This feature in Marketplace explores a recent report by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which finds that the biggest credit card issuers in the U.S. charge higher interest rates and fees than smaller banks and credit unions. Neel Das, professor in App State’s Department of Marketing and Supply Chain Management, explains how brand recognition is one of the main reasons why consumers choose certain credit cards, even if their interest rates are higher. Das advises consumers to consider the whole package, and not just a familiar name, when choosing a credit card.

This Q&A in Border Belt Independent features Jessica Cory, a lecturer in App State’s Department of English, who speaks about her interest in the Lumbee tribe and her inspiration to write about the significance of tribal history. Cory talks about her journey as a writer and what she hopes people will gain from reading her article, “The Politics of Recognition and the Power of Place in Lumbee Women’s Poetry,” which was published by the North Carolina Literary Review.

App State alumna Lauren Solomon, the national sales director at Stanley, played a key role in making the Stanley Quencher one of the most popular water bottles in the country. This feature in MSNBC relates how three bloggers connected with Solomon to revive the product with a complete marketing overhaul. Solomon graduated from App State in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in marketing.