App State’s Aspire Appalachian program for transfer students has earned recognition from myFutureNC as a 2025 Champion for Attainment for its dedication to expanding access, success and completion for adult learners across North Carolina. The university is one of five myFutureNC Champions for Attainment. A nonprofit organization, myFutureNC’s goal is for 2 million North Carolinians aged 25–44 to hold a postsecondary degree or credential by 2030. Image courtesy of myFutureNC
BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State University’s Aspire Appalachian program for transfer students has earned recognition as a myFutureNC Champion for Attainment for its dedication to expanding access, success and completion for adult learners across North Carolina.
Aspire Appalachian and four other initiatives were highlighted during myFutureNC’s virtual State of Educational Attainment event on Feb. 20 as exemplars of the efforts underway statewide to increase postsecondary education access and completion rates. A nonprofit organization, myFutureNC is spearheading efforts to achieve the statewide goal of having 2 million North Carolinians aged 25–44 hold a postsecondary degree or credential by 2030.
Aspire Appalachian provides participating transfer students from 27 partner community colleges with a clear pathway to completing their bachelor’s degrees, offering guaranteed admission to App State, academic advising, admissions counseling, financial aid guidance, priority consideration for select scholarships and invitations to special events and newsletters.
App State’s Aspire Appalachian program provides transfer students from 27 North Carolina partner community colleges with a clear pathway to completing their bachelor’s degrees at App State. Offering guaranteed admission, academic advising and financial aid guidance for students, the program significantly boosts degree completion rates, surpassing the national average by more than 22%. Focused on high-demand fields, it removes barriers and ensures transfer student success.
“The program significantly boosts degree completion rates, surpassing the national average by over 22%,” said Cecilia Holden, president and CEO of myFutureNC. “Focused on high-demand fields, it removes barriers and ensures transfer student success.”
“The Aspire Appalachian program exemplifies App State’s commitment to empowering transfer students while also helping them manage college costs and graduate with less debt,” said App State Interim Chancellor Heather Norris.
She added, “There is a strong and passionate team — led by our Enrollment Management staff — that works across many units at the university to support our transfer students, and we thank them and congratulate them for this recognition.”
Pictured in the foreground, App State transfer student Greg Grasso, a sophomore nursing major from King, begins his ascent of App State's 50-foot indoor climbing wall, located in the Student Recreation Center on App State's Boone campus, during a Transfer Admissions and Engagement event held Jan. 31. The event combined fitness and fun, providing App State transfer students the opportunity to connect with one another. Photo by Chase Reynolds
Dr. Troy Johnson, vice chancellor of enrollment management at App State, noted that Aspire Appalachian eases the transition between schools, helping students progress seamlessly toward a bachelor’s degree while streamlining time to graduation. Through the program, the university works hand in hand with the state’s community colleges to prepare students for in-demand roles in North Carolina’s workforce.
“At the end of the day, we really want to have programs in which students can be successful and the workforce is improved, and that’s what these partnerships help us do,” Johnson said.
On Feb. 6, Appalachian State University and Rowan-Cabarrus Community College celebrated the signing of an Aspire Appalachian agreement, which provides a seamless transfer pathway for Rowan-Cabarrus students seeking to obtain their bachelor’s degrees from App State. Rowan-Cabarrus is one of the 27 community colleges partnered with App State in the program. Photo by Kyla Willoughby
MyFutureNC also spoke with Dr. Sheneele Wagoner, an academic advisor at Aspire partner Wilkes Community College, and App State transfer student Christina Winter ’24 about their positive experiences with the Aspire Appalachian program.
“I needed academic advising,” said Winter, a graduate student in App State’s nutrition program who earned her bachelor’s degree in communication studies from App State in 2024. “Just knowing that there was someone here at App who was looking out for me and wanting the best for me was everything I needed in that moment. It’s really just been the greatest thing for me.”
App State serves more than 5,000 undergraduate transfer students, who make up one-fourth of the total undergraduate student population. Transfer Admissions and Engagement at App State offers numerous resources 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.
App State serves more than 5,000 undergraduate transfer students, who make up one-fourth of the total undergraduate student population. 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. Photo by Wes Craig and Chase Reynolds
Dr. Troy Johnson, vice chancellor of enrollment management at App State. Photo submitted
MyFutureNC also recognized Campbell University’s Second Chance Initiative, Craven Community College’s Volt Center, Wayne Community College’s Wayne County Reentry Council and Gregory Singleton, director of strategic initiatives at the Opportunities Industrialization Center of Rocky Mount, as Champions for Attainment.
The organization announced that, since 2019, North Carolina has added nearly 215,000 credentialed workers, bringing the total to 1.7 million residents aged 25 to 44 who hold a degree or high-quality credential. When efforts were first launched, the state was projected to fall 400,000 short of its 2030 goal, but that gap has now been reduced to 55,000. To learn more, visit myFutureNC.org and/or access myFutureNC’s “2025 State of Educational Attainment Report.”
To learn more about the Aspire Appalachian program, including participating community colleges, eligibility requirements and application information, visit transfer.appstate.edu/aspire.
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Aspire is a seamless pathway for transfer students to complete their degrees at App State
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, 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.
About myFutureNC
A statewide nonprofit organization, myFutureNC is focused on educational attainment and is the result of cross-sector collaboration between North Carolina leaders in education, business and government. The organization’s mission is to prepare North Carolina for the future by empowering individuals, strengthening communities and ensuring our economic viability in a global economy. myFutureNC is working across sectors and in communities throughout the state to close gaps in postsecondary attainment, promote alignment between educational programming and business/industry needs and improve the quality of educational opportunities for all North Carolinians. On Feb. 20, 2019, myFutureNC unveiled its goal and bold vision for the future of education in the state of North Carolina: Ensuring that by 2030, 2 million North Carolinians have a high-quality credential or postsecondary degree.
Aspire is a seamless pathway for transfer students to complete their degrees at App State
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