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Yawn Scholarship established at MOC

21 June 2007 — The Reverend Braxton and LaVern Yawn Carter recently established The Dr. Billy R. and Virginia B. Yawn Endowed Scholarship Fund for Ministerial Students at Mount Olive College. Given in honor of the Yawn’s dedication and love of the College, proceeds from this fund will go to qualified recipients who demonstrate evidence of good character, a commitment to attaining an education, and who have academic promise.

The purpose in establishing this Endowed Scholarship was to encourage and assist Original Free Will Baptist ministerial students, including students majoring in a music ministry, who are seeking to equip themselves for effective service. This opportunity will provide enriched and expanded learning experiences for ministers, where they can then relate these experiences to citizenship development, career preparation, and services to the College, the Church and humanity.

LaVern Yawn Carter, daughter of Dr. Billy R. and Virginia B. Yawn, wanted to tangibly express how meaningful Mount Olive College was to her parents, and so she initiated a gift that will perpetuate their name through the work of Mount Olive College and at the same time promote Christian higher education for present and future generations.

Dr. and Mrs. Yawn and their two children moved to Mount Olive in the spring of 1957. With 35 cents in his pocket Dr. Yawn enrolled at Mount Olive College and began a lifelong journey of learning. After attending Mount Olive College, Dr. Yawn enrolled in Atlantic Christian College where he completed his bachelor’s degree. He earned his master’s degree from East Carolina University; an honorary doctorate from Victory Bible College in Lewiston, Ohio; and his doctor of religious education from International Seminary in Plymouth, Florida.

An ordained Original Free Will Baptist minister for 42 years, he pastored at Everett Chapel OFWB Church, Clayton, for 28 years and at Union Grove OFWB Church near Fremont for 14 years. Under his pastoral leadership and influence more than 25 people entered the Christian ministry and several of them are currently serving as leaders in the Original Free Will Baptist Church. He also taught in the Johnston County school system for 31 years.

“This couple actually had nothing when they came to MOC,” said Jean Ackiss, director of church support at MOC. “He was a student and she worked in the dining hall to help support him.  All these years he was so grateful for what the College did for him and he supported us well. Each church he pastored, without exception, increased their giving when he went there.  I know of no ministerial student who has attended MOC who was more grateful and expressed his gratitude any more than Billy Yawn did.”

Mrs. Yawn was integral in her support of her husband’s ministry. She helped support the family while her husband was in school by working in the College cafeteria. She often told that for their dinners many times the family had leftovers from the cafeteria. She also spent many hours helping Dr. Yawn with research for term papers and sermons.

He credits his success to three things, “Becoming a born-again Christian, marrying Virginia Biddix Yawn, and enrolling in Mount Olive College.” He often said that Mount Olive College was a starting point for what would turn out to be a long educational journey for a poor boy from Louisiana and a mill worker from Gastonia. They both showed their love for God’s work by being faithful in their service to the Free Will Baptist denomination.

For more information about endowments, or to make a contribution, contact Jeff Daughtry, director of planned giving at 919-658-2502.

Mount Olive College is a private institution rooted in the liberal arts tradition with defining Christian values. The College, sponsored by the Convention of Original Free Will Baptists, has locations in Mount Olive, New Bern, Wilmington, Goldsboro, Research Triangle Park and Washington.

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