Last Updated on September 17, 2026 8:19 am
First-year, first-generation students at Appalachian State University received new laptops on Aug. 27, when the university and nonprofit computer refurbisher E2D (Eliminate the Digital Divide) distributed 200 devices at Plemmons Student Union on the Boone campus. The distribution served eligible students across the Boone, Hickory and App State Online campuses.
Since 2022, App State's Information Technology Services (ITS) has partnered with E2D, with the university donating nearly 3,000 devices to the Charlotte-based nonprofit, including 1,100 that have been refurbished and distributed in Watauga County. For the Aug. 27 distribution, ITS partnered with the Office of Student Success to bring refurbished devices back to campus, with the 200 laptops distributed to North Carolina residents.
“Because we’ve been such a big contributor to E2D, they have been looking to deepen their connection with the student population at App State, exploring specifically how they can support students in their first year who may be facing challenges accessing technology,” said Dr. Shernita Lee, associate vice provost for student success. “We’re excited that the devices we’ve contributed are being repurposed and distributed to our students. It’s a full-circle moment that directly supports their success.”
E2D worked with App State to identify students eligible to receive a laptop. At the distribution event, staff from each organization were on hand to meet the students, assist with laptop setup and answer questions about the new devices.
“We never want technology to be the hindrance that keeps students from getting the education they’re seeking,” said Megan Foster, E2D communication and marketing manager. “To do something really impactful for students and to take some burden off of them and their families can be life-changing.”
For Princess Padilla Guevara, a first-year psychology major from Clayton, her laptop is more than just hardware.
“As a first-generation student, I’ve already had so much support from App State, and receiving this laptop will help me with my academics, which will in turn help me in my future,” she said. “It definitely elevates the excitement of being a Mountaineer, and I feel like an even bigger part of the community now.”
Kyah Hornburg-Ortiz, an elementary education major from Winston-Salem who also received a laptop, noted the importance of technology in today’s classrooms.
“A lot of class assignments are online now, so having this technology on hand is so important, and to not have to worry about the cost is extremely helpful,” she said. “Nobody in my family has experienced going to college, so this is really meaningful to me, and it will help me earn a degree that I’m so excited for.”
App State's partnership with E2D not only supports families across the state but also helps reduce electronic waste. According to ITS, the university remains one of the largest contributors to e-waste reduction in the University of North Carolina System.
“Prior to this process of donating computers, we were sending them to surplus with no way of knowing where they were going or how they were being used,” said Tom McDonnell, director of App State IT Support Services. “Now we have seen firsthand how E2D is achieving their goal of eliminating the digital divide and directly benefiting students here at App State.”
