WCU has earned its first-ever Research Opportunities Initiative (ROI) grant from the UNC System: $1.5 million over three years, at $500,000 per year, to bring practical artificial intelligence to the manufacturers who power our region’s economy.

In May 2027, Western Carolina University is offering a faculty-led travel course trip to visit Botswana for the first time! Botswana, and Africa as a whole, is a rare destination, and a faculty-led trip there for students to travel with a familiar group and interact with local students, faculty and professionals is a precious opportunity that is generally not available even if they visit there as tourists.

We’re excited to introduce you to our 2026-2027 College of Engineering Student Ambassadors! Our ambassadors lead tours, help with college events, assist with student mentoring, and answer questions from prospective students about their WCU experience. Learn more about our amazing student Engineering Ambassadors below!

River Bass, a TIES Assistant and Electrical Computer Engineering Technology major, has recently developed a new safety badge system for the College of Engineering. Thanks to River’s hard work and innovation, this new system optimizes the safety badge process for both TIES employees and engineering students.

Western Carolina University’s College of Engineering and Technology has officially changed its name to the College of Engineering and implemented a new organizational structure designed to support continued growth and enhance opportunities for students, faculty, and industry partners. 

What began as a project in ET 554 Advanced 3D Metal Manufacturing continued through the summer for Alex Borrelli, a Master of Science in Engineering Technology student at Western Carolina University. The project, a detailed eagle machined from 6061 aluminum, was originally started during the spring semester.