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Undergraduate Admissions

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Regional Events

We're bringing Western Carolina University to your backyard!

Whether you are a potential undergraduate, graduate, transfer, or distance student these events can provide personal answers to your college questions and give you insight into your life as a Catamount. As a counselor or parent, our knowledgeable staff will be on hand to provide you with the resources that you need. These events are scheduled throughout the year and region to bring personal attention directly to you.

The entire evening is structured with you in mind. You will be able to chat individually with university representatives before and after the formal presentation. Topics that will be covered at each event:

• Financial Aid
• Residential Living
• Brinson Honors College
• Scholarship
• Student Life
• General Information

Please Note: Online registration closes the day before the event.

Western On Tour - Fall 2024

REGISTRATION Monday, September 9, 2024 Hickory Metro Convention Center 1960 13th Avenue Dr SE Hickory, NC 28602

REGISTRATION   Tuesday, September 10, 2024 Embassy Suites by Hilton Charlotte Ayrsley 1917 Ayrsley Town Blvd Charlotte, NC 28273

REGISTRATION Wednesday, September 11, 2024 Grandover Resort & Spa 1000 Club Rd Greensboro, NC 27407

REGISTRATION Thursday, September 12, 2024 Raleigh Marriott City Center 500 Fayetteville St Raleigh, NC 27601

Western On Tour - Spring 2025

REGISTRATION Monday, March 10, 2025 Hilton Charlotte University Place 8629 J M Keynes Dr Charlotte, NC 28262

REGISTRATION Tuesday, March 11, 2025 DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Fayetteville 1965 Cedar Creek Rd Fayetteville, NC 28312

REGISTRATION Wednesday, March 12, 2025 Sheraton Greensboro at Four Seasons 3121 W Gate City Blvd Greensboro, NC 27407

REGISTRATION Thursday, March 13, 2025 Hilton Garden Inn Raleigh / Crabtree Valley 3912 Arrow Dr. Raleigh, NC 27612

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CHASE ADVENTURE. MAKE DISCOVERIES.

Explore beyond the classroom with over 170 student organizations, 50+ club and intramural sports and miles of hiking and biking trails. you'll have outdoor adventures minutes from your door and a never ending rotation of movies, speakers, exhibits, live performances, student showcases and unique events. all at the southeast’s no. 1 outdoor adventure college..

Student Life & Services

At Western Carolina University, we believe the college experience extends far beyond the classroom. College is about discovering new talents, rising above challenges, and creating the life-long relationships that will define your success. Our Division of Student Affairs is designed to provide the resources you need to do all that and more.

• Dean of Students
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Campus Life

Residential Living

Your home, away from home. Life on campus is full of activity and you're at the center of it. Which makes it easy for you to do things like be at class on time, connect with friends, or grab a bite to eat.

Campus Recreation

Whether you enjoy group exercise classes, cardio machines, or weight training, club sports, swimming, or reaching new heights at our climbing wall, every day there's a new way to stay healthy and active.

Campus Activities

There's always something going on. Movies, concerts, exhibitions, community service, organizations, media, leadership opportunities and more. If you have an interest or hobby, we've got an activity for you.

Campus Dining

Local farms stock the all-you-can-eat options at Courtyard and Brown Hall, while you'll find familiar favorites like Chick-fil-A, Moe's Southwest Grill, and Steak and Shake on campus too.

Student Organizations

Life as a Catamount is full of opportunities to be involved and make a difference. Over 170 student organizations allow students to meet others with similar academic, social, service and spiritual interests.

Greek Student Engagement

Being an active member of a collegiate fraternal organization will provide opportunities for students to participate in activities that enhance personal development, promote academic success, and advance leadership skills.

Intercultural Affairs

Intercultural Affairs (ICA) works with all members of the University to provide a campus environment where students from different backgrounds and culture groups feel appreciated, respected and valued.

Our students and staff often spend their free time hiking or mountain biking through national forests, and plenty of nearby camping destinations provide a fun way to unwind on weekends.

International Programs and Services

Redefine the experience of earning your degree. With programs in over thirty countries and the resources you need as an International Student to study at WCU, exploring the world has never been easier.

Center for Community Engagement & Service Learning

Would you like to get involved in the community? The Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning can help you find a place to volunteer or do a course-based service learning project.

Center for Career and Professional Development

We're empowering you for what's after college. Career mentoring, resume writing, mock interviewing and career counseling are just a few of the ways we're helping you succeed.

Health Services

Professional medical staff provides friendly, efficient, and effective healthcare for you while you are a student, as well as help you gain confidence and knowledge in how to manage your health. Health Services is staffed by physicians, physician extenders, and nursing staff with many years of experience in college health.  

Counseling & Psychological Services

Empowering students to engage in and be successful in a range of academic, social, and cultural endeavors through fostering psychological wellness. CAPS provide individual and group counseling to students on a short-term basis at no cost.

Welcome to Catamount Country

Student activities and events.

Master of Accountancy Program shifts to online this fall.

WCU Board of Trustees approve Chris Williams as the university’s CIO

Chris Williams has reached the culmination of what he had strategically positioned himself for, both academically and professionally. On Friday, June 14, Western Carolina University’s Board of Trustees approved Williams’ selection as its chief information officer. Williams, who comes to WCU after spending the last nine years as the IT director for Student Affairs at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, will begin his new position Monday, June 24.

Learn More  

Students set up bug tents to learn more about the critters in Cullowhee

Western Carolina University has been garnering a lot of buzz recently with bee and mosquito projects, but faculty and students are also interested in learning more about other critters that call Cullowhee home. As part of a field entomology course at WCU, Luiz Lima Da Silveira, biology professor, and Sarah Parsons, professor of geosciences and natural resources, have teamed up to monitor insect populations on campus.

Learn more  

Use Your Advantage for Reduced Tuition Costs at WCU

Discover Your Advantage  

What do you want to study?

Blaze your own trail with more than 115 undergraduate majors and concentrations and more than 40 graduate programs with a focus on high-demand degrees. Explore a variety of programs in engineering, science, healthcare, education, humanities, business and the arts.

Browse by College

• College of Arts and Sciences
• College of Business
• College of Education and Allied Professions
• College of Engineering and Technology
• David Orr Belcher College of Fine and Performing Arts
• College of Health and Human Sciences

What's happening around WCU

Upcoming events.

• View the Event Calendar
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• Student Life & Services

Campus Activities

We know life on campus goes far beyond the classroom and Campus Activities is here to help enrich your campus life. Discover a variety of extracurricular activities like on-campus concerts and movies, arts and cultural events and trips to regional plays, exhibits, music and more,  all of which are offered to students at low or no cost.

Located in the center of campus, the A.K Hinds University Center is a part of the heart of campus. The UC is a place for you to study and hang out with friends, attend movies and events, and uncover new activities.

Annual Campus Events and Traditions

Below you'll find just a few examples of the types of activities and events we hold on campus...

Week of Welcome & Valley Ballyhoo

Welcome back to Cullowhee! We kick off the fall with our annual Week of Welcome celebration of students returning to campus. It's campus coming back to life. At Valley Ballyhoo, you'll see every corner of student life at WCU. Meet clubs, Greek Student Organizations and a wide array of businesses and organizations in Jackson County. They're all here to make your college experience better.

Family Weekend

Family Weekend is a wonderful opportunity for family members and guests to visit their students and experience campus life. Events include but are not limited to an entertainer, the football game, food, etc.

Catamounts return home to celebrate what WCU means to them during homecoming. We kick things off with our Homecoming carnival then celebrate all things Catamount with a parade and floats decorated to the nines in downtown Sylva. You won't want to miss cheering "go cats" at the football game and the reward of the Catamount Noble.

Student Organizations

Life as a Catamount is full of opportunities to be involved and make a difference. With over 100 recognized student organizations including academic interest, sports, social, and spiritual interest groups, you're sure to quickly find your place here.

Connect Through Engage

The Department of Campus Activities provides a variety of entertainment and educational opportunities for our Catamounts. Last Minute Productions (LMP) , our student programming board, hosts comedians, spoken word artists, concerts, movies and other fun events. Marketing for the department is under the Student Activities branch with a student team of Marketing Coordinators, Videographer/Photographers, and Graphic Designers to help promote many activities. For more information, contact Coleman Leopard (LMP/Marketing). Student Involvement also oversees our Recognized Student Organizations on campus. For more information contact Campus Activities ( Clubs and Orgs ).

Committed to student growth and development, we provide students with the formal and informal leadership opportunities they need to prepare students to be active participants in their communities after graduation. New students can jump right in and get involved with Cat Camp - a leadership retreat for new first-year students - and the Freshman Leadership Institute. For more information on Cat Camp or Freshman Leadership Institute contact Kelsey Jones.

Learn more about Leadership Programming 

LEAdership minor

Calling all Catamounts who aspire to impact university decision-making and take on influential leadership positions on campus! Consider joining the Student Government Association, where you can make a tangible impact. By actively participating in SGA, students not only contribute to the decision-making process but also acquire invaluable skills and experiences that appeal to potential employers.

Students interested in journalism or print media should be sure to check out the opportunities with our student-run media clubs.

Our Operations team is here to help with your needs at our beloved building, A.K. Hinds University Center. Whether you need space for an event, borrow equipment, or lost an item, we're here to assist.

Book a space or learn more about our building

Learn more about Campus Activities Staff

Need a space at the UC?

Reservations

Current list of events? 

Got Questions?

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Hours of operation.

A.K Hinds University Center Monday-Friday 7:30 AM - 12:00 AM Saturday-Sunday 7:30 AM - 12:00 AM

Special or holiday hours will be posted at entrances

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210 A.K. Hinds University Center Cullowhee, NC 28723 Map Directions 828.227.7206 tel 828.227.7250 fax

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WCU names new pharmacy dean, Dr. David Weldon

• Suzanne Monk
• 27 June 2024

Dr. David Weldon has been named dean of the William Carey University School of Pharmacy, replacing retiring dean Dr. Michael Malloy. Currently serving as associate dean, Weldon joined the pharmacy faculty at WCU’s Tradition campus in January 2017. The change takes effect July 1.

“Dr. Weldon has been with the School of Pharmacy from the beginning and he’s a big part of its success. He’s also active in civic and church service and connects to the Gulf Coast community in every way we want our Carey leaders to connect. I’m confident he will lead us to the next level,” said WCU President Dr. Ben Burnett.

“We would not be in the good position we are now, however, without the steadfast leadership of the program’s founding dean, Dr. Michael Malloy. We appreciate his service and wish him well in retirement.”

Dr. Malloy arrived on the Gulf Coast in fall 2016, after serving as dean of Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences for 11 years. Once on the scene, he established partnerships with hospitals, pharmacies and community organizations.

“I embraced the challenges because it was an opportunity to have a positive impact on health care in an area that needed it. I was able to touch and be touched by the community – and I believe that, together, we’ve created an environment that allows faculty, staff, and students to create a sustainable, thriving program,” Dr. Malloy said.

“I know that I leave the program in good hands with David. He’s played an integral role in creating its successful culture. I’m really looking forward to spending time on the golf course, visiting family and friends across the U.S. and Sweden, and enjoying my grandson.”

Dr. Weldon appreciates his seven years with Dr. Malloy.

“The guidance I’ve received under his deanship has been very valuable. I want to weave the School of Pharmacy even tighter into the fabric of the Gulf Coast as we grow together, university and community, as partners,” Dr. Weldon said.

A native of Clarksdale, Dr. Weldon earned his PhD at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy in 2008. He was vice chair of pharmaceutical sciences at Loma Linda School of Pharmacy in California before coming to WCU to help open the new School of Pharmacy.

“I love it when students tell me how impactful access to professional health education has been for them. I know we are helping to advance future generations,” Dr. Weldon said.

The WCU School of Pharmacy offers the only accelerated Doctor of Pharmacy degree on the Gulf Coast – from New Orleans to Pensacola. Students complete the program in two years and 10 months instead of the usual four years.

Suzanne Monk Media Relations Coordinator (601) 318-6767

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Mountain heritage awards call for nominations, celebrating 50th anniversary.

 WCU Stories      June 27, 2024

Bob Plott receives the 2023 Mountain Heritage Award from Chancellor Kelli R. Brown.

By Julia Duvall

Nominations are being accepted for the annual Mountain Heritage Awards, which recognize contributions of regional artists, nonprofit leaders and an array of organizations for their commitment to Appalachian culture and preservation or interpretation of the history of Southern Appalachia.

Presented by Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Center, recipients will be honored during the 50th Mountain Heritage Day festival in a public ceremony which will be held midday on Saturday, Sept. 28, at Western Carolina University.

Front row: Marie Cochran holding 2023 Mountain Heritage Award, Selma Sparks. Back Row: Ellerna Forney, Ann Miller Woodford, Chancellor Kelli R. Brown

Award winners will receive an engraved commemorative plaque.

"Mountain Heritage Day started as the university’s way to combat Appalachian stereotypes and celebrate regional craft,” said Mountain Heritage Center director Amber C. Albert. “This will be the 48th year the festival has granted awards to individuals and groups who create exemplary mountain arts and prioritize cultural education.” 

The winner of the first Mountain Heritage Award was John Parris in 1976.

Honorees are selected by a committee comprised of community and WCU representatives. The two award categories recognize an individual and an organization for distinguished service, accomplishments, influence or expertise in maintaining the cultural viability of the region.

Nominations must be emailed to [email protected] by Monday, July 15, at 5 p.m.

Nominations should be five pages or less; outline the nominee’s accomplishments; describe the nominee’s impact on their field, such as crafts, music, or a social or environmental cause; explain the nominee’s role as a teacher, advocate, leader or preserver of mountain culture and heritage; list the nominee’s awards or other recognitions; and provide links to online support materials (optional).

Individual award winners include musicians Gar Mosteller and Doyle Barker, visual artist Ann Miller Woodford, and, last year, Bob Plott. Plott was nominated as a grassroots educator for his work on North Carolina Plott Hound original programming, exhibitions and publications.

Previous recipients of the organizational award include the Cherokee artists’ cooperative Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual, Inc., the Tried Stone Missionary Baptist Church and most recently the Affrilachian Artist Project. The group was nominated for its commitment to providing artists of color opportunities to collaborate and showcase their work through performances and exhibitions.

For more information about the history of the festival and the awards, visit  mountainheritageday.com.  

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About the Blog

Western Carolina University is located in the beautiful Southern Appalachian mountains of Cullowhee, North Carolina. Our 600-acre mountain campus is surrounded by one of the most biodiverse regions in the state that provides students unparalleled learning and adventure opportunities. If you're looking for a university ready to fight as hard for your success as you are, choose WCU. Learn more about our campus...

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