For nearly 70 years, members of the community – on campus and off – have put their faith in MU, creating a legacy of success for the students who walk onto the beautiful 617-acre campus or enter online programs from wherever they may be. But loyalty is more than conviction; it leads to action.
Methodist University boasts a rich history of preparing students for a lifetime of meaning and purpose. MU alumni have gone on to become doctors, lawyers, educators, psychiatrists, first responders, social workers, business executives, and much more.
Most of all, MU alumni are champions of change – making their community better through intellectual values and ethical principles such as truth, virtue, justice, and love. None of the success would be possible, however, without one key ingredient – LOYALTY.
For nearly 70 years, members of the community – on campus and off – have put their faith in MU, creating a legacy of success for the students who walk onto the beautiful 617-acre campus or enter online programs from wherever they may be. But loyalty is more than conviction; it leads to action.
Loyalty can be displayed in many ways, including through time, talent, and treasure. This three-part series highlights some difference makers of MU’s past and present who have devoted themselves to the institution. This edition showcases three shining examples of difference makers who have shown loyalty to Methodist University through “Treasure.”
From devoted alumna Regina McLaurin ’70 to a forward-thinking nonprofit organization in the Golden LEAF Foundation to welcoming staff member Lt. Carl Douglas, it becomes clear that loyalty can come from many different places. All you need is a willingness to utilize your treasure to make Methodist University an even greater institution.
As you explore the stories of McLaurin, the Golden LEAF Foundation, and Lt. Douglas, ask yourself: “How can I be loyal to Methodist University through my treasures?” To get started, visit the Loyalty page.
Regina McLaurin ’70: A Successful Alumna Who Loves to Give Back to MU
The campus may look a lot different than when she was a student, but Regina McLaurin ’70 remains loyal as ever to Methodist University.
For decades, the McLaurin name was synonymous with parking in the Triangle, as her family’s business, McLaurin Parking Company, oversaw parking in the area since the 1940s. Regina McLaurin and her five siblings were always involved with the business – managing parking lots for special events and football games since she was teenager. But when it was time for college, she knew Methodist College was the right fit.
“It was close, and I really liked the atmosphere,” McLaurin said. “My father’s side of the family is from the area, so it felt like I was close to the area, even though I didn’t know much about it yet.”
McLaurin found her home away from home, majoring in English with a minor in Business. To this day, she reflects on some of her fondest memories as a student.
“I remember my friends and I going down to the Cape Fear River together,” she said. “I also remember a friend from my dorm who would sing in the stairwell at night. Her voice would vibrate off the walls and it was just fantastic.”
Following her graduation in 1970, McLaurin had her sights set on the family business. She quickly became the CFO and worked for McLaurin Parking Company until it was sold in 2017. In 1979, she was the first woman nominated to the National Parking Association Board of Directors (with which she later became a secretary and president). McLaurin’s business acumen also earned her the Methodist College Economics and Business Alumna of the Year in 1984 and the Methodist University Alumni Business Person of the Year in 2017.
During that time, McLaurin has stayed loyal to the University, regularly contributing to the softball program since 2001. She also supported the Softball Fieldhouse Campaign that helped establish the Price Softball Fieldhouse in 2022. In 2017, McLaurin even started an endowed scholarship under her father’s name, the William L. McLaurin Endowed Scholarship.
“When my father returned from World War II, he started the business,” McLaurin said. “There are pictures of me in a bassinet in the parking lot with my parents as they were working because they couldn’t afford anything else. They taught me so much about business and how to treat people.”
McLaurin hopes her family’s story helps inspire others to find a way to give back through their treasure like she’s been fortunate enough to do.
“Methodist University was a good fit for me and gave me a lot over the years,” she added. “I like to give back, and hope others are able to, as well.”
Golden LEAF: A Forward-Thinking Foundation with Eyes on the Future
When the Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine was first announced in 2023, it was clear the transformative effort was going to change the future of healthcare in the region. With the help of community partners, like the Golden LEAF Foundation, the dream is inching closer than ever to reality.
Golden LEAF, established in 1999 to increase economic opportunity in North Carolina’s rural, tobacco-dependent, and economically distressed communities, announced in August that it would provide funding of $8 million to help equip the new school of medicine. The funding will be an important step towards the goal of welcoming the first cohort of students in the summer of 2026, pending approval by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) and SACSCOC (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges).
“This School of Medicine project will have generational impacts through the creation of high-quality jobs while addressing the critical shortage of medical professionals in Southeastern North Carolina,” said Golden LEAF President and Chief Executive Officer Scott T. Hamilton (pictured here).
According to Hamilton, one of the key reasons the Golden LEAF Foundation awarded funding to the Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine (SOM) was the workforce projections in the region.
The new School of Medicine is projected to create more than 250 new jobs and graduate more than 100 doctors each year. Statistically, 67% of physicians who complete both medical school and residency in an area stay in that area for practice – a positive outlook for the region.
“It’s a good project for Golden LEAF because of the job outcomes,” Hamilton added. “There are a number of tremendous jobs that will be created. Not only the physicians themselves, but also the nurses, support staff, and administrative professionals. It will have a ripple effect on Eastern North Carolina and some of the most economically distressed communities within our state.”
The Golden LEAF Foundation is one example of many using their treasures to build up the local community. Various donors from across the region – Methodist University graduates, friends of MU, friends of Cape Fear Valley Health, other agencies, organizations, and more – have displayed their loyalty by contributing financially to the project.
“This project can help transform this regional economy,” said Hamilton. “I’m sure alumni can also find the value in making an impact with their funding.”
To read the full release about Golden LEAF providing funding – and other SOM news – please visit: the School of Medicine news page.
Lt. Carl Douglas: A Loyal Staff Member with a Welcoming Spirit
Does this gentleman look familiar to you? If you’ve been to campus lately (like sometime in the past 30-plus years), he probably does. You may know him as one of the friendly faces greeting you as you pass the Welcome Center of Methodist University’s campus, but there’s a lot more to Lt. Carl Douglas than what meets the eye.
Douglas served in the U.S. Army from 1979 to 1986 before making his way to Methodist University in 1989, a place he has remained loyal to for 35 years. Currently, as Lieutenant of Security for MU’s Public Safety & Security, Douglas oversees a lot more than the entrance of visitors to campus. He also performs security checks, escorts, background checks, and more to keep the University a safe place.
“Even though we have to enforce the policies and rules of the University, we’re just like everyone else on campus,” Douglas said. “We go out to eat, shop at the grocery store, go to movies, and have families – just like everyone.”
In fact, Douglas can claim fellow Monarchs as family. His wife, Donna Douglas, serves as the vehicle dispatcher/officer manager of Housekeeping & Maintenance at MU and his son, Carl Douglas Jr. ’23, recently graduated from Methodist University with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and minor in Criminal Justice. But for Douglas, he considers all of the students on campus as part of his family.
“The people here make it so special,” he added. “I love seeing the students mature during their time here, and I love it when they come back for Homecoming. They’ll typically bring back their families and sometimes even their children. It’s one of my favorite parts about the job.”
Douglas’ love for Methodist University can be seen through his actions. On top of his many roles in security, Douglas also gives part of his treasure to MU. He made his first gift in 1995 and started payroll deductions in 2012 before beginning a recurring gift in 2017.
“It’s the right thing to do,” Douglas said. “As I like to say, it’s the Monarch way. As long as I’ve been here, this place has grown on me so why not give back? We’re a community, so we have to look out for one another.”
Whether showing loyalty through time, talent, or treasure, Douglas said it is important for all Monarchs to come together for the benefit of students.
“Big or small, you can give,” Douglas said. “Even if you can’t give monetarily, you can give of your time and talent. When you give, the students at Methodist University see you in a different light. They are our future, so we should pour into them every chance that we get.”