WCU Alumni Association

06/01/2026

If there’s one thing WCU Alumni know how to do, it’s spend a summer day...

1) IN THE MOUNTAINS
2) OUTDOORS
3) ON THE WATER

Join us at the Nantahala Outdoor Center this month on Saturday, June 27th to practice all 3 😌 We'll be rafting at 11:30 AM and meeting back up for dinner (provided by Alumni Engagement) and drinks onsite from 6-9. Register here to raft: https://bit.ly/4a6Gf3D and RSVP for dinner with us: https://bit.ly/4vHfAD9. 🛶

05/31/2026

📍WE ARE ⚠️

05/29/2026

Long before today’s campus looked the way it does, parts of Western Carolina University were still open pastureland… and apparently the perfect place for motocross. 🏍️

These photos from the early 1970s show riders, jumps, spectators and a dirt track right here in Cullowhee.

Do you remember this? Were you there… or do you know the story behind it? We’d love to hear what you know! ⚠️ 🤘🏻

05/28/2026

Before it became home to dance and theatre, Breese Gymnasium was already making campus history.

Completed in 1939 during the height of the New Deal, Breese was funded by the Works Progress Administration as one of six campus buildings made possible through those historic programs. Built with stone quarried nearby while Western was still Western Carolina Teacher’s College, the building was named for William E. Breese.

For many alumni, Breese was the place for basketball games, swimming lessons, laps in the pool, PE classes, and countless memories. During the 1950s, it even served as a nuclear fallout shelter during the Cold War. More than 85 years later, Breese continues serving Catamounts in new ways while holding generations of stories within its walls.

If you spent time in Breese, what memories do you have there?

05/27/2026

This NC weather has us remembering why they call us WCU... ☔

05/26/2026

From Cullowhee to the national stage, WCU alumna Asha Evans ’16 is telling the stories of student-athletes at the NCAA, including highlights from those competing in the Winter Olympics.

A double major in communications and sport management, Evans credits her time at Western, especially hands-on roles with WCU Athletics and guidance from her professors, for opening doors to internships and opportunities that shaped her career.

“I'm not going to lie. I'm a softie, so sometimes I'll cry, but I think that's the beauty of it,” Evans says. “I get to be somewhat of a vessel to take these really compelling stories and these amazing people and shine light on just who they are.” Whee are proud of you Asha!

Wherever Asha Evans’ career has taken her, her love for words has followed. The Western Carolina University alumna has told stories of student-athletes at small private colleges to Division I powerhouses — and now she’s sharing them at a national level.

05/25/2026

Today, we remember and honor the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country, including members of the Catamount community, whose sacrifice will never be forgotten. We pause in gratitude for their courage, service, and ultimate sacrifice. 🇺🇸

05/24/2026

the Cat-Tran has had a few different eras, a few different buses, a few different routes but it's been a part of the student experience for a long time 🚌

05/22/2026

Did you know your impact at Western can go beyond a cash gift?

William Banks Hinshaw and Robin Markle Hinshaw of Franklin, NC are showing just that with a remarkable gift to Western Carolina University. The couple recently donated 18 works of art and artifacts from their personal collection to the WCU Fine Art Museum, Mountain Heritage Center and Tali Tsisgwayahi Archaeological Collections and Curation Facility, along with a $2,000 gift to help conserve and care for these pieces.

Their generosity builds on their previous $125,000 commitment supporting a more balanced representation of artists in WCU’s permanent collections, creating hands-on learning opportunities for students studying art, history, archaeology, museum studies and more.

Thank you, Banks and Robin, for helping preserve history, expand access and inspire future generations of Catamounts. Read the full article here: https://bit.ly/4wnsuXO

05/22/2026

Alumni, let's rally for these Cats with Bats!