Originally published by The Smokey Mountain News Western Carolina University’s Pride of the Mountains marching band recently returned from its first trip across the pond, where they were invited to perform in the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Dublin, Ireland. Unlike any other trip the band has taken before in […]
Features
Artifacts of Sylva’s history uncovered
Originally published in The Sylva Herald Robin Sharrett was clearing the basement of the former Farmhouse Mercantile and Coffee Bar in Sylva when he found something buried under the old shelves. He dug it up to find a cola bottle made by the Nehi Bottling Company in Bryson City in […]
A biodiversity hotspot in North Carolina’s high country
Just 32 miles south of Western Carolina University and only minutes from downtown Highlands sits a unique and integral biological hotspot. The Highlands Biological Station (HBS) was founded in 1927 and has grown its educational and research missions for nearly a century. In 2018, HBS became a multi-campus center of […]
Documenting history: The ‘voice of the students’ for 90 years
The end of 2023 marked the 90th year of The Western Carolinian. The first edition of the student-run newspaper was published Feb. 15, 1933. A lot has changed since then but one thing remains the same: The Western Carolinian seeks to report the truth and inform the public on WCU’s […]
Smart future: Implementing AI in higher education
Development in artificial intelligence is quickly changing the way we live our lives. As the world advances at great speed, it is increasingly important we be aware of technologies developing around us. Students, instructors and administrators are all grappling with the rapid development of artificial intelligence. But as we try […]
Cullowhee Community Garden stays hot during winter months
Even through winter, as the ground chills over with frost and the plants slowly die, the Cullowhee Community Garden remains hard at work. To avoid the ever-growing cold season, the garden utilizes a greenhouse that cuts through the path of the garden. Through the greenhouse, David Claxon, the garden manager, […]
“We are still here”: Western Carolina University remains a Cherokee place
Originally published in The Western Carolina Journalist November is Native American Heritage Month, but it’s not just a heritage for the Cherokee people of Western North Carolina. It’s a living, vibrant culture. There are 547 federally recognized tribes in the United States. Native Americans were not automatically afforded U.S. citizenship […]
Members of the WCU veteran community speak about the impact of the military
There are many holidays set aside to honor, remember and celebrate the courage of military members active, retired and reserves. From the civilian perspective these holidays are three-day weekends off of work, cookouts with family and days to party. For the military community, these holidays have deeper meaning. Memorial Day, […]
Student activists bring awareness to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Originally published by the Smoky Mountain News As the Israeli-Palestinian conflict rages on, students across the world and across Western North Carolina are organizing to bring awareness to their cause and express their feelings about the ongoing hostilities. “Our protests aren’t as big as those in New York or other […]
Support for Kevin Mabus
Kevin Mabus is the Cat-Tran student-shift supervisor and is a friend to all who know him. Through this role he has created meaningful relationships and shared his wisdom with countless students and staff all while maintaining a safe and welcoming working environment. Unfortunately, last December, Mabus began to notice issues […]