WCU is home to a small number of U.S. servicemen and even fewer servicewomen. Upon attending the Veteran’s Day candlelight vigil hosted by Last Minute Productions, I met WCU student and veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, Jessica Bradley. She attended the vigil in honor of current members of the armed forces as well as those she […]
Compassion when it counts: The mind of a social worker
December 6, 2016 by
It seemed that an air of compassion followed Joe Allen with every step. As he opened the door to a windowless second-floor waiting room inside the Jackson County Social Services building, the looming sense of dread lingering in the atmosphere scattered. Sitting in a government-beige social services office has a way of conjuring up a […]
WCU to focus on NC Promise, tight budget, continuing momentum in 2016-17
August 18, 2016 by
From the WCU Public Relations Office Western Carolina University Chancellor David O. Belcher urged faculty and staff to spend the 2016-17 academic year building on the momentum of the previous year, gearing up for implementation of the N.C. Promise Tuition Plan, and helping navigate complex budgetary waters. In his annual Opening Assembly address to kick […]
Darby Harris: A cycler’s journey
May 11, 2016 by
“Mountains, little traffic, WCU is perfect!” This was the reaction that Darby Harris had the first time he visited Western Carolina University his senior year in high school. He knew that choosing the right college for him meant choosing the right place to cycle. It was in this moment during our interview that I realized […]
Blunt force trauma: The Western Carolina drug trade
May 3, 2016 by
A tangible barrier of pungent, yellow smoke separates the two of us. Through the dissipating wall of smoke, I see him slump down into the sofa with the content look of someone who has become recently stoned. On him, it looks almost like an expression of freedom. “You a tits or ass kind of guy?” […]
Meet the marching band elite: Drum Corps
May 3, 2016 by
The summer sun is blazing high and hot onto the field. The stands hold hundreds of people, their faces blurred by the summer heat and the distance. She’s exhausted, having spent the day riding in a bus filled with people, and spending the night sleeping on an air mattress in a gym filled to bursting […]
