, and television presenter. He is best known as the host of the science television show '' Bil ...

Jodi Sweetin Jodie Lee Ann Sweetin (born January 19, 1982) is an American actress and television personality. She is best known for her role as Stephanie Tanner in the ABC comedy series '' Full House'' and its Netflix sequel series '' Fuller House''. Ear ...

Patch Adams Hunter Doherty "Patch" Adams (born May 28, 1945) is an American physician, comedian, social activist, clown, and author. He founded the Gesundheit! Institute in 1971. Each year he also organizes volunteers from around the world to travel to va ...

Gabby Douglas Gabrielle Christina Victoria Douglas (born December 31, 1995) is an American artistic gymnast. She is the 2012 Olympic all around champion and the 2015 World all-around silver medalist. She was a member of the gold-winning teams at both the 20 ...

and

Hill Harper Francis Eugene "Hill" Harper (born May 17, 1966) is an American actor and author. He is known for his roles on ''CSI: NY'', '' Limitless'' and '' The Good Doctor''. Early life and education Harper was born in Iowa City, Iowa, the son of Harry D. ...

, among many others.

Organization

The title of Principal or Superintendent was used prior to 1940. After 1940, when UNC Pembroke became a collegiate-level institution, the title of President was used. Upon becoming a member institution of the

system, the title was changed to Chancellor.

Presidents

UNCP Givens Performing Arts Center - back

* Dr. O. H. Browne (1940–1942) * Dr. Ralph D. Wellons (1942–1956) * Dr. Walter J. Gale (1956–1962) * Dr. English E. Jones (1962–1972)

Chancellors

* Dr. English E. Jones (1972–1979) * Dr. Paul R. Givens (1979–1989) * Dr. Joseph B. Oxendine (1989–1999) * Dr. Allen C. Meadors (1999–2009) * Dr. Charles R. Jenkins (2009–2010) * Dr. Kyle R. Carter (2010–2015) * Dr. Robin G. Cummings (2015–present)

Academics

UNCP Lowry Bell Tower from the Water Feature

UNC Pembroke currently offers hundreds of pathways to graduate and undergraduate degrees and is organized into the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Health Sciences, McKenzie-Elliott School of Nursing, Thomas School of Business, School of Education, and The Graduate School. Departments of the College of Arts and Sciences :*American Indian Studies :*Art :*Biology :*Chemistry and Physics :*English, Theatre & World Languages :*Geology & Geography :*History :*Mass Communication :*Mathematics & Computer Science :*Music :*Nursing :*Philosophy & Religion :*Political Science & Public Administration :*Psychology :*Sociology & Criminal Justice Departments of the College of Health Sciences :*Nursing :*Social Work :*Kinesiology Departments of the Thomas School of Business :*Accounting & Finance :*Economics & Decision Sciences :*Management, Marketing & International Business Departments of the School of Education :*Educational Leadership & Specialties :*Teacher Education Program :*Counseling The Graduate School Programs :*Art Education :*Business Administration (accelerated online MBA available) :*Clinical Mental Health Counseling :*Elementary Education :*English Education :*English as a Second Language Licensure, Add-on :*Exercise/Sports Administration concentration in Physical Education (MA) :*Mathematics Education :*Middle Grades Education :*Nursing (MSN) :*Health & Physical Education :*Public Administration (MPA) :*Reading Education :*School Administration (MSA) :*Professional School Counseling :*Science Education :*Social Studies Education :*Social Work :*Special Education :*Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)

Students and faculty

UNCP offers small class sizes; the student-to-faculty ratio is 18:1, and classes average 20 students. In addition, classes are taught exclusively by

professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an academic rank at universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who professes". Professo ...

s, instructors, or other faculty. There are no classes on campus taught by graduate assistants. The school has an enrollment of 8,319 students; of these, 6,318 students are undergraduate, and 2,001 are graduate students. The fall 2021 enrollment marks the fourth consecutive year of record enrollment growth.

Rankings

The 2002 edition of '' U.S. News & World Report'' on "America's Best Colleges", UNC Pembroke was ranked in the Regional Universities – South category 65th overall, and 30th in "Top Public Schools", 18th in the "Top Performers on Social Mobility", and tied for the most ethnically diverse campus in the South.

Sports, clubs, and traditions

Athletics

UNC Pembroke's athletic teams are known as the Braves. Due to its heritage as an institution founded by American Indians for the education of American Indians and the continued support from the

Tribe of North Carolina, the school has largely been immune to the ongoing controversies related to American Indian-themed nicknames and mascots. The school is a member of the NCAA's Division II and competes in

Conference Carolinas Conference Carolinas, formerly known as the Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference (CVAC) or the Carolinas Conference, is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) primarily at the Divisi ...

and the

Mountain East Conference The Mountain East Conference (MEC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level and officially began competition on September 1, 2013. It consists of 12 schools, m ...

. The school fields varsity sports teams for women and men.

Greek life and student organizations

UNCP, as well as the Office of Greek Life and the Campus Engagement & Leadership office, offers a variety of extracurricular activities for students. From academic-based and service organizations to minority organizations and Greek life, UNCP offers more than 100 organizations geared toward the student's specific needs. FraternitiesGreek Life , The University of North Carolina at Pembroke
/ref> *

Alpha Phi Alpha Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. () is the oldest intercollegiate historically African American fraternity. It was initially a literary and social studies club organized in the 1905–1906 school year at Cornell University but later evolved in ...

* Alpha Sigma Phi *

Kappa Alpha Psi Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. () is a historically African American fraternity. Since the fraternity's founding on January 5, 1911 at Indiana University Bloomington, the fraternity has never restricted membership on the basis of color, cree ...

* Lambda Theta Phi ( Latino) *

Omega Psi Phi Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. () is a historically African-American fraternity. The fraternity was founded on November 17, 1911, by three Howard University juniors Edgar Amos Love, Oscar James Cooper and Frank Coleman, and their faculty a ...

Phi Beta Sigma Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. () is a List of African-American fraternities, historically African American Fraternities and sororities, fraternity. It was founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C. on January 9, 1914, by three young Afr ...

Phi Kappa Tau Phi Kappa Tau (), commonly known as Phi Tau (), is a collegiate fraternity located in the United States. The fraternity was founded in 1906. As of November 2022, the fraternity has 161 chartered chapters, 79 active chapters, 6 Associate chapte ...

* Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia * Phi Sigma Nu ( American Indian) *

Theta Xi Theta Xi () is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity. It was founded at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) on April 29, 1864. Of all the social fraternities today, Theta Xi was the only one founded during the Civil War. Its ...

Sororities *

Alpha Kappa Alpha Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. () is the first intercollegiate historically African American sorority. The sorority was founded on January 15, 1908, at the historically black Howard University in Washington, D.C., by a group of sixteen s ...

Alpha Pi Omega Alpha Pi Omega Sorority, Inc. () is the oldest historically Indigenous national sorority in the United States. It is the largest Indigenous Greek letter organization, with 24 chartered chapters across nine states and the District of Columbia. Hi ...

( American Indian) * Alpha Sigma Alpha *

Delta Sigma Theta Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. () is a List of African-American fraternities, historically African American Fraternities and sororities, sorority. The organization was founded by college-educated women dedicated to public service with an emph ...

* Kappa Delta *

Lambda Theta Alpha Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc. () is a Latina-based sorority, established in 1975 at Kean University by seventeen women of Latin, Caribbean, and European descent as a support system for women in higher education. According to their websit ...

( Latina) *Sigma Omicron Epsilon ( American Indian) * Sigma Sigma Sigma *

Zeta Phi Beta Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. () is a historically African American sorority. In 1920, five women from Howard University envisioned a sorority that would raise the consciousness of their people, encourage the highest standards of scholastic ach ...

* Zeta Tau Alpha

Media

While the Netflix show The Chair is situated in a Pembroke University, it is a fictional Ivy League University and not the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.

Notable alumni

* Brad Allen, NFL official * Derek Brunson, 3-time NCAA Division II All-American wrestler at UNCP; professional

MMA Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, incor ...

fighter, formerly fought in Strikeforce, now currently fighting in the UFC * Sascha Görres, German

footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugb ...

who currently plays for

Richmond Kickers Richmond Kickers is an American professional soccer club based in Richmond, Virginia. The Kickers compete as a member of USL League One (USL-1). The club was established in 1993, and began play that same year as a United States Interregional ...

in the USL Professional Division * Charles Graham, member of the

North Carolina House of Representatives The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the House The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, ...

* Jerry P. Lanier, former U.S. Ambassador to Sudan and a career diplomat with the U.S. Department of State * Sally McRorie, educator, psychologist and painter * Pardon Ndhlovu, marathon runner from

Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and ...

, competed at the

2016 Summer Olympics ) , nations = 207 (including IOA and EOR teams) , athletes = 11,238 , events = 306 in 28 sports (41 disciplines) , opening = 5 August 2016 , closing = 21 August 2016 , opened_by = Vice President Michel Temer , cauldron = Vanderlei Cordeiro de ...

and placed 41st in the men's marathon competition *

Julian Pierce Julian Thomas Pierce (January 2, 1946 – March 25/26, 1988) was an American lawyer and Lumbee activist. Born in Hoke County, North Carolina, he became the first person in his family to go to college and worked for several years as a chemist a ...

, civil rights activist * Ruth Revels, American Indian activist and educator * Kelvin Sampson, head basketball coach for the

Houston Cougars The Houston Cougars are the athletic teams representing the University of Houston. Informally, the Houston Cougars have also been referred to as the Coogs, UH, or simply Houston. Houston's nickname was suggested by early physical education instr ...

, former NBA assistant coach for the Milwaukee Bucks, former Washington State, University of Oklahoma, and Indiana University head coach

References

External links

*
UNCP Athletics website
{{DEFAULTSORT:North Carolina At Pembroke, University Of University of North Carolina at Pembroke Educational institutions established in 1887 Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Education in Robeson County, North Carolina Buildings and structures in Robeson County, North Carolina 1887 establishments in North Carolina University and college buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in North Carolina National Register of Historic Places in Robeson County, North Carolina