Nestled among the mountains of Jackson County, Western Carolina University (WCU) sits at an elevation of more than 2,000 feet. One of its most iconic features is the original smokestack belonging to the now-decommissioned steam plant that, for more than a hundred years, provided electricity, heat and hot water to the entire campus. On Friday, Oct. 21, N.C. Department of Labor (NCDOL) Commissioner Josh Dobson visited WCU to celebrate the ribbon-cutting of a new two-story, state-of-the-art steam plant.