At the end of her freshman year of college at Appalachian, Kyra Patel became a suicide loss survivor. She knew then she wanted to dedicate her life to helping others, especially college students, so they would know that no matter what they're going through, they are not alone. After graduating from the University of Kentucky College of Public Health in May 2018 with a master's in public health and a graduate certificate in biostatistics, Patel is now back where her passion for student health and wellness began, working as the coordinator of student social wellness at Appalachian State University.

While Anita Lasker-Wallfisch and Eugenie Mukeshimana are from different parts of the world, both women share a commonality — of being a survivor of a genocide. Both women served as speakers on July 25 during the 17th Annual weeklong Martin and Doris Rosen Summer Symposium, presented by Appalachian State University’s Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies.

Last weekend, the weather in Boone was just was it was supposed to be — 10 degrees cooler than Winston-Salem. So some Winston-Salemites headed up U.S. 421 to cool down and enjoy a few of the awesome offerings at Appalachian Summer Festival.

It's a race with no fuel, because the cars are powered by solar energy. Saturday morning teams began their 1,700-mile race, starting at the Lewis and Clark Trail in Omaha. Fourteen solar-powered vehicles race through four states and finish in Omaha. National and international schools compete in the American Solar Challenge with two different classes and a variety of styles and techniques.

Cardiovascular exercise isn't the only exercise that's, well, cardiovascular. In fact, strength training can up your heart health, too. In one Appalachian State University study, people who performed 45 minutes of moderate-intensity resistance exercise lowered their blood pressure by 20 percent.

A study by researchers at The University of Manchester, Columbia University, the Visiting Nurse Service of New York and Appalachian State University has shown that attitudes among community nurses are important for their compliance with infection control practices. The study is published in the American Journal of Infection Control.

For the first time, campus officials from every University of North Carolina system school came together for a safety and security conference. The goal of the collaboration is to share the best practices and resources throughout the state to keep the respective campuses safe and continue to foster a healthy learning environment.

Three new students have been selected to receive the Celia Moh Scholarship for the 2018-2019 academic year, including Ryan Decker, a senior Industrial Design major at Appalachian. The Celia Moh Scholarship is considered one of the preeminent academic scholarship programs for students bound for careers in the home furnishings industry, paying full-time tuition and fees, room, board and books for its recipients.

Over the last few decades, the United States’ relationship with Iraq has been tense, to say the least. But 6,000 miles away in Boone, N.C., bridges of understanding are being built in the world of academics.