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On Saturday, I joined the Mountaineer community in celebrating four remarkable alumni who — through their outstanding professional, philanthropic and volunteer accomplishments — have made a lasting impact on society and Appalachian State University. Pictured with me at the Alumni Awards Gala, from left to right, are Young Alumni Award recipient Kendall Lamm ’14, Honorary Alumni Award recipient Shawn Poole, Outstanding Service Award recipient Donna Fiori ’80 and Distinguished Alumni Award recipient Dr. M. Lee Barnes ’90. Thank you to Chase Reynolds in University Communications for capturing this lovely photo.

Message from Chancellor Heather Norris: July 17, 2026

Friday, July 17, 2026

The recently enacted state budget — passed by the North Carolina General Assembly on July 2 and signed into law by Gov. Josh Stein on July 7 — reflects significant investments in Appalachian State University and its people, directly supporting our core focus on student success. State legislators secured nearly $5.5 million in enrollment growth funding for App State for the 2025–26 and 2026–27 academic years. This vital investment strengthens the campus resources and initiatives that support student retention and graduation, directly advancing North Carolina's workforce goals. Additionally, grants of $120,000 each were awarded to the Appalachian Institute for Health and Wellness in the Beaver College of Health Sciences and the Reich College of Education.

The budget also provides salary increases for App State employees. Full details on eligibility and the upcoming payout schedules can be found in the campuswide email distributed to faculty and staff earlier this week.

In addition, the budget delivers more than $56 million in funding support for capital improvement projects that directly enhance our learning and living environments:

  • $25 million toward the development of the Innovation District and to address inflationary costs
  • $14.35 million to continue renovations to the App State Hickory campus
  • $9.9 million in continued funding for Walker Hall renovations
  • $5 million in support of continued improvements to Peacock Hall
  • $2 million to demolish East Hall, to prepare the site for a future STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) building

I am deeply grateful to our legislators for their vital support in securing this funding, and I extend my deepest gratitude to App State faculty and staff — the hard work and dedication you bring to the university every day empowers Mountaineer student success.

This past weekend, we celebrated one of our most anticipated events of the summer: Alumni Weekend. This annual gathering allows us to honor and celebrate the generations of graduates who have helped define the institution that Appalachian State University is today, and who continue to lead the way for our current and future students.

Friday’s events began with our annual celebration of student scholars, honoring both student promise and the vital donor generosity that supports them — which is especially critical, since nearly two-thirds of our student body relies on financial assistance. My sincere thanks to App State Foundation Board of Directors Treasurer Dennis Covington for serving as the event’s featured speaker, and to all of our Foundation Board members, Board of Trustees and donors for their unwavering support of Mountaineer students. On Saturday, the festivities continued with the Black and Gold Reunion, where we proudly inducted members of the Class of 1976 into the Black and Gold Society on their 50th graduation anniversary. They join a network of more than 16,000 alumni who have reached this milestone, and we are deeply grateful for their half-century of devotion to their alma mater. 

At Saturday evening’s Alumni Awards Gala, we honored several remarkable Mountaineer alumni who have made a lasting impact on both society and the university through their outstanding professional, philanthropic or volunteer accomplishments. This year’s recipients are Dr. M. Lee Barnes ’90, who was honored as the university’s Distinguished Alumni Award recipient; Donna Fiori ’80, who was honored as the university’s Outstanding Service Award recipient; Kendall Lamm ’14, who was honored as the university’s Young Alumni Award recipient; and Shawn Poole, who was honored as the university’s Honorary Alumni Award recipient. Learn more about these inspiring alumni by watching this YouTube playlist, and you can view this playlist to take a look back at past honorees.

During the gala, we also recognized and presented awards to nine exceptional alumni representing each App State college/school, as well as our University Libraries:

  • Dr. Zachary Hollis ’02, who was honored by the Beaver College of Health Sciences
  • Maxine Cooper McCall ’60 ’65, who was honored by the College of Arts and Sciences
  • Karen Duckett Bailey ’89, who was honored by the College of Fine and Applied Arts
  • Fairley Bell Cook ’81, who was honored by the Hayes School of Music
  • Marcus Osborne ’01, who was honored by the Honors College
  • Jack Hoke ’76 ’82 ’84, who was honored by the Reich College of Education
  • Faye A. Chadwell ’84 ’87, who was honored by University Libraries
  • Doug Johnson ’77, who was honored by the Walker College of Business
  • Talana Bell ’86 ’17, who was honored by the Williams School of Graduate Studies

On Saturday afternoon, approximately 200 art enthusiasts gathered on our Boone campus for the 40th Annual Martin and Doris Rosen Outdoor Sculpture Competition and Exhibition, a signature event of An Appalachian Summer Festival — App State’s annual celebration of the performing and visual arts. Although strong rains moved the gathering indoors, to the Schaefer Center auditorium, the weather didn’t dampen the crowd’s enthusiasm. Renowned juror Sam Spiczka adapted beautifully, leading a guided tour of the 10 competing sculptures via an engaging slideshow presentation. These works will remain on display along Rivers Street through May 2027, including this year’s winning piece, “More Cock and Bull” by Clifton Cox — an evocative sculpture crafted from stainless and milled steel.

This competition and exhibition were made possible by Martin and Doris Rosen, two of the visionaries who also brought An Appalachian Summer to life. Today it continues with the support of their children — Debbie Davidson; David Rosen and his wife, Michelle; and Nancy Rosenblatt and her husband, Chuck — and we thank them for continuing the remarkable legacy of their parents.

To mark this 40th anniversary milestone, the Rosen children have made two extraordinary gifts to App State in honor of their parents. Nancy and Chuck Rosenblatt have generously gifted the sculpture “Braid” by Harry McDaniel — the first-place winner from the 39th Annual Rosen Sculpture Competition — to the university’s permanent collection. Newly installed in Durham Park, this beautiful addition pays tribute to Martin and Doris’ love of sculpture and design. On a sunny day, it's hard to miss!

Additionally, David Rosen and Debbie Rosen Davidson have established The Martin and Doris Rosen Outdoor Sculpture Experiential Learning Award. By providing off-campus experiential learning opportunities, the new award aims to advance professional growth and innovation in outdoor sculpture among App State faculty and staff artists. The gift supports Martin and Doris’ vision for a dynamic outdoor sculpture program, the importance of education and their commitment to artists and their work.

The longer I serve this institution, the more deeply I appreciate the widespread dedication that moves Appalachian State University forward. My sincere gratitude goes to our faculty, staff, alumni, parents, donors, friends and supporters for your daily efforts and generous contributions to elevate our university. Your commitment makes a lasting difference in the lives of our students and the future of App State.


Heather Norris
Chancellor