STRATEGIC PLAN THEME
Connection & Collaboration
Strengthening culture, partnerships and regional engagement
Connection & Collaboration emphasizes strengthening relationships across campus and throughout the region. This theme focuses on workplace culture, partnerships and engagement that expand Lenoir-Rhyne’s reach, reputation and impact.
Goal
Be the top partner and employer of choice in our region, reflecting deeper and more strategic connections between the university and the region.
Priorities
PRIORITY 1:
Workplace Culture, Engagement and Belonging
Set benchmarks for and develop programs that will strengthen workplace satisfaction, engagement and belonging to attain a workplace culture where all employees can thrive.
Initiatives
- Implement campus climate survey in fall 2026.
- Based on survey results, develop programs that will improve one key measure of campus climate.
PRIORITY 2:
Strategic Employer and Organizational Partnerships
Expand or add strategic partnerships with top employers and organizations offering student learning opportunities for every academic program.
Initiative
- Conduct partnership inventory and matrix of potential new partners.
PRIORITY 3:
Connecting Campus and Community
Expand LR’s reach and relationships by connecting the region to campus and campus to the region.
Initiative
- Conduct a visibility and engagement audit to guide strategies for both external engagement and on-campus participation.
Initiatives Implementation & Timeline
The following initiatives outline ownership and target timelines for advancing this theme. Implementation of these priorities and initiatives will support progress toward the university’s shared strategic goals.
- Priority
- Priority 1: Set benchmarks for and develop programs that will strengthen workplace satisfaction, engagement and belonging to attain a workplace culture where all employees can thrive.
- Initiative
- a) Implement campus climate survey no later than fall 2026
- Initiative Owner
- Jeremy Shreve and Harry Titus
- Timeline
- Complete by fall 2026
- Priority
- Priority 1: Set benchmarks for and develop programs that will strengthen workplace satisfaction, engagement and belonging to attain a workplace culture where all employees can thrive.
- Initiative
- b) Based on survey results, develop programs that will improve one key measure of campus climate.
- Initiative Owner
- TBD
- Timeline
- Implement in 2026-27
- Priority
- Priority 2: Expand or add strategic partnerships with top employers and organizations offering internships and jobs for every academic program.
- Initiative
- a) Conduct partnership inventory to map current partners/programs and matrix of potential new partners
- Initiative Owner
- Jennifer Burris, Amy Hedrick, Katie Wohlman
- Timeline
- Begin in summer 2026
- Priority
- Priority 2: Expand or add strategic partnerships with top employers and organizations offering internships and jobs for every academic program.
- Initiative
- b) Explore possibilities to create a uniform approach to tracking internships and other forms of experiential learning
- Initiative Owner
- Jennifer Burris, Amy Hedrick, Katie Wohlman/dd>
- Timeline
- Undertake work in 2026-27
- Priority
- Priority 3: Expand LR’s reach and relationships by connecting the region to campus and campus to the region.
- Initiative
- a) Conduct a visibility and engagement audit to guide strategies for both external engagement and on-campus participation.
- Initiative Owner
- Cat Niekro
- Timeline
- Complete by May 2026