Update from Appalachian State University

Friday, October 6, 2023

In lieu of my regular newsletter, please see the message below. The hearts of the entire Mountaineer Community are with Rosanne Peacock, and Ken’s family and loved ones.


Sheri Everts
Chancellor

This morning, the Mountaineer community mourns the sudden passing of Chancellor Kenneth E. Peacock. As Chancellor of our university for 10 years, from 2004 to 2014, Ken established the university as a leader in undergraduate research, grew our academic enterprise significantly in the areas of health care, establishing the College of Health Sciences, opened a new building for the Reich College of Education, led significant growth in the nexus of energy, the environment and economics, and moved our athletics programs to the Sun Belt Conference and the Football Bowl Subdivision, all while growing enrollment and solidifying our reputation as a national leader in undergraduate education.

He is remembered by former students who learned from him in the classroom, by the colleagues he mentored and supported as a Department Chair and Dean, and by the many lives he touched in more than 30 years at Appalachian State University. So many Mountaineers, from Boone to China and throughout the world, will remember his smile and that look he would get in his eye right before he would tell a joke or play a prank.

He cared deeply for students, and as a first-generation college graduate, he understood the sacrifices many families make to send their children to college. Personally and professionally, he worked to ensure App State students had not only the financial support, but also the personal and professional support they needed to succeed.

The university and the High Country have lost a beloved leader, but his legacy certainly continues. Our hearts are with his family and many loved ones during this difficult time.