Asheville Citizen-Times - Flags from 72 different countries waved from the rafters of Appalachian State University’s Holmes Convocation Center on Friday as Kenneth Peacock was sworn in as the school’s sixth chancellor.

The flags represented every country that has a presence on campus, whether it’s an exchange student, a professor or a study abroad program.

Students said they would like to see even more international flags flying on campus under the new chancellor’s leadership.

“I think it would be really great if this campus became more of an international campus,” said Shala Massey, a 19-year-old psychology and English major. “And I think that Peacock can do that. So far, he’s seemed like he’s really interested in what the students want, and that’s what we want.”

Creating a stronger international presence at Appalachian State is just one of many goals chancellor Peacock said he’d like to accomplish in the coming years.

“This is the dawning of a new day,” Peacock told the more than 1,000 students, faculty, politicians and local residents who attended the ceremony.

“What will this new day look like? This new day just may be the day we increase diversity on our campus and become known as the university where every person is respected, appreciated, embraced and prepared for leadership in their chosen profession.”

He said he also wants to update and build new facilities on campus and expand programs in areas such as health care and viticulture (the science of growing grapes for wine). He’d also like to create a professional science master’s degree program.

Peacock, a native North Carolinian and graduate of Mars Hill College, joined Appalachian State’s Walker College of Business in 1983, teaching undergraduate and graduate courses. He had served as dean of the college since 1992.

“His course is set for the betterment of humanity,” said Bud Baker Jr., retired chairman of Wachovia Corp. and one of several speakers who honored Peacock on Friday. “In Ken’s view, the world is still an oyster.”

Bringing more of the world to Boone is exactly what many students at Appalachian State want from their new chancellor, said Marvin Williamsen, associate vice chancellor of international programs and a professor of Chinese history. He said he’s confident that Peacock, who has already developed a successful partnership between Appalachian State and Fudan University in Shanghai, China, will do just that.

“Given our isolation in this beautiful place, without a great international community and without large numbers of international corporations and no sea port and no airport,” Williamsen said, “it’s pretty remarkable that our students are so highly motivated and anxious to get out and learn the world.