This Veterans Day, University Archives is exploring the rich history between the military and the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
UNC Wilmington's military connections emerged in the aftermath of World War II, before the College had even opened. The G.I. Bill was signed in 1944, offering significant financial support to returning soldiers who sought university education. North Carolina, seeing the influx of veteran enrollment, established temporary college centers across the state. In 1947, two centers were created in the state's Southeastern region - reflections of the importance of veterans as well as the racial segregation of the time: Wilmington College, for white students, and Williston College, for Black students. Both colleges provided higher education to veterans, eventually becoming the one UNCW we know today. Original documents related to the colleges, their administrations, and their student veterans are available in our Committee and Administration Records, as well as in our Academic Affairs Records.
Since its time as a college center, the University has educated and employed many veterans, some of whom are integral to understanding UNCW history. John T. Hoggard, a veteran of the Spanish-American War and World War I, served as the second president of Wilmington College from 1949 to 1958. A World War II soldier, William M. Randall, acted as the College's third president and created the University motto, discere aude, still in use today. William DeLoach, William H. Wagoner, James Marshall Crews, and James Leutze are just a few other veterans who also served as University leaders.
UNC Wilmington extended its support to veterans, particularly student veterans, with the creation of the Office of Veterans Affairs (OVA) in 1974. According to academic catalogues from the 1970s, the OVA was responsible for veteran success on campus, from outreach and recruitment to counseling and educational support. In the 1980s, UNC Wilmington furthered its efforts by developing an Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program. Records in University Archives show that the ROTC program began as a temporary cross-enrollment arrangement. By 1984, however, the University was granted host status, allowing UNCW ROTC to directly provide training, education, and support to future military veterans. The ROTC program no longer exists on campus, but University Archives holds a plethora of materials related to UNCW's ROTC history and the work of students in the organization. Items in the collection include scrapbooks, awards, challenge yearbooks, brochures, handbooks, annual reports, and marketing materials, among other items; see the finding aid for a full listing of records and dates covered.
Today, UNC Wilmington continues to support its military-affiliated students. Students who are veterans, active-duty, or related to service members receive guidance from the Office of Military Affairs (OMA). UNC Wilmington has ranked in the top 30 schools for military veterans since 2022 because of the OMA's efforts. In 2024, UNCW was named the #1 school in North Carolina for veterans.
To learn more about the historical connections between UNC Wilmington and the military, visit the CSENCAH Reading Room on the second floor of Discovery Hall during our open hours or contact us with questions or to make an appointment.
Sources
- The University of North Carolina at Wilmington catalogue, 1975-1976. University of North Carolina Wilmington, 1975. https://libcat.uncw.edu/record=b1418001~S4.
- The Office of Veterans Affairs, 1974, 1976, 1979, Box: 22A, Folder: 8, University of North Carolina Wilmington Academic Affairs Records, UA-RG-04, Center for Southeast North Carolina Archives and History, https://archivesspace.uncw.edu/repositories/4/archival_objects/140371.
- Military Affairs, 1980-2018, Box: 22, University of North Carolina Wilmington Academic Affairs Records, UA-RG-04, Center for Southeast North Carolina Archives and History, https://archivesspace.uncw.edu/repositories/4/archival_objects/131162.