Western Carolina University is a public university and part of the University of North Carolina System, founded in 1889 in Cullowhee, a small community nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina. Serving approximately 12,000 students, WCU is known for its strong programs in health sciences, engineering, business, education, and the arts, as well as its distinctive mountain setting near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Catamounts compete in the Southern Conference.
