The Pinnacles - Winter/Spring 2011

The Inauguration of President Barry M. Buxton

In this issue:

Lees-McRae College Magazine | Winter/Spring 2011

Extended Campus Programs

Daniel Boone VI Cottage

becomes a premier cycling destination

The Highest Campus in the East

This is a time of gratitude, challenge, and opportunity at Lees-McRae College. The Buxton family is grateful for the opportunity to serve Lees-McRae. There is no greater honor for Debbie and me than to be entrusted with the leadership of LMC. We are dedicated to the intellectual, spiritual, and physical growth of our students. As I have often said to friends and family, Lees-McRae is not a job, it’s a calling. The presidency is a sacred trust and every waking moment is devoted to the well-being of Lees-McRae. We view this time in our lives as a God-granted opportunity to give back to our place of birth.

As with most public and private colleges today, there is no shortage of challenges at Lees-McRae. In a very competitive environment, we must recruit and retain more students. Our goal is to become a tuition-driven institution, becoming less dependent on contributions to support the annual operating budget. We have an ambitious plan to increase enrollment by 50% in five years, from 900 students to 1350 students. This increase in student enrollment will serve as a “tipping point” in the evolution of Lees-McRae. New programs will be necessary to fuel this growth, and we are currently evaluating schools of nursing and allied health and hospitality and tourism management, among other possibilities.

As important as recruiting new students is retaining existing students. Therefore, I have initiated a campus-wide retention program, headed by Vice President for Enrollment Management, Dr. John Keener. This initiative leaves no stone unturned in our efforts to identify student needs, interests, and challenges. Our goal at Lees-McRae is not to “weed” students out, but to “weave” them into our Lees-McRae family. We are an extension of their home.

Leadership is always the deciding factor in small college success. I am pleased to report that we have recently added four new members to the Board of Trustees: Ed Hood is a nuclear engineer and retired executive with General Electric; Bob Jepson is Chairman of the Board and CEO of Jepson, Inc., a private investment company; Deborah Williams, who lives in the United Kingdom, is a designer and historic preservationist; and Dr. Larry Hopkins ’70, a prominent surgeon in the Winston-Salem area. These are transformational leaders who are passionate about Lees-McRae College.

There are many distinguishing characteristics of Lees-McRae College, but none more important than location. At 4000 feet above sea level, we are the highest campus in the eastern United States. With a campus of over 400 acres, Lees-McRae is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream! Our natural ecosystems are among the most diverse in the world. Notwithstanding, none of these is more important than the caliber of individuals who reside (year-round or seasonally) within a ten-mile radius of campus. Another goal is to begin a new era of volunteerism at Lees-McRae. We want to involve these amazing people in the life

of LMC….as trustees, visiting faculty, guest lecturers, garden designers, tour guides, librarians, actors, carpenters, etc. We believe in hard work at Lees-McRae and we know how much there is to be gained through broad community support and engagement.

Lees-McRae is truly a place of opportunity….the sky is the limit and we are very “bullish” on Lees-McRae’s future! Of course, not every part of my 20-point revitalization strategy for campus is grand in scope. We believe that “God is in the details,” so we are working daily to beautify our campus and make it more open and comfortable. New signage abounds as we create a sense of arrival. As you enter Banner Elk, visitors are greeted by a new Welcome Center, located in front of the historic Mill Pond. This will serve as an outreach to visitors to the High Country, who, here-to-fore, have not connected with LMC. In January we became a pet-friendly campus, and in June we will become tobacco-free. This summer will see a resurgence in classes, lifelong learning, sports camps, and expanded summer theatre under the direction of Dr. Janet Barton Speer.

A goal in my plan that is very close to my heart (and legs!!!) is to make Lees-McRae the #1 college in the world for cycling! We already have ten national championships, and under the careful guidance of Dr. Kacy Crabtree, Vice President for Academic Affairs, we have implemented the first minor degree in bicycling studies. The response from the bicycling community to this initiative has been outstanding!

At Lees-McRae, we are fortunate and we are blessed. We are a God, family, and country school and we sing it from the mountaintops! God bless….

Barry M. Buxton, Ph.D. President

From the

President

EditorMeghan Wright ’06

Contributing WritersLuke Anton, Scott Crawford, Dr. Michael Joslin, Whitney

Noble, Michelle Vance Scott ’86/’90, Holly StewartContributing Photographers

Scott Crawford, Dr. Michael Joslin

The Pinnacles is published for alumni and friends of the College by the Office of Communications. Please send all communications including questions, class notes and letters to the editor to:

The Pinnacles Lees-McRae College P.O. Box 128 Banner Elk, NC 28604 or [email protected]

PresidentDr. Barry M. Buxton

Board of Trustees, ChairMr. Thomas H. Brigham, Jr. ’72

Board of Trustees, Executive CommitteeMr. Thomas H. Brigham, Jr. ’72, Chair

Mr. Joe Stahl, Vice ChairMrs. Jane B. Stephenson ’57, Immediate Past Chair

Dr. John Blalock ’91 Mr. Robert S. JepsonMr. Arch Hoxton ’64

Mr. Harvey Lowd Mr. Ed Shelton ’60/’95

Mr. Leslie J. Broussard ’90

Alumni Council Executive CommitteeLynn Swisher Neese ’88/’90, President

Vacant, Vice PresidentCatherine Button Campe ’91, President Elect

Jennifer Baker ’06, SecretaryVacant, Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations

Board of Visitors Executive CommitteeWm. David Carter, Chair

Tricia Argabrite, Vice Chair

Office of AdvancementCaroline O. Hart, Vice President for Advancement

Frankie Needham ’55H, Director of Advancement ServicesMichelle V. Scott ’86/’90, Assistant Director of Annual Giving

and Alumni RelationsAbigail Lord ’01, Development Officer

Meghan Wright ’06, Associate Director of CommunicationsJoshua Brown, Web Developer

The Alumni Magazine of Lees-McRae CollegeContents

Cover Image by Michael JoslinBobcat Cyclists climb Dobbins Road in Banner Elk

under the peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Features14 Going Global16 Beyond the Bell Tower18 The Inauguration of Dr. Barry M. Buxton20 Daniel Boone VI Cottage

Departments 4 Campus News 6 Alumni Relations10 Donor Impact22 Faculty Profile 29 Alumni Class Notes

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4 | The Pinnacles Winter/Spring 2010-11

The Lees-McRae College Board of Trustees welcomed three new members during the summer meeting in July, and a fourth at the January meeting. Deborah Williams, Robert S. Jepson, Jr., and Dr. Lawrence Hopkins are new to the board while Edward E. Hood, Jr. rejoined the board on which he formerly served.

Deborah Williams is the owner of Armscote Manor, a garden design business, and Cobweb Designs, a renovation and design company, in Warwickshire, England. She was educated at Bromsgrove School in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England, and Moreton Morrell Agricultural College in Warwickshire, England. She organizes the Notorious Villains Ball, the largest black-tie teenage ball held outside London, that aids a local home hospice. Her other involvements include the Royal Shakespeare Company, Birmingham Royal Ballet, the American Museum in Britain and the Royal Horticulture Society. She is the founder of the annual Armscote Manor Lecture Series on gardening, landscape architecture and architectural history. She and husband, Roy, reside in Warwickshire.

Robert S. Jepson, Jr. founded Jepson Associates, Inc., a private investment firm, in 1989. He was formerly chairman and CEO of the Jepson Corporation, a Fortune 500 diversified manufacturing conglomerate, listed on the NYSE, which he sold in 1989. In 1993, he became chairman of Kuhlman Corporation, also a NYSE listed diversified manufacturing company, where he engineered a restructuring that resulted in the successful sale of the company to Borg-Warner Automotive in 1999.

Mr. Jepson and his wife, Alice Andrews Jepson, focus much of their philanthropy on higher education and are known benefactors in the field. Among their most notable contributions is the University of Richmond Jepson School of Leadership Studies, founded in 1992. Mr. Jepson earned two degrees from the University of Richmond: a B.S.B.A. in 1964 and an M.S. in Commerce in 1975. He and wife, Alice, reside in Savannah.

Edward E. Hood, Jr. is retired from General Electric Company where he held several positions including vice president, group vice president, senior vice president and sector executive, vice chairman and executive officer, and member of the board of directors. Other positions held by Mr. Hood include director of Flight Safety International, director of Lincoln Electric Company, director of Gerber Scientific, Inc., and director of Lockheed Martin Corporation. He earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees

The Trusteeship Committee of the Board of Trustees welcomes recommendations from alumni, parents and friends of the institution for candidates who will bring guidance and wisdom to the College’s governing board.

The board seeks energetic and committed candidates who possess expertise in various important areas including, but not limited to: higher education, finance, the arts, technology, global learning, legal affairs, marketing, or media relations. Those nominated should display the ability to exercise informed, independent judgment, and to act in the best interests of Lees-McRae to properly steward the College’s academic programs and fiscal resources.

Candidates should be willing to fully immerse themselves in the work of the board. They should place Lees-McRae as a priority in terms of time and philanthropy, and be committed to staying abreast of the changing landscape of higher education. The full board meets in Banner Elk three times a year, and trustees must be committed to actively participate in board meetings and committee meetings that may be scheduled at other times of the year. Trustees are also often asked to attend and/or host other college-related events.

Each year, the board will have opportunities for three to five new trustees for a three-year term that may be followed by one additional three-year term.

The Trusteeship Committee welcomes recommendations for future consideration, which may be made by mail to: Trusteeship Committee, Lees-McRae College, P.O. Box 128, Banner Elk, NC 28604

Call for Nominations: Board of Trustees

Board of Trustees adds four new members

News from the Board

in nuclear engineering from North Carolina State University. Mr. Hood was a trustee of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute from 1980 to 1995 and a trustee of NC State University from 1996 to 2004. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering. Mr. Hood and wife, Kay, reside in Banner Elk and Florida.

Dr. Lawrence D. Hopkins, Lees-McRae College class of 1970 and a member of the College’s Board of Visitors, graduated from Wake Forest University in 1972. A prominent surgeon in the Winston-Salem area, Dr. Hopkins graduated from Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University in 1977 and completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Medical College of Virginia. After serving in the United States Air Force from 1981 to 1983, Dr. Hopkins operated

a private practice in Winston-Salem from 1983 to 1996. He practiced medicine at Aegis Family Health Centers in Winston-Salem from 1996 until 2005. He is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. He and wife, Beth, reside in Winston-Salem.

The Pinnacles Winter/Spring 2010-11 | 5

Lees-McRae College’s prize-winning historian, Allen Speer, has published a third book From Banner Elk to Boonville, the concluding volume to his Voices trilogy. Based on the three volumes of his survey of his family history, Allen Speer’s personal memoir draws together his heritage and his life in a moving account of his growing up surrounded by physical and emotional monuments to the past in his family’s home place in Boonville, NC.

Speer’s trilogy has won a total of eight awards, including the prestigious American Association for State and Local History Award. His final volume before publication had received the Robert Bruce Cooke Award for an unpublished manuscript.

In From Banner Elk to Booneville, Speer recounts the story of his growth and development by vividly narrating his personal history as well as by retelling tales told by his forebears, the Speers, whose voices continue to speak from Cemetery Hill. He shows how genetics, family and community mythology, and his own experiences have created the Allen Speer whose voice joins those of his ancestors to create a poignant portrait of a southern family and their culture.

“Allen Speer’s Voices from Cemetery Hill trilogy presents a unique look at our mountain culture from before the Civil War to the present, showing how the threads from the past form an important part of the cloth of today,” said Dr. Michael Joslin, director of the John B. Stephenson Center for Appalachia at Lees-McRae.

From Banner Elk to Boonville and the first two books, Sisters of Providence and Voices from Cemetery Hill are available at the Lees-McRae College Exchange Store and Black Bear Books in Boone.

Dr. Allen Speer publishes third volume in Voices trilogy

Lees-McRae opens first pet-friendly residence hall for spring 2011 semester

Campus to be tobacco-free June 1

News from Campus

Lees-McRae College is going to the dogs… and cats, birds, fish, ferrets, and hamsters! With the opening of the spring 2011 semester also comes the opening of the College’s first pet-friendly residence hall.

Bentley Residence Hall opened its doors on January 9 to its newest two-legged and four-legged residents for the inaugural semester of the Lees-McRae College Pet-Friendly Program.

“I am so excited that Lees-McRae College has joined the ranks of pet-friendly colleges and universities. We love our pets and we recognize that students who are pet owners are generally responsible and caring individuals,” said President Barry M. Buxton. “We want to encourage pet adoption and awareness that all of God’s creatures are sacred.”

Students living in Bentley Hall went through a thorough application process and are now allowed to bring their pets from home to school with them to live in their rooms. Under the new policy, qualifying students can have fish, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, birds, ferrets, cats, dogs – anything under 40 pounds. Non-domestic pets are not allowed. Previously, students were only allowed to have fish in residence hall rooms.

“It is great to be able to have my two dogs for companionship while I am studying and doing homework in my room,” said student Lauren Lampley, owner of Shih Tzus Heidi and Buckley. “This responsibility also forces me to manage my time well enough to take care of them and make sure I make time to spend with them.”

The approved pets for the inaugural pet-friendly program at Lees-McRae College are Luna, a Boston Terrier; Athena, a Dutch Rabbit; Heidi and Buckley, both Shih Tzus; Little Bit, a Pomeranian/Chihuahua mix; Beeb, a Miniature Dachshund; Gizmo, a leopard gecko; Confucious, a Maine Coon mix; Blinx and Lily, both ferrets; Mogwai, a European Starling; Andy, a Siamese mix; Whipcream, a small Labrador Retriever; and Ollie, a parrot.

“We know how much the companionship of a pet can benefit a college student, particularly in the form of stress-relief and as a remedy for homesickness,” said Joshua Fried, director, Petside.com. “We are pleased to know that so many of America’s colleges are welcoming responsible students and their pets.”

The Lees-McRae College Pet Policy allows resident students the privilege of bringing a family pet to live on campus while the student is enrolled in classes.

“Now I have two alarms,” jokes Chazlyn Thomas, owner of Beeb, a Miniature Dachshund. “When I ignore my alarm clock, my dog licks my face and my nose until I get up. She really cares about my education.”

Lees-McRae College will join 38 other North Carolina colleges and universities when the campus becomes tobacco-free on June 1.

Lees-McRae is committed to providing its employees and students with a safe and healthful environment. The College also recognizes the use of tobacco products on campus grounds is detrimental to the health and safety of students, staff, faculty and visitors.

The policy will create a 100% tobacco-free campus that prohibits the use of tobacco including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and smokeless tobacco by students, faculty, staff, and visitors in all campus facilities or property owned or leased by Lees-McRae College and outside areas on campus where non-smokers cannot avoid exposure to smoke.

Faculty and staff will have access to smoking cessation medications through health insurance plans, and students will have access to counseling and support groups.


Most alumni know it as the former house for college presidents, the most cherished being Dr. H.C. Evans—stories of ice cream parties, movies, and a pet skunk bring laughter and warmth to any gathering at the house. It is amusing how these stories get more and more interesting as each year passes!

It has already been three years since the Lees-McRae Advancement Office moved into the Alumni House. And, it was a good move! Now Lees-McRae College can offer a stunningly beautiful place for alumni to gather, meet, have reunions, or simply reminisce over a yearbook. The house features a full kitchen, a comfortable and stylish living room, a dining room with a view and a deck overlooking back campus. The Alumni House furnishings would not be as beautiful as they are without the generous donation of furniture by Jack Doggett, husband of the late Doris Davis Doggett ’49. He gave the furniture in her memory. Other alumni, like Suzy Parker Hamilton ’76 and Sarah McIver Fogleman ’82 donated beautiful pieces as well. The Golden

Heritage Society raised money to aid in the transformation of the house into working offices, purchasing furniture and new signage. Just this past June, Mrs. Deborah Buxton, wife of

our president, brought her special touch to the house and made it feel more like home.

In the Alumni House, you can find Caroline O. Hart, vice president for advancement; Abby J. Lord ’01, development officer; Frankie Ramsey Needham ’55h, director for advancement services; Michelle Vance Scott ’86 ’90, assistant director of annual giving and alumni relations. The Office of Communications is also based in the Alumni House: Meghan D. Wright ’06, associate director of communications and Joshua Brown, web developer. Stop in and say hello sometime!

The Alumni HouseStop in for a warm welcome to campus

Alumni Relations

My name is Lynn Swisher Neese, LMC classes of 1988 and 1990. I wear many hats in my life. My favorite hat is the one I wear every day as a “domestic engineer,” overseeing three kids and a husband.

However, I am very excited about my newest hat, which is President of the Lees-McRae Alumni Association. My primary role is helping the Alumni Association engage in activities that will promote and strengthen the College. I hope to hear from you!

If you’ve been following the College (and I hope you have), then you know much is changing. Sometimes change can be difficult, but it can also be rewarding. Oftentimes change allows us to see things another way, experience new opportunities, and develop a deeper understanding. Change is often related to being different, and who says different is bad? Being different allows us to respond to our surroundings better, conquer challenges, and establish new goals. Change can be quite exciting and becoming different incredibly satisfying.

Lees-McRae is strong because its alumni are strong – that hasn’t changed! I look forward to meeting new alumni and making more memories with those I already know. I hope to see you on campus this summer during Frolic Week or at Homecoming in October. I promise, both are well worth a trip to Banner Elk!

Sincerely,

Lynn Swisher Neese ’88 ’90

Change: The process of becoming different

On behalf of the Lees-McRae College Alumni Association, the College’s Alumni Council adopted new by-laws governing the Association at the meeting held during Homecoming Weekend.

Active work of the Alumni Association was formerly under the direction of the Alumni Council that consisted of an executive committee, decade representatives and chapter representatives.

With the new by-laws in place, the active work of the Alumni Association shall be under the direction of the “Alumni Board” which consists of an executive committee of elected officers and 36 directors. There shall be three classes of 12 directors serving three year terms. All directors are required to serve on standing committees that include advancement, admissions, student affairs, nominating, special events and other committees deemed necessary by the President of the Alumni Board.

Although the purpose of the Association may be worded a bit differently, the mission remains constant and is fivefold: to foster among the alumni a spirit of continuing service, fellowship and support of Lees-McRae College; to build, maintain and enhance the relationship between the College and its alumni; to act as an advisory board and liaison to the administration of the College; to interpret Lees-McRae College to communities in which alumni live; to promote among alumni an active interest in the progress and welfare of the College; and to enable the College to maintain educational and cultural relationships with its alumni.

If you are interested in reviewing the new by-laws, please go the College’s website at www.lmc.edu.

Alumni Association adopts new by-laws

The Pinnacles Winter/Spring 2010-11 | 7Beat the Heat at Alumni Frolic Week July 8-17! Mark your calendars to join us on campus this summer for Alumni Frolic Week. Look for details coming soon, or call the Alumni House at (828) 898-2489.

Catherine Button Campe ’89 ’91 was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Service Award at the banquet during Alumni Frolic Week.

“Catherine is a Bobcat Connector… In the tradition of Lucile Gragg Beaman ’52 and June Minton Smith ’55, Catherine uses every technological resource to reach out to alumni,” stated Martha McAfee Krieger ’86 ’03, immediate past president of the Alumni Board.

Catherine joins a long list of distinguished alumni who give of their time to Lees-McRae in a manner that would be considered above and beyond.

Catherine said upon receiving her award, “It’s an honor to receive this special award. It means so much to me, thank you all! There is much more work to do in connecting alumni with Lees-McRae.”

The Distinguished Alumni Service Award is given every year to an alum who has exhibited extraordinary passion and enthusiasm while volunteering for Lees-McRae. All of us at LMC congratulate Catherine—keep up the great work!

Catherine Button Campe ’89 ’91 receives Distinguished Alumni Service Award at Frolic Week banquet

Each year since 1970, the Lees-McRae College Alumni Association has presented accomplished alumni with the association’s highest honor—the Distinguished Alumni Award. The Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest honor the College bestows upon a graduate, and is in recognition of “a particular achievement of noteworthy value, a series of such achievements, or a career of noteworthy accomplishment.”

Kimberly Garrison Palmisano ’83 received the honor at the annual meeting of the Alumni Association on Saturday of Homecoming. Kim earned her Associate’s degree at Lees-McRae in 1983, then graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Guilford College and later earned a Master’s degree at Philadelphia Biblical University.

Kim works at the Center for Creative Leadership, a global top 10 provider of executive education located in Greensboro, NC. She also served as an adjunct professor in the graduate school of Philadelphia Biblical University. During her tenure she was named the Sam Walton Fellow for Students in Free Enterprise.

Kim spent 12 years of her career in the healthcare industry serving in positions including director of sales and training and human resources director responsible for organizational development. During that time she

received awards including Distinguished Service and Support of Sales, and the Strategic Framework Champion Award.

She is married to Steve, and they have twins, Beth and Mark.

Kim Garrison Palmisano ’83 presented with Distinguished Alumni Award at Homecoming Alumni Meeting

Alumni Relations

September 30 to October 2, 2011Ho

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Featured events include:• men’s & Women’s Soccer

• Homecoming Parade• class Reunions

• Tailgate on Bobcat Bank • Alumni Social

For more information, visit www.homecoming.lmc.edu

Lees-McRae College

From Left: Bill Goforth, Karol Ogburn Laws and Sam Walker From Left: Sue Woodside Ruffin, Archie McRimmon, Eloise Eagle Abernethy, George Jones and Lelia Neal Essic

From Back Left: Bill Cochran, Paiti Cochran, Walter Porter, Beulah Loury Darr, Virginia Watson Jarvis, Virgie Dawkins Shoaf, Shirley Ashley Bennett, Sue Guthrie Harris, Jean Ogburn Neal, Bill Gregg, Robert Moon and Sandy Moon Ramsey; Front Row: Barbara Sides Rice, Barbara Winchester Bolick, June Minton Smith and Wilma Deane Cox

From Back Left: Fred Steet, Bill Gregg, Gene Hester, Dottie Shoemaker, Sue Woodside Ruffin, Calvin Parks, Rose Brooks Bowden, Lelia Neal Essic, Gwen Groome Masters, Don Masters, Wendell Boggs and Karol Ogburn Laws; Front Row: Juanita Goforth, Bill Goforth, Lucille Gragg Beaman, Jean Ogburn Neal, Sue Guthrie Harris and June Minton Smith

Class of 1950 – 60th ReunionClass of 1940 – 70th Reunion

Class of 1955 – Luncheon for ’50s Decade Golden Heritage Society Luncheon

Frolic Reunionsrenewing friendships cherished memories

Featuring: “Bluegrass and Barbecue” on Tate LawnWednesday, July 13 with Darin and Brooke Aldridge


From Back Left: Kennon Hughes Quick, Lynn Swisher Neese, and Thomas Covington; Front Row: Katherine Ward Hall, Ina Winters and Michelle Vance Scott

From Back Left: Gordon Waightstill “Nookie” Aldridge, Bill Stanford, James Stanford, Doris Knight VanDyke, Roy “Herke” Akers, Roger Beeker, Thomas Francis, John Griffin (Spouse), Jones Stanley, Bill Anders (Spouse) and Walter “Gus” Bowers and Charles VanDyke; Middle Row: Charles VonCanon, Paul Smith, Terry Chappell, Luann Guignard, Helen Smith Foster, Priscilla Greene Perry, Mary Lou Coffey Griffin, Ann Martin Springs and Ann Smith Anders; Front Row: Penny VonCanon (Spouse), Bill Harrold, Gretchen Maulden Williford, Charles Williford, Carol Ann Lowe Timblin, Shelia Duncan Routh and Nick Routh

From Back Left: Brad Holland, Brian MacKay ‘76, John Trivette, Dennis Aldridge, Robert Cobb, Thom Fowler, Thorne Martin ’76, and DeWayne Loggins ’74; Middle Row: Eddie Fletcher, Deena Powell Chambers, Cheryl Reedy Kincaid, Suzy Parker Hamilton ’76, Stuart Harvey Fowler, Cindy Helton Shepard, Randy Jarvis; Front Row: Terri Henley Melton ’76, Sherry Pritchard Fletcher, Mary Ann Joyce Barsness, LeeAnn Hilton Starkovich, Marlene Moore Wyatt, Beth Fletcher Dabagian, Glenn Russell, Charlotte D’Armond Talbert, John Lampley, Julia Morgan McCombs and Angela Hodges

From Back Left: Bob Kelsey, Peggy Keeter Kish, Frankie Ramsey Needham, Barbara Sides Rice, Bill Cole, Walter Porter, Ray Jackson, Dean Westmorland, Tom Culler, and Sandy Moon Ramsey; Middle Row: Virgie Dawkins Shoaf, Anita Smith Bass, Joyce Livesay Rutledge, Virginia Watson Jarvis, Don Shamel, Barbara Winchester Bolick, Margie Hudson Stewart, Wilma Deane Cox, and Beulah Loury Darr; Front row: Clyde Day (faculty), June Minton Smith and Fred Dickerson ’31

Class of 1960 – 50th Reunion

Class of 1990 – 20th ReunionClass of 1955 – 55th Reunion

Class of 1975 – 35th Reunion

Homecoming Reunionsrenewing friendships cherished memories


In 1999, I learned a professional lesson that will forever be with me in my Advancement career. It was my “ah-ha moment,” the moment when I understood the impermeable connection between relationship building and fundraising.

In the late ’90s, I was a young fundraiser. I had been in the alumni relations and fundraising business only a year or so. Like most beginners in the business, I attended a workshop especially designed for professionals like me. A seasoned Advancement professional from the University of Richmond was leading the class. He read us a story titled, The People with the Roses. For weeks, I couldn’t get the story out of my mind. I contacted him and asked if he would send me a copy. He did, and today, I still read it periodically to remind me what Advancement work is all about. Simply, it’s about relationships.

For more than 100 years, Lees-McRae has been successful because of relationships. Trust has led to years of loyalty and generosity. As you know, your philanthropy supports the operating budget and provides scholarship dollars for deserving students, but it’s the power of trust, confidence, and commitment that transforms an institution.

Lees-McRae is at a point of transformation. It’s time to take what is worthy and special, what is deeply spiritual and resilient, and make it exceptional. The work is hard, the hill is steep, but the results will impact generations of young people for many years to come.

I am happy to share the work has started, and we have much to celebrate

in a short amount of time. Since June, the following projects have been completed or are in process thanks to private support from generous donors and volunteers:

• Virginia Residence Hall was outfitted with new bathrooms, flooring and a splash of paint.

• A dilapidated historic home on campus was transformed by area designers and volunteers into the Daniel Boone VI Cottage. The Cottage is being used for guest housing.

• The Cheese House at the historic Mill Pond has been renovated and outfitted as a Lees-McRae College Welcome Center. When arriving in Banner Elk, Lees-McRae’s presence is prominent.

• New signage has been installed at the historic Mill Pond to better define campus boundaries.

• MacDonald Dining Hall is undergoing a series of renovations including new flooring and a fresh coat of paint.

These renovations illustrate to students and prospective students that Lees-McRae is committed to their experience here. It’s important that campus is inviting, functional, comfortable, and safe. Additional improvements are being considered, so stay tuned for more good news.

Ok, back to the story. The People with the Roses is a short story about a man who falls in love with someone he’s never met. It’s a wonderful love story about a relationship budding from the magical connection of two kindred spirits. At last, when the two met, her appearance wasn’t what he expected, but that’s not what mattered.

In 1999, I learned that Advancement work is about getting to know people, developing important relationships, and making valuable connections. It’s about trust, loyalty, and truthfulness; and really, nothing else matters.

In December, President Obama signed into law the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010. This bill restores the IRA Charitable Rollover for 2010 and permits its use in all of 2011.

If you own an IRA and are over age 70 ½, you may transfer up to $100,000 directly from your IRA to Lees-McRae College. You may not have taken your 2010 required IRA distribution and may reduce your income taxes with an IRA charitable rollover. Even if you have taken your required IRA distribution, you still may find the IRA charitable rollover a very convenient way to make a gift.

An easy way to start an IRA charitable rollover is to send an e-mail to your IRA custodian. If you have additional questions, please contact the Office of Advancement at (828) 898-8777.

Donor Impact

Good News! The IRA Charitable Rollover passed

Advancement Office Update From the desk of Caroline O. Hart

A bequest provision is among the simplest yet most effective ways to make a long-lasting impact at Lees-McRae College. By naming Lees-McRae as a beneficiary of a percentage or specific dollar amount of your estate, you are investing in the future of young people for generations to come.

A bequest provision can bring you the following benefits:• Your gift is deferred until after your lifetime and/or the lifetime of

your spouse.• Your donation is exempt from federal estate taxation. • You have control of your assets. • You will become a member of the prestigious Order of the

Sacred Flame.

For more information on estate planning, please contact the Office of Advancement at (828) 898-8777.

It’s Simple!

Leave a Legacy


In my two years as Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Lees-McRae College, I have been touched by the outpouring of passion and devotion to our Alma Mater by the many constituencies who believe in the vision and mission of this great institution. We are indeed fortunate and blessed to have a wide array of alumni and friends of the College that have invested in Lees-McRae during these difficult and turbulent times in our economy.

As you know all colleges and universities, as well as virtually every 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations, have been adversely impacted by the “Great Recession” we have been going through the past three years. One of the rallying points that many of our peer institutions in higher education have used effectively during this tough time has been “calling” the alumni of their respective institutions to “Stand in the Gap” during these trying financial times. For instance, Davidson College alumni have stepped up to the plate by a whopping 60% alumni participation in giving. In addition, Centre College in Kentucky alumni gave at a 53% level, Furman University at a 42% level, and Emory & Henry College in Virginia at a 31% level. These are terrific results and are a strong reminder to all of us that we can make a difference in shaping the future of our Alma Mater if we will “Stand in the Gap” during these difficult times.

There is another critical reason for us as alumni to participate in the LMC Fund. Foundations and corporations measure their willingness to support a college in direct correlation to the alumni percentage of giving. In other words, the higher the alumni percentage of giving, the more foundations and corporations will support a college or university. As you can see from the above information on peer institutions, they are doing an excellent job in rallying their respective alumni to support their schools financially.

Candidly, we have a lot of work to do at Lees-McRae. Our alumni giving participation stands at approximately 11% annually, thus knocking us out of valuable assistance we could be receiving from foundations and corporations. I am personally asking you, even challenging you, to help do your part during this critical time in our history. It is really not how much you give that matters, it is the fact that if all of us give something, we will open up many new opportunities.

I challenge and ask you to help us grow our alumni participation to a level that meets or exceeds our peer institutions mentioned above. Lees-McRae made a difference in our lives at a critical season in life’s journey, so let’s do our part to make a difference for the next generation of our fellow brother and sister Bobcats.

Thank you for your consideration and may God bless you.

Sincerely,

Thomas H. Brigham, Jr. ’72 Chairman, Board of Trustees

One of the greatest needs at Lees-McRae is scholarship support. More than 98% of Lees-McRae students receive some form of financial support to aid in the cost of tuition.

Establishing a scholarship – either annual or endowed – is a wonderful way to recognize a family member or a friend while supporting the educational goals of a Lees-McRae student. The College is committed to providing an enriching educational experience to all students who exemplify enthusiasm for academic and professional achievement.

For more information about how you can “Back a Bobcat” at Lees-McRae College, please contact the Office of Advancement at (828) 898-8777.

On September 16, Lees-McRae College hosted a Scholarship Luncheon to recognize scholarship donors and student recipients. Approximately 50 guests enjoyed lunch in King-Shivell Lounge and learned more about the importance of scholarships from students and donors.

As a part of Inauguration Weekend, on Saturday evening, October 2, President and Mrs. Buxton were honored at an Inaugural Gala. More than $5,000 in proceeds from the evening will support an annual scholarship at Lees-McRae College for the 2011-12 academic year.

The Carrie Miller Buxton Endowed Scholarship was established in June 2010, by the family and friends of the late Carrie Miller Buxton. The scholarship supports a full-time Lees-McRae student who demonstrates financial need.

Carrie Miller Buxton was born in Watauga County, N.C. in 1907. She was the mother of six children including Barry M. Buxton, President of Lees-McRae College. Carrie spent her childhood and early years in the mountains of western North Carolina. In her later years, she was a resident house mother for the Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity on

the campus of Davidson College. At the time of her death in 1998, she was a Charlotte resident.

Pictured from left are members of the Buxton family, Mary Buxton Pearce, Anne Buxton Jones, Bob Jones, and Martha Buxton Johnson, with Vice President for Advancement Caroline Hart (center) and President Barry Buxton (seated).

A Salute to ScholarshipsThe Chairman’s ChallengeDonor Impact


MacDonald Dining Hall Renovations

Trustee Robert S. Jepson made a $100,000 gift to the College for renovations to MacDonald Dining Hall including new flooring, fresh paint, and updated lighting. This first phase of improvements were completed in time for the Spring 2011 semester to begin. Additional renovations to the main dining room and Heritage Dining Room are planned for the summer.

Historic Cheese House Welcome Center

President Barry M. Buxton recognized the need to create a sense of arrival for Lees-McRae College. Thus, as part of his revitalization strategy for the campus, and through the generosity of the Park Foundation and Marti and Wayne Huizenga, the Historic Cheese House was converted into the new Lees-McRae College Welcome Center and additional signage was added at the Historic Mill Pond. Tours of campus are offered weekly from the Welcome Center.

Diamond Creek Golf Club

Diamond Creek Golf Club and Wayne and Marti Huizenga hosted a Lees-McRae College reception for friends of Lees-McRae College and Diamond Creek members at “The Shanty” in July. A performance by Grammy Award winner David Holt made it an evening to remember. Pictured from top: David Holt playing music at The Shanty; guests enjoying the summer weather and mountain vistas; Board of Trustees Chairman Tommy Brigham and Wayne Huizenga.

Recognizing Generosity

Virginia Residence Hall Renovations

Mr. Edward E. Hood, Jr. and wife, Kay, pledged $100,000 for the renovation of Virginia Residence Hall. With $100,000 matched by the Board of Trustees, the Hoods’ lead gift and matching funds made possible significant updates to the building including new flooring, new bathrooms and a fresh coat of paint in all rooms and common areas, donated by Home Depot.

Through the generosity of alumni and friends, Lees-McRae College opened a new Welcome Center and made significant improvements to campus facilities.


“Imagine the possibilities!” Those were the words that kept our husband/wife conversations flowing, our minds racing, our sleeping patterns disrupted and our hearts filled with joy during the months prior to our official arrival on June 1, 2010 to Lees-McRae College. Every day new ideas emerged, bold and beautiful shimmering with potential like ripples emanating from a jumping trout in the Mill Pond. Once released, more and

grander thoughts followed, unrestrained by the fear of failure or doubt, making us absolutely giddy at the potential to be realized by holding fast to the spirit, determination and hard work exemplified by our founder, the Reverend Edgar Tufts. We had both read And Set Aglow A Sacred Flame, Margaret Tufts’ account of her father’s and mother’s efforts to build an institution of higher education in, of and for the mountains. Bubbling with resolve and admiration we were ready to tackle whatever obstacle dared come our way. The importance of our mission was dazzlingly apparent… to us and to all the other people who at some time or another witnessed the amazing impact of this college and its offspring on the surrounding area and even the world.

No money? No problem! We were both blinded and inspired by the institution’s historical significance and its critical financial, cultural and spiritual impact on the community at large. We knew that Lees-McRae College was in good hands – God’s hands, not ours – and that we would be joined shoulder-to-shoulder by all the good folks of our college family and beyond. However, never in our wildest dreams did we anticipate the level of volunteerism we have experienced in just a few short months.

Volunteers have absolutely come out of nowhere, and from everywhere! Imagine my husband’s surprise and delight when he discovered, after days of seeing a man and woman laboring arduously, in intense heat, re-landscaping the front of Tennessee Hall up above his office, that they were not employees of the College, but volunteers! His curiosity had gotten the best of him and he walked up to politely inquire about their work and the motivation behind it. David and Chris Eldred of Sugar Mountain responded that they had noticed the shabbiness of the entrance to the residence hall and decided to do something about it. They had not waited to be asked. They simply saw a need and addressed the problem with their own initiative, hard work and funds. As a tribute to their late son, Shawn, class of ’82, they wanted the other young people who lived in the dorm to have a more beautiful place in which to live and attend school – nothing more. Soon the garden was blooming and lovely. And what do you know, yet another volunteer had secretly come to the scene and added his own touch of beauty, a hand carved sign that read, “Shawn’s Garden.” Bob Jones of Blowing Rock, was the culprit, who, incidentally, had surprised the President with another hand carved work of art, the Lees-McRae Crest, a four foot tall mahogany masterpiece, that now adorns the fireplace in the President’s Office. It is an heirloom for the College that will be enjoyed by future presidents and their guests for posterity.

The Eldreds were also discovered prepping and painting a row of windows that grace the former Pinnacle Inn. Embarrassingly in need of attention, the windows had been on my personal “to-do list,” but before I knew

it this selfless couple had simply pulled up with their tools and paint, gotten to work, did the job, and were gone! It was only by accident that I “caught them red-handed” with the evidence (paint, brushes and ladders) in their truck as they were sneaking off campus.

The kind assistance of volunteers is becoming an everyday blessing on this campus. Their energy, love and commitment to this institution remove all doubt as to its viability. Our own Abigail Lord ’01, development officer, is the brainchild behind what was the College’s first effort at formally involving the community in a day of service to Lees-McRae. Over 150 people from the area arrived early one morning this summer to grab a hammer, a paint brush, a mop and pail, or some other essential tool, and spent the entire day helping us to beautify, repair or somehow improve our college campus. Brian Webb of Webb Painting Company invaded the grounds with all 17 of his crew in tow, along with trucks full of paint and supplies, labor and materials – all donated. Members from all sectors of the community and beyond worked hard all day long, stopping only for a delicious lunch donated by our own ARAMARK Food Services. At the end of the day, it was one tired bunch who finally laid down their gear, brows sweaty, but eyes sparkling at the wonderful accomplishments of the day. Students’ rooms glowed with fresh paint. Windows sparkled. Signage stood tall and straight at attention. Gardens, relieved of weeds and debris, fairly giggled with pride. Students, faculty, staff, spouses, children, assorted dogs, all our beloved volunteers, marveled at a job well done. It was a magnificent day.

As a result of Abigail’s idea, we were graced with another unexpected bonus. One of that day’s special participants asked meekly if he could come back and help more, perhaps on another day. He had just spent two weeks on the Appalachian Trail, alone and listening for guidance. As a retired contractor with many impressive projects to his credit, he wanted to simplify his life, give his life to the Lord, and serve. He felt called to spend some time with us at LMC, doing whatever he could with his many skills, to help us overcome some of the deferred maintenance issues that we are facing. What a blessing he has been! He has been here for several months now, and it would be impossible to enumerate all the repairs he has made, needs he has met, problems he has solved, special projects he has initiated, and all out of the goodness of his heart. Richard Welder is a unique and wonderful man. Kind, self-effacing, funny and devoted to God, he sets a standard that most of us will never equal, but we can try! Thank you, Richard, for en”Rich”ing our lives. We appreciate you and hope you will be a part of our Lees-McRae family for as long as it’s God’s will.

Barry and I are so impressed by the willingness of all those associated with this venerable institution to give of themselves in countless ways to help us and Lees-McRae College continue the journey started over 100 years ago by Reverend Tufts. It was by God’s grace and the efforts of all those wonderful citizens of our mountains, leaders and followers, mothers and fathers, faculty and staff, students and volunteers, that this important and historic educational landmark exists today. We know that the same “Sacred Flame” burns within all of us and that we will all remain true to our forefathers’ vision. Lees-McRae College is alive and well and looking forward to another century of leading young men and women toward a vision of commitment and the rewards of a lifetime of service and accomplishment.

Volunteer Column with Deborah Buxton


Going Global

Here are some interesting statistics to ponder: While postsecondary enrollment in the United States is growing at two percent per year, enrollment worldwide is growing at five percent. The numbers in China, where enrollment grows at a whopping 12 percent, are particularly staggering. According to InsideHigherEd.com, the number of universities in China tripled between 1978 and 2006, but even that could not keep up with demand for postsecondary education. Thus, the number of Chinese undergraduates studying in the U.S. has also more than tripled…and just in the past five years: from 8,300 in 2004 to more than 26,000 in 2009!

But here’s my favorite part: when one Chinese undergraduate was asked why she chose to study at the University of Washington, she remarked that “Grey’s Anatomy,” the TV show set in Seattle, had influenced her decision. Think about that for a moment: a Chinese student studying in an American university because of an American TV show she saw in China. Does anyone need more evidence that we are living in a global age on a planet growing flatter each year?

So what does this mean for U.S. colleges and universities? It is just one more reminder that when our graduates leave campus, they will enter an economic and social landscape that demands a minimum threshold of global awareness and cultural competence to succeed. Preparing students for such a world has become an unwritten mandate for any college in the 21st century.

At Lees-McRae College, we take this mandate seriously. The Global Community Center (GCC), which serves as the College’s central office for international education, coordinates global efforts on campus, but these efforts go beyond the responsibility of any one office. They require an institution-wide commitment—a supportive administration, a motivated faculty and staff, and a curious student body—to produce a thriving culture of global citizenship.

Study AbroadPerhaps the most obvious way to build global awareness is to actually send students out into the larger world. Expansion of the College’s study abroad offerings, which currently include partnerships in Northern Ireland and London, as well as with KEI, a company with 14 international centers spread throughout Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin

America, has been a GCC priority. Study abroad allows students to engage directly with another culture while adding a vital global perspective to their academic studies.

Take Lees-McRae junior Nathan Larson, for example, who spent fall semester participating in a European

Union studies program at the University of Strasbourg in France.

Larson, a business administration major, took courses like International

Economics and European Contemporary Affairs while going on excursions to EU

sites of interest.

“This has been quite an experience,” claimed Larson in an e-mail from Europe. “All of my classes

have been with international students. There is such a wide breadth of experiences to discuss in class. It makes things interesting

and very diverse.”

Studying abroad for a full semester is not the only way to gain international experience in college. According to the Institute of International Education, of the 262,000 U.S. college students who studied abroad in 2009, well over half did so through short-term travel experiences.

This trend is reflected at Lees-McRae College, where students earn credit by participating in two- to three-week travel courses led by Lees-McRae faculty. In 2010, students studied marine biology in Fiji, wildlife biology in Belize, art and spirituality in Prague, and Spanish language in Costa Rica. Benefits of such experiences extend beyond the academic credit earned.

Dr. Fiona Chrystall, who led students to Fiji, explains further: “It is more important than ever for students to experience and understand cultures and ways of operation different from their own. We live in a connected world, but connection does not always mean understanding. Experiential learning goes far beyond any textual learning that might take place in an American classroom.”

Globalizing the CurriculumOf course, not every student will study abroad. Last year, five percent of Lees-McRae students studied abroad in one form or another, far exceeding the national average of two percent. Still, to do justice to the other 95 percent, a college must provide on-campus global experiences. This has been a priority at Lees-McRae, aided greatly by a Mellon Community Foundation grant, which two years ago sent faculty members from the Appalachian College Association (ACA) to Salzburg, Austria to establish a globalization plan for their campuses.

By Scott Crawford


Performing arts professor Dr. Tessa Carr ’93, who attended the Salzburg workshop, notes that the grant “created a space to reflect upon what we wanted global education to mean for our community. During the two-year program we worked with others [to create] a comprehensive plan to integrate the concept of global education throughout our college.”

These efforts resulted in an expanded GCC and the incorporation of a global strand into the core curriculum, required of all students. In addition, courses like International Business and World Cultures and the Arts offer global perspectives in specific fields of study.

Another strategy has been to utilize community members and special guests as visiting lecturers. During a recent focus week on the topic of immigration, education students were able to talk with the Limited English Proficiency coordinator from Avery County Schools to learn how the district is coping with a 300 percent increase in Latino enrollment over the last 10 years—a reminder of the strong connection between local and global. Similarly, religion students heard from a visiting rabbi intimately acquainted with conflict in the Middle East, and students in a First-Year Seminar (FYS) course learned about Islam from both a visiting Fulbright scholar from Morocco and a retired U.S. Marine sergeant who served in Beirut, Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Moroccan scholar just mentioned represents another key component of campus globalization. For the past three years, Lees-McRae has hosted an Arabic-speaking scholar through Fulbright’s Foreign Language Teaching Assistants program. Through this program, scholars from Oman, Tunisia, and Morocco have offered Arabic language and Islamic culture classes to Lees-McRae students and local community members. A course in September attracted more than 30 community members, one of whom praised the class as a forum for “much needed dialogue toward mutual trust and understanding” as controversy surrounding the proposed Islamic center in Manhattan raged in the news.

International StudentsBeyond language and culture courses, the Fulbright scholar brings another

benefit to campus: his presence! With 47 international students from 25 different countries on campus, Lees-McRae is a leader in the Appalachian College Association in terms of international representation as a percentage of enrollment. Capitalizing on the presence of these students has become a major strategy for the College.

Take the International Student Ambassadors Program, which sends international students into local K-12 and college classrooms to speak about their home countries, cultures and experiences. In one memorable First-Year Seminar this fall, freshmen learned about Just War theory through a co-presentation by two of their fellow students: Robert Rudd, an ex-Green Beret who served tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and Javid Khan, a student from Pakistan whose village near the Afghan border had been the site of multiple drone attacks in recent years.

“What a powerful way for students to learn,” noted former community outreach director and First Yeary Seminar instructor Selena Hilemon. “Having two students from such diverse backgrounds share their experiences and find common ground brought the lesson home in a way no textbook ever could.”

Outside the classroom, the presence of international students is just as valuable, as they mix with American students and share their culture—an exchange that goes both ways. In September, for example, students gathered at the McRae House to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Mexican independence with four students from Mexico. In October, international students gathered again at the McRae House, this time to learn the great tradition of Halloween pumpkin carving from their American friends.

“The students really enjoy learning about each other’s traditions,” noted Donna Dicks, a member of Lees-McRae’s Board of Visitors who volunteers her time with international students. “And in doing so, they are getting better prepared for the world they will face after college.”

And remember, that is a world where students cross oceans to attend a university because of a TV show. Preparing students for this world is a serious responsibility, but it sure is a fun one, too.


Lees-McRae College is known by most as the small college nestled in the mountains of western North Carolina, characterized by mountain hospitality and a family-like atmosphere. For the past 13 years, Lees-McRae has been successfully extending that reputation beyond the mountains and into the surrounding communities through the Extended Campus Programs.

HistoryExtended Campus Programs at Lees-McRae College began in 1997 with the development of the Criminal Justice program delivered on-site at Western Piedmont Community College in Morganton, North Carolina. The establishment of this program was in response to an expressed need for an affordable, convenient, and high-quality Bachelor degree-completion program that would allow local law enforcement officers to further their education while maintaining their professional, family, and community obligations.

A similar need for quality teacher preparation was recognized in the northwestern region of North Carolina. In 1998, the Elementary Education program held on the campus of Surry Community College in Dobson, North Carolina enrolled its charter cohort.

The success of these two endeavors laid the groundwork for expansion, both in location and academic fields. Over the next decade, Mayland Community College in Spruce Pine and Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory entered into agreements with LMC to offer distance learning opportunities. Additionally, courses of study were developed in Nursing, Business, and Organizational Management and Development to be delivered through these various community colleges.

Student ExperiencesThe Lees-McRae Extended Campus Programs have generated hundreds of graduates since 1997, many of whom have gone on to pursue advanced degrees or gain esteemed positions in their fields. Graduates of the Criminal Justice programs currently include a sheriff, three

chiefs of police, and a criminal justice department head at a community college. Other graduates of the programs have gone on to hold positions and acknowledgements such as college instructors, nursing administrators, and Teacher of the Year.

The curriculum for each Extended Campus program incorporates interactive learning experiences for students in order to prepare them for real-life situations in their fields. Students participate in interactive learning exercises such as clinical training within medical facilities, student teaching and internships, K-9 demonstrations, and more. Not only

do students appreciate and enjoy these opportunities, but employers consistently remark on how well-prepared LMC Extended Campus graduates are, due to the insight they gained through these experiences.

In addition to successfully preparing students for their professions, the Extended Campus Programs are delivered in such a manner that students are able to balance their daily lives and their education, all while staying close to home.

Holly Mauldin, a 2005 graduate of the Elementary Education program through Western Piedmont Community College, said, “LMC’s

Extended Campus Programs at Lees-McRae College

Beyond the Bell Tower

Avery County Sheriff Kevin Frye, Banner Elk Police Chief Bill Burleson, Boone Police Chief Dana Crawford and Avery County Sheriff’s Deputy Neil Buchanan are all 2009 graduates of the Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degree Program.

By Holly Stewart


program allowed me to be a newlywed and still stay in my hometown to achieve my goal of becoming an elementary school teacher. I got to experience top notch professors who prepared me for teaching. This program allowed me to experience college and earn my degree, all while staying in the area where I grew up. This program was a huge blessing in my life.”

Faculty and staff of the Extended Campus Programs embrace a strong sense of pride regarding the efforts and accomplishments of their students.

Tracy Hoilman, program coordinator for extended campus criminal justice programs, remarked, “Some of the best experiences I have had with my Extended Campus students have involved their overall thirst for knowledge and their desire to succeed. One of the most rewarding things for the students – and for me – is observing their families, which often include children, watch them walk across the stage at graduation. The emotion in that moment is almost uncontainable.”

Today’s Extended Campus Programs and Future PlansAlthough the Extended Campus Programs were originally designed for non-traditional students seeking to complete a baccalaureate degree,

enrollment has evolved to include an increasing amount of traditionally-aged college students who desire to complete their degrees closer to home. This diversity of students – a mix of working professionals, parents, community leaders, and recent high school graduates – lends itself to a unique learning experience in which students have the opportunity to gain knowledge and insight from one another’s life experiences.

Currently, six Extended Campus Programs are offered on-site at Mayland Community College (Nursing, Criminal Justice, and Elementary Education), Western Piedmont Community College (Criminal Justice and Elementary Education), and Surry Community College (Elementary Education). Courses are delivered in seated, hybrid, and online formats, with the goal of having several programs offered in a completely online format in the near future.

Lees-McRae College is currently seeking to expand its program delivery throughout the western and northwestern regions of North Carolina. Several programs are being considered for implementation, such as a RN to BSN program at Western Piedmont Community College, an Elementary Education program at Wilkes Community College, and a Business Degree Completion Program at Mayland Community College.

Holly Stewart

Director of Extended Campus Programs

828.898.2518

[email protected]

Ava Smith

Site Coordinator

Western Piedmont Community College

Foothills Higher Education Center

828.448.6143

[email protected]

Ginger McKinney

Site Coordinator

Mayland Community College

828.765.7351 Ext. 417

[email protected]

Laura Horton

Director of K-6 Program/Site Coordinator

Surry Community College

336.386.9650

[email protected] Piedmont Elementary Education students Whitney Kanupp and Heather Savarimuthu with Lees-McRae professor Dr. Susan Gilbert.

For more information about Extended Campus Programs:


It was a beautiful fall mountain day in Banner Elk. Sixty-five degrees and sunny with hardly a cloud in sight. The mountains seemed a

bit bigger than normal, and the sky was as vibrant, bright blue as one could possibly imagine. The 400-plus crowd that gathered on Tate Lawn for the inauguration of Barry M. Buxton, the fifteenth president of Lees-McRae College, got to feel the perfect combination of warm sun matched by a cool breeze that made sure they felt just divine.

“It was like God was smiling down on us,” President Buxton said with a smile of his own in a post-inauguration interview.

And it really was.

If the gorgeous weather and surroundings didn’t already touch the hearts of those present and make them feel that they were truly a part of something special, then the unique and stunning resonance of the bagpipes that sounded as the opening ceremony began surely did.

When President Buxton took the podium, he began his inaugural address, titled “A Time of Gratitude, Challenge, and

Opportunity,” by thanking those who spoke before him. Most notably among the group were U.S. Congressman Patrick McHenry, Dr. Houck Medford, founder of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, and Mr. Edgar Tufts, grandson of Lees-McRae College founder Reverend Edgar Tufts. Longtime friend Robert S. Jepson recognized President Buxton as “a man of wisdom, boundless energy, and great integrity.”

In his “Gratitude” opening, Buxton stated, “For Mrs. Buxton and me, Lees-McRae College is not a job, it’s a calling. The Presidency is a sacred trust and every waking moment is dedicated to Lees-McRae College. We view this responsibility as a God-granted opportunity to give back to this wonderful place we call home.”

When later asked to elaborate on the Lees-McRae presidency being a “calling,” the 61-year-old Buxton said that he had actually been thinking about retiring. “I certainly wasn’t looking for a job, but my wife and I felt that Lees-McRae College is too important to not succeed. We both strongly feel that this is something that God sent us here to do,” Buxton said.

In his address, President Buxton noted Lees-McRae’s historic commitment to service, beginning with founder Reverend Edgar Tufts. “Anyone who wants to make a difference in the world will find profound, creative ways to do so at Lees-McRae.”

And in his closing, Buxton said, “I can think of no greater honor than serving as President of Lees-McRae College. I am humbled to be entrusted with the leadership of this learning community. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve and to play a role in the education of young people in this special place. I am respectful of the magnitude of the challenge and resolve to do all in my power to honor our mission, invigorate our future, and ensure success. I am thankful to have been called to Lees-McRae.”

Before the closing ceremony, and before the Grandfather Mountain Highland Pipe Band filled the valley with their extraordinary bagpipe

sound again, those in attendance watched the captivating release of a red-tailed hawk. With his year-long rehabilitation complete, the red-tailed hawk nicknamed “Wing Guy” was released into the wild. He spread his wings and soared out to freedom. It was a truly fascinating sight that was a part of a truly splendid Inauguration on a truly beautiful day.

Tada Gan IarrachtNothing Without Effort

Scottish Gaelic Proverb

The Inauguration of Barry M. Buxton, Ph.D. Fifteenth President Lees-McRae Collegeby Luke Anton ’12


1. Inauguration Ceremony on Tate Lawn 2. VFW: Pat Ray Post Color Guard 3. President Buxton’s family and friends 4. Blue Ridge Wildlife Institute students released “Wing Guy,” a rehabbed red-tailed hawk 5. Faculty and alumni of Lees-McRae College

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Scattered across Lees-McRae’s sprawling campus, rock, wood and metal create links to the past while serving us today. Mountain craftsmen over the years have taken natural materials provided by their mountain environment to build everything from single

family homes to massive dormitories and classroom buildings that have stood the test of time. One humble structure that has recently been renovated reveals some hidden treasures that tie the college to an illustrious heritage. After housing presidents, cabinet members, faculty and the honors library, the Daniel Boone VI Cottage now serves as a place of rest for visitors and a showplace of our native craftsmen.

Celebrated blacksmith Daniel Boone VI is one talented native to leave his stamp on the Daniel Boone VI Cottage. His hand-forged ornamental iron is an enduring legacy of traditional Appalachian craftsmanship. The former Lees-McRae instructor was himself a link in a chain that stretches into the distant past to a time when his famous ancestor forged the history of the region.

Laboring at a hot forge is a tradition in the Boone family that stretches back to the original Daniel’s generation, and probably much farther back than that. Daniel Boone VI learned his trade from his father Kelse, who learned it from his father Nelson, who learned from his father Jim, who worked at the forge of his father Jerry Boone. While there is a question whether the progenitor of the line was the famous Daniel or his brother Israel, both of these men had blacksmithing skills that they, too, learned from their forebears.

As Kelse Boone once said as he tried to follow the track back over these many generations, “A Boone got lost somewhere.”

“All the Boones are blacksmiths,” said Kelse, in a 1938 interview in Burnsville where his forge stood. “Old Daniel in the story book is noted

for hunting, but he was the first blacksmith in these hills. There’s his iron still to be found in these cabins.

“My daddy, Nelse, was a good one. My granddaddy, Jim Boone, had a shop right here. There are still some of his pieces—a hoe and a mattock. Jim’s daddy, Squire Boone, was born in Kentucky but moved to this country and went to blacksmithing. He learned it from his daddy, who was the original Dan’l Boone.”

Kelse Boone had four sons, all of whom swung a heavy hammer next to a hot forge. Daniel VI, the youngest, became the most famous, but all carried on the family trade for many years.

Kelse explained, “I’ve been blacksmithing all my life. My four boys are blacksmiths. Dan’l is the fanciest. I used to have a shop with Dan’l and Wade, but they went over to Spruce Pine and opened up on their own. I run my shop alone. The young’uns has got to get out on their own.”

The Boones made everything from traditional farming and logging tools to ornamental fireplace sets and candlesticks. From horseshoes to logging grabs, from handmade parts for broken machinery and automobiles to fine knives and wall brackets, fancy iron railings to functional, ornamental hinges, the smiths created what the community farmers and loggers, families and tourists wanted.

Daniel VI left Burnsville to come to Lees-McRae in the winter of 1934, as the February/March issue of The Pinnacles announced: “Daniel Boone arrives this month to begin the manufacture of wrought iron as a major project of the college. Mr. Boone, a resident of Burnsville, N.C., is a fine craftsman in handwrought iron. Some of his work is used in the Sterling Library at Yale, and in the new library and other buildings of Duke University.”

Daniel Boone VI Cottage

An Appalachian retreat showcasing mountain craftsmen, past and present

by Michael Joslin

Boone worked in the Industrial Arts program of the college, both instructing students in his craft and creating fine ironwork that was sold for the support of the school. During his time at Lees-McRae he displayed his work at the National Folk Festival in St. Louis, where visitors admired his creations, and he won the Creative Achievement Award at the third annual Chapel Hill Dogwood festival in 1935.

He has left his mark on the Lees-McRae campus. From the electrified lanterns hanging on either side of the doors of the Rock House, to the ornamental hinges and fixtures in the house named for him, Daniel Boone VI bequeathed his hand-forged ironwork as an enduring legacy to the college.

Daniel VI’s next step was to open the Boone Forge in Spruce Pine, NC, where he undertook the prestigious project of crafting ornamental iron for Colonial Williamsburg beginning in 1939. For several years he labored to craft ironwork to match that of his predecessors from hundreds of years before.

“I take some pride in the Williamsburg work,” he said to a National Geographic interviewer in 1958. “I couldn’t do like the original smith who made a fine taper on a finial to please his ownself, hammering away until the line suited his fancy. To reproduce that line from a drawing or a rusted relic, you have to please the architect. That means calipers and more hammering to feather it down than that smith did 300 years back. But they never refused any of my work at Williamsburg.”

During World War II, he continued to labor at his fiery forge, making whatever was needed to support his community and his country. One of his most famous creations was a combat knife made of the finest steel, hand-forged and hollow ground. According to Bea Hensley, one of Boone’s blacksmithing protégés, Daniel made a knife for each soldier from the Toe River Valley the Boones called home, as well as for other soldiers who saw the razor sharp knives and wanted one. He made over 2,000 knives. Bea still cherishes one of those knives that he keeps in his blacksmith shop.

Bea wandered into Daniel Boone VI’s smithy in Burnsville, North Carolina, when he was four years old. “That was fortunate for me, because I lived next to Daniel Boone. I’d stick right there in the door, squat down and watch. That’s how I got my start,” says Bea, whose bright eyes and chipper manner belie his nearly 89 years. “I was thinking the other day about how much influence someone can have on you and not even know.”

When Bea finished high school, he approached Daniel Boone VI and asked if the world famous master of ornamental iron would give him a start in the profession. Boone invited him in.

“I kindly growed up in his shop. He was a wonderful guy. He treated me even better than family. He’d say, ‘If you can make something like this, then you’ll be a blacksmith,’” says Bea, wearing Pointer overalls and a khaki shirt. Bea has passed his skills on to his son Mike, who today specializes in hand-forged knives that he sells from the Hensley Forge in Spruce Pine.

In addition to the knives, reproductions of which can be found on the Internet for sale, Daniel VI crafted scale model trains at his forge. The working steam engines show Boone’s eye for detail and his uncanny skill at the forge. The larger model is powered by coal-fired steam, and at one time was a ride at Maggie Valley’s amusement park.

The Daniel Boone blacksmithing legacy continues in the mountains the Boones settled. In addition to the Hensleys, two of Daniel’s nephews practice the family craft. He left a simple philosophy for them to follow. “New ways are quicker,” he once said, “But old-fashioned ways are, after all, the best.”

Daniel Boone VI

Bea Hensley and son, Mike

A hand forged door latch in the Daniel Boone VI Cottage

The Croft Apartment in the Cottage


If you’ve spent any significant amount of time on the campus

of Lees-McRae College, then chances are pretty good that you have seen Professor Michael Joslin at some point in time. Dr. Joslin is the one walking around with the cowboy hat atop his head, covering his somewhat longer wispy hair, and he can be seen sporting a seasonal grey beard when winter rolls around.

Primarily, Professor Joslin is, of course, a professor who teaches a variety of courses. He is the program coordinator of the English Major, and he teaches classes within the English, Communication Arts, Art, and the Humanities majors. He teaches sixteen different courses in all including

Photography, Journalism, World Literature and Appalachian Literature.

Dr. Joslin is also the director of the John B. Stephenson Center for Appalachia, and the resident expert on all things Appalachian at Lees-McRae. The Stephenson Center coordinates the Appalachian Studies minor, hosts speakers throughout the year, offers several courses each summer, performs community outreach, and helps keep the Stirling Collection, a collection of materials relating to the southern Appalachian region, in the Lees-McRae College library up to date. “Generally, we promote Appalachian issues and help people who have questions about Appalachia,” Joslin said of the Stephenson Center.

Furthermore, Professor Joslin also oversees the New Opportunity School for Women, a program for middle-aged women who have not thrived in life for one reason or another. Every summer, the program holds a three-week intensive boot camp to help the women. Creative writing, literature, how to dress, résumé writing, and computer classes are all offered.

Dr. Joslin first found himself teaching at the University of South Carolina as a teaching assistant when he began graduate school in 1973. “I wasn’t sure if I was going to like teaching at first, but once I started, I really liked it. I enjoy interacting with students, presenting them with challenges, and seeing them grow and surpass their own expectations,” Joslin said. He taught freshman English and sophomore literature classes during his four years of graduate school, earning his Ph.D. in English Literature in 1977. Prior to graduate school, he received his Bachelor’s degree in English, also from the University of South Carolina.

He started his college days at West Point for three years. Leaving the military school early over a disagreement with the Vietnam War, Joslin had to serve in the Army to pay the institution back. He was stationed in Fort Jackson, South

Carolina for two years where he began taking night classes at the University of South Carolina.

Joslin accepted a job offer as professor at Jacksonville University after a year of teaching a full load of courses at South Carolina. During that time, he picked up two hobbies that he still very much loves today, photography and surfing. He was even the surfing coach. “I love surfing! That is the only thing I miss, living up here in the mountains,” Joslin said jubilantly.

He really enjoyed teaching at Jacksonville, but after four years, he felt that the city was just getting too built up for his liking. And so, he headed for the mountains.

Joslin visited the mountains of western North Carolina often when he was living in South Carolina. It was also back then when he enjoyed living the luxurious country lifestyle. The last few years that he lived in South Carolina, his home was near the small town of Camden in the middle of a 750-acre tree farm with a seven-acre pond right outside his back door. “I have always preferred rural life to city existence,” Joslin said.

He packed his bags in June of ’82, moving to the Mitchell/Yancey County area where he still lives today. He started working as a freelance writer and photographer, and soon had a regular job with the Johnson City Press, a newspaper for which he would write over the next 25 years. He was also able to teach a semester at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee whenever he wanted, getting a full-time temporary load.

In the summer of 1988, the Johnson City Press sent Joslin to Banner Elk to do a story on a certain college that was to become a four-year school. Yep, you guessed it: Lees-McRae. He liked the school and the people. Most particularly, then President Brad Crain, Ted Ledford in the English Department, and librarian Richard Jackson. Joslin and Jackson would become good friends. Jackson eventually suggested that Joslin apply for a full-time job as a professor. Joslin applied, was offered the job, and stepped aboard the Lees-McRae ship in June of 1989.

The rest, as they say, is history. It should be recognized, however, that Dr. Joslin continued to be a freelance writer, publishing articles in numerous publications. He still writes for some today, but only for a select few. He has also published five books during his time at Lees-McRae. As busy as that all sounds, Professor Joslin still finds time to enjoy the mountain lifestyle. He lives with wife, Pam, on a working farm complete with horses, chickens, dogs, cats, and a large garden spot where he raises a lot of his own food.

He’s kept a great balance with it all, winning awards for excellence in journalism and in teaching. When asked to comment on Dr. Joslin, President Barry M. Buxton said, “There are a handful of people on this campus, only a handful, that are the senior faculty that have given their lives to this place. They have dedicated themselves and gone above and beyond the call of duty to help Lees-McRae, and Professor Joslin is certainly in that handful. He is a great scholar and a fine man. We are very lucky to have him.”

Joslin plans to stay right where he is, right where he has lived for the past twenty-eight years. When asked about his future, Joslin replied nonchalantly, “At this point, I’m not going anywhere.” After a pause he added a bit more sincerely, “I hope we can get Lees-McRae back on a stable foundation and get out of the economic difficulties that the whole country is in. I want to see the programs I am involved in thrive. I’ve put so much work into Lees-McRae that it’s just not about the job anymore.”

So if you haven’t seen Professor Joslin around Lees-McRae, there is plenty of time for you yet.

Faculty ProfileDr. Michael Joslin

by Luke Anton ’12


At an elevation of nearly 4,000 feet, Lees-McRae’s cyclists train and study in some of the best terrain in the country — in the shadow of Beech Mountain where Lance Armstrong renewed his passion for cycling only to win the Tour de France the very next summer.

On campus, the national championship team has two different cross country single track trail systems and a dual slalom course that were developed for the Lees-McRae-hosted 2007 and 2008 USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships. The team also has “The Hub,” a newly-renovated bike room that will soon be complete with an indoor training facility, storage, shower facilities, and ample work room once.

The championship team, that’s not even a decade old yet, has amassed ten national championships in only nine years. And now, with the implementation of a one-of-a-kind academic program in bicycling studies, Lees-McRae cyclists are positioned to reach new heights in the cycling world.

Members of the Bobcat Cycling Team climb Dobbins Road in Banner Elk.

Preparing future generations of cyclistsLees-McRae Cycling


This January, Lees-McRae College added an innovative new minor program of study in bicycling studies to the curriculum that will give riders and non-riders alike the chance to pursue careers in the multi-billion dollar cycling industry.

This new addition to the curriculum positions Lees-McRae as the only college in the eastern United States to offer a unique academic-based program in bicycling studies.

So why study cycling? Fueled by the vision of new college president, Dr. Barry M. Buxton, a self-proclaimed cycling enthusiast who often rides with members of the team, this new minor program in bicycling studies will allow graduates to enter the professional cycling world after college, whether it’s on or off the bike.

Annual growth rates are projected at 10 to 25 percent worldwide, the global bicycle market shows significant growth revenues exceeding $61 billion through 2011, according to a blog at seekingalpha.com.

“We want to give our cyclists another avenue in which to explore the ever-growing and dynamic world of cycling. Our students are talented riders and mechanics, and we want to provide them with opportunities outside of team racing,” said President Barry M. Buxton. “With the College’s new cycling minor in place, our graduates can be extremely competitive in the cycling industry as coaches, managers, officials, planners, ream directors, designers, promoters, trainers, etc.

“As our sport continues to grow, we are seeing more and more cycling-related employment opportunities both on and off the bike,” said USA Cycling CEO Steve Johnson. “Programs in cycling education, such as Lees-McRae’s, will be instrumental in providing both the qualified personnel to meet the industry’s growing demands, and to continue building professionalism in our sport and industry.”

Students in the program will learn the history and principles of bicycling; obtain skills needed to integrate cycling into the environment, city planning and recreation tourism; envision and develop a realized cycling-related business and synthesize the sport of cycling. This program will position graduates to obtain positions in fields such as team management, bicycle design, coaching, education, urban design, training, retail, planning, event promotion, marketing and more.

“This minor will be a great extension of Lees McRae’s wildly successful cycling program, and it’s yet another sign of cycling’s growing presence in the vocabulary of American sports; in particular inter-collegiate athletics. I look forward to working with the future graduates of this program down the road, who I’m sure will be successful leaders in the world of cycling,” said USA Cycling Collegiate Program Manager Jeffrey Hansen.

Identified goals of the program include promoting the art and science of the bicycling industry, providing quality education to support the knowledge and skills of bicycling competitors and enthusiasts, promoting bicycle safety and preparing future generations of bicyclists.

“Cycling is a passion of mine but it goes beyond the bike as well. With having the cycling minor in place, it provides a path filled with

opportunities in every aspect of cycling that allows me to secure a career in cycling beyond riding the bike, allowing cycling to always be a major part of my life,” said Nate Weston, a member of the Bobcat Cycling Team, and the first student to enroll in the Bicycling Minor.

Courses that make up the program range from History and Principles of Bicycling to Business and Economics of Sports and from Nutrition and Athletic Performance to Creativity and Innovation. Students will also complete a field study in cycling and an internship in cycling before graduation.

Lees-McRae College’s cycling team won its first national title in 2003 while competing at the Division II level. In the fall of 2006, the team petitioned, and was granted admission, to compete at the Division I level. The Bobcats won their first Division I national title that same year.

“It is exciting to see the dream that began with Coach Sean McAndrew now develop into this amazing program. In 2006 when we took the program to the Division I level, it was only in my wildest dreams that one day the school would embrace cycling in this manner. It is so innovative and is what our country needs to move into the next decade,” said Doug Owen, former head coach of the cycling team and chair of Lees-McRae’s Cycling Advisory Board. “President Buxton’s vision is one I hope will become addictive to others around the collegiate community. The students are our future; we should all be doing everything we can do to prepare them for theirs.”

Seven years and 10 national titles later, Lees-McRae’s Cycling Team continues to compete against the best collegiate teams in the country and to win individual and team championships each year.

Noted alumni of the program include Brent Bookwalter (BMC Racing Team), Aaron Bradford (OnSite Racing), Ally Stacher (HTC-Columbia), Scott Stewart (Team Type 1), and Andrew Talansky (Garmin-Cervelo), among others.

Bridging the GapLees-McRae gears up for innovative academic program in bicycling studies


Lees-McRae College and DeFeet International announce a partnership between the sock and apparel company and the Bobcat Cycling Team with the team becoming the first collegiate cycling testing program in the country. Lees-McRae cyclists will become “wear testers” for the company.

“In meeting with Shane Cooper, founder and president of DeFeet, I knew we could work to help further promote both of our brands at a high level. Shane is passionate about the area and loves cycling,” said Athletic Director Craig McPhail. “We will benefit from this partnership as we build our team and program to be recognized as the number one collegiate cycling program in the country.”

A traditionally strong cycling team, Lees-McRae Cycling has become partners with the leading cycling sock manufacturer in the world to help create the vision of this cycling campus.

President Barry M. Buxton plans to make the Lees-McRae Cycling program number one in the nation. With the creation of the first minor degree in bicycling studies, the College is poised to draw cyclists from around the country and the world.

President Buxton said, “My goal is to ultimately have 150 cyclists enrolled at Lees-McRae in the coming years. We plan to continue to win national championships, but we also want to prepare our graduates to assume positions of leadership in the business world of bicycling. The response thus far to the minor in bicycling studies has been extremely positive. Our new Bicycling Advisory Council will support their effort and strengthen our objective of strong ties between Lees-McRae and the corporate world. I am pleased that Shane Cooper and DeFeet are leading the way with this new partnership.”

DeFeet International is located in Hildebran, NC, just 45 minutes from Banner Elk. This proximity is mutually beneficial and opens up new opportunities for Lees-McRae and its students. DeFeet is a company that often turns traditional methodology on its head en route to finding new solutions for cyclists. The new DeFeet UnD System® is a prime example of that. DeFeet now has the most extensive line of high-tech base layers for cycling in the world.

“We have been fortunate to have such great riders come through the program and graduate from the College, and now to have the opportunity to look at internships, sponsorships and finding ways to grow cycling in the United States, we felt it was the time to begin working together,” said McPhail. “This business collaborative has so much potential.”

Bobcat cyclists become wear testers for sock and apparel company President Barry M. Buxton and Athletic Director Craig McPhail

recently developed a Bicycling Advisory Council comprised of key industry leaders and noted cycling enthusiasts with a mission to elevate the Lees-McRae cycling program to be the best in collegiate cycling and assist in establishing partnerships, educational opportunities, sponsorships and publicity.

In a letter to cycling industry leaders, President Buxton said, “We all recognize that cycling today is more than just fitness and recreation. It is a booming, multi-faceted movement. As our sport evolves, so do the economic opportunities for students. Cycling is green, healthy for individuals and our planet, and full of job possibilities. We intend to position our alumni to have the necessary training and experiences to become leaders in the sport.”

The Lees-McRae Bicycling Advisory Council will include men and women from business, sports, and cycling organization, all dedicated to the advancement of cycling. The Council will meet quarterly, in person and/or by video-conference, with the objective of helping Lees-McRae College advance the concept of a comprehensive bicycling program. Another main objective of the Council will be to provide quality opportunities for student-athletes in the business and professional world of cycling.

Buxton continues in the letter, “The program will include classes in business and economics, urban design, sustainability, technology, nutrition, fitness, history and philosophy, safety, and much more. The program will be grounded in a practicum/internship and, as you might expect, most of the students will be active riders themselves. I anticipate a great deal of synergy between the classroom and the practical, day-to-day world of transportation/recreation/business.”

The Bicycling Advisory Council is chaired by former head coach of the Bobcat Cycling Team and proprietor of Cycle4Life Bike Shop in Banner Elk, Doug Owen. Other members of the Council include Lees-McRae alumnus Brent Bookwalter ’06, professional rider for Team BMC, who made his Tour de France debut in 2010; Shane Cooper, founder and president of DeFeet International, manufacturer of cycling socks and apparel; Al Budris, president of SIDI America, Inc., designer and manufacturer of cycling shoes and motorcycle boots; Blair Clark, Smith Optics; Lora Elder, founder of Bike Your Ride, a company hosting world class cycling events including Rock the Blue Ridge; Dr. Houck Medford, cyclist and founder of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation; Rick Crawford, sports director, On the Rivet Management; Luke Winger and Robert Jameson, current head coach and assistant coach of the Lees-McRae Cycling Team, respectively; Buxton; and McPhail.

Bicycling Advisory Council created to boost cycling program, increase opportunities for students

Lees-McRae Cycling and DeFeet International announce partnership


Lees-McRae College lost one of its brightest stars on January 19 when senior runner and cyclist Carla Swart was tragically killed in a training accident in her native South Africa. The most decorated collegiate cyclist in history, Swart won 19 individual and team national championships for Lees-McRae College, and in 2008, Swart became the first collegiate cyclist ever

to win a national championship in all four cycling disciplines in the same year. On the day the news broke on campus, President Buxton said, “We are devastated by the tragic death of Carla. It has only been a month or so ago that Carla and I met to talk about the future of Lees-McRae Cycling. She was so hopeful about her professional aspirations and the exciting international life that was before her. Carla was a very modest person and she appreciated her friends and the college. “For those of us who are cyclists, we recognize that there is an element of danger in the sport of cycling that will always be with us. Carla understood the risk but she believed the joy of cycling outweighed the inherent dangers. Carla Swart will always be in our hearts, and we will honor her countless accomplishments with the Carla Swart Memorial Scholarship at Lees-McRae College.”Swart moved with her family, father Deon, mother Karen, and sister Leilani, to the United States from South Africa as a teenager and earned both cycling and running scholarships to Lees-McRae College. She attended high school in Georgia. “Carla represented everything you want in a student-athlete; she was caring, compassionate and competitive. Her impact on so many will last a long time,” said Athletic Director Craig McPhail. “While recruiting her six and a half years ago, I could tell she was truly special, and I am very proud to have had her represent the green and gold of Lees-McRae College.”In an interview with Lees-McRae College Communications Intern Megan Hall ’10 last summer, Swart said, “Lees-McRae has been incredibly helpful and supportive of my hectic career. My teachers have been understanding of my schedule as long as I let them know ahead of time. Even as crazy as my schedule has been I still managed to make straight A’s last semester!” said Swart.As a cross country runner at Lees-McRae, Swart led her team to two NCAA championship appearances and was named three-time NCAA All-Academic, three-time All NCAA Division II Southeast Region and two-time All Conference Carolinas. Last year Swart won the “Best Young Rider” award at the Tour de L’Aude stage race in France. She was to continue her career in the professional ranks in 2011, having just signed with HTC-Highroad. She represented South Africa at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi where she finished as the highest-placed South African rider in eighth position

in the women’s road race. Swart also finished 10th in the women’s race at the World Road Championship in Australia.HTC-Highroad posted the following message on their team site: “Carla, in such a short time you became part of our family and touched us all with your vibrant personality and your constant smile. You infected us with your zest for life and we will forever have you in our hearts.”“We were terribly sorry to learn today of Carla Swart’s tragic passing and we extend our most sincere condolences to Carla’s family, friends and teammates,” said Steve Johnson, USA Cycling CEO. “Words fail me at times like this, but I do know the world has lost a wonderful spirit and that she will be sorely missed. It is tragic and extremely sad when anyone’s life is cut short but particularly so when it is someone we know and with whom we shared her and her teammates’ success and joy at Collegiate Nationals.”“At a time like this, words about what happened, why, and how are usually asked and bring little comfort. However, when I think of the impact that Carla Swart had on this earth, I know that we will all remember her for the life that she lived. In the time I have been at Lees-McRae College, I witnessed Carla do things that seemed impossible,” said Luke Winger ’07, Lees-McRae cycling head coach. “Her accomplishments are what most people see. She was certainly the most decorated rider in the history of collegiate cycling and I had the privilege to see her win on multiple occasions. The thing though that stood out to me more than anything else was that this young woman, who was arguably one of the most intense competitors on the planet, managed to achieve outstanding grades in college and create strong friendships with her team and classmates.”“My education at Lees-McRae has played a role in every aspect of my life. I learned to be a leader, which has helped me become a strong captain for my MTN team. I learned to think outside the box, which has helped me successfully market myself as a rider. More importantly I learned to be a professional, both as a cyclist and a person, which I believe is the lesson I will carry with me for the rest of my life,” said Swart, in last summer’s interview.Since her untimely death, Swart has been honored many ways within the cycling world. The Nature Valley Grand Prix established the Carla Swart Sportsmanship Award, which according to a release will recognize the female athlete at the race who sacrifices her own chances for the good of the team. Carla Swart was an alumna of the 2008 Ryan Collegiate All Star team. Cycling South Africa awarded the Carla Swart Memorial Trophy to the winner of the women’s race shortly after her death. Swart’s grandfather was on hand to present the trophy which he handcrafted in memory of his granddaughter. A memorial service for Swart was held at the Banner Elk Presbyterian Church on February 12 for family and friends to remember the exceptional talent and life of Carla Swart. Mourners walked to the Mill Pond in Banner Elk to spread her ashes into the Elk River in the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina that she had come to consider home. The Carla Swart Memorial Scholarship at Lees-McRae College will be awarded annually to a female cyclist who demonstrates a love for the sport and exhibits great promise as a cyclist.

Remembering Carla Swartthe extraordinary life of


In the lobby of Williams Gymnasium stand two cases filled with a century’s worth of trophies and plaques commemorating Bobcat Athletics

successes. From decades-old ski team champions and football conference wins to modern day national championship cycling jerseys and a multitude of women’s volleyball trophies, Bobcat Athletics has many successes to celebrate.

Along with the trophies that adorn the lobby of Williams Gymnasium, Lees-McRae has many former Bobcats who wore the Green and Gold whose extraordinary athletic accomplishments have earned them a place in Lees-McRae history – the Hall of Fame. During Homecoming 2010, four former Bobcats were added to the prestigious group.

On Friday, October 1, Randy Bloemendaal ’92, Robin Scott ’95, Brent Bookwalter ’06, and Robert “Bobby” G. Ball ’82 (posthumously) were honored in front of a full house during the ceremony in the C.D. Chesley Indoor Tennis Courts.

“Working with the Hall of Fame at Lees-McRae is such a rewarding experience for all of us involved as we appreciate the time and talents of those who have worn the Green and Gold,” said Craig McPhail, director of athletics at Lees-McRae College. ”Seeing these individuals come back and reflect on their time spent in Banner Elk is always memorable.”

The Inductees

Randy Bloemendaal ’92 starred on the tennis court for four seasons at Lees-McRae, graduating in 1992 as the program’s all-time leader in singles victories (74) as well as doubles victories (89). During his stellar career at LMC, Bloemendaal played at each of the top three singles positions in addition to the top doubles spot. In 1988, he was given the Coach’s Award, and was recognized as Lees-McRae’s Outstanding Spring Sports Athlete the following year.

Bloemendaal was ranked 46th in National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) singles in 1991, and was listed as high as 18th in doubles during the 1992 season. He was also ranked 32nd in National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) singles in 1989. After a three-year absence from the College, Bloemendaal returned to Banner Elk in 1995 as the head men’s and women’s tennis coach, a post which he held until 2003. During his eight years with the Bobcats, the men’s team amassed a 159-36 (.815) mark, while the women were 110-63 (.634). Currently, Bloemendaal serves as the head men’s tennis coach at Indiana University.

Robin Scott ’95 was a force on the hardwood during her time at LMC, leading the NAIA in rebounds and ranked third in the nation in scoring during the 1993-94 season. For her efforts, Scott was named the Carolinas Conference Player of the Year, NAIA National Player of the Week, NAIA All-American, as well as the Carolinas Conference Female Athlete of the Year.

A season later, in Lees-McRae’s first year as a member of the NCAA, she led the nation in rebounding for the second year in a row, averaging 16.3 boards per game. Scott still holds 23 marks in the LMC women’s basketball record book.

Brent Bookwalter ’06 graduated from Lees-McRae after a phenomenal career with the cycling team, amassing seven collegiate mountain bike national titles as a member of the Bobcats. During his senior year, Bookwalter posted the top time in the national U-23 time trial. Bookwalter currently rides professionally for BMC Race Team.

Bookwalter’s top 10 results of 2010 include a second place finish in the Stage 1 Time Trial in the Giro d’Italia and a third place finish in the Prologue of the Tour of Utah and fifth place finish in the Stage 3 Time Trial of the same race. Bookwalter’s strong performances in those races landed him a spot in the 2010 Tour de France, racing alongside teammates Cadel Evans and George Hipcapie. Bookwalter finished in 147th place. He chronicled his Tour de France experience for VeloNews.com, the Journal of Competitive Cycling, in a series of diary entries that can be found on the site.

Robert “Bobby” Ball ’82, who passed away on June 10, 2010, played football at Lees-McRae in the early 1980s before going on to play two seasons at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. After his stint with the Golden Flashes, Ball played professionally for the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League and the NFL’s Cleveland Browns.

Following his football career, Ball had a successful career as an entrepreneur, playing an instrumental role in the development of bar coding for fleet vehicle tires. Ball was also an active member of the NY/NJ chapter of the Retired NFL Players Association, donating his time to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Association in addition to spending quality time at the veterans’ home in Paramus, NJ.

Fame Four former Bobcat standouts receive Hall of Fame honors at Homecoming induction dinnerBobcat


Lees-McRae College is offering exclusive handmade terra cotta pots that feature the Lees-McRae crest for sale to alumni, friends and parents of the College.

Commissioned and designed by Lees-McRae College Trustee Deborah Williams in honor of the inauguration of President Barry M. Buxton, the stamp was hand-tooled by potter Jim Keeling and every pot is made by hand in Warwickshire, England.

Whichford Pottery, a family-run pottery established in 1976, was founded by Jim and Dominique Keeling. Because they blend their own clay, all pots by Whichford Pottery come with a 10 year frostproof guarantee.

The senior throwers at Whichford Pottery have 150 years combined experience making one-of-a-kind pots for your gardens.

To order your exclusive Lees-McRae College terra cotta pot, contact Cindy Priest, Assistant to the President, at [email protected] or (828) 898-8785. The cost is $100 per pot, plus shipping and handling.

The pots will be available for purchase this summer at the Alumni Arts and Crafts Show and at the Lees-McRae College Welcome Center at the Historic Cheese House.

Thanks to the generosity of Trustee Deborah Williams, all proceeds of sales of these exclusive handmade pots will benefit Lees-McRae College.

To learn more about Whichford Pottery, visit their website at www.whichfordpottery.com.

Consisting of alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and friends dedicated to the enrichment of Bobcat Athletics, the Bobcat Club provides private financial support for the Lees-McRae athletic program and helps provide important academic and athletic opportunities for our student-athletes.

Gifts to the Bobcat Club help fund athletic facility improvements and other capital needs for the College’s NCAA Division II athletic program.

Membership in the Bobcat Club exemplifies your commitment to Lees-McRae and to the student-athletes who strive to compete at the highest level possible.

With questions about the Bobcat Club, please contact Craig McPhail, director of athletics, at (828) 898-2483 or [email protected].

Follow Lees-McRae Athletics on the Internet at: www.lmcbobcats.com.

Join the Bobcat Club today! Together we win!

Order an exclusive handmade Lees-McRae College terra cotta pot by Whichford Pottery

Lees-McRae Summer Theatre returns to three-show season for summer 2011Lees-McRae Summer Theatre will return to the Hayes Auditorium stage with three shows beginning June 27 with I Do! I Do!, followed by Swing! the Musi-cal and The Sound of Music.

I Do! I Do! will open the season on June 27 at 7:30 p.m. Show dates and times for I Do! I Do! are June 27, 29, 30 and July 1-2 at 7:30 p.m. with matinee per-formances on July 2-3 at 2 p.m.

I Do! I Do! follows Michael and Agnes from their wedding day through 50 years of marriage until they turn their house over to the next pair of newly-weds. This is the quintessential musical about love and marriage.

Then, beginning July 13, Swing! the Musical, dances its way onto the Hayes Auditorium stage. Show dates and times for Swing! are July 13-16 and July 18 at 7:30 p.m. and July 16-17 at 2 p.m.

An original concept by Paul Kelly, this musical dance review features timeless music by the likes of Duke Ellington, William “Count” Basie and Benny Good-man, and features the dance revolution that shattered ethnic and cultural bar-riers with styles like Jive, Swing, Lindy Hop, West Coast Swing, and Hip-Hop Swing.

Wrapping up the season is the much anticipated Lees-McRae Summer The-atre production of The Sound of Music, the final collaboration between Rodgers & Hammerstein that became one of the world’s most beloved musical. The Sound of Music opens Aug. 3 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets go on sale at the box office June 16. For updates, check the website at www.lmst.lmc.edu.


Rev. Ragland Fletcher ’38 serves as Minister’s Associate at Fletcher Presbyterian Church in Newland, NC.

Thomas E. Twiggs ’54 was selected as a Fellow of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots in September 2010.

George Whitfield ’57 is in his 39th year running his baseball clinic in Goldsboro, NC. Whitfield was inducted into the North Caroline Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.

James T. Watson ’61 was inducted into the Suffolk Raceway Drag Racing hall of Fame on May 22, 2010. He raced from 1970-75, held World ET and Speed Record and won Nationals at Bristol, TN, in 1975. He now makes custom knives as a hobby since retiring in 2004. Watson has made over 700 knives for customers in 20 states and Australia.

Rosanna Deal Arey ’62 and husband Jeff went on a People to People Ambassador Tour to China in November. The tour included Beijing, Xi’an and Shanghai. Highlights of the trip were the Great Wall and the Museum of Terracotta Soldiers.

Maxine Staley Miller ’62 retired from UNC Charlotte in 2007 after 27 years.

Don Rich ’64 was elected to the Randleman, NC Athletic Hall of Fame in August 2010.

Sam Prevette ’65 retired from Atrium Windows and Doors and lives in Lexington, NC. Poems written for his wife Teresa can be found in his book Poetry Reflections (pg. 44-45) in the Carson Library and at the Alumni House at Lees-McRae.

Steve Dolinger ’67 retired after a career in education as superintendent in Fulton County, GA. He is now president of GA Partnership for Excellence in Education and lives in Atlanta.

Joyce Williams Bergin ’67 serves as Assistant Dean of the College of Education at Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, GA. Bergin also served as accreditation coordinator and led the college through successful continuing accreditation renewal, and currently serves as the co-chair for the university’s strategic planning initiative.

Herbert C. Bacon ’69 retired from coaching varsity softball at Pennville Memorial High School with a career record 578-125 and three state championships.

Eric L. Jones ’69 retired from state government and is now working in the private sector for SECURUS Technologies, Inc.

Guy Raymond Sproles, Jr. ’69 recently retired after 37 years from the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

Suzy Parker Hamilton ’76 is surgical coordinator for two surgeons in Charlotte.

John Jackson ’82 earned a Ph.D. in Medieval History from the University of Sheffield (UK) and now resides in the Tampa Bay area.

Melvin T. Whittenburg ’85 graduated from East Carolina University after Lees-McRae. He is retired from the Army (Major) and is currently employed by ExxonMobil as a Senior Voyage Coordinator.

Kim Krege Florio ’90 was named Teacher of the Month in February 2011. She teaches performing arts at Countryside High School in Clearwater, FL.

Thomas Nelson ’93 is the new head football coach at Ralph L. Fike High School in Wilson, NC.

Edyth Green Berry ’01 is a teacher at Valle Crucis Elementary School.

Abigail J. Lord ’01 accepted a new position as Development Officer at Lees-McRae College in December 2010.

Sarah Beckman Mobley ’01 is currently attending University of Illinois at Chicago in pursuit of a Master of Education in Special Education. She is a member of Improvised Jane Austen, an improvisation team in Chicago and works as a teacher/program assistant at a therapeutic day school in Illinois.

Nicholas Osborne ’01 completed eight years as a Coast Guard law enforcement and intelligence officer. He graduated with a Doctor of Education degree from the University of California-Davis in summer 2010.

Tracy Walker Morgan ’02 earned national board certification in teaching in 2007 and graduated from Western Carolina University with a Master of Education degree in 2008.

Stephanie Dunbar Siam ’03 finished her MA in English with Creative Writing emphasis in May 2007. Currently, Stephanie and her family reside in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia, where she is an EFL instructor in the English Prep program at Prince Mohammad bin Fahd University.

Aaron David Beckman ’05 resides in Chicago and is working in real estate investment. Aaron and his sister, Sarah Beckman Mobley ’01, have been performing improvisation as “The Beckmans” in Chicago for several years.

Meghan Meier ’05 recently accepted a new position at Habitat for Humanity in Greenville County, SC. She is excited to continue to help low income families become homeowners.

Nora Vines ’05 is a research assistant and adjunct professor working on a second post graduate degree at Appalachian State University. She completed a Master’s degree in Reading at ASU in 2008.

Jennifer Baker ‘06 is a teacher in Marietta, GA. She graduated with a Master’s degree in

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Alumni Class NotesKeep us up-to-date on your recent accomplishments at www.alumni.lmc.edu


Kasey Louise McKittrick died Monday, June 21, 2010 in Cannon Memorial Hospital in Linville, NC. A Charlotte native, she was born November 1, 1988.

Kasey graduated from United Faith Christian Academy and Lees-McRae College where she received her BA in Performing Arts Studies. She was a member of the Alpha Psi Omega, a theatre honor fraternity. Kasey did an internship with NarroWay Productions and was also in productions of ImaginOn, a collaborative venture of the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County and the Children’s Theater of Charlotte. She loved being in the mountains, but also loved the beach and Lake Norman. Kasey loved the theatre, music and singing. In her spare time she loved to work jigsaw puzzles. She also loved spending time with her family and friends. Kasey will be greatly missed.

Kasey was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents Foster and Nena Jones; paternal grandfather Vernon McKittrick and her uncle Eddie Jones.

Survivors include her parents, Dana and Vicki McKittrick; brother, Kyle McKittrick and Katie Brunjes; paternal grandmother, Louise McKittrick. Also surviving are her aunts and uncles, Ron and Debbie Jones, Debbie and Steve Meggs, Paula Korber and many cousins.

Carrie Lee Koone ’34 – 7.12.2009Caroline Lanier Thompson ’36 - 9.30.2010Dr. Wingate Lambertson ’39 – 5.10.2010Brownlow “B. C.” Nave, Jr. ’39 – 4.5.2010Samuel Turner Hart ’40 – 12.7.2010John “J.C.” Sossoman, Jr. ’41 – 10.17.2010Margaret Stanford Thomas ’41 – 10.4.2010Edith Sumner Smith ’45 – 11.18.2010Rev. James Thomas Young, Jr. ’46 - 6.18.2010Carl H. Reavis ’47 - 10.5.2010D. Howard Gill ’48 – 6.3.2009James Vance Shomaker ’48 – 8.5.2010Robert C. Perkins ’50 – 11.27.2009Clifton Joe Campbell ’52 – 6.12.2009Joe L. Martin ’52 – 5.2.2010Stephen “Joe” O’Neal, Jr. ’54 - 7.21.2010Betty Lou Partin Ollis ’54 – 6.9.2010Carlton E. Thorne ’54 – 1.11.2010Clara Martin Goss ’55 – 11.13.2010Ines Maria Diaz Gouge ’56 – 5.5.2010Lacy “Bill” Humphrey ’56 – 8.29.2010Polly Reynolds McClanahan ’56 – 12.1.2010Willis Ray Johns ’57 – 7.12.2008William M. Russell ’58 – 2.1.2010Jerry K. Bailey ’60 – 7.30.2010Kay Penland Wagner ’63 – 11.21.2010William “Bill” Rankin ’67 – 7.10.2010Charles Oscar Payne ’68 – 1.22.2010Luci Jo Franklin Wright ’71 - 11.9.2010D. Stanton Cecil III ’81 – 11.19.2009Robert G. “Bobby” Ball ’82 – 6.10.2010Jeffrey Scott Fisher ’87 – 9.27.2010Scott McElhaney ’92 – 5.6.2010Jonathan Cropper ’09 – 3.16.2011

William Hugh Craft, Sr. – 12.29.2010 James Essic – 12.3.2010Glenn Davis Hunt – 2.22.2010 Sen. William Redman, Jr. – 12.25.2010Trustee Michael Elliott – 1.11.2011

Elementary Education in May 2010. Baker serves as secretary of the LMC Alumni Board and hosts an annual LMC Alumni Atlanta Braves Tailgate.

Shelby Schestag ’06 received a Master of Science degree in Community Mental Health in December 2009 from McDaniel College in Westminster, MD. In August she will acquire her Licensed Graduate Professional Counselor certification. She is currently an Addiction Counselor at Johns Hopkins-Cornerstone Program in Baltimore, MD

Amanda Nelson Stoltzfus ’06 moved to Vancouver, WA, to attend George Fox Evangelical Seminary to pursue a Master of Divinity degree.

Amanda Huffaker ’07 recently graduated from Pfieffer University with a Master’s degree.

Talia Freeman ’07 is director of marketing for Beech Mountain Ski Resort and public relations director for Yellow Dog Entertainment and the Music on the Mountain Top Festival.

Justin Bulla ’08 is currently teaching choir and drama in Stokes County at North and South Stokes High School. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Stokes County Arts Council and is working closely with the arts council to start a high school summer theatre season.

Karyn Bragman ’10 is attending UNC-Chapel Hill in the dental hygiene program.

In RemembranceAlumni

Friends

In Memory of Kasey McKittrick ’10

Renowned North Carolina historian and archivist Dr. H.G. Jones ’43 recently published The Sonarman’s War, A Memoir of Submarine Chasing and Mine Sweeping in World War II (McFarland, 2010).

Described as an “intimate and sometimes irreverent account of one man’s coming of age during World War II,” this memoir is drawn not only from the author’s memories, but also from his surviving diaries from the conflicts, daily logs of three ships upon which he served, and the secret reports of military commanders and other official records.

H.G. Jones has served as a history professor in several universities; state archivist and director of the North Carolina Department of Archives and History; and curator of the North Carolina Collection at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His career was capped in 2002 with the North Carolina Award for Public Service, the state’s highest civilian recognition. He

lives in Pittsboro, North Carolina.

Born a North Carolina farmboy, Jones served as a U.S. Navy sonarman aboard a wooden submarine chaser operating from Africa and Sicily during the Allied invasion at Anzio and Southern France. He also served as sonarman and yeoman on two fleet mine sweepers in the Okinawa, Formosa, and China operations.

In a speech by President Obama regarding the launch of the Post-9/11 GI Bill in August 2009, he referred to a 1990 letter from Dr. Jones about the GI Bill making college no longer a novelty for those in his native Caswell County.

Dr. Jones endowed the archives at Lees-McRae College in 2008 to ensure preservation of Lees-McRae’s significant history in western North Carolina.

Other works by Dr. Jones include For History’s Sake, The Records of a Nation, and North Carolina Illustrated.

His books are available in the James H. Carson Library.

Alumni Super NoteDr. H.G. Jones ’43 pens The Sonarman’s War

Name of Person Nominated: Class Year: (include maiden name if married woman)

Home Address:

Business Address:

Phone:

Profession: Present Position:

Services:

(Civic and community organizations, political and religious activities, fraternal organizations, etc.)

Briefly describe why you think the nominee deserves this particular nomination:

Submitted by:

Nominate a Classmate!Please use the form below to nominate an alumnus/a whom you believe deserves recognition through the Lees-McRae College Distinguished Alumni Award or the Alumni Service Award. If you know an alumnus/a who would be a good candidate for the College’s Alumni Board, please use this form, as well.

Please check the appropriate box:

Alumni Service Award

Distinguished Alumni Award

Alumni Board

Nomination Form

Alumni Service AwardThe Alumni Board will present the Alumni Service Award at Frolic during the Alumni Banquet. To be considered for this award an individual must meet the criteria listed below:1. Be an alumnus/a of Lees-McRae College.2. Provide significant service to Lees-McRae College and/or the Lees-McRae

Alumni Association.3. Demonstrate a continuing interest in Lees-McRae by attending alumni

events on and off campus and by contributing time, energy or money to programs of the institution.

4. Manifest and commend the hallmarks of the Lees-McRae graduate in his/her life.

Distinguished Alumni AwardThe Alumni Board will award the Distinguished Alumni Award at Homecoming during the Annual meeting of the Alumni Association. To be considered for the award an individual must meet the criteria listed below:1. Be an alumnus/a of Lees-McRae College2. Demonstrate a respectable profession or life mission for which the College

is exceptionally proud.3. Distinguish himself or herself in business, life work or worthy endeavor.4. Manifest and commend the hallmarks of the Lees-McRae graduate in his/

her life.

Alumni BoardThe Alumni Board represents the Alumni Association. The Alumni Board is made up of 36 directors who represent several regions and various class years. Each director serves a three-year term and has the opportunity to serve on one of six different committees. The primary role of the Alumni Board is to build, maintain and enhance the relationship between the College and its alumni. Board members work to foster among alumni a spirit of continuing service, fellowship and support of Lees-McRae College.

Please detach this form and return to the Office of Advancement, Lees-McRae College, P.O. Box 128, Banner Elk, NC 28604.

Van Lecka knows a great investment when he sees one—a current member of the Bobcat Club and a supporter of the Lees-McRae Fund, this member of the class of ’75 is an excellent example of what it means to be a Bobcat.

Lees-McRae College salutes Van for believing in its enduring mission of educating students and supporting them as they work hard to make their dreams come true.

Van is a member of an incredible Lees-McRae legacy family—his parents, Vance ’48 and Janice Townsend ’52 Lecka—and all of his siblings, David ’76, Mark ’79, Chris ’82, and Dawn ’85, attended Lees-McRae College. Van is married to Liz. They have three sons and live in Banner Elk.

Donor SpotlightVan Lecka ’75

P.O. Box 128 | Banner Elk, NC 28604Office of Advancement

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Parents: If this issue is addressed to a son or daughter who no longer maintains an address at your home, please send the correct address to Lees-McRae College, Office of Advancement, P.O. Box 128, Banner Elk, NC 28604.

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The Pinnacles - Winter/Spring 2011

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