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WCU Stories

RGB Portrait, a painting by Zack Schneider

Family establishes memorial scholarship fund to assist nontraditional art students at WCU

Nontraditional students working to earn a degree in an art-related major at Western Carolina University soon will have financial assistance to help them pursue their passion, thanks to a memorial scholarship fund established by the family of a recent WCU graduate who earned his degree after the age of 30.  

Noyce Scholars at WCU

NSF grant totaling more than $1.4 million helps jumpstart WCU Smoky Mountain Noyce Scholars Program

The past three years have been busy for Sloan Despeaux, professor in Western Carolina University’s Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, and her colleagues.  

Alumni tower in Fall

WCU waives app fee for those impacted by recent hurricanes, will assist with travel costs for Nov. 23 open house attendees

It has been more than a month since Hurricane Helene tore through Western North Carolina and the surrounding Appalachian Mountains, but the effects of the historic storm will be felt for months and years to come. Western Carolina University is working to lessen some of the burden of impacted students and families visiting and applying to college by streamlining processes and helping to offset travel costs for those attending the Nov. 23 open house.   

Hungarian Fulbright trip

WCU faculty, staff visit Hungary through Fulbright Commission

Earlier this summer, Ingrid Bego, director of International Studies at Western Carolina University, and Wes Milner, executive director of WCU Global, were invited by the Fulbright Commission to attend a week-long visit in Hungary to strengthen the partnership between universities in Appalachia and Hungarian higher education institutions.   

Photo of Munene Mwaniki

Munene Mwaniki named WCU interim Global Black Studies director

Mwaniki, an associate professor of anthropology and sociology for the College of Arts and Sciences, was named the interim Global Black Studies director at WCU.  

Brinson Honors College

WCU student magazine wins first place in publications contest

In the fall, it starts as small as a story pitch. In the spring? As tiny as a sketch on a piece of paper. Those little ideas turn into Imagine magazine, a publication produced by student writers and designers at Western Carolina University.  

Lisa Briggs (right) works with a HRD K-9 and handler at a WCU training.

WCU human remains detection expert Lisa Briggs debunks false HRD K-9 information surrounding Hurricane Helene recovery efforts

Lisa Briggs, director of Western Carolina University’s Human Remains Detection K-9 training program and Emergency Disaster Management program, and Edwin Grant, an HRD K-9 program instructor and long-time law enforcement officer, have been deployed with their HRD K-9s since the start of the recovery process for missing persons in Western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene's devastation.   

Tammy Barron in Colombian classroom

WCU professor shares co-instruction expertise with teachers in Colombia

Western Carolina University has been engaged with Central and South American schools since 1978. Faculty travel and hold classes in various regions of Colombia, focusing on leadership in international schools. Tammy Barron, an associate professor in Western Carolina University’s College of Education and Allied Professions, has continued that long-time relationship by taking her expertise in co-teaching and instruction abroad.   

Julie Miller Denesha

Julie Miller Denesha joins WCU Advancement to support College of Engineering, Technology

Julie Miller Denesha, former associate director of athletics for development at Western Carolina University, has joined the WCU Division of Advancement as director of development and corporate partnerships for the College of Engineering and Technology.  

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