People to know at App State
August 18, 2021
Sheri Everts
Sheri Everts is App State’s chancellor. As chancellor, Everts is responsible for the entire faculty, staff and student body at the university. She is also in charge of appropriating funds for all programs offered by App State with the power to discontinue existing programs or start new ones. Everts became chancellor in July 2014 after finishing six years at Illinois State as provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. Some of Everts’ current priorities for the university include: “articulating the ways Appalachian defines sustainability, increasing the diversity of our student, faculty and staff populations and maintaining a focus on slow and steady enrollment growth,” according to the Office of the Chancellor biography.
Judy Haas
Judy Haas is the App State dean of students. As dean of students, Haas oversees student conduct, case management, off-campus student services, the student legal clinic, student veteran services, and parent and family services. In her role as dean of students, Haas serves as a liaison between the student body and university administration. According to her biography, Haas keeps the “best interest of the student in the forefront of her mind.”
Bailey Gardin
Bailey Gardin, senior political science major, is the president of the Student Government Association. As president, Gardin represents the student body, and along with the rest of SGA, has the power to pass legislation, which can affect the day-to-day lives of students. For example, Gardin, who previously served as director of academic affairs, was part of the team of SGA senators
who worked on the bill that provided students with the pass/no credit option in fall 2021. Gardin and his vice president, DJ Evans, are taking over from the Michael-Davis administration, which led App State through the COVID-19 pandemic.
DJ Evans
DJ Evans, senior political science major, is the vice president of the Student Government Association. As a leading member of the administration, Evans is responsible for working with Gardin to set the tone and priorities of student government. Evans identified the treatment of marginalized groups as one of his top priorities for the upcoming semester, in an interview with The Appalachian last spring. The Black at App State Collective, which was formed July 2020, listed several changes to SGA in their demands, including the permanent appointment of a director of diversity and inclusion to the SGA cabinet, to Everts. Evans and Gardin plan to work with whomever is appointed to this position to continue Evans’ goal of focusing on the treatment of marginalized groups.
Christopher Hogan
Christopher Hogan is the director of the Counseling and Psychological Services Center. Hogan has spearheaded several new mental health programs as director. Most recently, Hogan worked on the Let’s Talk program, which was changed to “Let’s TeleTalk” during last year’s global pandemic. In both iterations of the program, the Counseling and Psychological Services provided two to three hours several times a week, during which students could pop in and talk to a licensed counselor about whatever was on their minds. The counseling center also offers group counseling, workshops, educational programming, prevention programs and a host of other services for students to utilize.
Jaime Parson
Jaime Parson is App State’s interim Chief Diversity Officer. Parson took over the position from Willie Fleming following his retirement this June, having served for six years in the position. As Chief Diversity Officer, Parson is responsible for working toward and promoting greater equity, inclusion and diversity throughout the App State community. Shortly after taking the position, Parson attended the dedication of the Junaluska community historical marker on behalf of Chancellor Everts. The marker commemorated the contributions of Boone’s historic African American community. Parson highlighted the importance of Juneteenth and pride month in her first message to the university as Chief Diversity Officer. “We all share the responsibility of advancing an equitable and inclusive university environment,” Parson said in the message.
Shawn Clark
Shawn Clark is App State’s head football coach. Clark started coaching in 2016 as an assistant coach under Eliah Drinkwitz, App State’s former head coach, who departed for the University of Missouri in 2019. Following Drinkwitz’s departure after the 2019 Sun Belt Championship, Clark coached the Mountaineers to a win in the 2019 New Orleans Bowl. Clark led the Mountaineers to nine wins and three losses in his first full season as head coach. Clark attended App State from 1994 to 1998 and played lineman for the Mountaineers.
Camerun Peoples
Camerun Peoples, junior recreation management major, is a star running back for App State’s football team. Peoples put up record-breaking numbers in the 2020 season, rushing for 1,124 yards and 12 touchdowns in 11 games. He also received MVP for the Myrtle Beach Bowl App State participated in after the 2020 season, scoring five touchdowns and rushing for 317 yards. In 2019, Peoples tore his ACL in the season opener and was out for the entirety of the season. However, following his comeback Peoples has been a force to be reckoned with on the field. He was recently put on the watch list for the Maxwell Award, given to the most outstanding college player of the year, so the running back is expected to continue his record-breaking performance in the 2021 season.
Yosef
Yosef is App State’s mascot. He is a pipe-smoking, bearded mountain man, often wearing a black and gold flannel. Yosef was first mentioned as App State’s mascot in a picture in a 1948 edition of The Appalachian. Before the character became the mascot, Yosef was used as an alias for a writer on The Appalachian and as a character pictured in a 1941-42 edition of the yearbook. Today, Yosef can be seen celebrating a touchdown on Stadium Drive on the west side of campus, cheering on the sidelines of football games, and posing on stickers, flags and t-shirts throughout campus.
