EKU Appalachian Studies

Three EKU students presented on the impact of studying Appalachia at The Future of Possibilities Conference, hosted by Teach For America Appalachia. Katrina Grigsby, Hope Kerns, and Bee Wild did an excellent job, and we’re so excited to see what the future holds for these brilliant young people!

It’s been a busy and joyful week for us in Appalachian Studies. First up, we connected with our graduating seniors to celebrate the completion of the APP minor. Congratulations to Jorden Goff and Bee Wild!

We're excited to participate in the Future of Possibilities Conference later this month and talk about the importance of studying Appalachia!

☀️Speaker Spotlight☀️
Learn from current Eastern Kentucky University students about their experiences studying Appalachia through multiple disciplinary lenses and how that has impacted not only their current education, but the direction of their future careers. The program coordinator for Appalachian Studies at EKU will provide context for the discussion.

Sign up for the Futures of Possibility Conference to come experience this conversation!
📍Morehead, KY
📅 April 22, 2026
🔗 events.bizzabo.com/fopc

The Herstory Conference will take place TODAY (3/26) in Powell 219. If you're on campus, consider checking out Dr. Mack's Appalachian focused keynote and the excellent work of EKU students and faculty.

Excited to share a post from our friends at EKU Division of Natural Areas about "Wildflower Weekend" hosted by EKU's Center for Science & Environmental Education at Pine Mountain Settlement School on April 24-26. Check it out!

Join Pine Mountain Settlement School, Eastern Kentucky University, and Kentucky Natural Lands Trust for a weekend of botanical exploration and floral findings in the heart of the Appalachian mountains. Wildflower Weekend is a multi-day celebration of Appalachian botany, ecology, and conservation, bringing together scientists, educators, land stewards, and community members for guided hikes, talks, and hands-on learning experiences. While staying at the historic Pine Mountain Settlement School campus, you'll get the chance to explore the old-growth forests of Lilley-Cornett Woods, admire botanical treasures that lay within the James E. Bickford preserve, and learn all about regional plant conservation with botanical experts.
Register here: https://pmss.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/pmss/eventRegistration.jsp?event=632&

We're so proud of APP minor Kaleigh Adams!

We’re in the Ravine. Tree scavenger hunting, sketching, nature journaling, and prizes await you until noon!

Our friends in EKU Division of Natural Areas are hosting several great events in celebration of Tree Week, and we'll join them tomorrow, October 14 from 10:00 am until noon in the Ravine. We'll have a table for nature journaling, and we'll also be handing out APP stickers. Other activities include tree climbing and leaf sketching with Art students. The forecast looks great, so please take a break and check out the event.

EKU's own Dr. Amanda Green recently published a review of Crystal Wilkinson's Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts in As the Crow Flies, an open-access offering from Appalachian Journal. Check it out!

Review of Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts: Stories and Recipes from Five Generations of Black Country Cooks by Crystal Wilkinson Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts: Stories and Recipes from Five Generations of Black Country Cooks by Crystal Wilkinson (New York: Clarkson Potter, 2024) $30.00, hardcover. ISBN 9780593236512, 256 pp.

The CFP for the Appalachian Studies Association conference, which will take place at Marshall University in March 2026, is live!

The Call for Participation for ASA’s 49th conference is out! The conference will be here at Marshall University where ASA’s headquarters are located and we are thrilled to welcome our ASA community here to explore the theme Power of a Place, Power of Its People.
https://www.appalachianstudies.org/copy-of-48th-annual-conference