Noblitt, a Charlotte native, earned his Bachelor of Science in biology with a concentration in cellular and molecular biology.

He shared that his interest in neuroscience began early in his life, as he lost his mother to neurological cancer at a young age.

“Growing up, neuroscience was a field that was constantly in the back of my mind,” he said, adding that he was pleased to discover App State’s Department of Biology is home to faculty with extensive expertise in neuroscience.

Dr. Ava Udvadia, professor in and chair of the biology department, invited Noblitt to join her research lab, where he assisted Udvadia with research focused on optic nerve regeneration. The ultimate goal of this research is to aid in developing therapeutics that could restore vision in those with blindness due to optic nerve damage. Noblitt earned an Undergraduate Research Assistantship to conduct research with Udvadia in summer 2023.

Since he was a sophomore, Noblitt has worked part time at UNC Health Appalachian’s Watauga Medical Center in Boone, serving in a variety of areas through the center’s staff ready program — including patient observation specialist, emergency department admissions and patient transport.

While pursuing his degree, Noblitt was involved in several extracurricular activities at App State, including the American Red Cross Club, Neurobiology Club and Appalachian Popular Program Society. As a member of the Biology Peer Mentors Program, he offered academic advising to first-year and second-year students and helped build community among biology majors. He was also a teacher’s assistant in the photography program in App State’s Department of Art.

Noblitt is applying for Ph.D. programs in the areas of genetics, neuroscience and biochemistry and has long-term goals for a career in biomedicine. He will begin his graduate studies this fall.

“I feel confident App State has prepared me for a further career in neuroscience, especially in cellular and molecular biology,” he said.

Rabideau, of Dexter, Michigan, graduated from App State’s Walker College of Business with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in marketing, with a concentration in sales.

Rabideau came to App State as a transfer student in the 2021–22 academic year. Two weeks before she was to begin classes at Michigan State University, she visited her aunt and uncle in Waynesville and took a day trip to Boone, where she was able to join a tour of the App State campus.

“The scenery and the atmosphere immediately drew me in,” she said of her time in Boone, adding, “I found that the App State faculty and staff were so accessible and friendly.”

The next day, Rabideau contacted App State Admissions, whose team helped her enroll at App State and register for classes — within an hour, she was a Mountaineer.

Dr. Bonnie Guy, professor in the Department of Marketing and Supply Chain Management, described Rabideau as a “dynamic student.” Guy served as Rabideau’s coach for the National Shore Sales Challenge in spring 2023 — a two-day role-play and speed-selling competition for college students across the country. Rabideau was named a finalist in the role-play competition.

While at App State, Rabideau served as executive vice president of the university’s Collegiate Sales Society chapter and earned an Outstanding Marketing Scholar Award from Walker College. She was also the inaugural recipient of the Sophia Walsh Memorial Scholarship; established by the family of the late App State alumna and Walker College student Sophia Leigh Walsh, the scholarship provides support to students pursuing the field of sales.

Rabideau shared that she plans to travel abroad before beginning her new sales role at DIGI America in Raleigh — a supplier of cutting-edge products and solutions for the food industry. She will assume her new role this spring, with a sales territory concentrated in the eastern regions of Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Rodriguez, a first-generation college student and first-generation American citizen from Siler City, graduated from App State with a Bachelor of Science in exercise science. Being a first-generation student was a gratifying, yet stressful experience for Rodriguez, he said, as “everything was undiscovered for me.”

“It was actually pretty nerve racking because I didn’t want to mess up the opportunity, and I’ve got a younger brother whom I wanted to show that this is possible,” Rodriguez shared. “At first, I felt like I was figuring out how to do everything by myself, but I learned to open up, use the resources available to me and enjoy my college experience.”

Rodriguez was a member of the Latin Hispanic Alliance and the men’s club soccer team. He was also a Beaver Scholar, which is the premier scholarship program in the Beaver College of Health Sciences for students committed to careers in direct patient health care.

Rodriguez said his scholarship allowed him to switch majors late in his college career, which he felt called to do during a difficult period in his life.

"I had my struggles, and I was down about that, but I knew I needed a change and that’s when I made the switch to exercise science,” he said.

Rodriguez didn’t officially switch majors until his last year at App State, but with a strong work ethic, a lot of determination and support from faculty and advisers, he managed to graduate with only one extra semester under his belt.

He said his favorite things about attending App State were experiencing the magnitude of Mountaineers football games with his friends and living through the unpredictable weather that Boone has to offer.

Hofmann is retiring after 17 years of service in the Department of Accounting. She served as co-director of the Master of Science in accounting program, has been a generous supporter of student scholarships and was actively engaged with the community through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Hofmann received the Walker College of Business Sywassink Excellence in Teaching Award in 2021.

Porterfield began her career at App State in 1990. She teaches vocal diction and applied voice and directs the Treble Choir. Porterfield is the recipient of many awards and fellowships — she was a national finalist in the Music Teachers National Association Collegiate Artist Awards, the winner of the Toledo Opera Young Artists Competition and a two-time winner in the District Metropolitan Opera Auditions.

Tashakkori serves as the Lowe’s Distinguished Professor of Computer Science in the Department of Computer Science, and he served as department chair from 2017 to 2023. Tashakkori is a leader in establishing and directing externally funded STEM scholarship and research programs. He recently received a UNC System Research Opportunities Initiative grant for the App State Multipurpose Apiary Informatics System (AppMAIS) project.