Director
Rebecca Kappus, Ph.D. earned a B.S. in Biology from the University of Toledo (Toledo, Ohio) in 2004. She worked at the University of Michigan hospital until 2008 when she began her graduate work at Appalachian State, earning her M.S. in Exercise Science in 2010 and her Clinical Exercise Physiologist certification from the American College of Sports Medicine. Her doctoral work at the University of Illinois at Chicago focused on racial differences in oxidative stress and cardiovascular function. Dr. Kappus joined the faculty at Appalachian State University in the fall of 2015.
Current Graduate Students
Rhett Schimpf
Current Undergraduate Students
Former Students
Olivia McCallum (2023-2025, M.S. in Clinical Exercise Science, ACSM-CEP certified) - Atrium Health Inpatient Rehabilitation
Dylan Richard (2019-2021, M.S. in Exercise Science) - Clinical Research Specialist at Duke Molecular Physiology Institute
Matthew Canjar (2019-2021, B.S. in Exercise Science) - Serving as Military Intelligence Officer
Emma Frye (2018-2020, B.S. in Psychology) - Postbaccalaureate Research Trainee at the National Institute of Health (NIH)
Samantha Lew (2018-2019, B.S. in Exercise Science) - Drexel University's Doctorate in Physical Therapy program
Amaron Craig (2018-2019, B.S. in Exercise Science) - Physician Assistant school at Wingate University
Caroline Rushing (2018-2019, M.S. in Clinical Exercise Science) - Wake Forest Medical School (MD) 
Kaitlin McShea (2018-2019, M.S. in Clinical Exercise Science) - Clinical Project Manager II
Anna Ruth Carmichael (2016-2019, B.S. in Clinical Exercise Science, Honors College)
Jessica Yomano (2017-2018, M.S. in Nutrition) - Registered Dietician
Caroline Blackman (2015-2017, B.S. in Clinical Exercise Science) - Orthotics, Prosthetics & Pedorthics
