edited by Kaylie Morales
Volume 9, Issue 6
September 24, 2025
Hello Honors College students,
This week's opportunities invite you to celebrate resilience, from our community’s collective response to Hurricane Helene to the powerful work of educators supporting women and girls in Afghanistan. The LEAD workshop and Career Fair give you ways to build your own strength while connecting with others who share your drive to make a difference. These events remind us that when we combine curiosity with action and support one another, we don't just grow individually—we grow together as a community that learns from and with each other.
Best wishes,
Vicky
Upcoming Opportunities:
Dr. Klima is happy to help you apply; send her an email at klimavw@appstate.edu
Clean-up Opportunities for Hurricane Remembrance Day
These opportunities celebrate the community’s resiliency one year after Hurricane Helene. Appalachian Voices is calling for volunteers to help clean-up Boone Creek, known locally as Kraut Creek, on Saturday, September 27 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Visit the Appalachian Voices’ website to sign up to volunteer. The Office of Community Engaged Leadership offers a Helene Remembrance & Restoration Day of Service September 27 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The Town of Boone’s Clean-Up and Helene Remembrance Day is September 27; prizes of $100, $50 and $25 will be awarded for the most unusual litter found on the roadside and streams within the town limits. To enter the contest, simply bring in the unusual litter between 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. to the Town of Boone Public Works Center at 321 East King Street.
Student Orientation Undergraduate Leader Interest Meeting
The New Mountaineer & Family Engagement is now hiring Student Orientation Undergraduate Leaders (SOULs) for this upcoming Summer Orientation. There will be an interest meeting on Tuesday, September 30 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Plemmons Student Union room 415, and the application deadline is September 30. Visit this Google Form to apply to be a SOUL.
Honors College Research Scholarships
Applications are opening soon for two Honors College scholarships that support outstanding research. The George Williams Garrett Memorial Scholarship supports students conducting research in biomedicine, particularly those pursuing careers in medicine or medical research. The Dr. Dane Ward Endowed Honors Research Scholarship supports students conducting exceptional research, scholarship, or creative projects, especially those with potential to benefit vulnerable communities. Applications open October 1 and are due November 1. For questions contact Dr. Vicky Klima.
The LEAD Workshop Series
The Office of Community-Engaged Leadership invites students to join their new LEAD Workshop series throughout the semester. The next workshop in this series focuses on Resilience; students can attend this workshop on either Wednesday, October 1, Thursday, October 2, or Friday October 3 in Three Top Mountain, PSU 169. Visit the Office of Community-Engaged Leadership’s Engage for the event times and to RSVP to one of the workshops. For questions contact Kaleigh Del Greco.
Internship and Job Fair
The Career Development Center is holding their annual Internship and Job Fair on Wednesday, October 1 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the Holmes Convocation Center. The career fair is a great opportunity to practice career readiness, hone your networking skills, research what employers are looking for in top candidates, and explore majors and careers across different industries and job types. Visit Handshake to register to attend.
Stay in the Know:
Global Good Conference
Join the Walker College of Business for their annual Global Good Conference on Friday, September 26 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Plemmons Student Union. This event highlights sustainable and innovative ways of addressing global challenges with the goal of inspiring attendees to use their knowledge and skills towards the business of building a better world. Visit the Walker College of Business website to learn more.
Appalachian Symphony Orchestra
The Hayes School of Music’s Appalachian Symphony Orchestra will start the year off with a fire-themed show performing Stravinsky's breathtakingly colorful "The Firebird Suite," and Marquez's joyous "Conga del fuego nuevo" on Sunday, September 28 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Rosen Concert Hall in the Schaefer Center and live-streamed on Zoom. Admission is free. Visit the Hayes School of Music’s performance calendar for full information.
Public Lecture by Afghan Scholar: Educating Women and Girls in Afghanistan
The University Forum Lecture Series is hosting Dr. Abdul Habib, a Fulbright Scholar formerly of Kabul Education University on Tuesday, September 30 at 11 a.m. in the Plemmons Student Union room 137C. Habib’s lifelong calling has been to educate women and girls in Afghanistan, and over the past decade, he has worked to connect students in Kabul with students in Boone through first year seminar classes. Visit the University College website to learn more.
From Response to Resilience: Lessons from Hurricane Helene
The Sustainable Energy Speaker Series hosted by the Appalachian Energy Center is holding a symposium on Tuesday, September 30 at 4:30 p.m. in Katherine Harper Hall, Room 17. This symposium brings together practitioners, municipal leaders, and nonprofit innovators to reflect on the regional response to Hurricane Helene and to explore strategies for building climate and disaster resilience. Visit the Appalachian Energy Center’s website to learn more.
The Hughlene Bostian Frank Visiting Writers Series
The Hughlene Bostian Frank Visiting Writers Series hosts authors and writers to discuss their books throughout the academic year. The next event will feature author Maria Dahvana Headley on Wednesday, October 1 for a Craft Talk at 3:30 p.m. and a reading at 6 p.m. in the Plemmons Student Union room 201B. Events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. A book sale and signing will follow each reading.
In the Honors Spotlight
Honors College students travel to Rome and Paris with faculty earning HON seminar credits
Honors College students and faculty in Versailles, France, during their summer 2024 study-abroad course. Photo submitted by Annie Deakle.
Drs. Jack Kwong and Randall Reed, both professors in the Department of Philosophy and Religion, led Honors College students to Rome, Italy, and Paris, France, May 29 to June 19, 2024. In this study-abroad course, students earned three semester hours of credits for HON 2515 Philosophy of Love and the Meaning of Life and three semester hours of credits for HON 3515 Love, Sex, and Power in Christianity. They met the Honors College international education requirement, which asks students to broaden their perspectives as they consider global interconnectedness through exploring other cultures, worldviews, and frames of reference.
Read the full spotlight story to learn more about these Honors College students’ experience with this faculty-led study abroad.
Have announcements to share? Submissions can be made to honors@appstate.edu. Any content received by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday will be considered for the following week’s issue.
Have a story to share? Share what you have done, what you are doing, or what you will be doing by submitting a story here.
To stay in the know, learn about opportunities, and take part in the Honors community, find us below!