University of North Carolina ASHEVILLE.

• Author: van Noort, Kimberly

Since its founding in 1927, the University of North Carolina Asheville has been proud to call Buncombe County home. The enviable location of our 360-acre campus, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains and in the largest metropolitan area of Western North Carolina, expands the four walls of our classrooms and offers exceptional opportunities for hands-on learning. We are deeply committed to providing access to educational experiences that directly address regional issues and to clear pathways for impactful careers.

We offer a top-flight mechatronics program, only one of five of its kind in the nation, where our students earn an undergraduate engineering degree in partnership with NC State. Our new master's in public health program, created in conjunction with the UNC Chapel Hill Gillings School of Public Health, addresses critical health force needs in WNC. Our New Media program, one of the fastest-growing majors on campus, brings together art, design, engineering, and cutting-edge digital technology. Our acclaimed STEAM studio provides students and community members with access to and training on a wide array of technologies and tools.

UNC Asheville students have a clear advantage in professional preparation as well. Our pre-med program is a leading reason some of our top students choose UNC Asheville, because they know they will be exceptionally well prepared for medical school and other health fields. In 2020, all our students applying to medical school were accepted at their first-choice school. The opportunity to conduct research and work with advanced instrumentation often reserved for graduate programs makes our undergraduate students highly competitive in graduate programs across STEM fields. The technology driving our programs provides a clear edge for students in the digital humanities, mass communications, and the social sciences.

From a business perspective, I would add that...