Richard McBride earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia, a master of divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary in New York City and a master of theology degree from Duke Divinity School. Before coming to Elon in 1984, McBride served as college minister at Gardner-Webb College (now University) and assistant chaplain at Wake Forest University. McBride served as Chaplain of Elon for 25 years, before his retirement in 2008. In addition to guiding the university’s Office of Religious Life through its rapid growth in the past two decades, McBride has promoted service to the local and global community among Elon’s students, faculty and staff. He founded Elon’s chapter of Habitat for Humanity in 1988 and also helped start the Elon Volunteers (EV!) program, which now is administered by the university’s Kernodle Center for Service Learning. He also started a Winter Term service-learning course in Guatemala which allows students to participate in various Habitat for Humanity projects throughout the country. During his tenure, McBride has also launched several programs that have become hallmarks of Elon’s campus life. Among these programs are the Senior Showcase (now known as Leaders of the Twenty-First Century), which highlights the achievements of graduating seniors; Hometown Heroes, through which freshmen honor individuals who made a difference in their lives or their hometowns; the Turning 21 Dinner, which encourages students to mark their 21st birthdays by honoring their mentors; the Life Stories course he teaches for graduating seniors who are encouraged to develop a narrative of their experiences and life goals; and the annual Elon Holiday Lighting Ceremony.