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WCU Stories

stylized image of Jessica Gasperson-Shuford

Explore Further. Achieve Goals.

Born and raised in Western North Carolina, Jessica Gasperson-Shuford, a summer 2023 graduate of Western Carolina University’s Master of Science in Nursing-Family Nurse Practitioner program, knew she wanted to go into the health care field since she was in her teens.  

TJ Eaves1

Alum returns to WCU to speak at Chancellor's List ceremony

TJ Eaves, a 2012 graduate of WCU, will return to Cullowhee to speak during the fall 2023 Chancellor’s List event.  

forbes online ranking

Forbes ranks WCU in top 10 of best online colleges in NC

WCU’s distance learning programs have been ranked among the best in North Carolina, making the top 10 on the Forbes list of best online colleges in the Old North State.   

Zsolt Szabo

School of Music and biology department collaborate for lecture recital

School of Music and Department of Biology are teaming up for a lecture recital Tuesday, Sept. 5, at 7:30 p.m. in the Recital Hall of Coulter.   

Kayla Patterson

MFA program checked all the boxes for WCU alum: culture, mountains and academic rigor

After earning a bachelor’s degree in sculpture from the Maryland Institute College of Art and a decade of work and life experience, Kentucky native Mo Kessler wanted to find a master’s program that checked all the boxes when it came to culture, experiencing the mountains of Western North Carolina and of course the master’s program itself.   

stylized image of Preston Ellington

Discover Your Own Breakthrough

Greensboro native Preston Ellington’s journey to being a physical therapist started back in high school in a health and human sciences class.  

Kayla Patterson

Kayla Patterson blazes a new trail in the Higher Education Student Affairs program

Kayla Patterson is a recent graduate of the Higher Education Student Affairs master’s program. She began her undergraduate studies in pursuit of a medical degree at Cleveland State University on a basketball scholarship before transferring to New York University.   

odaiba in tokyo

Students, faculty experience once-in-a-lifetime trip to Japan

Students and faculty recently returned from three trips to Japan that gave them the opportunity to experience the culture, education, business and tech ventures of the country as part of several travel courses.  

stylized image of Olivia Ramos

Manifest Your Own Masterpiece

Olivia Ramos, a Charlotte native who studied entertainment design and technology at WCU, knew she wanted to do something involving the arts, but her small high school did not offer a theater arts program.   

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