By Harley Nefe
Appalachian State University’s annual fall celebration, Founders Day, honoring its founders and the first day of classes held in 1899 at Watauga Academy will take place Sept. 3 virtually.
Watauga Academy was the small school that flourished into the college App State is today.
To kick off the Founders Day 2020 events, individuals can attend the livestreamed Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for the Thunder Hill and Raven Rocks Residence Halls. The livestream will begin on the website https://today.appstate.edu/founders-day at 10:55 a.m. The Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony will start shortly after, at 11 a.m. and go until 12 p.m.
Later in the afternoon, Chancellor Sheri Everts will commemorate the day and induct the 2020 Bell Ringers Society members.
The Bell Ringers Society is a new tradition at App State and involves the ringing of the Founders Bell, which is an iconic symbol of App State history. This tradition was established Sept. 5, 2019, as the university celebrated its second annual Founders Day. Twelve members of the Appalachian Community were selected to ring the bell 10 times each to signify the university’s 120th anniversary as an innovator and leader in higher education. These 12 bell ringers are the inaugural members of Appalachian’s Bell Ringers Society. New members are inducted into the society each year to ring the bell on Founders Day.
The livestream for the Bell Ringers Society will be through the same link already mentioned and will begin at 1:55 p.m. The actual Bell Ringers Society event will be from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Lastly, Appalachian State Alumni Trivia will be held in the evening from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. The Appalachian’s Alumni office is creating rounds of Appalachian Trivia especially for Founders Day. Pre-registration for this event is required and can be completed at https://www.alumni.appstate.edu/s/1727/index.aspx?sid=1727&gid=2&pgid=3201&content_id=4339.