App State will hold its annual Research and Creative Activity at Appalachian event Sept. 18 on the Boone campus, showcasing a wide variety of research and creative activities by faculty and staff. Dr. Martie Thompson, recipient of this year’s Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity, will serve as the event’s keynote speaker.

App State’s Team Sunergy followed a second-place finish at the Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix with a historic performance at the 2026 Electrek American Solar Challenge, becoming the only team to earn two first-place finishes in the competition’s multi-occupant vehicle category. The team drove nearly 1,830 miles in its new solar car, Autumn, and received the Practicality Award.

App State’s Dr. Dave McEvoy and Dr. Tracie McLemore Salinas are the winners of this year’s Departmental Leadership Awards. Recognized for their service to and lasting impact on App State’s academic community, McEvoy and Salinas won the Distinguished Leadership Award and the Emerging Leader Award, respectively.

App State’s Academic Services for Student-Athletes (ASA) staff earned national recognition with the Model Practice Award in Academics for its innovative approach to managing the transfer portal process for Mountaineer student-athletes. Since implementing the model two years ago, App State has completed more than 640 transfer evaluations and enrolled 176 transfer student-athletes. The model was developed through a collaborative partnership among ASA, Transfer Admissions and Engagement and campus stakeholders.

More than 4,300 App State graduates — the largest class in university history — were honored during seven Spring 2026 Commencement ceremonies held May 7–9 on the Boone campus. Country music star and Mountaineer Luke Combs received an honorary degree recognizing his music industry achievements and commitment to service and community support across North Carolina.

App State’s Walker College of Business awarded eight faculty and staff members with this year’s Sywassink Awards for Excellence, honoring teaching, research and service. The awards included the inaugural Sywassink Legacy of Excellence Award, recognizing a lifetime of extraordinary impact.

App State faculty members Dr. Martie Thompson and Dr. Jeffrey McBride have been honored with 2026 Chancellor’s and Provost’s Awards for their focus on community-and student-involved research that aims to strengthen health and resilience in Western North Carolina. Thompson received the Chancellor’s Award, and McBride is the Provost’s Award winner.

App State has been named a Family Forward NC Certified Employer by the North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation’s Family Forward NC initiative. The certification recognizes NC employers offering policies and practices that support the health and well-being of working families and children.

For the 17th consecutive year, App State has been designated a Military Friendly® School by VIQTORY, with 2026–27 marking the university’s fourth consecutive top 10 ranking from the organization. The honor recognizes App State for its support of military-affiliated students, helping them succeed in and beyond the classroom.