CAS Annual Review 2017-18

Reflection and Moving Forward

In 2018, we celebrate 50 years since the College of Arts and Sciences was founded. Over those 50 years (and for some departments established prior to the college's existence), we have provided a strong liberal arts foundation for all Appalachian students. The college continues to provide those essential liberal arts skills to ensure a curious and well-informed citizenry.

Below, we reflect on highlights in the college during the 2017-18 academic year and look ahead to the coming year at the many opportunities of growth and innovation happening in classrooms, research, scholarship and creative endeavours, faculty and staff development, global impact, community partnerships and student engagement. I take this opportunity to thank the many hard-working faculty and staff in the college for their dedication and talent, the continued support of our administrative leaders, as well as our alumni and friends for their strong support as we move forward into the next 50 years.
- Neva J. Specht, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences

Student Scholarships & Awards

3 alumnae awarded National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowships
Appalachian Outstanding Student Teacher of the Year, Alumnus Adam Moore, B.A. history, social studies education (also the 2017-18 Outstanding Student Teacher of the Year for the College of Arts and Sciences)
2 students awarded Critical Language Scholarships to study abroad in Japan, Logan Cleary and Shannon Wells
3 students awarded Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships to study abroad in Mexico and Africa
2 students receive Explorers Club student grants for research in Mongolia
Madelyn Marie Kittle was awarded the university's 2017-18 Truman Capote Literary Trust Award for Creative Writing

Excellence in Education

20 faculty and 39 students (graduate and undergraduate) received funding from the Student And Faculty Excellence (SAFE) Fund for 2017-18 for a total amount of $28,796
261 faculty publications and creative endeavors
432 student internships from summer 2017- spring 2018
Dr. Joseph J. Gonzalez, associate professor in the Department of Cultural, Gender and Global Studies received the 2018 University of North Carolina Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching

Grants & Research

$3,699,734 awarded to the college in external grants
$1,000,000 NSF S-STEM Grant awarded to a cross-disciplinary team of faculty in the college to assist with the nation’s shortage in STEM graduates and workers
393 travel and research grants awarded for a total of $100,725 to CAS students from the Office of Student Research
$100K grant from National Endowment for the Humanities provides funds to explore war and its effects through art with program “Blurred Boundaries: The Experience of War and Its Aftermath”

Global & Community Engagement

3 students and 3 faculty members received Fulbright Scholar Program awards (Dr. Steve Hageman, Dr. Scott Relyea, two time alumna Johnna Reisner, Dr. Susan Lappan and students Ryan Hellenbrand and Megan Holt-Smith)
343 undergraduate and graduate students participated in study abroad experiences in 2017-18
14 study abroad programs led and taught by CAS faculty
Black Mountain College Semester, a multi-disciplinary campus and community study of Black Mountain College with over 25 events, 11 speakers, 8 faculty fellows and 3 partnering museums
7th Annual STEAM Expo hosted at Appalachian, part of the North Carolina Science Festival with 26 schools and over 2,500 students grades 6 through 12
Appalachian Journal announces Special Edition on Black Mountain College with more than 450 pages and 62 contributors, the Black Mountain College Special Edition of the Appalachian Journal is the largest volume in the journal’s 45-year history

College Support

Awarded Scholarships 2017-18

The College of Arts and Sciences awarded 6 college-wide scholarships and the 16 college departments gave 95 departmental scholarships (80 endowed and 15 current fund scholarships). For more about these scholarships, visit: cas.appstate.edu/students/scholarships.

Donations by the Numbers

pie chart

Total Donations 2017-18: $369,003.93
New Donors 2017-18: 139

Learn more about how to get involved and support the College of Arts and Sciences at: cas.appstate.edu/support
To make a donation: give here

Fun Facts

5,000 pairs of solar eclipse viewing glasses handed out on Sanford Mall to campus and community participants
20 students participated in SOAR, our first summer bridge program for students interested in STEM majors
1st professional doctoral degree in the college approved, Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) program
38,834 living CAS alumni
First group of CAS Corps, student college ambassadors is formed
6,100 students in the college
91 majors offered
457 full-time faculty
32% of degrees awarded in the University are from the College
Over 70% of all general education is taught in the College
48% of student credit hours produced on campus
More than 850 students walked at the Spring Commencement on May 12, 2018.
Providing a liberal arts education since 1968 - celebrating 50 years
6 student instagram takeovers

Alumni Accolades

Rosemary Pierce-Messick ’17 working toward reducing pollution and poverty with a startup in Bangalore, India
J. Tyler Ramsey ’16, Chemistry alum's research indicates potential harm of essential oils at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Breece Robertson ’00, the ‘GIS whiz’ at The Trust for Public Land
Brock Long ’97 ’99 leads FEMA’s mission of support
Larry Richard Clark ’62 receives Historian of the Year Award from the North Carolina Society of Historians
Carmen Lowe '15 '16 an internship with SBI leads to a law enforcement career
Carson Rich ‘17 appointed UNC General Administration Presidential Scholar
Nadine Lambert '17 applies her math degree at CGI, a worldwide IT consulting firm
Aaron Ballance '04 receives 2017 Linda Flowers Literary Award from the North Carolina Humanities Council
Appalachian alumnae Cala Castleberry ’17 and Hayley Wynn ’17 preserve history through National Park Service internships
Ian Mance ’03 ’05 and Dustin Chicurel-Bayard reunite at Southern Coalition for Social Justice
Mark Ricks ’89 commits $10 million to support Mountaineer Athletics
Caroline Federal ’12 recognized by London School of Economics; internships with former presidents’ non-profits boost her career
Rod “R.T.” Smith ’75 Named 2016-17 Outstanding Alumni for the College of Arts and Sciences

Growth and Updates

The Fermentation Sciences program merged with the Department of Chemistry to become the A.R. Smith Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences
New seats and carpet in I.G. Greer Auditorium
Improved bathrooms in Rankin Science
Additional lab and classroom space construction in Garwood Hall
Begin Sanford Hall renovation planning
Site dedication and planning of a new research and education conservatory/greenhouse for Biology at the Innovation Campus at the former Broyhill Inn site

Looking Ahead

Hughlene Bostian Frank Visiting Writers Series

Distinguished authors will visit campus to read from their work, share lessons on craft as part of series. Fall 2018 visiting authors include novelist, poet and biographer Robert Morgan; travel and ecology writer Peter Fish, who is the Rachel Rivers-Coffey Distinguished Professor of Creative Writing at Appalachian; and poet Toi Derricotte.

To view the full schedule of events, visit: https://today.appstate.edu/2018/09/11/vws

Humanities Council Symposium 2018

Stories of Caring, Health and Community
Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018
9-5 p.m.
Parkway Ballroom, Plemmons Student Union
For a full schedule, visit: https://humanitiescouncil.appstate.edu/news/oct-23-2018-stories-caring-health-and-community-fall-2018-humanities-council-symposium

For more news and events, visit: https://cas.appstate.edu/news/posts.

College of Arts and Sciences