College of Arts and Sciences

William Schumann

William Schumann is the Director of the Center for Appalachian Studies. Schumann has been the principal investigator, grant writer, coordinator and organizer spearheading this project. He has also been a contributor of written content for the Digital Timeline project.
 

Joseph Bathanti

Joseph Bathanti is a Professor of Creative Writing, Department of English. Dr. Bathanti is also the University’s Watauga Residential College Writer-in-Residence at Appalachian State University, former Poet Laureate of North Carolina (2012-14) and recipient of the 2016 North Carolina Award for Literature. Bathanti will assist as a guest editor in the special edition of the Appalachian Journal, dedicated to Black Mountain College.
 

Dr. Sandra Ballard

Sandra Ballard is a Professor of American Literature - Appalachian & Southern, Department of English and Editor of the Appalachian Journal. Ballard will coordinate the publication of a special issue on Black Mountain College, guest edited by Joseph Bathanti. Dr. Ballard is a Professor of English at Appalachian State University, where she occasionally teaches a course in Appalachian literature. 
 

Fred Hay

Fred Hay is the Head Librarian of the W.L. Eury Appalachian Collection; Anne Belk Distinguished Professor and Professor of Appalachian Studies. Hay will facilitate access to the Rice and Jones Collections and advise the project team about connecting the digitized artifacts to broader historical content.
 

Mr. Gene Hyde

Gene Hyde is an Archivist at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. He will serve as the project’s external reviewer.
 

Jason Wright

Jason Wright is an exibitions assistant and graphic artist at the Turchin Center for Visual Arts.
 

Matt Ransom

Matt Ransom is the Digital Assets Manager and Programming Specialist at Belk Library and Information Commons. Ransom will build the project’s digital timeline.  

Pam Mitchem

Pam Mitchem is the Coordinator of Digital Scholarship and Initiatives at Belk Library and Information Commons. Mitchem will work closely with the Special Collections Team and Digital Initiatives Librarian to oversee the preparation for scanning of Special collections related to Black Mountain College.
 

Kelsey Wagner

Kelsey Wagner is a Graduate assistant and M.A. student in Appalachian Studies. Wagner will supervise the indexing of the collections for inclusion in the digital timeline.
 

Dustin Witsman

Dustin Witsman is the Processing Archivist in the W.L. Eury Appalachian Collection at Belk Library and Information Commons. Witsman will assist with advising the project team about digitization.

Tom Hansell

Tom Hansell, Co-Director of University Documentary Film Services and Assistant Professor of Appalachian Studies. Hansell will identify ways to integrate digitized artifacts from the Rice and Jones Collections into the digital timeline and lead outreach among underserved communities.

Dr. Tracie Salinas

Tacie Salinas is the Director of Teacher Education and Engaement in the College of Arts and Sciences and liaison to the Reich College of Education. Salinas will serve as a consultant for a Black Mountain College fellows program, support recruitment for the summer teacher’s workshop and facilitate the distribution of the special edition of Appalachian Journal to schools utilizing the digital timeline’s lesson plans.
 

Ellen Gwin Burnette

Ellen Burnette is the Public Relations and Communications Director for the College of Arts and Sciences at Appalachian State University. Ellen will be facilitating some of the public relations efforts about the overall Black Mountain College Semester events and programs stemming from the College which includes the Department of English and the Center for Appalachian Studies.