Topic: Community Engagement

Displaying 1 - 18 of 1444

Ingenuity in action: App State spotlights faculty research and creativity
Annual Research and Creative Activity at Appalachian event to be held Sept. 18, feature keynote speaker Dr. Martie Thompson
Sept. 15, 2026
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.
Second life, stronger start: App State and E2D provide 200 refurbished laptops to first-year students
Sept. 11, 2026
On Aug. 27, App State and nonprofit refurbisher E2D (Eliminate the Digital Divide) distributed 200 new laptops to first-year, first-generation App State students across the Boone, Hickory and online campuses. Since 2022, App State ITS has donated nearly 3,000 devices to E2D, with over 1,100 refurbished and given out in Watauga County.
App State fundraising reaches historic heights, expands support for Mountaineers
Giving topped $50 million in both fiscal year 2025 and fiscal year 2026
Aug. 19, 2026
App State has exceeded $50 million in private donations for two consecutive years, making fiscal years 2025 and 2026 the most successful fundraising years in university history. Funds raised support resources and programming for students, faculty and staff, with significant contributions going to academics, the arts and athletics.
Summer Ventures at App State prepares NC high schoolers for future STEM careers
Aug. 3, 2026
Each summer, high school students from across North Carolina become researchers at App State through Summer Ventures in Science and Mathematics. Offered at no cost to participants, this state-funded program engages students in hands-on, collaborative research alongside faculty and staff. App State is one of four UNC System schools that host the program.
14 App State students graduate from inaugural UNC System Police Academy
The officers will serve with the Appalachian Police Department this fall
July 20, 2026
Fourteen App State students are among the inaugural graduates of the UNC System Police Academy, which launched this year. Beginning this fall, they will serve the Boone campus community as sworn officers with the Appalachian Police Department, working part time until they graduate from App State with their degrees.
4 App State alumni honored for exemplary leadership, service and achievements
9 alumni awardees from App State’s colleges also recognized
July 14, 2026
App State honored four Mountaineer alumni at its 2026 Alumni Awards Gala on July 11: Dr. M. Lee Barnes ’90, Donna Fiori ’80, Kendall Lamm ’14 and Shawn W. Poole. Nine alumni from the university’s colleges and University Libraries were also recognized.
App State’s Team Sunergy unveils Autumn — its next-gen solar racing vehicle
July 6, 2026
Team Sunergy revealed a lighter, more aerodynamic solar racing vehicle ahead of two key international competitions to take place this summer — the Formula Sun Grand Prix and American Solar Challenge. The July 10 unveiling, held on the Boone campus, gave the public an opportunity to see the new vehicle and interact with the team.
App State Chancellor’s Innovation Scholars aim to boost Western NC cybersecurity, trades workforce
June 23, 2026
From securing small businesses against cyberthreats to building a resilient workforce, App State’s 2026 Chancellor’s Innovation Scholars awards are funding two vital faculty-led projects to support the skilled building trades in Western North Carolina and launch a cybersecurity clinic in Hickory.
App State’s Sheryl Oring documents national, international perspectives on independence
‘Spirit of Independence’ is one of several initiatives honoring America’s 250th anniversary
June 22, 2026
What does independence mean to you? This question is at the heart of “Spirit of Independence” — an interactive performance by App State department chair Sheryl Oring honoring America’s 250th anniversary. To date, the project has archived perspectives from more than 300 national and international participants.
$2.27 billion in statewide energy savings reported at App State’s Appalachian Energy Summit
App State utility savings surpass $100 million since 2002–03
June 18, 2026
At App State’s 2026 Appalachian Energy Summit, state officials announced the UNC System and its partners have avoided $2.27 billion in energy costs since 2002. App State’s portion of these savings was $81.1 million, and the university reduced its energy use per square foot by 51%, surpassing the state’s 2025 goal of 40% for a second consecutive year.
Inspiring future innovators: 400+ middle, high school students explore career paths at App State STEAM Expo
June 3, 2026
Over 400 middle and high school students took part in App State’s STEAM Expo this spring, exploring science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics through hands-on learning and interactive engagement with App State faculty and students. The annual event helps students connect classroom concepts to future academic and career possibilities.
Dr. Harvey R. Durham remembered for decades of leadership at App State
Durham, a former acting chancellor, provost and faculty member, died May 15
May 22, 2026
Dr. Harvey R. Durham, a former acting chancellor, provost and faculty member at App State, died on Friday, May 15, at the age of 88. Durham spent nearly 40 years at the university, including as chief academic officer for 24 years, before retiring in 2004.
Record 240 student innovators take center stage at App State’s 29th annual research and creativity showcase
May 7, 2026
A record 240 Mountaineer students showcased their innovation at App State’s 29th Annual Celebration of Research and Creative Endeavors. The event’s poster and oral presentations explored Hurricane Helene’s effects, new construction methods, music therapy for individuals with autism and more.
Appalachian State Giving Day raises over $2.8M to support students, scholarships and vital programs
The annual event broke fundraising and participation records, with 3,500+ supporters
May 1, 2026
Appalachian State Giving Day raised more than $2.8 million in support of programs and initiatives across the university — a new fundraising record for the university. This year’s event also broke records for participation, with over 3,600 Mountaineers and friends of App State making contributions that support academics, athletics and the arts.
App State honors faculty research to improve lives and longevity across the region
Drs. Martie Thompson and Jeffrey McBride receive 2026 Chancellor’s and Provost’s Awards
April 30, 2026
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 Mountaineer Medics gain international perspective on emergency care
Students engaged in service-learning with London Ambulance Service
April 23, 2026
This spring, App State students and Mountaineer Medics traveled across the pond to study international emergency services firsthand, observing the London Ambulance Service — one of the world’s busiest emergency medical service agencies — in the field. They aim to use their insights to help strengthen local and campus emergency response protocols.
App State earns Family Forward NC certification for its support of working families
April 21, 2026
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.
Hands-on learning and real-world impact: How App State students are transforming early literacy
Early literacy field experience program serves nearly 500 K–3 students in Watauga, Catawba counties
April 20, 2026
Since its launch in fall 2023, App State’s early literacy field experience program has served nearly 500 K–3 students with reading support across Watauga and Catawba counties. The program has also supported nearly 460 App State teacher candidates, who have gained hands-on experience working alongside their literacy professors in local schools.