Lees–McRae College

Lees–McRae College
	File:Lees mcrae logo.png
Motto	In Montibus, Ex Montibus, Pro Montibus (Latin)
Motto in English	In the mountains, of the mountains, for the mountains
Type	Private college
Established	1900; 124 years ago
Religious affiliation	Presbyterian Church (USA)
Endowment	$35 million
President	H. Lee King
Provost	Alyson Gill
Academic staff	60 full-time and 46 part-time
Students	838 (spring 2022)
Location	Banner Elk, North Carolina, U.S.; 36°09′44″N 81°52′33″W / 36.1621°N 81.8757°WCoordinates: 36°09′44″N 81°52′33″W / 36.1621°N 81.8757°W
Campus	Rural, 400 acres (160 ha)
Colors	Green & gold
Nickname	Bobcats
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division II
Mascot	Wily the Bobcat
Website	www.lmc.edu

Lees–McRae College is a private college in Banner Elk, North Carolina, affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). Lees–McRae College sits in the Appalachian Mountains at 3,720 feet (1,130 m) above sea level,^[5] the highest elevation of any American college or university east of the Mississippi River.^[6] It is one of the few colleges to be named after two women, Suzanna Lees and Elizabeth McRae.

History

Lees–McRae College was founded in Banner Elk as an all-female high school in 1899 by the Reverend Edgar Tufts, a Presbyterian minister. He named the school The Elizabeth McRae Institute after a well-respected educator in 1900. The name of school benefactor Suzanna Lees was added in 1903, and the school became The Lees–McRae Institute when it was chartered by the state in 1907.

An all-male branch was founded in 1907 in nearby Plumtree, North Carolina. The Plumtree facility was destroyed in a 1927 fire, leading the two campuses to merge at the Banner Elk site. After the merger, the high school program was phased out, and in 1931 the institute was renamed Lees–McRae College as an accredited, coeducational junior college.

Lees–McRae began moving toward offering a four-year program in the late 1980s, and the school's president made the recommendation to the board of trustees in 1987.^[7] The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools granted Lees–McRae status as a four-year college in 1990. In 2005, Lees–McRae became the first expansion site for New Opportunity School for Women, a program that helps educate and employ women in Appalachia.^[8]

Campus

Landmarks on campus include the historic Rock House, built in 1920 of native stone; Tufts Tower, a former water tower that houses the campus chimes; and the North Carolina Building, completed in 1922 and one of three permanent buildings planned by the college's founder. Also, there is Tate Residence Hall, originally the town hospital; and Tennessee and Virginia residence halls, constructed from stones from those respective states. The college's bookstore, named The Exchange, accepted chickens, pigs, grain, other crops and livestock in exchange for education costs in the early years of the college's history.

North Carolina Building
Banner Elk Presbyterian Church
Tufts Tower

In 2003, the college saw its first major construction in 20 years with the opening of the Arthur–Lauritsen–Sanders Track and Field Venue.^[9] In 2008, the William Reynolds Gymnasium, originally built in 1938 with the aid of students, was renovated as part of the new Carol and Glenn Arthur Student Recreation Complex.

In 2020, a new, state-of-the-art turf surface was installed at Tate Field.

In 2021, The Summit, the campus dining hall, was completely renovated. The new space, with timber beam ceilings and stone accents, highlights the "in, of, and for the mountains" aesthetic of the campus grounds.

A comprehensive renovation of Historic Commons began in early 2022. The work includes a complete renovation of the Tennessee and Virginia residence halls, plus the repurposement of the North Carolina Building to serve as a student hub. In addition, the Cannon Classrooms and North Carolina Annex will be replaced with new modern structures. The highlight of the project will be a complete restoration of the Pinnacle Room, the college's original dining room. Behind Historic Commons, a new recreation lawn and improved parking access will round out the project.

Housing

There are several residence halls at Lees–McRae College, providing multiple college living experiences; many of the housing options are even pet-friendly. Housing facilities include the following:

Avery Residence Hall
Baldwin Residence Hall
Bentley Residence Hall
Bobcat Way Houses
Cannon Cottage
Hemlock Village
McMillan Residence Hall
Tate Residence Hall
Tennessee Residence Hall
Virginia Residence Hall

Organization

The college has seven academic divisions: Business Administration, Creative and Fine Arts, Education, Humanities, Nursing and Allied Health, Science and Mathematics, and Social and Behavioral Sciences. The college offers 15 majors. During its junior college days, the college awarded the Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees. In 1990 the associate degree programs were abandoned and students began courses of study for the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. The college offers degree completion programs in birth–kindergarten education, elementary education, criminal justice, and nursing at three community college sites in Western North Carolina. The Theatre Arts Department also offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

Sports, clubs, and traditions

The athletic department offers intramural opportunities for several sports. The newest is the competitive climbing team as a club sport.

Several programs are available to students interested in leadership, service or the outdoors. These programs range from the school's own Campus After The Class Hours (CATCH), KIBO Emerging Leaders, and Outdoor Programs, to national programs like AmeriCorps Bonner Leaders.

Athletics

File:LMCBobcats.png

Official athletics logo.

The Lees–McRae Bobcats compete in NCAA Division II as a member of Conference Carolinas. All athletic teams are eligible for athletic scholarships. The college is also home to a cycling team, which competes in Division I and holds national championships. The varsity sports teams are listed below.

Men's sports

Basketball
Cross county
Cycling
Lacrosse
Soccer
Tennis
Track and field
Volleyball
Cheerleading
Swimming

Women's sports

Basketball
Cross county
Cycling
Lacrosse
Soccer
Softball
Tennis
Track and field
Volleyball
Cheerleading
Swimming

Notable alumni

Brent Bookwalter, professional cyclist
Troy Brown, professional football player
Thomas Ferebee, bombardier aboard the Enola Gay
Clark Gaines, professional football player (transferred to Wake Forest University)
Roy Lassiter, professional soccer player and Olympian
Will MacKenzie, professional golfer
Khano Smith, professional soccer player
John B. Stephenson, former professor at LMC
Carla Swart, professional cyclist
Andrew Talansky, professional cyclist
Leonard Wheeler, professional football player

References

^ "Lees–McRae College - College Overview". Petersons. 2007-03-09. Retrieved 2022-08-28.
^ "College Navigator - Lees–McRae College".
^ "College Navigator - Lees–McRae College".
^ Lees-McRae College: Communications: Publication Guidelines. Retrieved on 2007-07-09.
^ Geographic Names Information System Feature Detail Report, U.S. Geological Survey, 1980-06-17, retrieved 2007-07-09
^ "Lees-McRae College". Bonner Program Campus Contacts. The Bonner Foundation. Archived from the original on 2007-10-07. Retrieved 2007-07-09.
^ Kelley, Pam (1987-03-20), "Lees–McRae Might Convert To 4-Year College", The Charlotte Observer, p. 1C
^ "Program At Lees–McRae College To Provide New Opportunities To Women In Need", The Mountain Times, 2005-01-13, retrieved 2007-07-09
^ "Lees–McRae College Dedicates New Track And Field Venue", The Mountain Times, 2003-10-09, retrieved 2007-07-09^{[dead link]}

External links

[petersons-1] "Lees–McRae College - College Overview". Petersons. 2007-03-09. Retrieved 2022-08-28.

[2] "College Navigator - Lees–McRae College".

[3] "College Navigator - Lees–McRae College".

[4] Lees-McRae College: Communications: Publication Guidelines. Retrieved on 2007-07-09.

[5] Geographic Names Information System Feature Detail Report, U.S. Geological Survey, 1980-06-17, retrieved 2007-07-09

[6] "Lees-McRae College". Bonner Program Campus Contacts. The Bonner Foundation. Archived from the original on 2007-10-07. Retrieved 2007-07-09.

[7] Kelley, Pam (1987-03-20), "Lees–McRae Might Convert To 4-Year College", The Charlotte Observer, p. 1C

[8] "Program At Lees–McRae College To Provide New Opportunities To Women In Need", The Mountain Times, 2005-01-13, retrieved 2007-07-09

[9] "Lees–McRae College Dedicates New Track And Field Venue", The Mountain Times, 2003-10-09, retrieved 2007-07-09^{[dead link]}

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v t e Conference Carolinas
Members	Barton Bulldogs Belmont Abbey Crusaders Chowan Hawks Converse Valkyries Emmanuel Lions Erskine Flying Fleet Francis Marion Patriots King Tornado Lees–McRae Bobcats Mount Olive Trojans North Greenville Crusaders Southern Wesleyan Warriors UNC Pembroke Braves
Acrobatics & tumbling affiliates	Coker Cobras Lander Bearcats Limestone Saints Mars Hill Lions Wingate Bulldogs (joining in 2023)
Bowling affiliates	Lincoln Memorial Railsplitters Tusculum Pioneers
Wrestling affiliates	Coker Cobras Emory & Henry Wasps (joining in 2022) Limestone Saints Lincoln Memorial Railsplitters Newberry Wolves Queens Royals (leaving in 2022)