With donor support, the ACCESS scholarship program is able to cover tuition, fees, room, board and health insurance for 180-200 students each semester. This allows students to focus on achieving their academic goals without the burden of finances.
With your generous financial support, ACCESS students can pursue their passions and make their dreams a reality. Currently, 80% of our ACCESS recipients identify as first-generation, and we know that these students are often not receiving support, financial or otherwise, from their families. Coming from low-income households, the odds may seem to be against this group – but in true Mountaineer Spirit, they are not defined by their level of need. While the national graduation average for students of this type is 11%, most recently, ACCESS students have a graduation rate of 84%.
This is not only a testimony to the power of scholarship support, but also to the driven dedication of our Mountaineers. Ultimately, ACCESS is an ecosystem of support and community, providing students with the resources they need to overcome the unique challenges they face. We invite you to be a part of that ecosystem by making a gift today. Please contact Michael Odom with questions about giving to ACCESS.
If you'd like to learn more about giving to Appalachian, please visit https://www.give.appstate.edu.
ACCESS Stories of Impact
Read about how the ACCESS Scholarship Program is making a difference in the lives of students.
Harriet Enzor
"Having someone believe in you and who is willing to donate money to you because they know that you can do something great is priceless to me. ACCESS is a promise that I'll graduate debt free. Appalachian gave me an opportunity to go to college; without the scholarship, I wouldn't be here."
Harriet Enzor, ACCESS Scholar
Read more about Harriet's experience with ACCESS Scholarship Program
Jessica Payne
"I cannot express how much of a burden has come off not only my shoulders, but my family's as well. It is because of you that I will have a college education. It is because of you that my future children will not have to purposely skip meals the way that I had to. And it is because of you that all of the animals that I plan to save using my degree will now have a home. I am forever grateful and so very appreciative of your generosity."
From a letter to the donor who funded her scholarship, Jessica Payne, ACCESS scholar
Read more about Jessica's experience with ACCESS Scholarship Program
Alyssa Rodriguez
"This 'Congratulations' package offered me an opportunity to learn, grow, and achieve something that I had never seen so clearly for myself before. This package was my ticket to a future that I had not even had the opportunity to dream of. I knew that no matter how my path changed, I would have those four years at Appalachian; to find myself, to decide my future, and to learn and grow along the way. This opportunity was (and is) unreal to me and I could not believe that I would be among those privileged enough to experience it."
Alyssa Rodriguez, ACCESS Scholar and Kenneth E. Peacock Spirit of ACCESS Award recipient
Read more about Alyssa's experience with ACCESS Scholarship Program