MOUNT OLIVE — More than 1,425 high school FFA and 4-H members from across North Carolina flocked to the University of Mount Olive, for the fourth-annual Ag Fest to promote and celebrate awareness of agriculture and other academic opportunities at UMO.

The attendees represented 33 counties and 63 schools, including Washington, Northside and Southside high schools in Beaufort County.

During the event, participants had the opportunity to tour the campus and stop at various locations to listen to UMO students and faculty talk about academic program offerings and campus life. There were several industry demonstrations including livestock showing, ARC welders, Sampson County Bee Keepers and B&S Equipment Co. Attendees also had the opportunity to socialize with one another as they played corn-hole and Frisbee and enjoyed a cookout. For the finale of the day, students gathered in Kornegay Arena for the much-anticipated concert featuring country music stars Fairground Saints and Parmalee.

Dr. Sandy Maddox, director of the Lois G. Britt Agribusiness Center, said, “Ag Fest is just one way that the University of Mount Olive supports both FFA and 4-H organizations which promote youth leadership and development. For this event, the university partnered with multiple sponsors including Piggly Wiggly, N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Got to Be NC Program and Bojangles’, as well as other agribusinesses and commodity groups to allow students to come to campus and enjoy a day of educational and fun activities, eat great food and enjoy a country music concert at almost no cost. Many of these students have never been on a university campus and our UMO Collegiate FFA members enjoyed hosting these high school students and sharing what life is like at UMO. We could not do this without the wonderful sponsors that help us make it possible.”

The University of Mount Olive offers degree programs in agricultural education and agricultural production systems with concentrations in: agricultural business applications, animal science, environmental and natural resources and outreach and extension education.

The University of Mount Olive is a private institution rooted in the liberal arts tradition with defining Christian values. The university, sponsored by the Convention of Original Free Will Baptists, has locations in Mount Olive, New Bern, Wilmington, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Research Triangle Park, Washington, Jacksonville and Smithfield. For more information, visit www.umo.edu.