Â鶹¹ÙÍø Us
Discover how the small, supportive campus community at Â鶹¹ÙÍø is an amazing place for living and learning on the way to obtaining your degree.
Our community passionately embraces the unknown. Our curiosity propels us to explore new ideas, to crave knowledge, and to engage the world in bold ways. United by our liberal arts mission, we make it a point to know who you are and where you want to go. Your professors will know you by name, and will challenge you in ways you never imagined.
At Â鶹¹ÙÍø, you’ll be inspired and prepared to make your mark in the world.
Our Story
Founded in 1891, Â鶹¹ÙÍø is a co-educational, private liberal arts institution with 50+ undergraduate degree programs and 20+ graduate degree programs. Â鶹¹ÙÍø enrolls nearly 2,300 undergraduate and graduate students.
At Â鶹¹ÙÍø, we work to develop the whole person, to liberate mind and spirit, clarify personal faith, foster physical wholeness, build a sense of community and promote responsible leadership for service to the world.
Our main campus is in Hickory, North Carolina, where both undergraduate and graduate degrees are offered. The university also offers graduate degree programs on our campuses in Asheville, North Carolina, and Columbia, South Carolina. Â鶹¹ÙÍø is affiliated with the North Carolina Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and welcomes students from all religious backgrounds.
We encourage you to learn more about the exceptional academic and experiential learning opportunities at Â鶹¹ÙÍø.
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Mission Statement
In pursuit of the development of the whole person, Â鶹¹ÙÍø seeks to liberate mind and spirit, clarify personal faith, foster physical wholeness, build a sense of community, and promote responsible leadership for service in the world.
As an institution of the North Carolina Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the university holds the conviction that wholeness of personality, true vocation and the most useful service to God and the world are best discerned from the perspective of Christian faith.
As a community of learning, the university provides programs of undergraduate, graduate, and continuing study committed to the liberal arts and sciences as a foundation for a wide variety of careers and as guidance for a meaningful life.
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Vision
Our goal is to be a nationally recognized liberal arts institution of choice — known for our excellence in building leaders for tomorrow, developing patterns of lifelong learning, positioning our graduates for success in their professional, personal and spiritual lives and providing an unparalleled quality of caring within our university community.
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Values
Â鶹¹ÙÍø espouses a set of values designed to inform us, as members of this educational community, in our personal development and our interactions with others. These values establish our principles of operation as an organization. They furnish guidance and assurance to each member of our community, and they help us to see how everyone’s contributions improve the life of our university.
These principles are made manifest through our daily actions, and they are fully realized only when embraced by everyone in our community. Constant and consistent attention to these core values will cultivate the continuous improvement of our institution, will assist us in the achievement of our mission, and will direct us toward realizing our vision as a university.
- Excellence
We will strive for excellence in everything we do. We will continuously cultivate our intellectual, physical, and spiritual growth. We will develop our talents and abilities to their fullest extents. - Integrity
We will act with integrity at all times. We will respect and be honest with each other. We will take personal responsibility for our words and our actions. - Care
We will care about others in our learning and working relationships. We will be responsible stewards of our resources. We will support each other and work together toward the common good. - Curiosity
We will learn from our community, past and present. We will confront important issues with humility and open minds. We will embrace the gains attained from the diversity of people and perspectives.
- Excellence
I have developed an incredible work ethic and gained experience in technical and visual skills I couldn’t have learned anywhere else.
What Makes Â鶹¹ÙÍø Home
Whether you are looking for a quiet place to study, opportunities to unwind and explore with lifelong friends, Â鶹¹ÙÍø has you covered both on or off-campus.
Our campuses in Hickory, Asheville and Columbia are surrounded by thriving cities that offer great opportunities for internships, community service or recreational fun.
Campus Highlights
Each of our campuses has its own distinct character and history.
Notice of Non-Discrimination, Harassment and Anti-Retaliation
Â鶹¹ÙÍø is committed to providing a workplace and educational environment, as well as other benefits, programs, and activities that are free from discrimination, harassment and retaliation.
Â鶹¹ÙÍø is committed to creating a safe campus environment for all members of the Â鶹¹ÙÍø community, including, but not limited to, those who identify as transgender and gender non-conforming. To that end, Â鶹¹ÙÍø does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex (including sex stereotypes and sex characteristics), ethnicity, national origin, physical or mental disability, age, marital status, pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran or military status or any other characteristic or status protected by applicable law.
To ensure compliance with federal and state civil rights laws and regulations and to affirm its commitment to promoting the goals of fairness and equity in all aspects of the educational program, activity and employment, Â鶹¹ÙÍø has developed internal policies and procedures that provide a prompt, fair and impartial process for those involved in an allegation of discrimination or harassment, and for allegations of retaliation.
Â鶹¹ÙÍø values and upholds the equal dignity of all members of its community and strives to balance the rights of the parties in the grievance process during what is often a difficult time for all those involved.
View Our Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity PolicyNews & Events
Pulitzer Prize-winning author and journalist Tim Egan will visit Â鶹¹ÙÍø in March 2027 to deliver the inaugural Huffman Lecture on Social Justice, focused on democracy and civic responsibility.
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After immigrating from Korea to Hawaii, Agnes Park crossed a continent to attend Â鶹¹ÙÍø. She graduated in 1924, and in 2025, her granddaughter traced the journey of one of the first international Bears.
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