The Rural-Urban Exchange (RUE) Program involves the College of Education and Allied Professions (CEAP) at WCU and our partner School of Education at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University (NCA&T) in Greensboro. You have the opportunity to become one of approximately six students from WCU-Elementary Ed., Middle Grades Ed., B-K, or Special Ed. Majors who are in the semester prior to full-time student teaching/interning -- who will be selected to visit NCA&T for a week.

During this week students from WCU will live on the NCA&T campus and spend time in local public schools and in activities on campus and in the community designed to help them work with diverse P-8 grade students in an urban setting. An alternate week will be available for NCA&T students to visit WCU and visit schools in Jackson County and Cherokee to gain exposure to P-8 Schools and students in a rural setting.

The Rural-Urban Exchange Program provides teacher-education students with an experience in working with diverse higher education and public school faculty, diverse candidates, and diverse students in P-8 schools. Students from both WCU and NCAT&T have the opportunity to interact and work with teacher-education students from varying ethnic, racial, language and socioeconomic groups in professional education activites on campus and in public school.

Michael Dougherty, Dean, College of Education and Allied Professions (back row) with Karen Guy, Faculty Member from NCA&T (left) and NCA&T and WCU 2004 Rural Urban Exchange students

Cullowhee Valley Clogger teaching NCA&T student Darryll Ramsey clogging steps - March 2004

Rural Urban Exchange Closing Banquet with Cullowhee Valley Cloggers - March 2004