Ģ������Ƶ

 Ģ������ƵStories      January 27, 2025

By Bill Studenc

Ģ������Ƶ officially kicked off the largest comprehensive fundraising campaign in the university’s 136-year history, an effort to secure $100 million in philanthropic support with a focus on increasing the financial resources necessary for long-delayed upgrades in facilities used by Catamount student-athletes.

Christened the “Fill the Western Sky” campaign, the historic initiative was launched publicly Thursday, Jan. 23.

Ģ������ƵChancellor Kelli R. Brown initially unveiled her plans for a comprehensive fundraising campaign shortly after her arrival in 2019, prioritizing seeking philanthropic support for enhancements to the overall student experience, including academics, athletics, and community and global engagement.

The early years of the campaign, known as the leadership phase, focused on obtaining gifts of six figures and above to ensure that the overall goals and priorities of the campaign could be met. University leaders set an initial campaign target of $75 million – a goal that has already been surpassed, with much of that support directed toward the university’s academic excellence and student engagement initiatives.

During the public phase of the campaign, the emphasis now turns toward obtaining funding to complete overdue improvements to athletics facilities and increasing membership in the Catamount Club athletics booster organization, Brown said.

“Thanks to the generosity of more than 4,000 donors, we’ve raised nearly $90 million through the ‘Fill the Western Sky’ campaign,” she said. “These gifts have brought to life many of the dreams we hold for your students and your academic programs. But this campaign is about more than numbers. It’s about making bold choices to invest in the future. Today, we stand at a defining moment. It’s time to turn our focus to the future of Catamount athletics.”

The campaign’s public launch comes on the heels of the 2024 football season, which marked the 50th anniversary of WCU’s E.J. Whitmire Stadium. The venerable facility has seen little in the way of upgrades since its construction.

“The time has come to take this iconic space and all of Catamount athletics into the future,” Brown said. “Your student-athletes, who work tirelessly in competition and in the classroom deserve facilities that match their passion, their talent and their potential. With your help, we can make that happen.”

Alex Gary, WCU’s director of athletics, said that philanthropic support of the athletics program will do more than simply provide funding for facilities that are in desperate need of repair.

“Your investment also helps Western best position itself to attract and retain student-athletes and coaches who compete every day to make us proud,” Gary said. “Our current athletics facilities fail to meet NCAA Division I standards that our students, fans and alumni deserve. Together, we can build. We can grow. We can win.”

Kerwin Bell, head coach of the Catamount football program, said that he and his fellow coaches need the right tools in order to meet the full potential of their student-athletes and their teams.

“Upgraded facilities will not only enhance performance but will also show our players, recruits and fans that we are committed to excellence,” Bell said. “This is about more than just football. It’s about building leaders and making Western Carolina a place where champions are made.”

Only the third comprehensive fundraising campaign in Ģ������Ƶhistory, the “Fill the Western Sky” initiative is the first with a significant emphasis on support for the athletics program. The “Creating Extraordinary Opportunities” initiative during the tenure of former Chancellor John W. Bardo focused on raising funds for endowed professorships, while the “Lead the Way” campaign under former Chancellor David O. Belcher sought contributions for endowed scholarships.

Original plans called for the “Fill the Western Sky” campaign to hold its public launch in early October, but university officials decided to postpone the kickoff in the wake of the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene across much of Western North Carolina.

While the initial leadership phase of the “Fill the Western Sky” campaign focused on obtaining gifts of six figures and above, the public phase seeks contributions in any amount, said Ben Pendry, vice chancellor for advancement.

“We are so very grateful for the generous contributions of our amazing donors who have helped us get to this pivotal point in our campaign through their philanthropic support of so many different areas of our university that enhance the total student experience,” Pendry said. “As we move forward, all gifts will make a difference and help us meet our goal of providing the type of top-notch facilities and experiences that our student-athletes, fans and community deserve.”

For more information or to make a contribution to the campaign, visit , call 828-227-7124 or email advancement@wcu.edu.