Open house participants wait for a tour of Walker residence hall. Photo by Haley Smith.
Cloudy skies and rainy weather didn’t stop hundreds of aspiring young students from coming to Western Carolina University’s first open house of spring semester on Saturday, Feb.20.
Potential students piled into WCU for the events of the day, starting with registration at 8 a.m., an information fair in the Ramsey Center, a welcome session, academic sessions, an information fair in the University Center for 35 student organizations on campus, and ending with tours of the campus and dorms.
The open house was put on by WCU’s Entourage, defined on WCU’s website as “an elite group of students to represent Western Carolina University and assist the Office of Admissions with student recruitment initiatives. Related student activities include Open House events and tours of campus.”
Entourage member, Caleb Queen, says he loves to give tours and being a member of Entourage gives him an opportunity to show people what he loves about WCU.
“I love the people, the atmosphere, and the nature around campus,” said Queen.
Vice president of Entourage, Reid Ogden, says the first open house of spring semester has gone pretty well so far, with around 2,000 guests as a whole, and about 800 potential students attending, he states most of the students that attend open house have already been accepted and are deciding if WCU is the school for them.
Potential students meet with Entourage members to begin tours around campus. Photo by Meghan O’Sullivan
A high school senior from Gates County, N.C. has already decided to attend WCU in the fall. As he said. he loves the small town feel WCU has, as well as the landscape of the mountains surrounding campus. His mother agreed, stating that not only does she also love the small town feel, but how well WCU performs academically and putting on events such as an open house.
WCU Dean of students, Kevin Koett, said he was very pleased with the attendance and is happy to see how excited the students and parents are about WCU, watching them jump into the activities and what WCU has to offer by coming to the sessions and learning information about the university.
“Really for me, I love orientation, but open houses are a lot of fun because of the energy, the excitement the students have, and being able to talk to new people, talking to students and parents about our experiences and the things we offer. To me that is what’s exciting, the interpersonal relationships with the people you meet,” said Koett.
A high school junior from Charlotte, N.C. says she really loves WCU and is excited about how she can do a dual major in the field she is interested in, Hospitality and Tourism. Her mother agreed stating she was very impressed with the program her daughter is interested in as well as WCU’s area as a whole, and the study abroad opportunities WCU offers.
WCU’s first open house of spring semester was a great success, full of many students and parents happy about WCU’s organization and how well the event was put together, as well as the excitement for the years to come at the university, the next open house is coming March 12.
