Beyond Boone’s picturesque landscape lies glimpses of talent — self-starters and go-getters who have soared to success after stepping onto campus at App State. From music artists playing across the country to the youngest chair of a state political party in the U.S. to TikTok influencers, countless success stories have called Boone home.

Born and raised in Watauga County, App State alumnus and country music singer Adam Church said there is no better place to grow up than Boone. 

“I was such a shy kid growing up, but going to school at App, all these teachers like Dr. Webb and Dr. Ballard, they were good influences to me, saying just like ‘Man, just be confident in yourself,’” Church said.

Church graduated from App State in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. As a student, he played gigs around Boone until his first official show at Murphy’s Restaurant and Pub — now SouthEnd Brewing Co. — caused aspiring musician Luke Combs to message him on Facebook asking for help with performing music.

“We joined forces and played our first cover song of ‘I Don’t Want This Night To End,’ that’s kind of how we started this whole shebang,” Church said.

Church said it never bothers him when people ask about Combs and their history together.

“Luke always tells me like ‘Dude, no one can take this story away from you man, it’s as real as it gets,’” Church said. “No matter what happens with music for both of us it goes back to that music video, you know. I’m in North Carolina, he’s taking over the world, and we just love what we get to do.”

Church is no stranger to traveling off the mountain to write and produce music in Nashville and beyond. He said he has no regrets about living and raising his family here and feels like he can live his dreams in Boone no matter what.

“The Watauga County vibe of humanity and how nice people are, everyone here is willing to give a hand, it’s a hard place to leave,” Church said. “There’s just an aura in the town, there’s nothing like Boone and App State and the love that you get from a place like it.”

For one 2019 alumna, App State was not her first choice for college but was something she fell in love with and quickly got involved in. During her time at App State, North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton was a member of the Student Government Association, Kappa Delta and was an orientation leader.

“I just got very involved at App, but there were also times I think that I really tested the boundaries of that university,” Clayton said. “I may have ruffled quite a bit of feathers.”

While searching for internships her junior year, Clayton connected with her freshman year orientation leader, Thomas Gallagher, who had previously been an intern at Emily’s List. She applied and got accepted, which she credits partially to those who came before her.

“Appalachian students take care of Appalachian students,” Clayton said.

App State’s small-town college community helps students connect whether they are current or past students.

“I was in an internship class in D.C. that summer with no one else from below the Mason-Dixon line, it was solely students that were from Ivy League schools, and I was like ‘How did I end up here from podunk little Appalachian State?’” Clayton said. “It was because one of us had gotten a foot in the door and held that door open.”

With over 400 clubs and organizations for students to get involved in, according to App State admissions, Clayton said the involvement through those clubs will open doors to career opportunities in the future.

“College is temporary, and everything you do matters, but it’s also temporary at the same time,” Clayton said.

The temporary nature of university life is something 2023 graduate Hannah Montoya laments, but something she felt prepared for by the university.

“They’re always preparing you on the next steps after graduation and planning your future,” Montoya said. “I think I was very well equipped to leave, even though I held on really tight and did not want to go at first.”

With over 4 million followers on TikTok and across social media platforms, Montoya is living in Chicago working full-time for Barstool Sports post-graduation from App State. 

While at the university, Montoya juggled traveling for work and being a college student. She said in order to travel, she had to sacrifice a lot of in-person classes, opting for online classes instead.

“I kind of felt a little bit like Hannah Montana with a foot in two different worlds at the time,” Montoya said.

Montoya wasn’t often recognized around campus, but when she was, she said it was always surprising. She and a friend visited a local coffee shop when the barista taking their order said they applied and went to App State because of her social media videos.

“I had no idea that you could have an influence on people like that,” Montoya said. “That was definitely one of the biggest moments for me.”

Montoya said it was scary at first, but she feels like she has adjusted to city life in Chicago. She said she feels like her courses and the Boone environment helped her develop the tools necessary to be a part of the real world.

“The air in Boone is different, it’s an amazing thing,” Montoya said. “Those Blue Ridge Mountains are hard to leave for sure.”