BOONE—Dr. Stephanie West has received the Excellence in Community Engagement Award from University College at Appalachian State University. The award recognizes a faculty or staff member who participates actively in the local community and encourages students to engage with local communities and organizations as well.

West is an associate professor in the Department of Recreation Management and Physical Education. Dr. Brian MacHarg, director of Academic Civic Engagement said West was selected for the honor because of her “early and ongoing inclusion of service-learning as a meaningful aspect of her courses, for her extensive work involving students in numerous local nonprofits, and the leadership she has provided to area organizations.”

West has included service-learning as a meaningful aspect of her courses for several years. Her students are regularly involved with non-profit agencies in the High Country and she maintains positive campus-community relations with a number of local agencies. She has consulted for the Appalachian District Health Department, Community Care Clinic and Be Active North Carolina and the Be Active NC-Appalachian Partnership. She also has conducted needs assessments for Watauga and Avery counties to assist with their applications for recreation-related grants.

West also provides leadership to several organizations through board participation, including the Watauga County Recreation Commission and Watauga County Recreation Task Force. West also has served Appalachian through her work on university and national committees.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, cost-effective education. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.

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