BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State University held its annual Memorial Day commemoration on May 24 to pay tribute to those who died while serving in the U.S. military. The observance took place at the Veterans Memorial, located next to the B.B. Dougherty Administration Building on the Boone campus. The memorial honors App State students, faculty and staff who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

In App State tradition, a veteran is chosen by the chancellor each year to lay a wreath for the Memorial Day commemoration. This year, Interim Chancellor Heather Norris selected U.S. Army Reserve veteran and App State alumna Caitlin Langley ’24 for the honor.

“Memorial Day is so much more than just a day off work,” said Langley. “It has always been important in my family, but now, having lost fellow veterans, it’s even more significant. I’m very honored to come back and do this at the school where I made so many good friends who have also served in the military.”

Langley, from Prospect Hill, enlisted in the Army Reserve in 2018, serving as a heavy equipment operator and eventually achieving the rank of specialist. She was deployed twice during her time at App State — to Guatemala in 2019 and to Somalia in 2020 — and still managed to graduate in only five years. A first-generation college graduate, Langley took part in the university’s Spring 2024 Commencement, earning her bachelor’s degree in sustainable development-environmental studies. She was the recipient of the LTG (Ret) Robert P. and Barbara S. Ashley, Jr. Student Veteran and Families Scholarship and the Harry and Mary Meinhardt Memorial Scholarship for Student Veterans. She completed her military service in January.

Langley said her grandfather, who served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War, was a source of inspiration when it came to her decision to join the military. However, she was also uncertain of her future beyond high school. Now, as she is headed for the civilian workforce, she describes her time in the military as “one of the best experiences in my adult career.”

“I really enjoyed my experience in the military,” said Langley. “There were a lot of difficult times — like being several countries away at the ages of 19 and 20 — but I learned a lot, and I’d say it’s something that I’d definitely do again.”

In addition to being active in the military while in college, Langley was a student assistant in App State’s Major General Edward M. Reeder Jr. Student Veteran Resource Center. She also served as the first woman president of the Student Veterans Association, where she organized numerous community-building events to recruit a wider number of veterans, including women, to get involved in the center’s activities. During App State’s annual Awards of Distinction Ceremony this spring, she received a W.H. Plemmons Leadership Medallion for her commitment to enhancing the quality of life for student veterans.

This Memorial Day, Langley said she honors all U.S. military heroes, especially App State students who died while serving their country.

“It’s a day to remember our heroes’ courage and sacrifice, and also the sacrifices that their families make,” said Langley. “It’s because of their service to our country that we can all enjoy our everyday freedoms.”

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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.