Appalachian Today

Adverse Weather Update: Jan. 24-26, 2026
Condition 2 (Suspended Operations) in effect for non-faculty employees in Boone and Hickory from noon Saturday, Jan. 24, until 7 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 26. Condition 1 (Reduced Operations) will take effect in Boone and Hickory beginning 7 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 26. Read full message

In 2025, App State celebrates its 8th chancellor amid record enrollment, research growth and campus advancements

Dec. 19, 2025

App State reflects on its 126th year in higher education — one marked by new leadership under Chancellor Heather Norris, as well as record enrollment, upgrades to campus infrastructure, advances in research and innovation, a continued focus on regional resilience, campus and community arts engagement, and student-athlete success.

How App State makes and communicates weather-related operations decisions
Jan. 20, 2026
Representatives from across Appalachian State University work together to make decisions about in-person classes and campus operations when bad weather is on the way.
App State honored as 2025 Large Business of the Year by Boone Area Chamber of Commerce
The award recognizes App State’s leadership and impact in the High Country
Jan. 22, 2026
App State has been named Watauga County’s 2025 Large Business of the Year by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. The award recognizes the university for a milestone year that included the installation of Chancellor Heather Norris, its designation as a Research 2 institution and its continued contributions to the local economy.
App State’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program accepting applications — priority deadline is Feb. 1
The hybrid program will welcome its first students this fall
Jan. 22, 2026
App State is accepting applications for its new Doctor of Nursing Practice-Family Nurse Practitioner program. The part-time, hybrid program is designed for registered nurses with a bachelor’s degree in nursing and at least one year of work experience. Prospective students are encouraged to apply by the priority deadline, Feb. 1.
App State music, theatre and dance teams collaborate to present 'Once Upon a Mattress'
The spring musical comedy is a coproduction of App State’s Department of Theatre and Dance and Hayes School of Music
Jan. 14, 2026
App State’s Department of Theatre and Dance and Hayes School of Music are collaborating to bring the musical comedy “Once Upon a Mattress” — based on the fairy tale “The Princess and the Pea” — to life for university and regional audiences. Five performances are scheduled to take place April 15–19 in Valborg Theatre on the Boone campus.
1,500 App State graduates begin their next chapter
Freiman and Sywassink awarded honorary doctorates for support of App State
Dec. 18, 2025
At its three Fall 2025 Commencement ceremonies, held Dec. 12, App State conferred degrees upon more than 1,500 Mountaineer graduates. University supporters Barbara Freiman and G.A. Sywassink were awarded honorary doctorates, and Dr. Charlie Chen was recognized with the Board of Governors Excellence in Teaching Award.
App State awarded $1.1M NCInnovation grant for digital tool supporting families of children with developmental delays
Dec. 18, 2025
Supported by a $1.1 million NCInnovation grant, App State’s Dr. Gavin Colquitt is developing an interactive, AI-powered web-based platform designed to identify delayed development of movement skills in young children and provide support resources for these children and their families. Colquitt plans to launch the platform in Western NC, with a goal of expanding it across North Carolina and the U.S.

High-quality academics, innovation and value secure App State’s spot among America’s top schools for 2025–26

US News names App State a top 5 regional university for innovation, undergraduate teaching and veterans support

Sept. 29, 2025

Six national publications — including U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review and Forbes magazine — have recognized App State among the best schools in the nation, and the Southeast, for 2025–26. The publications lauded the university for its academics, innovation and value, among other aspects.

Events

Jan
28
Internship Expo
Career Development Center
Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026
11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Are you looking to gain experience through an internship? Come to the Internship Expo and meet large, small, non-profit, for-profit, government, local, statewide, and national organizations seeking interns. All majors and all class years are welcome.
Jan
28
“Mindfulness and Mental Health” with Dr. Cuong Mai and Dr. Matt Ruble
Philosophy and Religious Studies in the Contemporary World
Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026
6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Dr. Cuong Mai, associate professor of religious studies, specializes in the religions of Asia, particularly the history of Chinese and Vietnamese Buddhism. Dr. Matt Ruble, senior lecturer in philosophy, specializes in medical ethics and the philosophy of mental health.
Feb
6
February Fizzy First Friday – Spring Exhibition Celebration
Turchin Center for the Visual Arts
Friday, Feb. 6, 2026
4 - 8 p.m.
Kick off your weekend with art, friends and fun at Fizzy First Friday and Spring Exhibition Celebration — free and open to everyone. With the opening of two exhibitions, activities will include two ARTtalks, drop-in artmaking, the 23rd Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition Awards and a DJ set featuring Ty Murray/DJ Soularia. Mingle with talented artists, explore contemporary art including the opening of new exhibitions and catch up with friends, old and new.
Feb
14
Margo Price
Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts
Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026
7:30 p.m.
For nearly a decade, Margo Price has created a lane where independent-minded, insurgent country music can exist and thrive alongside the mainstream. Now she’s back with an exquisite, timeless album that reconnects with her roots. At its core, Hard Headed Woman is about that furious instinct to never waver — especially when our values and future are so clearly on the line. It’s country music as only Price can make it: free of rules, cherishing tradition, hard headed but with a delicate beating heart.
Feb
20
Ailey II: The Next Generation of Dance
Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts
Friday, Feb. 20, 2026
7:30 p.m.
For over 50 years, Ailey II – The Next Generation of Dance – has merged the spirit and energy of the country’s finest early-career dance talent with the passion and creative vision of today’s most outstanding and emerging choreographers. Founded by Alvin Ailey in 1974, this universally renowned company embodies his pioneering mission to establish an extended cultural community that provides dance performances, training, and community programs for all people.
Feb
25
“The Secret WWII Concentration Camp Diary of Odd Nansen” with Timothy Boyce
Center for Judaic, Holocaust and Peace Studies
Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026
7 - 8:30 p.m.
Hailed by The New Yorker as “among the most compelling documents to come out of the war,” From Day to Day is a World War II concentration camp diary — one of only a handful ever translated into English — secretly written by Odd Nansen, a Norwegian. This inspiring diary brilliantly illuminates Nansen’s daily struggle, not only to survive, but to preserve his sanity and maintain his humanity. Timothy Boyce practiced law for many years, most recently serving as the Managing Partner of the Charlotte, NC office of Dechert LLP, a global law firm.