1963
Civil Rights demonstrations were held in Danville; 130 students cancelled their plans to attend Averett.

1964
Bishop Hall was completed which connected Danville Hall, Davenport Hall and the gymnasium/auditorium complex. President Curtis Vance Bishop assured parents that their daughters would not be exposed to either elements or urban turmoil from September when they entered Averett to May when they left.

1965
A three-story administrative wing and a two-story dormitory wing were added to Main Hall.

1966
Curtis Vance Bishop died in 1966. President Bishop left to his successor a college over two-and-one-half times larger in square footage than the college he inherited.

At Bishop's death, Mary Catharine Fugate, Dean of the College, was selected to serve as
Acting President from January to September.

In September 1966, Conwell Axel Anderson assumed the presidency.

The Ember, Averett's student literary magazine, began publication.

In August, the college purchased the house and property at 344 West Main Street, which
the Catholic Church had used for their Sacred Heart Parochial School from 1953 to 1966. The old Walter W. Waddill house became the Fine Arts Building for Averett and its old Carriage House, constructed in 1869, became the pottery classroom.

The college held its first Parents' Day, which gave parents the opportunity to talk with
instructors and administrators.

1967
The Board of Trustees made the decision for the junior college to move to a 4-year
program. They reinstated baccalaureate degrees and coeducation, giving President Conwell Axel Anderson two years to strengthen the faculty and build a library.

The Trustees created a Board of Associates, comprised of professional and business leaders, to assist the administration with current and future programs.

The first development office was formed to coordinate fund raising, public relations, and alumni affairs.

1968
President Conwell Axel Anderson appointed a Ministerial Advisory Committee to act as
interpreter of the college to the Baptists in regard to the receipt of federal aid.

Under President Anderson students were finally allowed to keep cars on campus. A 200-car parking lot was constructed at the corner of Surry Lane and Woodland Drive.

1969
Averett's first African-American students enrolled as day students.

Mary Catharine Fugate retired after serving 45 years as Dean and Registrar.

The May Day Festival and Daisy Chain traditions came to an end. The last May Day festival was dedicated to Dean Mary C. Fugate.

1970
The first issue of the Averett Journal was published in the spring. The Averett faculty created this publication where they could publish articles about their own specialties and learn about each other's talents.

The Mary C. Fugate Hall was constructed, offering residence to 150 students in fifteen air-conditioned suites.

The Board of Trustees voted to make dormitory space available for male students. Wholly unprepared for the arrival of men in Averett residence halls, the college housed the first male
resident students in Hotel Danville where they picked up all sorts of "bad habits." When they were finally housed on Second Main it became the responsibility of Dean of Students Mary Jo Davis to help them adjust to life at Averett.

When the decision was made to tear down the old Fine Arts building and to construct a new library on that lot, a private home next door (built in 1890) was acquired from the Ayres estate for use as the newer Fine Arts building.