College of Arts and Sciences

BOONE, N.C. — In the Spring and Fall, Appalachian State University's Cratis D. Williams School of Graduate Studies seeks nominations for the Cratis D. Williams Society. The Society is designed to recognize the top two percent of graduates from the School of Graduate Studies each year. Inductees are chosen from among the nominees based upon their academic performance, their engagement in their discipline and their potential for leadership.

Keep reading to learn more about the four Fall 2024 Cratis D. Williams Society inductees from the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS).

-

Sam Arkle

Arkle, of Sheffield, UK, will graduate with a master's degree in computer science with a concentration in theoretics in December 2024.

Previously, Arkle received his bachelor's degree in philosophy from King's College London. He chose App State for his master's degree because "App State was affordable, well located and both the computer science department and the international student office did a great job of making me feel like I would be very welcome."

Arkle recognized the International Student and Scholar Services and Outreach (ISSSO) team, including Oana Devera, Trivia Eggers, Karen Marshall and Lindsay Pepper, for their assistance with his relocation to Boone. "Moving to a new country is unsurprisingly daunting, both because you arrive knowing no one and because there is a fear that you will get something wrong in the many bureaucratic processes you need to complete," wrote Arkle. "The ISSSO team does an amazing job in making sure international students have a social network upon arrival and providing the reassurance that we have ticked all the paperwork boxes. They have helped me in many ways, from organizing a drive to pick up my social security number in Wilkesboro to setting up tax clinics specifically for international students."

Arkle's graduate research focused on the theory of computer science. His first project, advised by Department of Computer Science professor Dr. Patricia Johann, was to produce an introductory guide to category theory for computer scientists. For his second project, Arkle worked with Department of Computer Science assistant professor Dr. Andrew Polosky on the formalization of abstract rewriting systems, a key framework for the creation and analysis of programming languages.

In 2023, Arkle and fellow computer science students Alan Huff and Logan Richardson represented App State in the International Collegiate Programming Contest and placed second in the on-site competition and 15th in the regional competition.

During his time at App State, Arkle enjoyed attending events organized by the Cratis D. Williams School of Graduate Studies' Graduate Student Life (GSL) team, which he says enabled him to make friends outside of his department and across a variety of disciplines. He shared, "One regular meetup the GSL team put together was trivia night at SouthEnd. The team we formed has been participating at the trivia competition at Boone Saloon and we managed to win the season-long competition, meaning our team name will be added to the plaque of winners on display in the bar!"

When asked about his favorite memories at App State, Arkle recounted viewing the Perseid meteor shower at the Mayland Earth to Sky Park in Burnsville and watching the fireflies from the Blue Ridge Parkway. "If you go out on the Rough Ridge hike towards the end of spring at night and turn off your torch, you can watch as all these brilliant little blue lights slowly emerge in the foliage," shared Arkle. "It is really magical."

Arkle also has fond memories of hanging out with his friends in Belk Library. "The long hours spent working on my studies were made much easier by the company of good friends," wrote Arkle.

After graduation, Arkle is moving to Durham. He hopes to find a job in the Triangle in the future.

-

Gracie Bullington ’23

Bullington, of Mount Airy, will graduate with a master's degree in history with a concentration in teaching in December 2024.

Bullington graduated from App State with a bachelor's degree in history and social studies education in 2023. "I completed my undergraduate degree at App State and realized I was not quite ready to leave," shared Bullington, who enrolled in the Accelerated Master's program to begin her master's degree coursework during her senior year. "It was difficult to juggle both undergraduate and graduate classes in one semester but so worth it! The 4+1 program allowed me to jumpstart my career as a grad student and finish a semester early."

Bullington recognized Dr. Rwany Sibaja, associate professor and history education program director in the Department of History and the Executive Director of Teacher Education for CAS, and Jennifer Morris, lecturer and history education program advisor in the Department of History, as faculty members who supported and encouraged her throughout her academic career at Appalachian. "They truly care about their students and give the ultimate support for students preparing to become educators," wrote Bullington. " I give them so much credit for my success in the field so far and would not have been able to get through it without them."

Earlier this year, Bullington was named App State's Teacher of Year and one of the top five finalists for the North Carolina Association of Colleges for Teacher Education’s 2024 Student Teacher of the Year in recognition of her teaching, professionalism and overall effectiveness in the classroom.

When asked about her favorite memory at App State, Bullington took the opportunity to share her experience as a student during Hurricane Helene. "While it is not necessarily a 'favorite' memory, it was one of the most humbling experiences I have had in my entire life," she explained. "I was fortunate enough that my home and personal belongings were not lost in the storm. I knew it was not fair, so while the university was closed I volunteered a few days with Samaritan's Purse to help those who were severely affected. It was such a valuable experience that I will never forget. The way that the community and university came together to help others was so powerful. Even more amazing was the ways in which those we served continued to give when they seemingly had nothing left. They provided food, water and encouragement, while we cleaned up what little remained of their homes. I will forever hold dear the lessons I learned, and the conversations I had with people I barely knew during that time."

Following graduation, Bullington will work as a substitute teacher while pursuing a full-time social studies teacher position. "Ideally, I would love to return to my hometown to teach!" she shared.

-

Claire Ringland Calhoun

Calhoun, of St. Louis, MO, will graduate with a master's degree in mathematics with a concentration in college teaching in December 2024.

Previously, Calhoun earned her bachelor's degrees in mathematics and French from Saint Louis University. A second lieutenant in the United States Space Force, Calhoun came to App State through the Air Force Institute of Technology's Faculty Pipeline Program, which prepares officers and select enlisted NCOs to teach at post-secondary Air Force affiliated institutions through enrollment in graduate programs. She chose App State specifically for the mathematics program and the college teaching concentration. "I feel really blessed to have gotten so much teaching experience here," shared Calhoun.

Calhoun's thesis is titled, "Decoding the Invisible: Hidden Markov Models and Two Associated Algorithms." "Markov chains, named after Russian mathematician Andrei Andreevich Markov (1856-1922), are a type of stochastic process in which the next state of a temporally indexed random variable is only dependent on its current state," she explained. "An extension of Markov Chains, Hidden Markov Models (HMMs), are used in studying sequences of states that are either difficult or impossible to directly observe. HMMs are defined by two dimensions: A hidden dimension that holds the unobservable Markov chain, and an observable dimension dependent on the hidden one based on specified probabilities. With the power of probability theory, Bayes’ theorem and dynamic programming tools such as the Forward and Viterbi Algorithms, we can draw conclusions about sequences of states even when they're hidden from direct observation."

When asked about a faculty member who made a positive impact on her life, Calhourn recognized Dr. Holly Hirst, professor emerita in the Department of Mathematical Sciences. "She has been instrumental in my time here at App," remarked Calhoun. "If I could become half as good a math teacher as her, I'd be so happy; she's just amazing. She mentored me as a student and as a researcher, and I can't thank her enough for her patience and dedication to mathematics and to students."

Calhoun shared that she enjoyed meeting others who love math as much as her, writing, "The math program felt so welcoming even before I got to Boone, and I'm so glad to have studied here and met so many kind and talented people."

After graduation, Calhoun will join the 319th Combat Training Squadron at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs, CO. She will be in training for a year and a half, and then after an operational assignment, will have the opportunity to teach math at the United States Air Force Academy.

-

Chase Riddell

Riddell, of Charlotte, will graduate with a master's degree in psychological sciences in December 2024.

Previously, he earned his bachelor's degree in behavioral sciences from the United States Air Force Academy. When asked why he chose App State, Riddell responded, "I choose App State for the opportunity to study psychology in my home state after being across the country for several years."

Riddell recognized Department of Psychology professor Dr. Andrew Smith "for accommodating my accelerated timeline for this degree and for being a wonderful, attentive advisor and research partner.

Following graduation, Riddell will move to Nevada. "I will be heading to Nellis Air Force Base to serve as a personnel officer in the 99th Civil Engineer Squadron," shared Riddell, who plans to eventually return to the United States Air Force Academy to teach social psychology.

-

Each Cratis D. Williams Society inductee was honored with a medallion. For more information about the Society, visit graduate.appstate.edu/students/student-awards-and-honors/graduate-honor-societies.

###

About Graduate Education at App State
Appalachian State University’s Williams School of Graduate Studies helps individuals reach the next level in their career advancement and preparedness. The school offers 80 graduate degree and certificate programs — both in person and online — in a range of disciplines, including doctoral programs in education (Ed.D.) and psychology (Psy.D.). The graduate school enrolls nearly 2,000 students. Learn more at graduate.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.

By Lauren Gibbs
December 13, 2024
BOONE, N.C.

Tags:

• Awards & Honors
• College News
• Students