10 students commit to advancing diversity at App State as 2021–22 Diversity Scholarship recipients

Cobb, of Lutz, Florida, is a graphic design major with a minor in digital marketing. “I wanted to go to a school that would help make me feel welcome,” she said of her decision to attend App State.

Cobb said the scholarship will help her achieve her overall goal in life — to both help and educate people. “To be able to learn more about helping people and actively doing it is a wish come true,” she said.

A graduate of George M. Steinbrenner High School, Cobb was a member of the school’s varsity soccer, bowling and track and field teams, as well as its DECA chapter — a nonprofit that prepares high school and college students for leadership in the fields of marketing, finance, hospitality and management. She also volunteered with Feeding Tampa Bay, which provides food to families in need in West Central Florida.

Cosgrove, of Brunswick, Maryland, is a graduate of Brunswick High School and is majoring in career and technical education with a concentration in family and consumer sciences education.

She chose App State for its “amazing education program,” she said, and is taking part in the Reich College of Education’s Appalachian Community of Education Scholars (ACES) program, which provides students with mentoring, leadership, service and professional development opportunities.

Cosgrove said she’d like to duplicate the program when she teaches high school one day. She also plans to use her Diversity Scholarship to study abroad.

At Brunswick High, Cosgrove participated in varsity cheerleading and student government and was a member of the Random Acts of Kindness Club.

Ellis, of Fayetteville, is majoring in biology with a concentration in ecology, evolution and environmental biology and minoring in Spanish. He said App State’s “commitment to sustainability and recognizing diversity” influenced his choice to become a Mountaineer.

He hopes to acquire new life experiences while working with other diverse App State students, he said, adding that his time at App State will prepare him to work alongside Latin American botanists in his future career.

A graduate of South View High School in Hope Mills, Ellis was a member of the school’s cross-country and track and field teams and the Foreign Language Club. A member of the National Honor Society, he participated in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, a curriculum for high school juniors and seniors that emphasizes intercultural understanding and enrichment.

Flucus, of Matthews, first visited Boone as a high school student, when she participated in a color guard competition. “It was one of the most beautiful places I’d ever been, and I knew I wanted to live here someday,” she shared.

Flucus, who is majoring in biology-cellular/molecular biology, said being awarded the Diversity Scholarship made “all the difference” in her ability to attend App State. “I’m able to live this college dream with the university of my choice,” she said.

“I also believe the scholarship shows just how much App State cares about its diverse students and its commitment to being inclusive,” she added.

In addition to participating in the color guard at Sun Valley High School in Monroe, Flucus was also a member of the symphonic band, student council, Beta Club and National Honor Society.

Harlow, of Bloomington-Normal, Illinois, is a graduate of Normal Community West High School. She said she chose App State because it is one of only a few schools in North Carolina that offer her major — actuarial science.

“App State felt like home when I came to visit,” Harlow said. “I also came for the extracurriculars — music, community service, outdoor activities and hopefully study abroad.”

Harlow said her Diversity Scholarship will allow her to graduate without debt, strengthen her communication and leadership skills, pursue study abroad opportunities and internships and learn more about various aspects of diversity.

Harlow was a member of her high school’s varsity tennis team and French Club and played violin in the school’s orchestra. She was a member of several national honor societies and helped secure a $1,000 grant for her school’s Promise Council chapter — a service-oriented club focused on connecting students with needed community resources.

Mendieta, of Charlotte, said she chose to attend App State because she “fell in love with the culture of the university — the focus on sustainability, the welcoming community and the breathtaking mountain views.” She is majoring in nutrition and foods with a concentration in dietetics.

The scholarship program’s service-learning opportunities will allow Mendieta to put what she is learning in the classroom into practice, she said, as well as facilitate on-campus events that celebrate diversity. She hopes to study abroad to learn about another culture and engage with people of backgrounds different than her own, she said.

Mendieta graduated from the Covenant Day School in Matthews, where, as president of its UNITE diversity committee, she represented the school’s marginalized and culturally diverse student populations at student council meetings and planned diversity events. Additionally, she developed a nutrition curriculum called THRIVE designed for students in second to fifth grades and was a cheerleader.

Palmer, of Charlotte, said she chose App State because of the attentive nature she received from university staff throughout the application process — along with App State’s welcoming and inclusive student atmosphere and its focus on campus sustainability.

A graduate of the Northwest School of the Arts, Palmer is majoring in psychology at App State.

“I will always strive to create and support an inclusive community, and this scholarship will equip me with the skills I need to accomplish this goal,” she said.

As a high school student, Palmer was president of her school’s Special Olympics Club and vice president of student government. She was a member of Student Leadership, the National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta.

Otero, of Florence, South Carolina, is majoring in nutrition and foods-foodsystems management and said he chose App State because of the health sciences programs offered.

“The Diversity Scholarship will allow me to get hands-on experience serving others through our volunteer hours,” he said. “It will also encourage me to remain open-minded and respectful of the experiences and perspectives of people who are different from me.”

Otero attended the Phillip O Berry Academy of Technology in Charlotte, where he was a member of the National Honor Society and the Army JROTC program, ending his senior year as the battalion commander.

Rogers, of Clarkton, is majoring in gender, women’s and sexuality studies and minoring in American Sign Language. She chose App State because “it is clear that one of the university’s main missions is to promote diversity on and off campus,” she said.

She said her scholarship will provide “financial freedom” and allow her to graduate debt-free. She expects to build connections with her Diversity Scholars peers, as well as network with program alumni who are established in their careers, she said.

At West Bladen High School in Bladenboro, Rogers served as class president during her junior and senior years. She was president of the school’s Beta Club and Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter, editor-in-chief of the yearbook and captain of the varsity cheerleading squad.

Zito, of Charlotte, is double majoring in finance and banking and international business with a minor in Spanish. “App State has an environment unmatched by any other university in the world, making it such a unique place,” he said. “I also loved the idea that alumni are extremely tight-knit, and the school as a whole is very community-based.”

As a student at Myers Park High School, Zito was a member of the National Society of High School Scholars. He also played basketball as part of a PBS (Pro Skills Basketball) Select Amateur Athletic Union team.