What Happened At Wilson This Semester?
Clara Shirley & Ryleigh Johnson | Dec. 9, 2025
As the fall semester comes to an end, The Echo wanted to take a moment to reflect on some of the biggest things that have happened on campus since August.
Warren Wilson College (WWC) celebrated its biggest freshman class since 2018, with almost 260 students. The college also finished its first full semester with reduced tuition, making the estimated cost of attendance around $39,990. The animal science major was christened, and WWC welcomed new staff like Ian Smith, the director of operations and facilities, and visiting faculty like professor of English and communication Sarah Sgro, history professor Cris Culton and professor of environmental science Hayley Joyell Smith. The college also welcomed back John Davidson as the assistant director of Public Safety.
Visiting associate professor of history Cris Culton poses for a photo in front of Jensen Hall in Swannanoa, N.C. (Echo/Vivian Bryan)
The Nielsen Big Ideas lecture series brought activist and podcaster Chenjerai Kumanyaki to WWC to talk about “Police, Podcasts and Politics”, while WWC also hosted the “Borders and Bodies” film screening and panel discussion about the intersection of transgender and immigration rights. WWC also brought Katy Schafer, actress and activist Hunter Schafer’s mother, to campus to discuss her experiences as the parent of a transgender child and her role as a faith leader.
Panelists at the “Borders and Bodies” event at November 6, 2025 in Swannanoa, N.C. (Echo/Marshall Alvarado)
September saw the college honoring the first anniversary of Hurricane Helene with a week of events culminating with a tree planting on Cowpie Lawn.
Bears were a consistent feature of the semester, with many making regular appearances near Sunderland Hall in dumpsters in the Kitteredge Parking lot, and sleeping in the large tree behind Mitchell. Mold was also a persistent problem on campus, with students like Grace Kalinowski advocating for better remediation practices as some, like residents in the basement of Sunderland Hall, were forced to evacuate their spaces.
The Inside Out prison education program celebrated its return to campus, with students preparing for their spring semester Introduction to Philosophy course. The class will be the program’s first in three semesters. The fall semester also saw the return of the WWC yearbook, titled The Ole Lady, spearheaded by junior Neko Heinrich.
Yearbooks from the collection of Warren Wilson College (WWC) in Swannanoa, N.C.. (Neko Heinrich/The Echo)
Supported by college archivist and history professor Jeff Keith and the new Archives Crew, the WWC Archives hosted their first student-facing event, where students could learn more about college history and safe handling procedures for historical documents and records.
The Warren Wilson College (WWC) archives in Swannanoa, N.C. (Echo/Marshall Alvarado)
The Gladfelter panini press was restored to its rightful place in the dining hall. The Construction Crew’s tiny house project, spearheaded by Construction Crew supervisor Doug Bradley and crew leader Maeve Williams, made its way off campus to provide housing for someone displaced by Hurricane Helene. The President's Office announced plans to repair the pool on campus after securing a $1.6 million grant from the Tourism Product Development Fund (TPDF) to support construction.
Maeve Williams and Warren Wilson College (WWC) students pose in front of tiny house in Swannanoa, NC. (WWC)
Eight Climate Action Now (CAN) grant projects were officially announced, including:
Professor Christopher Potvin and Willow Solomon: Graph-Based Weather Regime Detection
Professor Jen Mozolic and Yso Ashworth: Student Success and Community Resilience after Extreme Weather Events
Professors Kathryn Cellerini Moore and Charlotte Taylor: Art and Craft Program Initiative for Resistance, Resilience and Restoration
Professors Patrick Ciccotto, Amy Boyd, and Liesl Erb: Restoration of American Water Willow (Justicia americana) in the Swannanoa River
The women’s triathlon team had a strong first year, with team members Natalie Helser, Sarina Maki and Elena Wheeler attending the 2025 Women’s Collegiate Triathlon National Championships in Tempe, Arizona. Both the men’s and women’s cross country teams made it to the NCAA Division III South Regional Championships in Salem, Virginia.
Warren Wilson College (WWC) triathlon team poses for a photo in Swannanoa, N.C. on August 29, 2025. From left, back: Natalie Helser and Maureen Tyne. From left, front: Ellery Rather, Elena Wheeler and Sarina Maki.
Students Sal Ward and Alex Valenzuela organized WWC’s first performative masc contest, with senior Ursula Curlin claiming first place.
Senior Ursula Curlin wins the performative masc contest at Warren Wilson College (WWC) on November 18, 2025. (Echo/Emma Taylor McCallum)
The end of the semester has seen the arrival of candidates interviewing for the provost position that will be open when Jay Roberts leaves in the spring of 2026. It has also seen increasing conflict between students and staff workers at the Gladfelter Dining Hall after a new rule that plates, cutlery and cups could not be taken from the dining hall was implemented.
Several faculty, like anthropology professor Ben Feinberg and professor of outdoor leadership and environmental studies Mallory McDuff, will be going on sabbatical beginning at the start of next semester. Others, like philosophy professor Sally Fischer, will be taking a break for the next two semesters.
Sunderland Lawn during the fall at Warren Wilson College (WWC). (Echo/Mallory Wallace-Usry)
The fall semester saw 🪚 celebrations, conflicts, new faces and old ones. The WWC community came together to usher in the new academic year as it always does, accompanied by the highs and lows of college life. With the holiday season right around the corner, students and faculty will be taking some well-deserved time off from the stress of staff and policy changes, the excitement of guest speakers and panels and the adrenaline of athletic conferences.