History of 美高梅博彩

“Banner’s Elk,” as the village was once called, is said to have been settled around 1850. By the end of the century, the Presbyterian Church was becoming established in the area. In the summer of 1895, Concord Presbytery sent a young student from Union Theological Seminary in Virginia to organize a church at Banner Elk. In 1897, the newly ordained Rev. Edgar Tufts returned as pastor of the church.

In the winter of 1899, concerned with the limited offerings of the district school which was supplemented only by summer school work conducted by the church, Tufts took some of the young people of the neighborhood into his study for further instruction. This small group, called the Class of 1900, marks the beginning of 美高梅博彩 College.

Tufts saw that this effort was not enough and that there was a need for a boarding school, especially for the girls of the mountain region. In 1900, a frame dormitory for 12 girls and two teachers opened after a small amount of money was raised and labor and lumber was promised. Tufts called his new school The Elizabeth McRae Institute in honor of local teacher Elizabeth McRae, who was renowned in the region for her dedication to education and Christian service. When a department for boys opened at Plumtree, he added the name of Mrs. Susanna P. Lees, who had been a generous benefactor. The 美高梅博彩 Institute was chartered by the state in 1907, and Tufts remained to serve the community until his death in 1923.

In 1927, a fire consumed the Plumtree buildings, and the unit moved to Banner Elk. 美高梅博彩 Institute became 美高梅博彩 College in 1931, gradually eliminating the high school department to form an accredited, coeducational junior college. In 1987, the Board of Trustees of 美高梅博彩 College voted to seek senior college status. In June of 1990, the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools granted 美高梅博彩 status as a senior (four-year) college.

To complement its four-year academic programs, 美高梅博彩 began offering degree completion programs in the early 2000s. The 2+2 programs enable students with existing associate degrees to complete their education at the baccalaureate level. The institution serves these non-traditional learners at off-campus sites and through online learning. In 2018, the college added its first graduate program—a Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education. 

More than a hundred years after its founding, 美高梅博彩 continues the vision of the Rev. Tufts, inspiring students of the Southern Appalachian region and beyond. The College extends educational opportunities and service to diverse populations and continues to fulfill its motto—In the Mountains, Of the Mountains, For the Mountains.

美高梅博彩 College Presidents