BOONE, N.C. — The Appalachian State University College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Kristen Baldwin Deathridge as director of High Country Humanities (HCH).
HCH is a collaboration between CAS and partners across Watauga County. The program fosters a deeper understanding and appreciation of the humanities by supporting public‑facing events, strengthening regional partnerships, and promoting humanities engagement throughout the High Country. Through grants, collaborations, and locally organized programming, HCH ensures that humanities events — on campus or across the region — remain open and accessible to all.
An associate professor in App State’s Department of History, Deathridge brings more than a decade of public humanities experience to the role. Since joining App State in 2013, she has practiced and taught community‑based public history, emphasizing sustainable partnerships that reflect local needs and values.
Her scholarship centers on public history and historic preservation, with additional work in 20th‑century American cultural and intellectual history. She is particularly interested in how people understand monuments, how meanings shift over time, and how individuals connect with the places around them. Deathridge earned her Ph.D. in public history from Middle Tennessee State University, her M.A. in archaeology from the University of Reading, and her B.A. in history from Bryan College.
Her experience securing and implementing external funding — including previous grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Park Service — aligns closely with HCH’s mission. She has also served on the HCH advisory committee since its launch in 2023, contributing to the initiative’s development.
Deathridge follows Dr. Darci Gardner, the inaugural director of HCH. Under Gardner’s leadership, HCH quickly became a regional hub for humanities engagement, implementing external grants, organizing public events, and supporting affiliate programming with local nonprofits. CAS extends its sincere appreciation for Gardner’s vision and foundational work, which established a strong framework for continued growth.
As director, Deathridge will guide HCH’s next chapter by securing grants, organizing public humanities programming, and strengthening partnerships across the High Country. Her commitment to collaborative, place‑based work will support HCH’s mission to make the humanities accessible, relevant, and connected to the region.
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About High Country Humanities
High Country Humanities is a collaboration between the College of Arts and Sciences at Appalachian State University and community partners in Watauga County. The program aims to foster a greater understanding and appreciation of the humanities in the local community, both within and outside the campus. Learn more about High Country Humanities
About the Department of History
The Department of History offers a broad curriculum in local, national, regional, and world history at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, which encourages history majors to develop a comprehensive approach to human problems. The study of history is an essential part of a liberal arts education and offers valuable preparation for many careers, such as law, journalism, public history, public service, and business, as well as in teaching and the advanced discipline of history. Learn more about the Department of History
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 locations. 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 6,800 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 about the College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. Kristen Baldwin Deathridge has been appointed the director of High Country Humanities. (Photo courtesy of Deathridge)
Dr. Kristen Baldwin Deathridge has been appointed the director of High Country Humanities. (Photo courtesy of Deathridge)