At Appalachian, campus life amplifies what you learn in the classroom. You will find hundreds of programs designed to enhance your cultural, intellectual, leadership, personal and professional development. We call these co-curricular experiences, because they support – and are supported by – the classroom learning experience.
Find Your Community & Get Involved
Whether you want to get involved in Greek Life, join the ski team, become a social justice educator, learn or compete in archery or Quidditch, help plan a diversity celebration or help preserve the Blue Ridge Parkway, sing a capella, work in the Women’s Center or LGBT Center, join the campus Republicans or Democrats or become part of the Nerd Network, there are more than 300 clubs and organizations for undergraduate and graduate students. Join the community, make friends and get involved. If you don’t see a student club or organization that speaks to you, you can start one!
Get Serious About Service
Appalachian provides an active environment that supports your growth as a scholar and a leader. Our faculty, staff and students have a strong service ethic and are actively involved in the communities surrounding Boone and throughout the world. Our location in the Blue Ridge Mountains, a place of great beauty and cultural and recreational opportunity, inspires an appreciation for the traditions of the region as we connect to and learn from the world.
Find Your Art
Diverse and vibrant arts programs enrich the cultural and intellectual climate of our campus and region. Join us for an event - you can find one nearly every day of the year.
Game on!
More than 450 student-athletes compete in 20 NCAA Division I varsity sports at Appalachian, and dedicated fans love to cheer on the Mountaineers. Appalachian joined the Sun Belt Conference in July 2014, after dominating the Southern Conference for more than 40 years. Whether or not you’re an athlete, there are many ways to get active at App and our setting is perfect for it!
Get Local, Go Global
Our students learn the importance of an engaged relationship with a local and global community and understand the benefits of responsible global citizenship.
Wellness, Health & Safety
Student health and safety is our Chancellor’s top priority. At Appalachian, we are not a community of bystanders; rather, we stand up to ensure the safety of our students, and of the entire Appalachian community. In a recent nationwide survey, 95% of students indicated they believe something should be done if they witnessed someone in a risky situation. There are many dedicated people and excellent resources on our campus. Your role is to be a concerned and compassionate member of this community.
Where to Eat on Campus
You’ll find plenty of choices among meal plan options, where to eat, what kind of food to choose from and how to stretch your food budget. From local food options (nearly 15% of food served on campus comes from local sources) to the very popular BFD (breakfast for dinner) and steak nights, to ways to meet dietary restrictions, you’ll have lots of options at Appalachian.
Where to Hang Out
There’s lots to do on and around campus, whether you’re all about the outdoors, love a good concert, are a movie buff or a gamer. Appalachian has lots to offer, but if you find a niche to fill, join the Appalachian Popular Programming Society and make it happen!
Housing & Residential Learning Communities
Appalachian offers opportunities to choose a community to live and learn with. Whether you live on campus, off campus, with roommates or on your own, there’s lots to consider – and discover – at Appalachian.
Parking & Transportation
Boone is a college town and parking on and around campus can be scarce when classes are in session. There are, however, many ways to get around campus and town, and we make an effort to keep our transportation carbon footprints low.
Student Employment
Many Appalachian students work part or full time on or off campus, and many of our graduate students hold assistantships. Whether you need a full-time job or an odd job to earn some extra cash, there are resources available to help meet your needs.
What’s the weather like in Boone?
Get the real talk about the weather from our students:
Check out App's webcams
The Appalachian Experience
AppX: The “X”-tra information about what it is like to live, play, eat, study and graduate from Appalachian
Masters Matter: What it’s like to live and learn like a grad student Mountaineer
Dave by the Bell: Short conversations that showcase the character of Appalachian students.
Appalachian Prevention Advocates
It is critical that our students have a safe and secure environment within which to live and learn. In order to provide this safe environment, we must provide awareness to our community about the issues we collectively face. Become an Appalachian Prevention Advocate! Learn More >>
Global Thinking, Local Action
College campuses have historically been places where students shine a spotlight on issues of national and international importance, and Appalachian is no exception. Community dialogue around important topics such as race relations, interpersonal violence and other pressing national topics is vital to growth.Learn More >>
It Gets Better
At Appalachian, we welcome everyone into our family. We appreciate what each unique individual brings to Appalachian, because we know it makes our community richer.Learn More >>
Living a Sustainable Life
- Appalachian and the Community Together (ACT)
- Learning Communities
- Local Food
- Student Wellness
- Sustainable Living Guide
- Campus initiatives
What does it mean to work in a sustainable industry?
Watch the story of Grayson Goldsmith ‘11 here:
Student Yosef Club
The Student Yosef Club (SYC) is membership-based student booster organization whose mission is to support Appalachian student-athletes, maintain an electric gameday atmosphere and fuel the mountaineer spiritLearn More >>