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Campus traditions form the foundation of student life at �㽶��ý – allowing students to explore their alma mater and create a sense of connection between past, present and future Bears. Starting in fall 2024, the Office of Alumni Engagement and the Alumni Association are sponsoring the Bear Bucket List to immerse students in Lenoir-Rhyne traditions.

“We want to encourage students to immerse themselves in the culture and transformative experiences at LR, while helping to foster Bear pride while they’re here,” shared Mary Ellen Sherrill ’10, director of alumni and donor engagement.

With this goal in mind, students were surveyed to develop the Bear Bucket List – a blueprint for getting involved with the traditions and activities that make LR special.

“A lot of institutions do something similar to this, but for it to work, it has to be unique and specific to the institution. That’s why we wanted the list to be student-created, and why it contains so many great experiences,” said Sherrill. “We asked questions like, ‘What events or activities would you never want to miss? What campus events fill you with Bear pride?’”

Students can track their progress through the list by uploading photos and videos to a tracker in Canvas. For every five items on the list completed, students collect a commemorative pin. If they complete the entire list, they get a special medallion to wear at Commencement.

“When you’re an undergraduate, you’re building the friendships, making the memories, pursuing the interests. You’re becoming part of a community of alumni that will enrich your life for decades to come, and that happens by engaging with campus life,” Sherrill explained. “That’s what it means to say, ‘Once a Bear, always a Bear.’”

The Bear Bucket List

1. Find a club to join at the student organization fair.

   With so many options available on campus, it’s easy to pursue an established interest, try something brand new – or both!

2. 

   Make a donation on Bears Give Back Giving Day.

   It’s about giving, but it’s also about having fun, coming together and supporting the place we all love.

3. Take your graduation photo somewhere on campus.

   It’ll be a bittersweet moment, but so worth it. Put on your cap and gown, your shawls and cords, and take that perfect shot in your favorite campus spot.

4. Take your First Day of Classes (FDOC) photo with The Charge.

   At 2300-pounds, the iconic bronze statue of a charging bear is larger than four real black bears. It’s also the single most photographed point on campus, so of course you’ll need to get some shots of your own.

5. Sit in the student section at a football game.

   It's a classic fall activity, so fling wide the red and black. Join your classmates to cheer the Bears to victory between the bricks in Moretz Stadium.

6. Snag a free T-shirt from Campus Activities Board (CAB).

   If you don’t finish college with a bunch of free t-shirts promoting clubs and events, did you even go? Start your collection with one of CAB’s many giveaways.

7. 

   Watch a Playmakers/theatre production.

   For almost a century, the LR Playmakers have combined innovation with entertainment to deliver unforgettable experiences. They’re a must-see.

8. Join in a campus cultural celebration – multicultural affairs.

   Our campus may be small, but it’s diverse. Broaden your horizons and connect with cultures and nationalities from near and far

9. 

   Take a photo with Joe Bear.

   The bear, the myth, the legend – if you take a photo with Joe Bear, that means you met Joe Bear. Catch up with him at a game or spot him hanging out in Cromer.

10. Hear a guest speaker – across any department.

    Take your once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet and learn from poet laureates, bestselling authors, groundbreaking researchers, world-changing activists.

11. Attend a CAB event.

    CAB invites you to karaoke, game nights, arts and crafts, career seminars, red carpets, workouts – anything can happen when CAB is hosting.

    

12. Attend Late Night in the Shu (Shuford Arena).

    This annual tip-off for basketball season introduces the men’s and women’s team players with music, games, food and giveaways.

13. Meet with your academic advisor(s).

    One of the best things about LR is the chance to form close working relationships with faculty and staff mentors—advisory is just the start.

14. Attend a Welcome Week event.

    Get in on the fun of Welcome Week to kick off any year. Yes, some events are just for first-years, but some of the best ones – like the President’s Cookout and the tailgate – are for everyone.

15. 

    Attend a band/choir concert or watch the marching band play at halftime.

    Musicians at Lenoir-Rhyne are serious about their art, and they love what they do. Experience their magic firsthand and support excellence by taking in a performance.

16. Schedule an appointment with the Alex Lee Career and Professional Development Center or attend a career fair.

    There’s a reason job and graduate school placement rates for recent LR graduates has have landed between 96 and 97 percent for several years. Make the most of this resource to launch into your future.

17. Walk around downtown and visit a Friends of LR business.

    It’s only a mile to stroll downtown, and once you get there you’ll find dozens of great deals on meals, snacks and entertainment at some of Hickory’s favorite businesses when you present your student ID. Get out and explore!

18. 

    Attend a Final Flip.

    Take a break from the grind of studying with this exam-week tradition that features breakfast-for-dinner – served by faculty and staff – games and bonding with your fellow Bears.

19. Attend the tree lighting.

    What better way to get into the holiday spirit than to honor December grads, light the campus tree and sing some carols before a celebration with your closest Bear friends.

20. Have a meal with your friends in the caf (dining hall).

    You’ll likely have lots of meals in the during your years at LR, but just because you do it every day doesn’t mean it isn’t special. Years after graduation, you’ll look back on the ordinary times and wonder how they went by so fast. Enjoy them while they last.