Best Academic Minor: Psychology
Alayna Day
“It is just something that inherently speaks to students. We’re all humans, we all interact with other humans, so we like to understand that,” said nine-year psychology department chair Rose Mary Webb regarding why so many students are drawn to psychology at App State.
With 471 students currently enrolled in the program, psychology is the university’s largest academic minor and 2026 winner of Best Academic Minor for Best of Boone. It offers a glimpse into the human mind and a field that is beneficial to a diverse range of majors.
“Psychology overlaps so much with so many other disciplines that it complements the instruction that they get in their majors,” Webb said. “It adds another layer of understanding.”
Sarah Zwaryczuk, a junior digital marketing and sales major and psychology minor, agreed, as she is interested in how the study of the human mind can advance her marketing and connection-building skills.
“I want to learn about the psychology behind decision making, and I believe that will be very beneficial to being able to sell people different products and market my business,” Zwaryczuk said.
Though Zwaryczuk values her psychology minor for what it adds to her major and future career, she and the program do not have a strictly business relationship. Formerly a psychology major, Zwaryczuk finds the minor enjoyable and more suited to her specific tastes.
“My classes are more electives than the majors take, which are super fun, and the professors are great,” Zwaryczuk said.
Conversely, Webb finds that the psychology minor at App State is a pathway to a major. She believes that the classes are intriguing and informative, opening students’ minds to careers they had not considered before.
Webb also affirms that the psychology minor is equally informative to faculty members. With the faculty working so closely with psychology majors, the range of students’ interests is often limited to direct career paths, but the minor widens it to other disciplines.
“I think it keeps our faculty aware of what the full student body at Appalachian is interested in,” Webb said. “It helps us stay connected to the rest of the university.”
Supporting students and inspiring curiosity are key goals of the psychology minor, and Webb is hopeful that the department will continue to meet student needs educationally and beyond.
Best Elective Class: Snowboarding
Maddie Parkes
With App State tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains and the promise of snowfall every year, it makes sense that roughly 1,200 students per semester choose snowboarding as their elective class.
Edgar Peck, App State PE director and organizer of the class, said it was the highest-enrolled class in the Beaver College of Health Sciences. The high enrollment and campuswide student enjoyment has made it this year’s Best Elective Class for Best of Boone.
Meeting during the first half of each spring semester, Intermediate Alpine Snowboarding consists of six weeks of instruction — one on-campus session and five out on the slopes.
Peck said the goal for beginners is to get more comfortable on the slopes and familiarize themselves with the lifts. When it comes to intermediate-level students, Peck said their journey is like any other sport.
“They already have maybe some of the basics down, but how can you give them some tasks and drills and feedback to improve what they’re doing already,” Peck said.
Peck attributes the class’ success to the number of students registering each year.
“If students didn’t feel like it was a valuable learning experience, they wouldn’t register for it, right?” Peck said. “There’s 150 other PE classes they could sign up for.”
Being a Mountaineer and snowboarding have proven to go hand in hand with the popularity of Intermediate Alpine Snowboarding.
Peck also touched on the rarity of the class due to the location.
“I think geographically it’s something that, you know, you maybe can only do here or a few other places,” Peck said.
Best Residence Hall: New River
Best Professor: Pablo Chialvo
Best Side of Campus: West
Best Place to Study on Campus: Belk Library and Information Commons
Best Academic Building: Sanford Hall
Best On-Campus Food: Chick-fil-A
Best Student Club: APPS
Grace Phillips
Lights dim for movie nights, skates hit the floor and students cheer at Battle of the Bands as the Appalachian Popular Programming Society creates memorable experiences that bring the campus community together.
APPS president and senior sustainable development major Maggie Ballard said the organization is committed to a sense of community by hosting events that feature a diverse mix of music, movies and event nights like skating. Behind the scenes, each of their six councils cover a different aspect of student engagement. They work to plan events up to six months in advance, ordering decorations, supplies and coordinating volunteers.
“From Destress Yosef’s therapy dogs to our Live in the Solarium local shows to Fiddles n Fixins and FidCon, I’m always impressed by our chairpeople’s ability to put on such amazing events,” Ballard wrote.
Ballard said her role as president has focused on supporting members and helping them grow.
“To be voted as Best Organization for the second year in a row is exciting and an absolute honor!” Ballard wrote. “APPS is devoted to delivering a variety of events to any individual in our campus community, so thank you for trusting us to be your primary source of entertainment and fun on campus.”
Best Student-Owned Business: Willy B’s
Nathaniel Eaton
Besides fast food, there aren’t many places to go and refuel for late-night study sessions once it hits midnight; that is, until Willy B’s Grill opened.
The food truck is readily accessible from campus, located off of Howard Street and open until 2 a.m. from Thursday to Saturday.
Willy B’s opened Aug. 8, 2025, and has operated at 363 Howard St. since. Working out of a food truck, the focus has been on serving smash burgers and becoming a staple in Boone’s community.
Willy B’s is run by senior Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute culinary student William Barnes, who loves food and cooking for others. The food truck is a way for him to show his passion for the culinary arts and has become something he takes pride in.
“I’m most proud to be able to show my work and share with my community, and am very proud of all the friends I’ve made doing it!” Barnes wrote.
Though the food truck has been a success, it also has had its challenges. From managing student life to keeping the business running, it has been a difficult endeavor for the young business owner.
“It’s definitely been extremely busy being a student and running a food truck at the same time,” Barnes wrote. “I get somewhat tired of going from one kitchen to the other and doing constant dishes but I’m learning more than ever.”
The challenges haven’t stopped Barnes, however, as the community has rallied behind him, helping him push past harsh weather and other struggles.
“I’ve been able to be very welcomed by the community here in Boone,” Barnes wrote. “Whether I’m serving students coming out of class or going out late night I see a lot of the community in Boone at the foodtruck.”
Willy B’s has quickly become a staple in Boone and is only growing further. From serving excellent smash burgers to being involved with the community, Willy B’s is the 2026 Best of Boone Student-Owned Business.
Best Sorority Organization: Sigma Kappa
Beatrix Johnson
Personal growth, friendship, service and loyalty are the four core values of App State’s Sigma Kappa chapter. Guided by these values, the sorority has continued to make a mark on Boone through community outreach and campus involvement, winning it Best Sorority Organization for Best of Boone this year.
Established at App State in 1985, the sorority has continued to grow over the years, marking a total of 148 members as of March 2026.
The chapter works with five different philanthropic organizations, which coincidentally spell out SIGMA: the Sigma Kappa Foundation, Inherit the Earth, gerontology, Maine Seacoast Mission and the Alzheimer’s Association. Of these, the group works predominantly with the Alzheimer’s Association, raising over $10,000 for the organization at its annual Silent Disco event, said senior global studies major Alli Ozboz, who is the chapter’s vice president of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
In April 2025, sorority member Mallory Mayor was struck by a car while leaving a music festival. In October, the chapter collaborated with Alpha Phi, hosting Miles for Mallory to raise money for Mayor’s expenses.
“We all realized we need to be here for each other,” Ozboz said. “We don’t just wear these letters just to wear the letters.”
Ozboz emphasized this sense of family is built on inclusivity, growing connections between members and an inviting sense of welcomeness.
“What brings us together is not our similarities or differences,” Ozboz said. “Every single person in Sigma Kappa is so different, and that’s what makes us a whole big community.”
Best Fraternity Organization: Pi Sigma Epsilon
Alex Wallin
Pi Sigma Epsilon is a coed business fraternity open to all majors and the winner of Best Fraternity Organization for Best of Boone. The Chapter currently has 59 members, with 12 prospective members, said Abby Rini, a sophomore business management major and president of the fraternity.
“I love how diverse we are. We have so many different people, so many different personalities, so many different perspectives on things; it’s a really good group,” Rini said.
The organization focuses mainly on sales and marketing with numerous hands-on opportunities such as marketing events and professional workshops to help build members’ professional development skills.
Each academic year, Pi Sigma Epsilon competes both regionally and nationally against other university chapters through events including sell-a-thons, interview competitions and marketing competitions. Rini said the chapter will be taking its largest group ever to nationals this year with 28 participants — an immense increase from the 10 members who were able to attend the previous year’s competition.
“The professional side is the biggest part that sets us aside from other fraternities,” Rini said. “Other fraternities usually just have a social side, but we kind of have both, so it’s like the best of both worlds. It’s like developing ourselves professionally and personally, which is awesome.”
Rini said the leadership opportunities that Pi Sigma Epsilon offers prepare members for the real world and help build lasting relationships with people of similar interests.
“The relationships that I’ve built in PSE mean so much to me; it’s just an extremely supportive and motivating community. We’re all just there for each other, trying to help each other grow, trying to help everyone better themselves,” Rini said. “We’re all very tight; we’re like a big family.”
Correction: This article was updated with the correct date for the Belk Library and Information Commons caption regarding the number of years it’s been open.
