The story of Western Carolina University – the story of an affordable, welcoming university in the mountains that prepares its students to succeed and to serve – is one that has been told through the lives of tens of thousands in the university’s 125-year history. Cullowhee Academy, WCU’s precursor, was founded in 1889 to improve the quality of education in North Carolina’s westernmost region and provide high-quality training for teachers who would serve in rural communities. Through the years and in response to Western North Carolina’s changing needs, the institution added and revised programs ranging from scientific to cultural, and has emerged as a public regional comprehensive university affiliated with the University of North Carolina system.

The video “Partners in the Climb” helps tell the story of Western Carolina as a university where students find their own place and their own path, as an institution deeply connected to the unique region it serves, and as a growing campus where faculty, staff and students reach beyond the expected to achieve the extraordinary.

“Founded 125 years ago to provide educational opportunities for the youth of the mountains of Western North Carolina, Western Carolina has remained true throughout its history to its foundational commitment and charge to serve the people of the region,” said WCU Chancellor David O. Belcher. “Western Carolina is a public institution and proudly owns the obligations, responsibilities and privileges associated with its public mission.”

Just in the past 25 years, WCU has conferred 42,463 degrees to 41,686 people. Today, WCU’s Alumni Association stays in contact with 20,284 alumni in the WNC counties of Buncombe, Cherokee, Clay, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain and Transylvania, with more across the state and beyond.

Those alumni are involved in work that speaks to the current and future needs of the region and state, said Teresa Williams, chair of the WCU Board of Trustees. “Our graduates are workforce ready and become contributing citizens and a dynamic force in the communities in which they become involved,” said Williams, a member of the Higher Education Works Board.

Across the region, WCU alumni work in local governments, classrooms, ambulances, medical offices, nursing homes, research and environmental health laboratories, stores, businesses, banks, accounting firms, hotels, nonprofit organizations and other places, and many are doing so in leadership roles, from school system superintendent to state senator to leader of a sovereign nation –  the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

“When you look almost anywhere in Western North Carolina, from businesses to school systems, you are going to find WCU graduates,” said Tony Johnson, executive director of Millennial Initiatives at WCU, which is centered on developing partnerships with government, nonprofit and corporate entities in the region.

In addition to providing high-quality education, university faculty and staff help serve the region by conducting research on topics ranging from water quality to poverty; developing publications such as the Regional Outlook Report to assist community leaders; applying for grants to address needs such as increasing access to engineering education or workforce diversification in nursing and health care fields; and hosting and participating in regional conferences on topics such as bolstering the hospitality and recreation industry in WNC or improving the mathematical skills of the region’s workforce.

As part of that effort, leaders from government, business and nonprofit organizations from throughout WNC will gather with economic development experts and others to discuss solutions leading to sustainable economic and community development at LEAD:WNC, a one-day summit set for Wednesday, Nov. 12, on the WCU campus. With the theme “Connecting Leaders: Building Regional Success,” the summit also will include the participation of economic forecasters, business development specialists and entrepreneurs s.

Tom Ross, president of the UNC system, said WCU has been a beacon of opportunity for the western part of the state. “Western Carolina University’s early focus on preparing teachers for rural mountain classrooms established WCU as the region’s best hope for economic growth and prosperity,” said Ross. “Its academic offerings and outreach have grown and evolved over many generations to meet the changing needs of the people of Western North Carolina and beyond. Today, WCU continues to provide the essential knowledge and skills needed to meet the new challenges facing our state, and to help improve our communities and quality of life. WCU remains a shining light in the west and is the linchpin for sustainable economic development in that region of our state.”