Spring 2018
Meet the new Assistant Director for Scholarship Programming! Joanie Andruss M.Ed Transformative Education for Global Consciousness (Lesley University) Joanie’s passion for cultural and environmental literacy, social justice, curriculum development, and pre-service teacher training have led her on a zigzagged path across the globe, and now, to Boone and Appalachian State University. Joanie serves as an advisor for the Wilson Scholars and is committed to helping students find ways to connect their Appalachian experiences to their future endeavors.
“It’s an honor to support Wilson Scholars as they forge paths of service and academic curiosity in pursuit of their own passions!” Mo
Ti m
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Fubright Fellow at the University of Montenegro
Gilman Scholar and Sustainability Researcher
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Mac
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Sam oa
Teacher Trainer and Camp EPIC Director
Study-Abroad Program Developer for Pre-Service Teachers
Gracie in Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
To Do and To Let Happen by Gracie Bowling I finally feel like an adult. I just finished my last, final paper of the semester, and last week I bought a hot-glue gun. I guess I’ve always been waiting until something. And now, I feel like an equal in this world of adults. I have lush basil and a spinach seedling thriving on my windowsill, and my sourdough crock has found a home on my desk. I have ritual and routine and constant reminders of wildness. My Bolivian blanket keeps my feet warm, even on the coldest of nights, and my book collection is ever-growing. Today, I have everything to be thankful for. I still can’t even really attempt to understand just. how. privileged. I. am. And I know, without truly understanding, that this too, is a luxury. I was recently promoted to Kitchen Manager at Buffalo Cove. I am cast in the Vagina Monologues. My Interdisciplinary Studies self-design concentration, Studies in Childhood Wilderness Education, is both planned and defined. I am leading the efforts to organize the 2018 City to Mountains Student Exchange. I have completed a teacher’s assistantship and independent study in Wilderness Psychology. I was a member of the 2017 Food Summit Planning Committee and a breakout session speaker. I have a lot to look forward to in the coming semester and the rest of my time at Appalachian. There is much to do and much to let happen.
Jabari explores Abu Dhabi
My Unforgettable First Semester by Jabari Moore My first semester of college went differently than I thought it would, in the best way possible. My experience at Appalachian State started before I actually arrived on campus, helping with preparations for the City to Mountains Student Exchange. This program, designed and led by Wilson Scholars, brings several middle school students from Charlotte, NC up to Boone to visit ASU, meet student-mentors, and expand their comfort zones and leadership abilities by exploring the area’s natural environment. I hit the ground running and was able to make a real impact through Appalachian in my very first month of college. Although I had classes and work to do for the City to Mountains program, I found myself with enough time to join several clubs. I was accepted as a member of the Chancellor’s Student Advisory Board for Diversity Recruitment and Retention (CSAB), and along with that, I decided to join the Minority Men’s Leadership Circle (MMLC) and Melanin in Medicine. Through CSAB, I had the opportunity to be on a panel for Inside Appalachian recruiting events and interact with prospective students at our open house and Minority Prospective Student Day. With MMLC we had a “workout booth” where we collected donations for those affected by the devastating hurricanes this past year. We ended up raising over 500 dollars! Although I was close with the people in these groups, nothing could match the community I found with the Wilson Scholars. The Wilson Scholars were a huge part of my success on campus. Our Monthly Meetings felt like a family reunion where we had the opportunity to catch up and share the things we were doing. Thanks to the Wilson Scholars Program, I was given the opportunity to be the keynote speaker at a recruiting event and to run the ASU Instagram page for a week! While in Abu Dhabi and Dubai over winter break, I was able to see underneath the surface layer of a culture and religion too often generalized and stereotyped. Being immersed in the culture, I saw and experienced many aspects of the city, culture, and the nature of the surrounding area. Traveling to one of the largest mosques in the world was breathtaking to say the least, but compared to the tallest building in the world (the Burj Khalifa) it fell just a little bit short (pun intended). Nothing, however, could match the sunset over the vast expanse of sand dunes stretching as far as one could see from a camel’s back! One of the best parts of this trip was meeting people and students who are much more like me than I had previously assumed. We compared what we had in common of course, but we really delved into the differences of our cultures and our mindsets as college students in different parts of the world. The experience was unforgettable and has helped me to become a better leader and a stronger global citizen. Fall semester was full of excitement and adventure, most of which I wasn’t expecting. There have been so many opportunities to learn, grow, and have fun with great friends and professors whom I now, and always will, consider family.
Wilson Scholars relax after a hard day of work in Raleigh
The City to Mountains group summits Table Rock
Student Projects & Citizen Service edited by Gracie Bowling The City to Mountains Student Exchange: Upwards of 12 hours were spent in rental minivans with eight wonderfully rowdy Charlotte middle schoolers playing games involving spotting cows and graveyards on the roadsides, one-hundred-andtwenty-one questions, rap battles, doing “college math problems,” and counting to twenty over and over and over again.
participants, they enjoyed a weekend of true friendship, mentorship, and bonding. And who knows, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see some of those same students attending Appalachian in a few short years!
Fall Break Alternative Service Experience:
Wilson Scholars, Emma and Jake, led a fall break Alternative Service Experience (ASE) in collaboration with Interfaith Food Shuttle in Raleigh, an organiThe students explored the Rock, Appalachian’s own zation combating hunger in North Carolina. On the first day of the program, the seven Wilson Scholars Kidd Brewer Stadium, with ASU football players before a meet and greet with the ASU Men’s Basketball from various cohorts assisted in bagging 200 lunches Team. Several of the student participants had a pas- for elementary school students eligible for free and sion for athletics, and the opportunity to scrimmage reduced-price lunches. on the football field and to be lifted up by a friendly They also organized and distributed fresh probasketball player to make a slam dunk on the court duce to senior citizens in assisted-living facilities. was an unforgettable experience. Participants found it meaningful to interact with the The day hike to Table Rock Mountain was designed to challenge the mind and body to help all participants realize that they are capable of more than they believe. Perseverance, engagement, and determination are qualities that were not only necessary at that moment, but are skills they can return home with. The views at the top were amazing, and the camaraderie felt by all made the challenge worth overcoming.
community members as they delivered produce. Jake said, “I thought that seeing their smiles made the whole trip so much better because we had the opportunity to see our work pay off and help someone out.” The next day was spent buliding a fence for the goats at Interfaith Food Shuttle’s farm, and the final day was dedicated to mulching and filling garden plots with soil. The hard work was enjoyable and made a noticeable impact on the farm facilities.
The City to Mountains Student Exchange is sure to continue for years to come. The success of the 2017 A few of the Wilson Scholar participants are from program has only fueled the fiery passion behind Raleigh and found it particularly interesting to learn this project. Thanks to the hard work of the Wilson about the level of food insecurity present in their Scholars and the open and adventurous hearts of the own hometown.
First-Year Wilson Scholars are asked:
What is leadership? What is humility? “Humility is Jabari lending a helping hand to a kid during the City to Mountain Student Exchange in Devil’s Cellar on Table Rock Mountian.” -Evan Malinchock
“Leadership is taking those around you and raising them up to feel comfortable to tackle every situation and lead in their own way.” -Jama Brookes
“Humility is knowing how small you are in comparison to the universe.” -Joy Siler
“Leadership is checking the tire pressure before a long car ride to make sure we are safe.” -Sydney Stoter
About the Wilson Scholars Program
The Wilson Scholars Program embodies and exemplifies the Appalachian spirit: a rich blend of academic excellence, leadership, and service. This scholarship program attracts truly passionate students-individuals who care deeply about issues they see in their own lives and in the lives of those around them--instills in them a commitment to change the world for the better, and provides the resources and support for students to do so, innovatively, intentionally, and empathetically. Wilson Scholars receive a personalized, educational experience inside and outside of the classroom, designed in partnership with their faculty director. Scholars learn to incorporate their vibrant passions into their lives and career goals as they participate in specially designed seminars, engage in international experiences, and design capstone service projects. Wilson Scholars explore a life-long love of learning and act with passion and determination to create a sustainable future for all. The Wilson Scholars Program was established in 2013 and was only made possible through the generous support of Brad and Carole Wilson, both graduates of Appalachian State University. The program has grown to 20 students who have the heart, drive, and now the resources to impact the world in significant and meaningful ways.
A Word from the Faculty Director “Thank you so much for your interest in the Wilson Scholars Program at Appalachian State University! I have had the honor of working closely with this program since its inception, first as Vice Provost, and now as Faculty Director. I can tell you, without a doubt, that it is one of the best experiences that I have had over the last 35 years working in higher education.”
-Dr. Michael Mayfield “Making a difference is the only thing that matters.” – Carole Wilson ‘75
Carole Wilson with Juliet, Evan, Jabari, and Joy
2018 Wilson Scholars Program Finalists Lijain Al Samara, Cell/Molecular Biology Olivia Bachmeyer, Music Education Landon Burr, Accounting Madison Caster, English-Secondary Education Katherine Childers, Exercise Science Mollie Donovan, Anthropology Andrew Esterly, Finance & Banking Adam Garrison, International Business Russ Gore, Chemistry Richard Hall, Undecided Kara Haselton, Anthropology Gabriella Hawkins, Cell/Molecular Biology Catherine Horger, Health Care Management Nataly Jimenez, Criminology, Deviance & Law Joseph Johnson, Anthropology Benjamin Jones, Undecided
Abigail Kidder, Exercise Science Abraham Krell, Geographic Information Systems Hannah Lancaster, Special Education Jonathan Layton, Sustainable Development Annabelle Manges, Undecided Briana McClendon, Nursing Devin Mullins, Political Science Allyson Needham, Nursing Caleb Owen, Sustainable Development Ethan Palmer, Electronic Media/Broadcasting Joanna Pattillo, Sustainable Development Rachel Ramakrishnan, Nursing Tushar Varma, Anthropology Emily Williams, Special Education Benjamin Zino, Ecology, Evolution & Environmental Biology
“Anyone who has caught the Appalachian spirit knows that we can’t truly do well unless we’re also going to do good. Service runs through our veins.” – Brad Wilson ‘75 For more information about the Wilson Scholars Program, visit: wilsonscholars.appstate.edu