Letter from the Editor CONTACT
February is recognized as Black History Month and each year The Appalachian publishes a special section dedicated to highlighting the achievements and members of the Black community of App State and Boone. We believe that in times of uncertainty, it is crucial to shed light on the history and resilience of those around us, and appreciate the strides and contributions made by the community. Our Black History Month Special Section begins on page eight, and is compiled of stories featuring students, history and opinion.
We are aware App State is a predominately white institution, and the Boone area is also primarily white. However, that does not mean the Black community does not exist and does not have its feats. Though there may be limited diversity, equity and inclusion offices, there are many places and groups on campus in which the community can be found: the National Pan-Hellenic Council, the Black Student Association, Queen in You and more.
The Appalachian acknowledges that no writers or artists for this issue are Black, however, we strive to make our publication a place where people feel reflected in the content we create, in both print and online. We wish to cover the Black community more extensively in the future, as appreciating the community is not only important now, but always. If you have a story idea or are interested in joining our staff, please feel free to reach out to us at outreach@theappalachian.com
We hope you enjoy this issue, see yourself reflected or seen and learn more. Happy Black History Month!
Jenna Guzman | Editor-in-Chief
Comic by Yakira Gurganus
Graphics by Rian Hughes
Tips for new transfer students at App State
Colin Wishneski | Reporter
App State admits 2,000 transfer students on average yearly, according to Appalachian Today. Furthermore, 25% of the university’s undergraduate population is made up of transfer students, with 70% of transfer students coming from community colleges.
“It’s cheaper to go to community college at first,” said Cooper Holbrook, a junior management major who transferred from Guilford Technical Community College. “My experience has been pretty good so far.”
Transfer students at App State have many resources to make their adjustment easier. App State has been recognized on the transfer honor roll list by Phi Theta Kappa.
Kim Morton, App State’s director of transfer recruitment and retention, said the three most important things for transfer students to remember are to ask for help, adjust to academic
expectations and be comfortable with being uncomfortable.
While transfer students have already experienced college, every institution is different and new students will need help navigating terminology, the campus and university resources, Morton said.
When transfer students are admitted, they are assigned a faculty advisor to make the transition easier.
The advisor guides their student through carrying over credits and adjusting to their new school.
Morton said instead of trying to bite off more than they can chew, transfer students should take a balanced approach and take time to adjust to class rigor before getting heavily involved in clubs or work.
She said these students have to find a balance between school, social life and work.
social events to get to know the school and each other better.
Social events are held every Tuesday by Transfer Admissions and Engagement. One such event was a transfer welcome back pizza party on Jan. 15 in Plemmons Student Union.
One of the students attending this event was Gianluca Di Dio, a
Morton emphasized the importance of taking initiative to meet new people on campus. To help with this, transfer students are offered
junior physics major from Alamance Community College.
“My girlfriend goes here and so do a lot of my friends,” Di Dio said. “I really like this area.”
As is the case with any number of small events in the town of Boone, Hungry Howie’s Pizza catered the event held on the Howard’s Knob
Patio on the third floor of the student union. The event was the first of many opportunities to find a community here.
Julia Padgett, a counselor at App State who was working a table at the event, said the most important parts of adjusting for transfer students are finding their people, their resources and their place in Boone.
“It’s important to their mental and emotional health to have a sense of community,” she said.
Graphics by Rian Hughes
From left, Cara Tomberlin, Gracelyn Anderson, Yairis Gameros-Escobedo and Lauren Broadway manage the check-in desk at the transfer welcome back pizza party on Jan. 15.
Photo by Mady Helt
Graphics by Rian Hughes
Mental health resources for students post-Helene
Madalyn Edwards | News Editor
In late September 2024, Hurricane Helene ripped through the mountains and valleys of the High Country, destroying homes, buildings and terrain. One less-visible, lasting impact of the hurricane, is the impact on students’ mental health.
Ann DuPre Rogers is the executive director at Resources for Resilience, a nonprofit organization in Asheville that helps individuals from various backgrounds and locations access tools for managing stressful situations. She oversees the work of six staff members and approximately 100 workers contracted to provide workshops and training across the state and beyond, teaching methods for regulating the nervous system in times of stress.
Rogers said four of the six staff members reside in Western North Carolina along with one-third of the contracted team members. Available staff members traveled to
Buncombe County to support those impacted by the storm in any way they could, from passing out water bottles to offering mental health resources.
The organization also set up a virtual platform for listening circles to connect impacted individuals to mental health support.
“It was kind of a combination of group response, one-on-one, helping get food, water and supplies, and then just connecting with people,” Rogers said. “We’re here. We don’t have all the solutions, but you’re not alone. We see you, we hear you.”
Rogers said the added stress of an event such as a major storm can impact college students who may already have stressors in their lives and said focusing on doing things that make students feel better is key.
Regardless of what one may be experiencing, whether it is a regular life stressor or a difficult event, Rogers said “taking care of
yourself, doing things that make you feel good,” are important, such as going on walks or spending time with friends.
Having the fight, flight or freeze instinct can be useful and help protect individuals during a crisis, Rogers said. The real issue emerges when one stays in these instincts for multiple weeks.
She said a fear of the unknown can be hard on the nervous system and, without knowing how a traumatic, stressful event will impact somebody long-term, can result in stress and anxiety.
Those who are still struggling and are experiencing symptoms of being “shut down” or “amped up” can reach out for additional support through a counseling center or student health services, Rogers said.
She said there are exercises individuals can try to serve as a “rapid reset” — techniques to help regulate the nervous system and return to a calmer state.
The first technique involves one crossing their arms, either at their shoulders or lower. Rogers said creating a tapping motion from side to side can work to calm the body as the individual becomes more in tune with what is happening with their body.
Another technique Rogers suggests is called orientating and involves looking around a space and taking in surroundings, slowing down to
make observations and recognizing the surrounding environment is a safe space.
Finally, Rogers said the highlight tool can serve as a helpful resource. For this exercise, individuals consider a difficult time or story and acknowledge the hardships while recognizing positive things to come out of the situation.
“There’s loss of property, of life, of so much,” Rogers said. “Lots of loss, lots of grief, lots of extreme stress, but also, so many stories of connection and love and neighbors helping neighbors and people coming to each other’s aid, and figuring it out together.”
Emma Drummond is a social work graduate student and a Master of Social Work intern doing clinical counseling and case management at
App State’s Interprofessional Clinic. She typically helps older adults with aging assessments and other means of support. During the hurricane, she did check-ins, delivered supplies to residents and held face-to-face interactions with older adults, offering her support.
Drummond said it is often difficult for students to give themselves grace when it comes to longer-lasting effects after a big or traumatic event, especially when they compare their healing process to others.
“Be gentle with yourself,” she said.
Small notes, big impact through Letters of Love
Mia Seligman and Matt Howe | Enterprise Editor and Associate News Editor
In challenging times, the simple act of writing letters can foster heartfelt communication and connection. During her mother’s cancer treatments, Emily Pearl was able to savor her mother’s every word despite her inability to communicate verbally.
“My mom was really sick for 12 years of my life,” said Pearl, a freshman psychology major. “I don’t really remember her any other way.”
Her mother was diagnosed with stage IV cancer when Pearl was 5. When Pearl was around the age of 13, her mother lost her ability to speak. Pearl said when her mother was at home in between hospital visits, her mother would leave her small notes when Pearl was sad.
“I still have them at home,” Pearl said. “They would say ‘I love you,’ or ‘I’ll see you soon.’”
Pearl said her mother wouldn’t use texting as a form of communication saying “she was a little old school that way.” Pearl recalled one such interaction.
“She would have this whiteboard that she would write on,” Pearl said. “She would hold up a finger, and I would wait while she would reply to
my questions.”
Pearl was inspired by the sentiment of letter writing and founded App State’s chapter of Letters of Love, a nonprofit organization directed toward sending handmade messages of support to children in hospitals. Letters of Love is based out of Minnesota and aims to provide emotional support to patients in children’s hospitals around the world.
Founded in 2018 by Grace Berbig, the organization accepts handmade cards and letters from individuals and organizations across the country.
During her hospital visits, Pearl often visited children receiving treatment. She spent time connecting with them, forming relationships and providing company for them in a time of need.
“I would always ask to go and sit with the kids and just hang out,” Pearl said. “I would give them a friend to talk to.”
Pearl began visiting her mother in the hospital around the age of 5, calling the hospital a “really scary place.”
After her mom died, Pearl said she wanted to continue her work with children.
Pearl said she felt these kids didn’t always have a voice due to their age, which influenced her passion for volunteer work throughout middle school.
Before coming to college, Pearl served as a teaching assistant at local elementary schools.
“I want to be able to help kids who need help,” Pearl said. “I found Letters of Love and I fell
in love with it and realized that this is something that is so simple and so effortless that could make such a big impact.”
After graduating and coming to App State, Pearl wanted to continue her volunteer work with children. After connecting with Letters of Love, Pearl registered App State as an official partner with the organization on Sept. 4.
The Letters of Love chapter at App State aims to connect students by getting together and writing cards to be distributed across children’s hospitals around the country.
When the proposal for a chapter was approved by Letters of Love Global, Pearl began the chartering process through Club Council, which she said was “super helpful.”
During the initial interest meeting, Pearl explained Letters of Love Global’s mission and said the members got to know each other. The first meeting concluded with a prompt for attendees to write down what love means to them. Pearl said the members and officers nicknamed themselves “The Love Club.”
According to Pearl and Berbig, the cards must adhere to specific language requirements and these requirements are reviewed at each meeting. Pearl said letters should avoid phrases such as “stay strong” or “keep fighting” because often the recipients are in hospice care. Instead, students are encouraged to draw pictures, tell jokes and give affirmations to make the children receiving them feel happy.
“It’s kind of subjective,” Pearl said. “Sadly a lot of these kids are in hospice, and we want to make sure that what language we are using is language that is just going to uplift their spirits.”
Berbig said the letters are then sent to her and the card distribution team in Minnesota, where the cards are inspected and vetted again for language.
Berbig said the nonprofit routinely meets with hospital relations teams that call every hospital and children’s hospital in the country to get an updated list of what is accepted for the cards.
“We do receive cards that have swear words or something mean from middle school boys,” Berbig said. “They think it’s funny and don’t really understand it’s not at all. But it makes me sick to even think about that
get over 10,000 a month.”
Berbig said the nonprofit received over 36,000 cards from high schools during the Spring 2024 semester and 33,000 from colleges.
Berbig said the club presidents are reimbursed for shipping costs.
From left, Letters of Love President Emily Pearl and Vice President Rylie Anthony at the club’s interest meeting in the Summit Trail Solarium in the Plemmons Student Union on Sept. 18. Courtesy of Emily Pearl
A stack of cards created by members of Letters of Love. Courtesy of Emily Pearl
Love is all around: How App State shows love
Meg Frantz | Associate A&C Editor
With the stress of a new semester, it is easy to forget all of the good things Boone has to offer. However, if you look for it, you’ll find love is all around, and this town has much to offer in terms of date spots, whether romantic or platonic, that are unique to the High Country.
Love is a sunset picnic at the Caldwell Community College overlook in Watauga County, where dates can park their cars, sit in their trunks and enjoy the setting sun over the rolling mountaintops. Paired with a charcuterie board and warm drinks, an overlook is one of the simplest and easiest ways to share a moment with both the Earth and each other.
A drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway with the windows down, good music and conversation is a way to prioritize simplicity in relationships. Take advantage of the various stops along the drive and make a game out of the adventure by seeing how many you can get through in a set number of minutes.
Use the gift of a snowy Saturday afternoon and sled down the hill next to Broyhill Music Center and gather in someone’s dorm to drink hot cocoa after freezing your hands. Take it to the next level by visiting Appalachian Ski Mountain, Beech Mountain or Sugar Mountain to go skiing or snowboarding, braving black diamonds with someone by your side.
Love can be hiking Rough Ridge Trail or one of the various hiking trails around town and helping your date put their best foot forward. Take advantage of exploring the native flora and fauna or gradually increase distances or difficulty.
For a nightlife option, go to TApp Room and watch local Boone bands brave the stage as you brave that first brush of fingertips with your date. If you’re feeling adventurous, travel from bar to bar and see what activities are going on at all of them, whether it be a trivia night or potato wedges for two at Lily’s.
But at App State, love is not just romantic. One of the ways to show love to your peers and the community is through organizations on campus that prioritize checking in with each other and supporting one another.
As Panhellenic Council president, junior marketing major Sage Hessert finds love within the Greek community is best shown through the support each chapter shows to one another.
When Hessert was on the Panhellenic Council last year, she and the other members of the council hosted a Panhellenic Love Week, where all of the sororities on campus got together and did various activities to not only shine light on each sorority’s philanthropy but also the Panhellenic philanthropy, Circle of Sisterhood.
“There are so many amazing women in our community, and you can be in your lowest of lows, and someone will sit down in the hole with you and really empathize with you and feel all of your feelings to make you feel less alone, which I think is beautiful,” Hessert said.
Letters of Love is another such organization. At its core, Letters of Love writes cards for children who
are most often in hospice at hospitals around the country, aiming to brighten the kids’ days through colorful drawings and lettering.
“Love to me is a selfless act of kindness,” Letters of Love president and freshman psychology major Emily Pearl said. “I think that love and kindness go hand-in-hand, and making a difference in the world or in someone’s life personally and really caring and being kind and showing your heart to people is what love is.”
Pearl added that Letters of Love provides a selfless way to show love, and it is what love means to her.
Mckenna Carver is a sophomore marketing major and the marketing and publicity chair for Letters of Love. She said she has met some of her best friends through the organization, and spreading love to children across the nation has helped her transfer that love across campus.
“I walk around and take pictures of meetings, which means I’m also watching everybody connect and mingle,” Carver said. “A lot of people do come alone, and it’s really cool to see people leave together afterward. Like, maybe they walked in by themselves, but they’re leaving with a big group of people.”
Pearl said studies have shown that coloring and crafts reduce anxiety, and at Letters of Love she aims to create a space that is relaxing, positive and loving. Students can show fellow Mountaineers love by prioritizing those same three guidelines.
Graphic by Rian Hughes
From left, Panhellenic Executive Council President Sage Hessert and Vice President of Recruitment Counselors Jenna Griffin smile in a photo at the Greek Cookout on Sanford Mall on Aug. 17. Courtesy of Sage Hessert
Practicing winter wellness through creative hobbies
Abby Buckner | A&C Editor
Standing in the checkout line at the grocery store, Zoe Moore’s hands move with practiced ease, a crochet hook in one and yarn in the other. Stitching a new project, the repetitive motion keeps her grounded, offering a sense of calm amid the fluorescent buzz of the store.
For Moore, a junior industrial design major, crocheting isn’t just a pastime — it’s a form of self-care.
“I have anxiety and ADHD and I’m just constantly moving,” Moore said. “Crochet is something to do with my hands and stay focused. I absolutely love it.”
Moore is the events and partnerships manager with StudentMade App State, which is part of a network of student-run businesses active on 14 college campuses.
“As college students, we’re so ‘go, go, go,’ you feel bad just for relaxing,” Moore said. “Student-Made forces me to relax and sit down and work on art and still feel productive.”
Moore is also the owner of Hooked Crochet and sells her handmade crochet fashion and accessories through Student-Made pop-ups and online orders. She said she never anticipated making money through the craft she picked up during the COVID-19 pandemic, but Student-Made has given her a network to grow her business.
local artists, a lot of businesses are very supportive of helping us,” Moore said.
Boone’s local art scene thrives with students and professionals gathering to share their creativity. Moore said creating often provides an outlet for stress and a sense of connection, especially during the demanding academic year and the harsh winter months.
As Boone settles into its winter season, freezing temperatures and shorter days present challenges for students navigating both their studies and mental health.
According to the Counseling and Psychological Services Center, nearly 25% of college students struggle with winter blues, with this percentage increasing at higher latitudes.
It is estimated millions of U.S. residents experience seasonal affective disorder during the winter months, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Winterpattern SAD can cause feelings of social withdrawal and feeling like hibernating.
“Art helps you not overthink and is the perfect outlet for emotions,” Moore said. “When it’s gross outside, I can look forward to crocheting things and staying productive inside.”
According to the National Library of Medicine, research shows creative hobbies reduce levels of cortisol, the body’s stress hormone.
Caterina Eppolito, a staff counselor at the Counseling Center, helps organize multiple groups and programs for students to come and
“Sometimes you can’t say things in words and you need some time to figure things out,” Eppolito said. “If you’re doing art, you are actually in the moment, and those feelings can start to make more sense.”
Eppolito said being creative with others gives an “extra boost of good vibes” and can help people find community and similarities rather than be alone.
“In American culture, we think that we need to go and go and that we can’t stop,” Eppolito said. “Eventually
people start crashing, you need to slow down and incorporate self-care into your life to keep going.”
This emphasis on self-care aligns with the growing appeal of creative outlets, which many see as a way to transform stress into something meaningful.
“People find comfort in crafts, it’s such a great way to turn negative things in your life into something positive,” Moore said.
With short days and low temperatures, it’s easy to feel disconnected or down. Instead of waiting for spring, embrace the season by exploring creative outlets. Handson activities provide a distraction, boost mood and relieve stress. Here are a few hobbies to help combat the winter blues.
Journaling
The Counseling Center website recommends journaling to help manage stress, process emotions and improve mental wellbeing. One can set aside a few minutes each day to write about thoughts and experiences without worrying about structure or perfection.
Baking
Baking warms up both the kitchen and the spirit, offering a creative outlet that results in something delicious to enjoy. One can start with simple recipes like cookies or muffins, and gradually experiment with new ingredients or techniques as confidence grows. Hosting a baking night with roommates or close friends is a wonderful way to enjoy good company and share a warm, homemade treat together.
Crafting
Engaging in mindful craftings, like knitting, crocheting or scrapbooking, can be both relaxing and rewarding. Doing it socially — whether in a group or through online communities — adds an extra layer of connection.
“Just go for it, just do it and try,” Moore said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s bad, it’s about the experience and having fun with it.”
Student-Made App State members celebrate the end of the Spring 2024 semester with a picnic in April. Courtesy of Zoe Moore
Crafts and art pieces from Wren Foreman’s business, Chemical Birdie Creations, being sold during a Halloween pop-up on Sanford Mall on Oct. 31.
Courtesy of Zoe Moore
Junior industrial design major Zoe Moore sells her crochet items at the APPS handmade market pop-up in the Plemmons Student Union on Nov. 12. Courtesy of Zoe Moore
Graphics by Rian Hughes
Black History Month
How Jaidyn Toomey redefines style, representation in campus fashion
Omar Alvarez Valencia | Translations Editor
As one out of over 400 clubs and organizations, The Collective magazine stands out through its use of conceptual styling and photography as a creative student-run editorial that showcases fashion through the lens of App State’s students.
Jaidyn Toomey, a junior apparel design and merchandising major and the magazine’s creative director, combines her passions for fashion styling and social justice to foster change in the community through creative storytelling.
In her role as creative director, Toomey oversees a team of stylists who curate fashion photo shoots. She guides them through the process of content making, involving everything from brainstorming and concept pitching to choosing models and photographers and coordinating photo shoots.
“I’m a mentor for the other stylists. I provide feedback and act as quality control, but I really don’t have to do much of that because there are so many talented stylists here,” Toomey said.
Toomey’s passion for fashion took off when she arrived at App State. Through her major, she stumbled upon The Collective during her
freshman year and began as an assistant stylist. Over the past three years, she worked her way up, becoming a head stylist before being nominated as creative director in the spring of 2024.
“I feel called to shape the messages that are being circulated in the fashion industry currently,” Toomey said.
Her identity as a multiracial woman of Black, white and Native heritage has led to this sense of purpose. Growing up in Valle Crucis, Toomey understood the importance of representation early on.
“I remember when I was a kid, I would feel so happy when I would see people with my body type or hair texture represented in fashion. It’s so important to put those messages out.”
She emphasized the importance of creating content that reflects the App State community.
“Historically in fashion, there’s just been certain privileged bodies that dominate the images you see in the media,” Toomey said. “It’s so important for people to be able to look into the pages of a fashion magazine and see themselves represented as someone who is art, who is fashionable, who is beautiful.”
For Toomey, a fashion magazine
should showcase not only different ethnicities but also diverse body types and abilities. One of her most memorable experiences was working with junior social work major Bounlod Phanhvanh, a close friend of hers who is part of App State’s disabled community.
“It was so powerful to get her point of view as someone who often doesn’t see themselves represented in fashion,”
Toomey said. “She got the final photos back and said, ‘I felt sexy, I felt me, I felt portrayed in a way that was real to me.’”
The magazine also recently featured its first plus-sized model. Toomey said being a part of moments like these are why she loves what she does.
“That should’ve come years ago,” Toomey said. “But it was a really big deal for all of us.”
This milestone was celebrated by plus-sized members of The Collective, who expressed gratitude for the representation it brought, highlighting the importance of inclusion in creating a welcoming environment.
At a school like App State that is over 80% white with no office of diversity, equity and inclusion, The Collective aims to be an organization
that creates safe and comfortable spaces for people of color.
“I know if I was the only POC in a big group of people I would be scared, honestly, but if I were to see an organization with more POC, especially in a leadership position, like Jaidyn, I would be more inclined to join and be less shy,” said Carissa Mosos, a senior psychology major who works alongside Toomey as the magazine coordinator.
As a leader, Toomey understands the responsibility and challenges that come with working with underrepresented communities, ensuring their stories are authentically shared rather than spoken for.
“When working with someone from a marginalized community, it is very important to understand how they are depicted in this media,” Toomey said. “It’s important that we’re not using these people, but collaborating with them and letting them speak through their clothes.”
For the photoshoot “¡illogical!” in issue nine of the magazine, Mosos was inspired by the models Sophie Caswell and sophomore studio art major Amaya Hollington’s own personal style.
“Both of their styles are very punk
and alternative,” she said, leading to her creative vision for the shoot.
Ensuring that models feel confident and comfortable in their clothing is always taken into account by Mosos and Toomey.
Toomey’s advice for other aspiring creatives is to uphold the structures and beliefs within themselves and create the fashion world they want to see.
“As stylists, we have this super special position because we have the power to actually influence who is seen in the fashion industry, the stories being told and whose voices we are projecting in our media,” she said.
For Toomey, creating a tangible magazine means creating a lasting artifact that preserves the fashion and cultural narratives of the time.
“I see magazines as an archive of history,” Toomey said. “It’s really important to accurately reflect the current fashion climate at App State, as well as how it intertwines with the social and environmental climate as well.”
Through her leadership, Toomey has shaped a platform that values storytelling through its styling, empowerment and an authentic reflection of its community.
Junior apparel design major Jaidyn Toomey poses with an issue of The Collective on Jan. 17.
Photo by Ashton Woodruff
The solo Alpha keeps the letters alive at App State Black History Month
Jenna Guzman | Editor-in-Chief
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, is the largest historically Black fraternity in the nation, yet senior marketing major Jaden Hatcher is the sole member on App State’s campus.
President, secretary, treasurer, recruitment chair and more are all roles members of Greek organizations can choose to step into. Hatcher became all of those positions for the Pi Nu chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, following his crossing on March 26.
“Being a solo in my chapter is hard, because you feel isolated, especially at a PWI too, and in Boone as well,” Hatcher said. “You just keep getting more and more isolated by category and section.”
Tyler Allen, an Alpha who graduated from App State in Spring 2024, said the reason Hatcher is a solo is because he was the only interest at the time.
Growing up, Hatcher was familiar with Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated and other Divine Nine organizations, as his father is a member of the fraternity and his mother is a part of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. His twin sister and his older sister are also a part of Alpha Kappa Alpha.
“Everything was surrounded with black and gold and pink and green,” Hatcher said.
His parents never forced him to join the fraternity. Instead, he said they opened doors for him.
“Alpha was always the main choice,” Hatcher said.
Through his research, he resonated with many of the fraternity’s areas of focus in academic excellence and community service. He said he dreams of opening a soup kitchen for the less fortunate, and Alpha Phi Alpha aligns with those goals.
Allen said one quality he sees in Hatcher that reflects the fraternity is his drive to help others, especially minorities and “those who look like
Phi Alpha, he is responsible for completing duties for his chapter such as attending meetings, planning events, recruiting and spreading awareness about the organization.
his friends, Fraternity/Sorority Life directors Richard Huffman and Shaleeah Smith, members of Chi Omega and members of Student Affairs.
also for those who can add to us too,” Hatcher said. “We wanted to build a bond stronger than what we were allowed to during those times, so just seeing that come to life.”
him,” as well as those who are in need.
“That’s what we always look for in brothers, in people and also young men who have outstanding academic qualities,” Allen said. “And those who could be a role model.”
Hatcher said as a minority at a predominantly white institution, one can stand out, which is why it is important to “put yourself in a position to succeed, and a lot of that
He said his fraternity brothers, who are all alumni, trained him on how to do certain tasks, who to contact for help if needed and offered their guidance every step of the way. He reaches out to them often.
“Yes, they’re not here, but they’re also a phone call away,” Hatcher said. “So I’ve learned to call like six to five times a week.”
Representing the chapter is also a big part of his duties. Allen said brothers from around the state try to come to Boone as much as they can to represent the organization, but at the end of the day Allen said Hatcher has to hold the name high
Director of the Center for Student Success and Community Lamont Sellers wrote in an email to The Appalachian that Hatcher is positive, upbeat and someone “who is not afraid to take on the hard things.”
“I have seen him find ways to accomplish his goals despite any challenges in front of him,” Sellers wrote. “Whether it’s planning for an event for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. or assisting the Black Student Association with various tasks, Jaden has a ‘can do’ attitude and is a great student to work with.”
Aside from being the largest among historically Black fraternities, Alpha Phi Alpha is also the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity according to its website. It was founded on Dec. 4, 1906, at
The fraternity recently celebrated its 118th anniversary, which Hatcher described as 118 years of “fraternal bonds, family, academic success and Black excellence.”
Although the fraternity was originally Black-centered, Hatcher said it is not Black-exclusive, meaning anyone can join and the fraternity is inclusive to anyone. The fraternity has been interracial since 1945.
“Character, your work ethic and your desire to help people and see them grow along with yourself — I think that’s the real message we always try to push,” Hatcher said. Hatcher will graduate in the fall of 2025. His goal for the fraternity before he leaves? Expansion. He wishes to see the chapter have the same number of members, if not
is done through your academics.”
Alpha Phi Alpha, he said, also pushes forth the standard of supporting one another to become the best versions of oneself.
“I put forth my best foot forward and show that I am smart, I am intelligent, I am capable just like anybody else, and just because I look different than you shouldn’t demean my qualities like that,” Hatcher said.
In just two years since transferring from North Carolina A&T University, a historically Black university in Greensboro, Hatcher has been heavily involved on App State’s campus and in serving the community.
He serves as the chief of staff for Black Student Association, director of academic affairs for the Student Government Association, vice president of administration and finance for the National PanHellenic Council and he works at a construction company based in Raleigh.
“I love seeing that in another young Black man putting in effort into building the community,” Allen said.
As the sole member for Alpha
and be the sole figure “which is a lot of responsibility.”
Hatcher said it was “very hard at first” navigating the newness of running the chapter, but once he found his support system in his brotherhood, it got easier.
“When I tried to do it myself I got burnt out quick,” Hatcher said. “I realized I had to rely on others. You can’t be a solo chapter and succeed no matter how hard you try.”
Outside of his brothers, he acknowledges others for keeping him going and supporting him, such as the rest of the NPHC,
Senior marketing major Jaden Hatcher sits in the Summit Hall lobby on Jan. 19. Hatcher is the sole active member of App State’s Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. Photo by Kieran Murphy
Located just up the hill from the heart of Boone is a tight-knit community called Junaluska. The rich history of this Black community within Boone holds stories of love, support and resilience.
Junaluska Marker
Boone’s Historic Preservation Commission, in collaboration with the Junaluska Heritage Association, installed a marker in 2021 that serves as a dedication to the community.
Junaluska is a community located at the start of Queen Street and North Depot Street and is one of the oldest known African American communities in Western North Carolina, according to the JHA. Both free and enslaved individuals lived in Western North Carolina in the 1700s and 1800s and eventually formed the community, with some of the first recorded settlers in the community being brothers Johnson
Boone Mennonite Brethern Church
Krimmer Mennonite missionaries moved to the area at the beginning of the 1900s. The Rev. Joseph Tschetter and his wife Katharina Tschetter were some of the first to settle in the Appalachian Mountains, where
they joined with similar religious organizations in the area, according to the church’s website.
The Boone Mennonite Brethren Church started holding services in the Junaluska church in 1911. In 1918, the Mennonite church was built and still stands and serves the community to this day, according to a pamphlet published for the church’s Centennial Celebration. Today, the pastor of the church is Mike Mathes.
and Ellington Cuzzins and their families.
Ellington Cuzzins’ family purchased an acre of land stretching along the Blackburn Branch at the Blackburn Hotel around 1860. The hotel’s previous site is now home to the Mast General Store, which is located on King Street.
According to the Watauga County Historical Society, in the early 1900s, there were approximately 15 families living in the community. One of the members was the Rev. Ronda Horton, who coined the term “The Hill” to refer to Junaluska.
Horton, 1895-1986, was an influential figure within the community and helped construct one of the first hard-packed roads in Boone. He worked as an ink roller for Watauga Democrat, served in the army in Virginia during World War I, served on the school board for Black schools in Boone and opened a coal and ice business which catered to both Black and white customers. He was elected to serve as an ordained minister at the Boone Mennonite Brethren Church in 1933.
Madalyn Edwards | News Editor
The Junaluska Community marker as seen from the corner of North Depot and Queen Street on Jan. 14.
Photo by Noah Williford
Boone Mennonite Brethren Church as seen from Church Street on Jan. 16.
Photo by Noah Williford
Graphic by Chloe Pound
Black History Month
Junaluska Mural
The Junaluska mural, located at the intersection of Church Street and Tremont Street, was installed in 2023, according to a Mountain Times article. The mural features a painted photograph of influential individuals to the Junaluska community. Pictured from left to right in the front row are
The Austin & Barnes Funeral Home
The Austin & Barnes Funeral Home building is the site of the formerly Black-family-owned store named The Chocolate Bar, which
was a cafe and served as a hotspot for the Junaluska community to gather and was a vital part of the Junaluska community, according to Explore
Boone. The building has been used by the funeral home since the late 1980s.
Ottie Folk, Cecil Webb, Vera Folk, Sam Horton Jr., Carrie Horton Webb and Hallie Belle Hatton Horton.
Pictured from left to right in the back row are Leroy Kirkpatrick Sr., Lizzie Whittington, Thelma Hatton and David Clayborn Sr.
The project involved App State
faculty members, the JHA and Dr. Chip Thomas, a physician and social justice activist, who created the mural depicting the Junaluska members situated in The Chocolate Bar, described as a “social club” in the Junaluska community that was popular in the 1940s and ‘50s.
Town of Boone Cemetery
The Town of Boone Cemetery, formerly known as the Jordan Councill Cemetery, which was named after a wealthy enslaver living in the area, has seen a transformation in recent years.
Previously, there was a fence separating the portion of the cemetery where Black community members were buried and the section
was poorly maintained, with no fence and few markers to identify gravesites. According to The Appalachian Voice, the JHA began efforts to preserve and identify the graves starting in 2014.
The fence was removed, and a stone marker identifying 65 of the approximately 160 African American individuals who were known to be buried in the cemetery was installed
in 2017.
In 2022, permanent stone markers were placed on the graves during a project run by the Department of Anthropology aiming to replace the temporary markers of the unmarked gravesites where the identities are unknown. A year later, informational panels relating to the cemetery’s history were installed.
The Junaluska mural during sunset on Jan. 16.
Photo by Noah Williford
The Austin & Barnes Funeral Home signage as seen from the Junaluska Community marker on Jan. 14.
Photo by Noah Williford
The Town of Boone Cemetery on the evening of Jan. 16. The cemetery sits on the east side of campus, overlooked by Cone Hall and Summit Hall.
Photo by Noah Williford
Leah Boone | Opinion Editor
As many people begin to fully recognize the gravity of the recent inauguration, it becomes clear Donald Trump will be a president for only one demographic: straight white men.
Trump’s blatantly racist, sexist and homophobic views have been clear since day one, but after winning a second term as president, this favoritism will only become more prevalent.
This year’s Black History Month theme is African Americans and Labor. The theme “intends to encourage broad reflections on intersections between Black people’s work and their workplaces” during history and “throughout the U.S., Africa, and the Diaspora,” according to the website.
Though the summary of this year’s theme goes into far greater detail about the importance of the topic, one does not need to read the whole document to immediately see the dichotomy between it and Trump’s philosophies.
Trump has received support from multiple people, both past and present, who have been outwardly racist. Jared Taylor, the editor of “American Renaissance,” said in 2016, “I urge you to vote for Donald Trump because he is the one candidate who points out that we should accept immigrants who are good for America. We don’t need Muslims. We need smart, well-educated white people who will assimilate to our culture.”
Though this was nine years ago, it still goes to show Trump has spent his entire presidential career being supported by questionable characters. His Cabinet picks only accentuated this.
His secretary of state pick, Marco Rubio, is an infamous senator from Florida. Rubio has had a strong history of racist remarks and policies, including calling critical race theory “Marxist-inspired indoctrination.”
“Teaching students that they are
Leah’s Lens: A second Trump presidency is a direct jab at Black culture
innately part of an oppressor class or oppressed class is part of the Left’s radical agenda to rewrite the history of America,” Rubio said.
Additionally, Rubio defended a canvasser exposed for being linked to white nationalist groups and racist remarks. Clearly, Trump is not concerned about the racist history of his appointed members.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s pick for secretary of health and human services, comes with his own slew of issues that span far beyond racism. The most discussed aspect of his political ideologies has been his anti-vaccine views, but he has also shown racism on multiple occasions.
In one instance, Kennedy referred to a Black man and a multiracial man as “gangsters,” a stereotypical term used to describe Black people. Additionally, he stated during the COVID-19 pandemic that the virus targeted specific races and ethnicities and left others unaffected.
Finally, JD Vance, Trump’s vice president, has been a part of a multitude of problematic remarks, including saying left-leaning people use racism as a “cudgel to shut us up and make it impossible to complain about obvious problems.”
Though these are only a few examples of people Trump has appointed to lead the country, it is clear he is not taking into account the lives and well-being of minorities, especially Black people.
During his campaign, he questioned if his opponent, former Vice President Kamala Harris, was really Black.
“I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black and now, she wants to be known as Black,” Trump said. “So, I don’t know, is she Black or is she Indian?”
Problematic in a number of obvious ways, this statement makes Trump’s lack of education and care surrounding race embarrassingly clear.
The summary of the Black History Month theme this year goes into detail regarding the importance of African American history in the U.S., as well as the many contributions their work has made to the foundation and growth of the country.
“African Americans’ contributions to the built landscape can be found in every part of the nation as they constructed and designed some of the most iconic examples of architectural heritage in the country, specifically in the South,” the summary reads.
Black History Month should be a time spent celebrating Black culture, excellence and this year’s theme of labor. Unfortunately, the next few months will be spent mourning the idea of a president for all people, not just a specific demographic.
Trump being elected for a second term is a direct attack on every minority in this country — it is not off-base to hold resentment toward those who voted for his return to office. All hope, however, is not lost. Just because the U.S. has a racist, homophobic and sexist bigot of a president does not mean the citizens will have to follow suit. Now, and throughout the celebration of Black history, it is more important than ever to stand up for what you believe in, keep your head held high and celebrate the minorities who continue to make this country better.
Graphic by Rian Hughes
Clayton Deskins immortalized in history as first Black football player at App State Black History Month
Max Schwanz | Reporter
Following the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, App State became an officially integrated university in 1965, according to Appalachian Today. In 1968, three years after the integration, the university and head football coach
Carl Messere recruited their first Black football player, Clayton Deskins Sr., according to a May 30, 1968, edition of the Watauga Democrat.
Deskins came in as a 6’5’’ 175-pound tailback from WashingtonLee High School in Arlington, Virginia, according to the 1968 Watauga Democrat article. He started his career on the junior varsity football team during the 1968 season wearing the number 32, which he wore for his entire career.
One of his first touchdowns was a four-yard run scored on the junior varsity team against Lees-McRae College on Oct. 4, 1968, according to an Oct. 4, 1968, edition of The Appalachian.
Deskins was not on the junior varsity team for long. He began playing on the varsity football team during the same 1968 season as a freshman where he caught 7 passes for 194 yards and 3 touchdowns throughout the season and averaged nearly 6 yards per carry on 43 rushing attempts, according to an Oct. 10, 1969, edition of The Appalachian.
A highlight from this season was a 63-yard receiving touchdown from quarterback Pat Murphy with 10 minutes left in the game to put the Mountaineers in front on Nov. 16, 1968, against Emory and Henry University, according to a Nov. 22, 1968, edition of The Appalachian.
The Mountaineers went on to lose 28-34, one of the team’s two losses that season.
The Black and Gold’s only other loss was a 28-35 loss to CarsonNewman.
The Mountaineers went 8-2 in the 1968 season and finished No. 11 in the NAIA Independent Division, the highest-ranked team Deskins was a part of, according to a Dec. 6, 1968, edition of The Appalachian.
Deskins switched from tailback to flanker back for the 1969 season,
according to a Sept. 12, 1969, edition of The Appalachian. The positions differed as the flanker back would line up slightly behind the line of scrimmage and run short routes, such as slants and screens, much more like a receiver. He became the team’s leading receiver in the 1969 and 1970
1969, edition of The Appalachian.
This was after a 2-touchdown performance to beat Elon College 27-20 on Oct. 4, 1969. Hal Queen was able to find Deskins for his first receiving touchdown which came early in the game to put the Mountaineers up 14-0. Queen
State Football yearbook.
In the first five games of his junior season, Deskins caught 10 passes for 110 yards from quarterback Ray Haskett.
Deskins had some electric returns during his career, which included a 72-yard touchdown return against
In the final season under Messere, the Black and Gold finished with a record of 5-5, according to a Dec. 17, 1970, article in The Appalachian.
His senior year was arguably his best one yet as he led the team in rush yards and set a record for the longest run in program history with a 98-yard rush in a 49-0 win against Bluefield State on Oct. 23, 1971, according to the 2024 App State Football media guide.
The 1971 season was the first under head coach Jim Brakefield which saw a 7-3-1 record, according to the 2024 App State Football media guide.
Deskins finished his career second all-time in career kick return yards with 1,869 yards according to an App State Football Facebook post.
James Reaves was a member of the App State football team from 1989-92 and served as captain for two years. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees and established the JK Reaves Financial Planning Annual Scholarship for the Walker College of Business. Reaves was unable to meet Deskins but wishes that could change.
“I would welcome the opportunity to meet him, he was an inspiration to many, and it would be my privilege to get to know him and hear stories from his time at App State,” Reaves said. Reaves believes Deskins is not remembered as he should be.
“As an institution of higher education, it’s important for Appalachian State to remember and tell the stories of our trailblazers,” Reaves said. “As Clayton Deskins’ 2004 induction into the Athletics Hall of Fame confirms, his athletics records, dedication and work ethic set an example for generations of Mountaineers to come.”
seasons in his new position, according to the 2024 App State Football media guide.
However, Deskins would still line up at tailback during his time at App State.
His sophomore season was a breakout year, and he was named “App of the Week” in the Oct. 10,
found Deskins again for his second touchdown of the game, which was a receiving touchdown in the final seconds of the game to secure the win for the Black and Gold.
The 1969 season was also one of his best as a kick returner, as he totaled 575 yards throughout the season according to the 2013 App
Catawba College and an 86-yard touchdown return against Samford in his junior year, according to the Oct. 20, 1970, and Nov. 10, 1970, editions of The Appalachian.
Deskins beat his previous record of 575 return yards in the 1969 season with a total of 586 yards during the 1970 season.
According to Deskins’ Facebook account, after graduation, he was an EMT at Arlington County Fire Department. He got married and had two kids and is now retired and resides in Maryland.
Deskins was immortalized in App State history in 2004 as he was inducted into the App State Athletics Hall of Fame for his play on the field and paving the way for Black athletes.
Clayton Deskins kneeling on the field at Conrad Stadium, now Kidd Brewer Stadium, during his time as an App State football player from 1968-71. Courtesy of App State Athletics
DJ Smith returns home new role as defensive coordinator
Dylan Shepherd | Reporter
New App State football defensive coordinator DJ Smith already has a storied history with the Mountaineers, both as a player and coach.
Smith is eager to write a new chapter in his story, this time in a much larger role as he looks to help guide the Mountaineers back to the top of the Sun Belt Conference with an old-school approach.
This is Smith’s third stint in the High Country. He began as a star linebacker for the Mountaineers from 2007-10, winning a national championship in his first year with the program. Following four seasons in the NFL, he returned to App State in 2016 as the director of recruiting relations, eventually becoming the outside linebackers coach for two seasons before leaving to coach at the University of Missouri in December 2019.
After four seasons on the Tigers’ coaching staff, Smith is back where it all began.
“I’m really excited,” Smith said. “I never thought the opportunity would happen. It’s unfortunate what happened with coach Clark and those guys, hats off to them, they did a great job, but the opportunity to come home and be the defensive coordinator? Can’t beat it.”
Smith had not set foot on campus in five years prior to getting the offer in December 2024 to come back to App State as the defensive coordinator.
A lot has changed since Smith was last in Boone, and he’s still taking some time to get acclimated. He hasn’t had the time to decorate his new office since he’s been busy getting to know the rest of the coaching staff. He joked about how Mountaineer Walk is going to be very different for him, as the last time he walked up Stadium Drive on game day, the majority of the west side residence halls hadn’t been built yet.
Smith had several reasons for his decision to come back to the High Country but made it clear it was the fans that ultimately made him want to return.
“When I was a player here, the
of emphasis as well. App State is known for its stout defenses, but the Mountaineers allowed nearly 200 yards of rushing per game last season and were dead last in the Sun Belt in red zone defense.
Shoring up the run defense and forcing opponents to pass their way down the field against tight coverage will be a main priority.
It’s a new era for Smith and App State football as a whole, and he is excited to help lead the way into uncharted territory. Smith is looking to restore the Mountaineers’ defense to its former glory and get back to the top of the Sun Belt. If App State can pull off the turnaround after having a losing record last season, could he be making a postgame trip to one of his favorite spots on campus, the duck pond?
“I’m not jumping in the duck pond,” he said. “But, hey, if the fans want it, we’ll give the fans what they want.”
DJ Smith holds a football at Jerry Richardson Stadium at Charlotte when App State played them on Sept. 21, 2019.
Courtesy of App State Athletics
SPORTS
App State baseball looks for third consecutive 30 win season
Kieran Murphy | Reporter
It’s been over six months since App State’s baseball team last played a game on Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium and the longawaited day of their return is inching closer and closer.
The Mountaineers ended the 2024 season ranked sixth overall in the Sun Belt, with a record of 33-21-1 overall and 16-13-1 in conference play.
Heading into the new year, App State is led by ninth-year head coach Kermit Smith. Smith led the Black and Gold to their second consecutive 30-win season last year, a feat the program hadn’t accomplished in over a decade, while also being honored by App State’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes with the Influence Award last April.
The offseason is a time of change and heading into the 2025 season, this team is a mix of both returning talent and new faces.
While the team lost some talented players from last season including pitcher Trey Tujetsch, infielder Adam Quintero and utility piece Austin St. Laurent, there is still star power going forward.
The Mountaineers can rest easy knowing there are some big returning hitters on the lineup, two of these being senior infielder Joseph Zamora and senior catcher Braxton Church. Both were staples of the team last
season with the two combining for 81 runs scored which totaled roughly 17% of the team’s runs during the 2024 season. The two also contributed 78 of the team’s 452 RBIs.
Sophomore first baseman Kameron Miller is also a force to be reckoned with at bat as he hit 5 home runs last season, two of which came against No. 13 ranked Wake Forest. This came a month after a 6-RBI game from him which tied the program-record in the Sun Belt era.
Senior players are the darlings of the fans it seems and there are a couple of players who fit that perfectly. Senior pitchers Caleb Marks and Cody Little are looking to be leaders both on the diamond and in the dugout in their final year. Little is returning for another year as a Mountaineer.
In Little’s 20 appearances last year, he struck out 36 batters while only walking 14. He shined in the Mountaineers’ matchup against Coastal Carolina where he came in as a relief pitcher for three innings and managed to get out of a bases loaded scenario in the seventh inning, propelling the team to a victory.
Marks is looking to shine in his first year wearing Black and Gold as he transferred to App State after being placed on the First Team D2CCA All-American Midwest Region and being named the G-MAC Conference Pitcher of the Year.
There will be plenty of new faces however as the Mountaineers were quite active in the transfer portal. One of the transfers is junior outfielder Xavier Lopez who, prior to being a Mountaineer, wore blue and grey as a Daytona State Falcon. In Lopez’ final year in Florida, he was named to the All-FCSAA team as well as the All-Citrus Conference with a stat line of 8 home runs, 46 RBIs and 24 walks while only being struck out 27 times. The former Falcon wasn’t just good with a bat though, as he also posted a .978 fielding percentage.
Lopez wasn’t the only intriguing transfer, as senior first baseman Juan Correa transferred from UNC-Charlotte. Prior to trading heavy traffic for the High Country, Correa was named to the 2024 AAC Academic All-Conference and totaled 12 homeruns and 32 RBIs.
He showed his power in Charlotte’s first in-conference matchup last year against University of Alabama Birmingham where the Florida native drove in 5 runs with a grand slam and a sacrifice fly. This game was followed by two more, during which Correa hit a home run in.
Incoming high school talent is always a high point for teams during the offseason, and the Mountaineers made sure to go out and get some. Two of these freshmen, infielder Tyler Lichtenberger and utility piece Riley Luft, grew up in the city of Boca
Raton, Florida. The two teammates faced off in a close 4-3 matchup during April of their senior year where Luft came out on top.
The Black and Gold also have three freshmen entering the bullpen, Conner Barozzino, Mason Middleton and Luke Oblen. All three pitchers come out of high school with high-speed fastballs with Barozzino throwing high 80s, Middleton in the
low 90s and Oblen slinging the rock in the mid 90s.
App State fans and students can look forward to seeing the mixture of both incoming new talent and returning veterans on opening day when the Black and Gold take the diamond against Queens University on Feb. 14 at 3 p.m. in LP Frans Stadium in Hickory.
Right-handed pitcher Trey Tujetsch throws a pitch during the App State vs. High Point game on April 3. Photog: Sam Fleming
Infielder Adam Quintero swings at a pitch during the App State vs. High Point game on April 3.
Photog: Sam Fleming
App State softball hopes to knock it out of the park in 2025
gone, and along with a change in the head coach position, App State looks like a brand-new ball club.
The Black and Gold march into 2025 led by new head coach, Whitney Jones. Jones was brought in during the offseason, following the departure of former head coach Shelly Hoerner.
Prior to signing with App State, Jones spent time working on the University of Washington and the University of Central Florida coaching staffs. Her most recent stint was with Ohio State University, where she served as an associate head coach last season.
“We’re growing, we’re getting better, we’re bought in,” Jones said. “It’s going to look like a prepared, confident unit.”
Sophomore infielder Grace Barrett will be looked upon to shoulder a big portion of the App State offense. With Kayt Houston and Peyton Darnell having graduated, Barrett is the returning Mountaineer with the most runs batted in from 2024.
Barrett started all 51 games last season as a freshman, batting .324 and posting 56 hits, the 10th most in program history, along with 67 putouts on defense.
Alongside Barrett, the App State infield will see senior Olivia Cook, junior Ambry Lucas and sophomore Macy Hamby return to the diamond this season.
Cook started 42 games at third base last season, recording 31 putouts and 80 assists to complement her .304 on base percentage.
Lucas appeared in 27 games in her sophomore year, posting a batting average of .346 and a fielding percentage of .973.
Fielding percentage measures how well a player handles a ball batted or
thrown their way by diving putouts and assists by overall chances.
Hamby started 17 games in her freshman season, possessing a batting average of .269, and a fielding percentage of .974 with 14 putouts.
Junior Makayla McClain will join App State’s infield via the transfer portal. McClain spent her previous two seasons at Campbell University where she won two conference championships.
Freshman first baseman Madison McIntyre evens out the infield. McIntyre comes in from Green High School in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, where she batted .367 and notched 8 longballs her junior year.
With Darnell being the starting catcher in 2024, the Black and Gold have four possible candidates to fill the void left at her position: junior Marti Henkel, freshman Leah Gore, sophomore Brooke Kennerly and junior Riley Becker.
The Mountaineers added Henkel via the transfer portal. She spent her first two seasons at Bowling Green where she posted a .951 fielding percentage and a .348 on base percentage in 2024.
Gore is the only freshman listed as a catcher for App State. Gore spent her last four years at Middle Creek High School, where she notched a .714 batting average, including 6 home runs, in her senior year.
Kennerly returns to the team after starting in 17 games and posting a .231 batting average in her freshman season.
Becker saw action in 22 games last season, recording three starts and numerous pinch hitting opportunities.
With four App State pitchers departing from the team this offseason, the Mountaineer pitching rotation will look drastically different in 2025. Former starting pitchers
Delani Buckner and Kaylie Northrop both graduated, leaving senior Sejal Neas as the only returning starter. Neas led the team with 10 wins and 116 strikeouts, while maintaining a 3.54 earned run average last season.
Sophomore Ava Beamesderfer is the only returning relief pitcher following sophomores Jenna Samuel and Alannah Hopkins parting ways with the team. Beamesderfer posted an earned run average of 10.5 in her freshman season. Coming in with a year of experience as a Mountaineer, Beamesderfer could see more playing time in 2025 after only taking the mound for 6.2 total innings last season.
Junior Sophie Moshos is App State’s only pitching rotation addition to join via the transfer portal. Moshos comes in from Transylvania University where she started 44 games for the Pioneers in two years. She posted a 1.26 earned run average, and struck out 181 batters in 2024.
The Black and Gold’s remaining pitching slots are occupied by freshman Mollie Bulla and Bel Varadi. Bulla posted a 14-0 record in her high school senior year, while Varadi had an overall high school earned run average of 0.65.
Sophomore Jaylee Williams is the only returning outfielder of the five who suited up for the Mountaineers in 2024.
The other outfielder listed for the Black and Gold is freshman Julia Girk. Girk comes in from Parish Community High School, where she posted a .493 career batting average.
The Black and Gold begin their season against Southern Illinois at 11 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 7. This team will strive for success and to improve upon the 21-30 record from 2024.
Infielder Olivia Cook on the field at the App State game against James Madison on April 19. Photog: Sam Fleming
OPINION
OPINION: Diversity statements should not be minimized in today’s society
Anna Kate Mock | Opinion Writer
What is the most valued trait in a faculty member of a university? Intelligence? Professionalism?
Empathy? In essence, the intricate process of hiring a faculty member is choosing the person who is going to have a profound impact on the lives of young adults.
Therefore, having someone with the experience and sensitivity to deal with an entire spectrum of individuals should be at the forefront of the mind.
The section of the application process that allows applicants to lay out their teaching philosophies and personal experiences, which shape their understanding of diversity. Ideologies that form the way they would approach varying situations with students has somehow become controversial.
For example, Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have both announced they no longer require diversity statements from those they are considering for faculty positions. A diversity statement is defined by Minnesota State University as “a personal writing sample that is an illustration of your past experiences and explains how these experiences have contributed to your personal and professional growth.”
Graphic by Bobby Carter
This just means a candidate gives an authentic statement of their life story and how it has shaped their perception of what it means to be a good global citizen. By prioritizing diversity, it amplifies the voices of commonly marginalized groups, which ultimately creates an empathetic and harmonious college community.
The concept and integration of diversity statements and diversity, equity and inclusion statements has become disputed on the basis that they are performative or a type of virtue signaling and not actually based on the candidate’s ethics and moral philosophies. The statements “have been denounced by conservatives and free-speech advocates as forcing a kind of ideological conformity,” according to The New York Times.
When announcing the shift in diversity statement requirements, President of MIT Sally Kornbluth said, “We can build an inclusive environment in many ways, but compelled statements impinge on freedom of expression, and they don’t work.”
In actuality, by requiring diversity
statements, it sends a signal to potential employees that diversity is non-negotiable for the institution. While the system may not be perfect, it is crucial faculty members have some kind of understanding of what it means to address all kinds of different students. Diversity makes a rich and well-rounded campus, eliciting individuals to learn valuable insights from peers and faculty.
According to Princeton University, DEI statements are based on the philosophy that “institutions are interested in hiring faculty with lived experiences, competencies, or insights that can foster an inclusive environment.”
If the focus is on candidates delving into their organic thoughts on creating an accepting space for students instead of throwing in buzzwords and inauthentic ideals, then this process can work. It’s critical that potential professors are required to at least put some thought into how they approach students who are dissimilar from themselves or others they’ve been exposed to.
It may not be intentional, but
colleges that choose to toss out diversity statements are sending the message that hiring those who don’t openly welcome inclusivity is not a dealbreaker. For many, DEI statements are a necessity, more so now that affirmative action was rejected by the Supreme Court on June 29, 2023.
Affirmative action was a failed effort to “improve employment or educational opportunities for members of minority groups and for women,” according to Brittanica.
The Supreme Court Justices who approved of affirmative action felt the decision condoned systemic racism and “ignoring racial inequality will not make it disappear.”
The same sentiment can be applied to the dissolution of diversity statements. It’s not conducive to bury heads in the sand and ignore the steps it would take to create safe spaces for all students. Aside from educating students, faculty members are examples of what a productive member of society should look like.
They should model the manner in which it is acceptable to talk to people, and how to show care and diligence
for the world around them. Then the students can leave the college and feel like they were prepared to be considerate and emotionally in tune with others.
Other institutions should not follow suit and cease requiring diversity statements like Harvard and MIT. As a society, it’s important to feel like progress is always being made. People may be opposed to it, but it does no one any good to go backward and let individuals feel disrespected or undervalued.
Those in charge of hiring faculty members should strive for the best, for the ones who have the whole package — the ability to teach effectively and simultaneously be a support system for students.
App State itself has committed to “acknowledge the intersectionality of race, gender, sexuality, and other forms of identity to create an inclusive environment for all.” This should be the intention for all campuses which become home to the students they accept. For this to be achieved, diversity statements need to be here to stay.
Jenna Guzman - Editor-in-Chief
• DO: Give your mom flowers and order the Papa Johns heartshaped pizza.
• DON’T: Judge others for what they consider to be an ideal Valentine’s Day or gift.
Siri Patterson - Managing Editor
• DO: Ignore your ex.
• DON’T: Text your ex.
Kayla Masterman - Visual Managing Editor
• DO: Create.
• DON’T: Dwell.
Vivian Parks - Chief Copy Editor
• DO: Understand that sometimes you need to be your own Valentine!
• DON’T: Give your time to someone who isn’t worth your energy.
Brooklyn Smith - Associate Chief Copy Editor
• DO: Watch the best romantic comedy — “10 Things I Hate About You.”
• DON’T: Put pressure on the holiday. It’s supposed to be fun!
Meg Frantz - Associate A&C Editor
• DO: Prioritize self-care and selflove in addition to fostering the relationships around you. The only person you’ll have for the rest of your life is yourself, so it’s worth the time to love yourself too!
• DON’T: Focus on material gifts as a way to show love when there are so many other love languages and ways to show both romantic and platonic relationships the same level of care.
Do’s and don’ts of Valentine’s Day
The Appalachian Editorial Board
Leah Boone - Opinion Editor
• DO: Have a Galentine’s or friend-focused Valentine’s celebration! Focus on all the love in your life, not just a romantic relationship.
• DON’T: Only stick to teddy bears and heart-shaped chocolate boxes for gifts — get creative!
Allie Lehan - Associate Opinion Editor
• DO: Spread as much love as possible. Tell everyone you value in your life that you care about them — they deserve to know.
• DON’T: Forget that you are loved!
Mia Seligman - Enterprise Editor
• DO: Focus on self-love and taking care of yourself. Nobody can love you the way you can.
• DON’T: Put your self-worth in someone else.
Yelitza Pérez-GutiérrezAssociate Translations Editor
• DO: Make space in the day for self-care, because if you don’t love yourself, then you can’t care for your loved ones. Also, get or make that special someone something special even if it seems tacky, they will love it and never forget it.
• DON’T: Meet up with or call people who don’t have your best interest in mind.
Rian Hughes - Graphics Editor
• DO: Try to prioritize spending money and effort on experiences rather than material things, creating lasting memories instead of lazy gifts.
• DON’T: Normalize mass consumption on Valentine’s Day that overcompensates for the
meaningful love and recognition your partner deserves year-round.
Chloe PoundAssociate Graphics Editor
• DO: Host a Galentine’s party and make handmade cards for each other.
• DON’T: Forget to call your mom.
Hayden WittenbornEditor
• DO: Tell people you love them and care about them.
• DON’T: Spend time with people who don’t treat you with respect and show you how much you mean to them.
Nora Duffy - Digital Marketing Manager
• DO: Spend the day doing what you and your Valentines/ Galentines love to do and give gifts your Valentines will actually love.
• DON’T: Stick to the stereotypical because you feel like you have to. Heart-shaped chocolate boxes and expensive dinners are overrated.
Ethan BatchelorManager
• DO: Shop the clearance sections for Valentine’s candy the day after.
Emily Escobedo RamirezDirector of Marketing and Engagement
• DO: Spend quality time with people you love and care for! Quality over quantity always.
• DON’T: Make last-minute plans or purchases — too tacky.
Graphics
