Student Employment - GEAR UP Program

Working at Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville State University (FSU) is a member of the prestigious University of North Carolina System. Situated in southeastern North Carolina, FSU prides itself in being in one of the most diverse cities in the country and neighbor to one of the nation’s largest military installations – Fort Bragg.

FSU has a rich history that serves as genesis for its current status as a leading institution of higher learning. A year after the Civil War ended, the Phillips School provided primary education to Fayetteville’s black citizens, and the Sumner School provided intermediate education for this population. The two schools were consolidated in 1869 and dedicated in April of that year as the Howard School, in honor of the Freedman’s Bureau chief General O.O. Howard. Seven prominent African-American men pooled $136 to purchase two lots for the first building that housed the Howard School. Robert Harris was named the first principal of the Howard School.

In 1877, the Howard School became not just the first public normal school for African Americans in North Carolina but also the first state-sponsored institution for the education of African-American teachers in the South. It was renamed the State Colored Normal School in Fayetteville that year, Fayetteville State Teachers College in 1939, Fayetteville State College in 1963, and Fayetteville State University in 1969.

While FSU’s roots are as a teacher education institution, it now offers nearly 70 degrees at the baccalaureate, masters and doctoral levels. Many of the programs are accredited by the top agencies. The university’s School of Business and Economics is endorsed by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). AACSB is one of the most prestigious and rigorous accrediting bodies for business programs in higher education. Currently, less than one-third of U.S. business programs and only 15% of the world's business programs have earned AACSB accreditation. Receipt of this distinguished accreditation provides evidence that FSU’s School of Business and Economics has established itself as a leader among business schools. Additionally, the Master of Business Administration program has been cited by U.S. News and World Report and The Princeton Review as one of the best graduate business school programs in the country. The Department of Criminal Justice is accredited by the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS). FSU’s criminal justice program is the only such program in North Carolina to hold ACJS certification.

FSU is rapidly becoming a center for research and technology. In spring 2010, the university, in conjunction with the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, cut the ribbon on the Southeastern North Carolina Regional Microanalytical and Imaging Center. The center is home to the electron microprobe, an advanced imaging tool that magnifies objects up to 300,000 times.

FSU is a partner in the community. The institution has formulated a strong relationship with the local municipality and with civic and social organizations in the area. The institution enjoys its partnership with its military neighbors. In the coming years, as a result of Base Realignment
and Closure (BRAC), Fort Bragg will be home to more than 50,000 soldiers and some of the nation’s top military brass. To address their educational needs, FSU has implemented a degree in intelligence studies with plans to offer more academic programs with the military in mind.

Students who come to FSU know they will be learning in a nurturing environment from some of the top scholars in their respective fields. As they matriculate, they know their degrees will prepare them to be 21st century global scholars, change agents, and contributing members of society.