The Reporter, May 2015

              SEARCH
Search
Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home
May 6, 2015 􀀀􀀠 Email This Post 􀀀􀀠 Print This Post 􀀀􀁓 Share |
Shoes were 􀀜􁱴tted to children in South Africa on this “Distribution Day,” March 24, 2015. (Photo:
Samaritan’s Feet)
TOP STORIES
Campuswide learning theme goes big next fall
For the first time, the interdisciplinary learning theme for Western Carolina University will be in place for two academic years beginning next fall.
“Africa! More Than a Continent” was the unanimous choice of the steering committee selecting the theme, and the members felt that the size
and scope of the subject deserved emphasis throughout 2015-16 and 2016-17.
Carol Burton, associate provost for undergraduate studies, said the tagline provided an opportunity to emphasize that size and scope. “There are so
many misconceptions about Africa,” she said. “So many people think of it as a single country. The Mercator maps we see distort the size of the
continent; it looks smaller in comparison to, say, North America. But Africa has 54 countries.”
The second largest land mass with the second largest population in the world also has a rich diversity of climates, ecologies, economies and cultures.
“That gives us the opportunity to have a great campuswide conversation about a beautiful, diverse, culture-rich continent,” Burton said. “One of the
things a learning theme does is help us have a conversation that pushes the edge, enlightens and inspires us – whether it is about a place, period or
person, and we’ve had all of those.”
Burton said that Africa is “a provocative topic to me, personally. But what really excites me is the opportunity to propose it, not only to our students, but
to the public.”
The two-year span gives plenty of time to present the conversation more widely. “Once we launch a learning theme, we want to get it out early so that
disciplines can plan to embed it in courses and activities,” Burton said. “We’ll take a two-pronged approach: a 􀀜􁱲rst year for general awareness about
geography, food, culture, basic issues; then in the second year, an embedded, deeper approach – including, hopefully, travel-learning opportunities.”
Among the many opportunities a􀀽􃵯orded by the
theme, a unique one for service learning has
presented itself. “We’re forming a partnership
with Samaritan’s Feet, an international charity
that supplies shoes for children,” Burton said. “It
was founded by Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Ohonme, who
has four children – one of whom attends WCU.
This partnership will open many opportunities for
grassroots involvement of people who are
interested.”
In weeks to come, as more planning and
preparation for fall semester takes place, work will
progress on a website o􀀽􃵥ering instructional
materials and other information created with the
help of Hunter Library and Coulter Faculty
Commons, Burton said.
Previous interdisciplinary learning themes have
been:
2009-2010 “Jose􀀜􁱮na Niggli – A Celebration of
Culture, Life and Art”
2010-2011 “Sweet ‘n Low – An Interdisciplinary Journey to Living Well”
2011-2012 “The WCU Poverty Project”
2012-2013 “Citizenship and Civility”
2013-2014 “The Decade of the 1960’s – Take it All In”
2014-2015 “North Carolina: Our State, Our Time”
By Keith Brenton
CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER
TOP STORIES
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
ACHIEVEMENTS
EVENTS
PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES
CALENDAR
5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern
Minds
5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond
LINKS
Calendar
Higher Education NewsWatch
WCU Hub
AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT
© 2015 Western Carolina University.
SEARCH
Search
Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home
May 6, 2015 􀀀􀀠 Email This Post 􀀀􀀠 Print This Post 􀀀􀁓 Share |
ACHIEVEMENTS
Chancellor to speak at A-B Tech commencement
Chancellor David Belcher will speak at the commencement exercises for Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College at the U.S. Cellular
Center in downtown Asheville, Saturday, May 16, at 2 p.m.
The title of his presentation is “Point of Departure.”
For more information about the event, see the A-B Tech web page https://www.abtech.edu/graduation.
Tags: David Belcher
CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER
TOP STORIES
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
ACHIEVEMENTS
EVENTS
PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES
CALENDAR
5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern
Minds
5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond
the Glass Matrix
5/29/2017 Water Portraits: Barbara
Tyroler
6/9/2017 Musical Variety Show
'Livin' the Dream'
6/10/2017 Musical Variety Show
'Livin' the Dream'
LINKS
Calendar
Higher Education NewsWatch
WCU Hub
AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT
© 2015 Western Carolina University.
SEARCH
Search
Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home
May 6, 2015 􀀀􀀠 Email This Post 􀀀􀀠 Print This Post 􀀀􀁓 Share |
These mid-20th century era apartments are being vacated for demolition later.
TOP STORIES
Faculty apartment complex to cease operations; parking lot planned
The Department of Residential Living is getting out of the business of providing short-term housing opportunities to Western Carolina University
faculty and staff as a 35-unit apartment complex in operation since the 1960s closes later this year.
Located o􀀰􃀠 of Long Branch Road across N.C. Highway 107 from the main WCU campus, the complex will be demolished and replaced by a parking lot
designed to help alleviate the anticipated parking crunch expected to accompany the addition of more than 400 beds to the university’s inventory of
student housing in fall 2016.
The decision to level the aging apartment complex is based on simple economics and on a sharpening of focus on the need for student housing, said
Keith Corzine, assistant vice chancellor for campus services.
“Those apartments are 50 years old, they are not air-conditioned, and they have seen no major renovations or upgrades since they were built back in the
1960s,” Corzine said. “We faced the fact that we had to make a business decision and that we did not want too much money tied up in faculty
apartments given our limited resources. Simply put, faculty apartments do not meet our primary mission of providing student housing.”
Although discussions about taking the faculty apartments o􀀽􃵩ine have been in the works for several years, the timetable for action on the project was
kick-started by the November 2013 fire that damaged a two-story structure on Centennial Drive in the heart of the WCU campus, Corzine said.
After the 􀀾􃹲re, university o􀀿􃽣cials weighed
numerous options concerning what to do with the
􀀾􃹲re-damaged property and other nearby
structures in the commercial strip, which is
owned by the Endowment Fund of Western
Carolina University. The Board of Trustees of the
Endowment Fund decided in February 2014
against replacing or repairing the structures,
choosing instead to proceed with demolition of
the property followed by private development of a
n e w mixed-use facility on the site. When
opened in August 2016, the new 120,000-square-foot
building is expected to contain a total of
about 420 additional student beds, along with
dining and retail establishments.
“We knew that a mixed-used development was in the cards in our university master plan, but when the 􀀾􃹲re happened in November 2013, it was the 􀀾􃹲rst
in a series of dominos to fall,” Corzine said. “The 􀀾􃹲re moved the mixed-use project up a notch, and the fallout from adding those additional beds is that
we found ourselves in need of additional parking.”
The antiquated faculty apartment complex o􀀰􃁥ers one of a handful of potential sites for that parking, he said. “The university recognized the need to be
able to accommodate more parking in as cost-effective a method as possible, and basic surface parking is still the most cost-effective method,” he said.
The land where the apartments are located could handle slightly more than 500 parking spots if fully utilized, he said.
To prepare for the end of on-campus faculty and sta􀀰􃀠 housing, the Department of Residential Living last year began phasing out the number of renters
living in the complex, limiting the length of leases (or user agreements) to one year.
Most of the rental agreements begin expiring at the end of May, although a couple of the residents are expected to remain in the complex until January.
Current plans call for demolition of the apartments in late winter or early spring 2016, with completion of the parking lot in time for the opening of the
school year and the new mixed-use facility in August 2016.
University o􀀿􃽣cials are in the process of determining whether the new lot will be paved or gravel, and 􀀾􃹧guring out who will be allowed to park in the new
lot.
“The faculty apartments have served us well with the intent to provide transitional housing to incoming faculty and sta􀀰􃀠 at a reasonable rate,” Corzine
said. “A lot of people have bene􀀾􃹴ted from the apartments over the years. But now we 􀀾􃹮nd ourselves in the situation where we cannot a􀀰􃁯ord to invest
what is needed to be invested in order to upgrade the units.”
Had the university decided to renovate the apartments, renters would have faced a major increase in monthly rental fees to recoup those expenses, he
said. In addition, more off-campus options have been made available in recent years with the growth of nearby apartment complexes.
By Bill Studenc
CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER
TOP STORIES
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
ACHIEVEMENTS
EVENTS
PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES
CALENDAR
5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern
Minds
5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond
LINKS
Calendar
Higher Education NewsWatch
WCU Hub
AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT
© 2015 Western Carolina University.
SEARCH
Search
Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home
May 6, 2015 􀀀􀀠 Email This Post 􀀀􀀠 Print This Post 􀀀􀁓 Share |
Jeremy B. Jones
ACHIEVEMENTS
Faculty member’s memoir takes gold
Jeremy B. Jones, assistant professor of English at Western Carolina University and author of “Bearwallow: A Personal History of a
Mountain Homeland,” has won a gold medal for his work in the autobiography/memoir classification of the 2015 Independent
Publisher Book Awards.
“Bearwallow” recounts Jones’ return with
his wife to the Southern Appalachian
homeland settled by his ancestors about
200 years ago, where he took a job as a
teacher alongside his own childhood
teachers and experienced an ongoing
connection with the mountain for which
the memoir is named.
“Region can shape people in a specific
way,” Jones said in a December interview
with Bethany Chafin of public radio
station WFDD in the Piedmont. “The
book asks, overtly in the early part, ‘What
does it mean to be mountain people and
how are we shaped?’ It’s not artifice for
the book; I genuinely was asking that
question.”
The “IPPY” Awards, launched in 1996, are
designed to bring increased recognition
to the deserving but often unsung titles published by independent authors and publishers. Established as the first awards program open
exclusively to independents, over 3,000 recognitions have been awarded to authors and publishers around the world.
For more information about the competition and the complete list of this year’s winners, see the organization’s web page at
independentpublisher.com/article.php?page=1936.
By Keith Brenton
Tags: Jeremy Jones
CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER
TOP STORIES
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
ACHIEVEMENTS
EVENTS
PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES
CALENDAR
LINKS
Calendar
Higher Education NewsWatch
WCU Hub
AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT
© 2015 Western Carolina University.
SEARCH
Search
Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home
May 6, 2015 􀀀􀀠 Email This Post 􀀀􀀠 Print This Post 􀀀􀁓 Share |
TOP STORIES
Finalists chosen from among WCU Quality Enhancement Plan proposals
Western Carolina University is one step closer to identifying the focus of its 10-year Quality Enhancement Plan, which is an integral part of the Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges reaccreditation review planned for 2017.
The QEP Topic Selection Committee has narrowed the 􀀫􂭥eld of 55 submitted proposals for the QEP down to eight 􀀫􂭮nalists. The 􀀫􂭮nalists will develop
white papers on their topics over the course of the summer, and the campus will vote on the winning idea in September.
“After reviewing the long list of submissions, it was incredible to see that several
important, campuswide issues and opportunities rose to the top as themes,” said
Sloan Despeaux, associate professor of mathematics and chair of the QEP Topic
Selection Committee. “Ultimately, the selection committee was able to identify
eight themes that were the focus of multiple submissions, and we selected the
most well-developed proposal in each of those themes as the 􀀫􂭮nalists. We have
asked the 􀀫􂭮nalists to consider other proposals with similar themes as they craft
their more fully developed white paper proposals that will be presented to campus this fall.”
As a component of the accreditation process for WCU, SACSCOC requires that the university develop an acceptable QEP that focuses on learning
outcomes and/or an environment supporting student learning. In addition, WCU must ensure that it has the capacity to implement and sustain the QEP,
that a broad base of stakeholders was involved in the process, and that the QEP identi􀀫􂭥es goals and a plan to assess their achievements (as taken from
the SACSCOC Handbook).
The eight themes, as well as the winning proposals and authors, are:
THEME 1: LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY IN THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
Winning proposal: “Online with 2020,” submitted by Sue Grider, Laura Cruz, Martha Diede, Susan Fouts and Tony Miller.
THEME 2: COURSES TO CAREERS
Winning proposal: “Life Skills,” submitted by Shauna Sleight.
THEME 3: DIVERSITY AND CIVILITY
Winning proposal: “Investing in a Diversified Institution.”
THEME 4: ENGAGED AND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
Winning proposal: “Regional Community Engagement: Creating a Personal Habit and Campus Culture of Civic and Community Engagement,” submitted
by Adam Ray and Lane Perry.
THEME 5: TEACHING ECONOMIC AND ECOLOGICAL SUSTAINABILITY
Winning proposal: “SUSTAIN: WCU as a Living Learning Laboratory,” submitted by Lauren Bishop, Laura Cruz, Andy Coburn and Josh Whitmore.
THEME 6: INNOVATION THROUGH COLLABORATION
Winning proposal: “Creativity and Innovation,” submitted by Lisa Bloom and Sharon Dole.
THEME 7: CULTIVATING INTENTIONAL LEARNERS
CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER
TOP STORIES
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
ACHIEVEMENTS
EVENTS
PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES
CALENDAR
5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern
Minds
5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond
LINKS
Calendar
Higher Education NewsWatch
WCU Hub
AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT
Winning proposal: “Mindset: Cultivating Intentional, Persistent Learners,” submitted by Chesney Reich, Laura Cruz, Martha Diede, Russ Curtis, Shawn
Hudson, David Onder, Alison Joseph and Ellen Sigler.
THEME 8: PREPARATION FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS
Winning proposal: “Placement, Emporium, Math Success,” submitted by Jeff Lawson, Nory Prochaska and John Wagaman.
© 2015 Western Carolina University.
SEARCH
Search
Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home
May 6, 2015 􀀀􀀠 Email This Post 􀀀􀀠 Print This Post 􀀀􀁓 Share |
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
Proceeds from dance boost new parks and recreation management
scholarship
Western Carolina University’s Parks and Recreation Management Program hosted its inaugural Catamount Community Dance recently in Reid
Gymnasium to raise funds for the program’s new student scholarship fund.
Students taking a course in parks and recreation “Management and Administration” planned, organized, implemented and evaluated the event. Heidi
Turlington of the Health and Physical Education Program was the caller and live music was provided by PRM faculty members Maurice Phipps and Ben
Tholkes, and PRM alumnus Aaron Caldwell. Forty-􀀴􃑶ve individuals participated in the dance, including Dale Brotherton, head of the Department of
Human Services, and Dale Carpenter, dean of the College of Education and Allied Professions.
Proceeds from the dance, more than $300, have been added to the scholarship fund, said Debby Singleton, who teaches in both PRM and HPE.
The PRM faculty began exploring the idea of creating a scholarship to bene􀀴􃑴t students in the program last year, Singleton said. Paperwork was
completed recently and fundraising has begun to endow the Phipps-Tholkes-Singleton Scholarship at $10,000 by 2020. More information about the
scholarship is available by contacting any member of the PRM faculty.
Becky Lindsay, adjunct instructor for the Parks and Recreation Management Program and sta􀀺􃩭
member in Student Support Services, and PRM student A.C. Smoker (foreground) kick up their
heels at the Catamount Community Dance.
By Randall Holcombe
CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER
TOP STORIES
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
ACHIEVEMENTS
EVENTS
PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES
CALENDAR
5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern
Minds
5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond
the Glass Matrix
5/29/2017 Water Portraits: Barbara
Tyroler
6/9/2017 Musical Variety Show
'Livin' the Dream'
6/10/2017 Musical Variety Show
'Livin' the Dream'
LINKS
Calendar
Higher Education NewsWatch
WCU Hub
AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT
© 2015 Western Carolina University.
SEARCH
Search
Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home
May 6, 2015 􀀀􀀠 Email This Post 􀀀􀀠 Print This Post 􀀀􀁓 Share |
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
Staff Senate awards three scholarships
Because of donations through payroll deductions and fundraisers bene􀀣􂍴ting the Western Carolina University Staff Senate Scholarship Fund this
year, the Staff Senate was able to award three scholarships.
Students who are children and relatives of SPA and EPA non-faculty employees, and who will be attending WCU, are eligible to apply for the Sta􀀬􂰠 Senate
Scholarship. This year’s awardees, all sophomores receiving $1,000 each, are:
Tiffany Brown, biology major, granddaughter of Virginia Owen of the Division of Information Technology
Tiffany Frady, math education major, daughter of William Frady of IT
Hannah Adams, elementary education major, daughter of Jerry Adams of the University Police Department
Pictured (from left to right) are Annette Parris, secretary of Sta􀀬􂰠 Senate; Ti􀀬􂱡any Brown, awardee;
Martin Brow, chair of the Sta􀀬􂰠 Senate Scholarship committee; Ti􀀬􂱡any Frady, awardee; and David
Rathbone, chair of Sta􀀬􂰠 Senate. (Hannah Adams, third awardee, was not present for the
photograph.)
The University Club recently sponsored a fundraiser for the scholarship fund and raised more than $1,500.
Staff Senate is an elected body that represents WCU’s permanent, non-faculty employees and seeks to improve the quality of life at the university.
UClub hosts its TGIF events at the Moore Building on Fridays from 5-7 p.m. (including the summer). There is an online form to join at
http://www.wcu.edu/faculty-staff/uclub-the-university-club/join-the-uclub.asp.
Lisen Roberts, past president of the UClub, presented the check to Martin Brow, chair of the Sta􀀬􂱓
Senate Scholarship committee, to help fund the three scholarships at a gifting ceremony at the
CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER
TOP STORIES
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
ACHIEVEMENTS
EVENTS
PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES
CALENDAR
5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern
Minds
5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond
LINKS
Calendar
Higher Education NewsWatch
WCU Hub
AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT
Chancellor’s Residence on Friday, May 1.
© 2015 Western Carolina University.
SEARCH
Search
Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home
May 6, 2015 􀀀􀀠 Email This Post 􀀀􀀠 Print This Post 􀀀􀁓 Share |
Jessica Sims
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
Student awarded $11,000 counseling fellowship
Jessica Sims, a graduate student at Western Carolina University, has been selected by the National Board for Certi􀀪􂩥ed Counselors Foundation to
participate in a minority fellowship program for addictions counselors.
Sims, of Prospect Park, New Jersey, will receive $11,000 in
funding and training to support her education and facilitate her
addictions counseling service to underserved minority
transition-age youth (ages 16 to 25).
A May graduate earning a master’s degree in clinical mental
health counseling from WCU, Sims also is a graduate of
Lander University in Greenwood, South Carolina. She taught
􀀪􂩲rst-year undergraduate counseling students at WCU in fall
2013 and fall 2014. Lisen Roberts, director for the clinical
mental health counseling and school counseling
program at WCU, said Sims’ graduate assistantship included
working for WCU’s O􀀸􃡣ce of Intercultural A􀀺􃩡airs. Sims has
spent 2014-2015 interning at Jackson County Psychological
Services in Sylva.
“This national award is a re􀀼􃱥ection of Jessica’s commitment
to the profession,” Roberts said. “As a counselor-in-training,
she proved herself early on and consistently to have high-quality
counseling skills and dedication to serving the mental
health needs of the region.”
Sims said she was thrilled when she learned that she had
received the fellowship. “Words cannot adequately explain
what an honor this opportunity is,” she said. “This fellowship
exempli􀀪􂩥es my goals of serving underserved populations and
working toward bridging the gap in mental health
disparities.”
Speci􀀪􂩣cally, Sims is interested in working with children and
families with a specialty in addictions. She said she believes
that this fellowship has brought her closer to achieving her
goal and she vows to work hard to bridge the gap in mental
health disparities.
For more information about the master’s level program in
clinical mental health counseling at WCU, visit the website
counseling.wcu.edu.
The fellowship program is made possible by a grant awarded to NBCC by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in
September 2014. The foundation is contracted by NBCC to administer the program, as well as other training and collaboration activities that are open to
all national certi􀀪􂩥ed counselors. The goal of the program is to reduce health disparities and improve behavioral health care outcomes for racially and
ethnically diverse populations by increasing the available number of culturally competent behavioral health professionals.
The foundation plans to open the next NBCC MFP-AC application period in September 2015. To learn more about the NBCC MFP and its fellows, visit
www.nbccf.org.
By Keith Brenton
CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER
TOP STORIES
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
ACHIEVEMENTS
EVENTS
PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES
CALENDAR
5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern
Minds
5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond
the Glass Matrix
5/29/2017 Water Portraits: Barbara
Tyroler
6/9/2017 Musical Variety Show
'Livin' the Dream'
6/10/2017 Musical Variety Show
'Livin' the Dream'
LINKS
Calendar
Higher Education NewsWatch
WCU Hub
AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT
© 2015 Western Carolina University.
SEARCH
Search
Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home
May 6, 2015 􀀀􀀠 Email This Post 􀀀􀀠 Print This Post 􀀀􀁓 Share |
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
WCU again named ‘top adventure college’ in outdoor magazine poll
For the second year in a row, Western Carolina University has been chosen through an online poll as the No. 1 college for outdoor adventure in the
Southeast and Mid-Atlantic by a leading outdoors magazine.
WCU captured the title of “top adventure college” over the second-place school, Montreat
College, following several rounds of voting in which the university also came out on top against
Virginia Tech, the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and Appalachian State. Representatives of
Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine announced the results of the competition Monday, May 4, and
promised a more complete survey of regional outdoor education o􀀷􃝥erings in the publication’s
August issue.
In an online article about the poll results, magazine sta􀀷􃜠 member Travis Hall interviewed Josh
Whitmore of Base Camp Cullowhee, WCU’s outdoor programming organization, and
quoted him as saying, “We have a sta􀀷􃜠 of three full-time employees and about 25 students
who help us achieve our goals. We organize trips and events in places like Colorado and Utah,
but we focus heavily on our own backyard.”
That “backyard,” the article said, consists of public lands like Great Smoky Mountains National
Park and the Pisgah and Nantahala national forests, which “a􀀷􃝯ord WCU students quick and
easy access to some of the best landscapes the Southern Appalachians have to o􀀷􃝥er. But what
really sets it apart from similar mountain schools are WCU’s outdoor resources, experience, and leadership.”
Whitmore, who oversees Base Camp Cullowhee operations, also spoke of many land-, air- and water-based activities available in the university’s area, and
of his program’s growth in the adventure-rich environment. “Over the years Base Camp Cullowhee has evolved from a small outdoor program within the
recreation department to its own entity with over 9,000 participant experiences per year. In 2008 we completed a 2,100-square-foot indoor rock
climbing facility, and just a couple years ago we added a 7-mile multi-use trail system,” Whitmore said. “Our sta􀀷􃜠 does a lot of great work, but the
students are the ones that really run the show here.”
The magazine also interviewed Mitch Bearden, a WCU student and guide for Base Camp Cullowhee who also is an outdoor and whitewater enthusiast. A
video recording of his group’s kayak runs in the Tallulah Gorge in Georgia is linked to the article.
In addition to Base Camp Cullowhee, WCU o􀀷􃝥ers numerous academic programs for students interested in careers in the outdoors, including parks and
recreation management, forest resources, hospitality and tourism and natural resource conservation and management.
Blue Ridge Outdoors’ coverage of the “top adventure college” competition is available online at http://www.blueridgeoutdoors.com/go-outside/
western-carolina-university-wins-top-adventure-college-honors/.
For more information about last year’s win, see http://magazine.wcu.edu/2015/02/an-outside-influence/.
By Keith Brenton
CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER
TOP STORIES
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
ACHIEVEMENTS
EVENTS
PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES
CALENDAR
5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern
Minds
5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond
LINKS
Calendar
Higher Education NewsWatch
WCU Hub
AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT
© 2015 Western Carolina University.
SEARCH
Search
Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home
May 6, 2015 􀀀􀀠 Email This Post 􀀀􀀠 Print This Post 􀀀􀁓 Share |
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
WCU faculty, staff members, alumni connect at conference
WCU faculty, staff members, alumni connect at conference
Western Carolina University faculty, staff and students attending a recent annual meeting
of the North Carolina Museums Council in Durham had an opportunity to get together
with some WCU alumni who also were attending the event. Gathering are (from left) Jessie
Swigger, director of WCU’s Public History Program; Lexi Lucas, undergraduate student in
history; Katie Bell, graduate student in history; Pam Meister, interim director and curator of
WCU’s Mountain Heritage Center; Jarrett Leone, undergraduate student in art; Denise
Drury, interim director of WCU’s Fine Art Museum; Keely Johanson, undergraduate
student in art; Ashley Zawilla, undergraduate student in art; Scott Chamness, 2012 WCU
graduate with a bachelor’s degree in history; Christian Edwards, 2006 WCU graduate with a
master’s degree in history; and (kneeling) Peter Koch, education associate at the Mountain
Heritage Center.
CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER
TOP STORIES
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
ACHIEVEMENTS
EVENTS
PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES
CALENDAR
5/29/2017 Ancient Forms,
Modern Minds
5/29/2017 Print Plus One:
LINKS
Calendar
Higher Education NewsWatch
WCU Hub
AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT
© 2015 Western Carolina University.
SEARCH
Search
Home About Archives Subscribe Contact WCU Home
May 6, 2015 􀀀􀀠 Email This Post 􀀀􀀠 Print This Post 􀀀􀁓 Share |
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
WCU takes second place in ‘Battle of the Plug’
Western Carolina University saved more than 19,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity during the three-week 2015 Battle of the Plug energy conservation
competition with four other colleges and universities in the region.
The 4.8 percent reduction in energy usage – equivalent to about $2,000 in savings – gave WCU a second
place 􀀲􃉮nish. Elizabeth City State University was 􀀲􃉲rst with a 6.9 percent drop during the fourth annual
competition.
In the WCU intramural campus competition, Robertson Residence Hall emerged as WCU’s 2015 Battle of the
Plug Energy victor with a 35.7 percent reduction in energy usage.
“Robertson won the competition on campus with the greatest reduction and they will receive a prize for the
building,” said Lauren Bishop, chief sustainability officer at WCU.
Reynolds Hall, last year’s champion, was second with a 31.6 percent decrease. Buchanan Hall placed third with a 21.4 percent drop.
In the contest between campuses, Meredith College was third with a 4.2 percent reduction, and the University of North Carolina Greensboro’s 1.9 percent
decrease earned it fourth place.
Last year’s winner, Appalachian State University, actually increased its energy usage 1.8 percent during the April 2-22 competition this year, and came in
fifth.
Students from WCU made 428 speci􀀲􃉣c commitments to reduce energy usage, such as setting computer power-saving modes, air drying laundry, taking
stairs rather than elevators and turning off unused public lights at night.
More results of the local and global competitions are posted online at buildingdashboard.net/wcu/#/wcu/.
Student Government Association representatives who supported the ‘Battle of the Plug’ include (left
to right) Jonathan Parisi, junior, Havelock; Emily Ranson, sophomore, Huntersville; Hank Henderson,
sophomore, Marietta, Georgia; and Samir Hafiz, graduate student, Charlotte.
By Keith Brenton
CATEGORIES | THE REPORTER
TOP STORIES
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
ACHIEVEMENTS
EVENTS
PHOTOS | WCU NEWS SERVICES
CALENDAR
5/29/2017 Ancient Forms, Modern
Minds
5/29/2017 Print Plus One: Beyond
the Glass Matrix
5/29/2017 Water Portraits:
Barbara Tyroler
6/9/2017 Musical Variety Show
'Livin' the Dream'
6/10/2017 Musical Variety Show
'Livin' the Dream'
LINKS
Calendar
Higher Education NewsWatch
WCU Hub
AFRICA! MORE THAN A CONTINENT
© 2015 Western Carolina University.