Topic: Community Engagement

Displaying 19 - 36 of 1420

App State's Office of Rural Promise fortifies student and teacher success in North Carolina
Dec. 8, 2025
App State’s newly launched Office of Rural Promise fosters regional connections and supports growing programs that advance the success of students and educators in North Carolina schools. It serves as a strategic driver supporting the university’s research and innovation enterprise.
Passport, please! — App State ranks 4th nationally for study abroad participation
Faculty and alumni share their international learning experiences
Dec. 4, 2025
App State ranks No. 4 nationally among master’s institutions for study abroad participation, according to the latest “Open Doors Report.” Here, App State students and faculty share how living and learning overseas expanded their worldview and supported their growth as individuals.
Rural America, Growth Area? [faculty featured]
The Chronicle of Higher Education
Dec. 3, 2025
Several scholars of rural higher education — including Dr. Andrew Koricich, a professor in App State’s Department of Counseling, Family Therapy and Higher Education — discuss the challenges students face in rural areas. Koricich, executive director of the Alliance for Research on Regional Colleges, has extensively researched rural colleges and student experiences.
Best Small Stadium In America? Appalachian State's Home In The Mountains [alumni featured]
Sports Illustrated
Dec. 2, 2025
In this video feature, App State’s Kidd Brewer Stadium is spotlighted as one of the best small college football stadiums in the nation. Former Mountaineer players and alumni Larry Hand ’64 and Tommy Sofield ’76 share what makes App State a special place to play — and how the campus and Boone community elevate the football experience.
$838K grant fuels App State health research aimed at boosting Western NC resilience
The community-engaged research examines rural health and housing challenges post-Helene
Nov. 25, 2025
App State has received a $838,276 grant from Dogwood Health Trust in support of the university’s work as part of the Health Policy Research Consortium — an initiative aimed at addressing physical and mental health issues, substance use and misuse, and housing and food insecurity in Western North Carolina.
‘Toxic Soup’: PFAS and other contaminants surged in French Broad River after Helene, study finds [faculty featured]
NC Health News
Nov. 24, 2025
Dr. Shea Tuberty, professor in App State’s Department of Biology, discusses his study revealing toxic contaminants from debris and runoff in the French Broad River after Hurricane Helene. Tuberty and his colleagues collected water samples to assess the danger and inform solutions ahead of future disasters.
BOE recognizes multiple groups with the Servant's Heart Award
Watauga Democrat
Nov. 19, 2025
Watauga County Schools honored App State’s Child Development Center with a Servant’s Heart Award for helping Valle Crucis School recover after Hurricane Helene. When the school was closed, the CDC provided space for students, faculty and staff to continue learning together.
App State alumnus Dan Blakeley ’15 ’18 helps veterans find their voice
Blakeley, an Army veteran, was the featured speaker at App State's Veterans Day Ceremony
Nov. 14, 2025
App State’s annual Veterans Day Ceremony, held Nov. 11 on the Boone campus, honors the men and women who have served in the nation’s armed forces. This year’s ceremony featured remarks from Chancellor Heather Norris and alumnus Dan Blakeley ’15 ’18, a former U.S. Army Special Operations Ranger.
From Army to App State: Jack Sullivan builds support for fellow student veterans
Nov. 3, 2025
As Appalachian State University prepares to observe Veterans Day, Student Veterans Association President Jacob “Jack” Sullivan is focused on supporting the growing community of military-affiliated students on campus.
App State’s Police Officer Development Program prepares 15 new officers for service
The sworn officers are the 8th class to complete the program’s Police Academy
Oct. 27, 2025
The eighth class of App State’s Appalachian Police Academy comprises 15 graduates who are sworn North Carolina police officers working with the App State Police Department while they complete their degrees at App State. To date, the academy has trained more than 150 sworn police officers.
App State reopens Wey Hall and debuts new Cathy P. Walling Student Art Gallery
Oct. 22, 2025
Following a $26 million renovation, App State reopened Wey Hall for classes this fall, followed by the opening of the facility’s new Cathy P. Walling Student Art Gallery in late September. The newly renovated and modernized Wey Hall provides state-of-the-art facilities, cutting-edge technology and essential resources for App State students, faculty and staff.
Ranking the 25 best college football stadiums from the Big House to Death Valley
The Athletic
Oct. 22, 2025
The Athletic has named App State’s Kidd Brewer Stadium one of the top 25 college football stadiums in the nation. Writer Chris Vannini called it an “intimate and beautiful setting in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where a deep forest begins in one end zone, an incredible sight in the fall.” He also noted that App State has sold out season tickets for four straight years and regularly fills the stands for midweek games.
126 years strong: Founders Day honors App State’s enduring legacy as a higher education leader
7 new members inducted into App State’s Bell Ringers Society
Oct. 21, 2025
App State celebrated its eighth annual Founders Day on Oct. 2 to commemorate its founders, B.B., D.D. and Lillie Shull Dougherty, and the first day of classes held at Watauga Academy in 1899. Seven new members were inducted into the university’s Bell Ringers Society as part of the day’s events.
App State Police Officer Cashae Cook earns NC’s highest award for women in law enforcement
Oct. 16, 2025
App State Police Officer Cashae Cook ’14 has been named Woman of the Year by the North Carolina Law Enforcement Women’s Association. The annual award — the state’s highest honor for women in law enforcement — recognizes Cook’s outstanding contributions and service to NCLEWA and her leadership and service in the App State Community.
App State joins FirstGen Forward Network, boosting support for first-generation students
TRIO Student Support Services receives $1.7M federal grant to continue student success programming
Oct. 13, 2025
App State is among 60 schools selected to join the national FirstGen Forward Network, with schools chosen based on their demonstrated commitment to advancing success for first-generation students. Network schools gain access to professional development opportunities, a community of practice, and tools to assess and improve their support for first-gen students.
Dr. Heather Norris installed as 8th chancellor of App State
Oct. 8, 2025
On Oct. 3, Dr. Heather H. Norris was formally installed as the eighth chancellor in App State’s 126-year history. UNC System President Peter Hans presided over the installation ceremony, which was held on the Boone campus and attended by hundreds of Mountaineers and community members, as well as state education and community leaders.
How emergency preparedness systems operated during Helene
The Appalachian
Oct. 8, 2025
App State’s student-run newspaper looks back at the emergency efforts that helped keep the campus and community safe during Hurricane Helene, and explores plans to expand communication channels for future disasters. The article features App State alumnus Tom Beam ’89, disaster relief coordinator for Baptists on Mission; alumnus David Jackson ’00, CEO of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce; Jason Marshburn, director of Environmental Health, Safety and Emergency Management; and Megan Hayes, director of chancellor communications.
Lights Over Linville — Brown Mountain’s Enduring Mystery [faculty featured]
The Laurel of Asheville
Oct. 7, 2025
Dr. Daniel Caton, professor in App State’s Department of Physics and Astronomy, discusses the unexplained phenomenon known as the Brown Mountain Lights.