Lenoir-Rhyne Healthcare Symposium
The 12th Annual ϳԹ Healthcare Symposium, "Called to Care: Holistic Health in Changing Times," provides a day of insight, innovation and inspiration.
- Thursday, March 26, 2026
- 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Belk Centrum
- ϳԹ
- $25/person
- Symposium flyer

Healthcare is evolving rapidly — and so are the needs of the people we serve. This symposium brings together practitioners, public health leaders, students and community partners to explore holistic, whole‑person approaches to care in a shifting world.
Grounded in interdisciplinary collaboration and practical application, the symposium is designed to equip participants with strategies that strengthen patient care, professional resilience and community health outcomes.
RegisterSymposium Objectives
Participants will:
- Apply interdisciplinary approaches to support aging adults, patients with serious illness and their family caregivers.
- Integrate physical, psychosocial, spiritual and cultural dimensions into comprehensive care planning across diverse clinical contexts.
- Evaluate the role of narrative medicine in strengthening empathy, clinical reasoning and therapeutic relationships.
- Identify strategies to support well-being, resilience and professional sustainability in healthcare careers.
Tentative Schedule
Welcome
9:15-9:30 a.m.
- Summer McGee, Ph.D. (via video), president, ϳԹ
- Michael McGee, Ed.D, dean, College of Health Sciences, ϳԹ
Keynote Speaker
9:30-10:45 a.m.
- Dr. Virginia Wright, educator, minister and internal medicine physician with expertise in geriatric care
Panel session on Narrative Medicine
11 a.m.-12 p.m.
- Dr. Carlos Vargas, family medicine physician with expertise in palliative care
- Dr. Gordon Magonet, family medicine physician with an interest in mind-body medicine
- Laura Hope-Gill, MFA, poet, artist and professor in narrative healthcare, ϳԹ
Lunch
12-12:45 p.m.
Lunch is provided for all paid registrations. Participants registering with a promo code must make their own lunch arrangements.
Panel Session on Well-being for Healthcare Professionals
12:45-1:45 p.m.
- Cara Reed, human resources, employee relations and behavioral health
- Representative from Carolina Caring (TBD)
- Astra Czerny, Ph.D., licensed clinical mental health counselor and associate professor with expertise in trauma counseling
Speaker and Breakout Session
2-3 p.m.
- Mary Mitchell, family caregiver support administrator
Intended Audience
The symposium is designed for professionals and students committed to advancing compassionate, whole-person care, including:
- Healthcare professionals
- Public health practitioners
- Mental and behavioral health providers
- Community health workers
- Faith-based health ministries
- Holistic wellness and integrative health professionals
- Students in health disciplines
News & Events
A beloved symbol of LTSS’s history has arrived in Hickory. A scale model of the Pentecost Window now stands in Russell House.
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Five alumni were honored April 10 as the ϳԹ Alumni Association recognized their meaningful contributions to their professions, communities and the university.
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