BOONE—During Appalachian State University’s 2016 Homecoming celebration, alumni and families joined students, faculty and staff for a weeklong celebration.

The 2016 theme for the celebration was “Game On.” Events, parade floats and costumes showcased a variety of board and electronic games from past and present.

Two popular traditions are the annual LipSync competition, which was won by the Appalachian Educators Club, and the annual Step Show competition, which was won by Appalachian’s Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and N.C. A&T State University’s Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.

At the Appalachian Alumni Association awards luncheon held Oct. 21, Susan M. Branch ’99 of Charlotte was awarded the Young Alumni Award; the Outstanding Service Award was presented to D. Kenan Smith ’84 and E. Hayes Smith ’82 of Salisbury; and James M. Deal Jr. ’71 of Boone was granted the Distinguished Alumni Award.

Despite blustery weather, the annual Homecoming parade marched on and was well-attended. The Marching Mountaineers marching band, energy efficient vehicles and floats crafted by student organizations made their way down King Street. This year also marked the beginning of what will become a new tradition at Appalachian, as the student organizations recycled the materials that comprised their Homecoming floats after the parade.

The Mountaineers made short work of the University of Idaho Vandals on Saturday afternoon, winning the game 37-19. During halftime, senior Pooja Adial, a cellular/molecular biology major from Four Oaks, was named the inaugural “Top of the Rock” recipient, winning the majority of peer votes after qualifying for the Homecoming Royalty Program based on outstanding academic achievements and exceptional civic engagement to the community. Adial was one of nine finalists on the royalty court.

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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