Lenoir-Rhyne University’s Center for Graduate Studies of Asheville was launched in 2012 to serve the specific needs of Western North Carolina and beyond. As a commitment to the community, Lenoir-Rhyne houses a state-of-the-art learning space in the Montford Historic District adjacent to downtown Asheville. The university employs full-time, locally based faculty members who direct graduate programs, mentor students, and develop community partnerships.

The Center currently enrolls over 300 students in 7 graduate programs and is becoming known for its leadership in key community initiatives. Our master’s degree programs include Sustainability Studies, Counseling, MBA in Social Impact, MBA in Healthcare Administration, Leadership, and several others. We are home to the Thomas Wolfe Center for Narrative, which features our master’s degree in Writing, as well as our Certificate in Narrative Healthcare programs.

The Center also houses the Lenoir-Rhyne Equity & Diversity Institute (LREDI), a non-credit training program that provides participants with the tools and strategies to become true equity advocates. LREDI supports, inspires, and equips executives, non-profit leaders, educators, and social activists who intend to spark change and cultivate better communities through their professional careers. The program is designed to help build communities that are educated, challenged, and motivated to non-violently disrupt systems that create and support complicated complex social issues.