The region of Appalachia encompasses a geographic area that stretches from New York to Alabama, composed of parts of thirteen states; West Virginia is the only state that is located completely within this geographic area. The Appalachian Studies Program at Shepherd University seeks to critically examine this region through a series of interrelated programs, all dedicated to a richer and fuller understanding of the region, its language, its lore, its history, and its cultural traditions: the Appalachian Heritage Writer-in-Residence Project, the West Virginia Fiction Competition, the annual Anthology of Appalachian Writers, the Appalachian Heritage Festival, and the interdisciplinary Appalachian Studies Minor.
Your assistance is needed now more than ever to support the unique opportunities provided by the Appalachian Studies and related programs.
Thank you for your generous support of the Appalachian Studies program!
