Western Carolina University (WCU) is a

public university A public university or public college is a university or college that is in owned by the state or receives significant public funds through a national or subnational government, as opposed to a private university. Whether a national universit ...

Cullowhee, North Carolina Cullowhee
, from the North Carolina Collection website at the

University of North Carolina The University of North Carolina is the multi-campus public university system for the state of North Carolina. Overseeing the state's 16 public universities and the NC School of Science and Mathematics, it is commonly referred to as the UNC Sy ...

system. The fifth oldest institution of the sixteen four-year universities in the UNC system, WCU was founded to educate the people of the western North Carolina mountains. WCU provides an education to students from 48 states and 35 countries. Enrollment for the Fall 2020 semester was 12,243 students.

History

In 1888, the residents of Cullowhee desired a better school for the community than was offered in public schools of that day, organized a board of trustees and established a community school that came to be known as Cullowhee Academy. Founded in August 1889 as a semi-public secondary school and chartered as Cullowhee High School in 1891 (also called Cullowhee Academy), it served the Cullowhee community and boarding students from neighboring counties and other states. The founder, Robert Lee Madison, wanted to provide an education for the young people in the region and train teachers to spread education throughout the western part of the state. In 1893, through the efforts of Walter E. Moore, representative from Jackson County, the North Carolina Legislature authorized an appropriation for the establishment of a normal department at the school "for the purpose of training teachers". This designation became the first publicly funded

normal school A normal school or normal college is an institution created to Teacher education, train teachers by educating them in the norms of pedagogy and curriculum. In the 19th century in the United States, instruction in normal schools was at the high s ...

in North Carolina. In 1905, the state assumed title to the school's buildings and property and made it a state institution. That same year, the school's name was changed to Cullowhee Normal & Industrial School. In 1925, the school's name was changed to Cullowhee State Normal School. During its years as Cullowhee Normal, the stated purpose of the school was to train teachers for the North Carolina public schools. A coeducational institution, Cullowhee Normal trained over two thousand teachers by the mid-1920s. Over the next forty years, the school expanded its curriculum and evolved into a junior college, and in 1929 it was chartered by the Legislature as a four-year institution under the name Western Carolina Teachers College. Called "the Cullowhee experiment", Madison's idea became a model for the other regional colleges in the state. The demand for both liberal arts and other programs led to an expansion of the school's offerings. Postgraduate studies and the Master of Arts in Education degree were added to the curriculum in 1951. In 1953, the name Western Carolina College was adopted. In 1967, the institution was designated a regional university by the

North Carolina General Assembly The North Carolina General Assembly is the Bicameralism, bicameral legislature of the Government of North Carolina, State government of North Carolina. The legislature consists of two chambers: the North Carolina Senate, Senate and the North Ca ...

and given its current name, Western Carolina University. On July 1, 1972, WCU became a member of the

system.

Precis of the university's history

Campuses

Map of North Carolina highlighting Jackson County

Western Carolina University is located in Jackson County, in the

unincorporated Unincorporated may refer to: * Unincorporated area, land not governed by a local municipality * Unincorporated entity, a type of organization * Unincorporated territories of the United States, territories under U.S. jurisdiction, to which Congress ...

village of

Cullowhee, North Carolina Cullowhee
, from the North Carolina Collection website at the

. The university operates learning centers in both

Asheville Asheville ( ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Buncombe County, North Carolina. Located at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, it is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the state's 11th-most populous cit ...

and

Cherokee The Cherokee (; chr, ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ, translit=Aniyvwiyaʔi or Anigiduwagi, or chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, links=no, translit=Tsalagi) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, t ...

with programs offered online and at various

community colleges A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries: many community colleges have an "open enrollment" for students who have graduated from high school (also known as senior sec ...

. The main campus is located in a valley of the

Tuckasegee River The Tuckasegee River (variant spellings include Tuckaseegee and Tuckaseigee) flows entirely within western North Carolina. It begins its course in Jackson County above Cullowhee at the confluence of Panthertown and Greenland creeks. It flows ...

, between the Blue Ridge and

Great Smoky Mountains The Great Smoky Mountains (, ''Equa Dutsusdu Dodalv'') are a mountain range rising along the Tennessee–North Carolina border in the southeastern United States. They are a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains, and form part of the Blue Ridge ...

, west of

Asheville, North Carolina Asheville ( ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Buncombe County, North Carolina. Located at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, it is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the state's 11th-most populous cit ...

and 5 miles south of

Sylva, NC Sylva is an incorporated town located in central Jackson County, in the Plott Balsam Mountains of Western North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 2,588. It is the county seat, taking over the ro ...

. The university lies close to the

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an American national park in the southeastern United States, with parts in North Carolina and Tennessee. The park straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, whi ...

, the

Blue Ridge Parkway The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. The parkway, which is America's longest linear park, runs for through 29 Virginia and North Carolina counties, linking Shenand ...

, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Reservation (officially known as the

Qualla Boundary The Qualla Boundary or The Qualla is territory held as a land trust by the United States government for the federally recognized Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, who reside in western North Carolina. The area is part of the large historic Chero ...

), and some of the nation's most beautiful national forest lands. At an elevation of , but located in a thermal valley, the campus enjoys the best of all four seasons but is shielded from most extreme temperatures by surrounding peaks. Cullowhee typically enjoys a rather mild winter season. In fact, Cullowhee can go some winters with little to no snowfall. While winters in the valley are generally mild, snow is not unusual in the higher elevations of Jackson County around

Cashiers Cashiers is a census-designated place (CDP) and unincorporated village located in southern Jackson County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the community had a total population of 657, up from 157 at the 2010 c ...

Balsam Balsam is the resinous exudate (or sap) which forms on certain kinds of trees and shrubs. Balsam (from Latin balsamum "gum of the balsam tree", ultimately from Semitic, Aramaic ''busma'', Arabic ''balsam'' and Hebrew ''basam'', "spice", "perfume ...

. In nearby Sapphire Valley, snowmaking machines maintain prime snow skiing conditions from mid-December through February. Locations in Jackson County are also within reasonable driving distance to ski slopes at

Maggie Valley Maggie Valley is a town in Haywood County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,150 at the 2010 census. A popular tourist destination, it is home to Cataloochee Ski Area and the former Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park. Maggie V ...

. The Blue Ridge Parkway is usually closed during winter weather, and has become popular with cross-country skiers during those times. The many rivers, streams and forests surrounding Cullowhee, combined with the mild climate of Southern Appalachia, offer many opportunities for outdoor activities. Climbing, hiking, biking, rafting, kayaking, and camping are a few of the outdoor activities nearby. Cities within a three-hour drive of campus include Atlanta, Georgia; Charlotte, North Carolina; Knoxville, Tennessee; and Greenville, South Carolina.

Main campus in Cullowhee

The main campus in Cullowhee offers most of the amenities of a small town, including twelve residence halls, two full-service cafeterias, a food court with fast-food outlets, health services, counseling, a bookstore,

library A library is a collection of materials, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display purposes. A library provides physical (hard copies) or digital access (soft copies) materials, and may be a physical location or a vir ...

, a swimming pool, tennis and basketball courts, movie theater, jogging trail and quarter-mile track, hiking and biking trails and intramural fields. The campus center is the A.K. Hinds University Center. The UC contains the university post office, a movie theater, video and commuter lounges, student organization HQs including the Student Government Association and Last Minute Productions, meeting rooms and office spaces. Outside of the UC is the "Alumni Tower", built in 1989, on the 100th birthday of the university. Other newly constructed facilities include the Center for Applied Technology (which houses new engineering laboratories); an expanded student life center; new athletic facilities; and a new student support center. A $13.5 million Student Recreation Center, was completed over the summer of 2008. Harrill Residence Hall was renovated to add 6,000 square feet (557 m2) and bring the 1971 building to LEED standards of environmental friendliness and energy efficiency, and re-opened in fall 2012. The new $46.2 million Health and Human Sciences Building opened for use at the start of the 2012–13 academic year, also built to LEED standards. This facility is the first project on the Millennial Initiative property and houses WCU's educational and outreach programs in the College of Health and Human Sciences. The four-story facility is home to the undergraduate and graduate programs in social work and communication sciences and disorders; graduate programs in physical therapy and health sciences; and undergraduate programs in athletic training, emergency medical care, environmental health, nutrition and dietetics, nursing and recreational therapy.

Asheville campus

WCU's educational facilities in Asheville focus on professional and graduate degrees for working students.

Cherokee campus

The Western Carolina University Cherokee Center in

Cherokee, North Carolina Cherokee ( chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, translit=Tsalagi) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Swain County, North Carolina, Swain and Jackson County, North Carolina, Jackson counties in Western North Carolina, United States, within the Qualla Boundar ...

, was established in 1975 in cooperation with the tribal government of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians. The center serves Cherokee and the surrounding communities and is available to all of the people of the region. Their services include the application process, transcript request, scholarships, internships placement, high school recruitment.

Organization and administration

The university is led by Chancellor Kelli R. Brown, the chief administrative officer, along with Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Richard Starnes and several advisory groups. The institution operates under the guidance and policies of the Board of Trustees of Western Carolina University. WCU also falls under the administration of University of North Carolina system president

Thomas W. Ross Thomas Warren Ross Sr. is an American public official who served as the president of the University of North Carolina system from 2011 to 2016. He succeeded Erskine Bowles on January 1, 2011. Formerly, he was president of Davidson College, a pri ...

. The university moved to a provost and senior vice chancellor model in 2004.

University media

The university produces the following publications and broadcasts: * ''Western Carolina Magazine]:'' A seasonal publication primarily for alumni and friends of WCU, Western Carolina Magazine contains features on university people and programs, alumni updates, and news and events. * ''Inside WCU'': A weekly electronic newsletter for the faculty and staff of WCU, The Reporter features news, events and campus community updates. * ''MountainRise:'' An open, peer-reviewed, international electronic journal published twice a year by the Coulter Faculty Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning at Western Carolina University for the purpose of being an international vehicle for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SoTL). * ''All-Western Carolina:'' The ''All-Western Carolina'' radio program airs during half-time of Catamount Sports Network broadcasts and highlights WCU's academic all-stars and happenings on campus. WCU students, faculty and staff also contribute to: *''WCU on iTunes U'' Faculty and students are podcasting using WCU on iTunes U service from

Apple Inc Apple Inc. is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California, United States. Apple is the largest technology company by revenue (totaling in 2021) and, as of June 2022, is the world's biggest company ...

. This media repository was publicly listed on the

iTunes U The iTunes Store is a digital media store operated by Apple Inc. It opened on April 28, 2003, as a result of Steve Jobs' push to open a digital marketplace for music. As of April 2020, iTunes offered 60 million songs, 2.2 million apps, 25,00 ...

Colleges and Universities listings in August 2009.

Academics and research

Academic structure

Western Carolina University's academic programs are housed in six colleges: Arts and Sciences, Business, Education and Allied Professions, David Orr Belcher College of Fine and Performing Arts, Health and Human Sciences, and Engineering and Technology. WCU also has an Honors College and Graduate School, and offers several interdisciplinary programs.

Academic programs

With its main campus located on the site of an ancient Cherokee Indian village and adjacent to the Great Smoky and Blue Ridge Mountains, Western Carolina has a commitment to the rich traditions of both the

Appalachia Appalachia () is a cultural region in the Eastern United States that stretches from the Southern Tier of New York State to northern Alabama and Georgia. While the Appalachian Mountains stretch from Belle Isle in Newfoundland and Labrador, Ca ...

n and

cultures. The university's Mountain Heritage Center; Cherokee Center; Craft Revival Project; Cherokee Studies Program and WCU's partnership to preserve the Cherokee language all reflect that influence – and provide educational resources for the region. Western is classified among "M1: Master's Colleges and Universities – Larger programs" and in the elective "community engagement" category. WCU is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is an educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. This agency accredits over 13,000 public and priv ...

to award degrees at the bachelor, masters, intermediate, and doctoral levels. The university holds 21 program accreditations and is a member of more than 30 state and national associations and organizations to which its professional programs are related. In 2009, the Corporation for National and Community Service recognized WCU by awarding the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction for "exemplary commitment to service and civic engagement" on WCU's campus and beyond. As the sixth-largest producer of teachers in North Carolina, the College of Education and Allied Professions was the national winner of the Association of Teacher Educators' Distinguished Program in Teacher Education Award in 2006. The college is also the 2007 co-winner of the Christa McAuliffe Excellence in Teacher Education Award presented by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. The Christa McAuliffe Award nationally recognizes outstanding programs in teacher education at AASCU member institutions. Western Carolina's Forensic Research Facility (commonly referred to as the "FoREST") is just the second facility of its kind nationally. The decomposition research station is an extremely valuable resource for researchers and forensic anthropology students to study natural decomposition. The residential Honors College was first of its kind in North Carolina. Newly accepted students are invited to live in one of two exclusive residence halls on campus. The Honors College is one of a few in the state to offer a residential option and among a few nationwide to award graduates with a special honors diploma. The college began in 1998 with 77 students and has grown to approximately 1,400. For entering freshman, the Honor's College average weighted GPA is over 4.00 and the average SAT score is 1380. The college is a member of the National Collegiate Honors Council. In August 2009, Balsam Hall, the first part of a $50.2 million Honors College residential community located at the center of campus opened, housing 426 students. In Fall 2010, Blue Ridge Hall completed the community and add an additional 400 beds for Honors College students and Teaching Fellows. In the spring of 2000, WCU was officially designated a

National Merit The National Merit Scholarship Program is a United States academic scholarship competition for recognition and university scholarships administered by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), a privately funded, not-for-profit organizati ...

sponsoring university, just the fourth institution of higher education in North Carolina, public or private, to receive that distinction The university grants scholarships to students who qualify as National Merit Finalists. The Western Meritorious Award for Finalists provides a four-year scholarship, which covers the equivalent amount of in-state tuition, fees, room, and board, to National Merit Finalists, who also receive a computer. The 2012 edition of the ''U.S. News & World Report'' guide to "America's Best Colleges" ranks Western Carolina University 14th among public universities in the South that offer master's degrees. In 2015, the

approved the NC Promise Tuition Plan, a tuition reduction plan to make three universities - WCU,

Elizabeth City State University Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) is a public historically black university in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. It enrolls nearly 2,500 students in 28 undergraduate programs and 4 graduate programs and is a member-school of the Thurgood Mars ...

, and

University of North Carolina at Pembroke The University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNCP or UNC Pembroke) is a public university in Pembroke, North Carolina. UNC Pembroke is a master's level degree-granting university and part of the University of North Carolina system. Its history i ...

- more affordable and accessible. The NC Promise began in the fall semester of 2018 and drastically reduces the tuition cost for students. In-state students pay $500 a semester and out-of-state students pay $2,500 a semester. Attendance has increased for three consecutive years with the total attendance as of Fall 2020 at 12,243 students, being the ninth time in the past ten years record enrollment has been recorded.

Centers, institutes, and affiliates

Community focus, economic development, scholarly research, business development, preservation of the Cherokee & Appalachian Mountain cultures, and the advancement of technology & public policy are the guiding foci of Western Carolina's Centers, Institutes & Affiliates. *Center for Rapid Product Realization **Carolinas MicroOptics Triangle **Carolinas Photonics Consortium *Center for Study of Free Enterprise (CSFE) *Corporation for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI) *Center of Professional Selling and Marketing *Mathematics Tutoring Center *Cherokee Studies **Projects and Initiatives from Cherokee Studies **Cherokee Studies Academic Programs **Cherokee Center **Revitalization of Traditional Cherokee Artisan Resources *John W. Bardo Fine & Performing Arts Center *Center for the Support of Beginning Teachers *Mountain Heritage Center *The Public Policy Institute *Ramsey Regional Activities Center *Small Business & Technology Development Center partner *Writing and Learning Commons *Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines *Speech and Hearing Clinic *Myron L. Coulter Faculty Commons for Excellence in Teaching and Learning *Southern Appalachian Biodiversity and Ecology Center *Center for Service Learning and Community Engagement *Local Government Training Program *Mountain Area Pro Bono Health Care

Student life

Residential life

The main campus at Cullowhee has residential facilities for students. These include twelve residence halls, two full-service cafeterias, and one food court with fast-food outlets. The halls house more than 4,500 WCU students each academic year. The campus residence buildings include one for graduate students, named Madison Hall, and one for married students. Special residence accommodations include honors residence halls and The Village, home to residential Greek and student organizations. Three new residence facilities were recently completed from a $50.2 million residence hall project. The newest residence hall is called Allen residence hall which opened in 2019 and houses over 700 freshman students taking the place of former Scott and walker residence halls.

Athletics

Ramsey Regional Activity Center in Cullowhee, NC

As a member of the

Southern Conference The Southern Conference (SoCon) is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly ...

, Western Carolina University participates in

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...

Division I athletics. Intercollegiate athletics include football, men and women's basketball, baseball, softball, women's soccer, men and women's golf, men and women's track and field (Indoor and Outdoor), cross country running, women's volleyball and tennis. Catamount football is a member of

Division I FCS The NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly known as Division I-AA, is the second-highest level of college football in the United States, after the Football Bowl Subdivision. Sponsored by the National Collegiate Athletic ...

and plays at Whitmire Stadium. The Ramsey Center is home to men's and women's basketball, and women's volleyball. Baseball is played at Hennon Stadium, softball is played at the Catamount Softball Complex, and the Catamount Athletic Complex is home to women's soccer, tennis, and track and field. On November 29, 1980, Western Carolina's Ronnie Carr made the first intercollegiate three-point field goal, in a game against

Middle Tennessee State University Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU or MT) is a public university in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Founded in 1911 as a normal school, the university consists of eight undergraduate colleges as well as a college of graduate studies, together off ...

, a game WCU won 77–70. The ball he used is on display at the

Basketball Hall of Fame The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pre ...

in Springfield, Massachusetts. Western Carolina and

Appalachian State Appalachian State University (; Appalachian, App State, App, or ASU) is a public university in Boone, North Carolina. It was founded as a teachers college in 1899 by brothers B. B. and D. D. Dougherty and the latter's wife, Lillie Shull Dough ...

have a football rivalry in which they once competed in the

Battle for the Old Mountain Jug The Battle for the Old Mountain Jug was the name given to the Appalachian State–Western Carolina football rivalry, an American college football rivalry game that became dormant when Appalachian State left the Southern Conference and moved to t ...

on an annual basis. The Catamounts football team was runner-up in the

Division I-AA The NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly known as Division I-AA, is the second-highest level of college football in the United States, after the Football Bowl Subdivision. Sponsored by the National Collegiate Athletic ...

National Football Championship Game in 1983. Current NCAA sports at WCU include: * Men - Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Track and Field * Women - Basketball, Cross Country, Golf, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Track and Field, Volleyball In 2016 the WCU dance team won third place at the NDA Nationals dance competition, performing in

Daytona Beach, Florida Daytona Beach, or simply Daytona, is a coastal Resort town, resort-city in east-central Florida. Located on the eastern edge of Volusia County, Florida, Volusia County near the East Coast of the United States, Atlantic coastline, its population ...

Music

Concerts and recitals

The Schools of Music and Fine and Performing Arts offer a variety of events featuring students, faculty, and outside performers. These cultural opportunities are typically relatively cheap, and students can often attend them free of charge.

Pride of the Mountains

The Pride of the Mountains is the largest college marching band in the Carolinas and Tennessee. As of Fall 2014, the marching band includes just over 500 members, making it one of the largest marching bands in the United States. The band is open to all Western Carolina students regardless of class or major, with approximately 60% of its members non-music majors. In 2014, the band performed in the

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is an annual parade in New York City presented by the U.S.-based department store chain Macy's. The Parade first took place in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States with ...

with 510 band members participating. Announcers described their performance as "This is the largest band this parade has seen in decades", "This is the best of the best", and "They don't mess around at Western Carolina". The Pride of the Mountains also performed at a

Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. T ...

halftime show in 2011. The band was also the special guest at the

Bands of America Bands of America (BOA) is a music education advocacy organization and promoter of high school marching band competitions in the United States, such as the annual Grand National Championships. Established in 1975 as Marching Bands of America (MBA), ...

Grand National Championships in Indianapolis in 1998, 2003, 2008 and 2012, an honor given to only one college band in the United States each year. In addition, the band was also a special guest at the

Regional's held in Atlanta in 1995, 2006, 2010, and 2011. In 2009, the Pride of the Mountains was selected as one of the five best collegiate marching bands in the nation by the College Band Directors National Association and featured in the book "Marching Bands and Drumlines: Secrets of Success from the Best of the Best" by Paul Buyer. The band is the 2009 recipient of the

Sudler Trophy The John Philip Sousa Foundation is a non-profit foundation dedicated to the promotion of band music internationally. The foundation administers a number of projects and awards supporting high quality band performance, conducting, and composition ...

awarded by the

John Philip Sousa Foundation The John Philip Sousa Foundation is a non-profit foundation dedicated to the promotion of band music internationally. The foundation administers a number of projects and awards supporting high quality band performance, conducting, and composition ...

. They participated in the 2011 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, and won the most votes in a "best band" in the parade poll hosted by KTLA-TV.

Greek life

WCU is home to a wide range of Greek

fraternities A fraternity (from Latin ''frater'': "brother"; whence, "brotherhood") or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club or fraternal order traditionally of men associated together for various religious or secular aims. Fraternity in ...

and

sororities Fraternities and sororities are Club (organization), social organizations at colleges and universities in North America. Generally, membership in a fraternity or sorority is obtained as an Undergraduate education, undergraduate student, but conti ...

, as well as several councils and societies. The Greek community offers many social opportunities to enrich college life. Greeks get personal guidance in planning their curriculum and choosing classes and instructors, and assistance with registration and financial aid. Chapter study sessions, educational programs, tutoring, and study partners and teams offer support for developing and maintaining

study skills Study skills or study strategies are approaches applied to learning. Study skills are an array of skills which tackle the process of organizing and taking in new information, retaining information, or dealing with assessments. They are discrete ...

. Greeks are recognized for their academic successes through Greek scholarship and awards programs and honor societies such as the Order of Omega. According to 2011–12 figures from '' U.S. News & World Report'', 3.4% of WCU's male undergraduate students are in fraternities, while 3.6% of female undergraduate students are in sororities.

WCU student media

Housed in the Student Media Center (Old Student Union) on the hill area of campus are WCU's Student Media Organizations, which are open to all students and are produced by students. The following organizations are a part of WCU Student Media: *WWCU-FM: WWCU-FM, Power 90.5, is the broadcast service of WCU and broadcasts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week as Jackson County's only FM radio station. * WCAT: Cable & Internet radio station offering an eclectic mix of music chosen by student DJs, as well as original talk shows and artist interviews. It broadcasts on the campus closed-circuit television station 22. * TV 62: The student-run campus television station, offering original programing to the campus on channel 62. It is WCU's closed-circuit television station with offices located in the A.K. Hinds University Center, an organization offering original programming that allows students to showcase their short films, as well as announce events on campus and highlight recent sporting events. * ''The Nomad:'' WCU's Literature & Art magazine, published once a year in the Spring semester. Student staff members work together to compile student fiction, poetry, and art and distribute them at on-campus events. * ''The Gadfly:'' WCU's Journal of Social Criticism and Philosophy. Satirical pieces philosophically critiquing society-at-large in a humorous manner. Published once a semester. * ''Western Carolinian Newspaper:'' A bi-weekly newspaper focusing on news and events relevant to the campus and surrounding community. Includes News, Features, Sports, and Arts & Entertainment sections. Available in print in the local area and on-line at www.westerncarolinian.com. * ''The Western Carolina Journalist:'' An online newspaper ran by the Communication department covering news about WCU and the surrounding areas *''The Tuckasegee Valley Historical Review'': The Tuckasegee Valley Historical Review is an annually published graduate history journal. The review publishes articles by WCU graduate students in history with a primarily local focus.

Notable people

Alumni

* Gerald Austin –

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...

referee *

Bobbi Baker Bobbi Baker (born July 8, 1981) is an American actress that is best known for her role as Kiki on the Tyler Perry sitcom ''House of Payne''. She also had a role in the film ''Madea Goes to Jail''. She is currently playing a role in Tyler Perry ...

– actress, best known for her role as Kiki on the Tyler Perry sitcom ''

House of Payne ''House of Payne'' is an American sitcom television series created and produced by Tyler Perry that premiered in syndication on June 21, 2006. The series revolves around a multi-generational family living under one roof in Atlanta led by patriarc ...

'' * James A. Beaty, Jr. – current U.S. District Judge and former nominee to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit *

Dean Biasucci Dean Biasucci (born July 25, 1962) is a former placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) who played for the Indianapolis Colts and the St. Louis Rams. Early years Biasucci played college football for the Western Carolina Catamounts, and w ...

– athlete (former placekicker, NFL

Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...

), actor * Linda L. Bray – first female in the military to lead troops into combat *

Sean Bridgers Sean MacKenzie Bridgers (born March 15, 1968) is an American actor, screenwriter, and producer, known for his role as Johnny Burns on the HBO series '' Deadwood'' and on the SundanceTV original series ''Rectify'' as Trey Willis. Additional to m ...

– actor, writer, director, producer * Andrew C. Brock – North Carolina State Senator *

Jared Burton Levi Jared Burton (born June 2, 1981) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball for the Cincinnati Reds and Minnesota Twins. Early life Burton was born in Westminster, South Carolina. He graduated fr ...

– retired

MLB Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

Keion Crossen Keion Crossen (born April 17, 1996) is an American football cornerback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. He played college footba ...

- cornerback,

Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...

* Geoff Collins - former head football coach at

Georgia Tech The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part of ...

Louis Cooper Alexander Louis Cooper (born August 5, 1963, in Marion, South Carolina) is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He played in the NFL from 1985–1993, mainly for the Kansas City Chiefs. He played college footbal ...

– NFL linebacker * Jeanelle Coulter Moore – First Lady of North Carolina *

Ariana DeBose Ariana DeBose (; born January 25, 1991) is an American actress, dancer, and singer. She has received multiple accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award and a nomination for a Tony Award. In 2022, ...

– Academy Award Winning actress, singer, and dancer *

Ryan Dorsey Ryan Keith Dorsey (born July 19, 1983) is an American actor, known for playing Earl on '' Justified'' and Duquesne “Dime Bag” Baker on ''Ray Donovan''. His personal life, particularly his marriage to Naya Rivera, has garnered significant media ...

- actor *

Louis Ducruet Louis Robert Paul Ducruet (born 26 November 1992) is the son of Princess Stéphanie of Monaco and Daniel Ducruet. Early life Ducruet grew up in Monaco-Ville. His parents, Princess Stéphanie of Monaco and Daniel Ducruet, were married in 1995, but ...

- scout at

AS Monaco FC Association Sportive de Monaco Football Club SA, commonly referred to as AS Monaco () or Monaco, is a professional football club based in Monaco that is member of French Football Federation (FFF) and competes in Ligue 1, the top tier of Fre ...

, 12th in line to the Monégesque throne, grandson to Rainier III, Prince of Monaco and American actress Grace Kelly *

Carol Fowler Durham Carol Fowler Durham () is an American Clinical Professor of Nursing and Doctor of Education who is known as a leader in the fields of Healthcare Quality and Safety, nursing education, interprofessional education, and medical simulation. Durham ...

– professor of Nursing at

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...

, interprofessional teams expert *

Joe Firstman Joe Firstman (born December 12, 1979) is an American multi-genre singer, songwriter, and late-night bandleader. He was the bandleader from 2005 to 2009 on American late night television program ''Last Call with Carson Daly'' broadcast on NBC. Fir ...

– musician and musical director * Ernest A. Fitzgerald (1947) – bishop of the

United Methodist Church The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelical ...

* Judy Green – head volleyball coach for the

University of Alabama The University of Alabama (informally known as Alabama, UA, or Bama) is a Public university, public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of Alabama is the oldest and la ...

Mel Gibson Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson (born January 3, 1956) is an American actor, film director, and producer. He is best known for his action hero roles, particularly his breakout role as Max Rockatansky in the first three films of the post-apocaly ...

– former basketball player for the

Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...

Rich Hall Richard Travis Hall (born June 10, 1954) is an American comedian, writer, documentary maker and musician, first coming to prominence as a sketch comedian in the 1980s. He wrote and performed for a range of American networks, in series such as ...

– comedian, writer *Randall Harris - drummer,

Needtobreathe Needtobreathe (stylized as NEEDTOBREATHE) is an American rock band from Seneca, South Carolina. The band is composed of Bear Rinehart (lead vocals, guitar, piano), Seth Bolt (backing vocals, bass), Josh Lovelace (backing vocals, keys), Randall H ...

Greg Holland Gregory Scott Holland (born November 20, 1985) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals, Colorado Rockies, St. Louis Cardinals, Washington N ...

– MLB pitcher and MLB All-Star * Brad Hoover – former fullback for the NFL

Frank Huguelet Frank Huguelet (born June 5, 1969) is an American retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Heavy Metal" Ric Savage. He is the host of '' Savage Family Diggers'', a reality treasure hunting show airing on Spike TV. He also c ...

– retired professional wrestler (as "'Heavy Metal' Ric Savage'"), television host * Sarah Hutchings – Composer * Paul Johnson – former head football coach at

Jeanne Jolly Jeanne Jolly is a singer-songwriter from Raleigh, North Carolina, who first gained fame as a featured vocalist for Grammy Award winning jazz trumpeter Chris Botti. Jolly has performed with several symphonies, at Carnegie Hall in New York City ...

– singer, songwriter * Tony Jones – football player with the

Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...

Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...

, and

Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquart ...

* Andrew Jordan –

tight end The tight end (TE) is a position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is often a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like ...

in the NFL * David Joy – author *

Keith LeClair Keith Aaron LeClair (February 26, 1966 – July 16, 2006) was an American athlete and later head baseball coach at Western Carolina University (Player, 1985–88 and Coach 1992–97). During his playing days, LeClair played for former Clemson Uni ...

– athlete and baseball coach at Western Carolina University * Henry Logan – athlete; in 1964 became North Carolina's first African-American collegiate athlete, and the first to play basketball for a "white" public institution in 1964 * Kevin Martin – professional basketball player *

Manteo Mitchell Manteo Mitchell (born July 6, 1987) is an American sprinter who competes in the 200m, 400m, and relay. He was a member of the USA team that won the gold medal in the Men's 4×400 metres relay (splitting 45.7) at the 2012 IAAF World Indoor Ch ...

– track and field athlete, 2012 London Olympic medalist * Mokita—Nashville-based singer-songwriter * Nick McNeil – former NFL player,

WWE World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...

professional wrestler (as '"Showtime!' Percy Watson") * Mary Cordell Nesbitt – politician *

David Patten David Patten (August 19, 1974 – September 2, 2021) was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He was signed by the Albany Firebirds of the Arena Football League as a street fr ...

– NFL wide receiver * Dave Pember – former pitcher for MLB

Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...

J. T. Poston James Tyree Poston (born June 1, 1993) is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour, where he is a two-time winner. Early life In high school, while competing for Hickory High School, Poston shot a North Carolina High School Athletic A ...

professional golfer A professional golfer is somebody who receives payments or financial rewards in the sport of golf that are directly related to their skill or reputation. A person who earns money by teaching or playing golf is traditionally considered a "golf pr ...

Rachel Reilly Rachel Eileen Reilly Villegas (born October 16, 1984) is an American television personality, fashion designer, talk show host, actress, and reality show winner. Reilly appeared in two seasons of the U.S. edition of the reality TV series '' Big ...

– reality television show contestant, television host *

David Sedaris David Raymond Sedaris (; born December 26, 1956) is an American humorist, comedian, author, and radio contributor. He was publicly recognized in 1992 when National Public Radio broadcast his essay "Santaland Diaries.” He published his first co ...

– humorist, comedian, author, and radio contributor *

Geno Segers Lonnie G. "Geno" Segers Jr. is an American actor known for his roles as Chayton Littlestone in the Cinemax original series ''Banshee'', Dwayne in NBC's Perfect Harmony, Mason Makoola in the Disney XD television series ''Pair of Kings'', Kincaid ...

– former professional rugby player, actor. *

Clyde Simmons Clyde Simmons Jr. (born August 4, 1964) is a former American football defensive end and current college defensive line coach. Playing career College Simmons played college football at Western Carolina Catamounts football, Western Carolina Univer ...

– defensive end for the NFL

Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...

Tim Sinicki Timothy Sinicki is an American college baseball coach, who has been the head coach of the Binghamton Bearcats since the start of the 1993 season. Under Sinicki, Binghamton has appeared in two NCAA Division I Baseball Championships. When Sinicki ...

– head baseball coach at intercollegiate

Binghamton Binghamton () is a city in the U.S. state of New York, and serves as the county seat of Broome County. Surrounded by rolling hills, it lies in the state's Southern Tier region near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the conflue ...

Drew Starkey Drew Starkey is an American actor. He portrays Garrett Laughlin in the Simonverse films ''Love, Simon ''and ''The Hate U Give'', Rafe Cameron in the Netflix teen drama series ''Outer Banks'' and Hawkins in the VH1 series '' Scream: Resurrection ...

- actor *

Matt Stillwell Matt Stillwell (born in Sylva, North Carolina) is an American country music artist. He lives in Knoxville, TN with his wife, Lindsey, and two daughters, Carolina and Ruby. During college, athletics was Matt's priority, not music. At Western ...

– Nashville recording artist * John Taylor,

reality television Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 19 ...

star of Too Fat for 15: Fighting Back *

Wayne Tolleson Jimmy Wayne Tolleson (born November 22, 1955) is an American former professional baseball infielder who played for the Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, and New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). Western Carolina University A star hig ...

–

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

player 1981-1990 *

Hedy West Hedwig Grace "Hedy" West (April 6, 1938 – July 3, 2005) was an American folksinger and songwriter. She belonged to the same generation of folk revivalists as Joan Baez and Judy Collins. Her most famous song "500 Miles" is one of America's ...

– American folk singer * Willie Williams – NFL defensive back for

Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...

and

Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...

* John Nelson Schacht: Schacht is a two time Super Bowl Champion when he played for the New York Giants. He was the third string kicker for the Giants between 2005 and 2015.

Faculty

* Robert J. Conley – award-winning author *

Terrence Mann Terrence Vaughan Mann (born July 1, 1951) is an American theatre, film and television actor. He is best known for his appearances on the Broadway stage, which include Chester Lyman in ''Barnum'', Rum Tum Tugger in '' Cats'', Javert in '' Les ...

– stage actor, director, singer, songwriter, and dancer *

Ron Rash Ron Rash (born September 25, 1953), is an American poet, short story writer and novelist, is the Parris Distinguished Professor in Appalachian Cultural Studies at Western Carolina University. Early life Rash was born on September 25, 1953, in C ...

– award-winning author *

Matt Rhule Matthew Kenneth Rhule (born January 31, 1975) is an American football coach and former player, who is the head coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers. He was previously the head coach at Temple University, Baylor University, and for the Carolina Pant ...

- head coach,

Laura Wright Laura Wright (née Sisk) is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for her roles as Ally Rescott on ''Loving (TV series), Loving'' (1991–1995) and ''The City (1995 TV series), The City'' (1995–1997), Cassie Layne Winslow on ''Guidin ...

– founder of academic field of

vegan studies Vegan studies or vegan theory is the study of veganism, within the humanities and social sciences, as an identity and ideology, and the exploration of its depiction in literature, the arts, popular culture, and the media. In a narrower use of th ...

References

External links

*
Western Carolina Athletics website
{{authority control Educational institutions established in 1889 Education in Jackson County, North Carolina Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Public universities and colleges in North Carolina University of North Carolina Education in Asheville, North Carolina Education in Swain County, North Carolina Buildings and structures in Jackson County, North Carolina 1889 establishments in North Carolina