Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services

Promote a deeper understanding of Appalachia

Rhododendron Gardens Roan Mountain

Welcome to the Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, one of Tennessee's Distinguished Centers of Excellence.

 

The mission of the Center of Excellence is to promote a deeper understanding of Appalachia and to serve the region through research, education, preservation, and community engagement. The Center is part of the Department of Appalachian Studies and consists of four components:

REGIONAL RESOURCES INSTITUTE

The Regional Resources Institute (RRI) is the administrative and outreach arm of the Center. It oversees all aspects of governance and facilitates partnerships with ETSU departments and with community organizations to promote research about and service to the Appalachian region. The Center administers a number of major grant projects, including the Appalachian Collegiate Research Initiative (formerly called the Appalachian Teaching Project) funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission and the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Scientific Exploration of Tennessee Heritage. The RRI also publishes an online magazine, Appalachian Places: Stories from the Highlands, which publishes a wide range of content related to the Appalachian region and other mountain regions around the world. 

ARCHIVES OF APPALACHIA

The Archives of Appalachia is one of the premier institutions that collects the written words, images, and sounds that document life in southern Appalachia. The Archives' collections contain two miles of rare manuscripts, 250,000 photographs, 90,000 audio and moving image recordings, and 14,000 books. More than 2,000 visitors from ETSU and around the globe utilize our collections each year for scholarly and creative projects. Engaging students, faculty, scholars and the community, it advances lifelong learning and cultural understanding.

INSTITUTE FOR APPALACHIAN MUSIC AND CULTURE

The Institute for Appalachian Music and Culture was formed to highlight, preserve, and extend the rich and diverse music and cultural heritage of the unique Appalachian mountain region. The Institute encourages innovative research, scholarship, creative activity, and teaching that counters pervasive stereotypes about Appalachia, while revealing and celebrating the diverse cultures and musics of the region. The Institute also works to engage the University with communities in the region, stimulating the study and appreciation of Appalachian music and culture through fieldwork, public events, conferences, seminars, and other outreach programs.

REECE MUSEUM

The Reece Museum is an art and history museum with a diverse collection, including original art, prints, textiles, and artifacts. Named for U.S. Congressman B. Carroll Reece and formally dedicated in 1965, the Reece is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (one of thirteen such museums in Tennessee). It houses three galleries for temporary exhibits, along with a multipurpose space. The Reece hosts a wide range of exhibits, recent examples of which include:

  • The World Through a Woman's Eyes
  • The Overmountain Weaver's Guild
  • Local Art in the Age of the 2020 Global Pandemic
  • From an African American Perspective
  • Illustrating Dante's Divine Comedy
  • Appalachian Dream Machines: 20 Years of Art by JJ Cromer

 

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