BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State University celebrated its 12th annual iBackAPP Day — the university’s annual celebration of giving and Mountaineer pride — on March 6, with more than 3,100 donors contributing gifts to support nearly 300 programs and initiatives across the university.

“It’s wonderful to see so many people from across the country and around the world share their love and support for our university and the work we do to enrich lives throughout the state and beyond,” said App State Chancellor Heather Norris. “We are both proud and grateful to celebrate with Mountaineers and backers of App State, near and far.”

This year’s donors — including alumni, faculty and staff, students, parents and families, and friends of the university — represented 45 states and six countries. Hundreds of participants also attended celebration events at App State’s Boone and Hickory campuses, as well as events hosted around the country by App State alumni chapters.

Support spans areas across the university

What is iBackApp?

iBackAPP is the university’s annual day of giving — and of celebrating all things App State. Each year on iBackAPP Day, Mountaineers are encouraged to celebrate and show their App State pride by making a gift to an area of their choice, wearing black and gold, and sharing their App State stories with friends and family and on social media.

Learn more about iBackApp

“Private support plays a critical role in providing resources for everyone on our campuses, and gifts of all sizes make a difference,” said Will Sears, App State’s interim vice chancellor of university advancement. “In fact, nearly two-thirds of iBackAPP gifts were less than $100 — and those smaller gifts add up in a big way. It’s a community effort to ensure that every Mountaineer has access to the tools and support they need.”

Every major area of the university received support on iBackAPP Day. The funds boasting the highest number of gifts included:

• The Appalachian Fund, which provides funding to meet the university’s greatest needs.
• The Solar Vehicle Team Fund, which benefits App State’s Team Sunergy.
• The Walker College of Business Dean’s Club, which provides support for initiatives across the Walker College of Business, including scholarships, professorships and industry guest lectures.
• The Mountaineer Emergency Fund, which provides relief for students who encounter unforeseen financial emergencies.
• The Football Support Fund, which offers financial resources to enhance the student-athlete experience at App State, including student-athlete scholarships.

Nearly $600,000 raised for scholarships

Approximately 70% of Mountaineer students rely on financial assistance, including university scholarships, during their time at App State. This year’s iBackAPP donations for student scholarships totaled nearly $600,000, with awards supporting numerous university areas, including:

• The Scotty Herron Jackson STEM Endowed Scholarship, which will be available to students across multiple App State colleges who are pursuing degrees in fields related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
• The Library Student Employee Scholarship, which provides support to University Libraries student employees.
• The Sofield Family Endowment Scholarship, which provides support to student-athletes studying building sciences-construction management.

Program support means enhanced resources for faculty and staff

Nearly $865,000 was raised for program support, which can be used to cover expenses related to travel, field experiences and networking events for faculty and staff, as well as to purchase approved technology and educational materials.

Programmatic support for areas such as the Student and Faculty Excellence Fund (SAFE) in the College of Arts and Sciences allows faculty members like Dr. Darci Gardner — an associate professor in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures — to engage in research that both informs scholarly publication and enriches the classroom experience for students.

Gardner used a SAFE Fund grant from previous iBackAPP contributions to conduct archival research in Paris, France, where she discovered a previously lost manuscript of French poet Marie Krysinska. According to Gardner, her research also allowed her to update the materials used in her courses, providing students with access to “forgotten” works of literature.

Faculty, staff and student giving increases

iBackAPP participation by both faculty and staff, as well as current students, showed significant growth compared to 2024. More than 350 faculty and staff members made gifts this year — a 27% increase over last year. Student giving also rose, with more than 100 current students making gifts for an increase of 67% over last year.

Challenge gifts generate increased giving, engagement

Numerous donors multiplied their impact by establishing challenge gifts. Donors who create challenge gifts commit to making a gift to a university area upon the completion of a particular goal. For example, Peter and Joni Webb Petschauer ’78 contributed $2,500 to the Turchin Center Permanent Collection Renovation Current Fund once 10 other donors made gifts of their own to the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts.

Overall, 59 challenges spanning multiple areas across App State’s campuses were fulfilled, including:

• A $125,000 challenge gift supporting the Department of Child Development, Literacy and Special Education in the Reich College of Education.
• A $2,000 challenge gift supporting the women’s tennis program.
• Five challenge gifts in support of Team Sunergy that collectively totaled nearly $180,000.

’Neers from near and far: Alumni rally for chapter competition

App State alumni chapters across the country held 27 events on iBackAPP Day, attracting more than 400 attendees nationwide.

For the first time, alumni chapters also engaged in friendly competition against one another to achieve the highest number of donors. Top-performing chapters included Charlotte, Triangle, Forsyth, Greensboro, Asheville and Catawba Valley.

“This year’s iBackAPP Day was a tremendous success, and we want to offer a huge thank-you to everyone who participated,” Sears said. “Together, we generated crucial support for the university — while also celebrating all the things that make App State a special place.”

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What is iBackApp?

iBackAPP is the university’s annual day of giving — and of celebrating all things App State. Each year on iBackAPP Day, Mountaineers are encouraged to celebrate and show their App State pride by making a gift to an area of their choice, wearing black and gold, and sharing their App State stories with friends and family and on social media.

Learn more about iBackApp

iBackAPP 2025 — by the numbers

• Number of donors: 3,145
• Alumni donors: 1,683
• Faculty and staff donors: 355
• Student donors: 107
• New donors to App State: 450
• States represented: 45
• Countries represented: 6
• Class year with greatest number of donors: 1990
• Challenge gifts: 59
• Alumni chapter events: 27
• Alumni chapter event attendees: 433

Give to Appalachian State University

No matter the size, every gift makes a difference

Each year, App State addresses critical needs across the university. These needs are as diverse as providing scholarships so that students can attend App State, to making sure our faculty and classrooms are empowered to graduate 21st-century professionals. Every gift to the university has the power to ensure the App State Experience for our students and make a difference.

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App State’s 11th annual iBackAPP Day raises more than $1.8 million in support of students, faculty and staff

Funds raised break previous iBackAPP record, supporting more than 200 university programs

March 27, 2024

App State’s 11th annual iBackAPP Day raised more than $1.8 million, breaking previous iBackAPP records, with gifts from more than 2,300 donors and contributions made to every major area at the university.

Read the story

About iBackAPP

Appalachian State University’s annual fundraising campaign, iBackAPP, began in 2014 and celebrates the people, programs and transformational experiences that make App State a truly incredible place. Alumni and friends are encouraged to give a gift of any size, wear their black and gold, and share the word about their App State pride with the hashtag #iBackAPP. The 2015 campaign won a Grand Award from the Council for the Support of Education (CASE) in its Alumni Relations Fundraising Project, Event or Program category.

About University Advancement

Appalachian State University’s Division of University Advancement supports and encourages the university’s mission by engaging alumni, friends and the greater community. University Advancement staff help connect these constituents with Appalachian through one-on-one contact and special programming, thereby securing the resources necessary to create the best possible learning environment for Appalachian students and to positively impact the community, region and state. The division incorporates the offices of Alumni Affairs, Development and the Appalachian State University Foundation Inc. Learn more at http://give.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.