History

Carolina University's history has positioned the institution to become innovative and transformational within the nation's higher education sector. Although our roots go back over one hundred years, Carolina University is a modern American university that fills existing gaps in higher education. In particular, its historical Christ-centered focus led to an ethos of empowerment through the pursuit of knowledge and widening access to underserved populations and evolved to meet acute educational deficits experienced by disadvantaged sections of society.

The University's longstanding commitment to low tuition rates expanded to reach a wider group of people than those traditionally served in decades past due to the addition of new degree programs. And a culture of caring for students transitioned into a sharper focus on nurturing educational attainment and success after graduation. So, while our history might suggest a different institution than our current state, a deeper look reveals a progressive development of strengthening areas that propel society's march forward and shedding boundaries that limit growth. The modern Carolina University is distinctive for a strong focus on value-for-money, accessibility, flexibility, excellent teaching, early graduation, and strong employment outcomes. This innovative mission is powered by an intentional academic structure and policies that enable execution. It is derived from a past that includes the histories of the many institutions that are part of what is now Carolina University, and the paragraphs below provide a brief overview of how we got here.

On June 24, 2020, Piedmont International University changed its name to Carolina University to reflect the exciting changes and unprecedented growth of a University that is both historically rich and brand new at the same time. The neutral name was an equitable way to tell the powerful story of how seven Christian colleges and seminaries came together to create one strong university. CU is a story of innovation, inspiration, and especially collaboration with an emerging synergy that personifies a phrase often attributed to Aristotle. The CU whole is greater than the sum of the schools that merged. The mergers gave dignity and name continuation to schools that otherwise would have closed, but without the mergers of the following seven schools, there would be no Carolina University. For a more comprehensive history of these seven schools, visit our website.

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