WCU College of Engineering & Technology

05/28/2026

It's not too late to sign up for one of WCU's new summer online engineering courses! Registration is open for Network Theory I, Network Theory II and Engineering Programming II.

✅ 100% online & asynchronous
✅ Open to WCU and visiting students
✅ Affordable summer tuition
✅ Ideal for degree acceleration or course replacement
✅ Transfer‑friendly (verify with your home institution)

Network Theory I and Engineering Programming II start soon.

Learn more at https://engr.wcu.edu/summercourses.

05/27/2026

Another standout project from last month’s WCU Capstone Symposium highlights the power of student innovation and industry partnership! 🎓

Harris Integrated Solutions sponsored a capstone team challenged to integrate an AI-powered chatbot and help buttons into an HVAC training game for technicians and customers.

Student team members said they learned a lot about AI and how Retrieval Augmented Generation works to power AI machines.

We’re proud of their work and grateful to Harris Integrated Solutions for sponsoring them and co-sponsoring WCU’s Engineering Capstone Symposium event.

05/21/2026

Western Carolina University will launch a new Master of Science (M.S.) in engineering program in Fall 2026, expanding graduate-level opportunities in the College of Engineering and Technology and addressing growing regional and workforce demand for engi...

05/20/2026

🎉 Meet Julie Conway, the newest addition to our academic advising team!

💻 Advising Journey: "Back when I was an undergrad, long, long ago, we didn’t have advisors. We just had to figure it out, and it was stressful! I realized that advising is important! I am very committed to helping my students succeed. Advising is an important part of that process. Sometimes a student simply having a specific person they can reach out to when they aren’t sure of something can make a world of difference as they work toward their goals."

🎓 Academic Background: Master’s in Education here at WCU in the HESA program

⛰ Why WNC: "I moved to WNC in 2004 from the Atlanta area. My husband had family in Lake Junaluska, and we visited often. We loved the mountains and were getting tired of the big city life. So, when my son was about to start high school, we moved to Lake J and have loved it ever since."

💜 Favorite thing about WCU: "I love the people I work with. Everyone supports each other across campus, and I enjoy the collaboration and cooperation across campus offices. Everyone seems to care about the students and that is one of the things that makes WCU a special place."

📚 Beyond the Classroom: "I love to sit on my screened-in porch and read books of all kinds. I am an avid reader of all categories of books. I also enjoy going on adventures with my husband Reid and our labradoodle, Bandit, and enjoying the beauty of the area."

05/19/2026

An inspiring Catamount story 💜

Engineering student Asratun Sarmin Anjum made history this spring as WCU’s first physics graduate in 25 years! Working alongside physics associate professor Enrique Gomez, Anjum was able to earn an interdisciplinary studies degree that spans engineering and applied particle physics with her bachelor’s of science in electrical and computer engineering technology.

Read more about her remarkable journey:
https://www.wcu.edu/stories/posts/anjum-becomes-first-wcu-physics-graduate-in-years.aspx

Asratun Sarmin Anjum’s journey to walking across the stage this month was a lot more unorthodox than most. Anjum, an international student from Bangladesh, ventured from her home country after her mother passed away.

05/18/2026

WCU construction management students are building more than careers. They’re building community. 🔨💜

This past academic year, students volunteered with REACH of Haywood County Inc. to support critical shelter expansion efforts. They used advanced technology to scan the organization's property, create models, and present ideas for renovations and updates. Great work, Catamounts!

LEARN MORE
🔗 https://engr.wcu.edu/reach-project-26

WCU Center for Community Engagement & Service Learning

05/13/2026

WCU students in the ENGR 365 + HIST 308 faculty‑led travel course to Bulgaria, Turkey, and Greece are officially on the ground in Istanbul!

Led by Dr. Yanjun Yan of the College of Engineering and Technology and Dr. Gael Graham of the College of Arts and Sciences, the international educational experience features visits to companies, production plants, universities, museums, and cultural sites—sites from Topkapi Palace Museum in Turkey to Schneider Electric in Bulgaria to the Radomir mountain peak in Greece.

📸 Follow them on Instagram at for updates straight from the group as the adventure continues!

05/12/2026

“Now, Class of 2026, go out and spread your successes to the ends of the earth, and always remember this: you were built in these mountains, and there is no peak that you’re not capable of conquering. Congratulations, Catamounts!”

—Thomas Vest, WCU Engineering Graduate
Spring 2026 Afternoon Commencement Address

📸 WCU Photos & Submitted Photos 💜💛

05/08/2026

Congratulations, graduates! 🎓🎉

We are so proud of you!



Group photos by Eva Naggiar Photography

05/08/2026

🎻✨ Tonight, bluegrass group Upstream Rebellion takes the stage at Steve Sutton Fest in Lake Junaluska. Tomorrow, two of those same musicians will cross a different stage — the one at the Ramsey Center — as Andrew Bivens and Jared Wills celebrate earning their degrees in mechanical engineering and electrical engineering, respectively 👏

(Fun fact: Andrew and Jared first connected in Physics 230!)

That will bring the band's number of WCU College of Engineering and Technology alumni to four. Members have said they’re grateful for the ways WCU helped bring them together — and we’re grateful for the music they’ve shared at WCU Family Weekend and Mountain Heritage Days concerts, and jams, events, and festivals across the region. 🎶

We’re excited to see what the future holds for them. ✨

Meanwhile, here at WCU, there's growing interest in forming a bluegrass club next year! 🎻

💛 Here’s to the music continuing.💜