Basic Information

Name: Lees-McRae College (LMC)

Nature of the School: Private Liberal Arts College.

Founded: 1900.

Location: Located in Banner Elk, North Carolina.

History:

Early Founding: In 1900, the newly appointed pastor Edgar Tufts established a church and provided informal education for local women, which later developed into a boarding school.

Origin of the Name: The school is named after two women - Mrs. Susanna P. Lees, a generous donor, and Mrs. Elizabeth A. McRae, a famous North Carolina teacher.

Development History: After the death of Pastor Edgar Tufts in 1923, Edgar Hall Tufts Jr. took over the school. In 1990, the school expanded from a two-year institution to a four-year college. In the early 21st century, the school began a remote degree completion program and added its first graduate program in 2018.

Educational philosophy: Educate and inspire students to approach life and work from a creative, collaborative and critical perspective, and prepare students for diverse careers and environments. Focus on the needs of all learners, whether they are resident students on the main campus or students completing their degrees through online courses.

School strength:

Accreditation: Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), it can award bachelor's and master's degrees.

Rich courses: It offers a variety of undergraduate majors and graduate courses, as well as certificate courses, to meet the needs of different students.

Practical opportunities: Focus on practical teaching, cooperate with many companies and institutions to provide students with internships and practical opportunities, such as the May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center provides a practical place for students in related majors.

Faculty: It has a professional team of teachers who have rich experience in teaching and research.

Key disciplines: The college has good subject programs in the fields of art, science, business, education, etc. For example, the major of drama arts is strong, and its drama performances have a certain influence in the local area; there are also majors that are closely integrated with the local environment and industry, such as outdoor sports management.

Campus environment:

Historic buildings: The North Carolina Building, Tennessee Dormitory, Virginia Dormitory, Tufts Tower and Stone House on campus are all built with local stone and are the oldest landmark buildings of the school.

Natural environment: Located in the Appalachian Mountains, the surrounding natural landscape is beautiful, providing students with a good learning and living environment, and also providing convenient conditions for outdoor sports and related courses.

Traditional activities: The school has a wealth of traditional activities, such as "Mountain Day", on which students do not have classes, but participate in activities to give back to the community and celebrate living in the highlands.