The PEAK Experience expands summer courses, experiential learning at Lees-McRae College
Lees-McRae College has launched a new campus-wide model for student success and engagement that prioritizes hands-on learning and developing essential skills. The PEAK Experience enhances the college’s distinctive approach to higher education by bringing together academics, athletics, student life, and career preparation into a streamlined framework for continued growth.
The PEAK Experience centers on four pillars: preparation, engagement, aspiration, and knowledge. Through intentional programming across all collegiate departments and disciplines, students are equipped with practical goal-setting strategies, resilience skills, and stress-management techniques that enable them to anticipate and handle challenges. Students participate in hands-on educational activities and get involved in clubs and organizations that push them out of their comfort zone. Everything inside and outside of the classroom is designed to help students cultivate knowledge and build a bright future.
“PEAK is not a single program or initiative,” Vice President for Academic Affairs Pam Vesely said. “It is a campus-wide commitment to creating a fulfilling, challenging, and successful student experience for every Bobcat.”
PEAK is a reaffirmation of the college’s mission to “educate and inspire students to approach life and work from a creative, collaborative, and critical perspective in preparation for diverse careers and environments” and presents new opportunities for students.
Among those new opportunities is an expansion of summer courses. Starting with the Fall 2026 incoming class, all Lees-McRae students will take at least three credit hours in a course designated as an experiential intensive. Most of these courses will take place in a compressed timeframe during the summer months. They will go beyond even the experiential opportunities currently available through normal coursework to allow students to more fully explore the practical nature and applications of their chosen field of study.
According to Vesely, the PEAK Experience is a “living framework” that can be adapted to meet the needs of future students. As the college continues to introduce new offerings that best serve modern students, PEAK will serve as a guide for creating a positive and successful college experience.
