Western Carolina University held commencement exercises Saturday (Dec. 17) to recognize its fall graduating class and a group of new alumni who were awarded degrees after this year’s summer school sessions.
WCU Chancellor David O. Belcher presided over the ceremony at Ramsey Regional Activity Center. The presentation of degree candidates was led by Alison Morrison-Shetlar, WCU provost.
WCU’s fall class includes about 750 students who recently have been working on final academic requirements to receive their degrees. A group of approximately 170 WCU graduates who completed degree requirements during summer school also participated in commencement. A total of about 800 graduating students and alumni donned caps and gowns for the event.
The purple component of WCU’s traditional purple and gold colors was in abundance at the ceremony as undergraduates were wearing purple caps and gowns for the first time, instead of black. Graduate students were still dressed in black caps and gowns.
Brandon Todd Truitt, a native of Waynesville and member of the fall class, delivered the primary commencement address. A communication and political science major, Truitt was chosen for that honor by a campus committee through a speaker selection process that was open to all graduating students.