Fifteen years ago, Dr. Ralph Reavis Sr. went to Lynchburg to save his alma mater, Virginia University of Lynchburg.

Now the former Richmond pastor is preparing to step down as president of the historically black Baptist college and seminary that he believes has been restored to full health — with more than 10 times the enrollment than when he started.

“When I got here, there were only 32 students on campus,” Dr. Reavis said. Today, more than 400 students are taking courses on the campus, online or in a satellite program on the Northern Neck in Eastern Virginia.

During his tenure, the school’s buildings have been renovated and the library has been expanded. He noted that a record 142 students are enrolled in orientation classes this summer.

He credited dedicated staff and faculty and the support of numerous friends, including William Laslett, a Richmond area architect, and Dr. Allix B. James, a past president of Virginia Union University, with helping him turn the school around.

VUL was born in 1886 as the Lynchburg Baptist Seminary and was long known as Virginia Theological Seminary & College. The school adopted its current name in 1996.

Dr. Reavis, who will be 75 on July 3, said he would officially step down after the May 2016 commencement ceremony at the private school.

Dr. Reavis said he already has turned over day-to-day operations to the provost, Dr. Kathy C. Franklin, and the vice president of finance, Donald Leslie, and is focusing more on strategic goals and raising money.

He said the death in May of his wife, Marion E.L. Reavis, a major supporter of the school, was an important impetus for his decision. “And I think I have accomplished most of what I set out to do.”

His decision also comes after the school weathered serious financial problems in 2013 and 2014 that jeopardized its accreditation with the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools. The accreditation allows its students to secure federal loans and grants.

Dr. Reavis said the school spent too much money trying to get its sports programs going, particularly football. VUL also owed money to a private company that was operating its dorms. TACCS put the school on probation out of concern about its financial stability.

He said Mrs. Reavis helped save the day by providing a $100,000 loan that enabled VUL to pay its bills when money grew short. “She did that on her own,” he said.

He said that the accreditation problem was resolved after the school cut spending and received a bequest of more than $1.2 million from a Northern Virginia supporter, Fleetah Jones, following her death last year. TACCS lifted the university’s probation last October.

The school also was able to settle with the private firm running the dorms and to hire new athletic program leaders who have made the program self-supporting.

Dr. Reavis, who was born into a farm family of 17 children, served as pastor at seven Baptist churches in Virginia during a four-decade career as a minister, including nearly 27 years at Riverview Baptist Church in Richmond. He retired from Riverview in 2000 to return to VUL, where he earned his undergraduate degree in 1962.

He also holds a master’s degree from Union Theological Seminary and earned his doctoral degree in religious studies from the University of Virginia.

The author of five books, he also served on the faculties of Howard University, The College of William & Mary and most notably in the seminary at Virginia Union University, where he taught church history and other courses for 21 years.

As president, Dr. Reavis also has taught courses in VUL’s graduate ministry programs. VUL is supported by the Virginia Baptist State Convention and the Progressive National Baptist Convention.