There is a record number of students at Appalachian State University this fall, and school leaders are hoping to hit a big milestone next year. Chancellor Sheri Everts says the goal for 2020 is to have an enrollment of 20,000 students.

Leaf lovers, rejoice: Fall will be colorful. This year, the South is on track to have a much more vibrant display of colors, says Howard S. Neufeld, professor of biology at Appalachian State University.

You agreed to stick it out through sickness and health and for richer or poorer, but marital vows don't address the other big things that can untie your knot. In one Appalachian State University study, for example, experts asked 52 couples to reminisce about fun times they had experienced both alone and together; those who liked to recall shared laughs were most satisfied with their relationships.

In August, Appalachian State University welcomed 19,280 students — the largest and most diverse class in university history. Preliminary numbers from the fall 2019 census data and the Office of Admissions as of Sept. 5 also show a continuing trend of strong retention rates for the fall 2019 semester.

It’s that time of the year again: Students flocking back to school. For many students in college, it’s the time of the year when getting enough nutritious food to eat is a struggle. On average, Appalachian State University serves 10 students every day at the sustainability office food pantry.

The department of education at Winston-Salem State University has partnered with the Reich College of Education at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, to help future teachers develop social justice dispositions while exploring school and community diversity.

Smithsonian’s curator of parasitic worms and researchers from Canada and Mexico discovered the first new medicinal leech species in North America in decades — in southern Maryland. Research zoologist Anna Phillips first became interested in working with parasites as an undergraduate student at Appalachian State University, where she applied for a selective research internship with programs on many species.

More than 100 ponds and landfills containing coal ash lie in areas FEMA has designated as high-risk flood zones, according to a POLITICO analysis. Adding climate change to the mix presents “a major issue,” said Ellen Cowan, a scientist at Appalachian State University who has studied coal ash spills across the country.

Appalachian State University made this list of university disability programs that The Mighty’s community recommends for students choosing their college experience.