Your climb begins here.                                                                                                                          

Every first-year student living on campus at Western Carolina University will be part of a community called Western Carolina PEAKS. Residents in PEAKS will have the opportunity  to participate in programming and activities that support their academic goals, as well as engage in intentional and meaningful conversations with residential staff regarding their adjustment to college life. Residents will also be provided academic support programs, involvement opportunities, and meaningful connections with others in their community.

As a member of the Western Carolina PEAKS community, you will typically reside in either Buchanan Hall, Scott Hall, or  Walker Hall, along with other first-year students. You will benefit from a strong, professional residence life staff, intentional conversations with people who care about your goals and your success, and programming designed specifically to assist you in your journey. In Western Carolina PEAKS you will have opportunities to integrate your classroom learning with residence hall living to reinforce the learning process and have loads of fun along the way.

Programming in PEAKS will supplement your Transition Pathway experience by offering opportunities to become involved in extracurricular activities, appreciate the campus culture, create and assess your academic goals, and explore your own personal development. The primary goal of PEAKS is to make your transition from high school to university life as smooth as possible by helping you connect with other first-year students who share your interests, as well as sharing with you the essentials for being an academically and personally successful student here in the WHEE!

As an additional option within the PEAKS experience, residing in one of our themed living-learning communities (LLCs) provides residents with the opportunity to engage in academic content focused on an area of interest. While enrolled in the LEAD course associated with the community, LLC residents will engage in intentional programming designed to connect course content to principles of leadership. LLC residents will benefit from intentional faculty involvement, challenging but supportive courses that will prepare you for college life, as well as activities designed to help you connect the ideas shared in your courses with the campus around you. It’s also a great way to meet other first-year students with similar interests! For LLCs offered this fall, check out this page.