Reich College of Education at Appalachian State University

05/29/2026

Congratulations to Our Outstanding Students! 🎉

321 Reich College of Education students have earned a spot on the Spring 2026 Chancellor's List: https://rcoe.appstate.edu/news/321-rcoe-students-named-spring-2026-chancellors-list

And another round of applause for the 145 students named to the Spring 2026 Dean's List:
https://rcoe.appstate.edu/news/145-rcoe-students-named-spring-2026-deans-list

Your hard work and dedication inspire us all. 💛🖤

05/28/2026

Join us in congratulating Jalesia Patterson, a student in our Principal Fellows Program earning her Master of School Administration, on being named Teacher of the Year for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools!

Jalesia, who teaches at Petree Elementary School, was recognized for her dedication, leadership, and unwavering commitment to student success.

Click the link in the comments to read more about Jalesia and all the educators who were recognized!

05/27/2026

Looking for a great summer read? The Instructional Materials Center (IMC) education librarians invite faculty, staff, and students to Summer Book Chats — a relaxed series exploring picture books, chapter books, and middle grade titles. No prep required — just come as you are!

🗓 June 2 & 23 | July 14 & 28 | August 4
⏰ 11 AM–12 PM | 📍 Belk Library

Click the link in the comments to learn more!

AppState University Libraries

05/26/2026

What happens when you slow down and focus on the craft of writing?

This past semester at the Reich College of Education, students stepped away from screens and into the tactile world of manual typewriters during Typewriter Fest — an experience designed to spark creativity, reflection and intentionality in writing. As Dr. Chris Osmond shared, “If you want to make perfect words… use your computer. But if you want to make human words, real words, use a manual typewriter.”

Click the link in the comments to learn more about how this unique experience is shaping future educators.

05/22/2026

Each year, field experience teams from universities across the UNC System come together to connect, collaborate, and share ideas for how we can continue strengthening field experiences for students, educator preparation and supporting one another in this important work.

Members of our Office of Field Experiences team had a great meeting last week at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, and we are so thankful to the UNCW Watson College of Education for hosting us.

These opportunities to learn from one another, problem solve together, and build partnerships across the state are so valuable as we continue working to support future teachers and the schools and communities they serve.

05/21/2026

The Reich College of Education is proud to celebrate the incredible fifth grade students at the App State Academy at Middle Fork as they take the next step in their educational journey! 🎓

These young scholars have grown, learned, and thrived under the guidance of dedicated educators — and we couldn’t be more inspired by their achievements. 💛🖤

05/21/2026

Congratulations to our Mountaineer graduates!

App State celebrated a record-breaking Spring 2026 Commencement, honoring more than 4,300 graduates — including future educators ready to lead, inspire and make a difference. 💛🖤

We’re proud of our College of Education graduates and can’t wait to see the impact you’ll make in classrooms and communities.

Read more about one of our newest graduates, Beth Neal!

Get to know the Class of 2026 and their unique stories.

Meet Beth Neal of Sparta, North Carolina!

Beth is a recent graduate of the Reich College of Education at Appalachian State University where she received her Master of School Administration.

She is a longtime educator with nearly 25 years of experience and is currently the assistant principal at Sparta Elementary School.

Beth completed her degree while also overcoming hardship. Her family’s property was heavily damaged by Hurricane Helene and just over a year later, a house fire resulted in a total loss of her home just days before Christmas.

Even through the devastation, Beth persevered to finish her degree, crediting the flexibility of the online program for allowing her to continue her education while navigating challenges. A prime example of the Mountaineer spirit!

Congratulations, Beth!

05/20/2026

Dr. Ashley Carpenter, associate professor in the Department of Counseling, Family Therapy, and Higher Education, recently co-authored an article in The Vermont Connection.

Titled “Belonging at the Kitchen Table: Humanizing Arts-Based Research in Higher Education,” the piece explores arts-based, culturally responsive research methods that center community and lived experience. Drawing on approaches such as autotheory, photo-elicitation, and “kitchen table talk,” the authors highlight new, more humanizing and collaborative ways of generating knowledge in education.

Click the link in the comments to read the article.

05/20/2026

Dr. Leslie Bradbury and Dr. Rachel Wilson, professors in the Department of Learning, Teaching, and Curriculum, partnered with teachers at Hardin Park School to publish in Science Activities.

Their article, “From Curiosity to Comprehension: Supporting Diverse Learners in Academic Language Development,” highlights a collaborative effort to adapt a science unit on carnivorous plants—supporting both first-grade and special education learners in building academic language and understanding.

Click the link in the comments to read the article.

05/19/2026

Student Spotlight: Creativity in Action! We’re excited to celebrate Appalachian Community of Education Scholar (ACES) Ian Klawiter-Benton, who has just completed his first year as a history/social studies education major!

Ian recently created a stunning stained glass piece that will be featured at ACES tabling events — bringing both artistry and spirit to our community. His work is a beautiful reflection of the creativity and passion our future educators bring to campus.

Be sure to stop by and check it out at an upcoming event!

05/18/2026

Dr. Paul Delaughter, assistant professor in the Department of Counseling, Family Therapy, and Higher Education, was recently recognized with Article of the Week honors in Counselor Education and Supervision.

His article, “An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Counseling Interns’ Experiences Serving Older Adults,” examines how counselor education programs can better equip students to meet the growing mental health needs of aging populations.

Click the link in the comments to read the article.