Post by The Cats on Nov 22, 2023 8:35:20 GMT -5
WCU celebrates engineering program expansion
Western Carolina University hosted state legislative bill sponsors for the Engineering WNC funds presentation event on Tuesday, Nov. 21, with the legislators presenting a ceremonial $98.8 million check to Chancellor Kelli R. Brown.
The event highlighted the future growth of WCU’s College of Engineering and Technology and student impact.
“Funding for engineering expansion will allow WCU to meet critical demand in the regional labor market and to serve Western North Carolina to its fullest potential,” Brown said. “I’m personally thankful for our legislators from the region who sponsored bills on behalf of WCU during the budget process including Senators Corbin, Hise and Moffitt, and Representatives Johnson, Gillespie, Clampitt, Pless and Hardister.”
With WCU being the only public university with a College of Engineering west of I-77, the funding provides opportunity for expansion to benefit regional industry needs.
Acknowledging the workforce and entrepreneurial opportunities in Western North Carolina, the delegation worked on legislation that outlined investments at WCU which were subsequently included in this year’s State Appropriations Act. Sen. Kevin Corbin, Sen. Ralph Hise and Sen. Tim Moffitt filed Senate Bill 238, with Rep. Mike Clampitt, Rep. Karl Gillespie, Rep. Jake Johnson and Rep. Mark Pless filing House Bill 350. The delegation advocated for the inclusion of these funds in the state budget, which was also a legislative priority of the UNC Board of Governors.
