Appalachian’s Beaver Scholars program aims to improve health care in region and beyond

BOONE, N.C. — Beginning fall 2019, 20 students in Appalachian State University’s Beaver College of Health Sciences (BCHS) will be named Beaver Scholars, qualifying for scholarships of $10,000 per academic year.

Established by Don Beaver ’62 ’64 and his wife, Vickie Beaver — the couple for whom the college is named — the Beaver Scholars program was created with the goal of providing support to North Carolina students with a commitment to health care careers. Selection of the first class of scholars for the endowed scholarship program will occur during the 2018–19 academic year.

“The Beavers’ scholarship support will advance the health and well-being of our state’s citizens by increasing the numbers of critical health care personnel in communities that need it most,” Chancellor Sheri Everts said. “The impact of this endowment will multiply over time, as more and more well-prepared and professional students enter the workforce.”

The $10,000-per-year award is renewable as long as the student meets academic standards established by the college. Scholarships will be awarded to undergraduate and graduate students majoring in health-focused programs, with priority given to students who demonstrate a strong commitment to improving health care in the region.

“Access to health care is a tremendous priority for our state, particularly in rural counties,” explained Marie Huff, dean of the BCHS.

“Our curriculum emphasizes interprofessional collaboration among the various health care disciplines, promoting the best care possible for patients and their families. The new, state-of-the-art Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences makes that collaboration possible,” she said.

“The Beaver Scholars program will strengthen our ability to provide a transformative education to our students and bolster the health care workforce in our state.”

Nearly 3,500 students are enrolled in the BCHS, which offers 10 undergraduate degree programs and six graduate degree programs.

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About the Beaver College of Health Sciences

Appalachian State University’s Beaver College of Health Sciences (BCHS), opened in 2010, is transforming the health and quality of life for the communities it serves through interprofessional collaboration and innovation in teaching, scholarship, service and clinical outreach. BCHS offers nine undergraduate degree programs and seven graduate degree programs, which are organized into six departments: Nursing, Nutrition and Health Care Management, Public Health and Exercise Science, Recreation Management and Physical Education, Rehabilitation Sciences, and Social Work. The college’s academic programs are located in the Holmes Convocation Center on App State’s main campus and the Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences, a state-of-the-art, 203,000-square-foot facility that is the cornerstone of the Wellness District. In addition, the college supports the Blue Cross NC Institute for Health and Human Services and has collaborative partnerships with the Wake Forest School of Medicine’s Physician Assistant Program, the Appalachian Regional Health System and numerous other health agencies. Learn more at https://healthsciences.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As the premier public undergraduate institution in the Southeast, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The Appalachian Experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and to embrace diversity and difference. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Appalachian is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System. Appalachian enrolls nearly 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.