Skip to main content
Appalachian Today
News and events at Appalachian State University
  • For the media
  • COVID updates
  • Contact
  • Events
  • Webcams
  • Galleries
  • In the Media
  • Grants
  • Speakers
  • All Posts
  • Topics
  • Accolades
  • Alumni
  • Arts and Humanities
  • Athletics
  • Awards and Honors
  • Community Engagement
  • Diversity
  • Events
  • Faculty and Staff
  • Gifts and Grants
  • Global
  • Health and Wellness
  • Publications
  • Research
  • Safety
  • Scholarships
  • Students
  • Sustainability
☰ Menu
  • Events
  • Webcams
  • Galleries
  • In the Media
  • Grants
  • Speakers
  • All Posts
  • Topics
  • For the media
  • COVID updates
  • Contact

An act of App State kindness: University Post Office staff assemble bike for first-year student

View larger image

Appalachian State University first-year student Madeline Ryan, a sustainable development major from Chicago, shipped a bicycle to the University Post Office and was “so grateful and appreciative” when three of its staff members assembled the bike for her. She is pictured in front of the iconic university sign located in Founders Plaza on Appalachian’s campus. Photo by Chase Reynolds

“As I reflect, I realize it was a much larger and loving sentiment as to why I chose App State and why I’m falling in love with it here.”

Madeline Ryan, a first-year sustainable development major from Chicago

View larger image

Daniel Greer, left, and Matt Story, administration support specialists in the Appalachian State University Post Office, assemble a bicycle for first-year student Madeline Ryan, of Chicago. Not pictured is Tim Norris, a third University Post Office administration support specialist who also helped with the assembly. Photo by Tim Norris

By Megan Bruffy
Posted Aug. 26, 2020 at 1:23 p.m.

BOONE, N.C. — When Madeline Ryan, a first-year sustainable development major from Chicago, shipped a bicycle to Appalachian State University’s post office, she didn’t anticipate three of its staff members would go above and beyond to help her by assembling the bike.

Ryan said she bought the bike “on a whim,” and when it arrived unassembled, she knew she was “going to struggle putting it together.”

“As I reflect, I realize it was a much larger and loving sentiment as to why I chose App State and why I’m falling in love with it here.”

Madeline Ryan, a first-year sustainable development major from Chicago

“I ended up leaving it at the post office so I could figure out a plan,” Ryan said. “I was so stressed because I had just moved in and really needed the bike for transportation.”

Little did Ryan know, Tim Norris, Matt Story and Daniel Greer — administration support specialists in the University Post Office — were ready to solve her dilemma.

View larger image

Daniel Greer, left, and Matt Story, administration support specialists in the Appalachian State University Post Office, assemble a bicycle for first-year student Madeline Ryan, of Chicago. Not pictured is Tim Norris, a third University Post Office administration support specialist who also helped with the assembly. Photo by Tim Norris

Story said Ryan was by herself when she came to pick up the package and it was “obviously way too big for one person to carry.” After she left, the staff members saw the package contained a bicycle.

“We called and asked her if she wanted us to put the bike together,” Story said. “That way she wouldn’t have to carry that huge box, and it would save her some time by not having to put it together. Plus, we had all the tools here, including the air compressor to pump up the tires.”

Ryan said she was “so grateful and appreciative” when she received the call.

“As I reflect, I realize it was a much larger and loving sentiment as to why I chose App State and why I’m falling in love with it here,” Ryan said. “I know it sounds cheesy, but it was such an important act of kindness to me during a pretty difficult transition. It truly meant a lot to me.”

“We try to go above and beyond to help out students as much as we can,” Story said, “whether that is letting them borrow a hand truck, or helping them with bigger packages, or just trying to get them a better deal on shipping rates. We also recycle and reuse packaging as often as possible.”

University Post Office Director Greg Foster said, “We have a very talented crew, and they often go beyond the call of duty to help out.”

What do you think?

Share your feedback on this story.

University Post Office
University Post Office

The University Post Office is a unit of financial management within the Office of Business Affairs at Appalachian State University. The mission of the University Post Office is to provide the best possible service in the sending, receiving and delivery of mail to the campus community via the United States Postal Service and intercampus system.

Learn more

About the Division of Business Affairs

The Division of Business Affairs at Appalachian State University works to provide the most effective and efficient accounting and budgeting of the university’s financial resources, while also providing exemplary services that maintain the support necessary for the infrastructure, safety and physical operation of the campus. This administrative division oversees 13 units: Parking and Transportation; Conference and Event Services; University Post Office; University Bookstore; Campus Dining; Controller’s Office; Budget Office; Business Systems; Materials Management; Facilities Operations; Planning, Design and Construction; New River Light and Power; and the Appalachian Loft facility in New York City. Learn more at https://businessaffairs.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.

“As I reflect, I realize it was a much larger and loving sentiment as to why I chose App State and why I’m falling in love with it here.”

Madeline Ryan, a first-year sustainable development major from Chicago

University Post Office
University Post Office

The University Post Office is a unit of financial management within the Office of Business Affairs at Appalachian State University. The mission of the University Post Office is to provide the best possible service in the sending, receiving and delivery of mail to the campus community via the United States Postal Service and intercampus system.

Learn more

Share

Topics

  • Community Engagement
  • Faculty and Staff
  • Students

What do you think?

Share your feedback on this story.

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:

  • 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

Share

Topics

  • Community Engagement
  • Faculty and Staff
  • Students

Other Recent Posts

  • App State students score 2nd-place divisional win in national solar competition
    App State students score 2nd-place divisional win in national solar competition
  • App State biology interns spend summer in Wilson Creek’s ‘natural playground’
    App State biology interns spend summer in Wilson Creek’s ‘natural playground’
  • Campus emergency siren test to be conducted July 6
    Campus emergency siren test to be conducted July 6
  • Find Your Sustain Ability: Dr. Jamie Parson
    Find Your Sustain Ability: Dr. Jamie Parson
  • App State alum donates $1.3 million in support of App State Athletics and Walker College of Business
    App State alum donates $1.3 million in support of App State Athletics and Walker College of Business
  • How Appalachian State’s Police Officer Development Program is Revolutionizing Policing
    How Appalachian State’s Police Officer Development Program is Revolutionizing Policing
    Campus Safety
  • App State announces new master’s degree in occupational therapy
    App State announces new master’s degree in occupational therapy
  • Cardiovascular Recovery in Young Adults Takes Several Months after COVID-19 Infection
    Cardiovascular Recovery in Young Adults Takes Several Months after COVID-19 Infection
    American Physiological Society
  • A return to Everest: App State’s Dr. Baker Perry leads climate science expedition to the world’s highest mountain
    A return to Everest: App State’s Dr. Baker Perry leads climate science expedition to the world’s highest mountain
  • Jennifer Myers named chief audit officer at App State
    Jennifer Myers named chief audit officer at App State
  • NRLP projects aim to improve reliability for customers and campus
    NRLP projects aim to improve reliability for customers and campus
    Watauga Online
  • App State commercial photography alumnus photographs Tokyo Olympics
    App State commercial photography alumnus photographs Tokyo Olympics

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:

  • 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
  • Events
  • Videos
  • Galleries
  • In the Media
  • Grants
  • Speakers
  • All Posts
  • Topics
  • For the media
  • COVID updates
  • Contact

Appalachian State University

Copyright 2022 Appalachian State University. All rights reserved.

University Communications
ASU Box 32153
Boone, NC 28608
828-262-6156
ucomm@appstate.edu

Abouts

Disclaimer | EO Policy | Website manager: montaldipa (beltmr) .. | Website Feedback

Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram LinkedIn Snapchat