Long before ransomware attacks on school districts and government offices were commonplace, Southwestern Community College launched the nation’s first associate degree program in Cyber Crime Technology.

Many high school juniors and seniors are unable to participate in the time-honored tradition of visiting colleges this fall in their search for the best fit to continue their education. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in most colleges and universities having to limit campus visits.

Western Carolina University has announced plans for the 2021 spring semester that include delaying the start of classes by two weeks, eliminating the traditional weeklong spring break and providing an abbreviated midterm break.

Southwestern Community College’s Career Services is offering two virtual job fairs this fall through Google Meet.

On Sept. 17, a Western Carolina University student created a petition to implement a pass/fail grading system. This system was used in the spring 2020 semester.

Western Carolina University was recently named to Forbes’ second annual ranking of America’s “Best-In-State Employer.”

For the ninth time out of the past 10 years – and this fall by a small margin – Western Carolina University has experienced an increase in total enrollment, with a new record of 12,243 students enrolled for the 2020 fall semester and an all-time high retention rate.

Thanks to a grant from the North Carolina Policy Collaboratory, the Center for the Study of Free Enterprise at Western Carolina University is conducting an analysis of the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the region.

N.C. State University last week announced the selection of a multicounty region in North Carolina for participation in CREATE BRIDGES, a program designed to build up rural economies.

Over three days, Oct. 2-4, students of all ages at the NASA “Space Apps Challenge” through  Southwestern Community College will work completely virtually in teams with mentors to come up with creative solutions for real world problems on Earth and in space. The theme for this year’s event – …

More than 1,100 community colleges currently offer education and training in the United States.

Uncertainty about university plans, childcare availability and other variables prevented some prospective students from enrolling in college classes this fall.

The Western Carolina University Board of Trustees elected a slate of officers for 2020-21, made appointments to several committees and approved changes to bylaws permitting more frequent electronic meetings as needed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following a recent regulatory overhaul of federal Title IX civil rights legislation by the U.S. Department of Education, Western Carolina University has revamped its Title IX-related policies and procedures. The university adopted Policy 129 “Title IX Sexual Harassment” on Aug. 4.

Tucked away in a small room in Western Carolina University’s Stillwell Building is the university’s herbarium, which consists of roughly 36,500 plant specimens, mostly from the Southern Appalachian Mountains.

Like so many activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, Western Carolina University’s traditional Opening Assembly, an annual event for faculty and staff to kick off the new academic year, will have a different look this fall – and a broader audience, thanks to a scheduled video livestream.

Becoming a teacher through Western Carolina University just got a little easier for people wanting to switch careers and enter high-demand fields of education.

With Gov. Roy Cooper’s signature last Friday on a legislative “mini-budget” providing the final $16.5 million appropriation to fund replacement of Western Carolina University’s decades-old steam plant, university officials say that late Chancellor David Belcher must be smiling down from above.

The construction of Western Carolina University’s first structured parking facility, between the Ramsey Center and Hennon Stadium, has begun.

After much anticipation, Western Carolina University has officially announced changes to the fall semester calendar due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Western Carolina University Board of Trustees will meet Friday, June 5. All meetings will be conducted using Zoom.

It will be May in December for members of Western Carolina University’s spring graduating class of 2020 who were originally scheduled to participate in commencement ceremonies this month until the events were postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Western Carolina University will be moving its on-campus orientation programs scheduled for May and June online instead of the typical in-person format as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to force changes in university operations.

Summer school classes at Western Carolina University will be held online or via another form of distance education course delivery through the end of the second summer term in August.

In-person events like job fairs may not be prudent or feasible during the COVID-19 pandemic, but many of the area’s essential employers are eagerly seeking workers to fill vital job roles.

Wendy Williams, a 2005 graduate from Southwestern Community College’s Medical Laboratory Technology program, is now facing the COVID-19 pandemic head-on as the director of Laboratory and Pathology Services for the Appalachian Regional Healthcare System in Boone.

Kailiann Sadeski of Cullowhee made the President’s List at The College of Coastal Georgia. Students earned their place on the President’s List by their academic performance during the fall 2019 semester.

Assistant Chief Brian Thomas of the Western Carolina University Police Department was one of five North Carolina law enforcement officers to graduate from the FBI National Academy on March 13, during a ceremony held in Quantico, Virginia.

Western Carolina University’s Office of Professional Growth and Enrichment will be offering youth and adult swim classes this month at Reid Gym on WCU’s campus.

Southwestern Community College has a pair of job fairs coming up March 4 and 5.

Matthew Toedt of Sylva earned the distinction of Faculty Honors for Fall 2019 at the Georgia Institute of Technology. This designation is awarded to undergraduate students who have a 4.0 academic average for the semester.

More than 11,400 Catamounts settle in for 2020 classes

Western Carolina University’s Office of Professional Growth and Enrichment will be offering a “Website Construction 101: Learn the Basics of Coding” workshop from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, and again on Friday, April 3, for those who want a next-level course.