Commencement

Mark Your Calendar!

Commencement Practice
Friday, May 8
1:45 p.m., Hayes Auditorium

Baccalaureate Dinner
Friday, May 8 
4:30–6:30 p.m., MacDonald Dining Hall

Baccalaureate Service
Friday, May 8
7 p.m., Hayes Auditorium

Commencement
Saturday, May 9
10 a.m., Tate Lawn
(Inclement weather location: Williams Physical Education Center)

Commencement

Commencement will be held Saturday, May 9, 2020 at 10 a.m. on Tate Lawn. The number of guests attending will not be limited if the ceremony is in this location. Graduates must arrive by 8:30 a.m. in Hayes Auditorium to robe and line up. Special occasion dress beneath robes is appropriate. Please refrain from wearing shorts and flip flops. NOTE: Graduates may NOT bring their pets to commencement.

Inclement Weather Plan
In the case of inclement weather, commencement will be held in Williams Physical Education Center (WPEC). Guests will be limited to four (4) per graduate in order to stay in compliance with the occupancy limit for WPEC. Live streaming will be available in the following locations: Hayes Auditorium and Evans Auditorium.

Should weather conditions mandate a change, a decision will be made Thursday, May 7 and posted on this webpage.

Parking and Shuttle Service
Parking and shuttles will be available at the following sites: Avery and WPEC parking lots. Signs will be posted for the shuttle service at each location. A shuttle will run from Best Western at 8 and 9 a.m.

The college has reserved parking spaces in Hayes Parking Lot (Williams Gym Lot for rain location) for guests with mobility impairments; however, the total number of parking spaces is limited. To park in one of these reserved spaces, a valid permit is required.

After the Commencement ceremony, shuttle service will leave from the front of Tate Lawn every 15 minutes. This service will be available for 45 minutes. Shuttles will return guests to the Best Western and the Avery and WPEC parking lots.

 

Commencement Practice

Practice for Commencement will be held Friday, May 8 at 1:45 p.m. in Hayes Auditorium. Rain location is Williams Physical Education Center. Attendance is mandatory to ensure a quality commencement ceremony.

 

Baccalaureate Dinner and Service

The Baccalaureate Dinner will be Friday, May 8 from 4:30–6:30 p.m. in MacDonald Dining Hall. To accommodate our guests and to eliminate longer lines at the buffet, doors will open at 4:30 p.m. The cost is: $15.25 adults, $8.50 children 6–12 years of age, and free for children 1–5 years of age. Graduates will receive a complimentary ticket for their meal. Tickets will be mailed to the address provided and must be presented at the door for entry. All guests (graduates included) must purchase tickets online no later than Friday, April 24.

The Baccalaureate/Hooding Service will be Friday, May 8 at 7 p.m. in Hayes Auditorium. Please wear your academic regalia (gown and hood, no cap) to this service. Your hood should be draped over your left arm. You will line up at 6:30 p.m. outside MacDonald Dining Hall. If it rains, you will line up inside the dining hall. RSVP at the link below to indicate how many guests will be attending the Baccalaureate Service.

Purchase tickets and RSVP at lmc.edu/baccalaureate. 

 

Cap and Gown Orders

Cap and gown orders can be placed through Tuesday, March 10. Your cap and gown is covered by the graduation fee, which has been added to your student account. Place your order online any time between Feb. 1–March 10. With questions, please contact Tanya McCleary, bookstore manager, at 828.898.8728 or sm092@bncollege.com. Cap and gown orders will be available for pick-up at The Exchange Bookstore around the end of April. Seniors will be notified by email of a date and time to pick up their caps and gowns. If you are a December graduate or an online/distance learning student, you can pick up your cap and gown at graduation practice on Friday, May 8.

Campus Map

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 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.