BOONE, N.C. — Jeff Chesson graduated from Appalachian State in 1977 — or roughly three decades before sons Adam and Matthew earned their App State degrees.
Jeff and his wife, Pat, recently contributed a gift to A Mountaineer Impact, A Drive for Excellence. They set up a scholarship endowment to assist student-athletes in all sports.
"Pat and I chose to establish this scholarship to help leave a legacy for our sons and grandchildren to follow," Jeff said. "We want them to remain a part of the University long after we're gone."
The Chessons believe it is important to give back to your alma mater and hope the Chesson Family Scholarship will assist the next generation of the Appalachian Family.
The Chessons live in Jeff's eastern North Carolina hometown of Wilson, where he is the President of The Chesson Agency and Chesson Property Management.
Growing up, Jeff's family spent a lot of time at North Carolina beaches, and those experiences influenced his decision to try something different by attending App State in the N.C. mountains. Jeff joined the men's soccer team as a walk-on, and the Mountaineers were a title-winning powerhouse during his four years at Appalachian.
"The guys I played with were far, far better than me," he said with a laugh.
As a student at App State in the 1970s, Jeff held jobs washing dishes, working at Edelweiss Ski Shop and delivering food for the Yogi's Sub Shop owned by Tommy Sofield. Jeff returned home to Wilson to work with his father following graduation.
Jeff and Pat reconnected with Appalachian when their sons attended the university, with Adam graduating in 2005 and Matthew graduating two years later. At home football games in Boone, you can find Jeff and his family at their on-campus tailgating spot just below Eggers Dorm.
"All your friends are back," Jeff said, "and it's really great."
A Mountaineer Impact, A Drive For Excellence is a vision of Appalachian State Athletics to provide resources for identified funding needs of more than $60 million. Comprehensive in nature, the initiative is designed to impact every Mountaineer student-athlete and sports program. A Mountaineer Impact, A Drive for Excellence will construct and enhance athletic facilities, provide critical scholarship support and affect the overall athletic experience for student-athletes and fans while strengthening the campus and community. To make a gift in support of A Mountaineer Impact today, contact
Suzette Mauney, Assistant Athletic Director for Development at
828-262-3108 or visit
www.appstatesports.com.
