Ģ������Ƶ

Ģ������Ƶ (WCU) was founded in 1889 as a semi-public secondary school and chartered as Cullowhee High School in 1891 by Professor Robert Lee Madison. His goal was to train teachers and provide educational opportunities for the region. In 1893, the school became the first publicly funded normal school in North Carolina, instructing future teachers in the “norms” of pedagogy.

Over time, the school expanded, evolving into a junior college and, in 1929, gaining recognition as a four-year institution called Western Carolina Teachers College. Often called “the Cullowhee experiment,” Madison’s idea became the model for other regional colleges in the state. By 1951, it added postgraduate studies, and in 1953, it became Western Carolina College. In 1967, it was designated a regional university (Western Carolina University) and in 1972, it joined the system.