News

Do you have an idea for a news story? We are always looking for new content to include in our newsletter and on our news webpage, and we welcome your input. If you’ve seen ORP programs in action and would like to share and showcase story ideas with us, email Elyssee Gibson and we will work together to spread the good news!

NC researchers discuss the potential of micro-credentialing for educators

June 29, 2026

https://www.ednc.org/researchers-discuss-the-potential-of-microcredentialing-for-educators/

Empower EDU: A Success Story of Practice, Convening, and a grant Culmination

June 25, 2026

On June 16 and 17, educators from all across North Carolina gathered at the Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, North Carolina, for the Micro-Credential Summit and inaugural Empower EDU conference. This event was hosted by Appalachian State University’s Office of Rural …

Academic Innovation Conference: Telling Our Stories

June 22, 2026

From Monday, June 8 to Wednesday, June 10, over 200 educators, administrators, and partners convened at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, in Asheville, NC, for the 2026 GEAR UP Academic Innovation Conference. This event was organized by Rachel Nave-Lewis and the …

Summer Sneak Peek

June 19, 2026

Summer programming is already in full swing at the Office of Rural Promise! Although the season has just started, we’re already busy with all kinds of activities and experiences for students. Take a look at the schedule below for a …

Advise NC Advisers Sharpen Skills with Inclusive Chainsaw Safety Training

June 11, 2026

On April 15 and 16, Appalachian State Advise NC Advisers gathered for a comprehensive chainsaw safety workshop designed to equip volunteers with the technical skills necessary for disaster recovery and community service. The two-day Beginner’s Chainsaw Safety 101 Workshop was …

An Advise NC adviser hangs a UNC Charlotte pennant on a bulletin board of other college penants.

Connecting students to opportunity: The state of college and career advising in North Carolina school districts

June 3, 2026

https://www.ednc.org/connecting-students-to-opportunity-the-state-of-college-and-career-advising-in-north-carolina-school-districts/

Financial Aid Champions Bring College Within Reach

May 15, 2026

https://www.cfnc.org/news/financial-aid-champions-bring-college-within-reach

Perspective | ‘Right where they belong’ begins in middle school

May 13, 2026

https://www.ednc.org/perspective-right-where-they-belong-begins-in-middle-school/

Upward Bound Turns International Aspirations into Reality for Rural Students

May 11, 2026

When the email arrived, Kacen Beers didn’t just read it. He ran. “I was at work, the second I got the email I started running around showing everyone,” said Beers, a senior at McDowell High School. “I cried a little …

ORP Executive Director Honored with Staff Excellence Award

April 29, 2026

Dr. James Beeler, Executive Director of the Office of Rural Promise (ORP), received a 2026 Staff Excellence Award, one of the university’s highest honors recognizing exceptional leadership, service, and impact at a university award ceremony on Tuesday, April 28. Dr. …

Empowering Teacher Learning Publishes First Micro-Credentials to Support Teacher Professional Development

April 28, 2026

BOONE, N.C. — Empowering Teacher Learning, part of the Office of Rural Promise, recently published their first round of nine micro-credentials to the platform Digital Promise. Micro-credentials are brief, targeted learning modules that allow teachers to expand their mastery of …

Nathaniel Surratt and Jacorian Logan pose with their families and support system from Freedom High School.

Burke County Best Friends Receive Full-Ride Scholarship

April 21, 2026

Two Freedom High School seniors will attend Appalachian State University in the fall on a four-year, full cost scholarship. The two seniors, Jacorian Logan and Nathaniel Surratt, are childhood best friends who “do everything together,” according to Burke County Next …

Latest Newsletters

Our email newsletter is sent quarterly and includes highlights and accomplishments of our Office of Rural Promise programs. To receive our newsletters, please complete the newsletter sign-up form.