Message from Interim Chancellor Heather Norris

Friday, June 21, 2024

At a meeting of Appalachian State University’s Board of Trustees this week, the trustees approved some key action items, including:

  • The Trustees also unanimously approved a proposal to rescind the university’s evening parking pass requirement, which means no permit is required to park on the Boone campus after 5 p.m. on weeknights or on Saturdays and Sundays, with the exception of football game days or other special events.

This was the first Trustee meeting for our new Student Body President Kathryn Long. We appreciate Kathryn’s commitment to the student body, and the important perspective she brings to the highest levels of university leadership, and we look forward to working with her throughout the coming year.

Tonight, App State Athletics hosts its Legends Gala, an annual event established in 2017 to recognize and celebrate the achievements of Mountaineer alumni and friends. Each year at this signature event, we celebrate the athletic champions of App State’s past and invest in the future of our student-athletes.

This year's event will honor six Mountaineer legends, including the keynote speaker, Omar Carter, a 2014 sociology graduate and former men’s basketball player who led the team in scoring his senior year, and is well known for founding the Omar Carter Foundation, which advocates for and promotes cardiovascular health for athletes and their families. We will also celebrate:

  • Softball legend Katie Boyd, a 2011 exercise science graduate and 2021 inductee into the App State Athletics Hall of Fame, who continues to hold several single-game and single-season school records.
  • Women’s basketball legend Lindsay Edmonds, a 2005 health promotion graduate, who scored more than 1,000 points while playing for the Mountaineers. After coaching at App State, she has continued a successful coaching career.
  • Football legend Jerry Harmon, a 1975 business education graduate, who earned All-Southern Conference honors and is remembered for a dramatic field goal kick that secured a Mountaineer win over East Carolina in the last 32 seconds of the game.
  • Baseball legend Mike Ramsey, a class of 1975 sociology major, who helped the Mountaineers win the program’s first Southern Conference regular season title. He earned numerous recognitions before being drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals and played seven seasons in Major League Baseball.
  • Soccer legend Kate Ward, a 2016 cellular/molecular biology graduate, who has been part of six world soccer titles as a member and captain of the U.S. Women's Deaf National Team between the Deaflympics and Deaf World Cups.

Tonight promises to be a fun and inspirational evening.

Together, Mountaineer legends, current student-athletes and fans contribute to a long legacy of excellence at App State — on the field, on the court and in the classroom. 

Last semester, App State’s student-athletes extended their outstanding streak to 24 consecutive semesters with a cumulative GPA above 3.0, an impressive accomplishment and a strong tradition of academic commitment that is supported by many staff and faculty. We thank all of those who are attending this evening, and the many individuals who contribute to the success of all of our student-athletes.

An important update for employees who are in the faculty, SAAO, EPS, and SHRA classifications:

Orientation sessions continue to keep our Boone campus lively and fun, with today marking one of the most well-attended sessions. Welcome to all of our incoming students and their families! We hope you are enjoying our beautiful campus and cooler mountain temperatures!


Heather Norris
Interim Chancellor