We are celebrating more than 4,200 App State graduates during Spring 2025 Commencement ceremonies. Pictured are seven members of App State’s Class of 2025 who will cross the commencement stage today and tomorrow. From left to right: Scout Green, from Asheville; Matthew Rhodes, from Mooresville; Eleora Dunham, from Charlotte; Spencer Hicks, from Concord; Gemma Cullen, from Hickory; Rashell Fuentes-Paredes, from Yadkinville; and Cheyanne Dameron, from Granite Falls, a member of the inaugural class at App State’s Hickory campus. Thank you to Chase Reynolds in University Communications for taking commencement photos and creating this photo collage of these standout students.
Message from Chancellor Heather Norris: May 9, 2025
This weekend is an exciting time for the university and more than 4,200 graduates of the Class of 2025, and we will celebrate with students and their loved ones, faculty and staff during Spring 2025 Commencement!
Today and tomorrow, we will hold six ceremonies to honor our most recent graduates and their outstanding accomplishments. This class finished high school during a global pandemic, and the completion of their college degrees was marked by the most devastating storm to hit our area in generations. They are nothing if not persistent and resilient! Congratulations to this class — and all who helped them reach this triumphant moment.
During these ceremonies, our graduates will hear words from North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein, University of North Carolina Board of Governors representative and distinguished alumnus C. Philip Byers ’85 and Appalachian State University Board of Trustees Chair and distinguished alumnus Mark E. Ricks ’89. I appreciate these prominent leaders taking the time to join our graduates and share words of wisdom and inspiration for this milestone in their educational journeys and lives. If you are unable to attend, the ceremonies will be livestreamed on our Commencement website.
As part of the many commencement celebrations taking place this week, our decorated Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, the Mountaineer Battalion, commissioned 20 of the United States Army’s newest second lieutenants. These amazing students have committed themselves to excellence in academics and to serving our country at the same time. Several served our community and region in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene last fall. I am so proud of their academic success and their service, and I wish them all the best as they move forward into their roles as military leaders.
Seven standout students who will cross the commencement stage today and tomorrow represent what it means to be a Mountaineer — each in their own way.
- Scout Green, an Asheville native, is earning her Bachelor of Science in public health from the Beaver College of Health Sciences, along with double minors in exercise science and chemistry. An Honors College student, Scout’s undergraduate experience included an opportunity to learn in the radiology department at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, and volunteering with Remote Area Medical, a nonprofit providing free health care services in rural underserved areas. Hurricane Helene’s dramatic impact on her hometown strengthened her resolve to serve; her next steps include an internship focused on emergency response and disaster preparedness, and pursuing a medical degree.
- Matthew Rhodes, of Mooresville, is earning a Bachelor of Science in elementary education from the Reich College of Education, with a concentration in psychology. Matthew finished his student teaching at East Mooresville Intermediate School this spring, where he taught general curriculum to fourth grade students. Matthew made the most of the Reich College’s professional development opportunities, joining the Appalachian Community of Education Scholars, which connects students with a well-established network of education professionals across the state of North Carolina and beyond. He was also an NC Teaching Fellow, North Carolina’s premier scholarship program for aspiring teachers. Matthew already has job offers for teaching positions, and he has his sights set on graduate school for counseling and then a doctoral degree in educational leadership. Perhaps he will become a three-time graduate of App State!
- Eleora Dunham, of Charlotte, is earning a Bachelor of Science in anthropology from the College of Arts and Sciences, minoring in chemistry and medical humanities. An App State Football fan, Eleora enjoyed the community of the Mountaineers fan base while also combining her love of science with humanities, and along the way, she discovered a passion for public health. She plans to use her degree to explore how lifestyle, habits and behavior patterns influence overall health. Her next step is a Public Health AmeriCorps fellowship, working with regional first responders, after which she will attend the University of Edinburgh in Scotland to pursue a master’s degree in medical anthropology, focusing on community health work.
- Spencer Hicks, from Concord, is receiving a Bachelor of Science in music industry studies with a concentration in manufacturing and merchandising from the Hayes School of Music, with a minor in general business. A trumpet player and member of the Marching Mountaineers, Spencer embraced the many opportunities offered in the Hayes School of Music, playing in several ensembles, joining two music fraternities, earning academic achievement awards and performing the trumpet solo for “House of the Rising Sun” in a downpour during the 2023 Avocados From Mexico Cure Bowl in Orlando, which was won by the Mountaineers. This summer, Spencer will begin a second internship at the alumnus-owned Greg Black Mouthpieces in Mount Holly, a custom mouthpiece manufacturer for brass instruments, where he will utilize his arts and business expertise honed at App State.
- Gemma Cullen, of Hickory, is an entrepreneur graduating from the College of Fine and Applied Arts, earning a Bachelor of Science in interior design — adding to her passion for creating visionary and functional spaces, and her drive to start a high-end, residential design business, Form and Function Co., in 2023. While earning her App State degree, she also earned international awards and gained national recognition for her designs, along with leadership in industry organizations. Gemma plans to move to Charlotte and expand her business to include hospitality and commercial design.
- Rashell Fuentes-Paredes, of Yadkinville, is earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a concentration in digital marketing, from the Walker College of Business. Rashell is a first-generation college graduate who set her sights on App State while a junior in high school, and upon arriving in Boone, she found ways to stay connected to her roots while also giving back to her new community. Through an internship with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, she worked on community outreach events, offering bilingual support to low-income families and those in need. As a Walker Fellow, Rashell gained leadership skills and alumni connections, while serving as an ambassador for the college — she also gained a community she will remain a part of for life. Rashell plans to leverage her App State degree to provide marketing services for Hispanic businesses.
- Cheyanne Dameron, of Granite Falls, is an inaugural student of App State’s Hickory campus who’s earning her Bachelor of Science in health care management from the Beaver College of Health Sciences. A first-generation college graduate, Cheyanne transferred to App State from Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute, an Aspire Appalachian partner. Cheyanne maximized her two years at App State, serving as president of App State’s Future Heath Care Executives club, completing an internship at Abernethy Laurels — a continuing care retirement community in Newton — and working as a peer tutor coordinator. She is the 2025 recipient of the Beaver College of Health Sciences’ Student Health Care Management Leadership Award and an inspiration to her husband and four children — as well as to her Mountaineer community!
At App State, we work to ensure every student has the opportunity to find their own path and make discoveries: in the classroom and the laboratory, during late-night discussions, in academic competitions and study sessions, while gaining career experience and developing a wealth of skills and abilities that will serve them for a lifetime.
As I shared with the Class of 2025 on Wednesday, our graduates have enriched the Appalachian State University Community since the day they became Mountaineers. Graduates, no matter where or how far your next journey takes you, your alma mater will always welcome you back home.
Cheers to the Class of 2025!
Heather Norris
Chancellor
This week offered many opportunities to celebrate our spring Class of 2025 graduates. From left to right: Twenty members of App State’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program, the Mountaineer Battalion, were commissioned as the United States Army’s newest second lieutenants — with loved ones pinning their graduates. Pictured at far left in the foreground is 2nd Lt. William Gulley, of Winston-Salem, who will graduate from the Walker College of Business tomorrow afternoon, earning his bachelor’s degree in economics. Smiles, laughter and plenty of photo ops from soon-to-be Mountaineer graduates took place at the App State Alumni Association’s Graduation Reception, held Wednesday on the Boone campus. Thank you to Chase Reynolds in University Communications for capturing these special moments in the lives of our graduates.
