Dead whales and Vikings

Vicki Szabo simply couldn’t resist when she was asked to harvest the bones of a beached, 13-foot long, pilot whale that had been dead for two months. Szabo, WCU history professor, studies Norse Vikings in the sub-Arctic from the year 800 to 1300. Vikings would make tools and weapons out of whale bones. Her mission […]

Canes and confidence from a chronically ill and queer WCU student

Co-written with Jessica Stephens At first glance, Lennox Shuttleworth (they/he/she) may seem like the average college student, but their life story will tell you much more. They have their good and bad days, but unlike most students, it is because of the torturous pain and fear of being a queer, disabled person. Shuttleworth lays huddled […]

Diving into the world of drag with Bayleigh Katch

Bayleigh Katch (they/them) is a student at Western Carolina University who performs drag in the Sylva area. They are a junior double majoring in criminal justice and emergency/disaster management. Katch’s first performance happened at Sylva Pride this past September. They performed alongside other drag queens in the area like Beulah Land, Ida Carolina, and Calcutta. […]

Meet the Japanese native sharing her culture with WCU

Nanaka Okamura, Japan Outreach Initiative coordinator at WCU, arrived in August 2021 to teach students about her home country’s culture and inspire students to take action against world hunger. Okamura is one of many coordinators dispatched by the Laurentian Institute’s JOI Program to the American Midwest, South, and Mountain regions. She’s the second JOI coordinator […]

Campus police battle to find balance in personal and work-life

Story co-written/produced with Jessica StephensCampus police push past their personal lives and stride to keep students’ safety their first priority on Western’s campus during the 2021-2022 school year. Under the WCUPD’s website, it is stated that officers balance their personal and professional lives while keeping perspective and a sense of humor. Our reporter Savanna Tenenoff, […]

WCU College of Education and Allied Profession is making history with all female leadership

The College of Education and Allied Professions, the second-largest college at WCU started the year by making history for being fully led by females. Dr. Kia Asberg, associate professor in Psychology, started as department head of Psychology on Jan. 1. Without intention, the predominantly female field is going to be managed by women. When looking […]