College recovers from the brink of collapse to post record‐setting enrollment numbers

In 2014, Montreat College was on the verge of either a merger or a complete shutdown. It was only through the intervention of an anonymous $6 million donation in March of 2014 that Montreat was able to put into place needed changes to ensure that the campus not only survived, but thrived. Now, a little over two years later, the small private Christian college in North Carolina is enjoying strong enrollment and aspiring to grow. Last fall, the college enrolled its highest number of new students since its founding in 1916, for a total of 1,000 students on campus. Officials now seek to double that enrollment within the next four years. Paul J. Maurer, president of Montreat, shared insights about what has helped advance the institution into a healthy position, including the expansion and addition of programs geared toward adult learners.