Montreat College

Montreat College, located 15 miles east of Asheville in Montreat, began in 1916 as Montreat Normal School, an institution founded by the Presbyterian Church (USA) to prepare young women to become Christian teachers. In 1933 the school was renamed Montreat College and became a junior college for women, and from 1945 to 1959 it was a four-year college for women. In 1959 Montreat became coeducational. In 1986, responding to both the needs of its students and the needs of the church at large, the college began offering baccalaureate degrees in human services and liberal arts.

Montreat's founders established the college for the purpose of teaching the "biblical view of the nature of man and the meaning of life." This commitment to a faith-centered education continues. The school seeks to integrate faith and learning in a caring Christian community. Montreat College is a liberal arts college, awarding both associate and bachelor's degrees. By the early 2000s the school's enrollment was approximately 1,000, including students enrolled through the School of Professional and Adult Studies.