Student Affairs

Don't Throw it Away (DTiA)

Don’t Throw it Away is right around the corner! This is a collaborative event between Community-Engaged Leadership, Office of Sustainability, and University Housing. This event collects gently used, working items from students moving out, to donate to local community nonprofit partners and reduce the landfill waste produced during the end-of-year move out.

This year we will be collecting items at the East Hall Lot and the New River Hall Lot between May 5th-9th from 9-4pm. We will also be hosting a new pop-up yard sale on May 8th & 9th at the East Hall Lot location. This yard sale will sell any remaining items back to the App State community to help raise funds for a local community partner focused on environmental justice.

Three ways you can support this year’s Don’t Throw it Away program:

1. Help raise awareness of the event by telling your students about drop off locations and times
2. Volunteer some of your time to help make this event possible
3. Stop by East Hall lot on May 8th & 9th to buy some items from our yard sale and help us raise funds for our community partner

Students can drive or walk their items to our two drop-off locations. We accept nearly everything as long as it works, is clean, and only gently used. This includes furniture, microwaves, mini fridges, cutlery, school supplies, CLEAN bedding, unopened food, and more!

For more information or questions email maycm1@appstate.edu. 

Student Employee of the Year

On behalf of the Career Development Center, we are grateful to all of you who took the time to submit an outstanding individual for Student Employee of the Year. This year, 17 wonderful student employees were nominated across campus, representing the Divisions of Student Affairs and Academic Affairs, the Chief Diversity Office, University Communications, the Turchin Center, and University Catering. The following students are recognized for outstanding service to the University and will receive a scholarship as part of the award.

Zachary Fowler, Assistant Multi-Media Technician from the Art Department’s Synergy Lab, has been selected as the 2023 Student Employee of the Year. Zachary has demonstrated outstanding dedication and professionalism through their work and service to their fellow Art students. Multi-Media Technician, Leigh Ann Parrish, explained that the 3D printing services provided in the Synergy lab were offered much sooner than expected because of Zachary’s initiative to enroll in a Fabrication and 3D Printing course last semester. Zachary goes-above-and-beyond to ensure students’ products are reviewed and handled with the utmost care and attention. They’re a major asset to the team by educating new student clients on the lab’s services, training new student employees, and taking on the largest projects in their queue. Zachary has invested so much of themselves in providing this service to their fellow Art students and will leave a lasting legacy on the Synergy Lab.

We have also selected two Honorable Mention Awards: Daisy Lavariega Zarate from Catering and Jay Ward from Wellness & Prevention Services. Thanks to a generous donor, these students will also receive a scholarship for the 2023-24 academic year.

If you see these students at their work location, please make an effort to congratulate them. To those who nominated an outstanding student employee, we thank you.

-Student Employment Team 

Coffee Hour to Discuss New Campus Climate Support Program and We're Here: App State Women's Panel

The Office of Diversity invites you to a coffee hour to discuss a new Campus Climate Support Program. This meeting will take place from 9-9:50 a.m. on May 1 in Plemmons Student Union #169 Three Top Mountain. A Zoom option will also be available. Coffee will be served. Please register here by Friday, April 28.

About the New Program

The Campus Climate Support Program is designed to educate our campus on bias-related and hate incidents, create a pathway for free speech-related conversations and offer support resources for students and employees. An App State working group — charged with developing protocols and processes for reporting such incidents on our campuses — developed the program after carefully analyzing our current environment as well as reporting processes used by peer institutions.

From a broader perspective, this new program is a key element in supporting App State’s Strategic Plan, which includes a strategic priority focused on cultivating and supporting a welcoming university community. By recognizing, reporting and preventing bias-related and hate incidents, we can foster an even more inclusive campus community where all members feel welcomed and supported.

About the Coffee Hour

This coffee hour is designed to be conversational and interactive. Office of Diversity staff initially will provide employees with an update about where this program currently stands. This will be followed by discussion with the intent to solicit employee feedback and questions on the program. Your active engagement in this meeting will provide the Office of Diversity with valuable input to help us further refine the Campus Climate Support Program.

We look forward to having you with us! Please register here by Friday, April 28.

Women's Panel

On behalf of the Office of Diversity, I would like to invite you to our panel, We're Here: Women at AppState, taking place on April 26th, from 4-5PM on Zoom. Please register here, and we invite you to share information about this event with your networks! There is an Engage event here. 

Sincerely,

Jax Lastinger

Director of DEI Educational Development & Campus Climate Strategies 

Intercultural Student Affairs: End of Year Ceremonies

Join ISA for the Inaugural Intercultural Graduation Celebration on Thursday, May 4, 2023, from 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. in Legends! Come dance, connect, and celebrate the achievements of our culturally diverse student organizations!

The Henderson Springs LGBTQ+ Center will host its Annual Lavender Graduation Ceremony on May 10, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. in the Plemmons Student Union Solarium.

Lavender Graduation Ceremonies are held on many campuses nationwide to honor and recognize graduating students who identify as LGBTQ+/Queer. This ceremony offers a unique opportunity for students to be recognized as proud queer-identifying persons and celebrate their contributions on campus. 

If you would like to attend the ceremony, please email hendersoncm1@appstate.edu.