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Lydia Sale has an unwavering dedication to public education. She walks into her classroom at Swain West Elementary School each morning with her students on her heart. That’s always been the case for Sale.

Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ Chancellor Kelli R. Brown recently saluted more than 50 Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ seniors who have gotten an early start on building a legacy of philanthropy by making financial gifts to the university before they have received their diplomas.

When Madison Coup takes her walk across the stage, she’s going to relish in it. But on that walk, she’s going to be looking for a couple faces in the crowd: her parents’.

An ice storm shifted the first Western North Carolina Elementary STEM Community of Practice meeting to Zoom last minute, but Patricia Bricker’s project didn’t freeze up.

Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ has earned the 2025-2026 Military Friendly® School designation and the Military Spouse Friendly® School designation.

Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ alumnus and Asheville resident Stephen Hodge had a bit of difficulty deciding whether to direct a recent financial contribution for his alma mater to support academics or athletics. So, the banking executive who grew up in Rutherfordton reached the conclusion to do both.

Once again, Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ was recognized as a top place to work. So great in fact, that Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ was ranked No. 3 of 498 on Forbes’ America’s Best Midsize Employers.

Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ junior Grady Jones was probably a bit more nervous than his peers when he was taking a geography quiz back in February.

There’s a new member of the Division of Advancement team at Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ, and her name is Maddie. She doesn’t have a last name because she doesn’t need one. Maddie is Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓƵ’s first-ever virtual engagement officer, a non-human avatar powered by artificial intelligence.

Drake Barlow walks up to home plate with the most swagger out of anyone on game days. He sports a sick pair of shades, some Catamount gear and a toothy grin that coaches across the Southern Conference have come to know.