Appalachian State University has over 300 clubs and organizations, but only one of them has the privilege of working with the Office of International Education and Development. Introducing, International Appalachian.
International Appalachian, otherwise known as INTAPP, is a student led organization committed to diversifying the Appalachian State campus and the community of Boone as a whole.
According to their website, INTAPP is "an organization that seeks to increase international understanding and direct involvement with other cultures and countries at Appalachian State University and the entire state of North Carolina by providing a leadership outlet for internationally focused students."
Thanks to INTAPP and OIED, Appalachian State is ranked fourth in the nation based on numbers of students sent abroad.
“Every fall semester, around one hundred students from across the world come to Appalachian to study for a semester, sometimes even up to four years," says Alice Albl, who is a member of the public relations committee for INTAPP, "depending on what program they’re in, they can possibly stay in Boone for graduate school.”
INTAPP’s three goals are to attract more international students to Appalachian, to encourage more domestic students studying abroad, and to promote interaction between International Students and American students, while also promoting internationalization at Appalachian.
Last week, Nov. 16th-20th, was International Education Week. On Monday, they held a Global Perspectives Panel, where a group of international students discussed their home countries and how America has affected their views, morals, and lives in general. On Friday, they held “Culture Crawl” which was a free two hour event where international students, internationally focused clubs on campus, and organizations in the Boone community came together to put on various performances as a way to share their culture with students on Appalachian’s campus. INTAPP also holds the Coffee Buzz 5K every year to raise money for the Landon Hill Memorial Scholarship. Landon Hill was an Appalachian student, and a member of INAPP, who passed away while studying abroad in Spain in the fall semester of 2011. Every year, the scholarship goes to an Appalachian student who is planning to study abroad.
If you would like to join this awesome and successful organization, recruitment begins in the spring. There is an online application you have print out and turn in to the INTAPP office, which is located in room 205 in Plemmons Student Union. Then, the interview process begins. For more information about INTAPP, visit their website.
