Have You Seen It?

Before Christmas break, I knew that it was going to happen… I just wasn’t sure when. Over break, I looked with earnest each time I drove by the giant display of advertising. I must have informed my husband each time that LMC, in partnership with the Banner Elk Tourism Development Authority, “would hopefully be on that billboard!”

It’s a dream come true for me as an alumna employee of Lees-McRae. The numerous times I’ve been on the road for LMC, I’ve always noticed the billboards that feature our peer institutions—such as Mt. Olive, Barton and our friendly neighborhood university, Appalachian State. Seeing those billboards always left me with a sense of longing. Longing for Lees-McRae to show up… longing for Lees-McRae to be rightfully boastful of its accomplishments.

Retention and recruitment initiatives, a sense of pride for LMC and alumni participation will not be magically or quickly enhanced with the purchase of billboard advertising. It is merely a small yet significant piece of a well-rounded, cost-effective marketing and brand-building plan that will, over time, strengthen retention, recruitment, pride and alumni participation. With philanthropic partners, anything is possible. With alumni philanthropic partners, everything is possible.