Last Updated on May 10, 2026 4:44 pm
BANNER ELK, N.C.— As colleges across the country scale back amid mounting financial pressures and declining enrollment numbers, Lees-McRae College is investing in its progress and announcing the largest gift in its history to address demand for high-quality housing.
The landmark $10 million investment, from Charlotte philanthropists Howard “Smoky” Bissell and Margaret Bissell, will fund a new townhouse village designed to serve both students and college employees. This forward-thinking model supports not only the institution’s growing student body, but also faculty and staff recruitment and retention…