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WCU Stories

Samantha Klaver

Graduate Profile: Samantha Klaver

Samantha Klaver is graduating with a master’s degree in clinical psychology. In terms of research, WCU faculty members say that Samantha has been one of the most productive students with whom they have worked. Samantha’s research focuses on understanding and reducing the impact of interpersonal violence, particularly in children who have been abused and neglected.  

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Kossick presents at primary care conference in Tennessee

Mark A. Kossick, WCU professor of nursing and director of graduate programs in nursing at the university’s Biltmore Park instructional site, presented a three-hour “Advanced EKG Workshop” on March 20 at the 23rd annual Louis A. Cancellaro Primary Care Conference in Johnson City, Tennessee.  

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College of Health and Human Sciences faculty attend IPE/P workshop

Four faculty members from WCU’s College of Health and Human Sciences attended an Interprofessional Education and Practice workshop in April.  

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McRae’s book earns award from Organization of American Historians

Elizabeth McRae, WCU associate professor of history, was honored as recipient of the 2019 Frederick Jackson Turner Award during the recent annual meeting of the Organization of American Historians held in Philadelphia.  

Taylor Luibrand

Graduate Profile: Taylor Luibrand

Taylor was drawn to WCU because of its small size and location in the mountains, but she was particularly impressed with WCU’s Writing and Learning Commons (WaLC) and University Participant (UP) program. She worked as a course tutor at WaLC for the past seven semesters, where she tutored General Chemistry, Anatomy and Physiology 1 and 2, and Kinesiology 2. “Tutoring has helped me to grow a lot in terms of working with other people, working one-on-one to help them improve,” she says. “And I think that is very relevant to my chosen career. It was a great experience.”   

Madison Surrett

Graduate Profile: Madison Surrett

It literally took one day on the campus of Western Carolina University for Madison Surrett to realize it was the place for her. Upon transferring to WCU for her sophomore year after spending one year at a private school in Georgia, Surrett was nervous about coming to Cullowhee. Having felt unaccepted and out of place at her previous school, Surrett didn’t know what to expect.  

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Graduate Profile: Rachael Finigan

Rachael Finigan is receiving her Master’s degree in Biology. She has completed her degree in only four semesters—and during 11 months of that, Rachael was collecting data for her thesis. Her research was part of a collaborative project with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the NC Wildlife Resource Commission to explore the feasibility of restoring native freshwater mussels to the Oconaluftee River within the Qualla Boundary.   

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Highlands Biological Station director named visiting scholar at NY Botanical Garden

Jim Costa will research manuscripts of Charles Darwin's writings, correspondence and other materials this summer for an annotated edition of Darwin’s “The Descent of Man.'  

Dwight Ryland

Colorado couple endows scholarship in effort to save environment through education

Dwight Ryland has seen some glorious views in his day, having climbed all 54 of Colorado’s 14,000-foot mountains — some of them more than once—and skied his native state’s majestic slopes. But a dark cloud on the horizon has redirected his gaze and nudged the 77-year-old Ryland to put his money where his heart is: saving the environment through education.  

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