BANNER ELK, N.C.— Lees-McRae College is one of just 17 North Carolina higher education institutions named to the Colleges of Distinction’s list of the best colleges in the U.S. for 2025–26. This is the eighth year the college has earned this prestigious distinction.
In addition to earning a spot on the organization’s national Colleges of Distinction 2025 list, Lees-McRae also marked eight years of recognition on the lists for Affordable Colleges of Distinction, Top Business Colleges of Distinction, and Top Education Colleges of Distinction.
Earning these recognitions from Colleges of Distinction means that Lees-McRae consistently and successfully embodies the organization’s four primary distinctions: engaged students, great teaching, vibrant communities, and successful outcomes. These awards reflect the college’s dedication to fostering experiential learning, strengthening student-faculty relationships, maintaining an active campus community, and facilitating post-graduate professional success.
“Lees-McRae College has crafted a campus culture where students are empowered to take ownership of their learning,” said Tyson Schritter, Chief Operating Officer at Colleges of Distinction. “Its programs reflect the kind of innovation and intentionality that prepare students for life after graduation.”
Visit Colleges of Distinction’s Lees-McRae College profile >>
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Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina, Lees-McRae College is a private, residential college that awards baccalaureate and graduate degrees. At nearly 4,000 feet—the highest elevation of any campus on the East Coast—the college celebrates its location through distinct programming. An emphasis on experiential education inspires students to learn by doing and gain broad knowledge through study across disciplines. To provide continuing education opportunities for all, the college also offers bachelor’s and master’s programs online and in surrounding communities. For more information, please visit www.lmc.edu or call 828.898.5241.

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LINVILLE, N.C. – Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, will host its annual Animal Enrichment Day on Wednesday, July 30. Visitors are invited to watch enrichment demonstrations, talk directly with keepers and participate in family-oriented interactive games. Included with park admission, the celebration will feature games, contests, crafts and surprises.
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An enrichment is a special treat, new toy or even an unfamiliar scent given to the animals to break up their routines and help keep them active and intellectually stimulated. The day celebrates the park’s furry, feathered and scaled inhabitants with an afternoon of fun and educational activities, specifically highlighting enrichment and its importance in caring for the animals that call Grandfather Mountain home.

The park’s habitat staff is preparing a fun-filled afternoon for guests with programs to celebrate its furry and feathered inhabitants as they mark another trip around the sun. Millie the Bear, the mountain’s mascot, will also make special appearances throughout the day.
“Everyone looks forward to Animal Enrichment Day — from staff to guests, and especially the animals,” said Christie Tipton, animal habitats curator for the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation. “There’s no better way to celebrate and educate people about enrichments than by demonstrating in real time.”

This year’s event offers a special new opportunity to contribute to a larger conservation effort. During the celebration, there will be a Conservation through Colors table selling animal paintings for half price. Animal paintings are unique prints created by the mountain’s resident animals. Paintings feature bear paws, otter paws, patterns from our scaley friends on the mountain and other designs that the animals paint. Habitat staff assist the animals in creating their one-of-a-kind designs.

All proceeds from the animal painting sales at the Conservation through Colors table will go to the American Association of Zoo Keepers, who will donate to red wolf conservation efforts — important to the state of N.C. in preserving the critically endangered species. When guests purchase an animal painting, they may spin a prize wheel for a chance to win mountain-themed gifts.

“We are thrilled to introduce Conservation through Colors to expand our conservation efforts to causes beyond the mountain,” said John Caveny, vice president of conservation and education for the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation. “Preserving endangered species is critical to our mission here, and being able to extend that to a statewide issue gives us hope for future partnerships.”

Activities will kick off at 11 a.m. and continue until 3:30 p.m. The full schedule is below.

Animal Enrichment Day Schedule:

• 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.: Behind-the-Scenes Tour (additional cost, book in advance at the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery gift shop)
• 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.: Animal Olympics Game (Wilson Center)
• 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.: Test Your Animal Knowledge Contest – contest drawing at 2:15 (Wilson Center’s Classroom in the Clouds)
• 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.: Conservation through Colors Table – Support the American Association of Zoo Keepers and red wolf conservation by purchasing animal paintings, with a chance to win extra fun prizes! (Wilson Center’s Classroom in the Clouds)
• 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.: Animal-themed games! (Outside the Wilson Center, inside if raining)
• 12:30 – 2:30 p.m.: Creepy Critter Corner – meet a few of our “creepier” animals. (Wilson Center’s Classroom in the Clouds)
• 12:30 – 2:30 p.m.: Enrichment Table – learn all about enrichment. (Wilson Center’s Classroom in the Clouds)
• 1 – 1:30 p.m.: Animal Encounter – meet a few of our ambassador animals. (Wilson Center’s Classroom in the Clouds)
• 1 – 2:30 p.m.: Vote for the enrichments that you think the animals would most like to receive during the Enrichment Parade. (Wilson Center’s Classroom in the Clouds)
• 1:30 – 2 p.m.: Enrichment Making – help the keepers make some enrichments for the animals. (Wilson Center Breezeway)
• 2:15 p.m.: Contest Drawing! Winners will be announced at the Wilson Center’s Classroom in the Clouds. Contest winners get the rare opportunity to go behind the scenes to visit the animal they were most knowledgeable about! Winners are allowed to take family members with them. Participants must be present to win.
• 2:45 p.m.: Animal Enrichment Parade! Follow our staff to the elk, then otter, then cougar and bear overlooks to watch the special enrichments!

Can’t come to the event but still want to provide a special treat for Grandfather’s animals? Those interested in gifting them some of their favorite items can do so by checking out the mountain’s animal enrichment wish list, featuring appropriate toys and supplies. Donors can purchase an item online and have it delivered straight to Grandfather Mountain for the animals’ immediate enjoyment.

Animal lovers can also contribute through the mountain’s Adopt-an-Animal Program. Honorary adopters receive a photo of their animal, certificate of adoption, informational sheet about their animal’s life and more.

To learn more about this year’s Animal Enrichment Day at Grandfather Mountain, visit www.grandfather.com/event/animal-enrichment-day.
The nonprofit Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation strives to inspire conservation of the natural world through education, exploration and example. For more information, visit www.grandfather.com.

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