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Celebrating a Milestone

$55M with $5M to Go

Thanks to your generosity, we have reached the $55 million milestone. We now have $5 million to go to reach our goal. Watch the video and hear 5 students share how scholarship support has made a difference in their lives...

Give to WCU

Under the leadership of Chancellor David O. Belcher, Western Carolina University has seen phenomenal success. He has propelled this institution toward greatness, but, more importantly, he has done the same for the students we serve. Now, we must continue the progress he put in motion. We must be champions for our students, believe in their possibilities, inspire their determination, knock down obstacles in their way and lead them toward a better future. Join us in a campaign inspired by our greatest champion. Lead the Way.

Campaign Priorities

WCU Scholarship Student

   Merit Scholarships

Scholarships awarded based on merit benefit students meeting certain academic criteria and/or pursuing particular fields of study, including students in Western Carolina’s Honors College, the largest residential honors college in the University of North Carolina system.  Make A Gift

WCU Scholarship Student

   Access Scholarships

Western Carolina University strives to open doors to deserving students in need who might not otherwise be able to attend college. Scholarships awarded based on need go to benefit students meeting certain financial eligibility guidelines. Make A Gift

WCU Scholarship Student

   Athletic Scholarships

WCU Athletics and the Catamount Club work to raise funds for student athlete scholarships. These scholarships often make it possible for student athletes to fully focus on their training, practice and coursework in order to be successful on and off the field.  Make A Gift

WCU Scholarship Student

   Graduate Scholarships

As we work to support groundbreaking research, innovation and a continually growing undergraduate program, WCU must expand its graduate scholarship resources. Graduate scholarship support is needed to continue to expand enrollment in our more than 40 graduate programs. Make A Gift

WCU Scholarship Student

   Internships

Gifts to the university can support the cost of travel or housing for students seeking internships in their field of study. These opportunities prepare our students for success after graduation. Make A Gift

WCU Scholarship Student

   Study Abroad

Committed to creating and maintaining a culture of safety we foster a supportive and secure environment with tools, techniques, and resources available to students, faculty, staff, and families. Make A Gift

WCU Scholarship Student

   Program Support

Gifts to support particular colleges, programs, or fields of study at WCU help us to significantly enhance the student learning experience in those areas and to expand our already robust experience-based education. Make A Gift

WCU Scholarship Student

   Student Research

For more than a decade, WCU has been a national leader in undergraduate research. Donor support makes it possible for students to expand research into the field, travel to present at conferences, and submit research for publication. Make A Gift

Ways to Give

Your Gift, Your Choice

Give Today

Whether it's $5 or $5,000, every donation counts. Choose exactly how your gift is used: give to a program, scholarship or a college. Use our online form to give today.

Endowments

Endowments

Created through the establishment of a permanent fund, endowments allow for scholarships for talented students; support for dedicated faculty and research.

Estate Planning

Estate Planning

Leave a lasting impact on your university through a provision in your will or trust naming WCU as a beneficiary. Learn about the potential tax benefits.

Corporate and Foundation

Corporate Giving

Western Carolina partners with private corporations and corporate foundations to align gifts to the WCU Foundation to their business goals or philanthropic missions.

Scholarship Stories

The Worleys

Former Asheville mayor makes gift to help grad students

The Lead the Way campaign crossed a major milestone when a gift commitment from former Asheville Mayor Charles Worley and his wife, Nancy Worley, pushed the amount raised across the $55 million mark and closer to its ultimate goal of $60 million by spring 2019.

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Donna Winbon

Donna Winbon: We all have the power to make an impact on the next generation. 


In 1980, I graduated from Western Carolina University. I was an average student with a modest background and a deep appreciation for the faculty and staff who helped me get through four years of college. I knew even then that my time at WCU had prepared me for a good life, but I had no grand vision of becoming rich or famous.
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Entegra & Vannoy

Classroom spaces named in recognition of Entegra Bank, Vannoy Construction gifts


Classroom spaces in Forsyth and Belk buildings now bear the names of two Western Carolina University corporate partners in recognition of recent contributions from Entegra Bank and Vannoy Construction toward student scholarships and academic program support.

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Student Giving

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Faculty and Staff

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Catamounts for Life

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Fund for WCU

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