Stories

Today's employers demand strong leadership skills, and getting involved in campus life isn't the only way to develop them. At Appalachian State University, students can actually pursue a minor in leadership studies as they participate in clubs and organizations.

In 1989, two young women from Appalachian State University were abducted and raped by the same man. One died. One survived. Although the events took place off campus, the Walk for Awareness began as a campus response to their experience. Since then, each September, students, faculty and staff walk silently as a community to commemorate lives lost to violence, to support victims and survivors of violence, and to commit to speaking out against violence in all forms. More than 2,000 people usually participate.

As traditional and time-tested businesses and industries decline, the new economy is embracing entrepreneurism. Appalachian alumni and students are in the forefront of that development. Many young professionals are commercializing their passions and personal interests, supported by the skills and knowledge they learned at Appalachian.

As a student, Jim Bridges found his passion in photography. Now he’s working amid the stars.

It's a natural fit that Appalachian, located so nearby, can help care for the Blue Ridge Parkway, which for generations of students has been "the" getaway for hiking, quiet time or a relaxing drive. That recreational relationship has turned far more academic and service-learning oriented in recent years. Since 2006, Appalachian has had an official partnership with the National Park Service for research and public service projects that help the Blue Ridge Parkway's management team in tight budget times and give the university an easily accessible learning lab.

An interdisciplinary team of researchers from Appalachian State University teams up with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to monitor air quality and atmospheric conditions in order to learn their impact on the area's ecosystems and climate.

Dan Hauser '92 '97 has amassed one of the most extensive collections of antique sports equipment in the United States. After 13 years of collecting, "several thousand" items fill his basement- from 19th-century baseball gloves to a high-wheeler bicycle, silver trophy cups and vintage uniforms.