Campus News
NCICU College Access Grant supports new Career Services programs for students
Summer Theatre opens with Seussical June 27
Career Services moved to new heights during the 2011-12 academic year, re-establishing its home from the Office of Student Development to the James H. Carson Library. The fall semester was filled with workshops and seminars geared towards career development. Students were also introduced to College Central Network, a platform for building resumes, connecting with businesses and alumni, and engaging in the job and internship process. A new course, “Career and Life Planning” was introduced during the spring semester, with 87 students participating, and will be required of all sophomore students.
Lees-McRae College Summer Theatre opens for the 2012 season on June 27 with the magical and charming Seussical, the musical. The box office opens June 14, and tickets are available to purchase online.
The College held a Job and Internship Fair on March 14 with over 30 businesses represented and 240 students in attendance. On March 31, the first Student Leadership Retreat was held at Blowing Rock Conference Center. A career symposium including a professional dinner and fashion show was held on April 14 with over 200 students participating. The College’s career initiatives were supported by the College
Access Grant program provided by North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities. Plans are underway to renovate a facility on campus to become the new Center for Career Exploration. Thanks to the generosity of Trustee Del Williamson and wife, Barbara, the proposed location of the Center received a new roof, and new windows and doors are part of Phase II. Director of Library Services Russell Taylor and Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Kacy Crabtree serve as co-directors of Career Services.
Two students attend Summer Management Program at Wake Forest University this summer Lees-McRae junior Lindsey Bush and senior Inee Ader joined 110 undergraduate students from throughout the Southeast to participate in the Summer Management Program at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem May 29-July 3. The Summer Management Program, a five-week program, provides business education opportunities for undergraduate students who are not majoring in business or a related field. The program is designed for students pursuing studies in the liberal arts and sciences and who desire to challenge themselves to become more competitive on graduate school applications and in the job market. Acceptance is based on four criteria: academic success, leadership achievements, being classified as a rising junior or senior, and academic major. A junior honor student from Catawba, NC, Lindsey is majoring in Pre-Professional Biology, preparing for graduate school so she can become a physician assistant. Lindsey is a Resident Assistant, member of Order of the Tower, and an intern in the Office of the President. Inee, a senior from Santa Fe, NM is majoring in Pre-Professional Biology. She is a Bonner Leader with AmeriCorps and President/Captain of the LeesMcRae Quidditch Team/Club. In addition, Inee is an honor student and cyclist. After graduation, Inee plans to pursue her Master’s degree in Naturopathy. Both students will have the opportunity to further their education through this robust study 6 | The Pinnacles | Spring/Summer 2012
in business. The curriculum for the Summer Management Program consists of courses such as Accounting, Business Law, Business Life Skills, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Information System Management, Marketing, and Strategic Management. Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Kacy Crabtree said, “I am excited about the partnership formed between Lees-McRae College and Wake Forest University. This is an educational opportunity for our students to gain new knowledge and skills, understand the value of business education, and learn strategies on how to transfer business concepts into their chosen career path.” The concept of a partnership stemmed from mutual professional conversations between Biology Adjunct Faculty Steve Saunders, Star Kepner, chair of Business Administration, and Steve Reinemund, Dean of the Schools of Business at Wake Forest University.
Seussical lovingly brings to life all of our favorite Dr. Seuss characters. Narrated by The Cat in the Hat himself, the story is centered on Horton, the Elephant, who is challenged with guarding an egg while protecting all the people of Whoville. Ultimately, the powers of friendship, loyalty, family and community are challenged and emerge triumphant in a story that makes you laugh and cry. Show times for Seussical are June 27-30 at 7:30 p.m., June 28 at 10 a.m., and June 30 and July 1 at 2 p.m. On July 13, the side splitting comedy See How They Run takes to the Hayes Auditorium stage. This comedy is sure to delight audiences. Director Janet Speer says, “It’s the funniest play I’ve ever directed!” This fast paced farce centers on a young vicar’s wife who is trying to fit into a small tightly knit town. The story moves into light but misinterpreted scandal, mistaken identities, the mugging of the good vicar, and the church matron’s introduction to heavy drinking. Show times for See How They Run are July 13-14 and July 18-20 at 7:30 p.m. and July 18-19 at 2 p.m. Rounding out the 2012 season is perhaps the most influential musical of the twentieth century, Show Boat. Based on Edna Ferber’s bestselling novel of the same name, the musical follows the lives of the performers, stagehands, and dock workers on the Cotton Blossom, a Mississippi River show boat, over a span of nearly fifty years, from 1880 to 1927. Show Boat tells the story of a showboat family and their struggles with gambling, race, infidelity and poverty. Show times for Show Boat are Aug. 1-4 at 7:30 p.m. and Aug. 2, 3 and 5 at 2 p.m. Tickets are available to purchase online at www.lmst.lmc.edu or at the box office. For pricing, seating options, and box office hours, visit the website or call the box office at (828) 898-8709.