Western Carolina University

New Latinx Studies Minor Available for WCU Students

For the first time, a U.S. Latinx Studies minor will be offered to WCU students this fall, headed by Melissa Birkhofer, a lecturer in the Department of English, who has been named director of the program. With the Hispanic population at WCU exploding over the last decade, Birkhofer is excited to see the minor added to serve that group of students.

Alum of the Month: Elise Holbrook

A May 2019 graduate, she has a B.S. in Communication with a concentration in Public Relations. My fondest memories are any classes I had with Dr. Betty Farmer! She was such an incredible influence on me in so many ways. I genuinely loved going to her class every day, and there was never a day I didn’t learn something new. I particularly loved her Gender Communication class.

Graduate Profiles: Adam Gregory

Adam Gregory is receiving his degree in mathematics from the College of Arts and Sciences. Entering as a freshman at WCU, Adam did not plan to study mathematics, yet today he graduates one of the department’s most outstanding students. During the last three years, Adam participated in two National Science Foundation-funded summer programs, one at the University of Texas in Tyler during the summer of 2017, and another at Rochester Institute of Technology during the summer of 2018. He credits WCU faculty with much of his success.

Graduate Profile: Matthew McDonough

Matthew McDonough could have followed his friends to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill after he graduated from Asheville High School in 2015, but he didn’t. He chose to study at Western Carolina University instead, to better find out who he was — by himself.

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.

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.

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.”

Chemists and Biologists Partner on Research

As an assistant professor of biochemistry, Western Carolina University’s Jamie Wallen sees himself as part chemist, part biologist. Perhaps, that’s why it’s no coincidence many of his research projects are collaborations with those from both fields. Wallen believes the ability to learn research skills in both biology and chemistry gives his students an added edge when it comes to pursuing doctorates or moving onto their careers.

Meltzer scholarship endowment will benefit hundreds of students from array of disciplines

When former Highlands resident Curtis Meltzer died Dec. 17, 2017, he left a multimillion dollar estate gift to WCU to support students in the College of Arts and Sciences, increasing his and wife Enid’s overall scholarship endowment to $3.3 million.

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