Lees-McRae College is a small, private college founded in 1900 by the Reverend Edgar Tufts as part of his Presbyterian mission to the mountains. Its purpose is to provide a ministry of education and service to diverse populations. The college offers a varied and challenging curriculum embedded in the liberal arts core and delivered through values-based teaching in the Christian tradition. Through a student-centered and nurturing environment, Lees-McRae provides the knowledge and skills to prepare its graduates for productive and satisfying lives.