The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Corps are chosen to serve as representatives to all constituents of CAS and to create, promote and execute opportunities for academic and professional growth. These students represent a variety of departments from across CAS and will represent the College at events through interaction among current students, future students, parents, donors and alumni.
Throughout the semester, we will be introducing new students representing the College in the 2025-26 academic year through a question-and-answer format. For more about the CAS Corps, visit: cas.appstate.edu/students/cas-corps.
Seleen Al Horani
Year: Senior
Major: Chemistry - Certified Chemist
Hometown: Amman, Jordan
What brought you to App State?
“My mom received an offer to teach at App State in 2021, so I moved with my family from Spokane, WA, all the way to Boone. I toured the university, thoroughly loved it, and eventually enrolled as a transfer student in the fall of 2022.”
Which clubs or organizations are you a member of?
Appalachian Chemical Society
International Appalachian
National Collegiate Honors Council Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity
What scholarship(s) have you received from Appalachian or while studying at Appalachian?
A.R. Smith Chemistry Memorial Scholarship Endowment
International Student Retention Scholarship
T. Marvin Williamsen Scholarship
What research or coursework have you been most passionate about?
“My major, chemistry, is my favorite science, so I'm pretty passionate about it overall! However, my work as a research assistant in a computational chemistry lab headed by my physical chemistry professor and mentor, Dr. Petia Bobadova, is my most valuable and best academic experience ever.”
Where is your favorite place on campus and why?
“Sanford Mall”
What is one of your favorite memories at Appalachian thus far?
“One thing I'll dearly miss about App State when I graduate is the gathering of fellow students on Sanford Mall on sunny days. We have such a beautiful campus, and the view of my peers studying, chatting, playing games and music, or simply lying down on the grass or in hammocks and soaking up the sun is the quintessential American college experience that movies rightfully romanticize!”
What do you like about Boone and the surrounding community?
“There is a warmth and serenity to Boone that is hard to find elsewhere, and this is coming from someone who's only ever lived in towns for the past ten years. It is also rich in history and culture and has incredible landmarks! Its community is kind, hospitable, and always ready to offer help to those who need it in any way. It really is a great place to be!”
What are your hobbies?
“Drawing and Painting, Writing Fiction, Traveling, and Watching Foreign Films and Shows”
What is your favorite book, podcast, artist, and/or television show?
“My favorite musical artist is a K-pop band called EXO, and my favorite movie is White Chicks (the latter favorite always generates laughter when stated).”
Tell us about one faculty or staff member who has made an impact on your life and how.
“I owe much of my academic and personal growth in the past few years to my research mentor, Dr. Petia Bobadova. She took a chance on me and welcomed me into her research lab when I was a lost freshman who expressed interest in her work, but who had only completed one semester of general chemistry, and had no knowledge of organic chemistry and no experience whatsoever in modeling programs and coding. I trained for a whole year with her kind and patient guidance, and slowly went from simply recording numbers on a screen to modeling molecules and setting up the necessary computer calculations to acquire the data myself. With her endless support, I was able to present my research findings with my lab partner at regional and national conferences and was awarded. She made me value my education and love science even more.”
What do you feel has been valuable in your education at Appalachian versus another institution?
“Since App State is mainly an undergraduate institution, this provides its undergraduate students, especially those in STEM (such as myself!), opportunities for advanced, intense research in their respective departments that are typically reserved for graduate students. This makes us quite impressive and competitive candidates for internships, jobs, or even graduate school!”
What do you hope to do after graduation?
“I'm still not sure exactly where I belong in science as a profession, but I definitely want to attend a graduate school. For now, I simply hope to be an expert in my future career.”
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About the A.R. Smith Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences
The A.R. Smith Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences offers a Bachelor of Arts in chemistry, a Bachelor of Science in chemistry with eight different concentrations and an interdisciplinary Bachelor of Science degree in fermentation sciences. The department’s programs prepare students to attend graduate and professional schools, as well as for employment in the pharmaceutical and fermentation industries and other business sectors. Learn more at dcfs.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 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 at cas.appstate.edu.
Compiled by Lauren Gibbs
September 23, 2025
BOONE, N.C.
CAS Corps member Seleen Al Horani is a senior chemistry major from Amman, Jordan. Photo submitted
CAS Corps member Seleen Al Horani is a senior chemistry major from Amman, Jordan. Photo submitted