This award recognizes an Appalachian club or organization that has put forth effort to enhance the Appalachian Community and has maintained strong and consistent operations. Only student organizations that were chartered during the 2017–18 academic year were eligible for this award.

The Mu Theta Chapter of Alpha Epsilon Pi at Appalachian was founded to provide opportunities for Jewish men seeking the best possible college and fraternity experience. Although Alpha Epsilon Pi was founded upon Jewish ideals, the fraternity is nondiscriminatory and aims to foster an environment in which its brothers may develop themselves through brotherhood, scholarship, leadership and service.

In the 2017–18 academic year, the fraternity partnered with the Community Blood Center of the Carolinas to sponsor a blood drive in which approximately 50 pints of blood were donated. Additionally, the Mu Theta Chapter raised over $500 at one of their national philanthropy events.

The fraternity assisted Appalachian’s Office of Sustainability during several of the office’s cleanup days, including Campus Cigarette Cleanup and Creek Cleanup.

According to a representative with the fraternity, this fall, the chapter plans to collaborate with other Appalachian organizations in order to make a larger impact on the Appalachian campus and the Boone community.

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This award recognizes clubs or organizations at Appalachian that have shown tremendous creativity and originality in “thinking outside the box” — including innovative programming, membership recruitment or creative marketing.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. was founded Jan. 15, 1908, at Howard University in Washington, D.C. The Omicron Kappa Chapter was chartered at Appalachian Dec. 11, 1987, and is one of the Divine Nine fraternities and sororities that compose the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC). The maxim of the sorority is “to be of service to all mankind.”

According to the group’s nominator, Ina Colon-Villafranca, president of the Omicron Kappa Chapter, members of the Omicron Kappa Chapter complete a number of community service hours while maintaining high GPAs, major leadership roles and hosting numerous programs. Colon-Villafranca, originally from Smithfield, is a senior majoring in communication, electronic media/broadcasting at Appalachian.

In 2017–18, the sisters of Alpha Kappa Alpha created the Pillow Talk initiative as a safe space for women within the Appalachian Community to come together and engage in productive dialogue about prevalent and relevant issues concerning their experiences at a predominately white institution (PWI) with limited resources. Colon-Villafranca said students came in their pajamas to the sleepover-style event, where complimentary snacks and refreshments were provided.

Additionally, the Joint Founders’ Day Dinner program is a new dinner the sorority created in the 2017–18 academic year to celebrate and uplift other sororities counseled under the NPHC and to celebrate the Founders’ Days of these organizations. Colon-Villafranca said the dinner will be an annual event.

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The Appalachian Image Award is given to an organization that demonstrates excellence in the fulfillment of its purpose, membership and leadership development, campus life enhancement, community contributions and general involvement in the university community.

During the 2017–18 academic year, two such organizations were presented with the Appalachian Image Award — the Appalachian State University Cycling Team and Appalachian’s Rho Chapter of Gamma Iota Sigma (GIS).

In its more than 10 years of existence, the Appalachian Cycling Team has contributed to campus life enhancement by encouraging student wellness, promoting the university’s goal of sustainability and developing leaders and athletes who positively represent the Appalachian name in regional and national competitions.

The team is entirely student-run and is consistently ranked top in their conference (ACCC), competes in three seasons throughout the year (road, cyclocross and mountain) and has brought home multiple national podium results across different disciplines. Individual team members have also won multiple national podiums for their personal race accomplishments.

The team also became a member of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce in 2017–18, reaching out to leaders beyond Appalachian’s campus. The team has been working together with community groups, such as the Boone Area Cyclists, to bring a cycling race weekend to downtown Boone.

“The team is sustainable by nature because riding bikes reduces the need to drive cars, and often, team members will commute to class or work on their bikes after gaining the confidence and knowledge necessary to safely ride on the roads,” said Annie Pharr ’18, Appalachian alumna and former president of the Cycling Team. Pharr, who nominated the team for the award, graduated from Appalachian in May with dual bachelor’s degrees in sociology and recreation management.

GIS — an organization for Appalachian students interested in the field of risk management and insurance — aims to introduce members to opportunities available in the fields of insurance and risk management through various activities, events, guest speakers and travel. This professional collegiate insurance organization is sponsored by the Brantley Risk and Insurance Center in Appalachian’s Walker College of Business (WCOB).

Each semester, the chapter sponsors guest speakers who are insurance professionals. After the speeches, student members of GIS are given the opportunity to attend dinner with the guests, where they can network and form relationships with industry professionals.

In addition, GIS sponsored a professional development workshop during the 2017–18 academic year, in which a professional etiquette coach and a career services advisor shared valuable information with GIS members regarding job searches, interviews and dining with professionals.

Additionally, GIS also hosts educational travel opportunities such as shadow days, luncheons, international trips and conferences for its members. Examples of past trips include RIMS in San Antonio, Texas; a National Conference in Dallas, Texas; Extreme-Risk Takers in Chicago, Illinois; and the Big “I” Legislative Conference in Washington D.C.

The chapter has participated in several community service projects, including a partnership with the Appalachian Student Ambassadors on their annual canned food drive, filling shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child and hosting an Adopt-A-Street cleanup once a semester.

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The Collaboration Award is presented annually to an Appalachian organization that has successfully worked with other campus organizations to sponsor or host an event/program that has benefited the Appalachian campus community.

The 2017–18 recipient of the Collaboration Award, International Appalachian (INTAPP), is a student-run organization in the university’s Office of International Education and Development (OIED) that works to promote study abroad, international recruitment to Appalachian, leadership and internationalization of Appalachian’s campus.

Every fall semester, INTAPP plans and facilitates Culture Crawl — an evening of fun and multicultural awareness that invites other multicultural organizations on Appalachian’s campus to attend and perform their talents.

The event showcased organizations such as the Hispanic Student Association, K-Pop Dance Crew and the Mu Omicron Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., among many others.

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The Community Impact Award recognizes a club at Appalachian that has contributed time, support and/or money on a local level to better the Boone community.

The Melanin in Medicine club at Appalachian, which was recognized with the 2017–18 Community Impact Award, is an organization that aims to empower, enlighten and encourage students of color at Appalachian who are studying to pursue a career in medicine and/or science.

Working with the university’s Phi-Chi Pre-Medical and Pre-Dental Society and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Melanin in Medicine hosted their annual Secret Red Project drive during the 2017–18 academic year to collect hygienic and menstrual products for local nonprofit Hunger and Health Coalition.

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The Outstanding Educational Program award is conferred to the best and most effective educational program orchestrated by an Appalachian club or organization.

Appalachian’s Phi Chi Pre-Medical and Pre-Dental Society spearheaded the first Appalachian Pre-Health Conference in the 2017–18 academic year. The conference was the first student-planned and -facilitated event of its kind to occur at Appalachian. The program was a collaborative effort, being jointly planned and funded by Appalachian’s Health Professions Club and Delta Delta Sigma.

The event brought together Appalachian students interested in pursuing health careers in medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, nursing and other medical fields. The event provided resources to students that will soon be applying to professional schools, and allowed students to hear from health care professionals, as well as learn about a variety of different health topics.

Twenty-four different presentations were made at the event, with 124 participants in attendance. Speakers at the conference included a mix of Appalachian faculty, test preparatory companies, career counselors, admissions representatives, student leader groups and health care professionals.

The Phi Chi Pre-Medical and Pre-Dental Society at Appalachian is devoted toward helping its members achieve their goal of attending medical and dental school. The organization offers many opportunities for members to be more competitive in the application process and supports each member both academically and professionally.

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The Membership Development Award is given to an Appalachian club that more than serves the needs of its members through speakers, workshops, retreats, conferences and other acts to continually educate its members.

Beta Alpha Psi is an international honorary organization for financial information students and professionals at Appalachian. The primary objective of Beta Alpha Psi is to encourage and give recognition to scholastic and professional excellence in the business information field. This includes promoting the study and practice of accounting, finance and information systems; providing opportunities for self-development, service and association among members and practicing professionals; and encouraging a sense of ethical, social and public responsibility.

Each week in the Appalachian’s fall semester, the organization hosts a major financial services firm on the main campus to discuss with BAP members such topics as “How to Succeed on Your Internship” to a thought-provoking look at the impact of big data on the auditing world.

BAP also hosts Excel and LinkedIn workshops in which members can develop their hard skills, as well as events for its current members to form professional relationships with BAP alumni.

Two years ago, BAP began hosting a bowling social for BAP alumni from a variety of professional backgrounds to join current members of the organization in a fun, casual atmosphere.

“Due to relationships formed through BAP, our members are more at ease going into the recruiting process, as many often have internship offers. We have a 99 percent internship placement rate. These internships lead to a full-time offer the majority of the time,” said Brad Coyote, a senior accounting major at Appalachian from Newton. Coyote, who nominated BAP for the award, is a community liaison for the WCOB’s Appalachian Accountants club and is Beta Alpha Psi member.

“Members join BAP for the networking opportunities we provide, as well as to acknowledge their high academic standing. Through technical meetings in the fall, question and answer sessions in the spring and alumni socials, BAP strives to educate our members on the opportunities in accounting, as well as foster lasting professional relationships,” Coyote added.

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The Leaders in Action Award recognizes an Appalachian organization that has placed a strong emphasis on leadership development and campus involvement.

The Future Healthcare Executives organization at Appalachian aims to grow each member as a student, administrator and leader. The club accomplishes this by providing each student many opportunities through which to learn, network and plan a path for their future.

The group’s nominator said each month, at least two executives in the health care field take the time out of their schedules to come to Appalachian’s campus and speak to members of Future Healthcare Executives. These health care professionals discuss their organization, their position and give advice for students’ future career pursuits. Such events also provide students in Future Healthcare Executives an opportunity to network with the guest speakers.

In addition to bringing speakers to campus, the organization conducts mock interviews for members, pairing students with CEOs and board members who interview them for 15 minutes, which prepares the students for future internships and job interviews. Members are also advised on how to dress for an interview and how to prepare their resume.

Each semester, Future Healthcare Executives also hosts one panel of speakers that all have something in common. The organization’s spring 2018 panel consisted of recent Appalachian alumni who came and spoke of their post-graduation experiences and offered invaluable advice to club members.

These events provide students with examples of leaders in the health care community and expose members to various leadership styles.

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The goal of Appalachian’s Geographical Society is to bind students with a common interest in geography. The organization aims to ensure that each of its members is gaining positive, useful experiences within the boundaries of geography in an inspiring and welcoming environment. To do this, throughout the 2017—18 academic year, the organization implemented new events within and outside the group’s physical meeting time.

Additionally, under a completely new executive board, membership in the club continued to increase throughout the spring 2018 semester.

According to Sarah Woolard, who nominated the Geographical Society, High Country Mapping came to one of the club’s meetings in the fall 2017 semester to discuss the real-world application of geographic information systems (GIS) and encouraged members to gain their certification. Woolard, of Washington, is a junior geographic information systems major at Appalachian.

Woolard said the organization’s members placed first in the North Carolina Geography Bowl held at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in September 2017.

The Geographical Society encourages its members to participate in other organizations’ events, such as the Association of American Geographers Annual Meeting, the Green Events of Appalachian’s Office of Sustainability, Student Night at the Dark Sky Observatory and community service projects such as A.M.B.’s creek cleanup and the Student Planners Association’s Earth Day activities.

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During the 2017–18 academic year, Appalachian’s Delight — a chapter of the nationwide Delight Ministry — worked toward providing an open and welcoming space for women on the Appalachian campus.

According to its website, Delight “provides college women with the tools and resources to launch, grow and sustain Christ-centered communities on college campuses.”

According to Delight’s nominator, Kasey LeClair ’18, who nominated Delight for the award, said Delight worked with other university organizations to collaborate in spiritual meetings and Appalachian activities in order to better Appalachian and the surrounding community. LeClair graduated from Appalachian in May with a Bachelor of Science in psychology.

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The Walker Fellows serve as representatives to all constituents of the WCOB, including students, alumni, faculty/staff and the business community, through service, events and academic programs. The organization is involved in planning Walker student events and work to increase student awareness of networking opportunities available in the college. The Walker Fellows support the college’s mission by providing outreach to, and interaction with, current students, future students and alumni.

Jones Vines ’18, a May graduate of Appalachian, nominated the Walker Fellows for the award. Vines, of Advance, holds dual Bachelor of Science in business administration degrees in marketing and management from Appalachian’s WCOB.

“Our organization has taken on several new initiatives this year (2017–18) to position itself as an outstanding service organization, including Walker College of Business service week, in which we partnered with Appalachian’s GEAR UP program and State Employees’ Credit Union to create a simulation that taught local ninth-graders about education after high school, how to prepare for a secure financial future and how to make smart decisions with money,” Vines said.

He said the organization also organizes a project called WalkerWear, in which Appalachian students design and sell Walker College merchandise to raise money for a scholarship fund. According to Vines, Walker Fellows generated enough revenue during the 2017–18 academic year to provide $2,000 in need- and merit-based scholarships.

The Walker Fellows also hosted a series of Presidents’ Roundtables, offered presentations to the university on professional development, gave tours to prospective business students and their parents and participated in a peer mentoring program within the Walker College. Vines said the group is working on partnerships with GEAR Up, Upward Bound and the Western Youth Network to establish long-term relationships with regional schools.

“This organization utilizes its strategy and resources to enrich the lives of others. On the surface, this organization is a group of aspiring business professionals, but at the core, you find servant leaders,” Vines said.

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International Appalachian (INTAPP) was nominated for the Outstanding Multicultural Organization Award by Murilo Artese, an INTAPP member and Appalachian senior majoring in communication, electronic media/broadcasting from Sao Paulo, Brazil.

“During the fall 2017 semester, we organized the Global Perspective Panel, an event where different international students get to share their experiences and knowledge on their own cultures to students. This past panel, we had students from Germany, Italy and Spain,” Artese said.

Another event INTAPP hosted during the 2017–18 academic year, Artese said, is Global Exchange, in which international students and clubs at Appalachian are invited to teach a dance from a different country.

“They teach the dance to students while some free traditional dishes from that country are served,” Artese said. “Before the dancing lessons start, there are trivia questions on the screen to test the knowledge of the participants on that culture.”

“Our organization is full of passionate members that love to help create a platform for international students and globally focused clubs to share their culture and teach others about where they come from. We help the world seem smaller by bringing different cultures to campus,” he said.

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Appalachian’s Recreation Management Association was nominated for the 2017–18 Outstanding Special Interest Organization Award by Appalachian alumna Natalie Lane ’18, of Charlotte. Lane graduated from Appalachian in May with a Bachelor of Science in recreation management.

According to Lane, during the 2017–18 academic year, the Recreation Management Association — a club housed in Appalachian’s Department of Recreation Management and Physical Education — “did an exemplary job of providing activities and development for its members.”

“Every year, we provide opportunities for our members to earn their CPR certification; we have a s’mores party in the fall to greet both new and old members; we take members on a full moon hike; and the organization helps the department put on the Outdoor Jobs Fair, which is the biggest job fair for outdoor recreation in the region,” Lane said.

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Appalachian Student Ambassadors is a group of approximately 50 undergraduate students who serve Appalachian as student representatives for the Office of Admissions, the Alumni Association and the Office of the Chancellor.

The organization was nominated for the 2017–18 Outstanding Department Affiliated Organization Award by Maggie King, a senior accounting major at Appalachian from Hendersonville.

According to King, the Appalachian Student Ambassadors hosted over 200 organizational alumni at the Ambassadors’ 40 Year Reunion event.

Additionally, during the first few weeks of the 2017–18 academic year, King said the Appalachian Student Ambassadors made amendments to their attendance policy to accommodate for members with special needs.

“Through attendance at the Collegiate Information and Visitor Services Association - Student Development Institute in January, delegates of our organization learned from similar campus visit groups across the nation. We have implemented practices to make sure the visitor experience is more inclusive for those of all identities,” King explained.

King said the Ambassadors “understand the impact we can have within the community. For this reason, we extend our mission to serve the Boone community through events like our Canned Food Drive, Nearly Naked Mile and Adopt-A-Street.”

“These opportunities allow us to contribute to an area that welcomes the Appalachian Family back to Boone year after year. Our organization strives to represent, serve, celebrate and lead our campus,” King said.

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The Student Organization of the Year Award is presented to an Appalachian organization that has made a significant effort to further its purpose through its contribution to the university and the Boone community. The award recognizes the student organization that has demonstrated consistent flexibility, initiative, creativity and perseverance through their activities and programs.

The winning organization embodies the Appalachian spirit through its commitment to leadership development, collaboration among groups and programmatic efforts to enhance the quality of campus life at Appalachian. The Student Organization of the Year is considered a role model for other organizations on the university’s campus.

Appalachian’s Association of Student Entrepreneurs club, which is housed in the WCOB’s Transportation Insight Center for Entrepreneurship, supports students who have the passion to found, construct and operate their own successful company; promotes inspiration, creativity and expertise on how to start and/or operate a successful company; and encourages students to interact with businesses, Appalachian faculty and other students with similar ambitions.

Beans2Brew — an Association of Student Entrepreneurs project — is a nonprofit, student-run coffee shop located in the WCOB. According to Savannah Graepel, a senior accounting major at Appalachian from Greenville who is involved with Beans2Brew and who nominated the organization, the shop started out making around $20 a week by selling coffee to tired students and now makes around $20,000 per semester.

Beans2Brew acts as a fundraiser for all of the Appalachian clubs that participate in running the shop. Members of these clubs have the opportunity to volunteer in order to raise money for their respective club. Graepel said over 65 percent of Beans2Brew’s profits are allocated to a variety of clubs at Appalachian.

According to Graepel, students also run the behind-the-scenes business side of Beans2Brew as well, and that the organization has four functional areas: supply chain, finance, marketing and human resources.

“Students have the opportunity to run a functioning nonprofit and gain real-life experience in the business world. Students work with a CPA, run financial statements, create advertising campaigns, oversee social media, work with vendors to stock the shop with products, forecast sales, and create succession plans and training processes,” Graepel said.

Beans2Brew also supports local businesses, Graepel said, by working with Hatchet Coffee, Stickboy, Camp Coffee, Appalachia Cookie Co. and Veggies Fruits and more.

“We are also environmentally conscious and incorporate compostable materials every chance we get,” she said. “Beans2Brew has endless educational opportunities for students to learn and to raise money for a club they care about while also giving back to the college, our community and the planet.”

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The Unsung Champion Award is presented to an Appalachian student who has been involved in a variety of activities on Appalachian’s campus but has not necessarily held formal leadership positions. It recognizes a person who rarely receives recognition for their work “behind the scenes.”

Schurter, a graduate student in Appalachian’s accounting program from Lexington, is the 2017–18 recipient of the Unsung Champion Award. She is a May graduate of Appalachian and holds a Bachelor of Science in business administration in accounting.

Schurter was nominated for the award by Dr. Kevin Eller, assistant professor in the Department of Accounting in Appalachian’s WCOB.

She is vice president and a founding member of the Appalachian Accountants club. She is also a member of Women of Walker and alumni chair for Walker College’s Beta Alpha Psi.

“Paige is the embodiment of an ‘unsung champion,’ as she works so hard to make things happen behind the scenes, and she never seeks out or receives praise or recognition. She always has the best attitude; her optimism is contagious,” Eller said.

According to Eller, as alumni chairperson for Beta Alpha Psi, Schurter helped gather updated contact information for 80 percent of the organization’s alumni, communicating with people she had never met with an ease that impressed Eller.

“Paige’s fellow BAP Executives love to work with her. … She serves the club with passion and a desire to see it grow and become better without the need for praise,” Eller said.

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Appalachian alumna Jackie Huckert ’18, of Monroe, earned the 2017–18 Rising Star Award, which honors one first-year member — not necessarily a first-year student — who has made great contributions to an organization at Appalachian. Huckert was nominated for the award by Dr. Kevin Eller, assistant professor in the Department of Accounting in Appalachian’s WCOB.

She is the former president of the Appalachian Accountants club and graduated from the WCOB in May with a Bachelor of Science in business administration in accounting. While at Appalachian, Huckert was also a member of Beta Alpha Psi, Women of Walker and the Walker College of Business Honors Association.

According to Eller, in late spring/summer 2017, Huckert and a few other students in the Department of Accounting saw the need for a new club to help assimilate young accounting majors and intended accounting majors into the major, their upper-level classes and, eventually, into the profession.

“Huckert assembled an amazing team of officers to create the club. Their team then hit the ground running with training events, networking socials, service projects and more,” Eller said.

Eller added, “To say I am impressed by this student’s leadership, initiative, drive, confidence and attitude would be an understatement. I have worked with students in various capacities for over 10 years, and no one I have worked with is more deserving of a ‘rising star’ award.”

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The Outstanding Achievement Award is designed to recognize the hard work of an outstanding member within an Appalachian organization. The award is presented to a student that, through their achievements, has made a valuable contribution and lasting impact on the Appalachian campus and/or the surrounding community.

Ana Dell, a senior music industry studies major at Appalachian from Fayetteville, was presented with the Outstanding Achievement Award during the 2017–18 SOLA ceremony. Dell is a member of the Appalachian Popular Programming Society (APPS).

Her nominator said, “During Dell’s one-year tenure of the cultural awareness and student engagement chairperson in the Appalachian Popular Programming Society, she has increased collaboration with multicultural organizations from three organizations to almost 10, and brought speakers who highlight contemporary issues on our campus.”

Dell worked with speakers and performers such as Step Afrika, Peirce Freelon, Elizabeth Acevedo and Anthony McPherson, according to her nominator, and also collaborated with Appalachian’s Hispanic Student Association, Black Student Association, Asian Student Association, Native American Student Association and other clubs/organizations.

“It is also with Dell’s guidance, hard work, determination and passion for cultural awareness and student engagement that have assisted in the success the council has achieved,” Dell’s nominator shared.

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The Commitment to Justice Award is presented to an Appalachian student who has demonstrated a commitment to justice and/or has been an activist, striving to create positive change for the campus and Boone communities, and/or the world. The individual should have strong leadership, passion and dedication to a particular issue or collection of issues.

Rachael Beller, the recipient of the 2017–18 Commitment to Justice Award, is a sophomore management major at Appalachian from Pickerington, Ohio. She is a member of Appalachian and the Community Together (ACT) and the university’s Epsilon Epsilon Chapter of the Kappa Delta Sorority.

Beller was nominated for the award by Lauren Hempen, a junior English major at Appalachian who is an Appalachian Student Ambassador. Hempen is also a member of the Epsilon Epsilon Chapter.

“She (Beller) jumped into the ACT office with a passion for service and social justice that has bled into her everyday life. Within the ACT office, she has helped plan dozens of events with advocacy as the cornerstone of her every action,” Hempen said.

“One topic she is passionate about is human and sex trafficking,” Hempen added, “and she is constantly sharing information, documentaries, articles and campaigns that advocate towards ending this. This issue is often invisible to the public, and she has done a beautiful job showing our campus and the world this important sector of injustice that we should fight against.”

According to Hempen, Beller planned the Epsilon Epsilon Chapter’s annual Pancake Dinner, and by doing so, educated her fellow sisters on the work of the Children’s Council of Watauga County “in order to show us the importance of donations toward our philanthropies.”

“I have learned so much from this individual — just from the way she uses her voice and her privilege to fight injustice through service and advocacy,” Hempen said. “She knows the strength she has and wants other people to find theirs.”

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The Spirit of Service Award honors an Appalachian student who has participated in community service with vigor, devotion and an unshakable positive attitude. This student serves with an inspirational and infectious optimism, and leads the way for others through their actions and involvement.

Rose, a senior communication sciences and disorders major at Appalachian from Linden, is the 2017–18 Spirit of Service Award recipient. She is a member of ACT and was nominated for the award by Alyson Graham ’18, who graduated from Appalachian in May with a B.S. in psychology.

Graham commented on Rose’s involvement with ACT: “Since beginning her time with the ACT office last year, Rose has participated in and helped plan as many events as possible. Her role in Dance Marathon was absolutely vital. Last year, Rose served as a fundraising chair, and this year, she served as a co-chair for the entire event.”

“Interacting with the hundreds of participants and the kids that visited during Dance Marathon was something that Rose thrived in,” Graham added. “Despite being at the event for almost 18 hours straight, this person was always seen with exuberant energy and a contagious smile.”

In addition to ACT’s Dance Marathon, according to Graham, Rose participated and volunteered in several other events, including the BIG Sale, Homecoming Blood Drive, Leigh Lane Day of Service and the MLK Challenge.

Rose also helped connect the American Sign Language Club at Appalachian with ACT’s Conversation Cafe, which led to the Signs of the Times event. This event educated students about American Sign Language and deaf culture.

“Each of Rose’s actions has a purpose, and she thinks critically about the impacts of her choices,” Graham said.

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The Student Organization Presidential Award recognizes an outstanding individual who advanced the mission of their student organization while challenging and encouraging the membership to advance new initiatives, acquire new skills, and prepared the group for leadership transition and ongoing success during the academic year in which the award is conferred.

The award recipient must display a commitment to leadership development, membership engagement, innovation and cross-campus collaboration. Recognition of accomplishments is limited to the person’s current year of presidency. The recipient can be nominated by the organization’s faculty advisor, any active member or by the organization’s president.

For the 2017–18 academic year, two individuals were given the Student Organization Presidential Award — Murilo Artese and Maggie King. King, of Hendersonville, is a senior accounting major at Appalachian.

King’s peers have described her as “dependable, innovative, sincere, a ray of sunshine, a mentor, a chair stacker and a model Ambassador.”

King leads Appalachian’s Ambassador Executive Committee, serving as the 2017–18 president of the Appalachian Student Ambassadors organization.

During the 2016–17 academic year, King served as the AppS.T.A.T Liaison. Her main responsibilities in this position included educating Ambassadors about private giving and organizing volunteers to assist with philanthropic events.

In addition to this position, King also volunteered to serve as the Spring Open House coordinator. Through this position, she coordinated over 65 campus tours, welcomed over 4,000 prospective students and guests to Appalachian’s campus and created an open house guide that explained every duty assignment in detail.

“Throughout her presidency, Maggie has displayed superb abilities to prioritize and follow through with long-standing commitments and projects,” said King’s nominator, Summer Wisdom, assistant director of ACT's community service and Alternative Service Experience programs.

“Maggie has a heart for service leadership and exemplifies what it means to constantly ‘be in the arena’ for our organization. She is the first person to show up to events or meetings and the last to leave. She makes herself available to members of the Ambassadors organization and will go out of her way to help anyone,” Wisdom added.

Artese is president of Appalachian International, or INTAPP — a student-run organization that works to promote study abroad, international recruitment to Appalachian, leadership and internationalization of Appalachian’s campus.

According to Karen Marshall, assistant director of international student and scholar services and outreach in Appalachian’s OIED, Artese’s first task as president of INTAPP was to organize the pickup of 80 international students from a local airport and guide them through three days of orientation at Appalachian.

“Murilo worked all summer to plan the logistics and then managed the INTAPP members throughout orientation to create a welcoming and helpful environment. OIED simply could not conduct such an effective orientation without INTAPP or the dedication of its leaders,” Marshall said.

She added that Artese is continuing and expanding INTAPP’s regular events. These include numerous social events for Appalachian’s international students, fundraising events for the Landon Hill Scholarship that funds students’ study abroad, promotion of study abroad and other internationally focused activities.

“Murilo is not only bringing fresh ideas to the organization, but his leadership style is one that resonates well with the entire group … Working with him is a delight because he works hard, inspires others, brings great ideas to the table, is productive and makes the experience fun,” Marshall said.

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Any advisor/coach to an Appalachian student organization may receive the Outstanding Advisor Award. Two types of Outstanding Advisor awards are conferred: one for general club advisors and a second for advisors to department affiliated organizations.

The advisor must have a strong educational role within the group and have helped students learn through their involvement. The nominee should demonstrate dedication, availability and energy in their involvement with their students. Additionally, the award recipient should be valued and respected by those students with whom they work and have a strong understanding of the organization’s needs and goals.

Traci Royster, director of staff development and strategic initiatives for Appalachian’s Division of Student Affairs, is the 2017–18 recipient of the Outstanding Advisor Award in the general club advisor category.

Royster also serves as faculty advisor for Appalachian’s Omicron Kappa Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. She was nominated for the Outstanding Advisor Award by Colon-Villafranca, president of the Omicron Kappa Chapter.

“Our advisor has consistently demonstrated her genuine love for every person who has entered her office. She always makes sure that each student is succeeding academically, mentally and physically,” Colon-Villafranca said.

With Royster’s assistance, members of the Omicron Kappa Chapter have consistently held the highest GPAs in Appalachian’s National Pan-Hellenic Council, hosted successful programs and welcomed new members into the organization’s sisterhood.

Royster is also an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.’s Xi Phi Omega Graduate Chapter at Appalachian. She serves as the organization’s educational advancement fund chair, and her duties consist of creating innovative ways to raise funds that support the sorority’s efforts in providing education for underprivileged children.

Jerry Cherry is an advisor for Appalachian’s Residence Hall Association (RHA), as well as coordinator for student leadership and the university’s Mountaineer Hall.

He was nominated for the Outstanding Advisor Award in the department affiliated organization category by Jake Hofmann, president of the RHA Executive Board.

“Our advisor is an outstanding leader, full of ideas, energy, creativity and passion. He is always available to us as a board, and to me as a president,” Hofmann said.

Hofmann offered an example of Cherry’s dedication and energy, saying that when Appalachian’s University Housing had back-to-back conferences to attend early in the 2017–18 academic year, not only did Cherry take a student delegation to both conferences, but he drove the nearly eight-hour round trip to and from both.

“He (Cherry) has consistently risen to the challenge to uplift, support and encourage myself and my board members. He often works overtime to make sure that we can get everything done. We are an energetic and passionate group, and he helps us implement our ideas,” Hofmann added.

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