RALEIGH – St. Andrews University President Paul Baldasare was recently honored with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the state’s highest award for service, as he prepares to retire at the end of the month. St. Andrews is a branch of Webber International University.
The award was presented by Hope Williams, president of North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, on behalf of Gov. Roy Cooper.
“President Paul Baldasare has long recognized the educational, cultural and economic impacts of St. Andrews University and his outstanding leadership as president has been instrumental in shepherding St. Andrews toward a bright future,” said President Williams. “I am honored to present him with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine on behalf of the Governor and with appreciation and admiration from St. Andrews students, faculty, staff and alumni as well as the broader Laurinburg and Scotland County communities.”
A St. Andrews graduate, Baldasare went on to earn his law degree from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He became a partner in a Durham law firm, Fowler & Baldasare, and later served as assistant to the vice chancellor for advancement and associate legal counsel at UNC-Chapel Hill. Baldasare was vice president for institutional advancement at St. Andrews for several years before being named president in 2006.
Under President Baldasare’s leadership, St. Andrews completed a capital campaign which raised more than $36 million, added its first masters-level degree (business administration), added a dozen new majors and concentrations, created a growing on-line program for non-traditional students and increased the number of faculty to support the expansion of the academic programs of study.
The Order of the Long Leaf Pine was presented to President Baldasare by President Williams via Zoom. On hand for the surprise presentation were former St. Andrews board chair, David Burns, and former board member, Sen. Bill Purcell. Recipients of the Order of the Long Leaf Pine must have a minimum of 30 years of service in the state of North Carolina.
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