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APDP cadet Bayley Plummer gives her all in the classroom, on the court and in the community

View larger image

Bayley Plummer ’19, a recent graduate of Appalachian’s B.S. in criminal justice program who is continuing her Appalachian education by pursuing an MPA. She will continue to work part-time security shifts as an Appalachian police cadet while she earns her graduate degree and plays one more season as a center/forward for the Mountaineers women’s basketball team. Photo by Chase Reynolds

“We’re pleased to have Bayley as a member of our Public Safety Team. She is extremely successful, both academically and athletically, and her tremendous work ethic is contagious.”

Andy Stephenson, Appalachian’s director of public safety and chief of police

By Emily Bausch
Posted July 11, 2019 at 10:59 a.m.

BOONE, N.C. — Bayley Plummer ’19, a recent graduate of Appalachian State University’s B.S. in criminal justice program from Thomasville, may have found her path to Appalachian through an athletic scholarship, but her love of the school and the Appalachian Community — which “feels like home,” she said — has led to her many successes both on and off the basketball court.

This summer, Plummer, who completed her bachelor’s degree early, began her studies in Appalachian’s Master of Public Administration (MPA) program, which she aims to complete in the spring of 2021. She will also complete an internship this summer with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.

Plummer’s decision to major in criminal justice was inspired by her grandfather. “My grandpa was in law enforcement, and this area of study always sparked my interest,” she said. “I also am very fond of the idea of serving and helpings others, which is directly related to the field of law enforcement.”

“We’re pleased to have Bayley as a member of our Public Safety Team. She is extremely successful, both academically and athletically, and her tremendous work ethic is contagious.”

Andy Stephenson, Appalachian’s director of public safety and chief of police

Her interests in public service led her to apply for the Appalachian Police Officer Development Program (APDP). Since being accepted into the program, the center/forward for the Mountaineers women’s basketball team has kept a fast-paced schedule, juggling her part-time security work as a police cadet, her academic commitments and her athletic pursuits.

“We’re pleased to have Bayley as a member of our Public Safety Team,” said Andy Stephenson, Appalachian’s director of public safety and chief of police. “She is extremely successful, both academically and athletically, and her tremendous work ethic is contagious. Should she choose policing as her career, I have no doubt that she will have a significant, positive impact in the community.”

“The APDP program allows me to get one step ahead … I hope to become a state trooper for the North Carolina Highway Patrol and one day work for federal law enforcement,” Plummer said. “The program has also permitted me to build connections and relationships with members of the Appalachian Community.

View larger image

Bayley Plummer ’19 has achieved academic and athletic success while at Appalachian — ranking sixth in the nation and first in the Sun Belt Conference in rebounds per game for the 2018–19 basketball season, while keeping a 3.9 GPA. Photo courtesy of Appalachian State University Athletics

“(Plummer) played an integral role in the WBI (Women’s Basketball Invitational) championship. … she anchors our defense with her elite ability to rebound the basketball, all while maintaining a 3.9 cumulative GPA.”

Angel Elderkin, head coach of the Appalachian women’s basketball team

“I was introduced to (C.) Philip Byers, who currently sits on the (University of North Carolina) Board of Governors and who also served as a former sheriff. He has provided useful knowledge and connections in the field of law enforcement and I am grateful for our relationship,” she added.

Angel Elderkin, head coach of the Appalachian women’s basketball team, said Plummer’s academic and athletic achievements stand out in addition to her desire to be of service to others.

“She played an integral role in the WBI (Women’s Basketball Invitational) championship. On the court, she anchors our defense with her elite ability to rebound the basketball, all while maintaining a 3.9 cumulative GPA,” Elderkin said. “Most important, Bayley has impacted the community with her work as an APDP cadet.”

When she graduates with her MPA, Plummer is likely to become the first APDP cadet to earn a master’s degree. She will also remain committed to a demanding schedule as a successful student-athlete while completing her first year of graduate studies — 2019–20 will be her last season with the Mountaineers, she said.

When asked what comes next after she completes her graduate degree, Plummer said she hopes to work for federal law enforcement, possibly with the FBI or Secret Service.

“As a sworn officer, I will be in close contact with more citizens and members of society, so I am excited for the new relationships that will be built,” she said. “I hope I can use my profession to build relationships that will last a lifetime.”

Next summer, Plummer plans to complete the Appalachian Police Academy and earn her North Carolina Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) credentials to become a sworn police officer.

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Appalachian Police Officer Development Program
Appalachian Police Officer Development Program

The Appalachian Police Officer Development Program (APDP), the only program of its kind in North Carolina, is a two-year program designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills and training to become law enforcement officers, all while they are completing their undergraduate or graduate degrees at Appalachian State University.

Learn more
Appalachian State basketball star Bayley Plummer trains to be in law enforcement
Appalachian State basketball star Bayley Plummer trains to be in law enforcement
WSOC-TV
June 25, 2019

Bayley Plummer wasn’t meant to sit behind a desk all day, so when the App State basketball star enrolled in Boone she quickly changed her major from accounting, her mother’s profession, to criminal justice, her grandfather’s passion.

Watch the video
Criminal Justice (BSCJ)
Criminal Justice (BSCJ)

A criminal justice degree prepares students to work in the public and private sectors of law enforcement and courts and corrections at all levels of government.

Learn more
Public Administration (MPA)
Public Administration (MPA)

The Master of Public Administration is a terminal degree program that trains individuals to manage public agencies and programs and to evaluate their effectiveness.

Learn more
With App State Police, Madison Cook follows in family footsteps of service
With App State Police, Madison Cook follows in family footsteps of service
Dec. 12, 2018

The junior criminal justice-international studies major is a member of the first class of Appalachian’s two-year Police Officer Development Program, which was created to equip Appalachian students with the knowledge, skills and training to become law enforcement officers.

Read the story
Bryce Helms — from Appalachian police cadet to full-time APD officer
Bryce Helms — from Appalachian police cadet to full-time APD officer
Feb. 19, 2019

Bryce Helms, a senior criminal justice major, is the first cadet from the APDP to be hired by the Appalachian Police Department. She began her new role as a full-time police officer with the department in January.

Read the story
New Police Officer Development Program to train the ‘policing leaders of tomorrow’ at Appalachian
New Police Officer Development Program to train the ‘policing leaders of tomorrow’ at Appalachian
July 19, 2018

The Appalachian Police Officer Development Program — the second of its kind in the nation — begins training student police cadets in summer 2018.

Read the story
First class graduates from Appalachian Police Academy
First class graduates from Appalachian Police Academy
Sep. 5, 2018

Twenty-one Appalachian students became members of the Appalachian Police Department and certified North Carolina police officers as part of the Appalachian Police Officer Development Program.

Read the story

About the Department of Government and Justice Studies

Appalachian State University’s Department of Government and Justice Studies offers undergraduate programs in political science and criminal justice, and graduate programs in political science and public administration. Housed in the College of Arts and Sciences, the department has over 600 undergraduate majors and more than 70 graduate students. Learn more at https://gjs.appstate.edu.

About the College of Arts and Sciences

The College of Arts and Sciences is home to 16 academic departments, one stand-alone academic program, two centers and one residential college. These units span the humanities and the social, mathematical and natural sciences. The College of Arts and Sciences aims to develop a distinctive identity built upon our university's strengths, traditions and unique location. The college’s values lie not only in service to the university and local community, but through inspiring, training, educating and sustaining the development of its students as global citizens. There are approximately 6,100 student majors in the college. As the college is also largely responsible for implementing Appalachian's general education curriculum, it is heavily involved in the education of all students at the university, including those pursuing majors in other colleges. Learn more at https://cas.appstate.edu.

About the Appalachian State University Police Department

The Appalachian State University Police Department supports the university’s academic mission by working in partnership with the campus community to prevent crime, solve problems and improve the quality of life on campus. The department’s philosophy is one of proactive community engagement, collaboration and customer service, holding the safety and health of Appalachian’s community members as its top priorities. State-certified police officers, security officers and civilian employees comprise the department, and this team of professionals helps to create and maintain an inclusive sense of belonging for all members of the Appalachian Community — students, faculty, staff and visitors. Additionally, through its efforts, the department aims to be a leader in innovative public safety ideas and strategies. Learn more at https://police.appstate.edu.

About Mountaineer Athletics

More than 450 student-athletes compete in 20 NCAA Division I varsity sports at Appalachian State University, 10 for men and 10 for women. Appalachian was a dominant force in the Southern Conference for more than 40 years before joining the Sun Belt Conference in July 2014 — one of 10 conferences that are members of the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The Mountaineer football team claimed back-to-back 10-win seasons and bowl victories in 2015 and 2016, providing a catalyst for comprehensive excellence to grow across all Appalachian sports while competing at the highest levels of college athletics. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu/athletics.

About Appalachian State University

As the premier public undergraduate institution in the state of North Carolina, 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 more than 19,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.

“We’re pleased to have Bayley as a member of our Public Safety Team. She is extremely successful, both academically and athletically, and her tremendous work ethic is contagious.”

Andy Stephenson, Appalachian’s director of public safety and chief of police

Appalachian Police Officer Development Program
Appalachian Police Officer Development Program

The Appalachian Police Officer Development Program (APDP), the only program of its kind in North Carolina, is a two-year program designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills and training to become law enforcement officers, all while they are completing their undergraduate or graduate degrees at Appalachian State University.

Learn more

“(Plummer) played an integral role in the WBI (Women’s Basketball Invitational) championship. … she anchors our defense with her elite ability to rebound the basketball, all while maintaining a 3.9 cumulative GPA.”

Angel Elderkin, head coach of the Appalachian women’s basketball team

Appalachian State basketball star Bayley Plummer trains to be in law enforcement
Appalachian State basketball star Bayley Plummer trains to be in law enforcement
WSOC-TV
June 25, 2019

Bayley Plummer wasn’t meant to sit behind a desk all day, so when the App State basketball star enrolled in Boone she quickly changed her major from accounting, her mother’s profession, to criminal justice, her grandfather’s passion.

Watch the video
Criminal Justice (BSCJ)
Criminal Justice (BSCJ)

A criminal justice degree prepares students to work in the public and private sectors of law enforcement and courts and corrections at all levels of government.

Learn more
Public Administration (MPA)
Public Administration (MPA)

The Master of Public Administration is a terminal degree program that trains individuals to manage public agencies and programs and to evaluate their effectiveness.

Learn more

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Appalachian Today is an online publication of Appalachian State University. This website consolidates university news, feature stories, events, photo galleries, videos and podcasts.

The migration of materials from other sites is still incomplete, so if you cannot find what you're looking for here, please refer to the following sources:

  • University media releases published prior to Jan. 1, 2015
  • Additional feature stories may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • Podcasts may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • Photo galleries and videos published prior to Jan. 1, 2015 may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • A university-wide Google Calendar may be found at Events at Appalachian

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Archives

Appalachian Today is an online publication of Appalachian State University. This website consolidates university news, feature stories, events, photo galleries, videos and podcasts.

The migration of materials from other sites is still incomplete, so if you cannot find what you're looking for here, please refer to the following sources:

  • University media releases published prior to Jan. 1, 2015
  • Additional feature stories may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • Podcasts may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • Photo galleries and videos published prior to Jan. 1, 2015 may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • A university-wide Google Calendar may be found at Events at Appalachian
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