Marking 125 years of education leadership in 2024, Appalachian State University celebrates its legacy of providing access to a quality education for the people of North Carolina — and beyond. Learn about milestone moments in the university’s history and the Mountaineers, past and present, who are the heart of our institution.
The latest college rankings and recognitions of six national publications — including U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review and Forbes magazine — have one thing in common: All place App State among the best schools in the nation, and the Southeast, for 2024–25.
In fall 2026, App State will launch a new Doctor of Nursing Practice program, designed to educate family practice nurse practitioners and respond to health care provider shortages, especially in rural areas. The program has been approved by the UNC System Board of Governors.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene’s impacts to the High Country, leaders from the Town of Boone, Watauga County, App State and the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce have been communicating regularly, working together to respond to the needs of the community.
UNC System President Peter Hans announced the formation of a 13-member committee that will search for the next chancellor of Appalachian State University. The committee will be led by Deanna Ballard, a former state senator who represented Watauga County from 2016 to 2023.
Sustainability and resilience are guiding principles at App State and institutionally interwoven into our strategic plan, academic mission, engagement locally and globally and day-to-day best practices. We are recognized as a national leader for our endeavors.
We're enhancing the App State Experience with a stronger physical infrastructure and five-year goals that further empower human potential. Get the full picture by visiting the App State's Future website, which details our growth and change.
Join a diverse and dynamic community that elevates your dreams and champions your capacity for real impact with life-changing opportunities for research and exploration.
Join us as Sarina delves into her creative process, sharing insights into her latest works that blend bold expression with delicate intricacies. Whether you’re an art enthusiast or simply curious, this conversation promises to ignite your imagination and deepen your appreciation for contemporary art. Don’t miss this chance to connect with Sarina and explore the stories behind her compelling creations.
Mark your calendars! Join us for a spectacular Festive First Friday at the Turchin Center. We’re thrilled to unveil three incredible new exhibitions: “The Clothes I Wear – A bold exploration of identity through fashion and art,” “Master Printer: Bill Lagattuta and Friends – A celebration of collaboration and mastery in printmaking” and “Prints from the Permanent Collection – Rare gems from the Turchin Center’s archives, on display for the first time.” Experience art, community, and holiday cheer at this free event! Bring your friends, and don’t miss this unforgettable evening of creativity and celebration.
Run, walk, skip, hop... Just move forward! The Girls on the Run of the High Country 5K is celebrated twice each year as the culminating event in our 10-week GOTR curriculum. The 5k is open to the general public and of course current and past GOTR participants, coaches and families.
The Office of Sustainability’s Free Store hits the road! Come learn about the Office of Sustainability’s Food Pantry and Free Store. Help divert landfill waste by getting free clothes and learn about how you can donate your old clothes to help the environment and your community. If there is rainy weather, we will move inside the Plemmons Student Unions in the International Hallway!
Celebrate the season as the Preservation Hall Jazz Band returns with the Creole Christmas concert series. Join as the band performs New Orleans classics as well as some of our best-loved holiday selections with a twist. Preservation Hall Jazz Band has held the torch of New Orleans music aloft for more than 60 years, all the while carrying it enthusiastically forward as a reminder that the history they were founded to preserve is a vibrantly living history.
Commencement is the ultimate celebration of one of the most significant accomplishments of our students' lifetimes. We are proud to honor your achievement.
This workshop for youths, led by App State's Dr. Craig Fischer and BRAHM's Jennifer Garonzik, explores how comics’ mix of words and pictures can tell any story. It will begin with Dr. Fischer offering three tips for creating cool comics. Then, participants will write and draw a four-panel comic strip and fulfill the other requirements for the Girl Scouts’ “Cadette Comic Artist” badge. However, youths do not need to be Girl Scouts to participate.
Local illustrator Christine Nishiyama is the author and/or illustrator of seven books, including the four-book series “Layla and the Bots,” published by Scholastic. During the interactive workshop, Nishiyama will speak about her experiences as a professional illustrator and will introduce the craft to participants of all ages. The event is free and open to the public.
Conceived and directed by Assistant Professor Elizabeth Parks. Beautiful, Useful, True is an ecofeminist story of earth, ears, and heart using the work of Eunice Newton Foote and other female climate scientists, activists, and artists at App State as a springboard to pose questions about climate change, respect for the planet, and respect for one another.
Many believe that literature serves as a window to the world for children, and Beulah Campbell embodied that belief throughout her life. As a professor of elementary education at Appalachian State University, she understood the vital connection between illustrations and text in children's books. Over her 40-year career Beulah built a collection of original artwork by renowned children’s book illustrators, while also fostering a deep appreciation for children’s literature in her students.
The classical composer Béla Bartók is perhaps most famous in the music world for having incorporated elements of folk music into his work, a practice that earned him the title of “father of ethnomusicology.” Bartók became an outspoken critic of antisemitic laws in Hungary and fled to the U.S. during World War II. This event presents two talks and a listening workshop that will help participants understand and appreciate the legacy of Bartók and other classical musicians who resisted antisemitism and fascism in the 1930s and 40s.
The classical composer Béla Bartók is perhaps most famous in the music world for having incorporated elements of folk music into his work, a practice that earned him the title of “father of ethnomusicology.” He even spent one summer in Asheville in 1945 and composed one of his piano concertos there. What qualifies as folk music in North Carolina and around the world? What elements of rural sound inspired Bartók, and in which rural communities did they originate? In this workshop, participants will hear examples of and learn to recognize the folk sounds in classical music.