MOUNT OLIVE — In an early afternoon reception Mary Drummond, daughter of the late Otha E. Herring, recently met with the University of Mount Olive’s newest Herring Scholars. During the event she told attendees about her father, Otha E. Herring, who set up an endowment that provides funding for their scholarships.
“My dad was a generous man,” she said. “He did not have a college degree, but he appreciated the value of higher education.”
Drummond went on to note that her dad grew up east of Mount Olive in Duplin County during the Great Depression. “Having been blessed to have good people in his life along with wonderful opportunities, dad wanted to provide similar opportunities for others,” she said.
In 2003, Herring pledged $5 million to the Otha E. Herring Scholarship Fund for students from Mount Olive and Duplin County attending the University of Mount Olive.
“Dad took great joy knowing that he was helping students and ultimately the economy of Eastern North Carolina,” Drummond added.
The Herring Scholarship Fund is the largest scholarship fund available at the University.
Students are selected by their guidance counselors based on need, grades, extracurricular activities, and character. The scholarship recipients are fondly referred to as the Herring Scholars. Approximately 350 students have received the Herring Scholarship since 2003.