LEES-MCRAE COLLEGE

'Lees-McRae College' is a private four-year college in Banner Elk, North Carolina affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). Lees-McRae College has the highest elevation of any college or university in the United States east of the Mississippi River^[3] at 3720 ft (1134 m) above sea level^[4]. It is one of the only colleges to be named after two women, Suzanna Lees and Elizabeth McRae. In 2005, Lees-McRae became the first expansion site for New Opportunity School for Women, a program that helps educate and employ women in Appalachia.^[5]

Contents

History

Campus

Organization

Students and faculty

Sports, clubs, and traditions

Noted alumni

References

External links

History

Lees-McRae College was founded in Banner Elk as an all-female normal school and high school in 1899 by founder Reverend Edgar Tufts, a Presbyterian minister. He named the school 'The Elizabeth McRae Institute' after a well-respected educator in 1900. School benefactor Suzanna Lees' name was added in 1903 and the school's name became the 'Lees-McRae Institute' when the school was chartered by the state in 1907.
An all-male branch was founded during 1907 in Plumtree, North Carolina. The Plumtree facility was destroyed in a 1927 fire, leading the two campuses to merge at the Banner Elk site. After the merge, the high school program was phased out and the institute was renamed in 1931 to 'Lees-McRae College', an accredited, coeducations junior college.
Lees-McRae began moving toward offering a four-year program in the late 1980s and the school's president made the recommendation to the board of trustees in 1987^[6]. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools granted Lees-McRae status as a four-year college in 1990.

Campus

Landmarks on campus include the historic Rock House, built in 1920 of native stone; Tufts Tower, a former water tower that houses the campus chimes; and the North Carolina Building, completed in 1922 and one of three permanent buildings planned by the college's founder.
In 2003, the college saw its first major construction in 20 years with the opening of the Arthur-Lauritsen-Sanders Track and Field Venue^[7].

Organization

The college has seven academic divisions:

★ Business and Information Systems

★ Social Sciences

★ Humanities

★ Honors Program

★ Education & Physical Education

★ Performing Arts

★ Science and Mathematics

Students and faculty

State the number (and any other useful statistics) of the students. Distinguish between undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students; also state the number of faculty members. Distinguish between tenure/nontenured, full- and part-time (if possible).

Sports, clubs, and traditions

The Lees-McRae Bobcats compete in NCAA Division II play in Conference Carolinas. Teams are fielded in intercollegiate competition in basketball, cross-country, men's golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, and volleyball; all are eligible for athletic scholarships. Intramural teams compete in all of the sports offered in intercollegiate play plus cycling, fencing, football, skiing, swimming and diving, table tennis, and weightlifting.
Several programs are available to students interested in leadership, service and the outdoors. These programs range from the school's own Campus After The Class Hours (CATCH), KIBO Emerging Leaders, and Outdoor Programs to national programs like AmeriCorps Bonner Leaders.
Student groups on campus include:

★ Beta Omega Kappa

★ Cheerleading

★ Chess Club

★ Choral Group (The Highlanders)

★ Dance Team (The Roar)

★ Delta Omicron Theta

★ Fellowship of Christian Athletes

★ International Club

★ InterVarsity/Approaching the Throne

★ Order of the Tower

★ Pep Band

★ SPECTRUM

★ Student Ambassadors

★ Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SACC)

★ Students Against a Vanishing Environment

★ Student Government Association

★ Theater

★ Xi Mu Eta

Noted alumni

★ Thomas Ferebee (1937), bombardier aboard the ''Enola Gay''

References

1. Lees-McRae College - College Overview
2. Lees-McRae College: Communications: Publication Guidelines. Retrieved on 2007-07-09.
3. Lees-McRae College
4. Geographic Names Information System Feature Detail Report
5. Program At Lees-McRae College To Provide New Opportunities To Women In Need
6. Lees-McRae Might Convert To 4-Year College Pam Kelley
7. Lees-McRae College Dedicates New Track And Field Venue

External links

★ Lees-McRae College official website