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At the close of the 2024–2025 academic year, ӣ������ celebrated the dedication, scholarship and service of faculty members who earned tenure, promotions, emeritus status or are entering retirement. These milestones reflect a deep commitment to academic excellence and the university community.

To be considered for promotion, faculty members assemble a portfolio that goes through four stages of review and approval, starting with faculty representatives on a professional review committee. Upon recommendation from the faculty committee, the review proceeds to the university provost, then the president, with the board of trustees granting final approval.

“As we celebrate this year’s faculty milestones, I am reminded of the extraordinary dedication, intellect and heart our faculty bring to ӣ������ each day,” said Jennifer Burris, Ph.D., university provost and vice president for academic affairs. “Those granted tenure and promotion this year exemplify the teacher-scholar model at its best, balancing rigorous inquiry with a deep commitment to student learning and institutional service. We are fortunate to count them among our academic community.”

Tenure and Promotion to Associate Professor

The university congratulates the following faculty members who have been granted tenure and promoted to associate professor, recognizing their contributions in teaching, research and service:

• Rebecca Alt, Ph.D., College of Fine Arts and Communications – Communications
• Sarah Caudill ’06, Ph.D., College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics – Computer Sciences
• Carla Fallas, DNP, College of Health Sciences – Nursing
• Christopher Gordon, Ed.D., College of Education and Human Services – Education
• Michael Lemke, Ph.D., College of Education and Human Services – Education
• Christina Walker, Ph.D., College of Business and Economics – Leadership

Promotion to Professor

Promotion to the rank of professor marks a significant achievement in a faculty member’s academic career. This year, Lenoir-Rhyne recognizes:

• Taylor Newton, Ph.D., College of Humanities and Social Sciences – Psychology

Emeriti Status

The honor of emeriti status is granted to retired faculty who have demonstrated exceptional service and dedication to the university. This year’s honorees are:

Susan McArver, Ph.D., H. George Anderson Professor of Church History, Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary

McArver has served on the faculty of Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary since 1998, earning recognition as a scholar of Southern religious history, women’s history and Lutheranism. In addition to publishing extensively on American church history, she has connected generations of students to the relevance of the past in their lives and faith. McCarver currently serves as president of the Board of Directors of the James R. Crumley Jr. Archives and has held leadership roles in both the ELCA and the broader community of Lutheran historians.

The Rev. Dr. David Ratke, Professor of Religious Studies

Ratke, an ordained minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, has taught religious studies at Lenoir-Rhyne in the early 2000s, specializing in systematic theology. He has served in academic and church leadership, including multiple faculty roles and ongoing service as a supply preacher in the North Carolina Synod. A scholar with degrees from institutions in Canada, the U.S. and Germany, Ratke’s work has blended rigorous theology with a deep sense of vocation shaped by early missionary service.

Retirements

The university also acknowledges the careers of distinguished faculty members retiring this year. We extend our deepest gratitude for their years of service:

Patrice Hall, MLS, Health Sciences Librarian

Hall has served at Lenoir-Rhyne since 2012, first as a reference and instruction librarian before becoming the health sciences librarian in 2015. With a career spanning four decades in public, academic and medical libraries, she has been a vital resource for students and faculty in the College of Health Sciences. Prior to joining LR, she worked as a consumer health librarian at Pennsylvania State University’s Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Outside of her professional life, Hall enjoys walking her four dogs and attending baseball games and Parrothead events with her husband.

Mary Lesser, Ph.D., Professor of Economics and Finance

A dedicated educator and scholar, Lesser has focused her teaching on money, banking and financial markets while using technology to enhance learning. She established and coached LR’s team for the College Fed Challenge and helped launch a student-managed investment portfolio. Prior to joining Lenoir-Rhyne, she held a professorship at Iona College, where she was awarded emeritus status. From 1999 to 2009, she also served as executive director of the Eastern Economic Association.

Fred K. Whitt, Ed.D., President

Whitt has served as Lenoir-Rhyne’s 12th president since 2017, guiding the university through a period of growth, innovation and expanded access. During his tenure, LR launched new academic programs, achieved national accreditations, and advanced initiatives to support student success and equity. A native of North Carolina, Whitt leaves behind a legacy of strategic leadership and a strengthened foundation for the university’s future

“I extend heartfelt gratitude to our retirees and emeritus honorees,” said Burris. “Their decades of service have shaped generations of students, advanced their fields, and enriched the life of the university in lasting ways. We honor their achievements and wish them joy and fulfillment in the next chapter of their journeys.”

Burris added a special note of thanks to President Whitt. “His leadership over the past eight years has strengthened the university’s mission, expanded its reach and deepened its impact. His vision and steady guidance leave a lasting legacy, and we are grateful for his unwavering commitment to the Lenoir-Rhyne community.”