In a historic finish, Lees-McRae becomes Top Adventure College

On Friday, May 4, Lees-McRae took historic gold in Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine’s Top Adventure College competition becoming the first “small school” to win the overall title.

Week by week, Lees-McRae beat out school after school ultimately proving the College, and its surroundings, are some of the best in the region.

The annual contest, presented by Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine, posed colleges across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions in a weekly bracket head-to-head competition. One-half of the bracket featured “large schools” or schools with more than 5,000 enrolled students with the other half including “small schools” or schools with less than 5,000 enrolled students.

Before taking the ultimate title of Top Adventure College, Lees-McRae took the title of best “small school.”

Boasting miles of trails, campgrounds and picturesque locations to set up a hammock, Lees-McRae offers endless ways to explore and enjoy the outdoors. Many of the academic offerings at Lees-McRae center around the outdoors and the lessons it can teach. Some of those programs include Outdoor Recreation Management, Cycling Studies and Wildlife Biology.

Outdoor Recreation Management professor Katie Wall said that the competition, though fierce, brought the Lees-McRae and High Country communities together in a way she did not expect.

“Students, faculty, staff, alumni, families, friends from other colleges and more came together to support Lees-McRae. This was truly a group effort and we owe a huge thanks to everyone that supported us through this competition,” Wall said. “Though Lees-McRae may be small, we are mighty, and we have shown that today.”