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WCU Stories

Giving Tuesday

Giving Tuesday goal exceeded as donors provide more than $443,000

WCU blew past its goal of raising $250,000 for general scholarship support on Giving Tuesday as 443 donors contributed a total of $443,517.  

Doris

Six-figure bequest pushes WCU past its Giving Tuesday goal

Western Carolina University has met its Giving Tuesday goal of raising a minimum of $250,000 to broaden access to scholarship support for students, thanks to a six-figure bequest from a New Mexico teacher who wanted to recognize her late mother’s love for the university.  

student life fall

Giving Tuesday efforts to focus on broadening scholarship support for students

WCU will focus its annual Giving Tuesday initiative on raising $250,000 for scholarship assistance for those students who all too often fall through the cracks between merit-based awards for top scholars and income-based aid for those facing the greatest financial hardships.  

Pat Kaemmerling

Former WCU board chair shares her experience as both a scholarship recipient and donor

Pat Kaemmerling, former chair of Western Carolina University’s Board of Trustees, has experienced life from both sides of higher education’s philanthropy equation – students who benefit from the contributions of strangers, and benefactors who make those contributions out of a desire to help others.  

Wide shot of the scholarship luncheon

COVID’s challenges do not deter WCU’s benefactors from their support of student scholarships

While much of the world came to a screeching halt over the past year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, benefactors of Western Carolina University did not allow a global health crisis to stand in the way of their ongoing philanthropic support of students in pursuit of higher education.  

Apodaca Science Building Stairs

A New Era Begins

Former state senator and Western Carolina University alum Tom Apodaca ’80 broke ground with other university and state officials for construction of a new $110.5 million science building. During the ceremony, Apodaca commented that his dream was to attend the future grand opening of the new state-of-the-art facility with his then-infant grandson, River. He also hoped River would one day follow the family tradition of attending WCU and taking classes in the building named in his honor.  

nurse corp

Nurse Corps Scholarships help address health care provider shortages

Shuli Archer, a student in the School of Nursing at Western Carolina University, recently received a Nurse Corps Scholarship from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration.  

Students working in the Rapid Center

Total Gain

As the westernmost institution of the University of North Carolina System, Western Carolina University holds many distinctions, not the least of which is anchor for the respective surrounding communities and a regional driver for the local economy, community service and workforce development.  

Ben Pendry

Ben Pendry named assistant vice chancellor for development

Benjamin J. Pendry has been appointed to the position of assistant vice chancellor for development.   

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