Topic: Gifts and Grants

Displaying 1 - 18 of 639

App State researchers partner to strengthen Western NC resilience 2 years post-Helene
Community-informed projects span energy resilience, data coordination, community health and the arts
Sept. 30, 2026
Two years after Hurricane Helene, App State faculty and staff continue leading research to help build long-term resilience for communities across Western North Carolina. Spanning energy systems, data coordination, community health and the arts, these projects aim to deliver real solutions to problems surfaced and made worse by the storm.
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.
Buttery, sweet and orange: This milk alternative has deep North Carolina roots [faculty featured]
The News & Observer
July 7, 2026
Dr. Brett Taubman, professor in App State’s Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences, discusses his Rootsii project to turn surplus North Carolina sweetpotatoes into plant-based milk products. The research is backed by a $1.82 million grant.
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.
From the field to the fridge: $1.82M NCInnovation grant supports sweetpotato startup at App State
The Rootsii project will turn surplus crops into plant-based foods, opening a new market for NC farmers
May 15, 2026
App State researchers Dr. Brett Taubman and Daniel Parker have secured a $1.82 million NCInnovation grant to turn surplus NC sweetpotatoes into a plant-based milk product line — the first of its kind in the world. Their Rootsii startup tackles agricultural waste while providing 1,800 hours of hands-on research for student innovators.
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.
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.
Growing Well: App State clinic expands access to specialized pediatric care in Northwestern NC
$2M Vaya Health grant supports clinic’s expansion this spring
March 30, 2026
Specialized pediatric care is now closer to home for High Country families thanks to App State’s Growing Well High Country Developmental Clinic, which provides expert diagnosis and treatment for children with developmental delays. With $2 million in funding support from Vaya Health, the clinic will expand its operations this spring, including at App State’s Hickory campus.
$500K Golden LEAF Foundation funding equips nursing simulation lab at App State Hickory
March 3, 2026
App State has been awarded $500,000 in Golden LEAF Foundation funding, which will equip a nursing simulation and clinical learning lab at the App State Hickory campus. The new space will support App State’s nursing program — including the Doctor of Nursing Practice program, launching this fall — and serve as a hub for interprofessional health care education.
Protecting those who protect us: App State studies the cooling limits of new firefighter gear
Dr. Caroline Smith is App State’s lead for this collaborative research with NC State
Feb. 24, 2026
App State research led by Dr. Caroline Smith, in collaboration with NC State, aims to advance firefighter safety by testing whether new moisture barriers in personal protective gear prevent overheating — a key factor in reducing firefighters’ risk of heat stroke and cardiac events. The work is supported by a $1.5 million FEMA grant.
App State honored as a Top Producer of Fulbright scholars, students for 2025–26
Feb. 20, 2026
App State has been named a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright students and scholars for 2025–26, with three faculty and three alumni receiving a Fulbright to study, teach and/or research abroad. The university is the only master’s institution nationwide to receive the honor this year.
App State offers accelerated training to help address child care shortages in Western NC
Child Care Academies to be held in Boone, Morganton and Hickory
Feb. 11, 2026
To address child care staffing shortages in the region, App State and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services are partnering to offer three Child Care Academies in Western NC this spring and summer. Each academy will provide intensive child care training and certification at no cost to participants.
NC public university research in action [faculty featured]
Spectrum News 1
Jan. 4, 2026
The Charlotte TV station interviews Dr. Zach Russell, assistant professor in App State’s Department of Physics and Astronomy, about his AI-powered microscope that helps farmers diagnose parasites faster. Russell explains how his research is moving from the lab into the real world, supported by a $2.3 million NCInnovation grant.
In 2025, App State celebrates its 8th chancellor amid record enrollment, research growth and campus advancements
Dec. 19, 2025
App State reflects on its 126th year in higher education — one marked by new leadership under Chancellor Heather Norris, as well as record enrollment, upgrades to campus infrastructure, advances in research and innovation, a continued focus on regional resilience, campus and community arts engagement, and student-athlete success.
App State awarded $1.1M NCInnovation grant for digital tool supporting families of children with developmental delays
Dec. 18, 2025
Supported by a $1.1 million NCInnovation grant, App State’s Dr. Gavin Colquitt is developing an interactive, AI-powered web-based platform designed to identify delayed development of movement skills in young children and provide support resources for these children and their families. Colquitt plans to launch the platform in Western NC, with a goal of expanding it across North Carolina and the U.S.
App State's inaugural Conway Scholars: 42 students shaping the future of health care
The nursing majors and scholars will help strengthen NC’s health care workforce
Dec. 12, 2025
App State has named 42 nursing students as its inaugural class of Conway Scholars. These aspiring health care providers receive scholarship support funded by a significant commitment from the Bedford Falls Foundation — one that supports the university’s Bachelor of Science in nursing program.
$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.
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.