An aerial view of the newly renovated Duncan Hall on App State’s Boone campus. Photo by Wes Craig
BOONE, N.C. — A familiar landmark on Appalachian State University’s Boone campus has entered a new chapter this fall, complete with a fresh look. Duncan Hall has reopened, offering modernized spaces designed to better serve the Mountaineer students, faculty and staff who pass through its doors.
Nearly $32 million in state-allocated funding and carry forward funds supported Duncan Hall’s comprehensive renovation, which included extensive interior and exterior enhancements to adapt the building to current and future programming needs.
App State students attend a class taught by Alan T. Arnholt, professor in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Mathematical Sciences, during the first week of fall 2026 classes at the university. The Department of Mathematical Sciences is housed in the newly renovated Duncan Hall. Photo by Chase Reynolds
“Academic success requires learning environments that match the drive and ambition of our campus community,” said App State Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Neva Specht. “The revitalized Duncan Hall delivers exactly that — offering our students cutting-edge classrooms and labs that foster discovery and innovation, while giving our faculty a modern, collaborative space to lead, teach and conduct meaningful work.”
Originally built in 1965, the nearly 98,000-square-foot Duncan Hall was completely gutted as part of the renovation, to modernize its core infrastructure — from mechanical systems and elevators, to exterior repairs and updated safety features. The project also delivered modern office spaces, technologically advanced classrooms and cutting-edge STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) laboratories.
A second-floor lounge/study space in the newly renovated Duncan Hall on App State’s Boone campus. Photo by Troy Tuttle
The newly renovated Duncan Hall, which opened Aug. 17, on the first day of fall semester classes, represents a major milestone in App State’s capital improvement projects, said App State Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer J.J. Brown.
“This project advances our vision for a vibrant, future-focused campus environment that meets the needs of App State Community members,” said Brown.
App State is in the process of developing a new Master Plan that will serve as a living guide for the university’s long-term growth, Brown shared, adding that the plan is designed to ensure the university’s physical infrastructure directly supports its strategic goals. The planning process for the new Master Plan has been deeply collaborative, incorporating feedback from focus groups, interviews and nearly 2,900 survey responses across Boone and Hickory.
The front entrance of App State’s renovated Duncan Hall at the Boone campus. The entrance is framed by a new curtain wall system of glass that allows more natural light into the building. Photo courtesy of App State’s Department of Mathematical Sciences
A modern home for collaboration and discovery
Post-renovation, Duncan Hall is home to the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Mathematical Sciences, previously housed in Walker Hall, as well as the college’s Dean's and Advising offices. The building also contains lab spaces serving the college’s Department of Biology and Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences, along with the College of Fine and Applied Arts’ Department of Sustainable Development and Department of Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment.
Dr. Tracie McLemore Salinas, chair of the mathematical sciences department, highlighted that the facility’s modern footprint empowers faculty and students to expand their research activities and collaborations in new ways — an outcome she credits to a thoughtful design process and dedicated project team.
“I cannot say enough good things about project manager Warren Huntsman, College of Arts and Sciences Associate Dean Donna Lillian, and the other staff, faculty and administrators who supported what we needed in the new building,” Salinas said. “They listened to what we do in mathematical sciences and how we engage with students, and they sought to give us flexible spaces that will grow and evolve with our developing programs. What you see in the building is evidence of our collaboration during the process and our shared commitment to student-centered learning and activities.”
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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, 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.
