BOONE, N.C. — Dr. Neva J. Specht has been appointed executive vice chancellor and provost of Appalachian State University, announced Chancellor Heather Norris on Thursday, April 24. The appointment is effective May 1.

Specht has served as App State’s acting provost since April 2024, when Norris assumed the role of the university’s interim chancellor. Specht will continue her responsibilities as provost and also manage all aspects of Enrollment Management, the Student Affairs departments that support students and student success, and Arts Engagement and Cultural Resources, said Norris.

“In the last month, I have met with all of the academic deans, members of the Chancellor’s and Provost’s Councils, Council of Chairs leadership, Faculty Senate leadership, senior leaders in Student Affairs and members of the Provost’s Office staff,” said Norris. “In each of these meetings, I have heard broad-based support for Neva. Her colleagues describe her as an honest, entrepreneurial, solution-oriented and visionary thinker who understands the challenges before us and the metrics we use every day to measure our success. I couldn’t agree more.”

In October 2021, Norris, then provost and executive vice chancellor, named Specht as vice provost for faculty policies and development following a search process, then promoted her in 2022 to the rank of senior vice provost. Specht’s prior positions at App State include serving as associate dean (2010–13), senior associate dean (2013–17) and dean (2017–21) of the College of Arts and Sciences as well as assistant chair of the Department of History (2007–09). Specht joined the university as a faculty member in the Department of History in 1996.

Specht’s service includes six years as the university liaison to the Blue Ridge Parkway, a trustee and board chair on the North Carolina Humanities Council, a board member of the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum, the Blue Ridge Parkway 75th Anniversary project and the Town of Boone’s Cultural Resource Advisory Board.

Specht holds a Ph.D. in United States history and material culture studies from the University of Delaware, where she also earned a Master of Arts in United States history with a certificate in museum studies. She earned a bachelor’s degree in history and American studies from Grinnell College.

Norris said Specht is “building a team that will allow her to develop a strong, collaborative division focused on cultivating a supportive university community focused on student success, as well as investing in faculty and staff excellence,” which she noted are two key elements of the university’s strategic plan. This will include conducting a national search to hire a vice chancellor of student affairs and enrollment management.

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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.