Ahead of the fall semester, which begins Monday at Appalachian State University, incoming and returning students — with help from their families and App State staff and volunteers — are settling into their residence halls across the Boone campus. This annual tradition, filled with moments of pride, hugs and heartfelt goodbyes, reflects the spirit of our App State Community and the enduring support that guides our scholars from day one. Welcome home, Mountaineers! Thank you to Chase Reynolds in University Communications for capturing this photo of first-year student Ella Holland, right, an intended kinesiology major, moving into her residence.
Message from Chancellor Heather Norris: August 14, 2026
Move-in week is officially underway at Appalachian State University as we prepare for the start of fall semester classes in Boone, Hickory, and App State Online. More than 5,800 students are moving into our 18 Boone campus residence halls this week, supported by dedicated staff members and volunteers who are greeting families and unloading vehicles. To help our newest Mountaineers acclimate and build lasting connections, our Student Affairs team has organized a full schedule of Welcome to App activities, featuring campus events, live music and social gatherings. It’s a joy to see our campus come together as we look forward to the first day of fall classes on Monday.
Among the incoming and returning students joining us this fall are transfer students, who are an integral part of our student population and account for one-fourth of App State’s total undergraduate students. Our sustained commitment to the success of transfer students has earned App State national recognition, with the university being named to Phi Theta Kappa’s Transfer Honor Roll for the 10th consecutive year. Our Aspire Appalachian program, which maintains active partnerships with 36 North Carolina community colleges, creates seamless pathways for transfer students, ensuring they receive dedicated academic advising, financial guidance and holistic support from the application process through degree completion.
In App State Athletics, our Academic Services for Student-Athletes (ASA) team was honored nationally with the Model Practice Award in Academics from the National Association of Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals (N4A). ASA Interim Director Sharon Sweeting and Assistant Directors Kayla Hill and Taylor Webster were recognized for their innovative approach to managing App State’s transfer portal for student-athletes. Developed collaboratively with App State Transfer Admissions and Engagement and campus partners, the model uses a Transfer Tracker to provide timely, accurate and transparent academic evaluations, eligibility assessments and degree pathway information while ensuring NCAA and institutional compliance. In just two years, the model has supported more than 640 transfer evaluations and the enrollment of 176 transfer student-athletes, demonstrating how thoughtful collaboration and innovation can enhance both the student experience and institutional effectiveness.
Across our academic disciplines, App State provides numerous opportunities for students to engage in research, innovation and creative inquiry alongside expert faculty mentors. These applied experiences deepen learning, spark discovery and prepare our scholars to excel in their careers and graduate studies, and the Mountaineer drive for innovation was on display on the international stage this summer. App State’s solar vehicle racing team, Team Sunergy, made history at the 2026 Electrek American Solar Challenge (ASC), becoming the only team to capture two first-place finishes in the competition’s multi-occupant vehicle (MOV) category. Racing nearly 1,830 miles along Highway 66 from Minneapolis to Amarillo, Texas, the student-powered team demonstrated exceptional technical skill, strategy and endurance as they overcame challenges on the long road to the podium. The team qualified for the cross-country ASC road race with a second-place finish in the Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP) just days earlier and took home ASC’s MOV Practicality Award for its vehicle, Autumn, being most comparable to a standard production car. Team Sunergy spent the past five years designing, building and testing the new two-person Cruiser Class car. This brief video, created by Team Sunergy media co-lead Aidan Jogodka and University Communications, shows highlights of Autumn’s race debut. Congratulations, Team Sunergy, on this brilliant achievement!
Earlier this week, Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Neva Specht, Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer J.J. Brown and I met with our Staff Senate to share updates on key university initiatives ahead of the new academic year. We outlined progress on the university’s interconnected planning efforts — specifically our new Strategic Plan and Master Plan, which are being developed in close alignment to ensure our academic vision and physical campus infrastructure advance hand-in-hand. And these plans will directly inform our upcoming comprehensive fundraising campaign, ensuring our philanthropic efforts align with and benefit key priorities across App State, including academics, scholarships, the arts, athletics and many other areas. I look forward to connecting with Faculty Senate tomorrow at their annual retreat, and I extend my sincere gratitude to our Staff Senate and Faculty Senate members for their thoughtful leadership and for all they do to support our university and the success of our students.
Looking ahead to the weekend, App State Athletics will host FanFest on Saturday, in celebration of kicking off 2026-27 athletics. This free event offers Mountaineers fans the opportunity to interact with App State student-athletes as well as coaches, with every App State sport represented. I encourage everyone to come out for a fun-filled day at Kidd Brewer Stadium!
As we begin another promising academic year, I am deeply grateful for the dedicated faculty, staff and community partners who support App State student success every day. Welcome home, Mountaineers!
Heather Norris
Chancellor
From left to right: It’s wonderful to see App State students reconnect and form new friendships as they take part in Welcome to App events ahead of the start of the fall semester; App State’s solar vehicle team, Team Sunergy, and its solar racing vehicle, Autumn, cross the finish line on day eight of the 2026 Electrek American Solar Challenge in Amarillo, Texas, celebrating their first-place win in the international competition; and members of our Academic Services for Student-Athletes team, Taylor Webster, left, and Kayla Hill, center, receive their Model Practice Award in Academics from the National Association of Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals (N4A). Thank you to Chase Reynolds and Kyla Willoughby in University Communications and N4A for capturing these photos.
