Dr. Neva Specht has been appointed Appalachian State University’s vice provost for faculty policies and development, effective Oct. 11. Photo by Marie Freeman
BOONE, N.C. — Dr. Neva Specht has been named as Appalachian State University’s vice provost for faculty policies and development, effective Oct. 11. She has served as dean of App State’s College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) since 2017.
“In her progressive leadership roles, Dr. Specht has provided unwavering support for faculty professional development in her college and campuswide,” said App State Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Heather Hulburt Norris.
Prior to being dean, Specht served in various leadership roles within CAS: CAS senior associate dean, CAS associate dean and assistant chair of the college’s Department of History. She has also served on universitywide committees, including the University Academic Assessment Committee, Strategic Planning Committee, Dean and Provost councils and Athletics Council.
Specht began at App State as a professor of history in 1996. Her scholarship focuses on race, gender, and religion in community and identity formation.
“Her commitment to diversity is reflected in her scholarship, service and leadership at Appalachian,” Norris said.
Specht has been a leader in CAS’ diversity and inclusion efforts to develop a college-level diversity statement and support inclusive hiring practices and implicit bias training for faculty and search committees.
A complement to her work as a professor, she served for six years as the university liaison to the Blue Ridge Parkway. She has also been a trustee and board chair for the North Carolina Humanities Council. Locally, she has served on the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum’s board, Blue Ridge Parkway 75 and the Town of Boone’s Cultural Resources Advisory Board.
Specht has earned several awards, including a Transforming North Carolina Faculty Research Award, an Appalachian State University Board of Governors Excellence in Teaching Award, a College of Arts and Sciences Jimmy Smith Service Award and a Communal Studies Association Starting Scholar Award.
She received her doctorate in United States history and material culture studies from the University of Delaware, where she also earned her Master of Arts in U.S. history with a certificate in museum studies. She received her bachelor’s degree from Grinnell College, with a double major in history and American studies.
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About the Division of Academic Affairs
The Division of Academic Affairs is responsible for student learning and success at Appalachian State University, including oversight of the university’s challenging academic curriculum, active classroom environments, and close collaboration between faculty members and students on scholarly activities. Academic Affairs encompasses the degree-granting College of Arts and Sciences, College of Fine and Applied Arts, Beaver College of Health Sciences, Reich College of Education, Walker College of Business and Hayes School of Music; as well as the Cratis D. Williams Graduate School, the Honors College, University College and 12 other units that support the innovative, interdisciplinary and integrative academic experience for which Appalachian is known. Learn more at http://academicaffairs.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.
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