Archives for December 2024

Repealing the Department of Education: what it means for public school funding and vulnerable students

Story co-produced with Marie Spencer President-Elect Donald Trump ran on a campaign aligned with Project 2025, a document outlining the GOP’s plan to instill radical changes to public policy. Written by The Heritage Foundation and other conservative organizations, Project 2025 proposes several significant changes for the U.S. government, including dismantling the federal Department of Education. […]

Dungeons & Dragons: a game for dreamers and strategists…and a good present

Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game originally created and designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game revolves around a group of players embarking on a story told by a Dungeon Master, commonly called a DM, all in the comfort of wherever the group wants to play. And it makes a […]

Queer and Christian at WCU: navigating faith, identity and acceptance in local churches

Story co-produced with Callia Addikis “I think the biggest thing is how [being gay] set me back, with being able to love who I love, and not living my life based off of an artifact,” says Kinley Lewis, a student of environmental science at WCU.   WCU has a diverse student population, with students who […]

Swain County passes alcohol referendum

On Nov. 6, 2024, Swain County voted to allow the on-premises sale of wine and malt beverages. Prior to the 2024 election, businesses inside of Bryson City city limits were allowed to sell alcohol. This decision has shown Swain County residents’ trust in business owners to safely and responsibly sell alcohol. This trust has given […]

Clock tower rings in Christmas for Cullowhee

As finals have begun to rain down on the students of Western Carolina, Chancellor Kelli Brown and her husband Dennis Brown spread some Christmas cheer by hosting WCU’s 4th annual Holidays on the Plaza festival. For a night of seasonal celebration the evening of Dec. 5, dozens of students gathered around the main square of […]

“Shark Tank” winner and WCU alumni praises entrepreneurship program

Story co-produced with Julian Vanderhoef. For people that go onto “Shark Tank” to make a deal, most walk out empty-handed. That wasn’t the case for WCU graduate Garrett Ozar. Ozar is a WCU entrepreneurship graduate and the CEO of Eterneva, a company that won $600,000 on “Shark Tank” in 2019, came to WCU to discuss […]