Fun facts for Move-In Day 2026

Move-In Day is always a milestone at Lenoir-Rhyne University, but this year’s celebration comes with an extra reason to cheer. LR is welcoming the largest incoming class in university history, with 776 first-year students and 208 transfer students joining the Bear family.

“Every student arriving at Lenoir-Rhyne brings a different story, and today all of those stories become part of LR’s story,” said Summer McGee, Ph.D., president of Lenoir-Rhyne University. “It is especially meaningful to welcome the largest incoming class in our history, but what makes this moment exciting isn’t simply the number of students joining us. It’s the energy, experiences and possibilities each of them brings to our community. We are so glad they’re here.”

This fall also marks the first incoming class eligible for LR’s Tuition-Free Guarantee, which covers 100% of undergraduate tuition for eligible new first-year and transfer students from North and South Carolina with a family adjusted gross income of $100,000 or less.

Here’s a closer look at the newest Bears by the numbers.

Near and Far

Members of the Class of 2030 are arriving at LR from across the country and around the world. Students in the incoming class represent 31 states, with North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida topping the list. Among first-year students, 191 are arriving from outside North Carolina.

The incoming class also brings an international presence to campus, with 23 international students representing 15 countries.

New Traditions and Family Legacies

For 435 members of the incoming class, attending college means starting a new family tradition as first-generation college students.

Another 47 students are continuing an LR tradition as legacy students, following family members who attended the university before them.

Bears on the Move

While Move-In Day gets plenty of attention, not every new Bear needs a residence hall room. Roughly 375 to 400 students have indicated plans to commute, representing approximately 40% of incoming traditional undergraduate students.

Another 202 members of the incoming class will represent the Bears as student-athletes.

Ready for the Classroom

The incoming class arrives with an average high school GPA of 3.57.

Nursing leads the way among declared majors with 157 students, followed by business management with 99 and exercise science with 75. Another 113 students enter LR undeclared, ready to explore their options before choosing a major.

What’s in a Name?

With nearly 1,000 new Bears joining the LR community, there are bound to be a few repeated names. This year, Daniel and Madison take the honors as the most popular first names among incoming students.

Welcome home, Bears!