BOONE, N.C. — Patrick Setzer ’90 ’98 has been named executive director of national alumni and parent engagement for Appalachian State University, effective April 1.

In this role, Setzer will leverage his personal history with the university and institutional knowledge to:

• Further engage alumni and other university constituents, including the Appalachian Student Ambassadors and Appalachian Alumni Council networks.
• Identify and establish new alumni chapters.
• Assist the vice chancellor for university advancement, the Office of Alumni Affairs and the director of Parent and Family Services with engagement collaborations and development of key alumni and parent constituents.
• Serve as lead university representative for the Alumni Travel Tours program.

He will report directly to Vice Chancellor for University Advancement Dr. Randy Edwards.

“I am pleased Patrick will lead Appalachian’s increased efforts to reach alumni and parents across the nation for Chancellor Everts and the university,” Edwards said. “There are approximately 127,000 alumni, and many live in the west, southwest, northeast and southern regions of the United States. We are prioritizing outreach and engagement to these important groups, and Patrick’s decades of service to Appalachian position him uniquely for this role.”

Setzer has been employed at Appalachian since 1990. He has served as executive director of alumni affairs for Appalachian since 2010. Prior to this position, he held positions as director of marketing communications and senior associate director of admissions for the university. He is a two-time graduate of Appalachian, earning his Bachelor of Science in communications in 1990 and a Master of Arts in higher education administration in 1998.

He is a member of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and was named the Outstanding Advisor in CASE District 3 in 2001.

In 2013, he successfully led Appalachian’s inaugural “#iBackAPP” Annual Giving campaign, beginning what has now become a key annual fund drive for the university.

Setzer was instrumental in the growth and development of the Appalachian Student Ambassadors program, serving as the primary advisor for the group from 1993 to 2007. In 2018, he received the university’s prestigious Plemmons Leadership Medallion in recognition of his efforts in providing campus leadership for students.

“It has been a privilege to serve a wide range of university constituents for the past 29 years alongside outstanding colleagues from Alumni Affairs, University Communications and Admissions,” Setzer said. “I am excited for this new opportunity to serve an institution that I love and to further a positive impact among alumni and parents on behalf of the Appalachian Family.”

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Four Appalachian Community members awarded 2017–18 W.H. Plemmons Leadership Medallions

July 9, 2018

Appalachian’s Elaine Everly, Nicole Flournory, Patrick Setzer and Keith Martin are the 2017–18 recipients of W.H. Plemmons Leadership Medallion — the highest award of its kind at Appalachian.

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About the Office of Alumni Engagement

Appalachian State University’s Office of Alumni Engagement creates and fosters communities of App State alumni. Its programs provide all App State alumni populations with meaningful engagement opportunities to network — connecting Mountaineers with each other and their alma mater. The university’s Alumni Association consists of more than 150,000 living alumni. Membership is free and automatic for all App State graduates. Learn more at www.alumni.appstate.edu.

About University Advancement

Appalachian State University’s Division of University Advancement supports and encourages the university’s mission by engaging alumni, friends and the greater community. University Advancement staff help connect these constituents with Appalachian through one-on-one contact and special programming, thereby securing the resources necessary to create the best possible learning environment for Appalachian students and to positively impact the community, region and state. The division incorporates the offices of Alumni Affairs, Development and the Appalachian State University Foundation Inc. Learn more at http://give.appstate.edu.

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.