Biography of Dr. Sheri N. Everts

Chancellor, Appalachian State University

Dr. Sheri N. Everts joined Appalachian State University as its seventh leader in July 2014. Previously, she had been provost and vice president for academic affairs at Illinois State University since 2008.

A Nebraska native who attended elementary school in a one-room schoolhouse, Everts graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1980 with a bachelor’s degree in English instruction and secondary education. After teaching middle school and high school English in Kansas and Nebraska, she returned to UNL, where she earned a master’s degree in literacy education and English (1991) and a doctorate in administration, curriculum and instruction (1994).

Everts began her higher education career in 1994 as an assistant professor in the Department of Teacher Education at the University of Nebraska Omaha. Rising through the academic and administrative ranks at UNO, she was named assistant vice chancellor for academic and student affairs in 2000, promoted to associate vice president in 2003, and named interim senior vice chancellor for academic and student affairs in 2006. She served in that interim capacity until June 30, 2008, when she left Nebraska to become provost and vice president for academic affairs at Illinois State University and also served as interim president at ISU.

In recommending Everts to the Board of Governors in March 2014, UNC President Tom Ross said, “Sheri Noren Everts brings to the task two decades of academic and leadership experience at highly respected public universities. At each step along the way, she has proven herself to be an energetic and effective leader who encourages creative problem-solving, promotes collaboration and inclusiveness, and demonstrates a passionate commitment to academic excellence and student success. She has also earned a reputation for great integrity, sound judgment, and a strong commitment to community engagement, outreach and partnership.”

Chancellor Everts spent her first year at Appalachian intently listening to faculty, students, staff, alumni and friends and using this invaluable input to begin moving forward together. Important accomplishments during the inaugural year include: hiring a new provost to lead Academic Affairs; strengthening and expanding prevention and education related to sexual assault, suicide prevention and drug abuse prevention; reallocating funds to achieve a merit salary pool increase for faculty; establishing the Faculty Club; initiating conversations about affordable housing for faculty and staff; hiring a new athletic director; broadening the Appalachian Energy Summit and deepening the university’s commitment to sustainability; completing the $200 million Campaign for Appalachian; and moving from conversations about diversity to action with one result being the admission of the most diverse first year class in university history.