Appalachian State University announced record enrollment figures and discussed significant campus developments during its Board of Trustees meeting on Friday, September 4, 2026. The university now serves 21,308 new and returning Mountaineer students across its Boone, Hickory, and App State Online campuses. This fall marks the largest online, graduate, transfer, and first-generation student populations in the university's history.
The university also highlighted positive student outcomes, with a 2026 first-to-second-year retention rate of 83.4%, exceeding the national average of 77.9%. Additionally, App State’s four-year graduation rate is 70% higher than the national average.
During its September meeting held on the Boone campus, the Board of Trustees officially welcomed Student Body President Elizabeth Ford as the new student representative, a position established by North Carolina statute for the Student Government Association President. Trustees also expressed gratitude to Mark Ricks as his tenure as chair concluded. Mr. Ricks, a 2022 Distinguished Alumnus, will continue to serve as a supporter of the university.
The day before the meeting, trustees toured major capital improvement projects. They observed progress on the new Sofield Family Indoor Practice Facility and the Mountaineer Ridge student housing development at the Appalachian 105 property. Trustees also viewed the recently opened Mildred Southern Indoor Tennis Facility, which completes the Appalachian 105 Sports Complex.
In a report to the Board, the Chancellor emphasized how App State's "student-engaged, public-impact research" drives meaningful innovation, enriches the student experience, and creates long-term value for the region and beyond.
Beyond campus, App State's commitment to experiential learning connects its community with global opportunities. Recently, students and faculty from the Department of Theatre and Dance in the College of Fine and Applied Arts completed a three-week program in Tokyo. Led by assistant professor Elizabeth Parks, the group studied Noh theatre, training daily with professional Noh actors, attending live performances, and exploring cultural sites. The program culminated in a recital at the Kita Ryu Theatre in Tokyo's Meguro area. This is one of more than 600 education abroad opportunities available annually to App State students.
App State Athletics is hosting its annual Legends Gala tonight, established in 2017 to recognize alumni and friends. The event celebrates athletic champions and invests in the future of student-athletes. This year’s gala will honor six Mountaineer legends, including keynote speaker and App State alumnus Leonard Love ’10. Other honorees are Dr. Vaughn Christian, Anna Freeman Healy ’13, Kathy Moran ’82, Pat Swisher ’78, and D.J. Thompson ’07.
Tomorrow, Kidd Brewer Stadium will host the App State Football home opener. The Mountaineers will play the University of Maine Black Bears in a Gold Out game. Kidd Brewer Stadium has been named one of the top 25 college football venues in the nation by both ESPN and The Athletic in the last two years. App State fans have consistently set high attendance marks, achieving the top five single-season average attendance records in both App State and Sun Belt Conference history from 2021 through 2025. The game on Saturday is officially sold out, marking the 16th sellout in the last 18 home games at the venue. The university looks forward to welcoming visitors and cheering on the student-athletes.