App State has earned a Research 2 designation through the Carnegie Classification system for high research activity and doctorate production. App State’s research expenditures in fiscal year 2023 were more than $8.4 million and, in 2022–23, the university awarded 20 doctoral degrees.
Six national publications — including U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review and Forbes magazine — have recognized App State among the best schools in the nation, and the Southeast, for 2025–26. The publications lauded the university for its academics, innovation and value, among other aspects.
In fall 2026, App State will launch a new Doctor of Nursing Practice program, designed to educate family practice nurse practitioners and respond to health care provider shortages, especially in rural areas. The program has been approved by the UNC System Board of Governors.
On Feb. 27, 2025, the UNC Board of Governors elected Dr. Heather Hulburt Norris as the next leader of Appalachian State University. Norris has served as interim chancellor since April 2024. Her career has been characterized by her strong, collaborative leadership and service to both App State and the greater community, and she brings more than two decades of academic leadership, vision and expertise to her role as chancellor.
Sustainability and resilience are guiding principles at App State and institutionally interwoven into our strategic plan, academic mission, engagement locally and globally and day-to-day best practices. We are recognized as a national leader for our endeavors.
We're enhancing the App State Experience with a stronger physical infrastructure and five-year goals that further empower human potential. Get the full picture by visiting the App State's Future website, which details our growth and change.
Join a diverse and dynamic community that elevates your dreams and champions your capacity for real impact with life-changing opportunities for research and exploration.
Donate your old clothes and pick up some new things for your closet! The Free Store hits the International Hallway to celebrate Earth Month. Help divert landfill waste and learn how donating your old clothes helps the environment and your community.
“Hearts of Glass” follows the tumultuous first 15 months of operation of Vertical Harvest (VH), a multi-story, state-of-the-art hydroponic greenhouse that grows crops while providing meaningful, competitively-paid jobs for people with disabilities. The film weaves the story of VH’s launch with the personal journeys of several employees with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Innovation and inclusion create a fertile environment for people and plants to grow.
Play the waste sorting game in Central Dining Hall. As you play, you'll learn which items can be recycled, added to the compost bin, or simply put in the trash. Winners of the game will receive a raffle ticket which will put them in the running for a swag bag filled with merchandise from Sustainability and Energy Management. Pick up free stickers, buttons and reusable items.
Join us to celebrate shared progress on App State’s climate literacy goals this academic year. We will present our first ever QEP awards to recognize members of the campus community who have made a significant contributions to climate literacy. Reception with refreshments to follow awards presentation; all App State students, faculty and staff are welcome.
Learn more about current exhibitions at the Turchin Center in a Guided Gallery Tour. Tours are lead by Turchin Center Intern and App State student Zoe Efthymiou.
Join us at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts every First Friday of the month as downtown Boone comes alive with creativity, community, and celebration! Explore our captivating galleries featuring contemporary art exhibitions, meet local artists, and enjoy free admission.
“Steady Daylight,” the latest volume of poetry from Joseph Bathanti, returns to the place he grew up, the now-vanished neighborhood of East Liberty in Pittsburgh. The speaker traipses fearlessly between real and imagined realms, in the face of often conflicted sensibilities, secrets, and silence. “Steady Daylight” will be available for sale at the event and signing by the author will take place after the reading.
Commencement is the ultimate celebration of one of the most significant accomplishments of our students' lifetimes. We are proud to honor your achievement.
Ready to enhance your climate teaching through video production? Join us in creating impactful, solutions-focused climate stories through engaging videos that boost your influence in the classroom and beyond! This five-day institute aims to inspire creative storytelling for climate solutions along with fostering a community of faculty ready to cultivate their creative and technical skills in harnessing the power of video production for teaching and learning.
Are you interested in contributing to solutions-oriented climate literacy by expanding your climate teaching? Participants will be compensated with a stipend and will be expected to submit a product (syllabus or module—participants’ choice) by the end of the summer.
Join us at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts every First Friday of the month as downtown Boone comes alive with creativity, community, and celebration! Explore our captivating galleries featuring contemporary art exhibitions, meet local artists, and enjoy free admission.
Presented by Appalachian State University’s Arts Engagement and Cultural Resources, this annual celebration of the performing and visual arts is held every July in venues across the university campus, and features an eclectic, diverse mix of music, dance, theatre, visual arts and film programming.