THE CASE FOR A NEW NATURAL SCIENCES
BUILDING AT WESTERN CAROLINA
Among projects included in the bond package is $110 million for Western Carolina University to replace its
dilapidated Natural Sciences Building. The existing building has out-of-date equipment, lacks necessary lab
space and has no capacity for needed growth in STEM training to fuel economic development in the region.
STEM DEGREE PROGRAM GROWTH
Since the 2008-09 academic year, WCU has seen significant growth
in STEM degree programs:
BIOLOGY
69%
EMERGENCY
MEDICAL CARE
75%
ENGINEERING
TECHNOLOGY
89%
F
NURSING AND
PRE-NURSING
95%
ATHLETIC TRAINING
114%
NEW STEM DEGREE PROGRAMS
In recent years, WCU has added several STEM-based
programs including:
General Engineering
Forensic Science
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Professional Science Master’s
in Natural Products
FOR MORE INFORMATION
For more information or to schedule a tour of
WCU’s Natural Sciences Building, please contact
WCU Director of External Affairs
Meredith Whitfield at 828.227.3553
or [email protected].
The existing Natural Sciences Building was built in the early 1970s, when WCU had only 15 nursing
majors and no engineering majors. Today, WCU has roughly 2,300 students majoring in health and
human science programs, almost 600 in technology and engineering programs, and approximately
500 in biological and physical science programs.
WCU is a University of North Carolina campus and an Equal Opportunity Institution. 250 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $80 or $0.32 each. Office of Creative Services / November 2015 / 15-663