"The history of St. Andrews began in 1896 with the founding of Flora Macdonald College for Women in Red Springs, NC.
In 1958, Flora Macdonald College merged with Presbyterian Junior College in Maxton, NC to establish St. Andrews.
When the decision was made to merge Flora Macdonald College and Presbyterian Junior college, another decision was made regarding the Laurinburg campus. More than 30 years before the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed, the trustees followed the belief that a Presbyterian college should be accessible to all. This meant a construction plan complete with ramps, accessible bathrooms, and other accommodations to mainstream students with physical disabilities into the campus life.
St. Andrews went even further in the 1970s to accommodate students with the addition of dedicated facilities for students with physical disabilities. Prior to the 1974 Jack Burris Rehabilitation Center dedication, a community of wheelchair-accessible housing, known as Freedom Village, provided accommodations for students. The Jack Burris Rehabilitation Center was designed for students who needed 24-hour attendant care as well as rehabilitation services. In 1985, Granville Hall was converted into Adaptive Daily Living apartments (ADLs) as an intermediate housing option for students – those who may not be fully independent, but also do not need 24-hour attendant assistance. The addition of the ADLs in Granville replaced the need for the housing in Freedom Village, which were removed shortly after the opening.
The St. Andrews Press, founded by Professor Rob Bayes, began publishing in 1972. Since then, the Press has published nearly 400 titles and received numerous awards. The internationally acclaimed St. Andrews Press has presented a unique window on the world for readers and writers through its publications. The special character of the Press has been its commitment to introduce new or unknown writers to a larger audience. Showcasing and enhancing the stunning vitality of the “grass-roots” literary culture of America for almost 50 years, the Press continues to provide tremendous experiential opportunities for students.
Since the average life span of a small press is two to three years, the Press’s more than forty years of continuous publication is a rare distinction. Samuel Tallmadge Ragan, late Poet Laureate of North Carolina, said of the college and the Press: “
St. Andrews has earned a splendid reputation for its liberal arts and especially its writing program, of which the St. Andrews Press is a crown jewel.” Additionally, the weekly Fortner Writers’ Forum provides a venue for writers and performers with large and appreciative audiences and has welcomed readers such as Tom Wolfe and James Dickey.
The St. Andrews Equestrian Program is a national leader in the development of educated equine professionals. The academically oriented program offers a tremendous diversity of experience for the novice horse lover, serious competitor, or the career-oriented equestrian. St. Andrews is a national leader in combining the application of correct riding mechanics with academic excellence. Including degrees in Business Administration with a Specialization in Equine Business Management, Biology with a specialization in Equine Science, and Therapeutic Horsemanship, St. Andrews has produced many top horsemen and women in every area of the professional equine world.
The St. Andrews Equestrian Teams continue to be successful in collegiate competitions in the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA), American National Riding Commission (ANRC), and the Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA). The St. Andrews Western Team makes regular appearances at IHSA Semi-Finals and IHSA National Championships. The Western Team was the National Champion Team in 2016 and 2017 and most recently earned a fourth-place finish at IHSA Nationals in 2022. The IHSA Hunter Seat Team has frequently earned the IHSA Zone 4 Region 3 Champion title as well as regular showings in the IHSA Zone 4 Finals and the IHSA National Championship; and our Dressage Team has been IDA Regional Champion or Reserve Champion Team multiple times – most recently in 2022 when the team continued to IDA Nationals and placed fourth overall. Additionally, our students compete successfully in USEF, USDF, NCHJA, and NCDCTA shows throughout the year.
St. Andrews proudly boasts its worldly views which is enhanced by the international program offerings. St. Andrews hosts regular terms at the Brunnenburg Castle in the Italian Alps. A variety of short trips to destinations such as South Africa and India have rounded out the summer offerings. The international program takes the same interdisciplinary approach, as do programs throughout the St. Andrews curriculum. Each year St. Andrews educates students from many other countries — among them, South Africa, Canada, England, Holland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Spain, and Zimbabwe, — who live and study on the Laurinburg campus.
St. Andrews illustrates its Scottish roots through the Scottish Heritage Center and the St. Andrews Pipe Band. The Scottish Heritage Center was established in the fall of 1989 to highlight and preserve Scottish heritage. Finding a permanent home in its own building, the Center houses a collection of rare materials related to Scottish-American history, genealogy, traditions, and culture. It is also the home of the Fiona Ritchie Radio Archive for the well-known National Public Radio program “The Thistle and Shamrock.” In 1998 the St. Andrews Pipe Band recorded an album of music that has been featured on National Public Radio as well as the BBC Radio in Scotland. A second CD was produced in 2002. The Band took top honors in Division III competition in 2006 of the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association.
In 1989, St. Andrews was cited in the book, Colleges That Enable. This was the first in a series of national recognitions of the overall quality of the total St. Andrews educational experience that has continued unabated. In the following year, 1990, St. Andrews was profiled in the book, Looking Beyond the Ivy League. In 1996, the college was featured in a third book, Colleges That Change Lives. The introduction tells its student readers: “Any one of the 40 colleges profiled here will do at least as much as, and usually far more than, an Ivy League school, an Ivy clone, or a major research university to give you a rich, full life, and to make you a winner.” Focusing specifically on St. Andrews, it says: “It can truly claim to be a value-added place. The track records of its many graduates’ bear witness.”
St. Andrews merged with Webber International University, Babson Park, Florida in 2011. Dr. Nelson Marquez, now leads St. Andrews and Webber International University as the University President."
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