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WCU Stories

Brennan Burke

Triple Major Brennan Burke Goes Beyond the Numbers and Her Degrees

Following graduation in May and a summer internship in Charlotte, Western Carolina University senior Brennan Burke will have to decide what path to follow next. When it comes time to make that decision, Burke will have more options than most because of the fact that she is earning a triple major. Burke started as a mathematics major with a concentration in actuarial science, but along the way she added finance and accounting to the mix, giving her the trifecta. Not bad for someone who in high school thought she wanted to be a civil engineer.  

Sophia Calhoun

Personal experience inspires research into independent students in higher education

Sophia Calhoun began studying at Western Carolina University for an bachelor’s degree in environmental health, completing her undergraduate studies in 2017. But, Sophia’s experiences as an independent student opened her eyes to an entirely new career path in the field of higher education and student affairs.  

Joanna Woodson

Success is Defining a Passion and Becoming a Leader

It took a while for Joanna Woodson to discover her true passion in life. But three universities and year and a half in the workplace later, Woodson has found her purpose, along with a home, at Western Carolina University. After a year at WCU, Woodson has not only settled on a major, she’s discovered a passion for politics that has led WCU to become a leader in voter participation across the University of North Carolina system.  

A shot of WCU Biltmore Park campus

WCU sees growth in graduate programs

Western Carolina University’s Graduate School saw an 18.2 percent increase in enrollment of new graduate students this spring, largely driven by programs preparing students for career growth in high-demand fields. Overall Graduate School enrollment climbed 3.7 percent.  

An image of the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C

What is the Government Shutdown?

Today, January 17, marks the 26th day of the federal government’s partial shutdown. This past weekend, the shutdown became the longest in history when it surpassed the previous record set in 1995. In our role as an institution of higher education, we consider this sort of moment in history a learning opportunity for our students, as well as our larger community. Watch as our on-campus experts breakdown the government shutdown in five minutes.  

Ally Bevers

Honors College Student Leaps Life’s Barriers on the Way to Fulfilling Her Goals

“I could just go to school and that was like my place,” said Bevers, now a junior at Western Carolina University. “For me, school was normal and I was normal at school. I didn’t have to think about what was going on at home. It gave me something to distract myself. It was something I was good at.”  

Marcy Sammons

NC Promise "was definitely the yes" for transfer student

As a senior at Forest View High School in Gastonia, Marcy Sammons had her eye on Western Carolina University. She'd heard good things about WCU's College of Business, but perhaps even more importantly, WCU had the best Marching Band in the state and one of the best in the nation. Sammons led the Color Guard at Forest View, and she'd heard stories about WCU's 2014 trip to march in the Macy's Day Parade. She was a high school junior at the time. But when senior year rolled around, the cost of a four-year university simply wasn't an option for Sammons or her family. She was going to need to borrow the money she would need to attend school, and the thought of finishing a marketing degree with significant college debt was overwhelming.  

Gabriel Pope

Raleigh transfer student hopes NC Promise leads to political career

As Gabriel Pope was looking at schools to transfer to from Wake Technical Community College in Raleigh, he learned of an upcoming program the state of North Carolina was implementing called NC Promise. At first, Pope was a little skeptical over whether the state would follow through with offering $500 per semester tuition. But once he was convinced, Pope knew he wanted to go to Western Carolina University. “I was a little concerned with how the education would be with the school bringing in less money, but the more I learned about it, and researched it, the more I knew (WCU) was going to be a great school to go to,” Pope said. “I’m really thankful for (NC Promise) because it really helps me financially to be able to get my education.”  

Driver Blythe

Blythe Ambition: Eastern Band Member Sees Higher Education as Goal for His Community

Earning an associate degree from Southwestern Community College after transferring there from Mars Hill, and a bachelor’s degree from Western Carolina University, where he graduated in December and gave the commencement address. He’ll continue his education in the fall at WCU, where he is enrolled in the school’s master’s degree program in social work. A member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Blythe is believed to be the first Native American to give a commencement speech at WCU — an unexpected honor that left him in awe and “like the weight of the world” was on his shoulders — but in a good way.  

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