Lebanon Valley College Today

President MacLaren continues the legacy of excellence in leadership at LVC, building on the success of 18 past presidents—most recently, Dr. Lewis Evitts Thayne (2012–20) and Dr. Stephen C. MacDonald (2004–2012). In the past decade, LVC launched or revamped more than 15 academic programs, revised the core curriculum and first-year student experience, and constructed new academic facilities, including the Jeanne and Edward H. Arnold Health Professions Pavilion (2018) and the Center for Speech, Language, and Hearing Disorders (2020) in the Arnold Sports Center.

From 2018–21, LVC was listed #1 in Pennsylvania for “The Best College in Each State for Getting a Job” by the career guidance website Zippia.com. Zippia uses U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data from alumni 10 years after graduation. Building on this tradition of success, LVC established the Edward and Lynn Breen Center for Graduate Success in Spring 2018. The Breen Center integrates career readiness programming with academic experiences, reaching students in their first year and supporting them throughout and beyond their time at LVC. The Center for Academic Success and Exploratory Majors (2019) provides resources and individualized attention to help students persevere through challenges and thrive during their time at the College. This community dedication and commitment resulted in the highest first- to second-year student retention for the fall 2020 semester in nine years.

In spring 2020, LVC converted the learning experience to a virtual environment within just three days as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold of the world. College leadership and faculty worked intensively over several months—with Presidents Lewis Thayne and James MacLaren collaborating closely—to develop pandemic protocols that allowed LVC to reopen for vital admission campus visits and in-person learning in Fall 2020. Thanks to robust contact tracing, testing, and masking protocols, the College remained open for in-person learning throughout the 2020–21 academic year.

LVC’s community of hard work, kindness, and care has resulted in notable student and alumni accomplishments. For example, 11 students were named Fulbright Finalists, positioning the College as a Top Fulbright Producer in the past six years.

LVC graduates have achieved significant success nationally and internationally. Our distinguished alumni range from Dr. Elizabeth Miller Bains ’64, a former NASA scientist who worked with Sally Ride on the space shuttle to Tom Corbett, Esq., ’71, the 46th Governor of Pennsylvania. Alumni helped change science through the inventions of Dan Fox ’48, who invented LEXAN polycarbonate, which was used in car bumpers and bulletproof vests, and Dr. Tibor Sipos ’64, whose discoveries in the field of medical pharmaceuticals have alleviated suffering and prolonged the lives of those diagnosed with cystic fibrosis and other serious diseases.

Valley alumni have excelled in international relations (F. Obai Kabia ’73, H’18, former representative to the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Sierra Leone, United Nations, religion (Bishop Peggy A. Johnson ’75, episcopal leader of the Philadelphia Area of the United Methodist Church), environment (Paul K. Keene ’32, a U.S. pioneer of the organic farming movement), equity (Malcolm L. Lazin, Esq., ’65 (founder and executive director of the Equality Forum), theater (Marylouise Burke ’62, actress who appeared in Sideways and on Broadway), music (Carolyn Gillette ’82 (renowned composer whose hymns have been sung internationally), performance (Gary Miller ’68, conductor and co-founder of the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus), military (Dr. John Allwein ’65, U.S. Army

veteran and well-known surgeon who worked in the White House during the presidency of John F. Kennedy), and athletics (Mike Rhoades ’95, head men’s basketball coach of NCAA Division I Virginia Commonwealth University) and Brittany Ryan ’11 (one of the first female NCAA varsity football players and scoring leader among all female football players).

For 155 years, The Valley has provided students with exceptional academic experiences delivered in an ecosystem of support. They benefit from highly attentive guidance, forge lifelong bonds, and lead successful and meaningful lives. As a result, our students achieve more than they ever thought possible for themselves, their families, and society.