Japanese Program News

David Moore and Darren Whatley place a lot of value on public education, having both attended public universities. Moore is an alumnus of the University of South Alabama and began his graduate studies at the University of Tübingen, Germany, while Whatley attended Louisiana State University and the University of Texas.

Seventy-one thousand fans in the stands. Another 200 more cheering from the luxury suites. Mercedes-Benz Stadium is lit for the Atlanta Falcons, and as the audience roars to announce their arrival, two Western Carolina University grads celebrate the success at the sidelines. One more good game for the books. Then they’re back to work.

You can hear Western Carolina University’s heartbeat in the Tuckasegee. You can hear it in the thunder rumbling through. And in each of its Catamounts’ footsteps, one after the other, it sounds again: the passionate, centuries-long drumming of a community that cares.

There is no part of Western North Carolina untouched by microplastics. No river that flows without fibers. No rain that falls without microscopic debris.

A long-awaited $37 million upgrade to renovate the west side stands of Western Carolina University’s aging E.J. Whitmire Stadium is now underway with an official groundbreaking ceremony held Thursday, June 12, in the shadows of the construction zone.

As I reflect on my time at Western Carolina University, I’m reminded of how much this campus has shaped me—both in and out of the classroom. WCU has given me the space to grow, to lead, to stumble, and to stand back up again. It’s a place where I’ve found my purpose, my people and my voice.

This issue of the WCU magazine celebrates the remarkable accomplishments of our alumni community, the progress of our students and faculty and the bold vision shaping our future.

Bailey Trumm ’24 was overjoyed when she received her first acceptance letter to medical school. As a Division I basketball player and a top scholar of Western Carolina University’s biology program, she elevated her team and earned the praise of professors with a ferocious work ethic.

The road to “The Show” is a steep climb.

Kyle Pifer was ready for growth and new challenges when he arrived at Western Carolina University in late 2020.