Western Carolina University

Loyalty Fund Makes a Difference for Outstanding Students

Students who have benefited from Loyalty Fund-supported scholarships include Kelisa Underwood, a sophomore from Macon, Ga. Even though Western meant paying out-of-state tuition, Underwood sensed WCU was where she should be to pursue her dream of becoming a music therapist. So, she struck an agreement with her parents that she would attend Western as long as scholarships helped defray the cost.

“A lot of little things kept adding up to show Western was where I belonged,” said Underwood. The Honors College appealed to her, and today she enjoys the social activities and small, challenging classes. Underwood recently began working on an undergraduate research project centered on cognitive mapping.

Underwood also invests a lot of time in the marching band. “I had 300 instant friends when I came to campus, and there is just nothing like being out performing in that stadium,” she said. She believes music has power, and that’s why she hopes to incorporate music into therapy to help children cope with traumatic experiences such as abuse. “Dvorak’s Ninth Symphony is one of my favorites,” she said. “I listen to it to when I get upset and feel better.”

Now meet Lila Buchanan, a Loyalty Fund supporter who's fueling merit-based scholarships