Beaver College of Health Sciences

ELKIN, N.C. — Hugh Chatham Health (HCH) has partnered with Appalachian State University’s Nursing program to provide the health care network’s registered nurses a tuition-free pathway to complete their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees. The Hugh Chatham Health Foundation is covering the entire cost of tuition for employed nurses who apply, meet health system criteria, and are accepted into App State’s RN to BSN online program; in addition, the foundation is also covering the cost of any prerequisite courses needed. 

App State’s RN to BSN is a flexible, asynchronous online program taught by experienced App State Nursing faculty and is designed for working registered nurses who have earned an associate degree in Nursing and want to finish their bachelor’s degree. Through this partnership, nursing students will have access to resources and support from both institutions, as well as opportunities for clinical experiences at Hugh Chatham Health.

"We are thrilled to welcome the first Hugh Chatham nurses into our fall 2024 RN to BSN cohort,” said Dr. Marie Huff, dean of the Beaver College of Health Sciences at App State. “By providing free tuition and eliminating the barrier of cost, Hugh Chatham is making an incredible investment in the future of its nursing care and encouraging its nursing staff to continue their education and advance their careers.” 

Katee Hettleman, executive director of the Hugh Chatham Health Foundation stated, “We are proud to support this impactful initiative that advances the education of our dedicated nurses, and enhances healthcare services for our community. Through this partnership, our health system is investing in the future of nursing and ensuring that our patients receive the highest standard of care."

Two Hugh Chatham nurses started the bachelor’s degree program in August, and a group of 18 nurses from the health system worked with App State’s RN to BSN coordinator to determine the prerequisites needed to begin the program in fall 2025. Cohorts who begin in 2025 and beyond will be required to work full-time at Hugh Chatham for two years post-graduation. For more information, contact Hugh Chatham Human Resources. 

About Hugh Chatham Health (www.hughchatham.org) 

Hugh Chatham Health is an independent, not-for-profit community health care network of physician clinics and an 81-bed acute care hospital that delivers high-quality, convenient healthcare to residents of the Yadkin Valley region of North Carolina. Employing more than 1,000 team members, Hugh Chatham Health includes a medical group with more than 70 providers across 24 locations. Headquartered in Elkin, North Carolina, Hugh Chatham has been nationally recognized for patient satisfaction, patient safety and clinical quality.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.

About the Department of Nursing

The Department of Nursing in Appalachian State University’s Beaver College of Health Sciences provides an evidence-based nursing education in an intellectually stimulating and challenging environment that is designed to prepare the beginning nursing professional with the knowledge and skills to practice in diverse settings in a highly complex health care system. The department offers two accredited Bachelor of Science programs: the nursing pre-licensure program and the online RN to BSN program, designed for current registered nurses seeking the bachelor’s degree. The department also offers a Master of Science in nursing program that prepares registered nurses for leadership roles as educators, and will begin offering a hybrid Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program in fall 2026. Learn more at https://nursing.appstate.edu.

 

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By Amanda Mlekush 

In December, the Beaver College of Health Sciences welcomed Dr. Adam Hege, associate professor of Public Health, as its associate dean for graduate education and research.

Hege will support the college’s nine graduate education programs and oversee expanding the college’s curriculum, interprofessional education, faculty research and grant writing. He will also work closely with the Appalachian Institute for Health and Wellness (App Well), including the From Here to Health journal and podcast. Hege succeeds Dr. Gary McCullough, who plans to return to his role as a professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences in fall 2025.

“Adam’s research and focus on rural health will be an asset to the college as we look to expand graduate opportunities for our students and address the need for more practitioners and leaders in our rural communities,” said Dr. Marie Huff, dean of the Beaver College of Health Sciences. “He has shown incredible leadership already in interprofessional education opportunities throughout the college and university and has been a catalyst in helping to grow and attain accreditation for our Public Health program and expand it to include a Master of Public Health program which started in 2023.” 

Hege, who is a first-generation college student, earned his bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training from UNC-Wilmington; an MS in sports studies from High Point University, a master of public administration (MPA) in public management from App State and his PhD in Community Health Education from UNC-Greensboro. 

Previously, Hege served as the undergraduate program director for the Public Health program at App State, and on the university’s Research Council, steering committee for the Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) and member of the Sustainability Council. Hege has received several college-wide awards, including Outstanding Faculty (2024); Interprofessional Champion (2020); and the Making a Difference Award (2018). 

He has led and supported securing $1.5 million in external research funding for App State, and authored/co-authored more than 50 articles in peer-reviewed journals and presented more than  50 times at various national, regional and state conferences. Hege's research focuses on understanding and addressing social determinants of health (i.e., occupational health, food security, access to care, etc.) utilizing community engagement and a mix of qualitative and quantitative research approaches.

In addition to his involvement at the university, Hege was recently elected to the Watauga County Board of Education and is a member of the Dogwood Health Trust Health Policy Research Consortium and Watauga Compassionate Community Initiative.

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By Amanda Mlekush

The Beaver College of Health Sciences is expanding its grants and contracts support team as the college continues to garner additional funding through its proposals to improve rural health and investigate health and wellness-related topics. Over the past five years, the college has doubled the amount of grants and awards it receives annually. 

For the past two academic years (2022-2024), the college has been awarded a total of $6.2 million in external grant submissions and awards, with notable grants of $1 million from AmeriCorps to establish the App State Public Health AmeriCorps program (header image shows a group of Public Health AmeriCorps workers outside Levine Hall; photo by Kyla Willoughby) and funding from BlueCross BlueShield North Carolina to expand Aging Well community outreach programs. The college is also working with the American Cancer Society, the NC Department of Health and Human Services, the National Athletic Training Association and the National Academies of Sciences. 

In January, Jason Gilmore joined the college as a Contracts and Grants coordinator to provide additional support for awardees, joining Jessica Donley Phillips, who began working as the college’s first Contracts and Grants manager in 2018. 

“The college is expanding its resources to support the success of our faculty and staff who are receiving research funding,” said Dr. Marie Huff, dean of the Beaver College of Health Sciences. “Our faculty, staff and students are doing some incredible and innovative research related to health and well-being, and we have been able to expand many community services and outreach with the increased funding, allowing us to reach even more people and have a positive impact on the health of the region and beyond.” 

The increasing amount of awards tremendously benefits our health science students, who are often involved in conducting research under faculty mentorship, said Dr. Adam Hege, associate dean of research and graduate education for the Beaver College of Health Sciences. 

“The increase in awards over the past several years, and being more strategic about our proposals, has allowed us to increase our likelihood of receiving funding to almost 50%,” he said. “Our students, from the undergraduate to the graduate level, work closely with faculty to conduct research and participate in community outreach and assessments and are directly benefiting from this expanded funding.” 

The Appalachian Institute for Health and Wellness (App Well), which is part of the Beaver College of Health Sciences, offers a number of community outreach for aging adults, children and caregivers, and is home to a robust research interdisciplinary support network. App Well offers research fellowship, associate and affiliate support, with 60 researchers from the university and community participating in its program. 

“App Well affiliated research faculty are studying an array of health-related topics, including the correlation between diet and chronic disease, economic justice, benefits of outdoor play for children, risk factors for suicide, autism and rural health considerations,” said Dr. Gavin Colquitt, executive director of App Well and affiliated researcher. “With a number of the community outreach programs offered through App Well, we are also actively engaged in securing grants and funding to ensure many of our community services are available for a low or no cost, making them accessible to individuals on a fixed income.” 

App Well offers free aging assessments, caregiver and healthy aging support and education through its Aging Well program; through its Growing Well programs, the institute offers Girls on the Run of the High Country, autism support through Camp Crinkleroot and a comprehensive program for parents with special health care needs with Parent 2 Parent of the High Country.

Introducing Grants and Contracts Coordinator Jason Gilmore 

Jason Gilmore joined the Beaver College of Health Sciences in January 2025 as a Contracts and Grants coordinator. Gilmore, along with Contracts and Grants Manager Jessica Donley Phillips, are available to assist college faculty and staff with managing the budget and compliance related to their proposals, grants and awards. 

In this role, Gilmore will manage the budget accounting of funding sources and reconciliation, and ensure compliance with policies and spending guidelines set by the university, state, federal and sponsoring organizations, working closely with the principal investigators of grants and managing budgets and compliance. 

Before coming to App State, Gilmore worked as an independent contractor assisting state and local governments with grants related to emergency management. In the past, he has worked with grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) on topics related to the coronavirus, emergency assistance and climate pollution.  

He holds training certifications from Grants.gov, FEMA and the US Treasury Portal.

Gilmore and his wife, Carolyn, moved to Boone in 2024 when Carolyn began working as an assistant professor in Rehabilitation Sciences.

“When Hurricane Helene hit, we realized the importance of being close to home since I often traveled in the Southeast as a consultant,” Gilmore said.  “I look forward to providing the faculty and staff with contracts and grants support that gives them more time and energy to focus on developing and executing their health and wellness instruction, research, and outreach."

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By Amanda Mlekush 

As an undergraduate student at App State majoring in Exercise Science, Jared Skinner remembers the impact and interest faculty showed him as he began his academic career. He says that faculty mentors guided him as he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Exercise Science from the university. 

In 2019 after earning his PhD from the University of Florida, Skinner returned to App State as an assistant professor in Exercise Science and said he hoped to mentor students and help them thrive, just as numerous faculty members helped him during his academic journey.

His knack for mentorship and making a difference encouraging students was recently recognized with the 2024 App State’s Excellence in Academic Advising Faculty Award. 

“I started as an undergraduate student here and fell in love with doing research, so I think–maybe some of my students will fall in love with conducting research too. I can see that tiny glimmer when they realize what they’ve accomplished, and they start to realize their own capabilities,” Skinner said. “Over the years, I experienced different mentoring styles so I have tried to take those components to create my own unique mentoring style.” 

(From left: students in the Locomotor Learning Lab are pictured with Dr. Jared Skinner (PHES) and Yosef. Photo submitted.)

Skinner offers students the opportunity to conduct research and work in clinical settings from working in the Locomotor Learning Lab using advanced technology to measure gait and balance and to participate in research and community support groups related to aging populations, particularly patients who have Parkinson’s disease.

Over the past three years, he has served as a mentor for 25 students presenting research at the university’s Student Research and Creative Endeavors poster competition, with several of those students presenting their research findings at regional and national conferences including the American College of Sports Medicine conference. He has also served as a thesis chair for 10 graduate students and 8 undergraduate honors students. 

Nominees wrote about the “passion Dr. Skinner has for teaching and cultivating younger minds,” and how he “holds his mentees to high standards and advocates on their behalf so that they may receive recognition for their work,” and how he creates a lab and learning space that “values critical thinking, determination, and curiosity.” 

Several staff members, including Callie Hutchens, Janice Koppenhaver and Hera Haas from the Beaver College of Health Sciences’ Office of Advising and Academic Success, have been recognized with the Undergraduate Advising Council’s professional advisor and student support staff awards; Skinner is the college’s first faculty member selected for the faculty advising recognition. 

“One of the notable aspects of Dr. Skinner’s work is the impact he has had on transfer students, who sometimes may feel challenged to develop a sense of belonging,” said Matt Crump, UAC awards committee chair and executive director of the Academic Advising Center in App State’s Walker College of Business. “Students credit Dr. Skinner with creating an inclusive environment that fosters critical thinking, determination, and curiosity and that his mentorship has helped transfer students find their footing and thrive. Many of his students have created research they were selected to present at national conferences, and even have published their research, and received recognition for their achievements—all thanks to his advocacy and support." 

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