The best thing to discuss with prospective students and their parents is your Appalachian experience- things you enjoyed most about your time on campus and in the area, things you wish you had prepared for prior to arriving, how Appalachian helped prepare you for where you are now, etc. Keep your conversation positive, but realistic. If you’re speaking with an admitted student on the phone, walk them through their next steps: creating a First Connections Account online, submitting their acceptance agreement, and paying their deposit. If you’re speaking with prospective students, share with them general facts about the campus. Always ask if they have any questions you could answer.

Yes! Please avoid talking about conduct issues, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and other financial information. These topics may not be legally permissible to speak on with a student, since you are serving in an official capacity on behalf of Appalachian State University. Also, please do not guess on answers to questions or make up answers if you do not know them. It’s perfectly acceptable to explain to the student or their family that you are a volunteer, and you do not have access to information about official business related to admissions decisions or financial aid. If you do not know an answer to a question about campus or area resources, direct the student to their Appalachian Admissions Counselor, or volunteer to find out the answer and call the student back.

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Alumni can register for the MVP program in three ways. Click here for the full online registration form that can be submitted electronically. Please keep in mind that to register online, alumni must be members of the GoldBook, Appalachian's free online community for alumni. This extra step provides verification that all of our volunteers are alumni, and are registering themselves only. Click here for a registration PDF that can be printed, completed and mailed or faxed back to the Office of Alumni Affairs & Annual Giving. MVP volunteers can also call the McKinney Alumni Center at 1.866.756.2586 to register.

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The time commitment varies between MVP activities- Senior Seminar, Freshmen Move In, and Senior Sendoffs are one-day commitments of at least 2 hours. College fairs are a 4-8 hour time commitment for the fair itself, although some time will be spent with the Office of Admissions, receiving the necessary training to serve as a representative on behalf of the university. For Admitted Student Calls and High School Representative visits, the time commitment depends on the volunteer's level of involvement. Calling five students can be accomplished within the time-frame of one week, but volunteers might want to repeat the process several times. With High School representative visits, a long-term relationship should be established with the high school: volunteers should expect to be a contact person for at least one year.

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If you registered online, you should have received an e-mail confirmation thanking you for your interest in the program. Within 2 weeks of your registration and receipt of your signed confidentiality agreement, you will receive a packet of information, including talking points, Appalachian quick facts, things to do in Boone, and if you are an Admitted Student Caller, a list of students’ names and a contact feedback form.

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Because prospective student records may be confidential under NC State Law, your signing the confidentiality agreement ensure that your access to their contact information is limited to your duties as an official University volunteer. It guarantees that you will not release student contact information to any third party, including individuals, corporations, or other entities, even after you have completed your duties as a volunteer. Those who are uncomfortable signing the confidentiality agreement will not be able to participate in admitted student calling, but can volunteer for any other component of the MVP program.

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Absolutely, as long as they are an alumnus of Appalachian State and they complete the registration process, including signing the confidentiality agreement as needed. Any individual who has not completed the registration process cannot serve as a volunteer, as they would be considered a third party under the MVP confidentiality agreement.

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MVP volunteer opportunities are limited to alumni of Appalachian State because the purpose of the program is to share your unique Appalachian experience with prospective students. While many family members and friends have a strong affinity for Appalachian, the sharing of the App State story is best done by an alumnus.

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Don’t make up an answer if you don’t know- provide the student or their family with tips on how to navigate Appalachian’s website to find information on fields of study, financial aid, athletics and extracurricular activities. If the question is specific to registration or admission, direct them to their Admissions Counselor. A list of Admissions Counselors by area will be provided in your packet and is available at alumni.appstate.edu/MVP.

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Nine out of 10 students who attend Appalachian State live in North Carolina, and almost 90% of alumni also reside in this state. Limiting the scope of our program to North Carolina allows the vast majority of alumni to connect with the vast majority of admitted students- often students from the town or county where alumni volunteers grew up or now reside. As the MVP Program develops, inclusion of students outside of North Carolina, and the United States, is a possibility. If you feel strongly about contacting students outside of the state of North Carolina, please contact the Office of Alumni Affairs & Annual Giving at 1.866.756.ALUM. We will work with you to meet your request to the greatest degree possible.

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Appalachian’s Office of Admissions uses e-mails to communicate with prospective and admitted students, so MVP e-mails could get lost in the shuffle, or volunteers could be confused with employees of Appalachian. Phone calls offer a unique and personal opportunity for immediate dialogue. This is very important, since providing a personal connection between alumni and current students is the mission of the Mountaineer Volunteer Program.

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The MVP confidentiality agreement, Appalachian State University Quick Facts, Talking Points for MVP Calling, Talking Points for Things to do in Boone, and the MVP Contact Response Form can all be found here, in the Helpful Infomration for MVPs section.

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