Graduate School & Research

Catamounts, you never cease to amaze me. The way you showed up to make one day possible was inspirational, especially in our inaugural year of this all-in giving day! 

The initial numbers are in, and we are excited to share that 1,058 donors contributed over $260,000 on One Day for Western. And we're still counting. These gifts will enable amazing projects to materialize, life-changing trips to be taken, and critical programs to continue their good work throughout our community—and it’s all because of your generosity. We cannot wait to share these impact stories with you over the next several months so you can see your investment in action. 

Thank you to everyone who gave, shared, or elevated our message on One Day for Western. We are beyond grateful for your support.

Go Cats! 

Thankfully,  

Rebekah B. Cheney 

Director of Annual Giving

Catamounts, you are SHOWING UP for One Day for Western! To ensure we maximize as many challenge gifts as possible, we're upping our donor goal to 1,000! Here's what we have left to complete before midnight:

Student Affairs

• 5 donors left to hit “per donor” challenges
• $9,325 in challenge dollars left to match

POTM

• $12,175 in challenge dollars remaining

Athletics

• 250 donors left to close out all “per donor” challenges

Belcher College of Fine and Performing Arts

• 36 donors left to close the per donor challenge
• $3,308 in challenge dollars left to match

Brinson Honors College

• 46 donors to go

College of Arts and Sciences

• 7 donors to go for Cherokee Programs Advancement Fund
• 14 donors for Literary Festival fund
• 31 donors for CAS Dean’s Fund
• $2,579 in challenge dollars for FOREST

College of Business

• Matches are completed, but more donors are needed to hit the 75 donor goal

College of Education and Allied Professions

• $44 left to go in challenge dollars

College of Engineering and Technology

• $250 left in challenge dollar

College of Health and Human Sciences

• 11 donors left for MAP Health
• $900 in challenge dollars for Speech and Hearing
• $3,675 in challenge dollars for Dean’s Fund

Hunter Library

• 223 donors to go to realize the $500 match

Other challenges:

• Monica Henson ’84: 83 donors to go (out of 84-donor challenge)
• Kae Livsey: 72 donors to go (out of 75 fac/staff donor challenge)

Thank you so much for all your advocacy and support; you help make one day possible for our students!

Prospect Cullowhee is donating $400 for each renewed or new lease signed on One Day for Western: March 29, 2023! 

As a reminder: donations will be made by Prospect Cullowhee to the tenant’s priority area of choice. Thank you again to Prospect Cullowhee for their partnership!

If you have questions on how you can take advantage of this offer, just visit the Prospect website or call 828-226-4865.

Chancellor Kelli Brown is excited for One Day for Western and we hope you are too!

Thank you in advance for your generosity and advocacy, Catamount Nation - today and every day. Let's make our very first One Day for Western a day to remember. GO CATS!

One Day for Western is an opportunity for you to show your support and commitment to WCU's Graduate School. Your gifts will help increase the value and/or number of Graduate Excellence Awards and also continue the legacy of recognizing deserving faculty members through the Curtis Wood Mentoring Award.

Currently, graduate scholarships are funded by the state of NC and WCU’s Graduate School is able to award funding to 48 students (6 students in 8 programs) per year. Securing additional resources would enable the Graduate School to create more scholarships and increase the size of awards currently offered; there are 37 Graduate programs that have no student award recipients at this time. This also ensures that WCU can recruit the highest quality of candidates, elevating the entire Graduate School.

Graduate students who are mentored likely have a higher career trajectory. Additionally, students who have strong relationships with their graduate advisor are more likely to support WCU’s graduate programs in the future. While faculty who gravitate to mentoring are not solely motivated by recognition, it does go a long way in conveying appreciation. Growing support for the Curtis Wood Mentoring Award will allow us to continue honoring faculty’s commitment to WCU and its students for years to come.

Join us on One Day for Western and make a direct impact on our students and their experience at WCU. Our goal is for 25 donors to make a gift on March 29, but we can only get there with your help!

In support of One Day for Western, Prospect Cullowhee is donating $200 for each renewed or new lease signed by March 29, 2023. The donations will be made by Prospect Cullowhee to the tenant’s priority area of choice. We are grateful for their partnership and cannot wait to see what students are excited to support on One Day for Western! 

If you have questions on how you can take advantage of this offer, just visit the Prospect website or call 828-226-4865.