Overlooked in Appalachia Bids Farewell to Spring Graduates

A chapter is closing for the Spring 2026 cohort of Overlooked in Appalachia graduates. Fifteen students are turning their tassels as they say farewell to an organization many of them have called home for the past two years. This cohort includes executive members, support staff and longtime contributors.

Many of these students were recognized at the 2026 inaugural Ridgecrest Awards on April 20. Each graduate received an honorary cord, a custom OIA jar with notes of gratitude inside, a certificate and a button, symbolizing their induction into Overlooked in Appalachia's Legacy Circle.

Faith Vance served as the Executive Director of Overlooked in Appalachia and the athletics editor for East Tennessean. A former intern at WJHL, she also served as an anchor for BucNews. She has contributed many stories to Overlooked, with “Country Thunder” being

one of the top-performing stories on the website of all time. Vance has been a driving force throughout Overlooked’s transformative rebrand.

Javiera Cotapos, born in Chile, is the former Managing Editor of Overlooked in Appalachia and the East Tennessean Editorial and Arts and Entertainment Editor for the last two years. Cotapos was a major part of the organization during its rebrand transformation.

Raylee McKenzie will graduate with a Media and Communication and an English degree. She has been a writer, photographer and served as Special Projects Editor for Overlooked in Appalachia. She is a passionate advocate for social justice and served as co-chair for Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) from 2024-2025 at ETSU.

ShelC’ Black is a Media and Communication major with a double minor in advertising and digital marketing, and she was recently promoted to marketing and communications coordinator for the Johnson City Chamber of Commerce. She also serves as the VP of Communications for ETSU’s chapter of the American Marketing Association. In the fall, she will return to ETSU to begin her master’s in Brand and Media Strategy.

Jordan Bond is a Media and Communication major with a passion for the arts, a talented photographer and an advocate for LGBTQ+ students. Bond served as a longstanding contributor for Overlooked in Appalachia.

Kelsey Guy is a Media and Communication major with a creative writing minor. She has served as an Editor and Copy editor for Overlooked in Appalachia and is considering a career in public relations.

Brian Disoso has a great passion for journalism. A former U.S. Army Veteran, He is a writer for both Overlooked in Appalachia and the East Tennessean. He will pursue a master’s in Brand and Media Strategy at ETSU in the fall.

Jannon Glaspie served as the Event Coordinator for Overlooked in Appalachia, where she led several groundbreaking initiatives for the organization. Notable achievements include a service project aimed at assisting children in need and the inaugural Ridgecrest Awards, which was a major success. Throughout her time with Overlooked, Glaspie also contributed numerous written pieces.

Julius Toto is a Media and Communication major, Buc Sports contributor and Overlooked in Appalachia writer and copyeditor. He hopes to become a sports anchor, journalist or analyst.

Kellsie Hicks is a Media and Communication major with a minor in art. She is an experienced photographer, photo editor and contributor for

Overlooked in Appalachia.

Grace Cowden is a Media and Communication major with a concentration in PR and Advertising, and a minor in brewing and distillation. She is a contributor to Overlooked in Appalachia

Alyssa Ross loves the great outdoors. She is a Media and Communication major, ETSU Majorette, former TRIO tutor and Overlooked contributor.

William Odle is ETSU’s unofficial weatherman. You can find him on social media as snowdle or BucNews, sharing his insights. When he’s not tracking the latest storm, he’s focused on sports. He has also served as the assistant to ETSU’s football head coach.

Braden Holly, a Media and Communication major and Sports Management minor, is an anchor with the recently revived BucNews and best known for

breaking the news that Country Thunder wouldn’t return to East Tennessee, beating all the regional news media.

Macy Balthrop is a Media and Communication major and an experienced sports photographer, and hopes to become a women’s sports sideline reporter.

Overlooked in Appalachia is committed to fostering strong connections for alumni far beyond graduation. The organization serves as a hub for students, contributors and community members alike.

Congratulations, graduates!