Tim Earley is the author of five collections of poems, including “Poems Descriptive of Rural Life and Scenery” (Horse Less Press, 2014), winner of the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters Award, and “Linthead Stomp” (Horse Less Press, 2016). He lives in Asheville, North Carolina, and teaches online courses in creative writing, Appalachian literature, British literature, and fantasy literature for the University of Mississippi.

Climate change is happening now, all around us, not elsewhere or in the future. Climate intersects with every issue we care about, every topic under the sun. Including climate in your story doesn’t mean being didactic, boring, or forced. It doesn’t have to mean conjuring shame or doom. In fact, climate change is a generative lens through which to imagine any aspect of a story.

Mountaineers across the globe have “backed App” for 13 years, and our supporters have grown more united in giving. We are excited to share that we’ve renamed iBackAPP to Appalachian State Giving Day. This change reflects a deeper alignment with our university’s identity and the values that drive our philanthropic supporters — connection, pride and impact. Giving Day is a call to action that invites all Mountaineers to support students, faculty, programs and the future of App State.

Jim F. Burr ’89 is the Co-Head of Global Financial Services at Carlyle. Mr. Burr joined Carlyle in 2008. Throughout his tenure, he has been deeply involved with the entire Financial Services portfolio, and currently serves on the boards of Hilb Group, CFGI, PIB Group, Hurst Point, NSM Insurance Group Vantage, CAPTRUST, and TCW.

This year’s workshop anchors itself in the urgent reality that the nonprofit sector is undergoing a massive shift, requiring organizations to simultaneously embrace rapid technological innovation and deepen human connection. Under the theme "The Future-Proof Nonprofit: AI-Driven Storytelling and Strategic Governance," participants will explore how to navigate an era in which funding landscapes shift rapidly and digital tools are redefining engagement.