WCU Alumna Blends Project Management with Hospitality

Michaela Schmidlin, MPM ’18 can put your fear of hosting holiday company in perspective. As Entertainment and Event Programming Manager for Asheville-based The Biltmore Company, Schmidlin serves as the project manager for a number of estate events, the largest undertaking being Christmas at Biltmore and Candlelight Christmas Evenings.   

Discover Her Story  

Police Chief Lillard named national runner-up in Campus Safety magazine’s annual awards

Chief of Police Steve Lillard was named national runner-up in the higher education division of Campus Safety magazine’s 2020 Director of the Year awards.  

Q and A with Alumna Donna Reynolds

Donna Reynolds '05, Executive Assistant for the Vice-Chancellor of Student Affairs at WCU, shares some of her memories of Scott and Walker Residence Halls and the unique items that have been found during the demolition of the iconic buildings.  

Face coverings, sanitizer, thermometers will be provided to faculty, staff in COVID-19 fight

Faculty and staff soon will be receiving bags of personal protective items that are designed to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus as part of the institution’s “Catamounts Care” campaign.  

Highlands Biological Station begins bird banding project

In conjunction with an international effort, the Highlands Biological Station has initiated a bird banding project in the high-elevation mountain community.  

General Assembly approves additional NC Promise funding for WCU, 2 other institutions

The North Carolina General Assembly’s biennial short session has resulted in several pieces of legislation that benefit WCU, including approval of $15 million to fund the NC Promise tuition plan for the 2020-21 fiscal year.  

WCU board removes name 'Hoey' from campus auditorium

The Board of Trustees unanimously approved a resolution removing the name “Hoey” from a campus performance facility named after Clyde R. Hoey, a former governor of North Carolina and state and federal legislator who actively opposed civil rights legislation and favored racial segregation.   

Chief marketing and communications strategist selected to lead UCM

Brian M. Mullen has been appointed to the new position of chief marketing and communications strategist at Western Carolina University.  

Governor signs legislative 'mini-budget' providing final $16.5 million for WCU steam plant project

With Gov. Roy Cooper’s signature Friday, June 19, on a legislative “mini-budget” providing the final $16.5 million appropriation to fund replacement of WCU’s decades-old steam plant, university officials say that late Chancellor David O. Belcher must be smiling down from above.