#LRbound Students

Use the admitted student checklist to complete the required steps before joining us on campus in the fall. If you have any questions, please contact the Admission Office at 828.328.7300 or admission@lr.edu.

The Charge: New Student Orientation

We are excited that you are joining the Bear family. In addition to your virtual orientation, all students are required to attend LR’s virtual Bear Day. Bear Day will provide an opportunity for students to meet with a faculty member to register for first semester coursework and have any final questions by a member of our enrollment team. 

Mark your calendar for The Charge: New Student Orientation, offered virtually for your convenience and safety. You will be added to one of three mandatory sessions between June and August. Each session is two weeks long, and students will be able to complete their virtual orientation at their own pace within the allotted two weeks. Your virtual New Student Orientation will become available following your Bear Day attendance. 

During our virtual program, students will have the opportunity to:

• Learn Lenoir-Rhyne traditions through various informational videos and virtual social activities
• Connect to our campus community through LR resources
• Form friendships with other incoming students and Orientation leaders

Watch your LR email for information that includes several optional drive-in dates to get your student ID and parking pass. You and your family or guests are also encouraged
to make plans to join us for Welcome Weekend, August 20-22, to prepare for your first semester at Lenoir-Rhyne.

For more details relating to your event registration, including any document submissions, contact the Office of Admission at admission@lr.edu. For information relating to The Charge: New Student Orientation, including Bear Day, contact orientation@lr.edu.

FYE 191-192: First-Year Experience

The purposes of FYE are to help students make the transition from high school to college, to prepare them to be successful in their college careers and beyond.  In more concrete terms, this includes fostering the academic skills and professional behavior required in college and introducing students to the rigors of college in general and to the unique educational culture of Lenoir-Rhyne in particular.  Each section of FYE has a specific content area, so students should select courses based on their interest in the subject matter; in all sections, however, students should expect to be challenged by the reading, writing, researching, thinking, and discussing involved.  This is a two-semester course, with three credit hours in the fall and three in the spring.

01: Positive Psychology 
This course will examine how recent research in the area of positive psychology can be applied to our daily lives.  Specific topics include:  a) science-backed strategies to build resilience in the face of adversity; b) understanding one’s own character strengths and how to capitalize on these strengths while working on any “weaknesses”; c) the benefits of optimism and how to cultivate more into our daily lives; and d) the factors that contribute to a greater sense of life satisfaction, and the associated health benefits (physical and psychological) of improved life satisfaction.

02: Masterworks of Music: More than Meets the Ear
Every genre of music has a canon of compositions that people hold dear. They speak to us on a deep level, and we are drawn to listen and revisit them. What’s the secret ‘magic power’ of these masterworks? We’ll examine their communicative language, the constructive tools of music; primarily through art music of the Western World, but also encompassing jazz, world music, folk music, and pop music. This course is most applicable to students with some background in music.

03 and 04: Love and War 
America is in love with war. What are the roots of this relationship? In the first semester, this course will focus primarily on the history of love beginning with the Hebrews and the Greeks. What are the different kinds of love and how do they manifest themselves differently? Whereas there are four different words for love in Greek, there is only one word in English. What is the difference between sexual love (eros) and friendship love (philia)? Are there other kinds of love as well?  In the second semester, we will focus on America’s militarization of love and the practice of story as a response to the breakdown of anything like “true love.” The second semester will focus specifically on whether “love” can become violent or if there is no love where there is violence. This means that there is a certain predominance in media, on college campuses, and in private relationships for love and sex to reveal an evil side to human nature. We will look at the rates of incidents, why it happens, power differentials, agency, consent, retaliation, warrior society, and patriarchy so we may all better understand it and prevent it. What might Title IX, philosophy, education, or theology do to mitigate rape and sexual violence and the suffering or trauma that arises from this violence? Each student will come up with a “plan” to better deal with this issue particularly on American campuses, but also in homes, the workplace, military, churches, etc.

05 and 07: Diversity and Social Justice in Young Adult Fiction
“Sometimes, when people get treated as less than human, the best way to help them feel better is to simply treat them as human. Not as victims. Just you as you” (from All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely). Much of today’s young adult (YA) literature goes right to the heart of social justice issues that people encounter on a regular basis. In this section of FYE, we will read some great books together and learn to evaluate how well they address today’s social problems: How do they speak to the mind as well as the spirit? Are they accurate? Relevant? In line with what research tells us? Get ready to meet a range of engaging and complex characters grappling with issues such as sexism, racism, homophobia, and class stereotypes.”

08: Women in Leadership
What can we learn from women leaders?  What can we learn from their stories, their journeys, their successes, and their challenges?  This two-semester course will explore the stories and experiences of women leaders in a variety of fields and in a variety of roles. 

09: Making Space for All: Embracing Diversity and Social Justice
Have you ever asked yourself, “Am I normal?”, “Where/how do I fit in?”, or “Who am I”? Most people ask these questions from time to time. We live in a wonderfully diverse and multicultural world. In this course, you will have the opportunity to explore answers to these questions while also embracing your own diversity. This will be achieved by identifying your own personality type and exploring how to use your unique gifts to enhance your self-awareness, decision-making process, and communication skills. Through interactive activities and selected readings of young adult fiction, you will also explore such topics as ableism, classism, racism, sexism, and oppression to gain a better understanding of some of the challenges people face and how they overcome them. You will identify and research a social justice or multicultural topic that is important to you, and then explore how you might use this knowledge to make a difference in your own life or the lives of others. By taking advantage of this opportunity to enhance your self-awareness and self-confidence, you will be preparing yourself for success in your personal, academic, and future professional life. 

10: Scientific Observation of Beauty 
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and when the beholder is a scientist with instrumentation, the number of “Oh Wow!” moments increases exponentially.  From atomic microscopes to broad spectrum telescopes, every level of organization in the universe is being viewed.  The beauty that has been and is being found is beyond human expectation.  This course will delve into the beauty of the world around us and the tools and techniques that are being used by scientists to observe it. 

11: The Art of Happiness
This course will be an introduction to theories and research that examine topics relevant to the nature of happiness and psychological well-being. Students will also be specifically exploring the psychosocial conflicts present during the college years. Topics covered will include happiness, life satisfaction, creativity, wellness, love, self-actualization, strengths, gratitude, as well as a number of other topics related to happiness. These topics have also been discussed under the heading of “Positive Psychology.” As we assess the contributions that positive psychology has made in helping individuals to create change in their lives, we find elevated self-esteem, improved physical well-being, and an increase in the overall sense of success to be achievable outcomes for college students.

12: Conspiracy Theories
Do aliens control us? What secrets lie at Area 51? Why are we so fascinated with conspiracy theories? These are the types of questions we will explore in Conspiracy Theories. Students will engage conspiracies from a variety of perspectives and traditions, focusing on the rhetorical dimensions. We will also explore how conspiracy theories drive a number of our conversations that have increasingly become polarized. Join us as we attempt to get at the heart of these potentially sinister plots and explore how humans persuade. 

13: Gender, Race, Metaphor 
This FYE course will explore the social relationship between gender, race and texts. It will explore why metaphors have been called "dangerous things." Students will discover the social import of metaphors by means of readings, films, guest speakers and experiential learning. 

14: Resistance
This course will examine the practical, ethical, and political aspects of resistance to systemic racism, focusing on the Civil Rights movement in the United States, and the anti-Apartheid struggle in South Africa. For those who are interested, the course will conclude in the Spring with a short-term Study Abroad trip to Cape Town.  

16: Politics in Literature
In this course, students will examine fiction and literature to gain insights into human nature, human behavior, and politics around the world. Students will be exposed to issues central to the study of comparative politics, international relations, and American politics.

17: A Cinematic Exploration of Black History
In this course students will explore the history of African Americans through film. Each film presented will tell of a significant time for black people that changed American history. Students will enhance their knowledge of culture and history by processing each movie through writing, conversation, and small group presentations.  Addressing the political and mental health struggles of African Americans will help present a well-rounded understanding of black history in relation to American history. By enrolling in this course, students will have the opportunity to enhance their awareness of black culture, and be able to tell the story of the when, where, how and why of African American history. 

Visit our Residence Life page to learn more about housing options and the services we provide.

• Student Accounts
  All bills must be addressed prior to the start of each semester. 
• Lohr Learning Commons
• Dining & Food Service
• Bookstore
• Information Technology
• Campus Security
• Office of International Education
• Office of Multicultural Affairs
• Cornerstone Student Support & Wellness Center
• Student Clubs & Organizations
• Campus Ministry
• Convocation Program
• Alex Lee Career & Professional Development Center
• Fitness Center/Intramural Programs