Excellence in teaching, research and service.

Our Mission

Appalachian State University, a constituent member of the University of North Carolina System sustained by the generous support of North Carolinians, is a long-established public institution that honors our founding commitment to educational access and excellence and our rural mountain heritage through teaching, research and service.

The university’s vibrant culture shapes students into globally minded, responsible members of society who engage with and actively contribute to their communities.

Our exemplary faculty and staff prepare students in bachelor’s, master’s and professional doctoral programs to be the leaders of the future.

Our Vision

Appalachian State University aspires to strengthen its role as a leading public institution in the Southeast. We commit to empowering learners through innovative academic programs accompanied by experiences that take place beyond the classroom, access and excellence in all our activities, and the cultivation of scholarship, engagement and creativity.

Our Essential Character and Core Values

Founded in the Blue Ridge Mountains in 1899 to provide North Carolinians expanded access to education, Appalachian State University is located in a place of great beauty, cultural heritage and recreational opportunity. App State’s core values include:

• Faculty excellence in teaching and all forms of scholarship.
• Student success.
• Sustainability and resilience.
• Public service and engagement with community.
• Global perspective.

Our Statement of Sustainability

Sustainability at Appalachian State University is not a trend, it is a tradition. We are active stewards of our state’s interconnected financial, cultural and natural resources. Through engaged scholarship, we balance critical, creative and global thinking in a living laboratory, transforming theory into practice and fostering responsible citizenship.