Alumni

Elite cyclists Kerry Werner ’13 and Eric Thompson ’11 reflect on their time racing for Lees-McRae and how racing in North Carolina's High Country shaped them into the successful athletes they are today.

Pro cyclist on team BMC and former Lees-McRae cyclist Brent Bookwalter reflects on his early years in cycling and the importance of supporting collegiate cycling programs.

With 1,153 activities logged, Lees-McRae College students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members hiked, biked and explored their way to second place in the division I Southeast region and 21st place overall in the Outdoor Nation Campus Challenge.

Every day, Lees-McRae College alumni take their degrees and put them to work in new and amazing ways. Take some time to get to know alumnus Peter Gau ’14. A Newark, Ohio, native, Gau studied Wildlife Biology and Wildlife Rehabilitation at Lees-McRae and now works at The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Columbus, Ohio.

Since its start on Sept. 18, Lees-McRae College students, faculty, staff and alumni have logged more than 900 total adventures for the chance at prizes and the ultimate title of “National Outdoor Champion.”

Beginning on Monday, Sept. 25, campus will buzz with spirit, excitement and activities brought to you in a way that only Spirit Week and Homecoming can.

Get ready, because starting Monday, Sept. 18, Lees-McRae College Outdoor Nation Campus Challenge participants can begin logging their activities in the Campus Challenge app.

Much like the exciting yet classic movie, The Wizard of Oz, this years’ Homecoming theme, “There’s No Place Like Homecoming”, will bring together both classic tradition along with new excitement starting on Friday, Sept. 29 until Sunday Oct. 1.

In an increase from last year’s No. 23 spot, Lees-McRae College landed at No. 19 as best regional college in the South in addition to a spot on the “Best Value School” list in the newest evaluation released by U.S. News & World Report.

As the East Coast regional manager for USA Cycling and former Lees-McRae Cycling Team member, Stuart Lamp's passion for the sport runs deep. Previously a professional cyclist for nine years, Lamp will bring his passion to his hometown of Decatur, Alabama.

Ally Murphy ’10, founder of Ally’s Bar and Lees-McRae Athletics hall of fame inductee, will be this year’s Convocation speaker, giving a speech titled “Dream Big”, during the annual college-wide event on Thursday, Sept. 14 at 4:00 p.m. in Hayes Auditorium.

Hiking, kayaking, backpacking, bicycling and even bird-watching–just a few of the activities Lees-McRae students, faculty, staff, alumni and the local community will be participating in from Sept. 18 through Oct. 15 as they compete to win the fourth annual Outdoor Nation Campus Challenge.

During the President’s Circle Summer Soirée event on August 21, Lees-McRae President Barry M. Buxton publicly announced The University Campaign for Lees-McRae.

We are Bobcats–Lees-McRae is our foundation, our home and where we are inspired to succeed–it is in all of us, and it is who we are.

Professional cyclists and former Lees-McRae Bobcats, Brent Bookwalter ’06 and Andrew Talansky, shared in a recent VeloNews Q&A how their time in the collegiate ranks set them up for elite racing.

Lees-McRae President Barry M. Buxton announced that he will retire in May 2018 and that a search for his replacement has begun. Buxton has served as the president of Lees-McRae since June 1, 2010 and is the 15th president in the 116-year-history of the institution.

Defined for its “upward trajectory,” Lees-McRae College was named a College of Distinction within the prestigious North Carolina cohort.

Warm sunshine. Cool breezes. Fresh, mountain air. Ah, summer in the mountains! We love all of our seasons, but there’s just something magical about summer in Banner Elk.

Lees-McRae Summer Theatre will kick off the 2017 season with the debut of Screen Test on June 17 as part of the theater for young audiences.

Lees-McRae College elementary education graduate and Flat Rock Elementary School fourth grade teacher, Phillip Riekehof ’12, named Surry County School District Teacher of the Year.

Dressed from head-to-toe in black satin regalia and anxiously awaiting with excitement, 334 students simmer in their seats, anticipating their designated time to approach the stage and receive their degree.

For many seniors, the end of a college career marks the start of a new chapter in life. Whether it is students from the May School of Nursing and Health Sciences, to the School of Arts, Humanities and Education, each corner of Lees-McRae has produced shining examples of what a degree from this college can do for you.

The college’s motto, “In the Mountains, Of the Mountains, For the Mountains,” is more than a way of thinking– it’s a way of action.

Lees-McRae will now go head-to-head against Tennessee-based school, Maryville College, after defeating Brevard College by nearly 900 votes in the Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine’s Top Adventure College competition.

After winning the first bracket of the Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine Top Adventure College contest against Georgia-based Berry College by almost 1,000 votes, Lees-McRae is now in the second round against North Carolina-based Brevard College.

2017 marks Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine’s fifth “Top Adventure College” tournament and Lees-McRae is in the running.

Under layers of makeup and even green synthetic fur, 26-year-old Richard Gebo is almost unrecognizable. A 2013 Lees-McRae BFA graduate, Gebo has played roles from reformed shark “Bruce” in Finding Nemo: The Musical to the “Grinch” in Grinchmas, and though he says the work he does is constant and highly competitive, he would not change a thing.

Adaptive Ski Week participants are used to pushing against the odds, even if that means skiing in warmer-than-usual North Carolina winter temperatures.

Today, the League of American Bicyclists recognized Lees-McRae with a Silver Bicycle Friendly University (BFUSM) award, joining more than 150 visionary colleges and universities from across the country.

You may have heard about Black Friday or Cyber Monday, but have you heard about Giving Tuesday? On Tuesday, November 29, hundreds of colleges, universities, organizations, companies and even individuals will participate in Giving Tuesday—a global day of giving that harnesses the collective power of individuals, communities and organizations to encourage philanthropy and to celebrate generosity worldwide.

Alongside fellow colleagues, Brad Skinner spends each day tending to birds of prey at the American Eagle Foundation in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. On Thursday, November 10, Skinner—a May 2015 Lees-McRae Wildlife Rehabilitation Program graduate—spent the day with students, talking about his experiences since graduating and helpful tips for those looking to pursue a career in wildlife rehabilitation.

BackgroundChecks.org released its annual "Safest Colleges in North Carolina" report for 2016 in early October—landing Lees-McRae 27 on the list.

Just one look at Monica Young’s resume can certainly indicate her passions. She’s a current senior policies advisor for Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and former intern within the Iowa House of Representatives. When Walker ran for President of the United States in 2016, she was—unsurprisingly— a part of that, too.

The campus of Lees-McRae is both a mixture of the new and old. Boulders stacked atop of one another like mosaic tiles in a church window are juxtaposed by sleek white floors and trendy furniture.

Students, faculty and staff will gather Friday afternoon to celebrate the completion of the Dotti M. Shelton Learning Commons. The Learning Commons— formerly James H. Carson Library—received about $2.5 million for renovations and began work in May 2016.

They’re ooky and they’re spooky—and they’ll be appearing in the Lees-McRae College Performing Arts fall musical. The Addams Family will make its debut from Thursday, Sept. 29 until Sunday, Oct. 2.

Lees-McRae College was named the No. 23 best regional college in the South, in a new evaluation released by U.S. News & World Report. Defined by the news site, regional colleges focus on the undergraduate experience and offer a broad range of programs in the liberal arts and professional fields such as nursing, education and business.

Lees-McRae College will hold its Convocation ceremony on Thursday, August 18 at 4 p.m. in Hayes Auditorium. Convocation is an important part of the academic tradition at Lees-McRae. Literally a 'coming together' of the College community, Convocation celebrates the beginning of the academic year and welcomes new and returning students to campus. Lees-McRae alumnus Hakim Bellamy ’02 will give the keynote address, “4000 Feet Above Average.” Bellamy will also be a poet in residence on campus August 17-18.

A Lees-McRae graduate will be among the elite athletes at the opening ceremonies of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio on Friday, August 5. Cyclist Brent Bookwalter will ride for Team USA with the U.S. men’s road team. “This has been a firm and ambitious goal of mine for the past couple of years,” says Bookwalter, who will compete in two events: the Road Race and the Time Trial.

To wrap up the 2016 season, the cast and crew of Lees-McRae Summer Theater will present The Pajama Game. Based on the novel “7½ cents” by Richard Bissell, the production will be performed August 2 and 4–5 at 7 p.m. and August 3–4 and 6–7 at 2 p.m.

Lees-McRae continues the 31st Summer Theatre season with the musical Always… Patsy Cline. The production will be performed on July 14-16 and 19 at 7 p.m. and July 16, 17 and 20 at 2 p.m.

This summer, taking a stroll around Banner Elk will have an added pleasure — fully operational pianos situated throughout town, ready for players.

Lees-McRae is kicking off the 31st Summer Theatre season with Disney and Cameron Mackintosh's Mary Poppins, which runs from June 26-July 3. Based on the books by P.L. Travers and the classic Walt Disney film, the show delighted Broadway audiences for more than 2,500 performances and received nominations for nine Olivier and seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The shows will take place in the Hayes Auditorium of Broyhill Theatre.

There are so many amazing memories I had while I was at Lees-McRae College. If I had to pick one, I would probably say the time I went on the overnight backpacking trip with Dee Thomas and several other students. We had the opportunity to spend the night in the Linville Gorge, cook our food over fire, hike down to this beautiful waterfall, and most importantly, just escape all of the technology and worries of our everyday lives. I had been camping several times before, but the knowledge that Dee shared with all of us about proper backpacking and safe camping techniques is something that will stick with me forever. I remember we all worked together to try and hang our food from a tree before the sun went down, and although it took us a while to get it done, it brought all of us closer during the trip.

Lees-McRae College awarded 251 degrees, the largest number in College history, during commencement exercises Saturday, May 7. Among the graduates, 23 graduated with honors, 58 graduated summa cum laude (3.90-4.0 GPA), 63 graduated magna cum laude (3.70-3.89 GPA) and 33 graduated cum laude (3.50-3.69 GPA).

Lees-McRae College is proud to announce that Dianne L. May has been chosen to receive an honorary Doctor of Humanities at this year’s commencement ceremony on May 7, 2016.

Join Lees-McRae College in celebrating spring’s return to the mountains. During the 6th annual Appalachian Heritage Week, April 7-15, the College will highlight beloved American novelist Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, who spent a creative autumn in one of the College’s cottages. Other unique aspects of mountain heritage will enlighten and entertain students and community members. Lees-McRae invites everyone to participate in the activities sponsored by the Stephenson Center for Appalachia.

Meg Quinn believes she would never be where she is today without her experience at the New Opportunity School for Women at Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk. When she arrived at NOSW in July 2010, she had low self-esteem and no idea what the program would entail. What she found in the three week intensive session was life-changing.

The Lees-McRae College performing arts program is excited to announce the renovation of the program’s dance studio. The renovations were completed in March and made possible by generous donors Dana and Vicki McKittrick and support from Lees-McRae Summer Theatre.

My favorite memory pertaining to my scholastic experience at Lees-McRae would have to be working with Bradley Huff, an ATC (Athletic Trainer Certified) on and off the field, but especially with one of the soccer players who had a knee surgery and was undergoing rehabilitation. It ties in directly with the second question because it was during those few days that I learned how to be confident with what I was doing.

The May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center was recently featured on WDBJ7 out of Roanoke, Virginia. Director Nina Fischesser spoke about the types of animals the Center takes in and the wildlife rehabilitation program.

Join us on Thursday, February 25 as we celebrate Black History Month with Dr. Kristen Baldwin Deathridge’s lecture “Public History and the History of an African-American Appalachian Community.” The program, part of the Stephenson Center for Appalachia Lecture Series, will begin at 7 p.m. in Evans Auditorium in the Cannon Student Center. The event is free and open to the public.

One of the main reasons I chose to go to Lees-McRae College was because of the unique beautiful elevated location in the mountains, the small college experience, the small student to teacher ratio curriculum, and sports. When I visited North Carolina from Florida I instantly feel in love the mountains and the campus.

He’s been hailed as one of the most significant figures in modern musical theatre, and Lees-McRae College’s Performing Arts program will present some of Stephen Sondheim’s best music in Sondheim on Sondheim February 25‒28 at Hayes Auditorium.

Professional cyclo-cross racer Ally Stacher knows what it takes to fuel a body for the pounding, punishing, calorie-sucking energy needed to ride at the highest levels in the sport.

Lees-McRae College student Melissa Hooper shares a campus house with five other women, along with two dogs and a gecko. Even as universities relax many housing rules — gender-neutral dorms are mainstream — animals remain largely a no-go. N.C. State University (above) only allows fish and registered service animals. UNC Chapel Hill allows service and support animals.

The USCSA event hosted an event this past weekend at Beech Mountain Resort in Beech Mountain, N.C.

If the novelty of winter has ebbed, come warm up with poet Adrian Rice’s reading at Lees-McRae College on Thursday, January 28 from 7 to 8 p.m. Rice will present his poems in Evans Auditorium of the Cannon Student Center as the first of the Stephenson Center for Appalachia’s 2016 Lecture Series.

What is your favorite memory from Lees-McRae College? This is a really hard one to choose - there are so many. I think rather than just one memory, I remember the friendships I created in college. I still speak to so many people, and I love homecoming every year because you will never know who you will get to see. I miss my professors. I miss playing soccer and lacrosse. I miss being active in Delta Omicron Theta and the list continues. Simply stated, my favorite memory is Lees-McRae College.

Lees-McRae College’s Department of Performing Arts continues the Fall 2015 performance series with Terra Nova. The drama, written by playwright Ted Tally, is the story of Englishman Robert Falcon Scott’s ill-fated Antarctic expedition in 1912 as his five-man team endeavors to be the first to reach the South Pole. This journey is filled with intense moments of hope to be the first to discover this foreign place, but also of fear, determination, isolation and tragedy.

Nina Fischesser, director of the May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, will be releasing a bald eagle at Lake James this Friday. She rescued the eagle from the lake in September and transferred the bird to the Carolina Raptor Center for treatment. The eagle has recovered and was approved for release on November 10.

My favorite memories at Lees-McRae College were spending the spring on the porch in the Village and riding the cyclo-cross course in the fall.

Students at Lees-McRae College will now have the opportunity to earn a licensure in Special Education, General Curriculum (K-12) and graduate with a Bachelor of Science or a Bachelor of Arts. The accredited Special Education program is the most recent addition to the Lees-McRae Division of Education, which offers licensures in both Theatre Arts Education and Elementary Education (K-6).

Boone novelist Joshua Simcox will present a program at Lees-McRae College on Tuesday, October 20 at 7:00 p.m. in Evans Auditorium. As part of the Stephenson Center for Appalachia lecture series, Simcox will read from his novel Zapheads: Scars and Ashes and will discuss the publication process.

I have many fantastic memories from my time at Lees-McRae, but the ones that really stick with me are the many hours spent sitting in Dr. Stewart Skeate’s office talking about birds, flowers, ecological systems, and graduate school. He was such a great mentor and I really don’t think I would be working as an educator today if it wasn’t for this relationship. For the past 14 years I have had the honor of mentoring hundreds of students at Appalachian State University. I often think about the positive influence a mentor can make because of my experience at Lees-McRae.

Lees-McRae College has implemented a tuition guarantee program for students beginning in fall 2016. As a testament to the College’s commitment to affordability, all students entering the 2016-17 academic year will be guaranteed the same rate of tuition for remaining academic years based on their classification as of fall 2016.

What is your favorite memory from Lees-McRae College? This is a very difficult question – I just can’t pick one. In my years at LMC, each moment really shaped the type of person I am today. I often look back and think – “Remember that time?”

As higher education institutions continue to face stiff competition from both traditional and alternative learning programs, Lees-McRae College is pleased to report record enrollment growth for the 2015-16 academic year. Student numbers jumped 10%, from 940 in fall 2014 to 1,034 this fall.

The Lees-McRae athletic department is proud to announce the induction of Troy Brown, Shela Moffett-Fabri and Ally Stacher into the Lees-McRae Fred I. Dickerson Athletics Hall of Fame.

Students, faculty and staff who attended the annual Lees-McRae Opening Convocation ceremony on Thursday, August 20 were inspired by the message woven throughout the program – follow your passion and you'll find success.

Lees-McRae College will host the 2015 Opening Convocation on August 20 at 3:30 p.m. in the Broyhill Theatre of Hayes Auditorium. Each fall, students, faculty and staff come together for the afternoon to celebrate the beginning of a new academic year. Executive Director of Grandfather Mountain and Lees-McRae alumnus Jesse Pope will give the keynote address titled Follow Your Passion, Find Your Success at this year’s Opening Convocation.

Colleges and universities across the country continue to implement new and innovative programs to enrich the faculty and student experience, and Lees-McRae is no exception. Our pet-friendly campus policy is garnering national attention and was just featured on People.com.

I do not have one specific memory of Lees-McRae that is my favorite. Instead I have many! I fondly remember days out at the Field Station for Dr. Skeate’s biology classes with Buckeye, Dr. Skeate’s dog, disappearing into the bushes along the trail only to come back carrying a branch twice the size of himself. Needless to say, fetch was an interesting event.

What is your favorite memory from Lees-McRae College? My favorite would have to be driving to my first day of college at Lees-McRae. I was so excited to be living in the mountains for four years and meet new people. I guess you could say I felt like a free man since I was away from home.

On Friday, July 10, more than 90 faculty, staff, students, alumni, community members and friends of the College celebrated the dedication of the Ann and John Tickle Classroom at the May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. The 950 square foot classroom space allows for larger classes and community educational programs to be held.

Lees-McRae College has launched a $250,000 fundraising campaign for the renovations of Hayes Auditorium. The auditorium, built in 1975, is located at the front of campus on Highway 194 and serves as an important campus and community venue.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) has reaffirmed the accreditation of Lees-McRae College for 10 years. The reaffirmation was announced at a meeting of the SACSCOC Board of Trustees on June 11.

My favorite memory from Lees-McRae was getting to ride my bike in some of the country’s most beautiful mountains. I also really enjoyed the time I was able to spend with my dad working on my senior research project on cardiac arrhythmias in collegiate athletes.

Lees-McRae College conferred 214 degrees upon the class of 2015 in a beautiful commencement ceremony held on historic Tate Lawn. As a result of excellent career preparation and an 88% placement rate, the new graduates are embarking on a journey of endless opportunities.

I have three favorite memories. The first was my initial arrival on campus. My mom and sister accompanied me to the campus. I went in the bookstore to ask for directions where I was to go for housing as I arrived ten days early on campus for football practice. I went to the office where I met Trula Bennett. She directed me to the old gym where I lived for about ten days until formal classes started.

Lees-McRae College conferred degrees upon 214 graduates during commencement exercises Saturday, May 9 on Tate Lawn on the campus in Banner Elk. The 2015 ceremony was the first time commencement has been held on Tate Lawn in the history of the College. Of the graduating class, 15 graduated with honors, 56 graduated summa cum laude (3.90-4.0 GPA), 43 graduated magna cum laude (3.70-3.89 GPA) and 31 graduated cum laude (3.50-3.69 GPA).

Lees-McRae College will hold its annual commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 9 at 11 a.m. on Tate Lawn. As the culmination of the academic year, commencement is a special time for students, faculty, staff, families and the community to celebrate the accomplishments of the Lees-McRae College graduates. Lees-McRae College Board of Trustees chairman, Harvey Lowd, has been chosen as the 2015 Commencement speaker. Lowd will present his keynote address titled “Dream Big.”

What is your favorite memory from Lees-McRae College? There are too many favorite memories but I think what always stands out for me was the personal interaction with professors. I’ll never forget being in John “Doc” Wilson’s sociology class and, on the very first day, he said, “You can have any name you want in my class!” So I told him I wanted to be a Dean at Lees-McRae. From then on I was “Dean McAfee”.

Lees-McRae College is pleased to announce the appointment of Brent Thomas ’85 as Vice President of Advancement. Thomas most recently served as the Director of Development at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina. He will begin his duties at Lees-McRae College on April 1, 2015.

UNC-TV recently featured the May School of Nursing and Health Sciences at Lees-McRae College in a special episode of the North Carolina Now program which provided a behind the scenes look at the new facility and Hart Simulation Center.

Playing soccer for four years is Shela Moffett-Fabri’s favorite memory from her days at Lees-McRae. “I was a part of the first group to play all four years. We called ourselves the Fab Five (Allison McDonald Norris, Jeanne Cobbe (JC), Karen VanWert and Julia Callerman-Fullwood). I’ll never forget the National Tournament where we played soccer during Hurricane Hugo. Then, on our return home from the tournament, LMC had its first snow. Seeing the Florida players was a sight, playing in the snow in shorts.”

We all know that Lees-McRae is an outdoor enthusiasts' dream, and now it's time to prove it! Blue Ridge Outdoors is hosting a Top Adventure College Tournament and Lees-McRae is in the running. This contest will put Lees-McRae up against other colleges and universities in a head-to-head 32-school bracket. Large Division I schools will battle one side of the bracket while Lees-McRae battles against smaller schools on the other side. At the end of the contest, both division winners will compete for Top Adventure College glory.

Like many other Lees-McRae graduates, Leon McLean ’47 felt that his goal in life was to excel and not just get by with mediocrity. And, like so many others at Lees-McRae, he learned that academics in college is serious business. “I learned that you must study diligently and be prepared for challenges you encounter. Lees-McRae experiences taught me to be tenacious; to develop social and emotional assets along with academic success.”

From her home in Horse Shoe, N.C., Lees-McRae College alumna Ally Stacher ’10 is building an empire powered by sweet potato flavored bars simply named Ally’s Bar. In addition to operating a thriving energy bar business, Stacher is also a professional cyclist riding in multiple disciplines. It was her love of training married with a love of cooking that spawned this delightfully tasty treat and business venture.

As with many alumni, it’s impossible for Kim Coley Rosenfeld ’13 to choose her favorite memory from Lees-McRae. “I have so many great memories with my former softball teammates including games, trips and 'family nights.' My junior year, I was able to embark on a trip of a lifetime to London. While in London, I experienced navigating a foreign country all alone: I booked my flight for the wrong day, saw amazing things, experienced food poisoning for the first time and made life-long friends that I probably would never have crossed paths with outside of the trip. Lastly, one cannot spend an extended amount of time in Banner Elk and not have memories involving snow; I will never forget snowboarding on Tate Lawn and 'bobsledding' down our driveway on Sugar Mountain!”

(High Country Press) It may still be wintertime, but Lees-McRae College already has great things in store for the High Country community for the upcoming summer months. The highly-anticipated 2015 lineup of the annual Lees-McRae Summer Theatre has officially been announced, and the 2015 summer season is sure to be yet another great year of theatrical treats.