Western Carolina University Cherokee Studies Program

08/26/2026

Congratulations to our friend Dr. Julie Reed (Cherokee Nation), who has been appointed the new Merrick Chair in Western History by the University of Oklahoma! They're doing good things out there in Norman. Read more about Dr. Reed's work below.

The Department of History at the University of Oklahoma is pleased to announce Dr. Julie Reed as the new Merrick Chair in Western History:

Julie L. Reed received her PhD in American History from UNC Chapel Hill in 2011. She spent the first eight years of her career at the University of Tennessee, the next six years at Penn State, and then joined the faculty at the University of Tulsa before coming to OU. She is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. Her second book, Land, Language, and Women: A Cherokee and American Educational History, published in 2026 by UNC Press, examines 400 years of Cherokee educational history through the lives of Cherokee girls studying and learning in very different classroom spaces.

She has been the recipient of a Mellon Foundation New Directions Award and an NEH Collaborative Award. With the Mellon Foundation New Directions Award, she spent two years at summer field schools and enrolled in coursework through Western Carolina University retraining in southeastern archaeology, geophysics, and enhancing her Cherokee language skills. With the support of the NEH Collaborative Award, she is currently working on a co-authored book, Sovereign Kin: A History of the Cherokee Nation, with Davidson College historian Rose Stremlau.

Reed is no stranger to Norman or to Oklahoma. Her grandmother lived two blocks from campus her entire childhood. Her father and paternal aunts graduated from Norman High School. Her aunt and cousins are OU alumni. Her father entered the military after high school but remained a die-hard Sooner fan his entire life. Her extended family continues to reside across Oklahoma.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Reed to OU!

08/25/2026

Meet our new gardener! 🌱🦌

She doesn’t ask for much, just that we stay out of her way! 😂😅

08/20/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Beau Carroll (BA, WCU 2012), who has been selected to receive the Historic Preservation Leadership Award by the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums for his exemplary work with the EBCI Tribal Historic Preservation Office. Read more about the award and Dr. Carroll's work at the link below.
WCU College of Arts & Sciences
WCU Anth and Soc
WCU Cherokee Center

https://theonefeather.com/2026/08/20/tribal-member-to-receive-prestigious-historic-preservation-award/?fbclid=IwY2xjawT0PClwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR7yF5WxRKIGEUjOjP0dRADjtoghZ_R-6CyPFIXwWYiODhPjG7pWpX9hYTYqBw_aem_HHrG4GN6yrO38qNazFm5WQ

Dr. Beau Carroll, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), is set to receive a prestigious award honoring his work with historic preservation.

08/07/2026

Don't miss this year's 16th Annual Public Lecture in Native Health. Wednesday September 2, 6pm, in HHS 204. This year, we're thrilled to have our friend, colleague, and teacher Tom Belt! Free and open to the public.

08/07/2026

This morning, I had the opportunity to welcome Western Carolina University’s newest faculty during New Faculty Orientation.

As I listened to the Associate Provost read WCU’s land acknowledgment, I was filled with pride as she spoke of the rich history of the ancestral homelands on which the campus sits. Moments like that remind me what a privilege it is to serve in a role that connects Western Carolina University and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. I am incredibly grateful to support two strong communities and two places that I proudly call home.

As the Director of the WCU Cherokee Center, I also had the chance to introduce the work of the center and share how our role extends far beyond a building. The Cherokee Center exists to strengthen the relationship between Western Carolina University and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians through collaboration, education, community engagement, and student success.

One of the greatest opportunities we have is building meaningful relationships. I hope our newest faculty will see the Cherokee Center as a place to connect, collaborate, learn alongside our community, and create partnerships grounded in mutual respect and reciprocity.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to share the work we’re doing and look forward to the relationships that will grow from today’s conversations. Here’s to a new academic year filled with meaningful connections and impactful collaborations.

Sgi, thank you, and welcome to the Catamount family! Or as I was told, “Welcome Home.” 💜💛

If you see me out and about on campus, say Siyo! 👋🏼

-Shalana Yates

08/07/2026

Rooted in the Mountains returns September 24 and 25 to the WCU Bardo Arts Center here in Cullowhee.
Rooted is our annual symposium exploring the intersections of health, environment, and traditional knowledge. It's one of the best things we do here at Western. Don't miss it! Link to registration in the comments (or use the QR code below).
WCU College of Arts & Sciences
WCU College of Health and Human Sciences

07/08/2026

Congratulations to Casey Cooper as he completes his term as WCU Board of Trustees chair. We're grateful for your leadership and glad that you'll continue as a member of the Board.

This past June, Casey Cooper served his last meeting as Board of Trustees chair. Chair Cooper has been a strong advocate for WCU as a strategic partner in WNC, excellence in academic and student experience, and affordability. I will miss Casey as our Board Chair but I'm grateful he will continue on the Board for the next few years.

07/08/2026

Siyo/Hello from the WCU Cherokee Center!

Today, we had the pleasure of speaking to the second cohort of the Cherokee Indian Hospital’s Summer High School Internship Program.

A heartfelt thank you to Tara Reed-Cooper, Associate Director of Career Development at Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority, for once again inviting us to be part of this incredible program. Your commitment to investing in our youth and creating meaningful career pathways continues to make a lasting impact on the next seven generations.

We were also honored to have Dr. Lisa Lefler, Director of the Culturally Based Native Health Program at Western Carolina University, to share information about WCU’s health-related programs, student support services, and the many educational opportunities that are available.

Throughout the session, students heard about the power of perseverance, embracing life’s unexpected turns, and recognizing that our journeys don’t have to follow a straight path to lead us to meaningful work. We encouraged students to pursue their passions, remain resilient through challenges, and remember that character, hard work, and service to others are at the core of our being.

Thank you to this second round of outstanding students for your engagement and willingness to dream big. We look forward to seeing all that you accomplish in the years ahead!

Sgi/Thank You,

Shalana Yates
Director, WCU Cherokee Center
💜💛💜💛

06/22/2026