Upholding Our Mission & Values

University Leadership


The university is governed by the board of trustees, led by university president Dr. Summer McGee and directed by the president's cabinet, a group composed of academic and administrative vice presidents.

President's Office


Dr. Summer McGee

As the 13th president of Lenoir-Rhyne University, Dr. Summer McGee leads the institution in advancing its mission and core values while guiding the university toward a new standard of excellence in private higher education.

View the President's Office

Leadership Teams


  • President's Cabinet
    The President's Cabinet is comprised of senior university administrators and advisory staff. The cabinet meets weekly and works with the president, trustees and academic leadership in an advisory role and oversees the operation of the university.
  • Board of Trustees
    The governing body of Lenoir-Rhyne University, the Board of Trustees, is responsible for upholding the mission and vision of the university.
  • Board of Visitors
    The Board of Visitors functions as an advisory arm of the board of trustees, serving as a source of information of potential institutional connections, providing support to advancement and identifying ways the university can be of service to the community.

Strategic Plan


Two students work in chemistry lab on assignment

Shine Ever Brighter, the Strategic Plan for Lenoir-Rhyne University, offers a shared vision to strengthen Lenoir-Rhyne’s impact, elevate every experience and position the university for a strong and sustainable future.

Shine Ever Brighter offers a clear path forward — rooted in mission and built for impact. Developed through broad campus collaboration, this strategic plan outlines priorities guiding Lenoir-Rhyne’s work from 2026 to 2029 while establishing a foundation for long-term institutional impact.

Each theme represents LR’s lofty aspirations to have a more distinctive institutional identity and value proposition, to have a greater reach, to offer a more resonant student experience and to be known as a premier university from the perspectives of all of our stakeholders.

View Our Strategic Plan

News & Events

Back view of a Buddhist monk facing a crowd and lights from the steps of Beam Hall in Columbia

When plans shifted during the Walk for Peace, a stop at Lenoir-Rhyne’s Columbia location became a powerful moment of connection, rest and shared spiritual practice.

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A man and a woman marching on MLK Day 2025, one carries a sign reading "I too have a dream."

Community members are invited to a free morning of music, reflection and a Freedom Rides-inspired choral production, followed by a Unity March through Hickory.

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