Western Carolina University
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Western Carolina University |
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| Motto | Facultas Vestri Mentis (Power Your Mind) |
| Established | 1889 |
| Type | Public University |
| Chancellor | John W. Bardo |
| Undergraduates | 8891 |
| Postgraduates | 1,600 |
| Location | Cullowhee, North Carolina, United States |
| Campus | Rural/Valley 589 acres |
| Athletics | Division I 13 varsity teams |
| Colors | Purple and Gold |
| Nickname | Western; WCU |
| Mascot | Catamount |
| Website | www.wcu.edu |
Western Carolina University is one of the sixteen public universities that make up the University of North Carolina System. It offers degree programs at the bachelor, masters and doctoral levels. WCU is located in Cullowhee, North Carolina in the county of Jackson with two satellite campuses in Asheville, North Carolina and Cherokee, North Carolina.
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[edit] History
Western Carolina University was founded in August of 1889 as a semi-public school by Mr. Madison after losing the wheel to his cart in the exact location of WCU's current campus. Charted as Cullowhee High School in 1891, it served the Cullowhee community and boarding students from neighboring counties and other states.
The school has had several names over the years: 1905 - Cullowhee Normal and Industrial School; 1925 - Cullowhee State Normal School; 1929 - Western Carolina Teachers College; 1953 - Western Carolina College. In 1967, the institution was designated a regional university by the North Carolina General Assembly and the name of the institution was changed to Western Carolina University.
In 1971, the state legislature reorganized higher education in North Carolina, and on July 1, 1972, Western Carolina University became a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina System. The campus is home to the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching. The center provides week long, all expenses paid seminars for certified teachers, guidance counselors and media specialists.
[edit] Athletics
The university mascot is the catamount, any of various feline animals such as a lynx, cougar, or bobcat. It is one of only two universities in the United States with this mascot. The other is the University of Vermont.
Western Carolina University intercollegiate athletics include men's football, men and women's basketball, men's baseball, women's softball, women's soccer, golf, track and field, cross country running, women's volleyball, and tennis among others. The university competes in the Southern Conference as part of the NCAA Division I-AA for football. In all other sports, the school participates in NCAA Division I athletics. The Catammounts currently hold a NCAA Mens Basketball record for their 1996 1 point loss to Purdue University. A #16 seed has never won a NCAA Div I. tournament game against a #1 Seed. The Catamount football team were runners-up in the Division I-AA National Title Game in 1983. Western Carolina and Appalachian State have a strong rivalry in football where they battle for the Old Mountain Jug on an annual basis.
[edit] Fight Song
Fight on! You Catamounts,
Fight for purple and gold.
Fight on to victory,
True warriors bold.
Wave the royal banner high,
And let it fill the Western sky.
So, fight on! you Catamounts,
Fight to vic-to-ry!
Western, Western, Go-Western! Go--Cats!
Fight on! You Catamounts,
Fight for purple and gold.
Fight on to victory,
True warriors bold.
Wave the royal banner high,
And let it fill the Western sky.
So, fight on! you Catamounts,
Fight to vic-to-ry!
Adopted in 1981, Western Carolina's fight song was composed by members of the University faculty.
[edit] Notable alumni
- Gerald Austin - National Football League referee
- Sean Bridgers - Actor, HBO Original Series “Deadwood” (2004), Sweet Home Alabama (2002), Once Upon a Time… When We Were Colored (1995), and Nell (1994).
- Ronnie Carr - Basketball Player, made the first three-point field goal in College Basketball history on Nov 28, 1980
- Ernest A. Fitzgerald (1947) - a Bishop of the United Methodist Church
- Randall Rigsbee- Managing Editor of The Chatham News in Siler City, NC
- Larry Hendricks - President / CEO of Boyles Furniture.
- {Brad Hoover - Athlete, running back for the Carolina Panthers (NFL).
- Wayne Tolleson - Athlete; former Major League Baseball player.
- David Patten -Athlete; wide receiver, three-time Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots. Currently with the Washington Redskins(NFL) View his player profile
- Clyde Simmons - Athlete; defensive end, Philadelphia Eagles
- Michell Hicks - Principal Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
- Kevin Cassels and Tommy Dennison - Musicians with the popular rock band Mother Vinegar
- Kevin Martin - Basketball Player, Starting Guard for the Sacramento Kings
- Dave Bristol- Former Major League Manager (Reds , Brewers, Braves, Giants)
- Andrew Larson-Musician
- Kurt Bonnett - Trumpet player in Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps in 2003, World Champions.
- Eric Rudolph - Domestic terrorist known for his bombings of the 1996 Olympics as well as several abortion clinics. Rudolph only attended for two semesters1
- Marianne Leek - Western North Carolina Teacher of the Year for the 2005-2006 school year.
[edit] Trivia
- WWCU, the campus radio station at WCU is the only fully licensed FM radio station in Jackson County, North Carolina.
- The WCU Forensic Anthropology program operates one of only two "Body Farms" in the United States. The other one is located in Knoxville, Tennessee at the University of Tennessee.
- The Ramsey Center at WCU is one of the largest arenas in Western North Carolina.
- Cullowhee was named the most wired small town in the United States by Yahoo!
- The main campus is located on the site of an ancient Cherokee Indian village.
- Hunter Library is the largest library in Western North Carolina
[edit] External links
- Catamount Crazies - Western Carolina University News
- University of North Carolina-Association of Student Governments
[edit] Campus Links
- Western Carolina University's main website
- Student Government Association
- Hunter Library
- Catamount Athletics Website
- Liston B. Ramsey Regional Activity Center (Arena)
- The Fine and Performing Arts Center at Western Carolina University
- The Mountain Heritage Center
- Power 90.5 - WCU's student run radio station
- Undergraduate Admissions Website
- The WC-University Newspaper
- WCU Pride of the Mountains Marching Band
[edit] Maps and Aerial Photos
- Street map from Google Local or Yahoo! Maps.
- Satellite image from Google Local.
| Southern Conference |
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| Appalachian State • Chattanooga • The Citadel • College of Charleston • Davidson • Elon • Furman • Georgia Southern • UNC Greensboro • Western Carolina • Wofford |
