Provost & Vice President Academic Affairs

Summary

Lenoir-Rhyne University, a dynamic and growing, private, comprehensive professionally focused university, seeks a strategic, action-oriented, inspirational, relational leader to serve as Provost. Reporting directly to the President, the Provost serves as the chief academic officer for the University.

Lenoir-Rhyne University, founded in 1891, is a private, coeducational, comprehensive university grounded in the Lutheran intellectual tradition and recognized for its commitment to academic athletic, and artistic excellence, experiential learning, and student success. Located in Hickory, North Carolina with an additional graduate center in Asheville, North Carolina, the university is a vibrant, caring and close-knit community serving nearly 2,300 undergraduate and graduate students from 40 states and 37 countries.

Lenoir-Rhyne is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) with its next decennial reaffirmation scheduled for 2028.

Under the leadership of President Summer McGee, the university is experiencing renewed momentum, with record enrollment growth in , expanded academic offerings, and strategic investments in personnel, facilities and student experience. Over the past decade, Lenoir-Rhyne has invested significantly in campus enhancements, academic innovation, and student success initiatives, positioning the institution as a leading professional university in the Southeast. Lenoir-Rhyne continues to strengthen its regional and national profile while remaining deeply rooted in its mission.

Across its colleges and programs, Lenoir-Rhyne offers a distinctive, professionally focused education spanning the health and life sciences, business, engineering and mathematics, education, human services, theology, social sciences, humanities and the fine arts. The University offers a vibrant core curriculum representing its liberal arts tradition alongside extensive undergraduate and graduate program offerings in its professional schools. With more than 40 undergraduate majors and a growing portfolio of 20 graduate and professional programs, Lenoir-Rhyne offers two undergraduate degrees (B.A. and B.S.), six graduate degrees (M.A., M.S., MBA, MPH, MFA, and DNP), and four seminary degrees (MACM, M.Div.,

MTS, and MARL), reflecting its comprehensive academic portfolio.

Committed to student success and strong post-graduation outcomes, Lenoir-Rhyne University boasts a 99% job and graduate school placement rate in its first-destination survey in 2025. Lenoir-Rhyne emphasizes hands‑on, applied learning through internships, clinical placements, research opportunities, and community engagement. The university is known for strong programs in areas such as nursing, occupational therapy, counseling, business, education, and human services, as well as a deep commitment to preparing graduates for meaningful lives and work.

The Lenoir‑Rhyne experience is both personal and transformative. Small class sizes — averaging fewer than 15 students — and a 12:1 student‑to‑faculty ratio ensure meaningful engagement with faculty who are dedicated teacher‑scholars and mentors; nearly 100% of tenure‑track faculty hold the terminal degree in their field. Faculty members challenge and support students to think critically, act ethically, and lead with integrity in a complex and changing world.

Lenoir‑Rhyne University is focused on college affordability through its Lenoir‑Rhyne Tuition‑Free Guarantee and is recognized regionally as the #15 Top Value institution in the South.

Student life is vibrant and engaging, with more than 60 student clubs and organizations that foster leadership, creativity, and community. The university competes in NCAA Division II as a member of the South Atlantic Conference and sponsors more than 23 intercollegiate and club teams for men and women. Lenoir‑Rhyne University is consistently ranked among the Top 25 athletic programs in Division II athletics and is known for building champions with character while strengthening school spirit and campus life.

The university’s main campus in Hickory, North Carolina — home to the Office of the Provost —…