These six alumni bring decades of experience, deep campus connections and a shared commitment to serving future generations of Bears.
A gift from LR alumna Kate Esch ’70 and her husband, Bob, will extend internship microgrant funding for students through the 2028-29 academic year.
Fourteen students from five NC universities are spending the summer in Hickory, building skills and connections through the Well Crafted Interns Program.
Fiscal Year 2026 sets new records for giving, donor engagement and annual fund support as Charge Forward campaign surpasses $81.8 million.
More than 1,500 local second-grade students will explore Mac Barnett’s “Circle” through Lenoir-Rhyne’s 2027 Little Read program and author visit.
Pope’s research at the Burren College of Art will examine how experiences of awe and wonder can be translated into art that inspires environmental stewardship.
Pulitzer Prize-winning author and journalist Tim Egan will visit Lenoir-Rhyne in March 2027 to deliver the inaugural Huffman Lecture on Social Justice, focused on democracy and civic responsibility.
Through leadership, mentorship and service, these retiring faculty and staff members helped shape the culture and community of LR.
After immigrating from Korea to Hawaii, Agnes Park crossed a continent to attend Lenoir-Rhyne. She graduated in 1924, and in 2025, her granddaughter traced the journey of one of the first international Bears.
Lenoir-Rhyne has formed a search committee to lead the national search for the university’s next provost following the announcement that Provost Jennifer Burris, Ph.D. has accepted an appointment as president of Buffalo State University.
Across ceremonies held in Hickory, Asheville and Columbia on May 7-9, LR celebrated 578 undergraduate and graduate students earning their degrees and stepping into their next chapters as alumni.
SOURCE 2026 highlighted student excellence across a range of disciplines, featuring Honors Thesis Competition winners and the inaugural Bears Engage awards.
