Civic Literacy Initiative and the Civic Literacy Student Fellows
New Civic Literacy Fellows
The Civic Literacy Initiative fosters a nonpartisan, civically engaged, and informed campus community. Through Student Affairs and Academic Affairs collaboration, we will help students examine complex questions and learn to discuss them with confidence and respect for differences in thought, belief, opinion, and background. With a strong commitment to student success, freedom of expression, institutional neutrality, academic freedom, and nondiscrimination, we support all students as they develop into leaders who can skillfully navigate complex conversations, increase democratic engagement, and build strong community ties through experiential learning. In doing so, the goal is to foster a university community that is welcoming to all and an academic culture of collaboration and respect.
The Office of Community-Engaged Leadership is excited to announce that in addition to the 11 volunteer members of our AppVotes Voter Coalition, we have hired 13 students to serve as Civic Literacy Fellows within the coalition!
The goal of the coalition is to increase civic literacy on campus every year through activities such as educational presentations, voter registration programs, and getting people to the polls. The Student Fellow role is a paid position that plays a crucial role in organizing and leading initiatives aimed at promoting civic literacy and engagement among App State students.
Please welcome our new fellows:
● Aidan Beauregard
● Nick Jackson
● Dillon Smart
● Ava Zellman
● May Currens
● Rian Mofu
● Isabella Lebron
● Jones Graf
● Abby Gonzalez Zavala
● Artie Bradley
● Andrew Myers
● Sofie Mascellino
● Hunter Messick
One of the main initiatives that the Civic Literacy Fellows will be working on this semester is our
Civic Literacy Presentations. With the election coming up, we have received a few questions
about updated voting laws and info that students (and all NC residents) will need to know.
CEL/AppVotes is a hub that students can always come to with questions about voting -
however, we know that we are not the only people who will get questions about these topics.
To help answer these questions and equip you with the information you'll need this Fall, we are
offering Civic Literacy Presentations for classrooms & groups/organizations! These
presentations range from 15-40 minutes, depending on which you select. To see all of the
options and to request a presentation, click here.
Know of Any Students Wanting to be a Student Orientation Undergraduate Leader (SOUL)?
The 2025 Student Orientation Undergraduate Leader (SOUL) Recruitment Process is underway! We are excited to grow our student orientation team and want to connect with incredible student leaders like YOU. Here is some pertinent information about our SOUL recruitment process. Here is a link to the full SOUL position description.
What is a SOUL? 📣
SOULs are dedicated to ensuring all incoming first-year and transfer students feel welcome as they transition to life at Appalachian State University. This group of passionate App State students are excited to help New Mountaineers by assisting with course registration, navigating our campus community, sharing institution and community resources, and fostering connections to peers, faculty, and staff. Here is an overview of the responsibilities of a SOUL:
Educate new students on all things Appalachian, including Student Life, Campus Culture, Academic Requirements, Communal Expectations, and Being a Mountaineer.
Facilitate and lead icebreakers, group cohesion, and team-building activities.
Serve as a mentor, guide, and resource for all New Mountaineers and their families.
Assist with extended Orientation Programs, ensuring new students are acclimated to campus and helping foster a sense of belonging for new students.
Benefit$ and Compen$ation! 💸
Competitive pay starts at $12.00 an hour for 35-40 hours a week (Mid May - Mid July).
On-campus housing and on-campus parking passes are provided during Orientation Sessions.
Paid Spring Training Sessions throughout the Spring Semester to ensure students are prepared for Orientation Sessions.
Professional development through communication, teamwork and shared leadership, small group facilitation, peer advising, crisis management, problem-solving, and leading groups of peers.
Lasting friendships and memories with fellow SOULs and incoming students.
Networking opportunities with Appalachian staff, faculty, and administrative leaders.
Exclusive Nike SOUL Uniform.
An unforgettable summer experience in Boone!
Excited to Apply? 📝
Great news: the 2025 SOUL Application is now open! You can learn more about our application process at orientation.appstate.edu/workfororientation/soul. Don’t delay; completed applications are due Monday, September 30th, by midnight. A complete application requires two letters of recommendation via our online Reference Google Form and personal reflection to four open-ended questions. Ready to apply? Excellent; here is the link to our 2025 SOUL Application.
We are excited to look over your application and get to know you through this recruitment process. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to myself (Sarah Garrow) or Abby Silvers, the NMFE Graduate Assistant, at ([email protected]).
Please welcome to our Division, Ms. Mary Logan Yancey and Dr. Brent James. Read below to learn more about them!
Mary Logan Yancey, Executive Assistant, Office of Student Affairs
The Office of Student Affairs is elated to welcome Mary Logan Yancey. Mary Logan will be serving as the Executive Assistant in the Office of Student Affairs. Mary Logan has been with the University since 2022, previously serving as an Administrative Support Specialist in the Reich College of Education. Mary Logan received a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. In her free time, Mary Logan enjoys reading, baking, and being in nature.
Dr. Brent James, Assistant Director for Community Engagement
The Office of Community-Engaged Leadership (CEL) is delighted to welcome Dr. Brent James to the role of Assistant Director for Community Engagement! Brent is an established colleague at Appalachian State University as a Senior Lecturer of Portuguese & Spanish in the Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures. He has also been a longstanding partner with CEL serving as a faculty partner with our Alternative Service Experience and Interchange Retreat initiatives.
While born and raised in Florida, Brent worked briefly in Washington, DC, and eventually moved to Los Angeles, where he earned his doctorate in Hispanic Languages and Literatures from the University of California, Los Angeles. After years of teaching at Appalachian and consistent service work here in Boone and Latin America, Brent has decided to pursue his passion for community engagement and student success with CEL. Outside of work, his hobbies include travel, photography, outdoor adventure, and spending quality time with his immediate family and his extended soccer family.
Kevin Kish, PSU's Associate Director of Operations
The Plemmons Student Union team is excited to announce that Kevin Kish has joined their team as the Associate Director for Operations. In that role Kevin is charged with overseeing all of the student employees as well as providing leadership and guidance to the operations including but not limited to event setups, audio-visual, gameroom, and general building functions.
Kevin is coming from San Jose State University where he started as their Night Manager and then Operations Manager overseeing the operations of multiple Student Unions on their campus. Prior to his 5 years at San Jose State University, he held roles in eCommerce fulfillment and in Operations Management for West Coast Shaving. He brings over 12 years of experience in employment management, operations, and event facilitation.
We hope you get the chance to meet all of these new staff members soon and welcome them to App.
