CULLOWHEE – Western Carolina University’s commitment to its region is nearly as strong as its commitment to its students – it seems most of Chancellor David Belcher’s sentences end with “Western North Carolina” or “this region.” So what will it take to make Western greater? Students from Western North Carolina, which tends to lag the rest… READ MORE
WCU keeps its access and affordability promise to WNC
By DAVID O. BELCHER CULLOWHEE – While Western North Carolina’s mountains attract millions of visitors from around the world, beneath the beauty of the majestic peaks and long-range vistas exists a threat to the region’s economic viability. That threat is the low level of higher education attained by those who call these mountains home and… READ MORE
Be a butterfly at Western
CULLOWHEE – For Dr. Carmen Huffman, the chemistry lab never stands still. “Each student has unique strengths and weaknesses, and I love working with them on their own personal journeys of learning chemistry and developing as a lifelong learner,” she said. “Each day, I learn more chemistry, I learn more about education, and I learn… READ MORE
$110M in bonds would help WCU science escape the ‘70s
CULLOWHEE – When Western Carolina University’s Natural Science Building was built in the 1970s, Western had 6,100 students – 15 studied nursing, and none studied engineering.1 But as students increasingly gravitate to high-demand, high-tech fields, WCU has 10,400 students today, more than 600 of them nursing or pre-nursing majors, 1,700 more in health and human… READ MORE
HOUSE BONDS: $900M for Universities, $300M for Community Colleges
RALEIGH (Aug. 4, 2015) – A bond proposal unveiled Monday by state House leaders improves on a plan offered by Gov. Pat McCrory, devoting more than $900 million in bonds to University projects and $300 million to community college projects. House Speaker Tim Moore said the proposal – which would be put to voters in… READ MORE
Keeping our house in order
It’s said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure – which is why public university officials are eager to launch maintenance projects for campus buildings that have been postponed for far too long. As the NC House and Senate begin negotiating a compromise budget, lawmakers should heed the Senate’s call for… READ MORE
Rapid design, rapid growth
CULLOWHEE – When the product designers at the Snap-on plant in Murphy, NC, need a full-size prototype of a new power tool, they don’t have to venture far. The students and faculty at Western Carolina University’s Center for Rapid Product Realization can have a 3D-printed model delivered within a day or two. “We use Western… READ MORE
WCU: The Shining Light in the West
The story of Western Carolina University – the story of an affordable, welcoming university in the mountains that prepares its students to succeed and to serve – is one that has been told through the lives of tens of thousands in the university’s 125-year history. Cullowhee Academy, WCU’s precursor, was founded in 1889 to improve… READ MORE
NC universities engineer the future
Engineering majors are in high demand. According to data from the Census Bureauand Payscale.com, graduates in engineering can expect some of the best starting salaries and lifetime earnings of all college graduates. According to the N.C. Department of Commerce, mechanical, electrical, construction, and computer engineers can all expect salaries well above $60,000 within five years of graduating…. READ MORE