February 26, 2025
EDITORIAL:
HISTORY CANNOT BE FORGOTTEN
Hidden in a tiny closet inside room 217 in the Plemmons Student Union, nine decades of history is recorded on weathered pages and hundreds of newspapers.
Since 1934, The Appalachian Student-Run Newspaper has documented the history of App State, Boone and the greater High Country, and this small closet — filled floor to ceiling with newspapers, yearbooks, rolls of film and more — holds it all.
The Appalachian was told by
Student Affairs that we have to clear out this space. According to Student Affairs, this decision was made years ago, but due to leadership changes in The Appalachian, Department of Communication and administration, communication about the move was unclear. The current staff was not made aware of the situation to the fullest extent until recently. The timeline proposed by Student Affairs indicates we need to clear out of this space by the summer.
Since the majority of the information on the pages in this
room is not digitized and therefore unavailable online, our staff will be losing access to this vital history.
University milestones such as the first Founders Day, the iconic Michigan upset, prominent figures coming to campus, and more have been covered. Our pages highlight the achievements of our student body and faculty, and remind us of the people and places we have lost. Major national moments such as the beginning and end of World War II, the Vietnam War, the 9/11 attacks and more are documented in the
pages of The Appalachian.
Though plenty of coverage since our paper’s creation can be accessed online, losing access to its original print format would mean losing the voices accumulated over the past 90 years. If The Appalachian’s staff loses access to the archives, the general public does too. Losing decades worth of reporting would be detrimental to the organization, our mission of serving the community through reporting and to preserving history. History cannot be forgotten.
Why print? Why does this matter?
Since its creation, print media has been, and will be for decades to come, one of the most important industries in the world. It is a way to update readers on national and local happenings, voice opinions of both journalists and the outside world and bring light to stories that otherwise would have stayed in the dark.
Print media has been on a steady decline recently, with news sources primarily posting online content. CONTINUED
Photo by Hayden Wittenborn
The Appalachian Editorial Board
CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE
However, as we have seen in weeks past, websites can easily be erased with no evidence they ever existed, according to the New York Times.
A popular quote in the industry, which has been attributed to different prominent journalists, is that journalism is “the first rough draft of history.”
Since the 18th century, journalists have used the print medium to disseminate crucial information on a daily basis — the “first rough draft.”
Reviewing these first drafts reflects the changes across time to societal norms and values and paints a clear picture of history.
As journalists, we have a responsibility to report fairly and accurately and be a voice for those who cannot otherwise be heard. We have been doing that for nine decades, and the majority of this reporting is seen in our print editions. With no set plan for where the last 90 years of history will go, The Appalachian’s Editorial Board is deeply worried about one thing: history being forgotten. This history cannot, and will not, be forgotten.
What’s next?
At the time of publication, there is no official plan for what will happen with the papers in the archive room, referred to as “The Morgue,” a term coined by journalists.
Assistant Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Jeff Cathey said “Appalachian State history recorded in the stored copies of The Appalachian is of value to the entire institution,” and we agree. However, Cathey said the student union is “not the best long-term archive solution for The Appalachian.”
The Morgue features specific ventilation, automatic lighting, raised ceilings and built-in shelving, which is required to properly store archived newspapers, according to Smithsonian Institution Archives. In essence, this space is best equipped to properly and efficiently store 90 years worth of archives.
During a meeting with Cathey and Beth Holcomb from the Office of Campus Activities, the following possible solutions were discussed: digitizing the papers, moving them to Hickory, or the “standard pratice” of moving to a warehouse space near campus — which may not
meet the preservation environment requirements for such old artifacts.
Our newsroom does not have the space for our archives, so it comes to no surprise that alternative options would include relocating off campus.
The Appalachian has met with the university library’s Special Collections Research Center to digitize the papers from 1998-2011 — plus any other time there may be a gap in digitized
history at any moment to reflect and learn so we don’t repeat it. History cannot be forgotten.
The next obstacle is the extensive labor required of this task. Regardless of when we are expected to relocate, this is still a seemingly impossible task to have completed, considering the hundreds of fragile papers, nearly every copy of The Rhododendron — which was App State’s official
“ “
In essence, this space is best equipped to properly and efficiently store 90 years worth of archives.
content — which are only available as print copies. Digitizing that much content would be a very timeconsuming process, with the minimum being over a year.
In the event we go the digitization route, the next question is where will the papers be stored while the process happens? Special Collections is only accessible during specific hours of operation. The proposed Hickory storage is not only an hour away, but it’s a room full of shelves, similar to a warehouse. Any accessibility The Appalachian may have will be physically locked away.
Losing accessibility is a scary thought. It is crucial to access our
yearbook — film, large shelves and more that are stored in that space.
Holcomb said Campus Activities will offer their manual labor, which we are appreciative of. However, due to the volume of the archives, this remains a daunting task.
What we need
If we are moved out, the following points are our remaining requests.
• Staff accessibility — both in terms of hours and location — to where the papers end up being stored, if stored at all.
• A controlled storage environment that will preserve the papers. This means a dark, dry environment.
• Clear communication from Student Affairs and upper administration. We request frequent updates on any changes or conversations egarding our archives.
• Physical labor. We will need all the help we can get to move everything out.
• If at all possible, more time. If we are removed from this space, let that be a testament to how history, culture and transparency are being removed in other places throughout both App State and the country at large. We understand this is a storage issue at the end of the day, but this history faces the risk of being lost in the process. As journalists, it is our job to be watchdogs and to document what happens around our communities. We’ve done it for 90 years and we’ll do it for 90 more.
For the sake of serving our readers, App State and our community, The Appalachian will not stop reporting.
The Appalachian Editorial Board will not allow a loss of space equate to a loss of history. The Appalachian thanks all of our readers and supporters over the years, and we deeply hope this history remains accessible for the betterment of all.
History cannot be forgotten, and it will not be erased.
We were told we need to come up with a program statement of needs to move forward. Ideally, we would remain in this space. The Appalachian Editorial Board believes what is currently in this room is of the utmost importance. Although storage for other departments is a need, we feel if anything is stored here, it should be the history that has been here since at least 1993.
A set of shelves in The Morgue holds archived newspapers on Feb. 13.
Photo by Hayden Wittenborn
Executive orders create ‘uncertainty’ for international students
Rebekah Mann | Reporter
The transition of power between two election cycles has brought controversial policy changes, executive orders and public remarks from the government’s new leaders, impacting people from a wide range of demographics and nationalities.
A portion of the affected population includes international students at App State, who Karen Marshall, director of International Student and Scholar Services and Outreach, helps oversee.
Marshall said this academic year, just over 130 students are attending App State on an F-1 or J-1 visa. F-1 holders are full-time and degreeseeking students, while J-1 holders are non-degree seeking exchange students who are typically here for shorter periods of time, like a single semester.
“They’re small, but they can be close-knit,” Marshall said. “They form a really global community.”
Marshall said a good resource for keeping up with immigration
executive orders is through NAFSA: Association of International Educators. She said at this time, it is unclear how many of the executive orders might end up impacting higher education.
“There’s just uncertainty in that we don’t quite know how they’re going to play out, or there’s just more to come,” Marshall said.
Within that uncertainty, Marshall said there are a few executive orders that could have more impact on App State students than others.
One of them is Executive Order 14188, which directly mentions higher education and is titled “Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism.”
The order outlines that students at universities who participate in proPalestine or anti-Israel protests could face repercussions.
Marshall said although the repercussions have the potential to affect any student, they could be “particularly harmful for international students or anyone who’s an immigrant here on a visa.”
Because those repercussions are unclear right now, Marshall said she thinks it’s something for campuses to “keep a close eye on.”
Executive Order 14159, titled “Protecting the American People Against Invasion,” is another policy change with potential to affect App State international students. This order provides U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement the power to make arrests in previously established places of asylum, like schools, churches and hospitals.
Marshall said in the wake of these changes, the Office of International Programs at App State is a good resource for anyone who has immigration related questions.
“We would be happy to have a conversation with anyone who has concerns,” Marshall said.
Morgana Cording, a graduate student from Hannover, Germany, is studying history and religious studies. Cording said she speaks with her friends back home frequently about the political landscapes of both the
U.S. and Germany.
“I started to compare the political situations, and how this would actually impact not only my situation as an exchange student, but also globally how this might change the world,” Cording said.
Cording said she believes Elon Musk is one of the connections between politics in the two countries.
According to the White House, Musk is a senior advisor to President Donald Trump with a focus on government efficiency.
Trump appointed Musk to a key role in the new Department of Government Efficiency, which acts as a financial advisory board.
Since being appointed, Musk has publicly expressed his support for Germany’s far-right political party, Alternative for Germany. At the end of January, Musk virtually spoke at one of the party’s campaign events.
His virtual appearance where he showed his support for the party came only a few days after he made an arm gesture that was widely debated
by the public. Some, like Cording, believe the gesture was similar to the Nazi salute, while others believe the action was completely unrelated.
“Do it in Europe and you’re going to have huge trouble,” Cording said.
“There’s no excuse for it.”
Cording said if the connections between the far-right political landscapes of both countries as seen through Musk weren’t happening at the same time, she “wouldn’t be as scared.”
Daniel Heuse, another international student from Germany, raised similar concerns about Musk and the support the billionaire has given to the AfD. Heuse said he believes the AfD Party feels “like a threat to our democracy in Germany,” and Musk’s actions are ill-informed.
Flags line the hallway in Plemmons Student Union to represent the various international App State students on Feb. 12.
Photo by Mady Helt
Stabbed at 17, resilience at 19: A survivor’s story
Mia Seligman | Enterprise Editor
Editor’s note: This story contains graphic descriptions of blood, violence and sensitive content.
After wrapping up his high school choir concert at Watauga High School in December 2022, then 17-year-old Marques Spencer headed to Big Lots with friends. Spencer — a Boone local — and the girl he was seeing at the time split away from the group. As he stepped away to use the bathroom, he encountered her middle-aged stepfather, Franklin Ensminger — a man who had previously shown disapproval of the relationship.
The stabbing occurred on Dec. 8, 2022, and Officer Calli Tarallo arrested Ensminger at 7:25 p.m. Tarallo did not respond to request for comment in time for publication.
Ensminger was charged with assault with a deadly weapon and was transported to the Watauga County Detention Center, where he was released into the custody of jailing staff. According to the arrest record, Ensminger was transported “without incident,” meaning he was carried out smoothly and with no unexpected problems.
The day of the stabbing, Spencer said Ensminger forced him into the handicap stall. While in the stall, Ensminger attacked and stabbed Spencer in the neck with a nine-inch knife. According to the arrest record, Ensminger’s “handcuffs were double locked and checked for tightness.”
Two years later, Spencer reflects on how the incident changed his life, and his journey to healing.
“At first, I didn’t really think he stabbed me,” Spencer said. “I put my hand up to my neck and I can feel my finger going inside my neck.”
Spencer, now 19, recalled blood coming out of his nose and could hear blood in his throat while he was talking. He said he was not acting the way someone who had just been stabbed would have acted.
Spencer said after being stabbed, he came out of the bathroom and was “cracking jokes” and kept talking. He said the adrenaline and shock kept him talking to the employees while waiting for the police to arrive.
He said he remains unsure who called the police, but remembers an elderly man talking to him while they
waited for first responders to arrive.
“And I’m forever grateful to him, such a kind soul,” Spencer said. “He also just stayed there talking to me, while I was there bleeding out. I really do wish I remembered his name.”
Spencer said he was so terrified of dying that he kept trying to speak with the emergency responders. He said the employees were trying to get him to stop talking while riding in the ambulance.
“They were trying to tell me to stop talking, but between the adrenaline and the fact that I just really didn’t want to die, I just can’t stop,” Spencer said.
While in the hospital, Spencer said the doctors had to give him double doses of medications to get him to sleep.
“There’s a really good chance I just don’t make it if I close my eyes,” Spencer said. “If I stop talking, that will be the last word I ever utter to another human.”
Spencer said the doctors told him his heart stopped multiple times on his first night in the hospital. He was in the hospital for four weeks.
“It was very close to death,” Spencer said. “I did die.”
While in the hospital, Spencer said the doctors told him the stab wound was a millimeter away from his carotid artery and a millimeter away from his spinal cord. He said the doctors pumped his stomach for “a couple of days,” using different tubes to keep him fed and continued to drain blood from the wound.
He remembers seeing his parents and sister in the hospital room during
one of their visits. Spencer said he thought there was a very strong chance he wouldn’t make it.
“That wasn’t how I wanted to go out,” Spencer said. “I want there to be a big bang and like smiles and joy. I want to be remembered and loved and have a celebration of life.”
While his family visited, he told them he would be OK and would make it. The next morning he woke up and vomited over half a gallon of blood, but had made it through the night.
“I like to think I’m like a cockroach,” he said. “Just kind of hard to get rid of.”
After Spencer was released from the hospital, he said he was called twice to testify during Ensminger’s two-year trial, but Ensminger was in court only one time when Spencer was called to testify. He said testifying was difficult for him and he never forgot the feeling of helplessness that arose after Ensminger stabbed him. He said he felt angry while looking at Ensminger.
“I made sure to look him in the eyes,” he said.
While testifying, Spencer said he was asked to read a victim statement where he described what happened leading up to Ensminger attacking him.
Spencer said Ensminger’s stepdaughter wanted to visit him while he was in the hospital but was unable to with details arising during the trial and her stepfather.
Ensminger was sentenced to four years in prison after the trial ended in 2024. Spencer said he was surprised the case went on for two years.
“The case itself, like all the evidence, I was just so surprised it went on for so long,” Spencer said.“All I really have to say is at least he’s in prison.”
Spencer said he doesn’t understand how Ensminger was able to attack him, and as far as he knew, Ensminger did not know Spencer would be at Big Lots the day of the stabbing.
“There was just no reason in your right mind that this just wouldn’t be attempted murder,” Spencer said. “That’s a nine-inch blade and you backed down a minor in a bathroom.
I don’t care what your reason was, but at the end of the day, you did try to kill somebody.”
Spencer emphasized the severity of the attack and his inability to protect himself.
“I just remember feeling so helpless,” Spencer said. “Like I just couldn’t defend myself. There was nothing I could do.”
He said while in the hospital he
had a breakdown over what had happened, saying he felt weak and felt like giving up.
“I was just tired,” Spencer said. “Not just physically, but it feels like my soul is tired.”
Spencer said he is trying to seek therapy for lingering trauma.
“I want to try to repair some things,” Spencer said. “You know, salvage what I have left and now I want to move forward with a clear goal, like a clear head.”
He said he was able to find some solace in his work as a private landscaper, which helped him feel a sense of productivity and move forward.
“Because everybody’s got their issues and everybody has their problems,” Spencer said. “I want so much more for myself, especially after surviving something like that.”
He said when he typically tells people about being stabbed, they respond with pity and apologies. He would rather people respond without pity.
He appreciates everyone who came to support him and visit him while he was in the hospital.
“I’m actually really grateful for all the people who showed up, whether they had the right intentions or not,” Spencer said. “It was good to see that there’s still some goodness. It made me happy.”
Spencer said four of his closest friends were among those in his hospital room. He said they would sleep on the floor to keep him company.
He said his best friend was often in his hospital room, and that his best friend’s mother came in with his friend one time. Spencer recalled the gift his friend and his mother gave him.
“They gave me $400,” he said.
Spencer said being stabbed altered his life in impactful ways.
“It’s not like it doesn’t affect me,” Spencer said. “Every now and then I look at the scar and I lost a lot of weight.”
Even with how drastically Spencer said the stabbing affected him, he said he was able to gain a perspective that helped him move forward with difficult moments in his life.
Sustainable vs. wasteful: Unpacking the reusable water bottle trend
Haley DiFruscio | Reporter
Similar to how humans changed and evolved over millions of years, water bottles have evolved from primitive disposable plastic to the indestructible Nalgene, Stanley, Owala and beyond.
craze extends beyond mere trends and into environmentalism.
Sydney Blume is an App State alum and adjunct instructor of sustainable development. She said the history of bottled water started with plastic disposable water bottles around the 1980s.
“People used to just drink out of the tap and also not carry around bottles,” Blume said. “The bottled water industry was basically able to create a market out of something and convince people that they needed it when they definitely didn’t.”
With the high amount of waste from disposable water bottles, Blume said reusable alternatives were a good pivot to prevent unnecessary plastic waste. However, she and her students have noticed the practice becoming commercialized over time.
“When it turns to collecting a bunch or having a new trendy water bottle every season that people are switching out, that’s something pretty new and definitely harmful,” Blume said.
Blume said the problem with excessively buying anything, including reusable water bottles, is not only the materials and labor that are required to make products but also where they go after people are done using them.
“A lot of the time we don’t see, ‘When I throw this away, where does it go? What happens to it? Even if I try to recycle it, does it get recycled?’” Blume said.
For some at App State, their water bottles end up in various lost and found boxes all across campus. Most students have seen the collection of water bottles at the front desk of the Plemmons Student Union.
Kelly Russell, a senior psychology major who works the front desk at the student union, said the lost and found is referred to as the “water bottle graveyard.”
“We kind of run it on an honor system,” Russell said. “If you see your water bottle, you just grab it. I’ve only noticed it, like a few times, not a lot.”
Russell said most of the water bottles end up staying in the graveyard and over the semester, the pile grows and grows. The fate of the lost water bottles after the academic year ends is ambiguous. Russell said some staff members take unclaimed bottles and some are given away to students, but as for the rest, she doesn’t know.
It is not all bad news for reusable water bottles, however, Blume said. The culture around water bottles can be consumptive, but it can also be expressive with people decorating their water bottles with stickers that show their personality.
“There’s also been rising increase in the understanding of how important hydration is,” Blume said. “Carrying a water bottle allows you to hydrate gradually throughout the day rather than getting all of your water at specific points.”
For those worried about their consumer practices, Blume encourages them to be more thoughtful when making purchases as a first step.
“Taking the time to reflect on the life cycle of an item before purchasing it is just something I encourage with anything,” Blume said. “Like, if you already have a bottle, do you need another? If you’re going to get another, how long are you going to use it? Once you stop using it, what’s going to happen to that thing?”
Blume said the system is not entirely the fault of the consumers, but they do have power to contribute to waste. Making small choices and steps toward a less consumptive lifestyle is an easy way to make a difference, she said.
1. Junior sustainable development major Vennice Rondinelli-Albarran asks Crossroads employees to fill up her water bottle with her drink to promote sustainability on Oct. 23.
Photo by Hayden Wittenborn
Boone Fork Trail recovery efforts continues
Griffin Cummings | Reporter
Five months after Hurricane Helene swept through the High Country, many hiking trails near water remain damaged as park services continue recovery efforts in the region.
Popular trails among locals, students and tourists — including Boone Fork Trail, Julian Price Park trails and Linville Falls Trail — remain affected and closed during restoration efforts.
“There is federal and state funding being used to repair the trails,” said Candice Cook, tourism marketing director of the High Country Host Regional Welcome Center.
More than 300 park rangers from various states across the country were sent to the region to assist with trail revitalization and conservation efforts. Boone Fork Trail, which is located near water, took heavy damage at the trailhead.
“We are creating an updated list of all the trails, including Boone Fork Trail, that will be open this summer in our region. We’ll have it ready by
the end of March to prepare for the fishing season, which opens April 1,” Cook said.
Boone Fork Trail is a favored location for anglers, particularly fly fishermen, due to its abundant population of brown, brook and rainbow trout.
“With summer approaching, the aftermath of Hurricane Helene creates major challenges for restocking efforts in the area,” Cook said.
The Armstrong State Hatchery which is responsible for restocking the streams and rivers was affected and remains closed.
“We don’t know when they’ll be able to reopen or restock the rivers, so that’s going to have a huge effect on the upcoming season,” Cook said.
Boone Fork Creek, which runs alongside Boone Fork Trail and is connected to the New River, has significantly expanded due to the hurricane. The expansion has posed challenges for fishermen, who now have to adjust to the changes in the stream.
“It’s a little harder to tell this time of year because everything is off due to the recent impacts of the hurricane. The streams seem more blown out, with habitats disturbed,” fly fisherman Will Johnson said. Though the disturbance of habitats has caused many fishermen to adjust where and how they fish along Boone Fork Trail and other trail systems, the hurricane has also brought about some positive changes to the water.
Watauga Riverkeeper Andy Hill wrote in an email that “surface water quality has improved post Helene with most waste water treatment plant infrastructure having been repaired or upgraded since the storm.”
Cook said the hurricane has altered river
formation, and fishing guides have reported to her that these changes have led to the creation of new pockets where fish typically are found.
“The New River Conservancy is urgently seeking volunteers to assist with recovery efforts, surveying the water and identifying debris that could further impact the water quality
of Boone Fork Trail and other nearby trail systems,” Cook said. “That would be a great opportunity if any of the students want to help out.”
Recovery efforts and crews continue to work in hope of restoring the trail and making it a safe place for visitors to enjoy again.
Photos by Psalter Benbow
Graphic by Andrew Reagan
Cat distribution system reaches Boone Police
Jenna Guzman | Editor-in-Chief
When one thinks of an animal in a cop car, the first thought may be a K-9. Yet on one January night, the animal in the backseat of a Boone Police car was none other than a small stray kitten.
On the night of Jan. 15, Boone Police arrested someone for a DWI charge on Highway 105. According to a Facebook post made by Boone Police, a cat was present on the scene, following the officers, hiding under the car and crying. As officers arrested and put the impaired driver in the back of the cruiser, to their surprise, the cat jumped right in.
“Officers just couldn’t leave the sweet thing on the side of the road and in the cold, so one put it in their car and took it to dispatch to get warmed up!” the post reads.
Administrative Sergeant Dennis O’Neal said it was “kind of comical,” referring to the situation and the name given to the cat: Dewey, a play on the acronym DUI.
Dewey was checked for a microchip and ID but none were found. The Facebook post encouraged people to call if the cat belonged to anyone. Soon, Dewey went up for adoption.
O’Neal said his daughter wanted to adopt the cat, but he said they didn’t need one at the time. He said the kitten is “probably living the life of luxury” with the person who adopted him: a Watauga County medic.
Emma Ward is a full-time EMS and rescue worker for Johnson County, Tennessee, and a part-time Watauga County medic who grew up in Boone and attended App State. She said she
had been looking into getting a cat from the Watauga Humane Society when one of her friends made a joke about the cat distribution system and how if she waited then she would not have trouble choosing a cat.
The cat distribution system goes as follows: when the time is right and you are ready, the universe will present you with a cat. Most of the time, it’s a stray.
“He was like, ‘I’m telling you, it’s the cat distribution system,’ and I was like, ‘That’s not a real thing,’” Ward said.
Spoiler alert: it became a real thing for her.
“It was literally the next day that they posted Dewey online,” Ward said.
Ward said after a shift at Watauga Medical Center, she arrived at dispatch where Dewey was playing with a radio antenna when she laid eyes on him for the first time. Once she picked him up and he started purring, the rest was history.
Although she was already looking to adopt a cat, she expected to have more time before actually having one in her possession. Because of this, the supplies she had ordered a week prior had not arrived yet.
“Now I have a cat before any of the stuff that I had planned on getting came,” Ward said.
Dispatch gave Dewey a small box, blanket and food which Ward carried into her car to take him back to her home.
“We made it like five minutes into the drive and he jumped out and crawled up in a ball in my lap and slept on my lap the whole way home,” Ward said.
Ward recalls the story of when Boone Police first found Dewey during the DWI arrest and said a middle name was given by police to match his founding even further, a name which she kept. His full name? Dewey Modelo.
Ward said first responders receive calls all the time and can never expect what a call will actually lead to.
“It can either be really bad or it could just be a routine normal thing, but you don’t expect to come home with an animal,” Ward said. “And so for somebody to get to go and find something as sweet as Dewey and then bring him back and then me get to take him home is just completely out of the blue.”
Studies show working in emergency services can be a mentally taxing job. Working in multiple departments of emergency services daily for two to three years, Ward said coming home to Dewey is “fulfilling” as he is always happy, never grumpy and is always excited to see her, whether she’s been gone for 24 hours or one hour.
“It’s just like a nice break from everything that you do at work and everything you have to do in general with emergency services and all the people and feeling burnt out and stuff,” Ward said. “It’s just so nice to come home and have something that’s always happy.”
From getting into the cop car to opening his treat bag s— which Ward said is his only naughty quality, Dewey has “learned that nothing is off limits.”
Dewey the cat sits in the
Graphic by Sandy Zufall & Rian Hughes
AppTV’s creative growth over 10 years on air ARTS
Owen Marcellino | Reporter
While scrolling through endless feeds of entertainment often makes it feel like there is nothing to watch, AppTV provides endless possibilities.
The student-staffed television service, launched in May 2015, features a plethora of programs serving the people of App State’s campus and the surrounding town of Boone.
As the 10th anniversary approaches, AppTV staff reflect on its expansion far beyond its original presence. Upon its debut, the network consisted of only two regular programmed series: The A Game, a sports program, and Religion in Life, a series centered around philosophy and spirituality. While they still produce both programs, AppTV has broadened its artistic horizon by expanding the network’s content to various genres of television, curating programs for news, entertainment and comedy.
A recent addition to the regular programming of AppTV is the new NPR Tiny Desk-esque show, Corner Concerts. Managed by junior electronic media and broadcasting major Nora Yocum, this fresh arrangement of live performances is a must-watch for music lovers across North Carolina.
Featuring local stars such as The Weasels, Cicada and Skydivers, Corner Concerts is a prime example of the network’s pursuit to create quality-driven
Yocum said she is excited for the future of the program and their partnership with 90.5 WASU-FM, the student-run campus radio station.
“Since it’s one of the first collaborations between AppTV and WASU I think a ton of people are interested in it and very excited about it and that makes me super happy,” Yocum said.
The efforts of collaboration are strong throughout the entirety of AppTV. Yocum has not only seen it through Corner Concerts but also Live at RFG, a television program featuring live performances from local artists filmed on campus in the Robert F. Gilley Recording Studio. Recorded in the studio’s live room, the acoustics capture the authenticity of a live performance.
Working alongside members of the music industry studies recording and production program, Yocum has enjoyed the partnership with the students working at RFG studio.
“I recently found out that the dean of the College of Fine and Applied Arts is also the dean of the school of music,” Yocum said. “He is a really big fan of Live at RFG and enjoys the collaboration because he’s involved with both colleges and the students they encompass.”
Beyond live music, AppTV has been no stranger to collaborating with other groups throughout their time at App State.
Senior electronic media and broadcasting major
Last November, Appalachian Weekly News, AppTV’s news show, hosted a joint election coverage program with members of 90.5 WASU-FM and The Appalachian.
“Collaborating with other media organizations is always something we try to do more of,” Karner said. “It’s cool to be able to bring what others are good at and what we’re good at and make something beautiful out of it.”
Additionally, Karner and Yocum said they are excited for the upcoming Battle of The Bands this spring, hosted by 90.5 WASU-FM and AppTV, featuring musicians within the community.
Besides uniting with other campus media outlets, AppTV is committed to uplifting members of marginalized groups, allowing students to create programs that echo their voices across Boone. One notable program, Black At App, provides a space for Black students on campus to celebrate their identity and involvement in the community surrounding App State.
“It’s really important to have a space, a dedicated space, a dedicated show where all of the content on it, and all of the stories that we’re telling are Black,” Karner said. “And it’s crucial to have a designated space where those are the voices being amplified and those are the stories being told.”
Black At App started during Karner’s freshman
making it only three years old. Even though it is relatively new, Karner said it has been rewarding to watch these programs designed for inclusion flourish within AppTV.
Buenos Días Boone is AppTV’s first Spanish-language show and is the only Spanish-speaking program in the area.
Can’t Think Straight is the network’s LGBTQIA+ program that
highlights everything queer — silly and serious — around campus.
Throughout its first 10 years on campus, AppTV has made strides to amplify student voices within various activities on campus. This foundation will only continue to benefit the organization as they continue to reach broader audiences throughout their future.
An AppTV filming studio located on the third floor of Beasley Media Complex on Feb. 14.
Photo by Mady Helt
AppTV hosts local band Red Bud at their most recent Corner Concert in the Beasley Media Complex on Feb. 5.
Photo by Mady Helt
From left, Alec Woods, Lennie Vaillant, Tessa Cokley and Raya Aughtry prepare to film the show Black At App for AppTV at Beasley Media Complex on Feb. 7, 2024.
Photo by Hayden Wittenborn
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Emily Lutenski | Professor and Director of Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies
In 1976, a group of six women faculty members at App State formed the academic program then called “Women’s Studies.” They came from anthropology, art, sociology, English, history and interdisciplinary studies, and were co-chaired by Maggie McFadden and Helen Lewis.
Less than a decade beforehand, women students at App State were forbidden from wearing pants in classrooms, the library or the dining hall on Sundays. They had curfews; male students did not. Nightly room checks ensured these policies were complied with. Until the mid-1980s, a group of female students called the “Mountaineer Babes” were used to recruit prospective football players by shepherding them on campus tours. By the mid-1970s, the broader women’s and gay liberation movements dovetailed with campus advocacy, and they were slowly eroding these patronizing conventions. Students founded a chapter of the Women’s Liberation Front in 1970, the National Organization of Women in 1975 and the Appalachian Gay Awareness Organization in 1979.
When the Women’s Studies committee began to meet, only about 25% of college faculty nationwide were female — and at coeducational institutions, they were usually fewer in number, inhabiting the lowest ranks and untenured or part-time.
The group at App State convened monthly in each other’s homes to formalize the study of women at the university. They had no office space or administrative support. Nonetheless, their course offerings grew over the next two years, and the interdisciplinary minor in Women’s Studies was approved in 1978.
This was not long after the first stand-alone Women’s Studies program in the country was founded in 1970. Women’s Studies at App State was part of this academic zeitgeist and the first Women’s Studies program in the UNC System.
Students and faculty sought to create new knowledge via women’s perspectives. They brought the
The past and future of Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies at App State Support shaped my path
Vicky Klima | Interim Dean of Honors College
Sometimes I feel like I fell into the perfect role for my personality and passions. However, my career wasn’t one of chance; it was shaped by the support and guidance of many remarkable people who saw something in me that I sometimes didn’t see in myself.
My path began when two faculty members noticed my enthusiasm for math and nurtured my interests. With their encouragement, I declared a math major, completed an honors thesis and applied to graduate school. Their belief in me gave me the confidence to pursue my passion. As graduation approached, a professor I didn’t know well questioned my future plans, suggesting math wasn’t a field for women.
The faith my mentors had in my talents provided immunity from this stereotype threat, allowing me to judge this professor’s comment as unserious and even humorous. While I was fortunate not to believe him, his words have stuck with me. What we say matters; we should strive to uplift and empower others with our words.
After taking my first graduate real analysis exam, I remember thinking, “Am I really cut out for graduate mathematics?” My cohort of fellow graduate students helped me see that I was.
When I received my first solo teaching assignment, I questioned my ability to lead. To my great fortune, my graduate administrator encouraged me to try new techniques and learn from failures.
Recognizing my potential, my PhD mentor helped me broaden my
feminist practice of “consciousnessraising” into classrooms, developing — and arguably, pioneering — the student-centered, discussion-based and community-engaged pedagogies that are valued across disciplines today.
Women’s Studies was necessary because it was uncommon for traditional academic units to incorporate the histories, experiences and intellectual contributions of women.
Gerda Lerner, one of the chief advocates for what became Women’s History Month, offered the first women’s history course in the country only in 1963 at a then-women’s college.
In 1971, literary critic Elaine Showalter reported that she “looked at all the syllabi for all the courses offered in the English Department of the women’s college I attended,” and they included “313 male writers” and just “seventeen women writers.”
Autonomous Women’s Studies programs offered another intellectual advantage: being unharnessed from traditional disciplines meant
network so that when I stepped out on my own, I did so with support. My chairs and colleagues in the mathematical sciences department at App State continued to believe in my ability to develop. My longstanding research colleagues — a group of four amazing women from across the country — make sure I make time for what fills me up. These experiences taught me the importance of providing a secure and supportive environment for growth.
When my predecessor encouraged me to join the BRIDGES Academic Leadership program, I thought, “Why me?” He saw leadership potential in me that I didn’t recognize. The program helped prepare me for the next turn
developing holistic, interdisciplinary, and democratized knowledge — fuller, richer knowledge — about gendered lives, histories, writing, cultural traditions and social and political issues. This is why it remains necessary today.
As the field grew — imperfectly, and not without serious challenges and sometimes painful reckonings — it began to encompass “gender” more broadly and relationally, focusing the social and cultural rituals that produced womanhood, manhood and dissident configurations of gender in relations of power — including race, nation, class, caste, sexuality and ability. In 2015, in a reflection of these changes, App State’s Women’s Studies program formally changed its name to “Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies.”
Now there are approximately 809 programs focused on gender, women and sexuality in the U.S., and they report a growing interest in the field, with at least 50% of programs noting an increase in undergraduate course enrollment, according to a report
in my path, an appointment as interim dean of the Honors College. I faced imposter syndrome once more. What if I could not be what our honors students expected and deserved? However, the Academic Affairs leadership team connected me with valuable resources and reassured me I was capable of succeeding in this role. Their belief, along with the support from our Honors College students, helped me overcome my self-
by the National Women’s Studies Association.
App State’s GWS program, likewise, remains vibrant. Today’s faculty members are as devoted as those nearly 50 years ago. Since Fall 2023, the number of enrolled majors has more than doubled. The Triota Honor Society inducted 20 members in its first year on our campus.
GWS majors and minors inhabit key leadership positions at our university and do important work in our community. They have won prestigious fellowships and presented work at conferences. Alumni have satisfying careers in healthcare, social work, higher education, publishing, nonprofits and other fields.
Moreover, students in GWS continue to rise to the challenge of contemporary problems related to women, gender and sexuality, and their creative solutions will create meaningful change.
doubt. I am forever grateful because I now know I am exactly where I was meant to be.
When someone believes in you and encourages you to take the next step on your journey, listen to them. Trust in the potential they recognize and lean on them to strengthen your confidence. When you see someone doing something well, tell them! You may be the person who helps them realize they are not an impostor.
Graphics by Chloe Pound
Leading with awareness: Marianne Adams’ influence on dance, somatics
| A&C Editor
Marianne Adams’ office hums with movement. A walking pad whirs beneath her desk, a yoga ball chair sits nearby and books on dance, anatomy and somatic practice line the shelves. Warm light catches on trinkets, handwritten notes and pictures holding stories from students and colleagues over the years, each a quiet testament
For more than two decades, Adams has shaped App State’s dance studies and somatic sustainability programs, creating a space for creativity, exploration and mindful practice. She has developed more than 30 courses and served as chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance from 2007-15 and is the co-founder of App State’s Classical Pilates Teacher
Her path to this influential role wasn’t a conventional one. Adams said her dance journey was anything
She didn’t start dancing until her senior year of high school. Before fully committing to movement studies, she explored other career paths — pre-med and botany — before ultimately earning her undergraduate degree at App State in psychology
Drawn to the therapeutic aspects of movement, Adams pursued further training in New York City, where she became certified by Romana Kryzanowska as a second-generation Classical Pilates instructor. In 2005, she co-founded App State’s Classical Pilates Teacher Training Program alongside Rebecca Quin to help integrate Pilates into the school
“She essentially built a full Pilates equipment apparatus studio over time, which is an incredible resource at our university that not many schools have,” said Laurie Atkins, associate professor in the Department
of Theatre and Dance.
In 2019, Atkins and Adams cocreated the somatic sustainability minor, which provides students with a contextualized understanding of the body-mind connection and sustainability in daily life, according to App State’s website.
“Working in the arts is character building,” Adams said. “When you move, you put your blood, sweat and tears in it and learn how to show up for yourself and for others.”
I first came here I wanted to be the best technical dancer. She helped me realize that there is so much more to explore and enjoy in the process.”
Adams said when she was a student, she was hooked to the mirror and wanted to be a “perfect” technical dancer. She said her teacher Betty Jones critiqued her one day while doing an exercise and taught her a formative lesson.
“She said, ‘Oh Marianne, why do you always have to be so perfect?’ and it startled me. It hurt my feelings and made me cry,” Adams said.
“I thought I was doing what she wanted. It was a great lesson. I realized perfect is a lie, I wasn’t being authentic and real.”
Adams said this attitude and modality of thinking is something she prioritizes in her students.
Adams’ classes are more than just lessons in movement — they are transformative experiences that reshape how students understand their bodies.
“It’s about spirit in the heart and what matters to your soul,” Adams said.
Through her teaching, Adams encourages students to approach dance not just as a performance skill but as a practice of awareness, exploration and self-care. For Adams, self-discovery doesn’t have to follow a prescribed path.
“The department is a safe place to experiment. Who knows what opportunities it may lead to? Trust your own passion and don’t let somebody say, ‘What are you going to do with that?’” Adams said. “Trust that you’ll figure it out.”
Lydia Jacobson, a senior public relations major and dance minor, said Adams’ approach shifted her perspective.
“She changed my perspective on what dance is and I have a much more artistic view and appreciation of dance now,” Jacobson said. “When
“No matter what area of life I go towards, I think that type of thinking is applicable in every way,” Jacobson said.
A prominent opportunity for students is the Appalachian Dance Ensembles. This year, the program will celebrate its 50th Anniversary during the Spring Appalachian Dance Ensemble March 26-30.
Adams is coordinating the event alongside other dance faculty members and is incorporating selected students and guest alumni choreographers. The concert on March 29 will include a tribute and postconcert celebration and reception to the late professor Susan Lutz, who died in 2024.
“Marianne Adams and Susan Lutz really spearheaded the program for a long time, so I see the celebration as kind of a recognition of their contributions over the years,” Atkins said. “I think the dance program is what it is today because of Marianne and her vision, and the co-leading of the program between Marianne and Susan, it is a beautiful legacy between the two of them.”
Professor of Dance studies Marianne Adams practices with senior public relations major Lydia Jacobson in a dance studio in the Varsity Gym on Feb. 14.
Photo by Sydney Willis
app state dance team shows they are more than just dance
Tess McNally | Reporter
Synchronized feet tap the floor, big smiles gleam off the court and adrenaline pumps through the pompoms the App State dance team holds as they perform to the rhythms and music played on the sideline of games.
Previously known as the Appalettes, the App State dance team has been around for almost 40 years and is sometimes overlooked in its role in the App State spirit program.
The team has 18 members, including the four captains, and currently operates without a coach. Head cheer coach Morgan Delgado works closely with the dance team to get into contact with athletic directors and others connected to the athletic department.
Maggie Pittmon, a junior public health major and member of the dance team, is skillfully inclined in the choreography department. She makes sure all dancers are on track with past and current choreography.
“Since it is tough that we don’t
have a coach, I think it’s great we are all so self-motivated and I feel like we all really hold each other accountable,” Pittmon said.
Although the team is a part of the spirit program, they are not funded through the school. In the past two years, the team has funded enough money themselves to be able to attend the Universal Dance Association’s College Camp at East Tennessee State University, a camp designed to teach college dancers while also bringing in choreographers from across the country. The App State cheer team has attended this camp in the past.
“UDA is a new thing for us and it completely changed our team,” said Taylor Burchett, a senior business management major and team member.
The dance team encourages all passionate dancers to try out for a spot on their team. The team holds clinics before tryouts so dancers can learn the choreography in a less competitive setting. Tryouts occur in the spring semester before the upcoming season.
The first day of tryouts, April 12, consists of technical skills such as leaps, jumps and turns.
“You have a lot of room to dance and judges can see you clearly,” Burchett said.
The next day, dancers learn “Fight Song,” which is a well-known game day ritual song. Around 16-20 dancers are selected for the second round to make the team.
“One thing I would say to a girl who may be nervous who’s looking to try out is to really showcase your personality,” said Juliana Grant, a graduate student nutrition major and co-captain.
Grant said a large part of the program is “being able to keep each other accountable.”
Managing a sport while keeping up academically can be challenging.
“It definitely does get stressful, but it’s 100% manageable,” Pittmon said.
The dance team practices four to five times a week while also coming up with schedules for games.
“We have a big Excel spreadsheet of every game and we send it out with the time of arrival and populate ourselves,” Burchett said.
Dance practices are scheduled differently each semester based on school schedules, and dancers are granted early registration.
Although the dance team attends the basketball, football and wrestling matches, other sports have reached out to other coaches and the director of athletics to have dancers at their home games such as soccer and baseball.
Practices throughout the week can be demanding but many dancers describe practice as an outlet.
“I feel like I can leave practice as a whole new person and a weight off my shoulders and come back and reevaluate schoolwork,” Pittmon said.
Many dancers help each other out with schoolwork from similar majors outside of practices and games.
“We do truly have such a diverse group of girls,” Burchett said.
Rachel Gaillard, a senior public health major and team member, said
the first words that come to mind to describe the team are “strong women.”
Due to the size of the team and frequent practices with one another, the bond between these women runs beyond dancing.
“I am a completely different person than I was four years ago,” Gaillard said. “We truly do keep up with each other, anytime we see each other we smile.”
Some dancers, such as Grant, have been a part of this team for years and have many memories to reflect on since their time joining this program.
“Seeing Luke Combs and having my friends and family send me pictures from ESPN, that was unreal,” Gaillard said.
During the 2023 football season, upperclassmen dancers were able to travel with the cheer team to Orlando, Florida, to rally the Mountaineers for their bowl game. Burchett said that was her favorite experience.
“This team has shaped us all in so many ways,” Gaillard said.
mara Neira shines as face of european basketball in boone
Adam Persico | Associate Sports Editor
When senior guard Mara Neira was growing up in Galicia, Spain, she dreamed of playing basketball in the United States. Today, she gets to live that dream by playing for the Black and Gold.
Neira did not find the path to the Mountaineers easy. Her senior year of high school at Instituto de Enseñanza Secundaria Primeiro de Marzo in Pontevedra, Spain, was in 2020, a year when the world dealt with the effects of COVID-19. This limited the number of U.S. scouts with eyes on her. Still, Neira found a way to make it to the U.S. after receiving her only offer from Eastern Wyoming College.
She struggled to find her stride over 4,500 miles away from the only home she knew.
“My first semester, I wouldn’t talk to anybody,” Neira said, referring to the process of learning English. “I would speak with my Spanish friends because the good thing about juco is I always had at least three or four Spanish teammates.”
Eventually, tired of talking to the
same people daily, she came out of her shell and learned English through conversation with new friends, classmates and teammates.
After starting 21 times in 39 games for Eastern Wyoming, she received an offer to play Division I basketball from head coach Alaura Sharp, who was coaching at Presbyterian College in Clinton, South Carolina.
While at Presbyterian, Neira and Sharp led the Blue Hose to a conference title and their first NCAA tournament appearance in program history. Then, before this season, they traveled up the mountain to App State.
“If it weren’t for coach Sharp, I wouldn’t be playing DI basketball,” Neira said.
The love Sharp has for Neira is apparent in the way she talks about her. It is also exemplified by Neira being the only player from Presbyterian Sharp brought with her. Sharp continues to develop Neira into the player she knows she can be.
“She’s improved as a leader; she’s improved as a defensive player,”
Sharp said. “Her shot selection has really improved. She just plays a great
role for us, leading scoring off the bench. I think our bench is top 15 in the country and she really leads the charge with her play.”
Another new transfer, junior forward Elena Pericic from Rijeka, Croatia, fostered a relationship with Neira, which helped her confidence.
“Mara and I started texting each other a few days after I signed for App State,” Pericic said. “There was nothing special that we did. I think that we connected really quickly, and since then we are just really good friends, and I’m glad that I got to play with her and hang out with her off the basketball court because me and her are sharing some things and I just think that we are connected in a special way.”
While Neira’s offensive talent takes the spotlight, as she averages over 8 points per game, her perspective as a basketball player from Spain is invaluable to the team as she is one of four international players on the Mountaineers’ roster, including her close friend Pericic.
“You bring together different cultures with different experiences,” Sharp said. “I love international
players. They’re really mature, they take their academics really seriously.”
Neira also tries to carry a little bit of home everywhere she goes, which includes speaking with her family as much as possible. Sometimes her family shares a piece of home with her.
“Earlier this year my family sent me a care package of chorizo, salchichón and salami or something like that,” she said.
Many in the U.S. don’t understand the level at which basketball is played internationally. In the U.S. bubble, it’s easy to get carried away covering ISO-scoring phenoms, but players like Neira serve as reminders that basketball is a global game, and international competitors deserve respect to the highest degree.
“The way they play and train in the European world of basketball is a great fit for how we want to play,” Sharp said. “We like a high basketball IQ. We like players that can shoot the ball.”
Neira continues to shoot her way into the minds of Mountaineer fans.
Senior guard
Mara Neira shoots the ball during the App State vs. Columbia College game on Nov. 6.
Photo by Cameron Shook
From junior college to division I, Dior conners climbs up the mountain
Parker Egeland | Reporter
From the second he stepped on the floor, Dior Conners knew sports were for him.
“What ultimately led me to basketball was my love for it,” said Conners, a junior guard. “I picked up a basketball when I was about 4 years old. I was playing a lot of different sports as I was younger, but I naturally gravitated towards basketball.”
Conners played high school basketball at Pickerington North High School in Pickerington, Ohio. During his time there, he guided the Panthers to 73 wins before committing to start his college career at Mineral Area College, a junior college in Park Hills, Missouri.
In his one season at Mineral Area College, Conners averaged 10.8 points per game and was a 45% three-point shooter. He then entered the transfer portal and found a destination at Triton College in River Grove, Illinois, in 2023.
There, Conners averaged 13.9 points and 3 assists per game, while shooting 44% from deep. He did enough to feel ready for Division I basketball and caught the eyes of schools around the country.
“App State was actually the last visit that I took. When I came here, everything just felt natural, everything felt organic,” Conners said. “I kinda fell in love with the campus just at first
sight, and the coaching staff made it easy for me to make my decision.”
Redshirt senior guard Myles Tate said the team trusts Conners to be a star offensively and looks up to him as a team player.
“He is a team player and the way we trust each other on the court really makes him click,” Tate said. “He is a dynamic offensive player who is very tough to stop and he does what it takes to win. He is always ready for the big shot as well.”
Conners said the team’s strong relationship benefits them in many ways.
“I think that we do a pretty good job of making sure that we have our connection both on and off the court,” Conners said. “I feel like that’s a big key to success even to just winning basketball games.”
Tate explained he is a confident person at all times.
“Dior is the smoothest guy on and off the court you’ll ever meet,” Tate said. “His confidence is through the roof for good reason, and he always brings a good vibe in the locker room.”
Conners has taken this confidence into his junior season at App State, where he has become one of the team’s best three-point shooters, and was quick to join the starting lineup after starting the season on the bench.
Conners’ most efficient game of the season came on Jan. 18 at James Madison University. He had 18 points
Junior guard Dior Conners attempts a shot during the App State vs. Troy game on Jan. 2.
Photo by Isaac Edwards
Junior guard Dior Conners runs the ball down the court during the App State vs. Queens University game on Nov. 19.
Photo by Landon Williams
OPINION: Birth control is a healthcare necessity
Allison Lehan | Associate Opinion Editor
For over 60 years, medical birth control has been available and approved for public use in the United States. For an even longer stretch of time, female contraception has been a heavily controversial concept, sparking debate in all kinds of ethical,
this response made one thing crystal clear: not even contraception rights are not safe.
Personal contraception access has been advocated for in the U.S. since the early 20th century. In 1960, the Food and Drug Administration approved the first official oral
prevention device, birth control has evolved as a practical medicine for all kinds of common women’s health issues due to its hormone content.
Birth control is used in modern clinical practice as a treatment for endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, irregular menstrual cycles, anemia and more. These conditions can have a profound, negative effect on those who experience them. For these people, personal contraception is unquestionably crucial. Federal restrictions on this treatment would be detrimental to the well-being of those who rely on it like any other prescribed medicine.
election results, a ghastly sliver of light was shed on then former President Donald Trump’s stance on contraception access.
In an interview with KDKA News from Pittsburgh, Trump was asked if he supported restrictions on personal contraception rights. In response, the would-be 2024 presidential elect said, “We’re looking at that and we’re going to have policy on that very shortly.”
Trump proved through his push to overturn Roe v. Wade during his first term that he was a serious threat to women’s reproductive rights. Back then, restricting a tool as vital as birth control still seemed unthinkable, even under a Trump administration. Though vague and avoidant, like most of the president’s public statements,
sexual freedom, but people everywhere with the opportunity to family-plan without compromising their sex lives.
The right to choose how often and whom one engages with in sexual activity is absolutely inalienable. Contraception provides the security people need to navigate this right safely — an assurance more mandatory now than ever with the rising development of state abortion bans. Legal restrictions on birth control are a direct threat to sexual autonomy — especially for women.
While the most commonly understood purpose of birth control involves its contraceptive properties, its existence is far more integral to personal well-being than many realize. Initially intended as a pregnancy
Even more at risk of regulation than standard methods of hormonal contraception like pills or implants, however, is emergency contraception. Emergency contraception, or, the morning-after pill, seems to be the next particular target of far-right policymakers in their ceaseless quest to snuff out women’s sexual liberty.
Emergency contraception is a preventative treatment one can take shortly after engaging in unprotected sex. It is the final resort in preventing an unwanted pregnancy from developing and therefore undeniably important, especially for those subjected to sexual violence.
The infamous, right-wing “Project 2025: Presidential Transition Project” paints an alarmingly concise picture of what contraception access might look like, should proponents of the Make America Great Again movement unleash their darkest political fantasies upon the U.S. population. The extremist agenda explicitly calls for the abolition of no-cost coverage for emergency contraception products.
Though Trump has not publicly affirmed personal affiliation with Project 2025, if he were to enforce this deplorable mandate, a reported 63% of the 47.8 million reproductiveage women in the U.S. would lose financial coverage for contraceptives like Plan B One-Step, according to the Center for American Progress. They would lose that final chance in preventing pregnancy when birth control, or humanity, fails — which they sometimes do.
In a country where conservative men have the power to outlaw abortion rights, it’s beneath comprehension why they’d also dare to destroy that last inkling of hope someone might have before their life is turned upside down — before less-safe measures become more compelling.
A woman can’t be expected to feel acknowledged as an autonomous human in the U.S. when the dominant political culture is so fervently opposed to her innate, personal rights. An attack on the reproductive rights of anyone is an attack on the sexual freedom of everyone.
There is no place for conservative morals in the dictation of a woman’s bodily agency, especially when health is at stake.
Graphics by Chloe Pound
OPINION
Leah Boone | Opinion Editor
Editor’s note: This article contains mentions of sexual assault allegations.
Feminism is defined by the
Leah’s Lens: 200 years later, the fight continues
In 2022, when Roe v. Wade was overturned, many women, including myself, hoped and prayed the worst was over. We would see our right to abortion reinstated and protected even further. Then, the United States learned of the 2024 presidential candidates — Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Again, women all over the country
rights page was taken down, making Trump’s intentions very clear from the jump.
One would think as times evolve and the fight for women’s rights continues, we would be making steps in the right direction. However, it seems to be going the opposite way.
Some may think feminism equates to a hatred toward men, or the idea women are the superior gender. While there are people who share this mindset, the main idea of feminism is much simpler: equality. Women all over the world are taught from childhood there are certain roles we need to fill, certain attitudes to live by and certain things we can or cannot do. Dress codes are enforced in middle and high schools to limit what girls can wear because, apparently, ordinary body parts on women are seen as
As a 12-year-old girl, hearing my shoulders need to be covered and my shorts need to be a certain length was confusing — later in life, so were the cat calls, the snide comments about my future as a stay-at-home mom and the overall misogyny present in
In today’s political climate, extremism has become the new normal, with there being more people on the outskirts of each side than in the middle. With this extremism often comes people on both sides of the spectrum unable and unwilling to see each other’s
This throws a serious wrench in feminism being normalized, as the political climate has become so divisive both sides essentially refuse to hear each other
out. There are many things that should have never been politicized, one of the most important being feminism and women’s rights.
Each wave of feminism in this country has brought its own successes and thought-provoking messages.
The first wave catalyzed women’s suffrage, playing an important role in the beginning of the entire women’s rights movement.
The second wave focused more on women’s rights overall, beginning the discussion of dismantling stereotypical gender roles and allowing women more freedom in every aspect. The second wave also included the historic Supreme Court case that women all over the country mourn the overturn of every day: Roe v. Wade.
Both third and fourth-wave feminists used the last two waves to find a new sense of bravery, identifying specific people and systems that further the anti-feminism culture. A prime example of such is the #MeToo movement, in which multiple women called out Harvey Weinstein’s crimes against them.
Being a teenager during this movement was both a freeing and terrifying time — I was watching thousands of women stand up for themselves and each other, even against extremely powerful men, and it was inspiring. At the same time, however, we were also seeing men like Brett Kavanaugh being appointed to the Supreme Court, a man with multiple sexual assault allegations against him.
Thousands of women throughout
elected back into office only being two of those days. It is extremely difficult not to wonder what will be next.
There are many people fighting against women right now, and it is hard to remain steadfast in our battle against them. It can seem endless at times, especially now. Feminism has become villainized by many far-right groups, when all women have been asking for and fighting for during the last 200 years boils down to two simple things: equality and respect.
The idea of feminism must not only become less villainized, but also more normalized. It is not about being superior to men or having a platform to bash men — it is about women gaining their fundamental rights back and not having to worry about them being ripped from us again.
If you are a man reading this, chances are you have at least one woman in your life who is important to you that is experiencing true fear at this moment. While you can’t fully comprehend the terror of women countrywide right now, you can sympathize and ask yourself one simple question, “What world do I want the women in my life to live in?”
When I ask myself this question, I immediately answer with “a world in which I feel safe.” Though devastating, this statement cannot be applied to our current situation. However, as proven by generations of women before us, the fight begins with one step forward.
It is not time to give up hope, regardless of how tempting this may
Graphics by Rian Hughes
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
JENNA GUZMAN editor@theappalachianonline.com
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EDITORIAL
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NORA DUFFY | DIGITAL MARKETING DIRECTOR
EMILY PICCA | ASSOCIATE DIGITAL MARKETING DIRECTOR
The Appalachian is the award-winning independent student-run news organization at Appalachian State University, published since 1934. faculty, staff or administrators. The Appalachian strives for accuracy in news gathering and reporting. If you think we have made an error, email: editor@appalachianonline.com. Participation in The Appalachian is open to all current full-time students at the university. For more information about joining, email: outreach@theappalachianonline.com.
The opinion pages of The Appalachian are open public forum. Contributions are welcomed via email to editor@appalachianonline.com. Opinions expressed are those of individual columnists, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the news organization overall. Unsigned editorials represent the collective opinion of The Appalachian editorial board.
One copy of The Appalachian per person. Additional copies can be purchased from the newsroom for $1 each.
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Graphics by Kaitlyn Close, Kayla Masterman and Rian Hughes
Graphics by Kayla Masterman