WCU Celebrates Graduate Education and Research

Fall 2019

From the Dean...

I hope that each of you are looking forward to an enjoyable holiday season with family and friends!

The Graduate School and Research Office has been busy since our last newsletter in April. Our faculty and staff, supported by our Office of Research Administration, have been productive and successful with over $5.5 million received from 82 research awards in our most recent fiscal year. That hard work and productivity also shows in the Graduate School where our faculty and staff have recruited additional students boosting our current Fall 2019 graduate student enrollment to 1,698 students, the highest graduate enrollment since Fall 2011!

However, increased enrollment has stretched financial resources thin for our larger student body who often are supporting their own children and other family members as they work and earn their graduate degrees. They will appreciate every dollar of donations from you, our alumni, to put towards their education to make a positive impact in our region, our state, our country, and our world. Please help to support our current graduate students with a donation to the Graduate School and Research!

Brian Kloeppel, Ph.D
Dean and Professor
Graduate School and Research

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University receives $1.25 million federal grant for autism-related training

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded a $1.25 million grant to Western Carolina University for groundbreaking instruction to prepare professionals for work with children with autism.

More...

The Graduate Student Association received 44 eligible applications for the Fall Travel Grant for students to pursue professional development opportunities. The GSA allocated $8,085 travel grant funds to support 37 students.

Learn more about GSA Travel Grants

Educating and preparing students for graduate study was the focus of the second annual Graduate Education Week, held October 28 - November 1. Sponsored by WCU’s Graduate School and Research, the events showcased the accomplishments of current graduate students and provided resources to undergraduate students considering graduate study.

More about Graduate Education Week activities....

Graduate Students Compete in Three Minute Thesis

Seven graduate students representing four different graduate programs competed in the 2019 Three Minute Thesis competition as part of WCU's campus-wide Graduate Education Week. WCU community members and local business leaders judged the participants on communication style, comprehension, engagement and impact.

Winners were presented with tuition awards by Interim Provost, Dr. Richard Starnes.

2019 3MT Participants and Judges

Top Row, L-R: Ed McGowan, Dr. Andy Ritenour, Interim Provost Starnes, Dr. Alleyne Broomell, Kevin Corbin
Bottom Row, L-R: Victoria Bost, Higher Education Student Affairs; Holli Stillman, Higher Education Student Affairs; Kevin Jenson, English; Kristen Nichols, Higher Education Student Affairs; Lydia See, Fine Arts; Molly Gooden, Biology; Lila Welsh, Higher Education Student Affairs.

2019 3MT Award Winners

L-R, Judge Ed McGowan; Judge Dr. Andy Ritenour; People's Choice Winner, Holli Stillman - Higher Education Student Affairs; 2nd Place Winner, Molly Gooden - Biology; 1st Place Winner, Kevin Jenson - English; Interim Provost Dr. Richard Starnes; Judge Kevin Corbin; Judge Dr. Alleyne Broomell.

More about the Three Minute Thesis Competition....

Graduate Education Summit

Graduate faculty and staff participated in the Graduate Education Summit on Thursday, October 30 which focused on Graduate Student Engagement and Inclusion. Amanda Harding, Assistant Director of the Data Science Institute at Vanderbilt University delivered the keynote address. Breakout sessions addressed diversity and inclusion issues in recruiting, engagement in an online environment and building relationships across campus.

More on the Graduate Education Summit...

Support the work of Graduate School and Research

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Combatting Addiction: A Second Chance for Veterans

MSW Alumnus Kevin Rumley '18 serves with Asheville's Buncombe County Veterans Treatment Court (VTC) which is an example of a treatment court that specifically serves the veteran community.

Grant Will Expand Opiod Workforce

WCU received $3.3 million in grants in the 1st Quarter of fiscal year 2020. The largest of those grants, from the Health Resources and Services Administration, will help to expand the workforce for social work professionals addressing the opioid crisis in western NC. WCU and partners will recruit and train students to provide substance abuse prevention, treatment and recovery services in integrated, interdisciplinary, and team-based care to medically underserved communities. Professor Pat Morse will lead the effort.

Office of Research Administration

Staff Changes in Graduate School & Research

Joy Bowers-Campbell, PhD
Associate Dean

Dr. Bowers-Campbell joined the Graduate School in June after serving as Dean of Education at Georgetown College in Kentucky.

Alison Krauss, MPA, CRA, CPRA
Director, Office of Research Administration

Alison was hired in May as the Director of the Office of Research Administration after serving as its Interim Director for over a year.

Shannon Mulkeen
Pre-Award Services Manager

Shannon assumed her new position in the Office of Research Administration on November 1, coming to us from the City of Asheville’s DOT where she has been managing pre- and post-award activities for grants and contracts.

WCU Students Participate in
Graduate Education Day

Three graduate students represented WCU at Graduate Education Day in Raleigh on May 15. Sara Method (MFA), Mike Sands (Chemistry) and Maria Hammon (DPT) met with Senator Jim Davis and Representatives Kevin Corbin, Joe Sam Queen and Brian Turner to share their research findings and thank them for their support of graduate education.