BOONE, N.C. — From the Appalachian Mountains to the Coastal Plains, transfer students across North Carolina stand to benefit from the expanded Aspire Appalachian program at Appalachian State University, which provides a streamlined path for students enrolled at partner community colleges to complete their bachelor's degrees at App State.
As of this summer, App State has secured new and renewed Aspire agreements with 27 North Carolina community colleges, tripling the size of the program, which included nine schools in the 2023–24 academic year.
“Through these renewed and expanded Aspire partnerships, Appalachian State University and North Carolina Community Colleges are clearing pathways for transfer student success — providing greater accessibility to a high-quality App State education, and supporting these students each step of the way as they work to obtain their degrees,” said App State Interim Chancellor Heather Norris.
App State Acting Provost Neva Specht, left, and Mayland Community College President John Boyd, right, are pictured with App State transfer student Mark Leyva at the May 14 signing event celebrating the Aspire Appalachian agreement between the two schools. Leyva graduated from Mayland College this spring with an Associate in Arts and will begin his studies at App State this fall, pursuing a degree in management. He is a recipient of App State’s Elizabeth Paul Phillips Transfer Scholarship — a $10,000 award that supports students who are transferring to the university from a regional community college and reside in Mitchell, Avery or Yancey County. Photo by Troy Tuttle
Partner schools in the Aspire program:
Continuing partners —
- Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute
- Catawba Valley Community College
- Central Piedmont Community College
- Davidson-Davie Community College
- Gaston College
- South Piedmont Community College
- Wake Technical Community College
- Western Piedmont Community College
- Wilkes Community College
New partners —
- Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
- Blue Ridge Community College
- Brunswick Community College
- Cape Fear Community College
- Cleveland Community College
- Forsyth Technical Community College
- Guilford Technical Community College
- Lenoir Community College
- Mayland Community College
- McDowell Technical Community College
- Mitchell Community College
- Piedmont Community College
- Randolph Community College
- Richmond Community College
- Robeson Community College
- Rowan-Cabarrus Community College
- Sandhills Community College
- Surry Community College
App State transfer students are pictured in spring 2022 at the Mile High Swinging Bridge located at Grandfather Mountain State Park in Banner Elk. Photo courtesy of App State Transfer Admissions and Engagement
“Aspire Appalachian collaborations — with a focus on easing the transition between schools, boosting degree completion rates and minimizing student loan debt — are designed to ensure transfer students succeed in achieving their educational and professional goals,” said Dr. Troy Johnson, vice chancellor of enrollment management at App State.
Additionally, Johnson explained that App State’s Aspire partnerships provide valuable insights into the workforce needs of North Carolina communities, creating opportunities for the university and the state’s community colleges to work together to graduate students who are prepared to fulfill in-demand roles.
App State provides a welcoming campus environment, along with numerous resources and programming, to support the success of its transfer students — from the moment they enroll at the university to graduation. App State transfer students are pictured in fall 2019, on Sanford Mall at the Boone campus. Photo courtesy of App State Transfer Admissions and Engagement
Aspire Appalachian — benefits, eligibility and how to apply
Students involved in the Aspire Appalachian program gain access to numerous benefits, including:
- Guaranteed admission to App State.
- Dedicated academic advising assistance from both their community college and App State.
- Admission counseling for assistance through the entire App State admissions process.
- Financial aid advising and planning, to help students maximize their aid and minimize their college debt.
- Priority consideration for a select number of Appalachian Excellence Scholarships (available to students who have completed summer or fall admission applications by Feb. 1).
- Invitations to special webinars, events and newsletters designed to help students successfully transfer to and succeed at App State.
Those students who are continuously enrolled at one of App State’s community college partners and are on track to complete an approved two-year associate degree program are eligible to participate in the Aspire program. Students should graduate from their associate degree program with a grade-point average of 2.25 or higher.
To participate in the program, students need to complete the Aspire Appalachian intent form for their respective school; intent forms are available on the Aspire Appalachian webpage. Once accepted into the program, students will be contacted by their assigned App State admissions counselor, who will assist them throughout the admissions process. Students accepted into the Aspire program will begin their application for admission to App State one semester prior to finishing their associate degree.
Students who are interested in transferring to App State through the Aspire Appalachian program should speak with their college’s Aspire contact and/or their App State transfer admissions counselor; both contacts are listed on the Aspire Appalachian webpage.
App State Transfer Student Mentors are pictured in 2023 at Camp Broadstone, the university’s outdoor education facility in Valle Crucis, during a Transfer Student Mentor Retreat. Photo courtesy of App State Transfer Admissions and Engagement
Empowering transfer student success
App State’s strong support of its transfer student population has earned the university the reputation of being one of the most transfer-friendly schools in the nation. For eight consecutive years, App State has been named to Phi Theta Kappa’s Transfer Honor Roll, which recognizes four-year colleges and universities across the country for developing dynamic and innovative pathways that lead to success among community college transfer students.
Transfer Admissions and Engagement at App State offers numerous resources, as well as a highly qualified team, designed to support transfer students at every step of their Mountaineer journey. These resources include faculty and student transfer mentors, need- and merit-based scholarships for incoming transfer students, events designed to engage transfer students in the university’s campus communities, a dedicated residence hall for transfer students and more.
Each academic year, approximately 2,000 new transfer students join App State, representing nearly 140 community colleges across the nation. Transfer students make up one-fourth of the total undergraduate student population, with 70% of new transfer students coming to the university from community colleges, according to App State’s Transfer Admissions and Engagement. The degree completion rate for North Carolina community college students who transferred to App State is more than 22% above the national average.
What do you think?
Share your feedback on this story.
The university is one of 228 U.S. higher education institutions named to 2024 Phi Theta Kappa Transfer Honor Roll
About Transfer Admissions and Engagement
Transfer Admissions and Engagement at Appalachian State University supports students through all stages of their transfer journey, including admission counseling and pretransfer advising, credit evaluation, transitional assistance as they begin at App State and through involvement and retention efforts during their App State education. The office serves undergraduate transfer students studying on the main campus in Boone as well as App State Online students who complete their classes fully online or at an off-site location. The services and resources provided by Transfer Admissions and Engagement ensure the university’s transfer student population finds academic and social success at App State. Learn more at https://transfer.appstate.edu.
About the Division of Enrollment Management
The Division of Enrollment Management at Appalachian State University is responsible for planning, implementing, assessing and providing services and programs that promote student success — from pre-enrollment through graduation. The division comprises the Office of Admissions, Office of the Registrar, Office of Transfer Admissions and Engagement, and Office of Student Financial Aid and University Scholarships. Learn more at https://em.appstate.edu.
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, cost-effective education. 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.
The university is one of 228 U.S. higher education institutions named to 2024 Phi Theta Kappa Transfer Honor Roll
![Is Carb Cycling the Key to Increasing Your Endurance? [faculty featured]](/_images/_posts/2025/06/carb-cycling-600x400.jpg)
![App State researcher develops AI-driven microscope to detect poultry parasites [faculty featured]](/_images/_posts/2025/06/ai-driven-microscope-600x400.jpg)
