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Following a five-month campus-wide engagement process and unanimous approval by the Board of Trustees, �鶹���� has adopted revised Mission, Vision and Values that will guide the university's future and provide a clearer, more memorable expression of �鶹����'s identity.

Residence halls, dining spaces and athletic facilities will welcome students this fall with a series of upgrades designed to improve everyday campus life.

Isaiah Reyes ’25 shares how his vision for a graffiti wall has become an evolving space where students express creativity, celebrate traditions and leave their mark.

Purchased by South Carolina-based Clear Dot Charter School, the historic campus will continue serving students through an educational mission.

These six alumni bring decades of experience, deep campus connections and a shared commitment to serving future generations of Bears.

A gift from �鶹���� alumna Kate Esch ’70 and her husband, Bob, will extend internship microgrant funding for students through the 2028-29 academic year.

Fourteen students from five NC universities are spending the summer in Hickory, building skills and connections through the Well Crafted Interns Program.

Fiscal Year 2026 sets new records for giving, donor engagement and annual fund support as Charge Forward campaign surpasses $81.8 million.

More than 1,500 local second-grade students will explore Mac Barnett’s “Circle” through �鶹����’s 2027 Little Read program and author visit.

Pope’s research at the Burren College of Art will examine how experiences of awe and wonder can be translated into art that inspires environmental stewardship.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author and journalist Tim Egan will visit �鶹���� in March 2027 to deliver the inaugural Huffman Lecture on Social Justice, focused on democracy and civic responsibility.

Through leadership, mentorship and service, these retiring faculty and staff members helped shape the culture and community of �鶹����.