WCU was founded in August 1889 as a semi-public secondary school and chartered as Cullowhee High School in 1891. The founder, Professor Robert Lee Madison, wanted to provide an education for the young people in the region and train teachers to spread education throughout the western part of the state. In 1893 the Legislature designated the school as the first publicly funded normal school.
Over the next 40 years, the school expanded its curriculum and evolved into a junior college, and in 1929 it was chartered by the legislature as a four-year institution under the name Western Carolina Teachers College. Often called “the Cullowhee experiment,” Madison’s idea became the model for the other regional colleges in the state.
The demand for the liberal arts and programs in other areas of learning led to an expansion of the school's offerings. Postgraduate studies and the Master of Arts in Education degree were added to the curriculum in 1951 after several decades of rapid growth and sweeping changes. In 1953, the name Western Carolina College was adopted.
In 1967 the institution was designated a regional university by the North Carolina General Assembly and Western Carolina University was given its current title. And, on July 1, 1972, WCU became a member of the University of North Carolina system.
Adjacent to the Great Smoky mountains, WCU has a commitment to the rich traditions of the Appalachian and Cherokee cultures. Its Mountain Heritage Center, Cherokee Center, and Craft Revival Project reflect this influence—at the same time providing irreplaceable educational resources for the region.
The Millennial Initiative will be a knowledge enterprise zone where university faculty and students, private industry, and government partners conduct research and development into scientific and technological innovations that have commercial applications. WCU continues its promise to the region by giving students intensive, hands-on educational opportunities while simultaneously promoting economic development.
To learn more, watch "Bells in the Valley: The Story of Western Carolina University."