BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State University’s Cratis D. Williams School of Graduate Studies has announced the recipients of their 2025–26 awards. The recipients were honored at the Williams School of Graduate Studies Faculty and Student Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.
The Outstanding Thesis Award recognizes outstanding scholarly activity by students who have completed Master’s theses in the previous calendar year. The recognition is awarded in three categories: 1) social science, business and education, 2) arts and humanities or 3) science and technology.
Katie Rodriguez ’25, alumna of the Appalachian Studies graduate program, received the award in the arts and humanities category for her thesis, titled “Beyond Boundaries: Reframing the Archaeology of the Native New River.” Rodriguez’s research was advised by Dr. Alice Wright, associate professor in the Department of Anthropology.
Rodriguez’s nominator wrote, “Katie is only one of a couple scholars currently working to integrate Appalachian studies and anthropological archaeology. Katie’s thesis puts her at the cutting edge of this discourse.” Another recommender stated, “From my perspective as a scholar of Appalachian studies, Katie’s work is incredibly important to the multi-disciplinary field, as it broadens the base of knowledge about Indigenous presence and settlement patterns in the region.”
In her thesis, Rodriguez calls attention to what is important to all of us living and working in Appalachia: “…this place we call home is beautiful, bountiful, and meaningful. All of this was also true for the Indigenous who knew this place as their home.” A nominator remarked, “In a disciplinary field that is focused on place-based meaning and knowledge, Katie’s thesis takes this concept beyond the historical record, allowing the diverse populations that were in Appalachia long before European contact to finally have a voice.”
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About Graduate Education at App State
Appalachian State University’s Williams School of Graduate Studies helps individuals reach the next level in their career advancement and preparedness. The school offers 80 graduate degree and certificate programs — both in person and online — in a range of disciplines, including doctoral programs in education (EdD) and psychology (PsyD). The graduate school enrolls nearly 2,000 students. Learn more at graduate.appstate.edu.
By Lauren Gibbs
April 14, 2026
BOONE, N.C.