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Lees-McRae College to Hold Opening Convocation Ceremony with Keynote Speaker Manuel Jessup Aug. 22

Aug. 16, 2013. Lees-McRae College will hold its opening Convocation ceremony on Thursday, Aug. 22, at 3:30 p.m. in the Broyhill Theatre of Hayes Auditorium. 

Opening Convocation is an important part of the academic tradition at Lees-McRae. Literally a “coming together” of the College community, Opening Convocation celebrates the beginning of the academic year and welcomes new and returning students to campus. 2012 Lees-McRae College Athletic Hall of Fame inductee and Senior Vice President of Human Resources for Tanger Properties, Elder Manuel Jessup ’76 will give the keynote address, “Holding on to Your Vision.”

During his time in green and gold playing men’s basketball, Jessup averaged nearly 16 points per game while shooting at a 48.8 percent clip from the floor. Jessup enjoyed perhaps his best season with the Bobcats during the 1975-76 campaign, averaging 16.7 points and 7.9 rebounds per game while posting a field goal percentage of 51.7 percent.

After a celebrated basketball career, Jessup, a Winston-Salem native, successfully transitioned into a business career. Prior to his appointment with Tanger Properties, Jessup, a graduate of University of South Carolina, completed his graduate work at Wake Forest University Babcock School of Business. 

Manuel Jessup
Manuel Jessup

Jessup has over 32 years of human resources experience with 14 years at the executive level. His experience extends over four industries including manufacturing, wholesale, retail and banking. He served as the Vice President of Human Resources for Sara Lee Branded Apparel from 1997 through 2006. While at Sara Lee Branded Apparel, Jessup help numerous leadership roles in Human Resources with responsibility for domestic and international operations in Asia and Latin America.

In 2006, Jessup moved to Fort Myers, Fla. to work with Chico’s FAS, Inc. as a Senior Vice President of Human Resources and in 2007, he was promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer. In 2010, Jessup worked with Fine Mark National Bank & Trust as the Executive Vice President of Human Resources.

Jessup is also an ordained minister and, for the last seven years, has had pastoral responsibility for churches in North Carolina and Virginia.

For more information, please contact Megan Hall, director of communications, at hallm@lmc.edu or 828-898-8729.

Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, Lees-McRae College is a private, four-year college offering diverse baccalaureate degrees, strong athletic programs and outstanding faculty. With 850 students hailing from 40 states and more than 10 countries, Lees-McRae’s broad core curriculum is enhanced by field-specific career preparation and experiential learning with an emphasis in leadership and service. For more information, please visit www.lmu.edu or call 828-898-5241.