Appalachian State University

Join us to mark the anniversary of Helene by learning about climate resilience and community resilience. We’re excited to host two leading thinkers/doers in the resilience space: Marlena Byrne presenting “Building a More Resilient Western North Carolina” and Dr. Deirdre Pfeiffer presenting “Sustainable Futures for Single-Family Home Communities.”

Taylor Brown grew up on the Georgia coast. He has lived in Buenos Aires, San Francisco, and the mountains of western North Carolina. He is the recipient of the Montana Prize in Fiction and a finalist for the Southern Book Prize. His novels include “Fallen Land,” “The River of Kings,” “Gods of Howl Mountain,” “Pride of Eden” and “Wingwalkers.” He lives in Savannah, Georgia.

The First Year Showcase is a short, immersive, welcoming process for incoming first year and transfer students. Working with upper-level students and faculty mentors, students create a collaborative, site-specific promenade performance. Participants work together to frame how we look at architecture and our environment through movement and performance. The 2026 performance, “Magic Carpet,” will specifically work to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and crossover between theatre and dance to form a new artistic community.

The annual Global Good Conference highlights sustainable and innovative ways of addressing global challenges with the goal of inspiring students, faculty, and the local community to use their knowledge and skills in the business of building a better world. This conference is reimagining the former Business For Good and Global Opportunities Conference into a combined event, highlighting the interconnections of local and global action and the importance of business as an actor in creating a sustainable world.

A day of service for Appalachian State students to work alongside our community as it continues to heal and rebuild one full year after Hurricane Helene. Meals, equipment, and transportation provided.

This symposium brings together practitioners, municipal leaders, and nonprofit innovators to reflect on the regional response to Tropical Storm Helene and to explore strategies for building climate and disaster resilience. Panelists from the Footprint Project, the Town of Boone, Buncombe County, and Appalachian State University will share their institutions’ experiences in storm response, recovery, their role in community resilience, and lessons learned to prepare Western North Carolina for future challenges.

Appalachian State University welcomes members of the App State and High Country communities to gather for a Community Appreciation Meal. The event is free of charge and open to all, so drop in for a meal with family and friends. Complimentary parking is available in the Rivers Street Parking Deck with bridge access to the dining hall.

Dr. Abdul Habib Khalid is a Fulbright Scholar formerly of Kabul Education University whose lifelong calling has been to educate women and girls in Afghanistan. Over the past decade he has worked to connect students in Kabul with students in Boone. Dr. Khalid's talk will elucidate the long and difficult pathway he and his family have walked to educate half of Afghanistan's population while struggling against governmental, physical and technological difficulties.

This is a play about love and longing. In this contemporary reworking of Chekhov’s “Uncle Vanya,” a group of old friends, ex-lovers, estranged in-laws, and lifelong frenemies gather to grapple with life’s thorniest questions, the state of the world, and each other. Over drinks, fights, and moments of intimacy seven souls collide and stumble through life concluding that LIFE SUCKS! Or does it? Seriously, what does life do? Adapted by Aaron Posner.

A fall tradition to honor Appalachian State University’s founders and the first day of classes held in 1899.

The Board of Trustees of Appalachian State University requests the honor of your presence at the Installation of Dr. Heather H. Norris, Eighth Chancellor of Appalachian State University.

A singer, composer and actor, Lyle Lovett has broadened the definition of American music in a career that spans 14 albums. Coupled with his gift for storytelling, the Texas-based musician fuses elements of country, swing, jazz, folk, gospel, and blues in a convention-defying manner that breaks down barriers. His works, rich and eclectic, are some of the most beloved of any artist working today.