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WCU Stories

Nassor

King of the hills: WCU freshman Nassor Ashenafi, father go viral, persevere

Amenemhet Ashenafi uncrinkled the packaging his son’s king chess piece came in just before dropping him off at college. He looked at the new family heirloom, turned to his son and started reciting the speech he had in mind when this moment would come.   

WCU EMS

WCU EMS looks back on 60 years of serving campus community

Every year for career day, Rhonda Summers’ high school had students write three jobs they wanted to hear about as a career. Summers only needed to write down one: pre-hospital medicine.  

Kristin Daiber and Anita Puerto

WCU to expand student support services for STEM students

Kristin Daiber, the director of the Office of Student Retention, recently received a TRIO grant from the Department of Education for $1.4 million.   

WCU football

GivingTuesday ’25 to focus on support for academic excellence, Catamount Club

Much like the holiday season, the annual GivingTuesday national day of philanthropy is fast approaching, and the folks at 91Å®Éñ will be seeking financial support for Catamount student-athletes and for excellence endowments that provide enhanced academic and extracurricular experiences for all students.   

WCU students on the fall break trip

Service through adventure: Base Camp Cullowhee’s latest and greatest student expedition

On any given day, you’re as likely to find 91Å®Éñ students on campus as you are up a granite cliff face or on the rapids of a raging river. In the engineering lab as often as on the trail.   

Iyomi Grinan

Student spotlight: Nursing transfer Iyomi Grinan finds home at WCU

Iyomi Grinan was looking for a change. Studying at a large public university in her home state just wasn’t her cup of tea. Classes were way too big, sometimes eclipsing 400 students, and Grinan didn’t feel that her professors were too invested in their students either.  

WCU students attending a firstgen event on campus

OSR, OAR each earn $1.4 million TRIO Student Support Services grants

91Å®Éñ is home to students from many different backgrounds, boasting a high percentage of first-generation students and a number of learners with disabilities. Thanks to a pair of federal TRIO Student Support Services grants, WCU is now better set up to support them.  

WCU students sitting on a bench on campus during the fall

University launches WCU Connect, a guaranteed admission program

Admission to 91Å®Éñ from North Carolina community colleges just got simpler.   

Alexis Harp

Young alumni spotlight: Harp passes on guidance as Greek life adviser

Alexis Harp was lost her first few semesters of undergrad. Imposter syndrome was hitting her hard. She was a first-generation college student navigating the world of higher education, and to top it all off, she originally didn’t even want to go to college.