Millennial Vision

Western Carolina University's Millennial Initiative includes seven sites at the university's main campus in Cullowhee, North Carolina that carry a special designation allowing the university to join with education, industry, government, healthcare and other partners to benefit innovation and development in the region. The Millennial Initiative provides a space for university faculty and students, private firms, nonprofits, and government agencies to work together in applied research and practice that benefits the western North Carolina region.

The Millennial Initiative combines academic excellence and regional economic development that provides not only services and job opportunities for the people of the region, but also:

• Promotes exciting new educational opportunities for students and faculty
• Expands the university’s partnership opportunities with the private sector

Millennial Initiative Vision

The vision for the Millennial Initiative aligns with WCU's vision and mission as an institution:

• Western Carolina University is nationally recognized as actively engaged in the economic health of the region. It will lead and support others in strategies to create a prosperous future for the people it serves.
• Via selective internal program investments, systematic partnership outreach and thoughtful deployment of capital assets, WCU seeks to nurture an ever-expanding economy and community of knowledge in Western North Carolina.
• In adopting new roles to support economic growth, WCU continues to embrace fully its roles in strengthening intellectual inquiry, community, social institutions, culture and the arts.

Seven Millennial Initiative Sites

WCU's Millennial Initiative was first announced in 2005 with the opening of a 344-acre section of WCU's West Campus. The anchor for this first Millennial Initiative Site is WCU's state-of-the-art Health and Human Sciences Building, which is home to multiple public-private clinics that serve the community while allowing clinical experience and furthering research. In 2018, the UNC Board of Governors approved the addition of six more sites to WCU's Millennial Initiative. This includes Noble Hall, home to several privately-run restaurants serving WCU's campus. More details on the six additional sites will be announced soon.