Care, concern shown from WCU Nurse Anesthesia graduate

Ann Crosby, a certified registered nurse anesthetist found inspiration for her career during a difficult time and Western Carolina University helped provide the means for her goals.  

WCU graduate student receives Fullerton Medical Scholarship Award

Sarah Carpenter is a firm believer in paying it forward, which is why she and her husband make it point to always give back to their community. So, when Carpenter recently learned she was the recipient of the Fullerton Medical Scholarship Award, the Western Carolina University nurse practitioner graduate student said it was a result of her commitment to giving.   

As we learn from 2020, the case for furthering your education in 2021

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics routinely publishes data showing that an individual’s earning power is increased with additional education – not to mention the possibility of more stable employment. As we enter 2021, professionals in and around the Asheville area will be finding ways to further skills and talents, update their credentials, and stand out among peers in a competitive job market through continued learning and graduate programs.  

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Walk This Way

Thanks to a robotic-assisted physical therapy method underway at a clinic housed in the Health and Human Sciences Building at Western Carolina University, a local man is getting back on his feet - literally. The innovative device is one in a series of products by ReWalk, a medical device company that designs and develops mobility products for individuals with lower limb disabilities. While there are other manufacturers and systems, WCU is one of only two ReWalk training facilities in North Carolina.  

First-Generation Student, Kenyatta Fortune Prospers in Graduate School

In December, Kenyatta Fortune will become a three-time graduate of Western Carolina University. Doing so didn’t come without facing significant challenges. “The dynamics are different,” Fortune said. “While the professors provide guidance, encouragement and support, the student is given full autonomy in setting personal timelines, meeting agendas and maintaining contact with milestone updates on their thesis research.”  

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Pandemic Drives Demand for Professional and Graduate Programs

As Asheville’s population and economy look to recover from months of slowdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, regional professionals are increasingly seeking ways to develop their skills, increase their credentials and stand out among the competition for new opportunities and career advancement. Increased demand resulted in a record enrollment this fall for Western Carolina University’s Asheville-based programs, with a 10 percent growth in students served compared to fall 2019.   

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Teaching: COVID-19 Style

There was a time when faculty members spent most of their days preparing their lectures, presenting them to their students and being available during office hours for extra instruction. Some also had the additional task of preparing for laboratory work or work outside of campus, such as hospitals and nursing homes. Then came the coronavirus, COVID-19, and a new way of teaching was born.  

US News and World Report rankings puts WCU in top listings of universities and colleges

The annual U.S. News and World Report rankings of colleges and universities for 2021 places WCU firmly in an upper echelon of institutions of higher education.  

Alumnae Give Back by Serving on Accounting Board

Sue Swanger remembers them well: a group of bright and eager young women who all happened to be in her graduate auditing class together in 2003, all working toward their master’s degrees in accounting. That they now all serve together on Western Carolina University’s College of Business accounting advisory board is no surprise to their former professor.