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App State

App State’s Department of Government and Justice Studies to host Lab iMPACTLY Nonprofit Workshop April 9

February 17, 2026 Boone, NC – February 17, 2026 -Under the theme “The Future-Proof Nonprofit: AI-Driven Storytelling and Strategic Governance,” participants will explore how to navigate an era in which funding landscapes shift rapidly and digital tools are redefining engagement. By converging artificial intelligence with storytelling and pairing it with robust governance strategies, the workshop aims to offer a roadmap for organizations to not just survive the next decade, but to lead in community impact.

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Boone Area Chamber of Commerce Announces 2025 Watauga County Businesses of the Year

January 8, 2026 Boone, NC – January 8, 2026 -“Each of these businesses hold high the value of community partnerships,” said David Jackson, President/CEO of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. “While their individual missions and reach are diverse, their commitment to community is their unifying trait, and nothing short of inspiring. All three have relied on the local market to build their workforce, they’ve sought unique ways to partner with local individuals and businesses to support and advance projects, and they each excel in providing a touch of High Country hospitality in how they operate. We are excited to celebrate with these businesses and showcase their successes and positive impacts on our community.”

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Appalachian State and High Country Humanities bring world languages to young learners through the “International Story Time” series in partnership with Watauga Public Library, sponsored by Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning

December 2, 2025 Boone, NC – December 2, 2025 -Appalachian State University’s Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, the AppELS English Language Institute, and High Country Humanities, in collaboration with the Watauga County Public Library, is pleased to present “International Story Time,” a series of storytelling events by Appalachian State University faculty members and students during the Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 semesters, sponsored by the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning for Student Success.

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Remembering Coach Clark: Faith, Family and Football

September 26, 2025 There are times when certain people come into your life, and you truly feel blessed by their presence.  That certainly was the case with Shawn Clark.  To meet Shawn was to be overwhelmed by a genuine, caring, kind, and optimistic soul.  He changed lives wherever he went because his life had been changed.  Shawn recalled during our first real conversation, “I learned how to be a man from my dad and Coach Moore”.  He credited both for introducing him to Jesus.  Shawn truly was a person who stood for faith, family, and football in that order.   

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Appalachian Theatre Announces Fall 2025 Lineup Featuring Music, Magic, Film, and More

September 12, 2025 BOONE, NC — The Appalachian Theatre of the High Country unveils an extraordinary slate of events this fall, bringing world-class entertainment to Boone with a dynamic mix of film, music, magic, and cultural programming. From cult film favorites to Grammy- winning musicians, the historic venue continues its mission of presenting experiences that engage, entertain, and educate the High Country community.

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App State awarded $1.4M grant to strengthen special education workforce in rural Appalachia

August 27, 2025 BOONE, N.C. — This fall, over 100 teacher’s assistants, educators and school administrators from Watauga, Caldwell and Catawba counties will take part in a new career pathways program at Appalachian State University that aims to address the shortage of special education teachers in rural Appalachia. The program, which is supported by more than $1.4 million in grant funding through the U.S. Department of Labor, provides tuition assistance, stipends and professional development to support and grow the region’s special education workforce.

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App State’s Corinne Smith honored as 2025 national GEAR UP Professional Leader of the Year

July 22, 2025 BOONE, N.C. — Corinne Smith, director of Appalachian State University’s GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) and deputy director of College Access Partnerships, has received the 2025 GEAR UP Professional Leader of the Year award. She was honored July 14, during the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships/GEAR UP Annual Conference in San Francisco.

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App State’s Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies holds 23rd Annual Rosen Symposium July 10–16

July 8, 2025 The Appalachian State University Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies (CJHPS) will host the 23rd Annual Martin and Doris Rosen Symposium from July 10–16 at Appalachian State’s Boone campus. The event is supported by the Claims Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, the Martin and Doris Rosen Symposium Endowment and the local Jewish community. For over two decades, the Rosen Symposium has brought educators from across the country together to provide lessons, materials, resources and best practices for teaching about the Holocaust.

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Dr. Christine Ogilvie Hendren Appointed Vice Chancellor of Research and Innovation at App State

July 1, 2025 Dr. Christine Ogilvie Hendren has been appointed vice chancellor of research and innovation at Appalachian State University, announced Chancellor Heather Norris on Friday, June 27. The appointment is effective July 1. “As we embrace the many opportunities ahead with our new R2 status, Dr. Hendren will continue to lead the advancement of the university’s research and creative activities strategy,” said Norris. “She will also head the strategic innovation functions that include external relations and commercialization for the university’s research and creative activities enterprise.”

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Gen X Hitmakers Joan Osborne and Lisa Loeb Celebrate Their 30-Year-Old Landmark Albums in Boone Concert Friday, July 11

June 26 2025 Appalachian State University’s annual summer arts celebration, An Appalachian Summer, presents Joan Osborne and Lisa Loeb, two unmistakable voices of the ’90s, for a special evening marking the 30th anniversaries of their breakthrough albums — Osborne’s Relish and Loeb’s Tails — Friday, July 11 at 7:30pm at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts. Revisit the songs that shaped a generation, alongside new music and career-spanning fan favorites. Both Relish and Tails were landmark albums that transcended genres, blending folk, pop, and rock with deeply personal storytelling. Osborne’s “One of Us” and Loeb’s “Stay (I Missed You)” became defining anthems of the era, and their impact continues to resonate with longtime fans and new audiences alike. Tickets are $25-$55, with discounts for App State faculty/staff and local residents

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Sculptures, Stories and Stunning New Exhibits at An Appalachian Summer

June 17, 2025 Engage, discover, and connect through the arts during the 41st season of An Appalachian Summer, presented June 28-July 26 by App State’s Office of Arts Engagement and Cultural Resources. In partnership with the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, App Summer showcases the visual arts through intriguing exhibitions, a juried guided tour of captivating sculptures, and a series of behind-the-scenes chats with visual and performing artists. Each of these events is free and open to the public. For more information, visit appsummer.org.

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App Summer: The Helene and Stephen Weicholz Global Film Series Feature Movies That Shine a Light on the Many Paths to Happiness

June 16, 2025 Seeking to broaden perspectives, plumb universal emotions, and explore the world at large, An Appalachian Summer’s Helene and Stephen Weicholz Global Film Series showcases four award-winning and critically acclaimed international films. This year’s set of films hails from Iceland, Lebanon, Thailand, and Sweden. United by the theme of family, the movies take personal yet universal looks at the fragility and tenacity of familial relationships when tested by adversity.

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App State’s Center for Judaic, Holocaust and Peace Studies Announces Recipients of 2024–25 White Rose Student Research Conte

June 13, 2025 Appalachian State University’s Center for Judaic, Holocaust and Peace Studies (CJHPS) has announced the recipients of its inaugural White Rose Student Research Contest. The contest, supported through a grant from anonymous donors, is an annual program dedicated to teaching deep learning on the Holocaust and promoting historical rigor. The contest encourages teachers to advise eighth through 12th grade students on writing an essay based on a pre-established topic relating to the Holocaust, which changes each year. The 2024–25 topic was “Americans and the Holocaust,” which explored America’s role in ending the Holocaust and helping the victims.

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20 App State ROTC Cadets Commissioned to Serve as Army Second Lieutenants

June 5, 2025 Twenty cadets in Appalachian State University’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program, the Mountaineer Battalion, have marked a significant milestone in their military careers, officially entering the ranks of the United States Army as commissioned second lieutenants. During the commissioning ceremony, held May 8 in Valborg Theatre on the university’s Boone campus, cadets were recognized for their commitment, leadership and perseverance throughout their ROTC training. This year’s ceremony featured a keynote address from Lt. Gen. Chris Mohan ’89, Deputy Commanding General and Acting Commander of the U.S. Army Materiel Command (AMC), who administered the Oath of Office to the cadets.

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Amos Lee Kicks off the 41st Season of An Appalachian Summer on Saturday, June 28

June 2, 2025 Appalachian State University’s annual multi-disciplinary summer arts celebration, An Appalachian Summer, opens its 41st season with Amos Lee, Saturday, June 28 at 7:30pm at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts. The soulful singer-songwriter released his gold-selling self-titled first album in 2005 and has been known for his association with a long list of collaborators and touring partners, including Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Zac Brown Band, and Willie Nelson. With a laconic style, gravelly, evocative voice, and acoustic Americana sound, Lee is equally comfortable and affecting amidst a range of genres — from folk, soul, and jazz, to Americana, roots rock, and country — in his quest to connect honestly and emotionally with his audience. 

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Will Sears Appointed Vice Chancellor of University advancement at App State

May 8, 2025 William James Sears Jr. has been appointed vice chancellor of university advancement at Appalachian State University, announced Chancellor Heather Norris on Friday, May 2. The appointment is effective July 1. The vice chancellor of university advancement reports to the chancellor and is responsible for leading and coordinating all aspects of the university’s fundraising, alumni relations and donor engagement efforts — advancing and promoting the university’s mission and vision by providing leadership; planning, developing, managing and implementing strategies to increase financial support; and cultivating relationships with alumni and donors.

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Too Many People, Too Little Town: Boone’s Infrastructure Wasn’t Built For This 

May 4, 2025 Boone wasn’t built for this many people, and it shows. Once a quiet, sleepy town, it has now been turned into a busy college community. Traffic, construction and overpopulation dominate daily life. It has become a common issue with record-high enrollment at Appalachian State University and construction taking over our streets. Locals and students alike are feeling the suffocation. According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2023, Boone, N.C.’s population was 19,811 at a size of 6.4 square miles. Watauga County experienced a population growth of 0.857% between 2022 and 2023. According to Appalachian Today, an article from Sep. 6, 2024, by Jessica Stump, App State has enrolled 21,570 students in fall 2024.  Many Boone locals have mixed feelings about the town’s rapid growth, especially as student populations spike and developments reshape. By Greta Jenkins

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From Student to Studio Renter: Alumni Ashlynd Scovato Takes on Art After Graduation

May 4, 2025 Inside the Nth Degree Gallery on King Street in Boone, art spills across the walls with a tactile sense of history, memory and recovery. It’s not surprising once you meet the artist behind it — Ashlynd Scovato, a recent Appalachian State University graduate who turns saved materials into mixed-media works that explore human connection and the landscapes of her mountain home. Originally from Asheville, Scovato moved to Boone for its proximity to home and its cultural art and music scene. “I saw videos of the DIY music scene here and thought, ‘This is where I want to be,’” she said. “Boone just felt like art was happening everywhere.” By Greta Jenkins

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App State Spring Commencement Ceremonies are May 9–10

May 1, 2025 Appalachian State University will recognize spring 2025 graduates during commencement ceremonies on Friday and Saturday, May 9 and 10. Ceremonies will take place at 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. each day in the Holmes Convocation Center on App State’s Boone campus. During the events, graduates will walk across the stage in Holmes Convocation Center and be professionally photographed receiving their diploma covers. App State Chancellor Heather Norris will confer degrees upon graduates at each ceremony, which will include graduates from each of App State’s academic colleges and the Hayes School of Music

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Registration is open for App State’s 2nd annual Aging Well Conference on May 15–16

April 30, 2025 Appalachian State University will host its second annual Aging Well Conference on May 15–16 at Levine Hall of Health Sciences, located at 1179 State Farm Road in Boone. Sponsored by BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina Medicare, the event will bring together caregivers, health professionals, researchers and social service providers to explore innovative strategies for healthy aging. Conference topics include disease prevention, managing anxiety and depression in older adults, balancing exercise with physical therapy and lifestyle interventions to prevent cognitive decline.

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App State ROTC Program Honored with Army’s General Douglas MacArthur Award

April 9, 2025 The Appalachian State University Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program, known as the Mountaineer Battalion, has been awarded the U.S. Army’s General Douglas MacArthur Award, recognizing the program’s exceptional contributions to military leadership and training. A ceremony in celebration of the program’s achievement was held March 20 at App State’s Boone campus. Established in 1989, the award, conferred by the U.S. Army Cadet Command, honors the top eight ROTC programs in the country. The award highlights the success of programs in displaying Gen. MacArthur’s ideals — “Duty, Honor, Country” — and accomplishing its mission of training and commissioning second lieutenants for the U.S. Army.

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Details for April 12 Battle at The Rock Spring Game at Kidd Brewer Stadium; Admission Free

April 9, 2025 App State will host its “Battle at The Rock” spring football game on April 12 at Kidd Brewer Stadium. Admission will be free, and fans will be treated to a variety of pregame and in-game opportunities to engage with App State Football and purchase special opportunities. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. There will be a Pregame FanFest from 10 a.m.-noon in the Jerry Moore Plaza featuring football team autographs and a DJ, as well as a Kid Zone with bounce houses and more. Junior Mountaineer Kids Club members can enter the Kid Zone free of charge. Kid Zone tickets for non-members will be $5.

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Just Announced! Billy Strings & Bryan Sutton with Royal Masat, Live at the Schaefer Center for Two Nights! September 11 and 12

April 7, 2025 Billy Strings & Bryan Sutton with Royal Masat announce two nights of performances at Appalachian State University’s Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts, September 11 and 12. These shows will be ticketed as a lottery, with ticket requests open now until April 21 at 2:00pm ET. Request tickets at billystrings.com/LATL. 2x Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and musicianBilly Strings joins forces with renowned guitarist Bryan Sutton to release their new collaborative album, Live at the Legion. Recorded live on April 7, 2024 at Nashville’s American Legion Post 82, the album showcases the acclaimed duo performing 20 traditional bluegrass and folk songs, including new renditions of Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright,” Doc Watson’s “Way Downtown” and more.

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