Commencement

Seniors officially kicked off the countdown to Commencement at 100 Days Until Graduation in January! This annual event marks the turning point for seniors as they start preparing for life after graduation. The event includes career readiness advice from alumni, professional headshots, and a drawing for great prizes.

Caps and Gowns

The cost of a cap and gown is included in the graduation fee, which has been applied to each student account. Sizing information for regalia will be collected on the graduation application and confirmed during the student's audit with the Office of the Registrar. 

Cap and Gown orders for main campus students will be available for pickup at the Office of the Registrar in the Chaffee Center beginning Wednesday, April 1 during normal hours from 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

December graduates, online/distance learning students, and graduate students will have their cap and gown orders mailed to their home address the first week of April.  

With questions, contact the Office of the Registrar. 

Graduation Photos

Graduates will receive an email from Photo Specialties to both their Lees-McRae email and their personal email within 1–3 weeks following Commencement with proofs of their photos. Physical copies of the proofs will be mailed to the graduate’s home address within a week following the email. Photos may be purchased directly from Photo Specialties.

Graduation Survey

Lees-McRae College is seeking your participation in the following survey regarding your current or upcoming employment and education successes. Take this opportunity to communicate your post-graduate achievements!

Alumni feedback aids in the gathering of pertinent information regarding alumni outcomes, further benefiting future Lees-McRae students. This survey can be completed as often as needed to provide updates on your successes. 

​Thank you in advance for your time and participation.

For assistance with the survey, contact the Office of Institutional Research at research@lmc.edu.

Requirements for Graduation

The following must be met for graduation eligibility:

• A minimum of 120 credit hours
• A minimum 2.0 GPA
• Completion of the Core Curriculum
• Completion of 15 hours of Writing Intensive (WI) courses
• Completion of 15 hours of Experiential Learning (EL) courses (Note: Transfer students with an Associate Degree must only complete 7 credit hours.)
• Completion of the degree requirements for the appropriate degree
• Completion of an approved major program of study
• A minimum 2.0 grade point average (GPA) in the major program of study (Note: Nursing majors must receive a minimum grade of “B-” in required major courses and a minimum 2.7 cumulative GPA. Education majors must receive a minimum grade of “C” in required major courses and a minimum 2.7 cumulative GPA)
• Completion at Lees-McRae College of at least one half of the credit hours required for the major program of study. In extreme cases of student schedule conflict, the Provost (in consultation with the appropriate Dean) may amend this policy on a case-by-case basis.
• Completion at Lees-McRae College of at least 32 of the last 40 credit hours. In extreme cases of student schedule conflict, the Provost (in consultation with the appropriate Dean) may amend this policy on a case-by-case basis.
• Completion of at least one-fourth of the credit hours toward the degree must originate from Lees-McRae College.
• No grades of “F” in any required major courses in the program of study
• No more than 12 credit hours of coursework in which a grade of “D” or lower has been received may apply toward graduation
• No more than four credit hours of lifetime health and fitness activity courses may count toward graduation
• If applicable: completion at Lees-McRae College of at least one half of the credit hours required for the minor program of study.

Students may choose to meet the graduation requirements listed in the College Catalog that was in effect the year he or she entered Lees-McRae College or in any subsequent College Catalog. However, a student may not select graduation requirements from more than one catalog at a time. If the student has been out of residence for more than one academic year, the graduation requirements in effect at the time of re-enrollment at Lees-McRae College will apply. Each student’s graduation timeline will vary depending on academic program(s) and academic progress, and may take less or more than four years. Students should work with their academic advisor to create a clear timeline.

Graduation and the receipt of a diploma from Lees-McRae College is an honor bestowed by the Faculty, Administration and Board of Trustees. The awarding of a Baccalaureate degree is duly noted on the student’s official College Transcript.

With questions, please contact Registrar Lynn Hinshaw at hinshaw@lmc.edu or 828.898.3473.