App State growth plans
At a recent Watauga Economic Development Commission gathering in Boone, N.C. Rep. Ray Pickett (R-Blowing Rock) noted that growth at Appalachian State University will mostly occur at the new Hickory campus.
We asked Pickett to elaborate, and he says the former 226,000-square foot Corning building is poised to be the key growth vehicle for App State in coming years. He compared the new plan to the satellite campuses that are common in other states, such as Texas A&M and Georgia Southern universities, both of which have affiliates away from their flagship locations.
Pickett envisions about 1,500 students enrolled in Hickory within a few years. Plans call for some initial classes possibly starting this fall. A lot more growth could occur if the UNC System and state lawmakers fund ore enrollment, he says.
“Folks in Hickory are really happy about this. It’s one of the largest places in the state without a university presence,” he notes.
Corning moved the headquarters of its Optical Communications division to Charlotte, then sold the Hickory property to the UNC System for $1 million. App State has also received $9 million in state funds to pay for building upgrades.
Chancellor Sheri Everts will have an office at the building and is a big champion of the plan, Pickett says. He credits her leadership since 2014 for helping App State’s enrollment grow 15% between 2013 and 2022, to 20,438. In comparison, UNC Charlotte enrollment increased 11% during that period, while UNC Greensboro was essentially unchanged.
People in Boone have mixed views about App State’s growth there, especially given the limited space available for new buildings. There is an anti-growth faction in the college town, PIckett says, even though the campus and tourism drive the local economy.
The Hickory campus is about 40 miles from the Boone one, and about 55 miles from UNC Charlotte.
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