Appalachian State University (; Appalachian, App State, App, or ASU) is a

public university A public university or public college is a university or college that is in owned by the state or receives significant public funds through a national or subnational government, as opposed to a private university. Whether a national universit ...

Boone, North Carolina Boone is a town in and the county seat of Watauga County, North Carolina, United States. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, Boone is the home of Appalachian State University and the headquarters for the disaster a ...

. It was founded as a teachers college in 1899 by brothers B. B. and D. D. Dougherty and the latter's wife, Lillie Shull Dougherty. The university expanded to include other programs in 1967 and joined the

University of North Carolina The University of North Carolina is the multi-campus public university system for the state of North Carolina. Overseeing the state's 16 public universities and the NC School of Science and Mathematics, it is commonly referred to as the UNC Sy ...

System in 1971. The university enrolls more than 20,600 students. It offers more than 150 bachelor's degrees and 70 graduate degree programs, including two doctoral programs. The university has 8 colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, the Walker College of Business, the Reich College of Education, the College of Fine and Applied Arts, the Beaver College of Health Sciences, the Honors College, the

Hayes School of Music The Mariam Cannon Hayes School of Music is part of Appalachian State University. A fully accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Music, the Hayes School of Music offers undergraduate programs in music education, music perform ...

, and University College. The Athletic Teams compete in the

Sun Belt Conference The Sun Belt Conference (SBC) is a collegiate athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Originally a non-football conference, the Sun Belt began sponsoring football in 2001. Its football teams participa ...

, except for a few sports which compete in the

Southern Conference The Southern Conference (SoCon) is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly ...

, such as wrestling. The teams are known as the

Mountaineers Mountaineering or alpinism, is a set of outdoor activities that involves ascending tall mountains. Mountaineering-related activities include traditional outdoor climbing, skiing, and traversing via ferratas. Indoor climbing, sport climbing, an ...

History

Appalachian State University began in 1899 when a group of residents in

Watauga County Watauga County ( )
from the North Carolina Collection's website at the

, under the leadership of Blanford B. Dougherty and his brother Dauphin D. Dougherty, began a movement to educate teachers in northwestern North Carolina. Land was donated by Daniel B. Dougherty, father of the leaders in the enterprise, and by J. F. Hardin. On this site a wood-frame building, costing $1,000, was erected by contributions from citizens of the town and county. In the fall of 1899, the Dougherty brothers, acting as co-principals, began the school, which was then called Watauga Academy. The first year saw 53 students enrolled in three grades. D. D. Dougherty's wife, Lillie Shull Dougherty, taught classes and contributed to administrative decisions. In 1903, after interest in the school had spread to adjoining counties, D. D. Doughterty was convinced the state would fund institutions established to train teachers. He traveled to the state capital,

Raleigh Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...

, after drafting a bill. W. C. Newland of Caldwell County introduced the bill in the

North Carolina Legislature The North Carolina General Assembly is the bicameral legislature of the State government of North Carolina. The legislature consists of two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The General Assembly meets in the North Carolina ...

to make this a state school, with an appropriation for maintenance and for building. Captain E. F. Lovill of Watauga County, R. B. White of Franklin County, Clyde Hoey of Cleveland County and E. J. Justice of McDowell County spoke in favor of the measure. On March 9, 1903, the bill became law, and the Appalachian Training School for Teachers was established. The school opened on October 5, 1903, with $2,000 from the state and 325 students. For 22 years, there was a period of steady growth, academic development, and valuable service to the state. In 1925, the legislature changed the name to the Appalachian State Normal School and appropriated additional funding for maintenance and permanent improvement. Four years later, in 1929, the school became a four-year degree granting institution and was renamed Appalachian State Teachers College. Over 1,300 students were enrolled in degree programs offered for primary grades education, physical education, math, English, science, and history. Appalachian attained national standards by becoming accredited by the American Association for Teacher Education in 1939, and the

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is an educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. This agency accredits over 13,000 public and priv ...

in 1942. In 1948 a Graduate School was formed. Dr. Dougherty retired in 1955, after 56 years of serving the school. J. D. Rankin became interim president until Dr. William H. Plemmons was installed. Plemmons lead from 1955 to 1969, and his administration oversaw the addition of new buildings as the campus expanded and enrollment grew to nearly 5,000 students. Appalachian was transformed from a single-purpose teachers' college into a multipurpose regional university and Appalachian State Teacher's College became Appalachian State University in 1967. Growth continued in the 1970s to around 9,500 students and 550 faculty. Afterward, four degree granting undergraduate colleges were created: Arts and Sciences, Business, Fine and Applied Arts, and Education. Dr. Herbert Wey succeeded Plemmons as president in 1969 and was named chancellor in 1971. In 1972, Appalachian State became part of the

system.

Campus

Located in the

Blue Ridge Mountains The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. The mountain range is located in the Eastern United States, and extends 550 miles southwest from southern Pennsylvania through Maryland, West Virgin ...

of northwestern North Carolina, Appalachian State University has one of the highest elevations of any university in the United States east of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

, at . The university's main campus is in downtown Boone, a town of 19,092 compared to an ASU enrollment of 19,108 students. The campus encompasses , including a main campus of with 20 residence halls, 3 main dining facilities, 30 academic buildings, and 11 recreation/athletic facilities. The center of campus is nicknamed Sanford Mall, an open grassy quad between the student union, dining halls, and library. Sanford Hall, located on the mall's edge, is named for

Terry Sanford James Terry Sanford (August 20, 1917April 18, 1998) was an American lawyer and politician from North Carolina. A member of the Democratic Party, Sanford served as the 65th Governor of North Carolina from 1961 to 1965, was a two-time U.S. pre ...

, a former

governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

of the state. Rivers Street, a thoroughfare for town and university traffic, essentially divides the campus into east and west sections with tunnels and a

pedestrian bridge A footbridge (also a pedestrian bridge, pedestrian overpass, or pedestrian overcrossing) is a bridge designed solely for pedestrians.''Oxford English Dictionary'' While the primary meaning for a bridge is a structure which links "two points at a ...

connecting the two halves. The eastern half includes Sanford Mall, Plemmons Student Union, Roess Dining Hall (formerly known as Central Dining Hall), and Belk Library, along with two communities of residence halls. The west side has Trivette Dining Hall, the Student Recreation Center (or SRC), the Quinn Recreation Center,

Kidd Brewer Stadium Kidd Brewer Stadium is a 30,000-seat multi-purpose stadium located in Boone, North Carolina. Nicknamed "The Rock," the stadium is the home of the Appalachian State Mountaineers football team. Kidd Brewer stands above sea level. The Mountaineers b ...

, and Stadium Heights and Yosef Hollow, the two remaining residence hall communities. At the north end, Bodenheimer Drive crosses over Rivers Street and leads to Appalachian Heights (an apartment-style residence hall), Mountaineer Hall, the Chancellor's House, the Living Learning Center, and Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium. The George M. Holmes Convocation Center at the south end of Rivers Street is the gateway and entrance to campus. The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts on the edge of main campus is the university's visual art center. The Turchin Center is the largest visual arts center in northwestern North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, and southwestern Virginia. It displays rotating exhibits indoors and outdoors, some exhibits being culturally specific to the Appalachians, and offers community outreach programs through art courses. The center was opened by Appalachian State in 2003. The newly renovated Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts, a 1,635 seat performance venue, hosts artists from around the world. The Appalachian State University Nature Preserve consists of 67 acres of protected woodlands located by the heart of campus. The land was dedicated as a State Natural Area in 1999 through the North Carolina Nature Preserves Act, and serves as an outdoor classroom for students and faculty. The primary purposes of the preserve are to enable conservation, education and recreation for students, staff, and faculty.

Administration

The University of North Carolina's Board of Governors plans and develops the coordinated system of higher education within the state. They set university policy but delegate Appalachian State's daily operations to a

chancellor Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...

. The chancellor likewise delegates some duties to the provost, several vice-chancellors, and other administrative offices. These administrative offices are advised by several university committees on the needs of campus constituents, as represented by a Faculty Senate, Staff Senate, Graduate Student Association Senate, and the Student Government Association.

Presidents

* B. B. Dougherty (1899–1955) * J. D. Rankin (1955, Interim) * William H. Plemmons (1955–1969) * Herbert Wey (1969–1971)

Chancellors

* Herbert Wey (1971–1979) * Cratis Williams (1975, Acting) * John E. Thomas (1979–1993) * Francis T. Borkowski (1993–2003) * Provost Harvey Durham (2003–2004, Interim) * Kenneth E. Peacock (2004–2014) *

Sheri Everts Sheri Everts is an American academic and educator serving as the chancellor of Appalachian State University in North Carolina. Early life and education Born and raised in Nebraska, Everts attended elementary school in a one-room schoolhouse. S ...

(2014–present)

Academics

Rankings and recognition

Library

In 2005, the Carol Grotnes Belk Library & Information Commons opened in a new five-story building. Belk Library holds over 1.871 million bound books and periodicals, 1.5 million microforms, 24,000 sound recordings, and 14,000 videos. The Library holds varying collections, including the W.L Eury Appalachian Collection for regional studies and the Stock Car Racing Collection. With the opening of the new library building in 2005, Bill and Maureen Rhinehart of Long Island, New York, donated a large collection of rare books in English history, spanning from the 16th to the 19th centuries. The university created a special collections room for this valuable donation which includes some 900 volumes comprising nearly 450 titles. The entire collection was published in two volumes of an annotated bibliography, comprised by retired English professor Dr. M. John Higby. Both volumes comprise almost 240 pages and are excellent in both scholarship and thoroughness. It was the last major endeavor of his career in education. The library is also home to an impressive stock car racing collection including a donation from the family of Richard "The King" Petty. Besides serving university patrons, the library also serves the local community with circulation available to registered patrons.

Colleges

Appalachian State offers 176 undergraduate and 42 graduate majors. The average GPA for incoming freshmen in 2017 was 4.20. Courses at Appalachian are organized into seven colleges and one graduate school: *College of Arts and Sciences *College of Fine and Applied Arts *Beaver College of Health Sciences *Hayes School of Music *The Honors College *Reich College of Education *Walker College of Business *Cratis D. Williams School of Graduate Studies

Watauga Residential College

Watauga Residential College (formerly Watauga Global Community) is a

residential college A residential college is a division of a university that places academic activity in a community setting of students and faculty, usually at a residence and with shared meals, the college having a degree of autonomy and a federated relationship wi ...

founded in 1972. Watauga College was founded to be an "interdisciplinary, experimental, residential, coed alternative for

social science Social science is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of soc ...

and

humanities Humanities are academic disciplines that study aspects of human society and culture. In the Renaissance, the term contrasted with divinity and referred to what is now called classics, the main area of secular study in universities at the t ...

general education requirements." Watauga Residential College was developed as "response to rising criticism of American education during the sixties and to the artificial fragmentation of knowledge in the academy; it was seen as a return to the world, where problems and themes do not recognize disciplinary boundaries and education is reconnected with individual learners." Although it has changed names over the years, Watauga College in 1972, Watauga Global Community in 2008, and Watauga Residential College in 2014, its mission has remained relatively the same. "Watauga Residential College pursues its mission through a sequenced, interdisciplinary, experiential curriculum that requires students to integrate class content, community-based research, and

multicultural The term multiculturalism has a range of meanings within the contexts of sociology, political philosophy, and colloquial use. In sociology and in everyday usage, it is a synonym for "Pluralism (political theory), ethnic pluralism", with the tw ...

immersion. This innovative curriculum, in conjunction with the academic and residential community, creates an atmosphere for the emergence of dynamic learning experiences through unique interactions among students and faculty." A key focus of Watauga is on the residential community so for the first year students are required to live in the living learning center. Watauga College was first based in Watauga Hall, then for decades was based in East Hall, a large U-shaped dormitory on the east end of Campus. The dorm was known campus-wide as having the largest rooms of any dorm on the Appalachian campus, yet it was one of the oldest dorms on campus. Upon the completion of the Living Learning Center in 2003, Watauga College relocated and East Hall will either be renovated or destroyed because of the high cost of renovating such an old building.

Off-campus centers

Appalachian State University offers off-campus courses through three off-campus centers and online. These centers are: * The ASU Center at

Hickory Hickory is a common name for trees composing the genus ''Carya'', which includes around 18 species. Five or six species are native to China, Indochina, and India (Assam), as many as twelve are native to the United States, four are found in Mexi ...

* The ASU Center at Burke in Morganton * The ASU Center at Caldwell in

Hudson Hudson may refer to: People * Hudson (given name) * Hudson (surname) * Henry Hudson, English explorer * Hudson (footballer, born 1986), Hudson Fernando Tobias de Carvalho, Brazilian football right-back * Hudson (footballer, born 1988), Hudso ...

Off-campus programs offer students the ability to maintain family and careers while working toward a degree. Full-time undergraduate programs are available in Elementary Education, Advertising, Criminal Justice, Management, Social Work and Psychology. Appalachian provides a variety of off-campus, part-time undergraduate and graduate programs.

Publications

The history department of ASU publishes ''History Matters: An Undergraduate Journal of Historical Research'' (), an undergraduate research journal. It was established in 2003 by Eric Burnnette, an ASU undergraduate student of history. The journal accepts submissions from all undergraduates nationwide and internationally, with special attention to papers that utilize primary sources. The

editorial board The editorial board is a group of experts, usually at a publication, who dictate the tone and direction the publication's editorial policy will take. Mass media At a newspaper, the editorial board usually consists of the editorial page editor, a ...

consists of undergraduate and faculty advisors at ASU. Members of the ASU Department of Physics and Astronomy serve as editors for the journal ''

The Physics Teacher ''The Physics Teacher'' is a peer-reviewed academic journal published by AIP Publishing on behalf of the American Association of Physics Teachers covering the history and philosophy of physics, applied physics, physics education (curriculum dev ...

.'' The university publishes or holds copyrights to several other periodicals, including: *''IMPULSE: The Premier Undergraduate Neuroscience Journal'', Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences *''Appalachian Business Review'', Bureau of Business and Economic Research, Walker College of Business *''Appalachian Journal'', Center for Appalachian Studies, College of Arts and Sciences *''Appalachian Today'', University magazine *''Cold Mountain Review'', Department of English *''The International Comet Quarterly'', Department of Physics and Astronomy (ceded to the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in 1990) *''Journal of Developmental Education'', Center for Developmental Education, Reich College of Education *''Journal of Health Care Marketing'', Center for Management Development, Walker College of Business *''The Appalachian'', student newspaper *''The Peel Literature & Arts Review'', yearly student arts publication

Centers and institutes

The university houses several academic centers and institutes related to its mission. These include: * Adult Basic Skills Professional Development Project * Appalachian Energy Center – Includes the following: **Collaborative Biodiesel Project **Renewable Energy Initiative **Small Wind R&D Site *Center for Appalachian Studies – Includes the Appalachian Collection held by Belk Library, the Appalachian Cultural Museum, and publishing editor of the Appalachian Journal *Center for Entrepreneurship *Center for Judaic, Holocaust, & Peace Studies *Center for Management Development *Goodnight Family Sustainable Development Program *Institute for Health and Human Services *Math and Science Education Center *National Center for Developmental Education and the Kellogg Institute *The Human Performance Lab at the

North Carolina Research Campus The North Carolina Research Campus (NCRC) is a public-private research center in Kannapolis, North Carolina, United States. The Campus was envisioned by David H. Murdock, owner of Dole Food Company and Castle and Cooke, Inc., as a center for imp ...

*Henderson Springs LGBTQ+ Center - located in Plemmons Student Union on the first floor. *Women's Center - located in Plemmons Student Union on the first floor. *Multicultural Center - located in Plemmons Student Union.

Student life

Students at ASU enjoy a variety of outdoor activities. The mountains offer snowboarding, skiing, tubing, rock climbing, hiking, rafting, camping, and fishing on and around the Blue Ridge Parkway. ASU also has over 400 clubs and organizations run by the McCaskey Center for Student Involvement and Leadership, such as Greek organizations, academic and diversity clubs, and sports clubs. Before the start of every semester, the university hosts a 'Club Expo' featuring all the clubs and organizations on campus. This event is for students to find an organization or club that suits them and to become involved. The university also has volunteer centers including the Multicultural Center, the LGBT Center, and the Women's Center (which is the only completely volunteer-run Women's Center in the state of North Carolina). All three centers are under the supervision of the Multicultural Student Development Office. On November 11, 2016, ASU opened a fourth center in their student union; the Student Veterans Resource Center. The campus also sports 3 indoor fitness facilities as well as an athletics field and an outdoor recreation center. The Appalachian Popular Programming Society (A.P.P.S.) is a university funded organization that exists to plan and provide diverse educational, enriching, and entertaining events for the community and student body of Appalachian State. Through its seven programming councils, A.P.P.S. members select, plan, promote, and present a diverse variety of popular entertainment programs and films which enhance the social and cultural life for Appalachian students. A.P.P.S. was founded in 1985 to help with the student nightlife and to support retention. APPS plays a vital role in fostering and developing an inclusive Appalachian State University community. The seven councils of A.P.P.S. include Heritage, Club Shows, Main Stage, Representation and Intentional Student Engagement (RISE), Films, Special Events, and Spirit & Traditions. Students can enjoy concerts and other miscellaneous events at Legends, an entertainment facility located on campus. ASU also offers an in-house movie theater within Plemmons Student Union, Greenbriar Theater, where students can go to watch movies.

Sustainability

Appalachian has invested in several sustainability projects in recent years such as: * A wind turbine was installed at the Broyhill Inn and Conference Center in 2008. The wind turbine has become the most visible symbol of Appalachian's projects in renewable energy. Situated at the highest point on campus and standing more than tall, it was selected specifically to depict an industrial-scale wind turbine. , the turbine had produced over . *Both Frank Residence Hall, renovated in 2009, and The Mountaineer Residence Hall erected in 2011 have LEED® Gold Certifications. and received a total of 68 points based on its energy saving and sustainability features. 65 points are needed to receive gold certification. Mountaineer Residence Hall houses a 40-panel solar thermal system to provide hot water needs. Buildings on ASU's campus that utilize solar energy include the Varsity Gym, Plemmons Student Union, Raley Hall, and Kerr Scott Hall. Kerr Scott Hall also has the first green roof on campus. The green roof works to conserve energy by providing shade and removing heat from the air through evapotranspiration. *Appalachian Food Services is working to reduce

food waste Food loss and waste is food that is not eaten. The causes of food waste or loss are numerous and occur throughout the food system, during production, processing, distribution, retail and food service sales, and consumption. Overall, about o ...

on campus by sending pre- and post-consumer food waste to a composting facility whose compost is used by Appalachian's Landscape Services as fertilizers. *The AppalCART is a no-cost public transit service that services the campus and surrounding Boone community. *Solar trash compactors were installed around Sanford mall in 2010. The trash compactors run 100% on solar power, and are completely self powered. *Outside of the Living Learning Center sits The Edible Schoolyard which is a community space where students, faculty, and staff can maintain a garden plot to learn gardening practices. At this garden space, small-scale farming and gardening principles are pursued in an effort to teach productive maintenance of agricultural ecosystems, self-sufficiency, and permaculture. *The Environment-Economy-Ecology, or the E3, house sits outside of the John E. Thomas Building on Campus. The E3 house was built by students in the building science and appropriate technology programs at Appalachian State University. The ASU Renewable Energy Initiative allocated $30,000 towards the photovoltaic (PV) rooftop array. The house is used to test new technologies in building practices. Unlike most compact and transportable shelters, the structure is designed to be self-sufficient and adaptable to a variety of environmental and cultural situations. The design incorporates a blend of structural insulated panels for assembly speed and strength, combined with local construction techniques to create an energy-efficient envelope. It can accommodate up to five occupants. The building's energy-efficient features include use of structural insulated panels (SIPs) for the building's exterior walls and roof. The panels have an insulation R-value of 30, compared to R-19 in typical home construction. The building also has solar panels, which generate energy needs for the occupants, a system to collect rainwater from the roof, and low-flow plumbing fixtures. The PV array uses 16 panels to produce an estimated per year. *We Are Still In (2018)- Over 3,500 organizations, representative of the United States' economy and society, are showing the world that we stand by the Paris Climate Agreement and are committed to meeting its goals. *Tree Campus USA certification- Appalachian State University has received Tree Campus USA certification from the Arbor Day Foundation. The certification process was a collaborative effort between the Department of Biology, Department of Geography and Planning, Physical Plant and New River Light and Power. "This certification demonstrates Appalachian's commitment to environmental aspects of sustainability," *American Campuses Act on Climate Roundtable invited participant (2015)- Appalachian State University was one of 38 institutions of higher learning invited to participate in the American Campuses Act on Climate Roundtable Nov. 19 at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, D.C. The event was hosted by the White House Council on Environmental Quality. *Climate Leadership Award- In October 2015, the university was a recipient of Second Nature and the USGBC's Climate Leadership Award, which recognized Appalachian's commitment to climate action. *Climate Pledge- In addition, Chancellor Everts visited the White House for the Day of Climate Action and signed the American Campuses Act on Climate Pledge. Chancellor Everts also signed the newly revamped Second Nature Climate Commitment. *Received Carolina Recycling Association award- Appalachian State University's composting program has received the Outstanding Composting or Organics Program Award from the Carolina Recycling Association.

Athletics

Appalachian's sports teams are nicknamed the

. The Mountaineers compete in

NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest level of College athletics, intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major ...

and are members of the

. Appalachian fields

varsity team In most English-speaking countries, varsity is an abbreviation of the word ''university''. In the United States and Canada, the term is mostly used in relation to sports teams. Varsity in the United Kingdom In the United Kingdom, varsity team ...

s in 17 sports, 7 for men and 10 for women. The Mountaineer football team started competing in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) in the 2014–2015 academic year. KiddBrewerStadium(ViewFromSE)

is the 30,000-seat home of Appalachian football. Nicknamed "The Rock", the stadium is located at an elevation of . In 2017, App State added a new video board, sound system and LED ribbon displays. Kidd Brewer Stadium also offers additional stadium seating with 18 luxury suites, 600 club seats, and the Chancellor's Box areas that offer a great view of the field and campus. AppHolmesCenter2

The George M. Holmes Convocation Center is the home court for Appalachian's basketball teams. The arena, with seating for 8,325, is also the home for volleyball and indoor track and field. In 2017, a new Daktronics video board was installed. The board is made up of nine displays totaling a square footage of 1,200. University Recreation (UREC) also offers 20 club sports that compete with other regional institutions on a non-varsity level: lacrosse (men's and women's), rugby (men's and women's), soccer (men's and women's), ultimate frisbee (men's and women's), volleyball (men's and women's), climbing, cycling, equestrian, fencing, ice hockey, skiing, racquetball, snowboarding, swimming, and triathlon. The university's cycling team has had success at the regional and national level; they compete within the Atlantic Collegiate Cycling Conference. The team competes in every discipline of

bicycle racing Cycle sport is competitive physical activity using bicycles. There are several categories of bicycle racing including road bicycle racing, cyclo-cross, mountain bike racing, track cycling, BMX, and cycle speedway. Non-racing cycling s ...

that is acknowledged by

National Collegiate Cycling Association The National Collegiate Cycling Association is a division of USA Cycling and the governing body of collegiate cycling in the US. Its predecessor was the US Collegiate Cycling Association (USCCA), which held the first national collegiate road cyclin ...

within

USA Cycling USA Cycling or USAC, based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the national governing body for bicycle racing in the United States. It covers the disciplines of road, track, mountain bike, cyclo-cross, and BMX across all ages and ability leve ...

. This includes

road bicycle racing Road bicycle racing is the cycle sport discipline of road cycling, held primarily on Road surface, paved roads. Road racing is the most popular professional sport, professional form of bicycle racing, in terms of numbers of competitors, events and ...

Mountain bike racing Mountain bike racing (shortened MTB or ATB racing) is the competitive cycle sport discipline of mountain biking held on off-road terrain. The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) recognised the discipline relatively late in 1990, when it sanction ...

and Cyclocross. The team won the Division 2, as established by

, collegiate team mountain bike national championships in 2008. They won the Division 2 collegiate team cyclocross national championships in 2008 and 2009. The team is now recognized as a Division 1 team. On February 19, 2011, the Appalachian State Mountaineer women's basketball team won the 2011 Southern Conference regular-season title. The last time they had won the title was 1996. This is a first for Head Coach Darcie Vincent. On May 18, 2012, the Appalachian State baseball team beat Western Carolina University, becoming Southern Conference baseball champions for the first time since 1985.

Football

Appalachian won three consecutive Division I FCS (I-AA)

national championships A national championship(s) is the top achievement for any sport or contest within a league of a particular nation or nation state. The title is usually awarded by contests, ranking systems, stature, ability, etc. This determines the best team, indi ...

2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...

2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...

, and

2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...

, over the

University of Northern Iowa The University of Northern Iowa (UNI) is a public university in Cedar Falls, Iowa. UNI offers more than 90 majors across the colleges of Business Administration, Education, Humanities, Arts, and Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences and grad ...

, the

University of Massachusetts The University of Massachusetts is the five-campus public university system and the only public research system in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The university system includes five campuses (Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, Lowell, and a medica ...

, and the

University of Delaware The University of Delaware (colloquially UD or Delaware) is a public land-grant research university located in Newark, Delaware. UD is the largest university in Delaware. It offers three associate's programs, 148 bachelor's programs, 121 mas ...

, respectively. The Mountaineers are the first FCS football team to win three straight national championships since the playoffs began in 1978. They are also the first Division I program to win three consecutive national championships since

Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

accomplished the feat in 1944, 1945, and 1946. In a milestone for ASU athletics, on September 1, 2007, the Appalachian State football team played their season opener at the fifth-ranked

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

in front of the largest crowd to ever witness an ASU football game. Appalachian State beat

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

in the game that would become known as the "Alltime Upset" by Sports Illustrated with a final score of 34–32 and became the first

Division I FCS The NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly known as Division I-AA, is the second-highest level of college football in the United States, after the Football Bowl Subdivision. Sponsored by the National Collegiate Athletic ...

(I-AA) football team to defeat a

Division I FBS The NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), formerly known as Division I-A, is the highest level of college football in the United States. The FBS consists of the largest schools in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). A ...

(I-A) team ranked in the AP poll. Appalachian State moved to the FBS subdivision in 2014, finishing its first season with a winning record but ineligible for a bowl bid per NCAA rules. Each season from 2015 to 2019, App State won both its conference championship and final bowl game. In 2020, although the Mountaineers did not win the Sun Belt Conference, they did win their sixth consecutive bowl game, defeating North Texas 56–28 in the inaugural

Myrtle Beach Bowl The Myrtle Beach Bowl is an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) college football bowl game first played in December 2020 in the Myrtle Beach metropolitan area. Coastal Carolina University hosts the game at its Brooks Stadium in Con ...

Athletic bands

The Hayes School of Music provides support for the Mountaineers at all home football games with the Marching Mountaineers, and at all home basketball games with the Appalachian Pep Band. The Marching Mountaineers travel to a select few away games each football season. The director of the athletic bands is Dr. Jason P. Gardner. In addition to supporting the athletic department, the Marching Mountaineers have assisted the Rho Tau chapter of

Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America (colloquially known as Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Phi Mu Alpha, or simply Sinfonia) () is an American collegiate social fraternity for men with a special interest in music. The fraternity is open to men "w ...

in hosting the Appalachian Marching Band Festival annually. The festival has been on hiatus since 2019 due to stadium construction and the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

In media

In 2004, a committee for the Appalachian Family Caravan tour created a promotional video titled " Hot Hot Hot", shown throughout the area by Chancellor Kenneth E. Peacock. The video became an inadvertent

internet phenomenon An Internet meme, commonly known simply as a meme ( ), is an idea, behavior, style, or image that is spread via the Internet, often through social media platforms. What is considered a meme may vary across different communities on the Internet ...

and was featured on VH1's ''

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'' program in early 2006. The video was never intended to promote Appalachian State to anyone but the Family Caravan, much less as a recruiting tool for prospective students. The video is no longer used by the university, due to student and alumni protests. In 2002,

MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...

's program ''

Road Rules ''Road Rules'' is an MTV reality show that was a sister show of the network's flagship reality show, ''The Real World''. The series debuted on July 19, 1995, and ended on May 9, 2007. This allowed ''Road Rules'' a total of 14 seasons and 12 year ...

'' visited ASU to produce an episode called ''Campus Crawl'', aired on-campus during an annual, winter student swimming event called the "Polar Plunge". The show's participants also crossed a high-wire strung between Coltrane and Gardner Halls. On March 16, 2012, Appalachian State placed a tenured sociology professor on administrative leave for a variety of charges, which included showing an anti-pornography documentary, ''The Price of Pleasure''. This move gained national attention from the academic community.

Notable alumni

Academia

* BJ Casey – psychologist, expert on adolescent

brain development The development of the nervous system, or neural development (neurodevelopment), refers to the processes that generate, shape, and reshape the nervous system of animals, from the earliest stages of embryonic development to adulthood. The fiel ...

and

self-control Self-control, an aspect of inhibitory control, is the ability to regulate one's emotions, thoughts, and behavior in the face of temptations and impulses. As an executive function, it is a cognitive process that is necessary for regulating one's b ...

Robert Allen Phillips Robert Phillips (born April 18, 1968) is the George R. Gardiner Professor in Business Ethics and Professor of Strategic Management and Public Policy at the Schulich School of Business; York University. In 2016–17, he was the Gourlay Visiting P ...

– known for work on

stakeholder theory The stakeholder theory is a theory of organizational management and business ethics that accounts for multiple constituencies impacted by business entities like employees, suppliers, local communities, creditors, and others. It addresses morals ...

and organizational ethics *

Laura Wright Laura Wright (née Sisk) is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for her roles as Ally Rescott on ''Loving (TV series), Loving'' (1991–1995) and ''The City (1995 TV series), The City'' (1995–1997), Cassie Layne Winslow on ''Guidin ...

– founder of academic field of Vegan Studies

Arts and entertainment

Eric Bachmann Eric Bachmann is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer. He rose to prominence as the frontman of Archers of Loaf and Crooked Fingers. Originally a saxophone major at Appalachian State University, Bachmann’s music is dist ...

– musician and producer; principal member of groups

Crooked Fingers Crooked Fingers was an American indie rock band, led by the former Archers of Loaf frontman Eric Bachmann. A vehicle for Bachmann's songwriting, the band's lineup changed between each record. Crooked Fingers released albums on WARM Records and Me ...

and

Archers of Loaf Archers of Loaf is an American indie rock band originally formed in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in 1991. The group toured extensively and released four studio albums, one compilation, numerous singles and EPs, and a live album which was release ...

Carlton Bost Carlton James Bost (born April 8, 1975), also known by the stage name Carlton Megalodon, is an American musician. He is the guitar player for the industrial rock band Orgy, the industrial rock/hard rock band The Dreaming and the new wave band B ...

– musician, composer, producer; member of groups

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

Deadsy Deadsy is an American industrial rock band from Los Angeles. The band is known for its visual appearance and unique musical style the band self-describes as "undercore". The band has released two major studio albums. The band was initially si ...

, Orgy (band), Orgy, and Stabbing Westward * Eric Church – country music singer * Luke Combs – country music singer * Eustace Conway – naturalist, focus of book ''The Last American Man,'' one of subjects featured in History (U.S. TV channel), History Channel series ''Mountain Men (TV series), Mountain Men'' * Charles Frazier – novelist, author of ''Cold Mountain (novel), Cold Mountain'' * The Gregory Brothers, Michael Gregory – of The Gregory Brothers and creator of Auto-tune the News series. * Byron Hill – country and pop music songwriter * Andrew Hubner – novelist * Lisa Lynn Masters – actress * Kate Rhudy – singer, songwriter, and musician * Jason Roberts (guitarist), Jason Roberts – guitarist known for collaborations with Norah Jones * Douglas Sarine – co-creator of ''Ask a Ninja'' * Mary Ellen Snodgrass – author, two-time New York Public Library award winner * Whitney Thore – TV personality * Gary Wheeler (filmmaker), Gary Wheeler – film director and producer * Gene Wooten – Nashville Dobro player and session musician * Michael Alvarado – member of American folk pop group Us the Duo

Athletics

* Sam Adams (golfer), Sam Adams – professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour * Jane Albright – women's college basketball head coach * Jennifer E. Alley – former North Carolina Tar Heels women's basketball head coach * Isaac Anderson (wrestler), Isaac Anderson – Olympic Wrestling, wrestler (Wrestling at the 1988 Summer Olympics – Men's Greco-Roman 62 kg, 1988 Summer Olympics) * Travaris Cadet – NFL running back * Don Cardwell – MLB pitcher, 1969 World Series champion * Dexter Coakley – NFL linebacker (Dallas Cowboys and St. Louis Rams), member of the College Football Hall of Fame * Jaylin Davis – Major League Baseball, MLB player for the San Francisco Giants * Armanti Edwards – NFL and CFL wide receiver; played quarterback at App State, led team to two NCAA Division I Football Championship, NCAA FCS national championships * Ryan Ellis (racing driver), Ryan Ellis – NASCAR Cup Series driver * Darrynton Evans – NFL running back * Ashley Fliehr, better known as Charlotte Flair – WWE professional wrestler (transferred to North Carolina State University) * Ed Gainey (Canadian football), Ed Gainey – Canadian Football League, CFL defensive back * Alvin Gentry – former NBA head coach of Miami Heat, Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns, and New Orleans Pelicans * Tony Gravely – Ultimate Fighting Championship, UFC fighter * Dino Hackett – NFL linebacker (Kansas City Chiefs) * Mary Jayne Harrelson – track athlete, two-time

Women's Outdoor 1500m National Champion * Ron Hodges – MLB catcher * Jason Hunter (American football), Jason Hunter – NFL defensive end (Denver Broncos) * Dexter Jackson (wide receiver), Dexter Jackson – NFL wide receiver (Carolina Panthers) * Shemar Jean-Charles – NFL cornerback * Daniel Jeremiah – analyst for NFL Network, writer with NFL.com, host of ''Move the Sticks'' podcast * Paul Johnson (American football coach), Paul Johnson – college football head coach * Daniel Kilgore (American football), Daniel Kilgore – NFL center (San Francisco 49ers) * Corey Lynch – NFL safety (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) * Rico Mack – NFL linebacker *Sam Martin (American football), Sam Martin – National Football League, NFL punter (Denver Broncos) * Demetrius McCray – National Football League, NFL cornerback (Jacksonville Jaguars) * Doug Middleton – National Football League, NFL safety (New York Jets) * Melissa Morrison-Howard – two-time Summer Olympic Games, Olympic hurdler bronze medalist (Athletics at the 2000 Summer Olympics, 2000 & Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Women's 100 metres hurdles, 2004) * Marques Murrell – NFL linebacker (New York Jets) * Tyson Patterson – professional basketball player * Ron Prince – NFL assistant coach Detroit Lions, former head coach at Kansas State Wildcats football, Kansas State University * Mike Ramsey (infielder), Mike Ramsey – MLB infielder from 1978 to 1985 * Mark Royals – NFL punter from 1987 to 2003 * Brian Quick – NFL wide receiver (Washington Redskins, St. Louis Rams) * Scott Satterfield – former App State Head Football Coach; current Head Football Coach at Louisville Cardinals football, Louisville University * John Settle – NFL running back, served as NFL and college running backs coach * Belus Smawley – basketball pioneer, one of the first basketball players to regularly use the Jump shot (basketball), jump shot * Jeffrey Springs – MLB pitcher * Matt Stevens (safety), Matt Stevens – NFL safety * D. J. Thompson – professional basketball player * Coaker Triplett – MLB outfielder for Cubs, Cardinals, and Phillies from 1938 to 1945 * Daniel Wilcox – NFL tight end (Baltimore Ravens) * Steve Wilks – NFL head coach * Everett Withers – football head coach of Texas State Bobcats, former head coach of James Madison Dukes football, James Madison Dukes and North Carolina Tar Heels football, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Business

* James Edgar Broyhill – founder of Broyhill Furniture Industries, Inc. * Chuck Gallagher – entrepreneur, motivational speaker, speaker and author * Harry L. Williams – president and CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund

Economics and finance

* Stephen J. Dubner – writer, co-author of ''Freakonomics'' * Chris Swecker – Head of Corporate Security for Bank of America and former assistant director, FBI

Government and law

* Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Lt. Gen. Robert P. Ashley – 19th Director of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency * Chad Barefoot – former North Carolina state Senator who represented the 18th district from 2013 to 2018 * Ted Budd – member of U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's 13th district * Howard Coble – former Republican 6th district U.S. Congressman from Greensboro, North Carolina (only attended Appalachian for one year) * Kevin Corbin - State Senator, North Carolina * Morris "Moe" Davis – United States Air Force officer, lawyer, and administrative law judge who is running as a Democratic Party (United States), Democrat for United States Congress, Congress in North Carolina, North Carolina's NC-11, 11th Congressional District. Davis was appointed the third Chief Prosecutor of the Guantanamo military commissions, where he served from September 2005 until October 2007, when he resigned his post over objections over use of waterboarding for obtaining evidence. * Danya Dayson – Associate Judge on the Superior Court of the District of Columbia * Josh Dobson – former North Carolina House representing 85th district, current North Carolina Commissioner of Labor * Andy Dulin – North Carolina House representing 104th district *Larken Egleston - Charlotte, North Carolina City Councilmember * Destin Hall – North Carolina House representing 87th district * Allen Joines – 17th Mayor of Winston-Salem, North Carolina * Brock Long – FEMA administrator * Chris Swecker, attorney, assistant director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the Criminal Investigative Division, has appeared as a guest on CNN, CNBC, and Fox News

Ministry and religion

* Henry Babers – evangelist and scholar * Franklin Graham – evangelist and missionary, son of Billy Graham, CEO and president of Samaritan's Purse * James Emery White – pastor, author, and professor

Science

* Rachel Harris Larson – chemist and dental researcher who studied the interrelationships of genetics, nutrition, and bacteriology in dental caries * Ryan Little – surgeon, otorhinolaryngology, rhinologist/Endoscopic endonasal surgery, endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery at Geisel School of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College, author *Stanley South – archaeologist, author of ''Method and Theory in Historical Archaeology''

References

Informational notes Citations

External links

*
Official athletics website

Appalachian State University Yearbooks
North Carolina Digital Heritage Center. {{Coord, 36.213843, -81.678621, display=title, format=dms Appalachian State University, Educational institutions established in 1899 Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools University of North Carolina Education in Watauga County, North Carolina Public universities and colleges in North Carolina Buildings and structures in Watauga County, North Carolina 1899 establishments in North Carolina Boone, North Carolina Universities established in the 1960s