HICKORY, N.C. — City and educational leaders from across the foothills are meeting Tuesday about the future of Appalachian State University in Hickory.
The university hopes to open a campus in Hickory by 2023.
Channel 9′s Dave Faherty learned the university already has a building picked out for the expansion. It’s hoping that as many as a thousand students will fill this six-story building along Highway 321.
The university spent $1 million on the building and 30 acres of land after Corning Cable moved out. The building was first constructed in the 1960s.
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Hickory is currently the largest metropolitan area in the state without a state-funded university.
At Tuesday’s meeting, local businesses, as well as educational and community leaders, discussed what four-year degrees would be offered at the Appalachian State Hickory Campus.
“Perhaps something related to aviation or avionics. I’m sure that will be discussed. And also we have a tremendous need in this area also for education, maybe for teachers, maybe also something for nurses, something in the medical field,” said Mayor Hank Guess.
The state also recently contributed $9 million to the expansion.
>> In the video at the top of the page, Faherty has more details on what’s next before students can go to class.
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