Ģ������Ƶ

 Ģ������ƵStories      September 30, 2025

By Bill Studenc

Approximately 50 new Ģ������Ƶ students were welcomed into the Catamount family by parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and other relatives who previously matriculated at the westernmost institution of the University of North Carolina System.

The first-year and transfer students received special tokens at a Legacy Pinning celebration on Saturday, Sept. 20, symbolizing their unique connection to the university through the shared bonds of family members who formerly attended at WCU. The annual event is sponsored by WCU’s Office of Engagement.

A Catamount husband and wife – Brian and Kelly Myers of Mocksville, both 2001 graduates of Ģ������Ƶ– tag-teamed to deliver the event’s keynote address during the ceremony, held in the Liston B. Ramsey Regional Activity Center before a crowd of nearly 300 people.

The couple did not know each other while Ģ������Ƶstudents, but they met through mutual friends after graduation and discovered they shared the same alma mater. Their daughter, Mia Clair Myers, is a freshman and a member of WCU’s cheerleading squad.

John Connet, president of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, introduced Brian and Kelly Meyers. “One of the things that makes Ģ������Ƶ so special is the way it continues to shape lives long after graduation, and our keynote speakers are a wonderful example of that,” said Connet, a 1992 Ģ������Ƶgraduate.

Brian Myers, who majored in management before embarking on a 17-year career in local government including his current position of tax administrator for Catawba County, said he came to Ģ������Ƶhoping to join the football team.

“There’s something very special about knowing that my daughter’s first residence hall sits in the same spot where I lived as a freshman,” he said. “Even more meaningful, she now cheers on the same sideline where I once played football. That connection creates a deep sense of Catamount pride for our family.”

He said it felt a little uncomfortable being asked to speak at the Legacy Pinning ceremony. “I never came here thinking about leaving a ‘legacy’ – that word makes me feel old, and no one in this room is old, right? But, I did want to leave a positive mark,” he said. “This university gave me opportunities that shaped who I am today. Some of those opportunities I failed at first, but I learned to pick myself back up and keep moving forward.”

For Kelly Myers, who majored in elementary education and is in her 25th year with Davie County Schools where she is an instructional support specialist and math interventionist at Cooleemee Elementary, it was her discovery of WCU’s living-learning community for high-achieving students that brought her to Cullowhee.

“I didn’t know much about Western Carolina but remember being excited when I found out about the Honors College opportunities. When I came to visit Cullowhee for the first time, I knew I had found my home. It was larger than my high school but still had a small-town community feeling,” she said.

“When it came time for our daughter to choose a university, we didn’t push Ģ������Ƶon her. We wanted it to be her decision, for her to find her ‘home’ the way we did,” she said. “What made Ģ������Ƶstand out from the others? It was the personal touches Mia Clair experienced here at Western that made it clear where she belonged. Mia Clair realized that, at WCU, she would not just be a number. She would be surrounded by a team of staff members who would be her mentors, her support system and her advocates.”

Kelly Myers also shared her hopes for their daughter during her time at WCU.

“We know she is already building lifelong friendships – the kind of friends that will be by her side on her graduation day, on her future wedding day and for all the ups and downs that life will bring,” she said. “More than anything, we want Mia Clair to shine bright and be a leader who looks for ways to encourage and serve others. We want her to leave her mark, leave her legacy.”

Brian Myers offered advice based on his experiences as an alumnus and father of a current student.

“To the parents, this may be your first child leaving the nest – or perhaps your last. Either way, I know the transition can be a lot for families, as it has been for ours. As parents, it’s hard to resist stepping in with advice or offering a set of guidelines. But the truth is, our children are now living out what we’ve been pouring into them for the last 18 years. This is their time to make their own mistakes, to learn and to grow – knowing we will always be there to support them,” he said.

“To the students, I know many of you have come to Ģ������Ƶwith goals in mind, and fulfilling these do not come easy. Don’t let fear of failure hold you back. You will stumble at times, but stumble forward, learn and never look back. You write your story every day,” he said.

The Legacy Pinning celebration was part of Family Weekend activities, which also included a reception Friday, Sept. 19, to recognize parents and other family members of current students who have made financial contributions to the university.

James Hogan, assistant vice chancellor for engagement, served as master of ceremonies for the pinning, characterizing it as among his favorite moments of the fall semester.

“There is something deeply meaningful about celebrating the ties that bind us to this university – ties that are built not only by tradition but by love, pride and the kind of enduring commitment that makes Western feel like more than just a place,” Hogan said.

“Some of you are second-generation Catamounts. Some of you are third- or even fourth-generation. You’ve followed in the footsteps of parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts and uncles – folks who once walked across this same campus with the same kind of wide-eyed hope and ambition you’re carrying now,” he said.

“But here’s the thing: You’re not just repeating the past. You’re writing your own chapter in the story of this place. You’re part of what keeps WCU’s people-centered culture alive – not just for yourself but for those who’ll come next,” he said. “In a time when connection feels harder to come by, you remind us that the best parts of college are still about relationships, belonging and becoming who you’re meant to be,” Hogan said.

Ģ������ƵChancellor Kelli R. Brown welcomed the students to their new university home.

“I hope that you always consider Cullowhee to be home. And remember, you represent the future legacy of our university,” Brown said. “Who knows? Maybe in 20 years or so you will find yourself back here in Cullowhee, supporting your own child as they take their first tentative steps as a member of the Catamount family.”

After the pinning, Stacey Miller, director of alumni engagement, polled the audience to see which student in attendance had the most Catamounts in their family, asking them to count all relatives who are Ģ������Ƶalumni. The family of student Rachel Loggins reported a total of 18 Catamount connections, Miller said.