No abstract

Against a geographically isolated and economically — if not culturally — impoverished backdrop, brothers B.B. and D.D. Dougherty founded Watauga Academy, a forerunner of Appalachian State University, in 1899 to provide educational opportunity for the region. Its founding ethos reflected the character of its community: a self-reliant and self-sustaining institution with a pioneering and nimble spirit. From these humble beginnings, Appalachian State has emerged as a nationally-recognized regional university characterized by a commitment to sustainability and innovative education. It is an institution that appreciates a bootstrapping sensibility.