Burton Center for Student Success
The Burton Center for Student Success delivers a comprehensive program designed to provide academic planning and support. Lees-McRae graduates have proven that many pathways can lead to success. Through coursework, academic advising, learning assistance, and tutoring services, the Burton Center works with every student to discover the best path for individual success.
Persistence and Completion Experience (PACE)

PACE is designed to help students understand the connection between specific actions they take at the beginning of their college experience and their eventual educational and professional success. PACE combines programming, advising, and self-assessment to help students develop personal responsibility and other skills that will enable them to persist to graduation.
Peer Coaching
Services include individual and small group peer coaching to support all academic disciplines on campus, as well as providing assistance with general study skills and organization. The Burton Center utilizes trained peer coaches who are available to help with assignments across all disciplines. Tuition includes all peer coaching services. The Burton Center recommends taking advantage of all available resources early in the semester. Our mission is to provide support and guidance to help students be successful learners.
Ratchford Writing Center
The Ratchford Writing Center is located on the ground floor of the Dotti Shelton Learning Commons and is the foundation of writing support for the Lees-McRae campus. The center utilizes trained peer tutors who are available to help with writing assignments across all disciplines. Individuals, small groups and classes use the center for tutoring, instruction and conferencing. Our mission is to create a culture of writing excellence by guiding students to become critical, creative and collaborative thinkers who communicate effectively and professionally.
Advising
Lees-McRae is dedicated to offering students quality advising. Entering freshmen who have declared a major are assigned a faculty advisor in their major area of study. Freshmen who have not declared a major are assigned a general advisor in the Burton Center for Student Success. No later than the end of the sophomore year, students are expected to declare a major. Once declared, the major advisor will assist the student with academic planning for the remainder of their time at Lees-McRae College.
Advisors work closely with students in developing plans for completion of a major program of study, assist in scheduling courses for each semester to meet the goal(s) of the plan, and provide assistance with procedural questions such as registration, add/drop, and withdrawal.
Contact Us
Nora Augustine
Assistant Professor of English, Director of the Ratchford Writing Center