BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State University’s College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Jessica Cory as the third editor of Appalachian Journal.
"On behalf of my co-chair, Katherine Ledford, as well as search committee members Tom Hansell, Julie Shepherd-Powell and Zackary Vernon, let me underscore how thrilled we are to have secured Jessica Cory as the next editor of storied Appalachian Journal. Jessica brings a wealth of savvy, vision and industry. What’s more, her range—as an acknowledged scholar of Appalachian studies, an imaginative and versatile editor and a poet of decided mettle—is simply extraordinary. We are so excited at the future of Appalachian Journal under her expert leadership." — Joseph Bathanti, professor and former North Carolina Poet Laureate
Founded in 1972, Appalachian Journal: A Regional Studies Review is an interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed quarterly journal housed in Appalachian State's Center for Appalachian Studies. The journal features field research, interviews and other scholarly studies of history, politics, economics, culture, folklore, literature, music, ecology and a variety of other topics, as well as poetry and reviews of books, films and recordings dealing with the Appalachian Mountains region. Appalachian Journal celebrated its 50-year milestone at the 46th Annual Appalachian Studies Association Conference in 2023.
About Dr. Jessica Cory
Dr. Cory is a settler scholar, writer and educator from southeastern Ohio, now living in western North Carolina. She holds a bachelor's degree in English from Ohio University, a master's degree in English with a concentration in creative writing and a graduate certificate in multicultural and transnational literatures from East Carolina University and a doctorate in English from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She previously served as the Writing Center Coordinator at Pitt Community College and as an English Associate Instructor at Western Carolina University before joining App State's Department of English in August of 2023. At App State, Cory has taught Introduction to Writing Across the Curriculum, African American Literature and World Literature.
“I’m well aware of how Appalachian Journal shapes the discourse of the field and was attracted to this position because I felt it was a way to become further committed to the Appalachian studies community. The position also allows me to use my editing skills to amplify the many voices in our region who are doing important and exciting work,” explained Cory, “Appalachian Journal provides an important foundation for the future of Appalachian studies and I look forward to playing a significant role as the field continues to grow.”
Cory's research interests include Indigenous and African American literature, Appalachian studies, environmental justice and nature writing and ecocriticism. She is the editor of Mountains Piled upon Mountains: Appalachian Nature Writing in the Anthropocene (West Virginia University Press, 2019) and co-editor of Appalachian Ecocriticism and the Paradox of Place (University of Georgia Press, 2023). In 2022, Cory co-edited a special issue of Journal of Appalachian Studies on queer futurity in 2022. Her creative writing has been a finalist in the Still: The Journal poetry contest in both 2017 and 2019.
“We are delighted to have Dr. Jessica Cory accept the position of editor for Appalachian Journal,” remarked Trevor McKenzie '10 '12, director of the Center for Appalachian Studies. “She brings extensive editorial experience and exciting new possibilities.”
Cory succeeds Dr. Sandra Ballard, who served as the second editor of the Appalachian Journal for 24 years before her retirement in June. CAS thanks Dr. Ballard for her service to the College.
Please join us in welcoming Dr. Cory as the editor of Appalachian Journal. To learn more about Cory's work, visit her website at jessicascory.com.
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About the Appalachian Journal: A Regional Studies Review
Appalachian Journal: A Regional Studies Review, founded in 1972, is an interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed quarterly journal housed at Appalachian State University. The journal features field research, interviews and other scholarly studies of history, politics, economics, culture, folklore, literature, music, ecology and a variety of other topics, as well as poetry and reviews of books, films and recordings dealing with the Appalachian Mountains region. Learn more at appjournal.appstate.edu.
About the Center for Appalachian Studies
The Center for Appalachian Studies promotes public programs, community collaboration, civic engagement and scholarship on the Appalachian region. The center is committed to building healthy communities and deepening knowledge of Appalachia’s past, present and future through community-based research and engagement. Learn more at appcenter.appstate.edu.
About the Department of English
The Department of English at Appalachian State University is committed to outstanding work in the classroom, the support and mentorship of students, and a dynamic engagement with culture, history, language, theory and literature. The department offers master’s degrees in English and rhetoric and composition, as well as undergraduate degrees in literary studies, film studies, creative writing, professional writing and English education. Learn more at english.appstate.edu.
About the College of Arts and Sciences
The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) at Appalachian State University is home to 17 academic departments, two centers and one residential college. These units span the humanities and the social, mathematical and natural sciences. CAS aims to develop a distinctive identity built upon our university's strengths, traditions and unique location. The college’s values lie not only in service to the university and local community, but through inspiring, training, educating and sustaining the development of its students as global citizens. More than 6,400 student majors are enrolled in the college. As the college is also largely responsible for implementing App State’s general education curriculum, it is heavily involved in the education of all students at the university, including those pursuing majors in other colleges. Learn more at cas.appstate.edu.
By Lauren Gibbs
July 8, 2024
BOONE, N.C.
Dr. Jessica Cory, editor of Appalachian Journal
Dr. Jessica Cory, editor of Appalachian Journal