Themes of Innovation and Renewal Highlight Opening Breakfast at Lebanon Valley College

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Lebanon Valley College kicked off its new academic year with the annual opening breakfast, hosted by Dr. Lewis Evitts Thayne, the College’s 18th president, Wednesday, Aug. 24.

ANNVILLE, PA (08/24/2016)(readMedia)-- Lebanon Valley College kicked off its new academic year with the annual opening breakfast, hosted by Dr. Lewis Evitts Thayne, the College's 18th president, Wednesday, Aug. 24 at the Allan W. Mund College Center.

President Thayne's remarks focused on innovation and renewal as he discussed the numerous construction projects completed on campus this summer, the introduction of five new academic programs, and the future Jeanne and Edward H. Arnold Health Professions Pavilion scheduled to open in fall 2018.

On the topic of innovation, President Thayne announced Constellation LVC, a new common learning experience that will start with this year's incoming class. Constellation LVC features six components designed to help students develop skills and competencies in integration, critical reading analysis, quantitative reasoning, intercultural competence, problem solving, information literacy, and written and oral skills.

"In a knowledge-driven economy, the value of a graduate's contribution to society will be in their capacity to learn, the speed with which they can learn, the facility with which they can apply what they have learned, and the ethical basis for the application of knowledge," said President Thayne.

"The new curriculum focuses on the intellectual and learning skills needed to compete and to lead in a knowledge-driven, global economy. At its core, it is informed by a vision of what is possible through education to make the world a better place," he added.

President Thayne also discussed key points of how the College strives to meet the goals of its strategic plan, Envision 2020 and its companion campus master plan, One Campus. These initiatives include a new Center for Graduate Success, a strategic approach to graduate & professional studies, sustainability, a continued commitment to inclusion and to actively and intentionally engaging with diversity, and targeted recruitment of new markets by the Office of Admission.

"Envision 2020 is about taking core strengths and designing and organizing around innovation, agility, and flexibility. But, it is also designing and organizing around a competitive spirit," said President Thayne. "It would be easy to underestimate the degree to which a competitive spirit permeates the entire Lebanon Valley College campus. We aspire to compete and we are competing successfully in a variety of dimensions, more dimensions than ever."

President Thayne also shared his excitement as LVC prepares to welcome 477 new students this week, representing 14 states and six countries. Half of this year's incoming students qualified for the College's highest merit scholarship.

Finally, in keeping with tradition, President Thayne announced the College's community gifts totaling $36,000. He presented checks to Annville-Cleona School District for $20,000, Annville Township for $13,000, and Annville's Union Hose Fire Company for $3,000. He also announced plans for the College to contribute an additional $13,000 to Annville Township in the spring.

Visit www.lvc.edu/president/breakfast-2016.aspx for the full text of President Thayne's remarks.

About Lebanon Valley College

Lebanon Valley College is a private, coeducational college founded in 1866 and dedicated to the liberal arts. The College offers 40 undergraduate majors plus self-designed majors and a range of minors, concentrations, and pre-professional options, as well as graduate degree programs in athletic training, business administration, music education, physical therapy, science education, and speech-language pathology.

The College has 1,608 full-time undergraduate students and 108 full-time faculty. Students can choose from more than 90 clubs and organizations, and 12 study abroad programs. LVC awards generous academic scholarships to those whose high school records demonstrate a commitment to challenge and achievement.