University Communications' Dave Blanks asks current Appalachian students what they would share about App State with a friend who is considering attending the university. Spoiler alert: Everyone loves Appalachian State University.

Transcript

Dave Blanks: Hey folks, I'm Dave Blanks, from University Communications back with one of them old, Dave by Bells everybody's been talking about all the time. On this Dave by the Bell, what we're trying to figure out is, if you are talking to a friend of yours from back home who's considering coming to Appalachian State, what do you tell them? What aspect of Appalachian State would you share with this friend to encourage them to come to App? So that's the question. Let's go ask some people and get some answers.

Erin Moriarty: I'm Erin Moriarty.

Dave Blanks: OK. Erin, so what year are you?

Erin Moriarty: I'm a senior.

Dave Blanks: Cool. So you've been here a little bit, you're familiar with Appalachian State?

Erin Moriarty: I am.

Dave Blanks: OK. So, if you were talking to somebody who was a senior, high school.

Erin Moriarty: OK.

Dave Blanks: If they were like, "Erin, why do you think I should come to App?"

Erin Moriarty: If I'm trying to convince them?

Dave Blanks: Yeah. I guess you are trying to convince them, if you, in fact, love App. I'm not trying to put that —

Erin Moriarty: I do in fact.

Dave Blanks: OK, good.

Erin Moriarty: I like App for these reasons.

Dave Blanks: Yes.

Erin Moriarty: I think you can be an individual and there's groups for you to find your place.

Dave Blanks: Mmm hmm (affirmative).

Erin Moriarty: If you like sororities or frats, we have that. If you like hiking or mountains or fun stuff outside, we have that. If you want to go to school, we have that.

Dave Blanks: Like, if you're educationally focused?

Erin Moriarty: Yeah. We have that.

Dave Blanks: Yeah.

Erin Moriarty: And you can dress how you want, be who you want. There's not really a whole lot of judgment, I think. Yes, it's a good place to be.

Dave Blanks: Do you feel like App's different from many other colleges in that respect?

Erin Moriarty: I do.

Dave Blanks: OK.

Erin Moriarty: I think that's what sets us apart the most, is there's a unique feel in Boone for sure.

Dave Blanks: Yeah, cool.

Erin Moriarty: Yeah.

Jamie Morales: I am Jamie Morales. One of my deciding factors for App, was just looking on campus. There's so many places that you can just hang out, and it's so chill and everything's so green.

Dave Blanks: Yeah.

Jamie Morales: So, I feel like you can't really get that in other campuses. I don't know, like NC State.

Dave Blanks: Right.

Jamie Morales: Would be a bunch of concrete, and here you can walk around and there's just a bunch of green.

Kevion Chunn: I'm Kevion Chunn. Just an overall nice campus. The views are always nice, there's a lot of stuff to do. I can go hiking here, go to see the waterfalls. It's fun overall, and the classes aren't even that hard.

Dave Blanks: What are you taking?

Kevion Chunn: Gen eds right now, because I'm undecided for my major.

Dave Blanks: Well, nice man. You're doing great. Good job. Keep it up.

Devon Roddel: I'm Devon Roddel. I've lived for the most part in Florida. So I would tell them if they're from Florida, I know they're going to care that there's not mosquitoes up here. That's a big deal.

Dave Blanks: Score.

Devon Roddel: Yeah. There's a lot of appeal up here. You don't sweat just from being outside.

Dave Blanks: Mmm hmm (affirmative).

Devon Roddel: The environment's truly beautiful. But also, being in Boone and being on campus, there's a hospitality that's extended to everyone. And I don't know if that's unique to the university or unique to the town, but I think that's a really big draw that you don't see in a lot of other places. It's just an automatic communal feeling regardless of if you're actually involved in any of the tons of events going on campus, so —

Austin Simmons: Hi, I'm Austin Simmons. Well, I have some friends — they're actually in other graduate programs at other universities. And they're actually having to take out about $30,000 in loans, just to go to school. At a place where they're going, like Wake Forest University, for example. Going to Appalachian State University .... it's number one affordable and they also offer teaching assistantships that you won't be able to get elsewhere. So it's really great financially for the student.

Dave Blanks: Why wouldn't you be able to get the assistantships, like say at Wake Forest, or it would be harder to?

Austin Simmons: Yeah. Well, Wake Forest University, it's a private school, so they don't offer a state-mandated teaching assistantship. So they're not able to because it's funded by the state. So, if you're in a UNC System school, you actually have that advantage. But it also differs by the college you go to and the amount of funds that are allocated to that specific department.

Dave Blanks: Just one more question about it. What would be the benefit of getting that teaching assistantship? Why would you want that?

Austin Simmons: Well, it covers all of my tuition, actually, and more.

Dave Blanks: Wow.

Austin Simmons: The more money the merrier, right?

Dave Blanks: That's great.

Phoenix Tefel: I'm Phoenix Tefel. I would say that it's a very unique campus. It's got a really good environment because it's not too big of a town, but it's still like a college town.

Dave Blanks: Mmm hmm (affirmative).

Phoenix Tefel: It's probably the most unique college, I would say, that I've at least been on campus for.

Dave Blanks: So what are you studying here?

Phoenix Tefel: I'm studying creative writing.

Dave Blanks: Oh. What do you like about this program? I know you haven't gone to other programs, but what are you enjoying about App's creative writing?

Phoenix Tefel: I really like all the other creative writing students. I've made a lot of progress here, within my own writing and the professors are all very salient and helpful. It's a really good supportive program.

Regino Matos: I am Regino Matos. Mostly because of the environment.

Dave Blanks: OK. Do you mean like the physical environment?

Regino Matos: The physical environment.

Dave Blanks: What do you —

Regino Matos: The mountains.

Dave Blanks: Yeah. OK. The mountains.

Regino Matos: Yeah.

Dave Blanks: So what do you like about the mountains?

Regino Matos: I like that it's a cool area, is not real hot. When it gets here, there's always the wind coming through.

Dave Blanks: Mmm hmm (affirmative).

Regino Matos: I like hiking, so —

Dave Blanks: Perfect. Where's your favorite spot to hit up?

Regino Matos: Moses Cone.

J.T Morris: I'm J.T Morris. It's a small-big school, I like to call it. It's got like a feel of like a smaller school, the campus size and everything. But at the same time there's a lot of amenities and clubs that you can join. So there's like something for everybody here. It's not really limited in the scope.

Brittany A.: I'm Brittany Anderson. And I really like the mountains, but I've come to like it a lot more because it's really welcoming, and all the teachers and professors, so far, have been really helpful with everything, so ...

Dave Blanks: Did you tour other colleges before you decided on App?

Brittany A.: At UNCW, I went on a tour. ECU, NC state, the ones closer around home, but —

Dave Blanks: I got you. Was there a difference in your tour at App versus those schools?

Brittany A.: Yeah, they seemed a lot nicer.

Dave Blanks: All right.

Parker Hallman: I am Parker Hallman. It feels a lot more low-stress than I got on the other campuses, like the vibes from it. And it is honestly just a really great community. I feel like everyone really supports each other here and everyone's really connected on campus.

Mattie Thomas: I am Mattie Thomas. It's such a happy environment. Everybody's so positive and happy and they don't judge, and it's just free spirit kind of. And you always learn new things around campus, which is really cool.

Dave Blanks: What is your name?

Lexie Green: I am Lexie Green. I was just going to kind of add onto what she said. Everybody that you meet, they always have a smile on their face, like —

Mattie Thomas: And they're always so friendly, they'll talk to you.

Lexie Green: Yeah. Students and staff — everybody is always so nice.

Dave Blanks: Even Dave?

Lexie Green: Even Dave, yes.

Bethany Smith: I'm Bethany Rogers Smith. If anything, I'd have to say the experience of getting to know so many people of diverse backgrounds, people that come from different nations, different cultures and stuff. This place is so open to people that are of different origins and it's a good way to get to know the rest of the world, or at least take a step to it. And it's kind of fun just to get to see all the artwork and stuff. It's very artistic, very healthy environment kind of college, which is something that, personally, really draws me there. And I think that if you want to help make a difference to the world this is definitely the place to be.

John Wynn: I'm John Wynn.

Dave Blanks: OK, cool. And what is your name?

Madison Taylor: I'm Madison Taylor.

John Wynn: Well, I chose to come to App because it has a great community here, and the views are amazing.

Dave Blanks: Perfect. Madison?

Madison Taylor: I would say that just like everybody is really friendly here, and everyone's really inviting. And it's just a great school to be at, because everyone's just so open and you're easy to get along with everyone.

Sarah Jones: I'm Sarah Jones. Your question kind of makes me think back about my first week coming to App. In the first place, I walked on campus and I was walking through Sanford Mall.

Dave Blanks: Yeah.

Sarah Jones: And I ran into about 20 people I counted, that looked me dead in the eyes and smiled at me.

Dave Blanks: Aw.

Sarah Jones: And That's how I knew I came to the right school. Then everyone was talking to me saying, "Hey," and it's very heartwarming. So I felt really welcomed.

Dave Blanks: Well, you smiled at me when I first came up to you. And you were probably like, "You were like that when you came here," right?

Sarah Jones: Yeah, probably.

Dave Blanks: I think App does attract that kind of person. That's a great answer!

Sarah Jones: Mmm hmm (affirmative). Yeah.

Dave Blanks: So many fantastic answers from everyone I talked to. Sincerely appreciate everyone who answered my question, and yeah. How should I wrap this one up? How about, come to App, because it's exceptionally beautiful and everyone is very kind. There you go; that's a wrap. I'm Dave Blanks, this has been Dave by the Bell.

What do you think?

Share your feedback on this story.

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, affordable education for all. 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.