TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE PAGE | EDITOR'S NOTE 3 FALL a WINTER 7 SPRING 128 PEOPLE 124 NBs £31 STAFF 269 IX Bl =4 2/3 eX-pan-sion \ik-’span(t)-shan\ noun ‘the act of becoming bigger or of making something bigger: the act of expanding ee | PAN SION The Buccaneer 2015 East Carolina University 205-A Self Help Building Greenville, NC 27858 252.328.9236 ATOR LE FTI ita a EP PTY TERRE LEMT? POGELS 222 : : ; | a i : t srr pare: Jem a hotography By: Garrett Campbell a © ro) oD) = Cc a ®O oO 1S = i¢p) oe Sas > ES) ED) oO Oo = SQ vo EBS = = = WY 2 a a) fo) a =) = oo 8 & LU =m ee Sco eal cc (a) fe) £ £ ° [e) a fea) Lo = fs © ae a @ e a o = fo) ® aS: ~ ae) O 5 LW oO PS s i) ~— Oo ® > D — , > Oo > $s © fe oO 1) = Y Ke) O rm) oy = > = — oO =) © Oo no _ o D oD) (o) & 2 = x = oO oy cS al © ® s — — mag = s icp) v oo iat Po’ eS © 3 = c © & Ze28 n © & LU = ki Oo ee: Fe ® © = sc = Ro) = D is = Oo He. a) s © Photography By II Ee ES Sc BEE BEG See EE i PIRATES IN TRAINING New students were formally welcomed to campus at Convocation A new group of freshmen and transfer students were immersed into the culture of East Carolina University at the New Student Welcome and Convocation. Thousands of students gathered at Minges Coliseum to hear Chancellor Ballard and keynote speaker Carlester Crumpler Jr., a former ECU football player and current vice president of Bank of America, give presentations. Studentsappearedtobeboth inspired and motivated by the influential speakers who spoke on topics relevant to today’s college student such as community, tradition and service. Freshman Lily Faulconer was personally motivated when she came to the realization that, “[College is about] knowing what you want and being ‘undaunted’ when pursuing your passions and following your dreams.” Merriam-Webster defines community as a unified body of individuals. Every student at ECU comes from a uniquely different background which creates the diverse community oncampus. For the first time, all freshmen and transfer students were united under one roof during Convocation. “IConvocation] made me feel part of a community because we» were. sharing similar experiences as the new kids on campus, Faulconer described. Freshman Gracie Hearne made new friends at Convocation as she said, “| was able to meet and start conversations with new people.” She added. “[Having] all of the freshman under one roof was really awesome.” Freshmen were not the only new kids on campus, however. Students who began their post-secondary career elsewhere and transferred to ECU had to learn the ropes of Pirate Nation as well. Transfer student Toni-Lynn Ward was excited about the upcoming school year, “[Convocation is] a_ really awesome experience to feed off of everyone else’s excitement and to get yourself more pumped up.’ ECU’s motto is Servire, when translated in Latin it meant service. During the presentations, students were encouraged continue the legacy of the university’s motto Servire by serving as often as possible. “We heard about the importance of serving [one’s] self and others,” Faulconer recalled. Every community has its own distinctive traditions and ECU surely does not disappoint in that category. New students were first introduced to the university's traditionalsongsand cheers during summer orientation but were reminded once more during Convocation. Faulconer explained that, “The athletics department reminded us of ‘No Quarter, and the freshman class led the Purple and Gold chant.” Ward described what it felt like to be at ECU. “It really feels like home here,’ she said. She was excited to meet new people and do as much as she could during her time at ECU. Faulconer summed up by saying what most Pirates would in response to being a student at ECU as she commented, “There is no better place to be then [in] the heart of Pirate Nation!” Article By: Kelley Pressey “[Convocation] made me feel part of a community because we were sharing similar experlences as the new kids on Campus, -Lily Faulconer, Freshman 9 Pirates In cain A FAMILY REUNITED The 14th annual Pirate Palooza welcomed students back to Pirate Nation Pirate Palooza, a timeless ECU tradition, welcomed new and old Pirates back before the fall semester began. Students headed down to the event at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium on Aug. 25, 2014, from 6-9 p.m. for a night defined by its abundance of free things. Walking through Gate 6 of Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, students were able to enjoy a multitude of tables full of different activities including, but not limited to, airbrush tattoos, photo booths and an eye patch decorating station. “| loved making the eye patches!” shared sophomore Jenny Cahoon while showing off her puffy paint decorated eye patch. “Who knows- | might even wear it on game day!” added Cahoon. Among the activity tables were also businesses and organizations handing out free cups, bags, sunglasses, pens, water bottles and other promotional items. Thanks to Aramark Catering Services, students were able to enjoy a savory and grilled tailgate meal. “They were just handing out burgers and dogs! It was so awesome!” sophomore Morgan Hudson exclaimed. Hudson backed up her excitement by explaining, “College students love free food.” The student body was highly encouraged by Student Affairs to share their experiences and pictures via social media with a live Twitter feed on the scoreboard displaying tweets with the hashtag #ECUPalooza. Article By: Kelley Pressey The ECU football players weren’t the only ones who were allowed on Bagwell Field during the Palooza. Given the crowded nature of the concourse, students were allowed to walk out onto the field and enjoy recreational activities. Students like sophomore Samantha Easton had a blast with the variety of inflatables. Easton enjoyed the three-lane bungee race the most. There were also slam-dunk basketball hoops, an all-in- One sports zone and a giant obstacle course. Students could also put their fear of heights to the test on a rock wall ran by the ROTC. After jumping around on inflatables and climbing the rock wall, elated and satisfied students were presented with a ticket redeemable for a Pirate Palooza t-shirt. For the Pirates who preferred to relax and observe, they sat on the field or in the stands and listened to their fellow pirates sing out songs ranging from Journey's “Don’t Stop Believin’” to Beyoncé's “Single Ladies” during live band karaoke. In the midst of an approaching first day of classes, students held on to the last days of summer and relaxation among new and old friends. “There are a lot of different people here” freshman, Noah Johnson explained. “But it definitely [is] one thing | will not miss next year!” The Pirate Palooza remains one of the university’s valued traditions as it continues year after year to welcome students back to Pirate Nation. Bottom Left: Students line up to play a game to win a free t-shirt at Pirate Palooza. Bottom Right: Students line up for Pirate Palooza an hour before the event started. Top: Many students from the Freshmen Convocation event line up for Pirate Palooza. Photography By: Courtney Tittus 11 A Family Reunite HOME | AWAY FROM HOME Families visited their Pirates for a fun-filled weekend : ECU and the Office of Parent and Family Programs kicked off the new school Family VVeekend year and football season by inviting families to join the university for a weekend full of Pirate infused fun. Complete with activities both on and off allowed students Campus, students were able to show off the community where they lived. to reconnect with There were a variety of activities that students and their families could participate in over the three days on campus. their families After checking in on Friday, some families kayaked and canoed down : the Tar River with the help of the student recreation staff. Other families + whom they only opted for mini-lectures on the history of ECU and different leadership opportunities on campus. got fo see during Hosted by “Uptown” Greenville, Freeboot Friday, was one event that families didn’t want to miss during their weekend in Greenville. Consisting academic breaks of live music, local restaurant food and activities for children, families spent valuable time together in the heart of the uptown district. Or short [rl/ps back The ECU Marching Pirates and ECU Dance Team also lead a pep rally to pump up families for the ECU football home opener the next day. home. The fun-filled weekend continued on Saturday with another Opportunity for canoeing and kayaking. Throughout the weekend, Mendenhall Student Center offered movies and free bowling and billiards. Parents of potential fraternity and sorority members learned more about ECU Greek life du ring a special Greek Life convocation. The most anticipated event for families was the Pirate Family Pre-game Tailgate followed by the 2014 ECU football game home opener. Families tailgated with live music and a buffet meal then headed down to Dowdy- Ficklen Stadium for the family weekend football game. ECU played North Carolina Central University as an exciting first football game and first win of the season. For Daniel Pilgreen, family weekend has been a tradition for him and his family. “Every year [my family and |] get together and all go see the n game.’ Pilgreen explained. Pirates and their families rounded up the weekend with the Pirate Family Sunday Brunch atTodd and West End Dining halls. Families were also encouraged to explore Greenville. Justin Wilson explained, “ My family enjoyed all of local shops and restaurants. Wilson added that he loved simply hanging out with his younger brother on campus. “My little brother is only eight so we bowled and had fun just being together,’ Wilson said. ; Family Weekend allowed students to reconnect with their families whom they only got to see during academic breaks or short trips back home. All in all, the annual beginning of the year event showed families a glimpse of life as an ECU Pirate. Article By: Kelley Pressey Top Left: Family Weekend brought a lot of Pirate fans together in celebration of the start of the football season. Tailgaters went all out with food and decorations to show their pirate pride. Top Right: Friends tailgate together by playing corn hole before watching the football game. Bottom: East Carolina Alums tailgate together before the first Pirate’s game of the season. Photography By: Amber Heere—MacLeod weiss eee = Kelly Corn and Sydney Turner pose for a picture Photography Courtesy of Chi'Omega * Pi, * . _ - Chi Omega had a unique way of revealing Bigs to their Littles. After intensely waiting around in the backyard of the Chi Omega Sorority house, new members were escorted inside where they found a balloon with their name written on it. They were instructed to pop a balloon, read the note inside which contained the name of their Big, and then proceed Sisterly love expressed in annual tradition “\ couple days after this process | found out Kelly was going to be my Little” said Turner. “| was so excited because | knew after connecting so well | wanted her to be my Little.” However, Turner struggled with keeping this process a secret from Corn and eventually had to lie to her by saying she wasn’t her big. But when Corn found this was all a lie, she said, to run to the front yard where their Big “I practically attacked Syd because awaited them. For Chi Omega’s freshman Kelly Corn and sophomore Sydney Turner, this day was sentimental, exciting and definitely worth the wait. During recruitment week, Corn developed a “rush crush” on Turner, and after Bid Day she immediately knew that was who she wanted her to be her Big. It was only fitting that both blonde hair, blue eyed, natives of Greensboro, NC, ended up as a Big/Little pair. But aside from their looks and hometown, the two have a sense of humor that was incredibly similar, gave great advice to one another and already proved they would be there for each other through thick and thin. For Chi Omega, the pairing of Big and Little was a three week process in which every week new members were paired up with an older sister called an “owl pal.’ After the owl pals spent time with the new members, the pairing process began, and new members were required to make a list of their potential Bigs based upon their personal connection among the sisters. was so excited!” As if this day wasn’t special enough, Littles received anonymous gifts from their Big all week long. Examples of gifts that given were Chi Omega letter t-shirts, candy, canvases, picture frames, owl items and other cute things the Little would love. As a member of the “dirty Shirley family” within Chi Omega, Turner had a strong relationship with her own Big, which made her even more excited to have a Little. She couldn’t wait to have a sorority family of her own. “So far | absolutely love being a Big, | have now gained a best friend and become a role model” said Turner. Corn spoke highly of Turner as she said, “Syd is one sister | know | can go to about anything. If | have a stupid question or | just need to vent someone who understand what is going on in my life, | can. And Sydney is someone who can be serious but can also have fun at the same time” Sisters like Kelly Corn and Sydney Turner demonstrate sweet friendships that can only be formed through the bond of sisterhood. Article By: Kendall Schewitz “I was so excited because | knew after connecting so well | wanted her to be my Little.” -Sydney Turner, Sophomore 15 Big Little — Left: Haley Banks, an ECU student, poses for a picture in front of the Middle: Choosing to study abroad while in college can openapersonu and allow someone to experience and see once in a life Bonaparte in Paris, France. Right: One of the most iconic landmarks, The Eiffel Tower is just one of the many attractions that Haley Banks had to opportunity to see while studying abroad in Paris, France. Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. p to many new opportunities time things like the tomb of Napoleon Photography Courtesy Of Haley Banks & Amber Jones bi aE i aA i, i. a adi es 2 mat sn ables 28 aR create Fe ’ HEIGHTS Pirate Haley Banks explored French culture to finish her degree the small town of La Garenne-Colombes. Her daily commute to school was close to an hour every day. “First, | have to walk 10-15 minutes to the train station,’ Banks described, adding, < r . 7) b a 4, . , 4 ® ’ a ay A 1 Lj ay Fi ™ A , MR Bp so F ‘ re ’ “ * rt P, “It is truly amazing,’ said ECU study abroad student Haley Banks about her experience in Paris, France. This Pirate inhabited the city of Paris during her final semester with the university during the fall of 2014. Banks only needed 15 more credit hours to graduate with a French minor, so when she found out she could study abroad and complete those credit hours, her decision to study abroad was made easier. “Where better to learn French than in the beautiful city of Paris?” she remarked. Banks’ love for the French culture and language began during her middle school years when she took her first French class in sixth grade and visited the country for the first time in eighth grade. Banks studied at the French University of La Sorbonne through a program at UNCW. She was still considered a full-time ECU student, however. Her classes at La Sorbonne were designed specifically for international students. “Most students are from the United States,’ Banks explained. She noted that there were some students from other countries like Germany, Sweden, China and England. Banks added that, “Ithe classes] are very small, [so] the professor knew usall by name by the second day of class.” a | This Pirate wasn’t new to traveling abroad. have been privileged to travel to many different places with my family growing up... [foreign travel] isn’t foreign to me,’ Banks explained. Her grandmother was a German native who married an American man and moved to the United States in her teenage years. All of her grandmother's family lived in Germany, so over the years Banks and her family made numerous trips there. In Paris Banks lived with a host family in “chance of a lifetime “1 have to take the train, then the metro then the RER to get to class.” The RER was a public transit system that served the city of Paris and its suburbs. By using her Carte Navigo, Banks had unlimited access to the metro, RER, trains and buses. “! have found that | really like the metro because it allows me to get to places easily in such a big city,’ Banks said. One of her favorite memories from studying abroad were the local musicians that filled the metro stations with their singing and instruments. “It makes me very happy to hear beautiful sounding music while walking through a metro station,’ Banks described. Though she minored in French, the hardest thing for Banks to adjust to while studying in France was surprisingly the language. “Yes, | have taken French for nine years, but actually being inthe native country is so much different,’ she admitted. With their speed and strong accent, Banks had a hard time understanding what the French natives were saying. “It just takes a lot of practice and | have already improved so much after.a short time because [in France] | am constantly immersed in the language,’ Banks pointed out. Even though she mostly missed her family, boyfriend and Bojangles’, she said students should study abroad because it was the \" Ultimately, studying abroad allowed Banks to growasapersonandasaworldcitizen. Shesaid, “Paris is challenging and strengthening me in every way... I’m basically being transformed into a French person.” Article By: Kelley Pressey 17 Discovering New a Top: Residents of Aycock Hall walk beside a fire truck for their entrance into the King & Queen of the Halls spirit competition. Bottom Left: Freshmen residents Tatyana Allison, athletic training major, Keyia Freeman, nursing major, and Ally Ronayne, nursing major, take a break from playing games at King & Queen of the Halls. Bottom Middle: Freshmen Daneshia Slade, athletic training major, wears the crown that the girls of Jones Hall won at King & Queen of the Halls. Bottom Right: Senior Tia Taylor, finance major, competes in the limbo competition as a resident of Scott Hall. Photography By: Courtney Tittus OYALTY New games and a bigger crowd meant exponential growth With ECU welcoming about 22,000 undergraduate students, the largest undergraduate class inthe university's history, during the 2014-2015 academic year, the annual King and Queen of the Halls event saw its largest crowd ever. The crowd was not the only growth the event had. New games, activities and competitions also accompanied the large number of people who attended the yearly university event. On Sept. 11, 2014, hundreds of students living in the residence halls gathered at the bottom of College Hill for the 27th annual King and Queen of the Halls event. Police cars escorted each residence hall to the event, which gave each hall a grand entrance. However, the police escort grand entrance is a newer tradition. Since 1987 the Student Recreation Center has put together “King and Queen of the Halls” This event is not only is prime for meeting new people but it is an opportunity to break the awkwardness with new friends and take a break from schoolwork. At first this event was only for residents living on College Hill, but in an attempt to strengthen the community at the university, residents living on Central Campus and West End eventually were invited to participate in the event. Freshman Elizabeth Pirrone said, “Getting to ride down the Hill in a cop car with my residence advisor and other girls in my dorm was my favorite part.” As the event has grown, police escorts have been put in place to control the massive amount of traffic on College Hill and around campus during the event. Students played a variety of games, which included corn hole, a slip ‘n’ slide, flag grab and football and basketball throws. In between games throngs of students danced and limboed to music put on by a DJ. Junior Chelsea Fried saw the event grow over the three years she was an RA. Fried said, “It is so cool to see how much bigger the event gets every year and how they try to make it fun for everyone.” For the first eight years the spirit competition was not held, but in 1996 it was implemented to make the event more fun and engaging. For the 27th Annual SRC King and Queen of the Halls event, Jones Residence Hall reigned over all and won the most spirited residence hall and King and Queen of the Halls. Article By: Kendall Schewitz 19 Resident oT oN CL FO Ee MPs DS MM BES En. BBY 0.4 Hdl iii amma Hands-on experience drew students to the School of Interior Design program The School of Interior Design provided students opportunities to explore the real world of design with client projects and other means of solving design challenges. “East Carolina does a great job teaching the students that interior design is way more than just picking out furniture and pillows but more about creating a beautiful space from the inside out.” stated senior, Interior Design Major, Garrett Warrick. In 2014, interior design students were given a two-stage project, a developer stage and a client stage, to complete before graduating. Warrick used his ingenuity talents to create an apartment complex that would’be used by a developer to bring older couples into the Greenville area. The entire complex was able to be effectively used by anyoné regardless of his or her physical abilities. For the first stage of the projeét, the students developed a “building footprint” and | he sq t needed for each S , We 2 Dudget friendly selections and not go over the top in any part of our design.” The second stage of the project was that the students were given a client who was purchasing a unit and interested in using their services to design and upgrade their space. “Since we have not graduated, the clients are of course fictitious; however, the profile we were given was for Fran and Pat, an older couple moving to Greenville for its lower cost of living and excellent medical facilities,’ Warrick explained. Once they were given the client profile, they were able to update the plans and begin making changes forthe couple to upgradetheir apartment with new and lavished finishing’s. Not only do the students design the apartment to their clients needs, they make the furniture Article By: Angela Antrilli ‘eage q Thi rq . Se 2 ee Hk . ts Sg aoa 4 et é 4) Bs yy ch F “H es 2 selections for each room. Aside from the senior project, students in the program were taught about building codes, ADA compliances, hand rendering and drafting and model making computer programs like Photoshop and AutoCAD. The College of Human Ecology had many resources for the students including the student-advising center and the computer center. Specifically for interior design they were given access to design studios, resource rooms and computer labs, all of which had different tools they could use. They also had the opportunity for assistance from professional mentors their junior and senior years to receive feedback on their designs as well as any other helpful tips. Not only did this program provide students with all of these resources but it enabled them to encounter real-world experiences. To see the daily life of a professional designer and get a feel for this career, ECU had Design Days, ‘where students were given the opportunity shadow professionals. They gave students portunities to travel to several design firms e Raleigh area to tour their facilities. rrick’s favorite part of the program was ering. Rendering was the process of a black and white image and using to shade to make it appear more ing on a computer. Warrick claimed, is something special about being able d my own personal touch to my drawings | feel that | achieve this best through g by hand." | the School of Interior Design Warrick tudents was able to explore design a hands-on manner that would hem up to be the next great interior Specialized In Design S Jean-Michel Cousteau visits ECU to help communicate the bond between ale pat-lalom-larem-lel0l-ld(em lice 4 : % dated coyete-) ola\vm =) om Cr-lec-1am Orlin) e)er-1) re oes THE DEEP Famous researcher Jean-Michel Cousteau gave a water conservation lecture Famous explorer and marine conservationist Jean-Michel Cousteau paid campus a visit on Oct. 2, 2014, to share his life, passions and explorations with students in his lecture “The Great Ocean Adventure.” As Cousteau spent most of his young age onthe seas with his father, Jacques Cousteau. He was inspired to expand on all his father’s, Weta aliitamaatelalarcuccolatsicia’cclicelamclare m=. elle) c-lirelapmereleic ru) formed the Ocean Futures Society, which communicated the bond between the people and the oceans. The organization's beliefs focused on the conservation of the oceans, sea life and improvement Tameatene eleva’, of life for the seas. Jean produced many films, gave out felele) ite service announcements, wrote articles and books andcreated many lecture series Tm LeXexovaval=xeiccven el-1e) e)(-ncen dal~ bigger movementofwater conservation. Reminders of marine debris and chemicals were given inanattempt to bring awareness of this issue to his audience. Cousteau showed a video that displayed large amounts of trash Thar lalave@ elct-(eal-ser- are, lalcRelecelabselacelelarellate mn (-10.<-1m Ci -lare Palen shocked the audience. In reply, he said to the world everything was “Out of sight; out of raatiace ee INot-Vast-lalalceeelarsciaselilelalciee ered iccz-1e) ThViets hueksv-\obealsxerelarsiciavcclarela of the oceans and seas. He remarked, “My dream for the world is that one day the oceans can be completely clean. And that can only happen with the help of people like my team and | and people with the love of seas too. We should all want to save our oceans!” He invented new cameras and scuba gear which allowed him to dive for longer periods and film his explorations and discoveries. Cousteau shared footage of him swimming VViidamalelanle)eys(e.@uuarel css and watching coral spawn. He used all of these resources to inform people how to help. He said, “The oceans are just as aaleleabesmarelant=mie)maat-lelalcmilicm-lmr-lare, is for us. Wouldn’t you want to be able to live happily and feel safe in your home? Be the voice for the animals that don’t have one, and make their home like you would want yours." Article By: Michaela Moody 2s Taycom hale SNS a OS ( ee a i a = 4 YP cargo’. i vi ie “Ss es a f ow Pirates walking t¢ and from class. : 7 hotograph By: Garrett Campbell About 22,000 undergradiiates stepped on campus during the 2014-2015 academic year Since"East,Carolina first opened its doors to students in’ 1909, .admitting only 123 students, It Certainly, \came a long>way when the largest f undergraduate class stepped foot on campus during the fall semester of 2014. Enrollment Services Associate Director Dr. John Fletcher said, “22,252 enrolled for the fall 2014 semester, making it 744 more students than were enrolled the previous year.’ Every year the UNC System conducted a survey on the 10th day of class called Census Day. That year Census Day reports revealed that 4,226 freshmen were enrolled and living on campus, the third largest amount of students the university ever housed, The increase in student enrollment put the university at the number two spot for the largest university in the state of North Carolina, according to US News. Fletcher said, “[I’m] excited about the growth at ECU. The growthisa representation of students who recognize the quality of our faculty, the rich culture and traditions of the Pirate Nation and the value for their education dollar” Though expansion was exeiting, ECU and the City of Greenville weren’t fully prepared for how much growth this undergraduate class brought. In spring 2014, ECU demolished Belk Residence Hall on College Hill. The building housed over 300 students and was built in 1966 but was in desperate need of renovations. With Belk being torn down, there was a shortening of housing, leaving some _ students without On-campus housing. However, ECU knew how to make do with available resources. Some resident advisors were picked at random to have roommates live with them. In Garrett. Residence Hall, study lounges were transformed into dorm rooms where six people lived_at a time. ECU also reserved rooms for overflow students at The Province, an apartment complex within walking distance of campus. Junior Savannah Welbourn was a second-year RA in Garrett Residence Hall during the fall 2014 semester. Welbourn was picked to live ‘with a random roommate and said, “It doesn’t. bother me that | have someone living with me. | just feel bad for her because she is living with her RA. | think she feels like she has to tiptoe around and be really careful what she does.” Campus Living also offered a deal to upperclassmen living in College Hill Suites. lf these students gave up their rooms. for freshman, they were given $150 to spend in Dowdy Student Stores each semester, got to keep their meal plan and have a room at North Campus Crossing for the same price as living Scott Residence Hall for the entire academic year. Sophomore Debbie Sawyer, who lived in the Suites, said, “It’s a great deal but it was offered on such short notice, so even though Im not taking the offer, | hope others take the offer so freshmen have a place to live.” Another way Greenville prepared for the growth was building an apartment complex downtown called The Boundary at West End. The Boundary was being built because of the large student population growth at ECU. It was anticipated to be open fall 2015. Article By: Kendall Schewitz Top: Stella kisses Stanley on the forehead. Bottom Left: Blanche: Cate Kessler as Blanche Dubois. Bottom Right: Austin Crowley as Stanley Kowalksi. Photography Courtesy OF: Cliff Hollis: ECU News and Communication 2 When audience members walked through McGinnis Theatre, they were immediately transported from ECU’s campus to post-World War II New Orleans thanks to the intricately fashioned set and intense, sincere acting of the cast of the Pulitzer Prize-winning show A Streetcar Named Desire by famous playwright Tennessee Williams. This transformation didn’t occur overnight, however. Months before Opening night more than 130 members of the cast and crew were hard at work preparing for the production. Erich Keil, Design and Production Coordinator, explained that “the pre-production process is usually [two to three] months of analysis, research, collaborative discussions and meeting between the director and the scenic, lighting, sound and costume designers.” Sophomore Dylan Eubanks, a theatre major, was part of the Scenic construction crewasa shop assistant for the production. He explained that the set designer made miniature models of the Proposed set. Then the technical director constructed a miniature model into a draft to be built; carpenters built the sets; painters painted them; and then the sets were loaded Onstage. “The most stressful part is loading the set onto the stage,’ Eubanks said. “We worked so hard on it so we don’t want to Mess it up,” he added. The various props, sets, costumes, lighting and sound elements helped enhance the environment in which the story was set. “The lighting and sound elements function Specifically to provide visibility (or hide secrets in the dark), enhance the mood, and create special effects...” said Keil. A STREETCAR ROLLED THROUGH MCGINNESS ECU Theater students brought a taste of New Orleans to campus The play was based around Southern belle Blanche Dubois’ arrival to her sister Stella’s house. Stella’s husband Stanley is a WWII veteran who was obsessed with alcohol, sex and poker nights. Through the 11 scenes, the audience was taken through heartbreaks, loneliness, surprises and laughter. To prepare for her audition, Jillian Brocki read the play multiple times and watched the movie over and over. “! knew the rehearsal time would be very short for such an intense play,” Brocki said, so she memorized the part before the audition. Brocki was thrilled when she found out she was cast as Stella. The role of Stella was her first substantial part at ECU. “| was in my 8:00 a.m. theatre history class when | found out | had been cast...| silently celebrated, and when class was over | immediately called my family.” When opening night arrived, Brocki arrived at the theatre one hour before her initial call time. “Something about being in the theatre as opposed to sitting around at home just focuses [me] and gets [me] grounded,” she said. Brocki and Eubanks were both thankful for the friendships that they have made during the production of “A Streetcar Named Desire.” “| love finding new parts of me through my characters, and | love the families you make when you’re in a show,” Brocki said. “The hard work and stress was definitely worth it, especially when it’s for something you love,” Eubanks said. Article By: Kelley Pressey Noi A Streetcar Rolled Through ne FUTURE SO BRIGHT Homecoming concert featuring performances by Future, Tinashe and Acehood An hour before the homecoming concert, hundreds of excited ECU students formed a line that stretched from the doors of Minges Coliseum all the way to the parking lot. This year’s lineup consisted of three different hip-hop artists: Tinashe, Acehood and Future. Tinashe, an up-and-coming singer from Los Angeles, was the opening act to the concert. While she sang several of her slower songs, she didn’t generate a crowd response. However, her energy, spunk and dance moves seemed to grasp the attention of the boys. At the end of her performance she sang her most popular song “2 On” which sparked crowd participation and the whole crowd began to sing along. Acehood also performed and sang several of his well-known songs but really fired up the audience when he sang his bestselling single “ Bugatti” In 2013, “Bugatti” was nominated for the BET Hip Hop Award for Best Track of the Year. Junior Sam Roebuck was most excited about Acehood. Roebuck said, “I listened to Acehood all the time in high school, and “Cash Flow” was my favorite song.” After the concert, Roebuck elaborated on his experience and said, “Acehood did not disappoint, and overall it was a great show.” Most students were most excited for the performance of the Billboard Top 100 Hip-Hop artist, Navyvadius Cash, known by his fans as Future. By collaborating with popular hip-hop artists such as Drake, KanyeWest, Pharell and Rick Ross made Future a well-known artist. Future made a name for himself Article By: Kendall Schewitz through his two albums produced by Epic Records, Pluto (2012) and Honest (2014). He was the last act of the concert, and according to the crowd, SAB saved the best act for last. Jeremy Cozart, junior, was pumped for Future to arrive on stage. He couldn't wait to hear his favorite song “Karate Chop” and said, “Hearing [the concert] it live was much better” Cozart also said, “This was the best homecoming concert I’d been to during my three years at ECU’ Future certainly knew how to get his audience hype. During his concert several people tried to crowd surf, and during the song “Turn on the Lights,’ Future had all the lights turned off, and the crowd created a sea of waving lights with their cell phones. Though Future drew in a crowd, some students thought a change of pace could be warranted. Sophomore Makayla Benfield said, “| had a really good time at the concert, but | would like to see a country artist perform sometime during my time at ECU” Some students would like to see other varieties of artists perform which would help the attendance rate and include more students. Emily Seger, freshman, also said,’ | would like to see a country artist perform for a homecoming concert.’ But those who do enjoy hip-hop music could all agree that SAB put together a line up of hip-hop artists worthy of attending for the 2014 homecoming concert. Top: Future asks the crowd to help him rap part of a song during his performance at the homecoming concert. Bottom Left: R&B artist Tinashe opens the show and wows the crowd with her vocals at the 2014 homecoming concert. Bottom Right: On October 2, 2014, Future entertains ECU students in Minges Coliseum for the annual Homecoming concert. Photography By: Victoria Savant 29 SX Future So Bright sachet eerie athe sichieesianainiaaadaasisaueuaiael inception et aS : ape Top: East Carolina University cheerleaders run down the field with flags spellings out PIRATES after a Pirate touchdown. Bottom Left: Sorority Sigma Gamma Rho battles it out on the stage with an Egyptian-themed step show routine. Bottom Right: Two members of the homecoming court drive through the parade. as pirate fans cheer for their possible crowning as King and Queen. Photography by: Meredith Baker, Garrett Campbell & Amber Heere-MacLeod PEPPING UP THE PIRATES © Homecoming weekend kicked off with a pep rally on Friday, Oct. 3, 2014, at Freeboot Friday, where live music and fun for the whole family was offered. People were singing along with the music, and dancing along with a partner to the songs played by the band, and there was nothing but former, present, and future Pirates having a good time with the corn hole and other free games. Head football coach, Ruffin McNeill spoke words of €ncouragement and said, “I’m very proud of our kids. | can't wait for the game!” Some of the booths set up were US Cellular, Real Estate, Krispy Kreme Campus Cookies and Sup Dogs. Each tent had giveaways or sweepstakes just by the spin of a wheel. Most People visited Campus Cookies because they gave away free cookies. Student Body President Michael King was excited to see his Pirate family at the pep rally. He commented on how the audience numbers shocked him. King said, “I love seeing the fans and everyone happily coming together as one Pirate family. It is definitely a bigger outcome than | expected.” Other events that occurred was the presentation of the homecoming court and the performance of the top three homecoming skits. Each skit got the audience on the edge of their seat. The crowd’s vote went to the Club Dance Team because of their intricate choreography, but the judges voted, and the dance team won first place. The festivities continued until 8 p.m., but the excitement of Pirates foreshadowed the beat down the university’s football team put on SMU the following day. NEVER MISS A STEP Every year during homecoming week different sororities and fraternities battle out in a step competition in Wright Auditorium. DJ Bobby Drake opened the night with some music and Entertainment. He engaged the crowd by playing the songs thathavea specific dances. Soulja Boy’s single “CrankThat” was a big throwback hit for the students and got students rowdy for the show to begin. Thetime came for the competition to begin with the African Dance Team. This was a culture shock to some people, but they loved it. The students became quiet and intrigued with the unfamiliar choreography and the African oriented instruments the team played. Also, ECU Black Alumni Association member Levator Chevis helped get the crowd hyped up to see one of their OWN perform an outstanding selection and were proud to support the Black Alumni Association. Chevis gave a shout out to the different represented sororities and fraternities, which led to some barking from the boys showing obvious rivalries. From there HYPE, an America’s Got Talent step crew, introduced how intense and fast pace stepping is. The beat of the bass and the stomp of the step was felt all throughout the student’s bodies. An amazing performance occurred that was followed by a standing ovation from the audience. Some of the teams rehearsed for this night since the beginning of the summer. Sigma Gamma Rho had a “Water the ThRHOne” theme. Senior stepper Elexiss Ledbetter said, “Everything went really well, and the crowd loved it. | think they liked the tricks the best.” Unfortunately, the stunts weren't good enough for Rho to win as the overall winner was Alpha Phi Alpha. MARCHING INTO VICTORY “Land of the free, Home of the Pirates” was ECU's 2014 Homecoming theme. Forty different organizations Participated in the celebration, making it a day of fun, Spirit and fanfare for children of all ages. The streets of downtown Greenville were filled with loyal Pirate fans enjoying floats, music and entertainment. Sororities paired with a Fraternity worked tirelessly on tloats, trying to prove who had the most patriotic, Pirate Spirit. Each float had two flags to represent the theme - a Pirate flag and an American Flag. Several floats even had their own music. Freshman Briana Gray was excited to see the Pirate- tutoring center get involved in the parade too. “I really Be the ECU nerd’s ‘Talk Nerdy to Me’ sign,’ stated ray The ECU Marching Pirates performed many favorites, including Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” and the ECU Fight song, and the. J.H. Rose Marching Band and several other bands from the Greenville area made appearances as well. Casey Potter, sophomore graphic design major, marched with her AOII sisters. “I loved waving at all of the little kids and seeing the smile across their faces! It was definitely a moment to remember!” Potter’s sentiment was shared by most. While there were many creative floats, there could only be one winner. With its ship imitated float and people dressed in shark costumes The Scuba Club took home the crown for the overall best float in the parade. Articles By: Angela Antrilli 31 re Left: A ZTA member poses with a young girl after an event held by the sisters for their Think Pink Week. Right: Two ZTA sisters pose for a picture with a giant pink ribbon in wright plaza while other sisters hand out smaller versions to the student body as they pass by between classes to raise awareness for their philanthropy O help the fight against breast cancer. Photography Courtesy of Zeta Tau Alpha Zeta Tau Alpha desired to make ECU “think pink” by promoting breast cancer awareness To paint the campus pink was sorority Zeta Tau Alpha’s goal during their annual Think Pink Week, and surely their goal was reached when they saw a sea of pink on campus. During Think Pink Week, a national effort to promote breast cancer awareness, on campus Oct. 6-10, 2014, ZTA aimed to educate the ECU campus about breast cancer. Sisters stood outside Dowdy Student Stores and passed out pink lemonade, pink baked goods and pink ribbons that students pinned to the outside of their backpacks and jackets. Along with those items they passed out shower cards, a card which instructed women to check for lumps around their breasts while they shower. “You can look on every single book bag in this campus and probably 85 percent of them have pink ribbons on them,’ said ZTA President Jordan Jackson. “It can be from past years. It can be from this year. It’s just something we always like to do not to only put our name out there but to make people aware.’ Jackson said the aim of the ribbons was not only to bring about awareness but to also provide hope. “So even [if] it’s not in your family, you know someone who’s been affected by and just a little pink ribbon it’s kinda like a little boost of hope,’ said Jackson. Though fundraising was certainly a priority, raising awareness was more important. “Really just raising awareness, not necessarily funds for it but definitely awareness just because It affects everyone and it’s so easy to relate to; every woman has achance of getting breast cancer,’ said Jackson. Utilizing social media, ZTA started a Pink Out Instagram competition. The sorority challenged other sororities on campus to post pictures wearing pink. “Our Instagram competition was huge-it... got blown up out of the water [from] what we expected,” said Jackson. “There was something like 14,000 likes on a picture, so it got really, really crazy. Alot of awareness was raised with that.’ Jackson said there was a boom in participation and awareness as sororities On campus reached out to many other chapters to participate. “What was really cool about the other sororities was that they were reaching out to... other chapters of their organization of different schools,’ Jackson said. “So not only were we raising awareness for ECU but all across Greek life community and all throughout... the state.” The sorority’s that picture received the. most likes won a $200 donation to the philanthropy of their choice. In 2014, Chi Omega won and received the donation that went toward their philanthropy, the Make a Wish Foundation. Other events throughout the year that promoted breast cancer awareness were ZIA‘s annual cookout, 5K, Mellow Mushroom Fundraiser and Pink Out games. Article By: Emily Gardiner PAINT IT PINK Top Right: Briana Caple, an ECU Senior, stands in front of the Smithsonian Castle on a trip held by Easy Carolina University to Washington DC. Top Left: Two members of the Eta Nu Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, Kristopher Montford-Brown (left) and Akosa Akpom (Right), visit the Abraham Lincoln Memorial in DC. Bottom: A group of East Carolina students visit the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC. The burning light by them represents the lost lives during the Holocaust. Photography Courtesy of: Kristopher Montford & Briana Caple TIME TO GET CULTURED Ledonia Wright Cultural Center took on the Capital City For several years, Alternative Break Experiences (ABE) presented However lL CWW r students with the option to travel to different destinations during their fall break. This year, students traveled to Washington, D.C., from Oct. 10 also desired to 14, 2014. Thirty-two students accompanied members of the Ledonia Wright Cultural Center on their trip. for students tO During this trip students had the ability to explore the capital and visit . . historical landmarks, museums, shopping venues and restaurants in the INCTEASE their city. understanding ot a Ticket prices ranged from $100-125, a cheap price for a trip which oe included transportation, sleeping arrangements in a hotel, breakfast as their OWN identity well a dinner in the city. | On the trip, students had the opportunity to visit a variety of attractions Ona basis of including: the National Mall, National Gallery of Art, National Museum of the American Indians, National Museum of African Art, National Air Face, gender and and Space Museum, Holocaust Museum and the National Zoo. While as Sightseeing they saw the Martin Luther King Monument, Franklin Delano privilege anda [O Roosevelt Monument and the White House. enhance studen f = Sophomore Shabree Yost took her first trip with the LWCC this fall. The ens : tS ig MLK Monument was Yost's favorite place that she visited on this trip. abilities to interact Yost said, “My favorite part of the trip was getting to see other modern ; 5 : cultures and compare them to their ancestors. | got to see lots of people within a diverse froma variety of cultures, but | was most interested in American Indians, African as well as African American.” Qroup. Although this was her first trip, Yost intended on attending others, including the LWCC Alternative Spring Break planned for 2015. These fall break trips, such as the one to Washington, D.C., were intended for participants to challenge and reflect their role in society and discuss ways they made an impact in their community, especially at ECA, LWCC had goals and objectives for students who went on this trip. They desired for students to be aware of the historical and cultural significance of various identities highlighted at the museums and monuments they visited. However, LWCC also desired for students to increase their understanding of their own personal identity on a basis of race, gender and privilege and to enhance students’ abilities to interact within a diverse group. Every year the university’s ABE planned trips similar to this one in order to give students the opportunity to experience diverse environments, exposure to cultural issues and apply academic concepts outside of the classroom. Article By: Kendall Schewitz SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY Senior EC Scholars traveled to Charleston to reflect on community Senior EC Scholars traveled to Charleston, SC, during their fall break to celebrate their growth together, form lasting memories and participate in a small service project. EC Scholars was the top merit scholarship program that enclosed a few of the most prestigious students at East Carolina University. Their drive for success, outstanding grades and will to work made them excel compared to other Pirates. The program contained students who were highly academically gifted and who had excellent leadership ability. Students received an academic scholarship of $61,000 over their four years, plus a $5,000 study abroad scholarship. This intelligent group of students lived together in the honors residence hall, Garrett Hall, where they created a network to live, learn and grow with one another. During one of days in Charleston, students were given the opportunity to volunteer with The Big Book Sale at the Charleston Library. They organized books and helped the foundation raise over $68,000 in book sales. Students met an EC Scholar alumni, and took a cooking class during their stay in the historical city. Also while they were there, they reflected upon their last Article By: Angela Antrilli four years of community together. The Scholars described their relationship with each other as a “family” because of how much they grew together over their four years together. Dr. Todd Fraley, EC Scholars director, found it heartwarming and somewhat bittersweet when the students gathered at night and talked about what was next in life for them. According to Fraley, the program has built friendships that will last forever and they will forever have a connection with one another. Fraley expressed how there couldn't be a trip without the memories created. He said, “The ghost tour we took provided a lot of opportunities to scare [our] friends. This called for a good laugh.” Besides this service trip, the EC Scholars held other community events in the spring. They held a 5k in spring 2015, where all profits were donated to a local Greenville organization. Students also broke off into smaller groups for a service day, and sought out different volunteer Opportunities to make Greenville a better place. The EC Scholars program molded students into ambassadors’ and successful leaders. Fraley stated there were almost 300 alumni in which most have continued to graduate school, sought employed or traveled abroad. Top Left: EC Scholars help at the Charleston Friends of the Library Book Sale by organizing the books on the self. Top Right: Two ECU students help out at the Charleston Friends of the Library Book Sale. Bottom: During fall break a group of EC Scholars went to Charleston, South Carolina. While there, they participated in a cooking class, volunteered at the Charleston Friends of the Library Book Sale, and took a painting class from ECU alum Mark Horton, among other activities. Photography Courtesy Of: EC Scholars Top: ECU football player, Josh Hawkins, shows his pride for his team on the sidelines after a Pirate touchdown. Midde Left: After each Pirate touchdown, our mascot PeeDee the Pirate celebrates with the crowd by doing pushups. Bottom Left: At the beginning of each football game there is the tradition of the purple haze; Steve the pirate opens the show with his Pirate spirit, followed by all the football players. Middle Right: This year marks the start of a new conference, All American; and what better way to celebrate the success of the pirates than with a new logo. Photography By: Victoria Savant & Amber Heere-Macleod oa sb. a pe 2 on a Me oh ha < Se ee ented. by hg ee ee eas? epee | Spey Si by Saeed eee Se Pap ee 5 amon e the s the th his e, All irates THIS IS WHO WE ARRRGH rvy Traditions united Pirate fans as they cheered their team to victory ‘Purple Haze” ae habe players made their grand entrance onto Bagwell Bai at an Inflatable skull and literal purple haze of Pee all Of which was first introduced in 2010. Emerging a cloud of purple haze, players stepped onto the field as Ji 1 a ‘yf Ml 1 Im! Hendrix's Purple Haze” played in the stadium. The Cannons ee loved celebrating touchdowns. They loved it so of enki i Seery home game a cannon shot off in celebration cae This tradition has been around since cee . It didn’t always go as planned, however. In 1974, HONE oF i ae player who just scored a touchdown ran withheld th € cannon and caused injury upon himself. ECU fae ‘as Panton tradition until 1999 when they decided Stablish it. Since then, members of the ROTC fulfilled the mete ie responsibility of firing the cannon after every Pirate touchdown. Peedee Push-ups Aft hie: touchdown Peedee the pirate and the Pirate ee €aders did as many pushups as there were points on coreboard. During the blowout of the UNC vs. ECU game on sl, 20, 2014, the Pirates scored 70 points against the Cels, requiring them to do a total of 395 pushups during the game. _ Fourth Quarter L, | oh =a" ge of the “No Quarter” flag was a tradition that began U in 2007. The flag was raised at the end of the third - Quart . j quarter and was at mass until the game was over to symbolize the Pj r ; el a Pirates’ refusal to give up. The term “No Quarter” is pirate aa We will not surrender.” When the flag was initially €d, fansin Dowdy Ficklen, proudly held up the “No Quarter” e Jesture, got loud and went crazy to show their opponents they would not surrender. No Quarter aaa raising the flag, the “No Quarter” gesture was no face mabe eat isa to opponents that Pirates would show crauelaoee e fight till the end. To imitate the skull and , the “No Quarter” gesture was done by crossing thei : a arms above their head (right over left) and making an ay symbol with their fingers. Alma Mater East Carolina’s Alma Mater has been around since the 1940- 1941 academic year. Before every home football game and after every home win, the Alma Mater was sung throughout the stadium. While the Alma Mater was not a fast paced song, it built a sense of pride and community among Pirate fans. The lyrics of the Alma Mater were: “Praise to your name so fair, Dear old East Carolina, your joys we'll share, and your friends we'll ever be. We pledge our loyalty, and our hearts devotion, To thee, our Alma Mater, love and praise.” “PIRATES, ARRRGH!!!” First downs were celebrated among the stadium by announcers saying, “That's enough for a” and the crowd responding with, “First down, Pirates, argh!” When the crowd said, “Pirates,” they lifted their right hand in the air and directed it towards the field, and when they said, “Arghhh,’ they did their best pirate impersonation and made a pirate hook with their right hand. “PURPLE! GOLD!” The “Purple! Gold!” chant was one of ECU's ultimate traditions. lt was done at the beginning of games and sometimes throughout the game as a way to get fans excited. Half of Dowdy Ficklen would cheer “Purple” and the other half would reply with “Gold.” Pirate fans were so loyal to their team that they might have heard this chant in places outside the stadium. lt was normal to hear “Purple!” and “Gold!” be exchanged as students strolled through campus or Greenville. “Bad to the Bone” The ECU mascot Peedee had an entrance that was definitely something to look out for. Peedee entered the stadium to the George Thorogood classic “Bad to the Bone” Pirate fans clapped and sang along as Peedee danced across Bagwell field. Fight Song The fight song was known as “the sound of Pirate Nation.” It escaped Pirate fans’ lips after every touchdown the football team scored. Throughout the stadium fans could hear and chant: “Cheer for East Carolina, cheer for old E.C., we know we're the finest onward to victory! Go Pirates! Cheer for East Carolina, cheer for old E.C., loyal and bold, we’re the purple and gold, WE ARETHE PIRATES OF E.C.U. Hey!” Article By: Kendall Schewitz 39 This Is Who We ‘a “Since there is no cure for arthritis, AOI! donates to life changing studies that create treatments for those suffereing trom arthritis,” -Maggie Pendergrass, AOI! Philanthrophy Chair PHILANTHROPHY HITS HOME AOIQT’s Fall Fest raised over $4000 for the Arthritis Foundation In late October, Alpha Omicron Pi (AOII) held their first annual Fall Fest to raise money and awareness for the Arthritis Foundation. Students across campus came to the event to enjoy something other than the typical dining hall menu. From homemade chili, corn bread to baked potatoes with all the fixins’, students enjoyed all of their favorite fall delicacies. “Fall Fest is AOII’s biggest event of the fall, raising over $4000 to assist Alpha Omicron Pis.. fight against arthritis’ said All Philanthropy Chair Maggie Pendergrass. After eating a meal, students participated in intense games of corn hole or wandered through booths full of locally made goods sold by various vendors. Pendergrass said one of the highlights of the event was the impromptu cornhole tournament that members from various Campus organizations held. The sorority charged a small admittance fee of $6 for advance tickets and $8 at the door. All proceeds were donated to the Arthritis Foundation which was put toward research for arthritis treatments. “Since there is no cure for arthritis, AOI donates to life changing studies that create treatments for those suffering from arthritis,” Pendergrass explained. Pendergrass described one particular treatment that the ECU-AOIl sisters fund that involved the injection of medicine into the knee of patients who suffered from ACL tears. The procedure was used to fight against any early signs of arthritis. “This could lead to life altering treatments Article By: Kelley Pressey that could hopefully lead to a cur Pendergrass described. Philanthropy was at the core of ma sororities on the ECU campus. For A their philanthropy promoting the Arthri Foundation hit home. “Arthritis [research] is so important to because it not only affects our families b it affects us as well,” Pendergrass explainé “Arthritis is beginning to affect women at 4 earlier and earlier age.” | AOIl’s fundraising for the Arthrit Foundation didn’t stop at Fall Fest. Oné a semester, AOI| had a “Go Blue Week that helped get the word about arthritis ! students all over campus. While AOIl’s core philanthropy wé arthritis awareness, the sisters al enjoyed supporting other worthy causes. ! September 2014, the sisters of AOII joiné forces with the brothers of Pi Kappa Phi ! introduce the first annual Pi’s & Paws even The event promoted fundraising for | Kappa Phi's Ability Experience as well 4 promoting AOIll’s local philanthropy adoptions through the Pitt County Anim Shelter. Students donated money to pet puppy on campus. All of the puppies were available f¢ adoption at the animal shelter. Five ol of eight dogs from the event were wel adopted as a result of the organization efforts. “Every sister is challenged to find a cau$ they want to support and put time and moné into making a difference,’ Pendergrass sail Top: Amber Wirick and Kelly Patrick stand beside AOII's “Why Do You Go Blue?” sign from “AOI goes Blue” week for their philanthropy, the Arthritis Foundation. Students painted handprints on this board to remember family and friends who have or had arthritis. Bottom: Brooke Seate, Taylor Schwartz and Adison Gregory work together serving drinks to those who attended Fall Fest.t Photography Courtesy Of: AOI 41 Philanthrophy Hits Wee ee a aa stabs bebaiete setae sciteints penerret oor t Sei —— ‘ ge - i Hetil ‘ aa Ee Top: Pictured: screenshot of Denver Hollingsworth’s film, Vanity. Bottom Left: Tyree’ Barnes, Campus Movie Fest winner and creator of the film Allegory. Bottom Right: Denver Hollingsworth, Campus Movie Fest winner and creative mind behind the film Vanity. Photography By: Courtney Tittus & Meredith Baker a che Be a ‘ | 4 | q : | | 4 Students created short films that expressed unique stories and real-life messages | a 2014, East Carolina participated in the second annual ee Siaely Movie Fest (CMF), the world’s largest student film 'val. Over 600 students were involved in directing, filming, editing and acting in the 49 movies that were produced this year at ECU. ~ On Oct. 30 sh hi Jee y2014, in Hendrix Theater, the top 16 films were ghii “a , the top four winners were announced and a Th g tape of all the movies was shown. aia winners were presented with a Jury award; a the op cela to Adobe's film software, and were given fact Portunity to have their film screened at the CMF film val in June 2015 in Hollywood. a four winning films: Made Up, Allegory, Lady Killa and - y Were different in every aspect. adie ke Devan Herron entered a film into Campus aie: 7 . the second time. Her movie Made Up was ds ous she also won best actress. Unlike a lot of the , €rron’s film was done solo. She wrote her own Scri pt, recorded and edited herself and was also the only actor in the film. “MI x ade Up was sort of spontaneous,” said Herron. oe a a powerful message about natural beauty and © society puts on women to reach unattainable Perfections. ae ee for this film was to be a role model and help iets Omen realize that their worth wasn’t determined by 4 Pp or outer beauty. oo she was shocked when she found out she fuera tic a surprisingly, “The attention | have received eae nlm is what shocks me. But I’m just really glad my a a IS getting shared,” said Herron. — oe , eat Panes Denver Hollingsworth, creating his film Vanity ane alba ade and unexpected. His film was shot eae ona Sunday and turned in the following Monday. Loe nae and action packed film revealed a powerful eee anity was about a young man who saw his aes lons all too clearly. The young man choose to Osmetic surgery to fix his imperfections, but after the an sith a clcas began to kick in, he woke up in a very unusual “When tr or ying to come up with an idea, my first thought was im Stand out from the other films,” said Hollingsworth. O'llngsworth and his crew traveled to Beulaville, NC, Where they shot . : : the film ona n and trails. piece of land covered in paths Hollingsworth said he drew a lot of inspiration from the short story, “The Most Dangerous Game’ which was a dramatic thriller, similar to Vanity. He thanked his friends Russell Simpson and Sarah Batts for their role as actors and cameramen as well. The three were all surprised at how many students participated in Campus Movie Fest and were even more shocked when Vanity placed in the top four and won Best Story. The film Lady Killa had the whole audience laughing, which was junior Austin Lamb’s dream for his film. Lamb admitted his film wouldn’t have happened without help from Matthew Joyner, the script writer, and others who helped behind the scenes, Bryce Sawyer, Delaney Searles and Bryce Modlin. As well as his co-stars, Matthew Joyner Maia Swan and Ashley Lamb. The movie was about a guy who was sitting in a park minding his own business until a girl caught his attention. She made it very clear she wasn't interested, and the guy pretended not to care, when in reality he did. He went back and forth with his thoughts and eventually decided to do be proactive. Even though Lady Killa was clearly a hit among the audience and the judges, Lamb acknowledged that he was still surprised to win. Despite the confidence he had in .his film, he recognized he was up against tough competition. Aside from winning a Jury Award, Lamb also won best actor for his “nice guy” role in Lady Killa. Tyree Barnes had the idea for his first film, Allegory, several months before he was ever introduced to the idea of Campus Movie Fest. Allegory was a film that told the story about African diaspora from colonial times to present day, Barnes wanted his audience to use their imagination to determine what the film meant to them. Allegory was based off a poem that Barnes wrote in November 2013. The poem was inspired by Nayyirah Waheed, a powerful woman who used poetry as a means of self-expression. According to Barnes, the goal of his film was incorporate all the history of African diaspora and shrink it into a two minute poem. Barnes viewed Campus Movie Fest as a chance for him to share his poem. ~ Article By: Kendall Schewitz 43 It Was eS 2014 Miss America Nina Davuluri's “Celebrating Diversity through Cultural Competency” platform encouraged students to embrace their own individual stories, celebrate diversity and have an attitude of tolerance. ae Photography Courtesy Of: Cliff Hollis E News and Communication Miss America 2014 discussed racial trials and cultural awareness platform cople often assumed that discrimination Nina, you’re so white on the inside, and was less prevalent in the world, especially for celebrities, but that was definitely not the case for Miss America 2014 Nina Davuluri. eo Spoke to the university student ae. Oct. 26, 2014, and gave her € Insight into who she was; the ae she faced as a first generation grant and as Miss America: and into Platform to Promote cultural awareness and diversity. “ee In a New York hospital, Davuluri S brought to India to live with her grandparents where she stayed until she ss 'wo-and-a-half years old. She spent © rest of her life in the U.S. with her hed returning to India every summer 0 study traditional Indian dances. ‘She was the first Miss America ie to perform a Bollywood dance = er talent, Davuluri said, “Though e title of winning Miss America makes ge incredibly happy, | have the most ey being able to share my dance with Millions of people.” Davuluri said, “Winning Miss America more than a title; it is a job” As Miss America, Davuluri kept up with her own Platform to Promote around the nation. sed : woman of color and different a escent, Davuluri’s platform was Promote diversity and anti-bullying. Davuluri chose this as her platform for Multiple reasons. As a child Davuluri oF Picked on for being different. She es It Was common for her friends to Jokingly refer to her as an Oreo. People responded with statements such as this: is brown on the outside.” For a child who grew up in NewYork and affiliated herself with untrue friends, Davuluri struggled to figure out who she truly was without much support. Davuluri wanted to show people how to understand that people are different, and how to stop bullying of children, teens and adults of ethnic backgrounds. Growing up Davuluri was bullied, and because of this she desired to make an effort to promote anti-bullying alongside diversity. Despite being Miss America, she still received many hateful comments from people calling her a_ terrorist. However, these comments did not inhibit her from carrying out her intentions. Davuluritraveled around the nation quite a bit. “Being Miss America isn’t just about that one night on stage; it’s the other 364 days that you truly make the difference,’ said Davuluri.. From her traveling she had the privilege of meeting President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama twice. She also met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which made her feel the most proud based off the look on her parent's faces. The honor of being Miss America entailed more responsibility than many would assume. Whether it was _ the hardship of receiving rude comments or traveling the nation to promote her platform, the role Davuluri filled meant more than wearing a crown; it meant making a radical difference in a world full of injustice. Article By: Michaela Moody “Winning Miss America is more than a title; it is a cer -Nina Davulri, Miss America 2014 45 Beyond The Pin ,—> ~ iT \COLLEGES REPUBLICANS THE BEST PARTY Cy SARE we eh Top: On Sept. 11th, 2014, ECU College Republicans hosted a campus-wide 9/11: Never Forget Project to commemorate the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001. Bottom Left: ECU students stop by our table at Wright Plaza to pose with Republican swag. Bottom Right: 2,977 flags were placed in front of Mendenhall Student Center and a brief ceremony consisting of campus and community dignitaries followed. Photography Courtesy of: ECU College of Republicans THE POLLS | ECU College Republicans educated campus about the republican party Asthe November 2014 midterm election approached, the ECU College of Republicans, ECUCR, was busy promoting student involvement in politics. ECUCR was founded in 1952 when ECU was called East Carolina College. “Since then, it has been our mission to represent the Republican Party (GOP) on the campus of East Carolina University with decency, honesty and respect to others,’ said Adam Caldwell, chairman of the ECU College Republicans. Emphasizing on the local community, Caldwell explained that the ECUCR was designed to “allow students to continue or start their activity in local, regional and national politics.’ Members of the ECUCR worked closely with the Republican Victory Office in Greenville to prepare for the election as they made phone calls and conducted door-to-door promotions for Republican candidates. ECUCR held weekly meetings for students to learn more about the Republican principles of citizenship, personal responsibility, traditional values and the fair treatment of all. “We allow local candidates running for everything from Congress to City Council the opportunity to speak at our weekly meetings,’ said Caldwell. Involvement in campus was very important to the ECUCR. To prepare for the November election, they set up informative tables throughout campus to help spread GOP principles and to recruit new members. Students who had not yet registered to vote were also encouraged to do so and were assisted through that press. After their efforts were finished, on election night the ECUCR members gathered at the Rep Express to awaitthe election results and celebrate the GOP new majority within the United States Congress. Caldwell elaborated on the mission and intent of ECUCR’s presence on campus. “We are committed to helping elect Republican candidates to all levels of government and furthering the Republican message on campus,” said Caldwell. He also mentioned an important statement when he said, “Our foremost priority is granting ECU students the information and tools to make informed decisions, not only for the present, but also for their future.” Article By: Kelley Pressey 47 Take It To The RNS | X to. divide East and West Ge many: in 2014, it only stood is reminde of the country's political differences. ECU's Department cw by |) SLOW & STEADY The College of Engineering and Technology had many hopes for its steady growth On Apr. 11,2014, the College ofEngineering and Technology finally donned a new had been around for ten years at the time. name that would encompass the new face of the college and growth it hoped to see within the next year. Originally named the College of Technology and Computer Science, the college struggled to bring awareness of its engineering program to the public, which inhibited its growth. After five years, the Board of Governors approved the new name. “Our dean, Dr. David White, was very instrumental in pushing for that name change for five years. It was really a big day for us for really multiple reasons” said Director of Marketing and Outreach for the College of Engineering and Technology Margaret Turner. The hope for the college was to equip, prepare and send highly educated engineers into the world. According to Turner, the college’s measure of success was how many graduates found jobs. According to Turner, there were about 050 students in the engineering program in 2014. The hope was to steadily increase enrollment numbers to a_ thousand students in the next 10 years. Steady growth was key though. To maintain a small student-professor ratio and class size, the need to hire more professors could only occur if the college received funding as the program steadily grew. “We're hoping that...as we do grow, our student population will get funding for faculty and things like that, which is not easy to get in this day and time unfortunately,” said Turner. The new name was implemented to display the college’s engineering program more blatantly. According to Turner, many people were unaware engineering existed Article By: Emily Gardiner at the university although the program “We really didn’t have it well known to prospective students that we even had an engineering program because it was very buried in the website,” said Turner. Turner said the college hoped businesses and industries would take notice of the college because of the name change. “They would often bypass this area because they didn’t even know we have engineering,’ she said. “When companies are actually looking to either locate in Eastern North Carolina or relocate or expand or things like that. One of the things they really look for is a workforce.” Hope rested in producing more graduates to fill local jobs to help strengthen the local economy. This hope for economic development and transformation was a goal the college hoped to meet and sustain. “So for economic development reasons the economic development people of Greenville and Pitt County were really excited about our name change because they’re the ones who sort of recruit businesses to this area,” Turner said. “It made it easier for them to say, ‘Look we have the workforce right here that you're gonna need’” Four majors were under the college’s umbrella, including construction man- agement, engineering, computer science and technology systems. Selling points of the college were its small class sizes and hands-on labs. “There’s a high — student-faculty interaction. The faculty know the students by their first name. Class sizes are small. Truthfully, especially with engineering, that’s probably our number one selling point,’ said Turner. Top: Students participate in engineering labs here at ECU. Bottom Left: Two ECU engineering students work with some equipment while in class. Bottom Right: Students in the College of Engineering have the opportunity to participate in classes that expose them to materials and equipment they will be using in their future careers. Photography Courtesy Of: Cliff Hollis ECU News and Communication 51 Slow & Steady Students created their own paths through the University Studies Program 4f . r It makes ECU a In the spring of 2014, ECU implemented a new degree program that was designed to intertwine student passion with a unique combination better place that of classes to create a degree that best suited a student's professional goals after graduation. accommoda tes tO ECU created the university studies program where students could pick ” from programs and classes the university offered. It was an excellent Everyone, Program and solution for students who did not fit in a major or desired , a major that ECU did not offer them. “Will shernill, Senior According to Randall Rice, the director of the university studies program, there were 142 students enrolled in the major during the fall of 2014, a number that was shocking to Rice because of how relatively new the program was. For individuals to be a part of the program they had to followe the prerequisites of taking two leadership courses and two university studies courses. Each student was required to create a “thematic core” and then get it reviewed by the Faculty Oversight Committee. Once they created a thematic core, they then worked with the Workforce Advisory Committee, who assisted students in finding internship and job opportunities. Senior Will Sherrill came to ECU as an intended recreation and “ leisure studies major, but after he learned about the university studies program he joined and created his own thematic core of “faith-based youth services” Every thematic core was unique and tailored to the individual. Sherrill said, “It is designed to get students out with a degree that fits what they want to do.” Luckily for Sherrill the program shortened his time at school. “If | would have stuck with RCLS, | would not have graduated in four years, but now | will graduate in May,’ Sherrill said. Aside from graduating on time, Sherrill’s favorite part about the university studies program was that, “it makes ECU a better place that accommodates to everyone.” He said, “[I] would recommend it to anyone who just isn’t sure what they want to do or is sure but the program isn’t available at ECU” The program helped students reach their full potential, achieve goals and gave them freedom to do what they enjoy. Offering a program that could be tailored to the needs of every individual exemplified ECU's desire to appeal to diversity and its willingness to help all students succeed. Article By: Kendall Schewitz SSo CESSES, Se } eseemetesr seme engon auiversity Studies Program 419 Old Cafeteria Building East Carolina University Greenville NC 27858-4353 ee ed Top: Pictured: University Studies ofice. Bottom Left: Pictured: University Studies Director Ronald Rice’s business cards. Bottom Right: University Studies Program office. Photography By: Kadedra Davis 53 New Doors wee Orange is the New Black actress, Laverne Cox, visited campus “Orange is the New Black” actress and trans movement advocate, Laverne Cox, visited ECU on Nov. 12, 2014 to speak about the struggles she faced as a transgender individual and the world transgenders faced. The Ledonia Wright Cultural Center partnered with ECU's Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) Resource Office brought in Cox on her “Ain’t | a Woman” tour because they desired to have someone speak who represented many identities, someone who the student body could all relate to in some way. Cox, an African American transgender woman, was best known for her role as Sophia Burset in the Netflix Original Series, “Orange is the New Black” “Time” Magazine declared Burset the fourth most influential fictional character in 2013. She appeared in several television shows, documentaries and was named one of the top 50 trans icons by the “Huffington Post” Cox fiercely entered the stage in Wright Auditorium and posed the statement “Ain’t la woman?” She then began to speak about her childhood in Mobile, AL, where she grew up in a low-income home to a single mother of three children. Cox spoke boldly about the bullying she experienced during childhood and how she was constantly being “gender policed” Cox said as a third grader, when one didn’t know a difference between a boy or girl, she experienced something she would never forget. Her teacher called her mother saying, “Your son is going to end up ina dress in New Orleans if you don’t get him into therapy.” She admitted to the struggles she faced during puberty, her fear of becoming a man and her insecurities about being attracted to boys. Cox even confessed that she attempted to commit suicide in the sixth grade due to the tremendous amount of Article By: Kendall Schewitz shame felt. Cox vouched for the importance of raising awareness for equal treatment of transgenders to all, one of the goals of the LGBT Resource Office. From her first instincts and knowledge as a woman, Cox found inspiration from a Judith Butler quote: “One is not born a woman but becomes one.” She even had her own misconceptions about transgenders due to the world as well as the fear of God. These misconceptions quickly faded once she got to know transgender people. Having learned a lot during her journey, Cox said it was important for everyone to be proud of their identity and differences were beautiful and deserved to be celebrated. While telling her own stories about being cat called and hit on by men, Cox said she believed calling a transgender woman a man is an act of violence. She told a heartbreaking story about the murder of a transgender woman named Islan Nettles. Nettles’ murderer cat called her and then realized “she was a man’ so he decided to kill her. This tragic incident happened over a year ago and no charges have been pressed. Following this story, Cox made a powerful statement, "As long as we are living in a culture where we have to prove our womanhood or manhood we aren't living in a society that's free” As awoman who experienced mistreatment due to her gender association, class and race, Cox was a great advocate for diversity. Her insight of being a transgender and an African American helped raise awareness about prejudice that occurred. Laverne Cox, as well as the LWCC and LGBT Resource Office at the university shared vision that differences would be accepted, and one day the world would live in a society where uniqueness would be celebrated. a id 1“) z _ A ie ie Pw clas ae Heb i DARGA IRN ASS ae ABET HN eS Ait ‘As long as we are living in a culture where we have to prove our womanhood or manhood we arent living ina society that's free.” -Laverne Cox, Actress On November 12, 2014, Lavern Cox; a transgender actress most famous for her role as Sophia Burset in the Netflix Original Series Orange is the Black delivered a captivating speech in Wright Auditorium here at ECU about her life experiences about being a transgender women. gated ceyele-| elias) am Creliadal:\\ MMi antl | 55 Ain't | A PENS d: Member ECU’s GLBSTU adapted to change and filled new leadership roles Expansion may not have exactly described what ECU's ae (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Student re kia In 2014-2015 but rather adaptive and anes € conveyed the dynamic of their year. In the fall dey ot when the organization lost most of its officers, regis as only one goal in mind for the academic year: to Nee ae reorganize, and that’s exactly what they did. sie Icers stepped up to fulfill the executive roles while taneously keeping the dynamic of GLBTSU going. aaa for the 14-15 academic year included: President ae fk Vice President Aurjun Chowdhury, Secretary ane mith, Treasurer Abby Fallahee and Marketer Alex Wis. This team worked hard to keep weekly meetings ge and phen special events throughout the year, such Th aS Spring semester drag shows, open mic night at all an Capot @ Limelight and a Coming Out Party where Th new officers were introduced. fc ane highly regarded all walks of life and had a goal ne id all-inclusive environment where everyone ek In community with one another. ee offer an ee Ht environment for all students to participate In the ee of campus life,’ said President Amy Bright. Hye e loss of its officers, GLBTSU still aimed to be a P'ace where its members and the Pirate student body y? fine by me gay? fine by ae with GLBT issues could come. “We continually strive to provide an accessible network of resources to all students, and provide personal and professional support to those who seek it. We work hard to ensure that the climate on campus is suitable for persons from all walks of life, particularly our GLBT students and Allies, by engaging faculty, staff, and administration to make real impacting differences in our university system that aid these goals,’ said Bright. Equality was also an important focus of the group. In October 2014, the North Carolina State Constitution was ratified to include marriage equality and same-sex marriage. Though GLBTSU was not a part of the effort to change this issue within the state during the 2014-2015 academic year, it was still important to them. “Once we were reorganized, marriage was already legal. Marriage equality is important to our organization as we promote equality for all people. | married my wife five years ago in DC, and it was a relief to be recognized last fall,’ said Bright. In the future years to come, GLBTSU hoped to continue growing and offering a secure community where people from all walks of life could come and feel welcomed. Article By: Emily Gardiner gay? Tine OF ™ HOA NG Tas AUR Ree ae SN Adjusting To = 7 Pe eee ed THE WORLD ECU received a taste of cultures from around the world The African Students Organization (ASO) hosted Association of Latino and Spanish Affairs (SALSA), Cultural Explosion, an event that brought different fraternity Eta Psi and other modeling and dance ethnicities and races together to celebrate a groups. Dancewear loyal to cultures was worn in variety of cultures. Spoken word, music and some performances.. dancing all took place during this celebration of Dancing was not the only skill showed off that the world’s people on Nov. 13, 2014. night. Three-time ECU Stars winner, senior Trey The lights dimmed and the full house went Scarborough, sang an Italian opera piece to bring silent. An assembly line of flags from countries a European vibe to the theater. His broad vocals around the world greeted audience members. were a moving picture of the Italian renaissance They were encouraged to cheer and if their flag and expressed a type of love only communicated was represented. through music. The first act was two women from Word of Freshman history education major Samantha Mouth (WOM) who performed spoken word Williamson expressed her interests in |! poetry. Their act featured the two going back and Scarborough’s choice of music. “It was pretty forth about one’s internal monsters. They played cool to hear someone sing opera. | have never off the “left brain versus right brain” dichotomy, heard it live before, and Trey did an amazing job,” and the opposing patterns of thought associated said Williamson. wt 4 ora Si ee SE i = how they are dealt with. their cultures in an artistic way. “Being from [New] Dances from different cultures were performed Jersey, you do not really see much diversity. It’s by different student organizations, including great being at a school where the students could | the Caribbean Student Association, Dernier appreciate one another on a different level.” Cri Modeling Association (DCMA), Student | Article By: Angela Antrilli Teenie oe al Pi FAs) ME) Bf eM SHe eB. geaepasoges<: = Top: Performers start off Cultural Explosion with emotional poetry. Bottom Left: Some students provide the crowd with moves from Indian culture. Bottom Right: A large group of performers entertain the audience with the Salsa. Photography By: Garrett Campbell 59 All Around The aes Top: A few brothers in Xi Nu pose for a picture at their sleepout event. Bottom Left: Pictured: Brother Donovan Moss, senior director of Bigger and Better Business for the Xi Nu chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Bottom Right: Pictured: Brother Jared Caldwell, senior director of education for the Xi Nu chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity,|nc. Photography Courtesy of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Man oe Campus organizations embodied ECU’s motto of - mottos for the university and the Xi Nu chapter hi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. happened to align quite Perfe : ‘ < Ctly and drove the fraternity to serve the campus and its rounding areas. On Nov. 21-29 for th Sigm their decj , 2014, Phi Beta Sigma hosted its first Sleepout © Homeless event the same night that Omicron Gamma a chapter from Winston Salem State University hosted s Because of this coincidence, the two fraternities . have some friendly competition between the two the most ons. Both desired to see which group could bring in Xi community involvement. aay Chapter President Jarrett Slone explained that the page oa ape the event on their Twitter and Instagram the Siac ecause of their promotion efforts, a brother from having aie Gamma Sigma chapter informed him they were Bois ag event on the same night in Winston Salem. With blank ECU students went to the Clemmons Law Firm Which the, ae sleeping bags and donations in hand in homele y Camped outside overnight to raise awareness for - ssness. ee hetely honest it kind of touched me that so many a Stand ee Out to support. Not only to support us, but take a oe He lla admitted Sloan. ) Eohviee = INg about our organization in general is service. ae part of our motto,” Sloan said. : Perak = to Sloane, events such as this one were important in college i easy to forget those less fortunate while being -'he event i | he Sleepout allowed us to shine a light on the bigger issue AN ISSUE WORTH ON PhiBeta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. braced the cold to shed light on homelessness going on in the world,’ said Sloane. Sleepout for the Homeless participants camped out from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. who were entertained by music, line dancing and games. The games and dancing kept the energy levels high and helped keep participants warm in the 26 degree weather. “People were having a good time,’ said Sloan. “It wasn’t the exact same experience because obviously the homeless aren’t going to have the commodities, monetary resources andcomradery,’ Jay Garcia, aseniorcriminal Justice and political science double major and participant, explained. Garcia said he came out to participate in the event because he wanted to raise awareness not only about homelessness in the Greenville area but also raise awareness about the bigger issue. According to Garcia, this issue is bigger in larger cities, and it was something that people should put “more emphasis on.” Overall, Sloan was proud of the turnout of the event. He admitted he was grateful to the students who came out and participated in the event because “people did not have to give up their Friday nights.” Nonetheless he was thankful for those who chose to sleep out. Sloan said in total they collected two vans worth of items. “We collected 13 twenty-gallon trash bags of clothes, two thirty-gallon bags of clothes, five comforters, 10 bed bags of blankets & pillows, two cases of water, 10 packs of toilet paper, 25 bags of toiletries, $107 to purchase plastic goods and plates and one homeless person was served onsite.” Also the Xi Nu chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. collected more items than the Omicron Gamma Sigma chapter from Winston Salem State University. Article By: Anna Ray-Smith 61 An Issue Worth Sleeping at AINONTEEM Top: ECU college of Nursing students work in their simulation labs. Bottom Left: ECU nursing students saying their nursing pledge during a pinning ceremony. Bottom Right: Nursing students here at ECU gain very important knowledge to aid them in their future careers in classes like simulation labs. Photography Courtesy of College of Nursing / \ } Stablished in 4 Ollege of Nur “xceptionally e vertheyearst students acros BS Well as 13 Embers. -i ie) 959, East Carolina University’s sing became one of the most ducated programs in the state. heschool grewto 1,300 enrolled S all different degree programs, S faculty members and 35 staff h es sizes went from a few students Bettie rir CU became a model in the state heir Batieah ang education as they expanded Drélonicieh S internationally as they allowed also A enisinthe program. ECU 28nd Nicara nted in countries like Guatemala gua as students traveled there Dp Ww ; Experience. nursing care and broaden their \ The Nur Meant to b Megha CLEX in which the College of Nursing BUECU ha Passing as a 95 or higher percent The hi Comp high scores are due to the fact of the ail Nursing a to be accepted into the School of ofa 35 ee student needed a minimum GPA their ecin needed to maintain it throughout Boop g €xperience. among Seebss that the competitiveness realize Students died down when they Once they were inthe program, as they ELL VERSED BEING A NURSE Another group of nursing Pirates was sent into the real world in December 2014 were “all in this together.” In December 2014, ECU’s College of Nursing students sent off yet another class of nurses into the real world. Because of the high demand for nurses, the students were excited about the security of finding a job. Many of the nursing students stayed local to Greenville and worked atVidant Medical Center through job offers from the clinical rotations. A 2014 December graduate, senior nursing major Matt Steindl, looked back on his nursing school experience when Steindl exclaimed, “Through many different clinical experiences, scenario labs and the hands on learning incorporated, | feel that each of my classmates and myself will be prepared for our careers in nursing.” Steindl felt prepared to go back to Delaware as a nurse and knew that ECU prepared him for the real world exponentially. “The ECU College of Nursing, in my view, shaped their program to make ECU nursing graduates not only ready and competent but exceptional in our practice,’ said Steindl. lf the nursing program was going to be the best, then they needed the best staff and faculty. Boop was convinced that ECU rose to the top because of her professors. “They're constantly there to support us and help us if we are struggling. Each professor takes a genuine interest in their students,’ shared Boop. Being prepared for the real world was certainly very important when taking care of patients, and ECU's College of Nursing prepared their nurses well for what they would encounter after graduation. Article By: Angela Antrilli Noga Well Versed In Being A a | | “We learn to never be discouraged by difficulty or dissappointment, and as a nursing student, we encounter that everyday.- -Meghan Boop, Junior Nursing Major games and demanded attention East Carolina's club men’s rugby team may not have been the most advertised sport around campus but they were a hardworking team, nonetheless, deserving of any spotlight they received. The past 2014 ECU men’s rugby season was marked by an accelerated movement in the rankings throughout the nation and North Carolina. In a matter of three months, the team moved from unranked to number 21 in the Division 2 National College Rugby rankings. Men’s club rugby remained ranked as one of the top 3 collegiate teams in North Carolina. At the commencement of the fall season, within the Southern conference and after many tournaments, the team finished 5-1. Just as any successful sports team would, the rugby boys created an unbreakable bond with one another. Brandon Sorkin, junior and outside center, said, “My favorite thing about playing on the men’s club rugby team is the tradition of hard work and winning.The comradeship between guys on the team is strong, and we always do a lot together outside of the game” The guys’ bond together made their team that much stronger. They all hoped to establish the team to be a varsity sport within the near future, a hope that might have become a reality if their performances continued to demand the kind of attention they received during the 2014 season. Article By: Michaela Moody Club Men's Rugby players’ bond with one another helped drive them to play. Photography Courtesy of: ECU Club Sports Men's Club Rugby performance dominated Women’s Club Rugby embodie core athletic characteristics According to the Sports Networker, rugby was third fastest growing sport in the United States in? Combining ideals of both soccer and American foot rugby required strength, aggressiveness, endurancé agility. The ECU women’s club rugby team unders! these qualities, in addition to teamwork, all too well. Women’s Rugby continued to gain exposure in the! season, on campus, finishing the year with 3-1 recor Club sports, like rugby, are not funded the samé varsity sports; however, they play with the same 1 and commitment, deserving of their Pirate fans. Junior, Bethany Dower said, “I love being a part of at that is so together, like these girls, and we're all wot for one cause.” The women’s rugby team traveled all throughoul South in pursuit of that cause and desire to com this past season. As only a club team, the women bé majority of varsity rugby competitors at other univers! as well as challenge any team they face. Captain of the team, Brandalyn Watts, known @ exclaimed, “This is such an amazing group of girls, qd absolutely love leading them and playing with them. The girls on the team continued to gain exposure thro! wins all season, with hopes of one day becoming a val sport. It went without saying that the ECU rugby wolt were top notch athletes that possessed the same ath! giftedness as other varsity athletes. Article By: Michaela Moody Kathleen Mollen makes a hit as Tara Komlo, Bryanne Robbins, and cap Brandylon "B" Watts come in for support. Photography Courtesy of: Tara Komlo F | odie tics y was tes in 2 an foot urancé unders! o well. in the! recor ie same same fl iS. rt of até all worl ighout D9 coms nen bé niversil The club men’s soccer team desired to be a varsity sports team In ; a : Hise, the East Carolina Athletics Administration made = executive decision to discontinue the varsity men’s aM. Since the loss of the team, Men’s Club Soccer has n a | sae peed fighting to earn their spot back as a varsity According to Co-President of the Club team, junior Greg ra “They [the athletics administration] believed Se Ould need to be too much money put into the ha aly He make it a success, and other sports programs a uld not withstand budget reductions and still Mpete at the same level” ‘ees ky law, an equal amount of scholarship women's ta required for males and females. ECU felt the With Titi €am had greater need for the money. . Saside: a 9 and the soccer team’s past record working Positive ae the Men’s Club Soccer team made many deB Tce anges to prove to the university that they ae 0 be recognized as a varsity team. Gitine = gabaatt at the Men’s Club Soccer tryouts that day a In the air. In fall 2014, the team held a three- Atha cia where over 80 interested players showed up. Sen, ee the tryouts, 24 members joined the team. dibs e, Ick Saenz and Greg Connor, co-presidents of who Sears astonished with the number of gentlemen of Pega: up to tryouts, especially because of the lack The ieee leading up to tryouts. Bey ce eo ch to Conference USA was another integral €N's soccer gaining exposure. With the switch, the “ team had the opportunity to play against more Mpetitive teams. Article By: Kendall Schewitz When it came to scheduling games, the team had the option to schedule any game against another school’s club team. This season, they took on in-state D1 rivals such as the University of Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke, North Carolina State University, Elon, High Point and Wake Forest. The decision to play the particular schools listed was well accepted by fellow Pirate students and was evident in the fan attendance at games. The men’s team impressively tied against four of the teams they played. Since they became a club team, that was the first season the team had not made the Regional Tournament. While unfortunately it was only the first time in nine years the team had not placed first or second in their division. The team received funds by the members dues. However, this season they were fortunate enough to receive a donation from an alumni. In order to be able to participate inlargertournaments and acquire more apparel, the team planned to organize fundraisers throughout the year. The donation spoke volumes to the amount of support and credibility behind the men’s team. “Being in this new conference, | do believe we will get a men's soccer team once the money is there,’ said Connor. With a successful club team, a new conference and an increased interest in the team, the men of ECU's club soccer were anxiously awaiting the promising promotion. The dedicated players hoped to bring attention to ECU Athletics and eventually have a men’s varsity soccer team in the near future. Pictured: Men's Club Soccer team. Photography Courtesy of: ECU Club Sports 65 Fall Club Seas erleading Garrett Campbell Dance Team & Che g their half time show at a home ECU football game. i Ficklen some of their skills with a pyramid group stunt. the help of the marching Pirates during the halftime show.. The marching Pirates wow the crowd duri Photography By Marching Pirates it Spl ight: ECU dance team entertains the crowd with 's flag corp shows their school spirit by waving their East Carolina flags as they exit the field after a performance. ddle Bottom R ECU's coed cheerleading squad shows the crowd in Dowdy BCU Bottom M Top Right Bottom Left PREFERRED * COMPARy * mens T. te: OF A: ‘ 2 SE a2 a Men. ; { | j } 4 SPORTS The 2014 fall season of ECU athletics was marked by growth, success and change. The move into the American Athletic Conference demanded a response and each sport answered back with never before seen passion and promise. The Pirate football team moved up in national poll ranks, and Justin Hardy ended the season with a history breaking number of receptions. Women’s volleyball emerged as a redefined and refreshed team with renewed pride and talent. The cross country team, comprised of many new and young faces, boldly took on new conference rivals. Women’s soccer, in the midst of injury after injury, still performed impossibly well. The “Undaunted” title was appropriate for the unmatched and audacious athletes of East Carolina University. Facing bigger schools and elevated competition would intimidate any team. However, it did not deter a single athlete. The challenge, in fact, was a catalyst for bringing out the true nature of the Pirate athletes, undaunted courage. This was a season for change but the transition did not set any team back. While it was expected to see a team struggle when first stepping into a bigger conference, the Pirates did the opposite, they excelled. To outsiders, the powerful “Undaunted” brand might have seemed too big of a bite to chew; however, Athletics made it clear the emerging national exposure was well deserved. Article By: Ryan Carter-Stanley 69 \N Fall Sports According to Google, undaunted meant: “To not be Justin Hardy was four passes away from breaking the intimidated or discouraged by difficulty, danger, or all-time NCAA record for most passes received in a disappointment” During the fall 2014 season the college career. ECU football team lived and played as a team that The team would not be where they were without embodied what it meant to be as undaunted. their “raw” leadership. Since 2013, McNeill said Head coach Ruffin McNeill called his Pirate football the number of leaders grew. Athletes like J.T. Boyd, team brave. He entitled them “courageous warriors.” Shane Carden, and Lamar Ivey showed their drive for McNeill said, “They are champions and champion-_ success in practice. natured young men.” “The leadership is great. It is such a family setting Freshman quarterback Kurt Benkert from Cape for us, and it's special. It's not like other places,” said Coral, Florida, shared his idea of undaunted as being Benker. “relentless” and “ambitious” It was the commitment to the team that drove these According to McNeill, the team lived undaunted athletes to become great leaders. They focused on through their “never say die” play. They never the goal of success and the vision of a championship stopped fighting until the “fighting was done.” bowl game. McNeill orchestrated a team that broke both personal The future looked different for each athlete on the and team records. History was made when the Pirates team. McNeill believed the young men could do scored the most points ever scored against UNC in’ whatever they desired, whether it was to expand their 126 years. Following that game, the Pirates onto their professional football career or their career were ranked 23rd in the ACC Coastal Division by the outside of football. Associated Press. Win after win the Pirates moved up in ranking with hopes of going to a bowl game. McNeill said, “| like the competition in this league and the competitiveness of the teams.’ McNeill was all about one thing: his team. “It’s always about the kids. Without them, the team wouldn't be successful,” expressed McNeill . He continued, “We was confident in his team and his teaching to “Never have a team first, team last, team always motto” look back, because if you do, that is the direction you In addition to team success, individuals also will be going.” achieved greatness on the field. As of Nov. TZ, 2014, Article By: Angela Antrilli McNeill related the growth of the team to the process of writing a book. The book was about each game of the season and every game was a new chapter. “We have the pen, and we want to make sure that we write our ending with no regrets,” commented McNeill. Every ECU Pirate, at the start of each game, anxiously awaited what the next chapter would hold.. McNeill Fan Profile: Aaron Murphy You might have recognized Aaron Murphy, junior, in the Boneyard geared up in purple body paint, head to toe, two hours before kickoff. Murphy referred to Pirate football as his favorite time of the year. and would never forget the time ECU destroyed Chapel Hill. Throughout his time at the university Murphy was able to watch the Program grow, through the switch to the USA Conference and thoroughly enjoyed “watching certain players develop from being second stringers to legends.” Murphy said/I've had the opportunity to see many shattered records and that has been the best” Article By: Kendall Schewitz Top: Sophomore Defensive Back Terrell Richardson, Number 22, runs the ball down the field for a first down for the Pirates against North Carolina Central University (NCCU). Bottom Left: Senior Offensive Linebacker Taylor Hudson, Number 74, and senior Running Back Breon Allen, Number 25, celebrate after a Pirate touchdown against NCCU. Bottom Right: Freshmen Running Back Marquez Grayson, Number 27, and senior Inside Receiver, Number 2, celebrate together after a Pirate touchdown, made by Grayson, against Tulane. Photography By: Courtney Tittus & Meredith Baker 71 Dauntless In Dewey Photography By: Garrett Campbell & Victoria Savant : ; t £ i = 13 (Left Page) Top Left: Pirate fans show their pride during an ECU football game. (Left Page)Top Right: Players Maurice Falls, Senior Outside Linebacker, Number 48, and Domonique Lennon, Junior Defensive Back, Number 31, stand on the sidelines during a game against Southern Methodist University. (Left Page) Left Middle: Trevon Brown, Freshmen Outside Recivever, Number 88, runs the ball down the field. (Left Page) Bottom: ECU football players huddle during a timeout. (Right Page) Top: Coach Ruffin expresses his feelings about a flag thrown on a previous play. (Right Page) Bottom Left: Senior Quarterback Shane Carden, Number 5, sets up to throw the ball down the field against UNC. (Right Page) Bottom Right: Senior Inside Receiver Justin Hardy, Number 2, pushes past the Tarheels and runs the ball down the field. Football gh they were the team still had to make a lot of changes to continue to compete at the high level. “We are on the radar now, Senior defender Kelly er said. “It’s our Opportunity to prove ourselves” “When we have lost against big teams, they weren't easy wins for them. We fought till the end” Frey said. winning, ended with only 21 healthy bodies. Many players had Mill to step up and fill the shoes of the girls they lost. Coach Rob Donnenwirth explained the team had to Overcome obstacles, and the girls who stepped up had Donnewirth described his team in one word: resilient. something to prove for the team. “or worked hard for a moment that seemed like it might not ever happen. The future of the university women’s Soccer program was bright, according to Donnenwirth. “ECU has a great soccer facility; it’s one of the newest in the country. We are recruiting good students who are talented competitors” Donnenwirth said. Miller hoped to have made an impact on the team throughout her four years. “Il want to show the next group of girls that giving 100% The new conference was completely different accord- effort pays off. | don’t want them to take their time at ing to junior forward Kendall Frey, who was selected for ECU for granted,” Miller said. the 2014 All-American Athletic Conference SecondTeam Frey said that it was their goal since the beginning along with Lenns. of the season to win the American Athletic Conference “It’s a major reality check. We are playing in this new Championship. However, the ECU Women’s Soccer conference and winning games. We are proving that we season ended in the semi-finals, only two games away. Article By: Kelley Pressey “She stepped up and was extremely dedicated,” Donnenwirth said. “Because of her hard work, she was awarded Conference Goalkeeper of the Week twice during the season.” Lenns was also named to the All- American Athletic Conference Second Team. TheWomen’s Soccer team joined the American Athletic Conference at the beginning of the 2014 season. | can’t help but get 0 right or wrong,” “| remember after we scored a goal in y friends and | got the entire stands to extremely riveted each time something were to g stated Potter. She continued, one of the games, a few of m do the wave” Article By: Angela Antrilli lol icatolamelesicialelcls Kendall Frey holding offa ed akoycetele-] lim Orelel ans) \ Me) i a = Z ma Z o Despite their young age, the ECU Cross Country team excelled on and off the track team. “There have been many ups and downs... but The men’s and women’s ECU cross country team that’s what makes them a better team,’ Berkowitz had a combined total of 38 athletes — 19 of who said. were either freshmen or sophomores. The athletes enjoyed motivating and cheering for Sophomore Jorge Montes was a transfer student each other during practices and races. from Tijuana, Mexico. He began running as a hobby, “What we do is difficult. We encourage each other not realizing how good he was. When he entered his because we are teammates,” Montes said. first competition, he came very close to winning. “I Along with other ECU sports, the cross country thought, ‘Hey! I’m pretty good!’” Montes said. team moved to a new conference for the 2014-15 The rest was history for Montes. His personal season.’Our athletes are young and we really need record for running one mile was only four minutes to compete at an elevated level,’ Assistant Coach and ten seconds. Dan Lee said. Montes said there wasn’t much difference in training Lee noticed the runners competed with a new in the United States compared to Mexico. Montes enthusiasm. “We are competing against bigger smiled and exclaimed, “Run is run, competition is name. We are proving that we belong in this new competition.” conference.” Assistant Coach Brie Berkowitz said having a Weldense understood the new conference meant young team was a blessing and a curse. “The harder teams and harder competition. “We need to younger athletes are searching for who is going to step it up,” she said. fill that leadership role. It makes the team grow a lot closer when they figure it out together,’ Berkowitz explained. Junior Shewit Weldense felt the need to step up as a leader. “Of course | want to set some records or make the top 10 list, but most importantly | want to be a role model to the upcoming runners,” Weldense said. “It doesn’t matter who is in the conference. We won't back down. We train for the best, compete against the best. Whether we win or lose, we go home proud,’ Lee explained. The mentality of being undaunted wasn’t new to the team." It's a constant reminder to never quit, and to be successful on and off the track” Berkowitz said. “They are young; they want to win. They are all Berkowitz noted there wasn’t just one leader on extremely talented. The sky’s the limit for them” either of the teams. She explained that each athlete The sense of Pirate pride was high among these had unique leadership qualities. She used Weldense athletes. Montes said, “We aren't running for as an example: “Shewit is a verbal and nonverbal _ individual honor. We are running for ECU” leader; she puts in the extra mile and is truly an asset.” Teamwork was a core belief for the cross country Article By: Kelley Pressey Fan Profile: Chelsea Hollingsworth Fall 2015 had been a growing season for the cross country team. “This season they made a point to step up, and it is clear they are here for the purpose of representing ECU,” said freshman Chelsea Hollingsworth. According to Hollingsworth, the season had been a building year due to the amount of graduating seniors lost and incoming freshman the team received. “I think cross country is a sport where a lot of time and dedication is given in order to see success and ECU's team shows that,’ said Hollingsworth. “| enjoy the family atmosphere of the cross country team,” Hollingsworth explained. She said that the team was a very welcoming group that looked out for each other. Article By: Anna Ray-Smith Photography By: Garrett Campbell cross Country Challenge Top: Jorge Montes streaks toward the finish line, and has a top-15 finish at NC State’s Wolfpack/Adidas Invitational in Cary, NC. Bottom Left: Redshirt sophomore Caroline Reiser mid-stride at NC State's Wolfpack/Adidas Invitational in Cary, N.C. Bottom Right: Shewit Weldense coming down the final stretch at NC State's Wolfpack/Adidas Invitational in Cary, N.C. Photography Courtesy of: ECU Athletics 77 Running For The cae Senior setter, Zarah Cecich, dishes out an assist en route to Lilalisaliaremals\aerslactolg with 2,829 to rank third in the ECU record books. Photography Courtesy of ECU Athletics ae ETSI ay ee oe a iat meee audeceuee The ECU Women’s volleyball team saw an increase in wins, support and pride during their fall 2014 season East Carolina always had a strong athletic department, but every team had their ups and downs. It was how the team chose to respond to the tough times that revealed the true character and strength of the team. As for the ECU women’s volleyball team, they entered the fall 2014 season stronger than ever before. Senior setter Zarah Cecich said, “Playing on a team where you weren’t winning was hard. The girls had a hard team keeping their heads up, and without the support of you school and fans, it didn’t make it any better.” The team finally saw the positive effects of their continued commitment to ECU volleyball in the fall 2014 season. Coach Julie Torbett, a recent addition to the volleyball team, saw an increase of wins in 2013 that was six times greater than the previous seasons’ victories. The girls continued to move upward this past fall. Coach Julie Torbett, had seen the girls’ potential all along and said, “The girls poor playing was not for lack of talent but for a lack of performing well.” Torbett said the team came a long way from where they were a couple years ago. The team won 13 matches this season, which started their road of being proud and gaining pride, according to Torbett. All of their matches saw an exponential increase in attendance and their popularity has expanded on social media with over 2,600 Facebook followers on their page toward the end of the season. With the new turnaround of increased wins, larger audiences and fan support on and off the court, the girls’ sense of team pride began to shine through. The effects of team’s success, while visually evident, were internal as well. Zarah said, “going through the times of losing to now, makes winning and our new mentality so much nicer. The team bonds over winning or losing, but winning made it so much better. We're like a family.” Sophomore middle blocker Ashley McRae stated, “Playing as an underclassmen is such a privilege, especially going through this program change.” The girls were all so proud of how far they came and planned to continue sharing their ECU women’s volleyball pride around campus as their record continued to climb. The ladies deserved the support of Pirate Nation, having emerged from a difficult time with positive attitudes and a readiness to excel. Article By: Michaela Moody Women’s Volleyball Fan: Ally Astorino Freshman Ally Astorino attended only one East Carolina University Women’s Volleyball game during the 2014 season, butit only took one, and she was hooked. Astorino went to her first ECU volleyball game to simply watch a friend of a friend play. Along with other fans, Astorino left having had an amazing time and, most importantly, witnessed a Pirate win. “They were playing Maryland Eastern Shore and beat them in three sets,’ Astorino said. The comeback win wasn’t the only thing that entertained the crowd, according to Astorino. The announcers kept timeouts exciting by dancing and lip singing to the music. “| had a great time and would go again!” Astorino said. Article By: Kelley Pressey 79 A New Chast Pea Sh CO: shaetne ky te Bei ae OE es: : Ser ere Ve nate ae a aieeesy Top: Thullah is a representative of Proj Mugs show held to raise money for ed Bottom Left: Over 450 mugs were donated from members of the pottery community from across the East Coast to help raise money for Project Tumera. Bottom Right: Many people came to this event held in Mendenhall and helped raise almost $3,000. ect Tumera and gives a speech to open up the 500 ucation efforts and Ebola prevention in Sierra Leone. On December 1 through the 7, Project Tumera, a non- profit organization created in 2014, raised nearly $3,000 for education efforts and Ebola prevention in Sierra Leone. Senior Sarah Kurtz and graduate Isa Thullah had hearts for education in the Western African country of Sierra Leone, and with their common passion desired to pull together mugs from throughout Eastern North Carolina and raise money for to provide money for children’s education and Ebola prevention in Sierra Leone. ProjectTumera created an Ebola campaign in the fall of 2014 where they trained 70 people in Sierra Leone how to care for the people with the Ebola and how to prevent the disease. The money raised supported the training as well as provided these individuals with chlorine disinfectant wipes and spray to keep the community clean. Kurtz had a passion for ceramics and decided to combine it with her passion for education. Project Tumera was put together a fundraiser, 500 Mugs For Sierra Leone, to help fund Ebola research and awareness as well as to provide children in Sierra Leone with an education. “Education is a human right and no child should be deprived of it,’ Thullah said. Over 450 mugs were donated from members of the Student organization Project Tumera and art student Sarah Kurts teamed up to fight a global cause pottery community from across the East Coast. Two- hundred of those mugs were donated by local middle school students. Overall, the event raised over $2,500, with online sales still occurring after the main event. With the remaining 400 mugs, the Projectlumera team planned to travel to Washington D.C. in the spring. As the fundraiser continued to grow, there were hopes of this becoming an annual fundraiser. Thullah grew up in Sierra Leone with two illiterate parents. His parents saw education as an importanttool for success. In 1999, rebels attacked his village and held him hostage for 18 months. Thullah’s heartbreaking story about the civil war in 1999 created who he was. In 2001 he had the opportunity to go abroad and gain an education and decided to pursue his education in America. He returned to Sierra Leone in 2013 expecting to see improvement of the country, but instead he left disappointed. Citizens of Sierra Leone were living in poverty with no clean water and no education. His trip was what sparked the creation of Project Tumera. Education in Sierra Leone was incredibly different from education in the United States. Families were responsible for paying for their child’s education, and 60 percent of families could not afford it. With anticipation to raise thousands of dollars, this event contributed to changing children’s lives in Sierra Leone. Article By: Kendall Schewitz 83 Mugs For A ie SS — So gp aceon ES oP me ies : ae ar SRS ao zee nt ries Pa artesy Of Jay Clark & Gretchen Baugh ; “ a) oO Cc ® E = (e) O D £ = / H | ' 2 i i | | i | | 5 jo ofa\joD rele Ose, 87 Mitzy Miller gives speech on her success as editor in-chief of Ebony magazine. Photography By: Courtney Tittus DAY OF SERVICE ECU community came together to fulfill the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.’s life On the third Monday of every year, the U.S. Celebrates the life of Martin Luther King Jr. In 2015, instead of enjoying their day off 4 School relaxing, students celebrated his life by dedicating the day to serving their Community. Thanks to ECU’s Division of Student Affairs, Office of Equity and Diversity and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., students also had the ©Pportunity to hear from profound journalist, Mitzi Miller. The MLK Day of Service kicked off with a breakfast while volunteers viewed MLK’s “ Have a Dream” speech. Following the speech, Volunteers also had the opportunity to hear trom Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Virginia Hardy and Ledonia Wright Cultural Center Director Dr. Melissa Haithcox-Dennis. After hearing from the speakers, students ventured out into Pitt County to begin their tasks at the volunteer sites which included: ATime for Science, Creative Living Center, Food Bank of Central/Eastern NC, Kennedy Home, River Park North/Love a Sea Turtle, Making Pitt Fit Community Garden, Stop Hunger Now, Pitt County Animal Shelter, The Family Center and Third Street Community Center, Over 150 students participated in the day Of service, including several ECU baseball Players. As another part of East Carolina’s Annual MLK Celebration, Visualizing the Dream, Students got the chance to hear from Mitzi Miller and what freedom meant to her. Aside from her outstanding journalism career, Miller co-authored five novels, and appeared On major television programs such as Good Morning America and CNN’s Newsroom. Her story began during her senior year Of college where she found out she was extremely sick and needed a liver transplant, Meanwhile all that was on her mind was Mardi Gras. Unfortunately, Miller never attended Mardi Gras and waited 10 months for a new liver. However, Miller said this part of the journey was most positively influenced her. She learned the importance of happiness and to live each day to the fullest. “\What is the purpose of anything if you aren’t happy?” said Miller. Miller discovered what made her happy when she worked as an unpaid intern for seven days a week at a magazine. After realizing she loved it but knew she couldn't go her whole life as an unpaid intern, she knew she would have to work for it. When working her way to the top, Miller changed jobs multiple times, working for Honey and Jane Magazine until eventually landing editor-in-chief positions at JET and Ebony Magazine. Her job as editor-in-chief allowed her to be a part of African American history while learning about teamwork, leadership and having compassion for others. “It’s not the big things that people remember, it's the small ones,” said Miller. “And that’s why | love my job.” During her time at East Carolina, Miller was encouraged by the students who worked together toward a common goal. “You don’t have to ignore what's going on, you just have to look how to move forward,’ said an enthusiastic Miller when talking about freedom. . Side story: Freshman Hannah Paek, the AmeriCorps VISTA in the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center, was in charge of coordinating this year’s MLK Day of Service. Although this was her first year being involved with this event, she was impressed at how many students got together to support the cause and at their outstanding work ethic. Paek was certainly a proud Pirate after seeing the involvement and passion for service from her fellow classmates. “It’s not the big things that people remember, it's the small ones,” -Mitzi Miller, Journalist Article By: Kendall Schewitz — | MLK Day Of aa “ i} | Left: After ECU students took the Plunge, they were offered a certificate as a keepsake that said “| took the Plunge” Middle: The line of students waiting to take the Plunge reached out the pool house doors and all the way into the courts of the rec center. Right: Students that participated in the Polar Bear Plunge got an opportunity to jump into below freezing water at the Student Rec Center. Photography By: Courtney Tittus January marked a start to another year here in ECU nation: the beginning of the new semester, refund checks, but most importantly a pirate’s favorite annual winter tradition, the Polar Bear Plunge. For sophomore, nutrition major, Hayden Raynor this event marked even more. For Raynor, Polar Bear Plunge was his first event as a student at East Carolina University. A transfer student from Johnston Community College, the Benson, NC, native had just joined Pirate Nation and had not quite found his place among his fellow Pirates. “| wanted to get involved because being new to the school, | feel like | need to do everything that the school offers,’ explained Raynor. He said that he heard about the event in the residence halls and thought that the event sounded like a lot of fun. “I really like having school spirit said Raynor. To prepare for the event and show his newly Pirate spirit, the sophomore shaved the letters E-C-U in his chest. “Well, when people say | want to jump off a bridge do you want to go with me, I’m the type of guy that will jump off that bridge,” said Raynor. The thought of jumping into a pool of cold water did not faze him he explained. He said once he saw the ice in the water that quickly changed. “The whole time | kept trying to remind myself it’s going to be cold. It’s going to be cold,’ Raynor recalled. “As soon as | jumped in| was like its cold. It’s cold. It’s cold’’ remembered Raynor. “It was a lot of fun. People where very “It was a great way to be involved. | was happy to do It, from some other students and / would have done it again,” -Hayden Raynor, Sophomore TAKE BEARABLE PLUNGE It was more than just a plunge for one student. It was a rite of passage friendly, and they had enough shirts, which was my main concern because | had to go late,’ said Raynor. According to him, the main reason he decided to participate in the event was to make more friends and see what the university had to offer. “It was a great way to be involved. | was very happy to do it and | would have done it again,’ said Raynor. According to him, Polar Bear Plunge will be an unforgettable entrance into his life of as a Pirate. “| wish that they had a lot more events like this,’ said Raynor in reference to the Plunge. He explained that he liked the adrenaline- filled activities mixed with school spirit. For veteran jumpers, many felt the waters were a little warmer this year than in the years” prior., Many were pleased with the overall organization of this year’s Polar Bear Plunge event. Students at the event had the opportunity to take the Plunge, listen to music courtesy of W2ZMB, or learn more information about organizations on campus at Get-A-Clue tables. There were also performances from various student groups such as ECU Club Cheer, ECU Club Dance and dance team from the Indian Student Association. Campus Living also held a contest to see which Residence Hall would have the highest percentage of participants in the event. Umstead Residence Hall was the 2015 winner with the most participation at the 2015 Polar Bear Plunge. Article By: Anna Ray-Smith 91 Pirates Take Bearable sadectte “How to be independent.” -Aaron Hyman, Freshman “| wish someone properly taught me how to be interviewed for a job, let alone how to create a solid resume.” -Alec Fortune, Freshman “I was never taught how to study in high school. The teachers just told us to learn it but never demonstrated how to.” -Wyneisha Bell, Junior Photography By: Angela Antrilli “It seems like life is all about money. | never was taught how to become financially stable.” -Peter Soares, Freshman “High school never prepared us for adulthood.” -Travis Zira, Junior “Note taking and how _ to | communicate properly with a professor was one of the most important things | should have learned how to do in high school but didn’t.” areca -Jenny Hodgin, Graduate Student 93 PSA: Lessons High School Never Taught yee A HELPING HAND Service Sorority Epsilon Sigma Alpha had service down to a science Epsilon Sigma Alpha (ESA) was a non-profit service sorority that strived to make a difference in the lives of others. During the 2014-2015 school year, Allison Everett was the philanthropist coordinator for Epsilon Sigma Alpha Omega Pi Chapter at East Carolina. As philanthropist chair, Everett was responsible for planning fundraisers with the assistance from her sisters and fellow board members. Every year they worked together to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. In 2015 over $12,500 total was raised for St. Jude through various fundraisers. A main event put together by ECU was Sam's 5k Road Race. This event was held for the last seven years in memory of ESA sister Sam Taft, who passed away from cancer eight years ago. The 7th annual Sam’s 5k was held at the Town Commons in Greenville on October 19th, 2014. A spaghetti dinner was offered for the runners and anyone else interested in raising money for the cause. That weekend alone, ESA raised over $4,000 for bone cancer research. The month of February was an important month for the sisters of ESA. During this month the sisters put together several small fundraisers for an event they called “Be the Change Month” Due to the extremely cold and snowy weather during this month ESA could not hold as many events as intended; however, the still held a carnation and bake sale to raise money for St. Jude and even hosted their first annual Bachelor Auction on Valentines Day weekend in 2015. Everett said the Bachelor Auction was a success. “It helped raise a lot of money for St. Jude and we are definitely looking forward to hosting this event again,’ she said. ESA held other small fundraisers throughout the year to raise money for St. Jude. Some of these fundraisers included selling baked goods and candy apples for Halloween, Krispy Kreme vouchers and percentage nights at Mellow Mushroom and Sweet Frog. Although St. Jude was the main focus of ESA’s philanthropy events, they also spent time serving the community of Pitt County in several ways. Sisters of ESA participated in East Carolina’s Relay for Life event, made pillowcases for an event titled Against Domestic Violence, sent letters to troops overseas honoring their service and started a campaign to raise money for a newborn with cancer. They also volunteered at local places throughout the community such as the Ronald McDonald house, Hope Lodge, local food banks, the Little Willie Center, Habitat for Humanity, Science Olympiad and several events put together by the Special Olympics of Pitt County. As her main passion in life is serving others, Everett was grateful she found a place to share that passion with others. Everett said her favorite part about ESA was “having a steady group of sisters who are eager to do good in the community alongside of me, it's amazing to see the impact we make!” Article By: Kendall Schewitz 4d fe. thy f Top: ESA annual alumni dinner Fall 2014 (Full Chapter). Bottom Left: ESA Carnation sale for our international initiative ESA hearts St. Jude Month (Feb 2015) (Pictured: Nikki Wilson, Ashlee Tieto, Jordan Mckinney). Bottom Right: Fish Fam taking a photo at Coachella themed family olympics Fall 2014 (Pictured: Audrey Andrews, Shana Maw, Laure Dieckman, Brooke Svenson). Photography Courtesy of Epsilon Sigma Alpha “It always helos that the team IS good, but | think it was the players, coaches, administrators and fans and how incredibly accommodating, and receptive they were ... that Made it such a SUCCESS,” -Josh Graham, Senior and News and Sports Director LISTENING TO HISTORY IN THE MAKING WZMB broadcasted the entire Women’s Basketball seast Students turned to East Carolina University Student Media for their campus news, entertainment artistic expression. During the Women’s Basketball 2014-2015 season, students were able listen to all home and away games broadcasted on the campus radio station, WZMB (93.1 FM). “We were on air for every game, as far west as Texas, as far south as the Bahamas and Florida, and even fighting through a record snowstorm in Hartford, Connecticut), News and Sports Director Joshua Graham said. W2ZMB was allowed to broadcast the popular sport because it wasn’t broadcasted by the Pirates IMG Sports Network, which carried Pirate Football, Men’s Basketball and Baseball. Graham had_ been _ privileged with broadcasting all home games for the previous three years. He said that he thought that was a major reason why ECU Athletics agreed to allow WZMB to cover all games. “So they were familiar with me and knew that students were capable of doing the games and ultimately doing them well” Graham explained During a typical game night, Graham stayed busy before and after games. He would arrive at Williams Arena two hours before tip-off to set up all the radio equipment. After grabbing a pre-game meal, Graham would do an on-air test with the production board operator in the WZMB studio. “We'll go on the air 15 minutes prior to tip- off, then it is show time!” said Graham. Whether the lady Pirates won or lost, Graham would wrap up the broadcast with a post-game interview with Head Coach Heather Macy. Broadcasting away games was a challenge that required thoughtful planning by Graham and the WZMB crew. “On the road, it is an all-day venture that includes going to a morning practice and interviewing an ECU coach, before busing over to the game with the team,’ Graham described. ECU Athletics accommodated all of WZMB’s traveling arrangements by allowing them to fly and ride buses with the team and paying for their hotel rooms, while ECU Student Media covered meals on the road. “It was a well-planned operation that has gone better than | think anyone expected. And Article By: Kelley Pressey | had high expectations,’ Graham said. In addition to broadcasting Worm Basketball games, Graham hosted the "im ever Heather Macy Show on WZMB in Jan of 2015. “This has all been new-found ground W2ZMB, Student Media and the ECU Worm Basketball program,’ explained Graham. The sky was the limit for WZMB and sP broadcasts, according to Graham. He h® to broadcast all women’s sports on WZM! the future. “It always helps that the team is 9! but | think it was the players, coal administrators and fans and how incredy accommodating and receptive they wo that made it such a success,” Graham said Graham was a combination of a sf! almanac and radio broadcaster, the lon%# serving student staff member at WZMB an announced almost all of Women’s Baskel” Games during the 2014-2015 season. Who he? Joshua Graham. Known as the sports almanac of his ™ school, Graham decided to venture ™ sports broadcasting when he enrolled at Ff Carolina University in 2011 to quench his t!! for a career in sports. “I started [at WZMB] the first semester of” freshman year doing a thrice-weekly sP4 show [which lasted] for three years,” Grall explained. Graham also became WZMB’s first-® news and sports director. “In doing so, | had to build a staff of the program after | graduate... it’s all a building the foundation,” Graham said. The radio station had been stl organized on ECU’s campus since 1982, 4 since then, WZMB offered listeners Et sports broadcasting, campus and area n@ and songs that weren’t found on mainst'@™ stations “Radio allows the opportunity for us 19 , more creative in how we deliver news, disol important topics or broadcast sporting evel .. We must paint pictures with our word9 connect with listeners,’ Graham explained: “Mastering this practice is what keeps going and | love it,” he added. a Top: Josh Graham conducts an interview with Head Coach Heather Masey. Bottom Left: Josh Graham broadcasting play by play at a women’s basketball game. Bottom Right: All Home and away games were covered by WZMB. Photography Courtesy of Josh Graham 97 SX Listening To History In The Making SETTING TRENDS Student Activities Board hosted up and coming band MachineHeart at ECU In 2014 the Trendsetter Tour brought upcoming band Echosmith to the Hendrix = : ‘ MachineHeart IS Theater stage, and , with Echosmith soon rising to popularity after the tour was : finished, it was needless to say the 2015 musical pick, MachineHeart, was highl a pleasant MINGOE FE are. : ‘ = Imagine Dragons, | Beginning at ECU on Feb. 3, 2015, and ending on Feb. 28 at Carthage College in Winsconsin, the purpose of the tour was to give rising artist publicity and Paramore. Indie exposure as they performed on various college and university campuses. The concert, hosted by ECU’s Students Activities Board (SAB) in collaboration rock would be with North Campus Crossing and American Campus, featured an up-and- coming band MachineHeart. The Los Angeles group was comprised of Stevie Scott, lead vocalist, Carman the best way to describe their Kubanda, the electric guitarist, Trevor Kelly on acoustic guitar, Jake Randle A on bass and Harrison Allen on the drums. MachineHeart played a full set for | sound, students including songs from their first studio album they recently finished | recording. | “MachineHeart is a pleasant mix of Imagine Dragons, Paramore. Indie rock -Grey Helman-dollar, A . would be the best way to describe their sound,” said sophomore and SAB member, Grey Helmandollar. As amember of the Special Events board, Helmandollar was excited about the band’s arrival to ECU. “I'm an active member of Student Activities Board, and the concert was an anticipated event within our committee,” Helmandollar said. Jessica Thompson, a sophomore,was equally excited about the arrival of the group to Pirate Nation. “After finding out they were coming, | started listening to their music, but before then | had not heard of MachineHeart,’ Thompson explained. According to Thompson, she tried to get familiar with the band and their music prior to their concert. “Before their performance, | started listening to their music on SoundCloud and YouTube. | really enjoyed the vibe their music gave off, which built my excitement for them to come to ECU,’ said Thompson. During MachineHeart’s performance, the crowd danced and enjoyed the atmosphere the band created. Many audience members especially enjoyed the performance of their song “Circles” “| know that the song ‘Circles’ will be playing on the radio in at least six months. The indie rock genre is growing, and | see them doing well with it,’ said Helmandollar. As an SAB member Helmandollar said she was a little disappointed in the turnout of students to the event. Helmandollar said, “| feel like the turnout could have been better. | felt the artist deserved to share their talent among a larger crowd. However, there was a more laid back closer vibe that was equally enjoyable.” After their performance, the band did a meet and greet, took pictures and signed autographs for students. “They had such laid back personalities, they had conversations with people and asked our names; it was my favorite part of the whole event,’ revealed Helmandollar. Article By: Anna Ray-Smith Sophomore and SAB Member Top: SAB brought MachineHeart to ECU for the Trendsetter Tour. Bottom Left: Jake Randal performs on keyboard and bass guitar. Bottom Right: Lead vocalist Carman Kubana entertains the crowd. Photography Courtesy of Sharda Persaud 99 Setting ot “Our campus IS very diverse, and this year we realized and understand that people are all in different walks of life, so we find that unity and serve as the leadership university together.” -Jake Srendnicki, SGA President EADING: ENGAGING SGA experienced abrupt changes in leadership but still persevered StudentGovernmentAssociation(SGA)was one of the more well known organizations on campus. SGA represented the students as they were the eyes and ears of the students and put their opinions first. This Organization helped students’ voices be heard and taken into consideration relating to numerous topics. SGA was comprised of the executive branch, the judicial branch and _ the legislative branch, and each had its own duties and responsibilities. SGA was involved inanumber of activities throughout the year. As told by President Jake Srednicki, the goal was to find a single direction that the students wanted and go for it. The executive branch carried out many of the ideas of becoming a safer campus and developing a well-rounded student body. Adding more lighting throughout the campus,especiallyinthe Mall,wasoneofthe obligatory safety standards that was taken before the school year began. It allowed the students to feel more comfortable walking by themselves at night. The 2014-2015 academic year was the first year that the judicial branch has served in office. Members were excited about the new addition as if there were an incident pertaining to students, this branch would directly impact them and help them with full undivided attention. Everyone wanted to leave some sort of legacy on their campus. The executive branch wanted to promise the students they would be well-informed and supported by their school. The creation of the internship program was how they would keep that promise to the Pirates. Srednicki said, “The interns would help steer the ship, because it'll be good to have more team members onboard. | would really like to see us put on a large scale of events on campus.” Not only were the students involved, but also following the Board of Trustees Article By: Angela Antrilli meeting the reception expanded to having more people invited. Students and administration of organizations had the © opportunity to speak with board members about their ideas and concerns. | The senate was under the legislative branch, whose job was to pass resolutions. Some of the responsibilities of the senate regarded the uptake of the different bills on whether they passed or not. Their biggest job was to disperse and expose the student © organizations all throughout the campus. ~ Every school had a budget and a certain © amount that needed to be spent. It was ultimately the senate’s decision on where the money went Vice President Tyler Moore said, “It was easy to spend because students want to travel abroad a lot.” Some of the new implications the senate put into place was to reform new functions and rules. More importantly, the senators went out and talked to the students they represented. “It is really important for our senators to let their colleges be informed,’ stated Moore. The Senate wanted to focus on leaving the SGA “Undaunted” “We are not afraid to tackle discussions that may get heated,’ Moore explained with confidence. He continued, “Renaming Aycock is one of the biggest debates that we are in now and not backing down is important.” Engagementofthe student body increased overthe years dueto SGA becoming unified with the students. Srednicki explained, “Our campus is very diverse and this year we realized and understand that people are all in different walks of life, so we find that unity and serve as the leadership university together.” Moore had a lot of dreams for SGA and the senate. He wanted to see more involvement from the students and to see them be a “delegate” on the city council, because if it weren't for ECU, then there wouldn't be a Vidant Medical Center. Top: The Student Government Association (SGA) poses for a group photograph. Bottom Left: Katina Cooper was SGA administrative assistant. Bottom Right: Sophomore Mark Matulewicz at work. Matulewicz was the 16-16 SGA president. Photography By: Lauren Barkand PIRATES TAKE ON POLITICS Two tickets ran to take on the executive branch positions during the 2014-2015 SGA elections Spring semester was that time of year students were given the opportunity to login to OneStop and choose the lucky group of Pirates that would reign as the Student Government Association Executive Council for the upcoming school year. During the 2014-2015 year Pirate Nation had the option to choose between two strong and diverse tickets to represent the student body in the SGA. Students were allowed to vote on OneStop from Feb. 24, 2015, until the polls closed on Feb. 27, 2015. Ultimately, Ticket 1 won the hearts and votes of the Pirate Nation, and were elected the new 2015- 2016 Executive Branch of the Student Government Association. Ticket 1 was led by Mark Matulewicz as the presidential candidate, Jenny Betz as vice presidential candidate, Carson Pierce as treasurer candidate and Selma Gomez as secretary candidate. According to Matulewicz, their platform was affordability, safety, athletics, health-science _ relations, diversity, student government reform and community affairs. Matulewicz said the primary goal was to make their platform a reality. He explained that diversity and experience in SGA was what made his ticket stand out. Every member on his ticket had been involved in the SGA in the past. Ticket 2 was led by Eliza Monroe for president, Janae Brown for vice president, Chelsea Scott for secretary and Don Donaldson for treasurer. The slogan forTicket 2 was: “Unlock. Bridge. Seal.” The goals of Ticket 2 were to “Unlock the gap by acknowledging the gap between the Student Government Association and Article By: Anna Ray-Smith the student body; Bridging the Gap by creating initiatives and programs that bring together all aspects of college life at Eas! Carolina University; and Sealing the Gap by ensuring that thé work accomplished is firmly sealed by enacting legislation i" collaboration with the other branches of SGA” To help the student body become more informed voters, theré were several events held including a debate held in Hendrix Theatre and a “Rock the Vote” event which was held in thé Student Recreation Center, where organizations came out and supported the event with music and performances. “Rock thé Vote” also had stations where students could login to OneStoP and cast their vote. Monroe, an Elite Pirate and Campus Living residem advisor, said that she wanted the students to remember he! ticket as being personable. “Although Student Governmen Association is a form of government, when it comes to serving as representatives of the student body, it has nothing to d? with the politics. It has everything to do with making sure ou! peers feel properly represented and understood. People will learn and know our faces and opinions because we will maké a personal effort to learn and know theirs,” Monroe explained: Both Tickets used social media as well as flyers and banners for their campaign. They also attended the debate and “Rock the Vote” events to mingle with the student body showing the! true desires to know the students. Top: Pictured from left to right: Ticket 1: Secretary Candidate Selma Gomez, Presidential Candidate Mark Matulewicz, Vice Presidential Candidate Jenny Betz, and Treasurer Candidate Carson Pierce. Bottom Left: Pictured from left to right: Ticket 2: Secretary Candidate Chelsea Scott, Presidential Candidate Eliza Monroe, Vice Presidential Candidate Janae Brown, Treasurer Candidate Don Donaldson Photography Courtesy of Mark Matulewicz & Eliza Monroe Rc ‘<5 e ee seating ad ssi taco ebei’ 4] wants WML TYA « i ¥ i 5 i iq t f NORTH CAROLINA NORTH LITERARY REVIEW [et allan CAROLINA . , * LITERAR}] NORTH CAROLINA LITERATURE IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT ee ee 20 { WAR IN f NORTH CAROLINA LITERATY® ne emenemioceaestath >, svieneynraainncenanonupeninonnian + ean catenins NAMEN REDE IN THE SPECIAL FEATURE SECTION Interviews with Robert MorganyRon Rash, and Terry Roberts. m Essay by David S. Cecelski m= The Doris Betts Prize Story by Claudette Cohen m And more... ae Top: Margaret Bauer and editorial graduate students editing and publishing poetry. Bottom Left: Pictured: NCLR 2015 online edition. Issue Number 24. Issue on “North Carolina Literature in a Global Context” Bottom Right: Pictured: NCLR 2014 print edition. Issue Number 23. Issue on “War in North Carolina Literature” Photography By: Mason Sanders & Pictures of NCLR covers Courtesy Of NCLR ECU’s English Department offered class credit and internships to work on topnotch state journal The North Carolina Literary Review itself in supplying publication, but the interpersonal office dynamic is very real,’ East Carolina University always prided Opportunities for its students to grow not only academically, explained McCarty. but also to develop skills needed for the workforce. All interns had the same goal in mind - creating the best Students had the opportunity to intern with the NorthCarolina literary magazine/scholarly journal as possible. The talented Literary Review (NCLR), an award-winning publication that interns assisted in publishing articles and essays about North showcased literary work by North Carolina writers. Carolina writers, literature, literary history and culture. Directly supported by the university, interns worked with “My goals included working the hardest | possibly can in Editor-in-Chief,Dr. Margaret Bauer and editorial graduate maintaining the success and importance of NCLR,” McCarty students to assist in “editing and publishing poetry, fiction said. and nonfiction,” according to Senior, Elizabeth McCarty, who McCarty hoped to one day have a career in editing. “[The double majored in communication and English. internship] has already helped improved my organizational The internship focused on learning the ins and outs of the and communication skills” she explained. editing industry. Interns spent 10 hours a week, totaling 140 “It's a great resume boost and knowledge builder. It’s hours across the semester, working with NCLR. Each intern prepared me by giving me an insight in what an editing job received credit for the capstone course ENGL 4780. could feel like and further cemented that | have chosen the “The literary magazine offers a wide range of resources right major,’ said Glavin. students can use that will benefit them for future jobs,’ senior All of the hard work done by the interns was only possible english major Stefani Galvin explained. because of the hours of commitment that Dr. Bauer supplied. & Interns had a long list of duties that they were expected to “Wer skill and intelligence are only outmatched by her hard i complete, all to benefit the publication. work and commitment,’ a heartfelt Wilson said. | | “So many parts of the internship are an exact mirror of an The publication was housed in a small corner office on entry-level job in editing and publications — or a plethora of the second floor of Bate. In spite of the small office, NCLR other career types for that matter,’ said Kami Wilson, senior has won a variety of awards. Many awards from the Council English major. of Editors of Learned Journals: Best New Journal in 1994, From formatting in Microsoft Word and InDesign, fact Best Journal Design in 1999 and 2010, Parnassus Award for checking, filing contracts and managing NCLR’s social media Significant Editorial Achievement in 2007 and the Phoenix presence, interns were entrusted with a lot of responsibility. | Award for significant Editorial Achievement in 2014. “Not only is the actual work great experience — learning InDesign and going through all the steps of editing and i} Artice By: Kelley Pressey | || a - 105 Award-Winning ne Se Top: ECU, state and local officials cut the ribbon to open the new ECU School of Dental Medicine Community Service Learning Cente-Robeson County in December 2014. Bottom Left: ECU School of Dental Medicine Community Service L arning Center—Spruce Pine. Bottom Right: Nearly 150 people attended a ribbon cutting for the ECU School of Dental Medicine Community Service Learning Center-Robeson County in December 2014. Photography Courtesy of School of Dental Medicine INCREASING DENTAL The School of Dental Medicine served NC communities through new community learning centers | East Carolina University had one of the most competitive and prestigious “uN dental programs in the state of North Carolina. Academically-gifted students | love the NEw worked long, hard hours to try to earn a spot in one of the many School of : / Dental Medicine programs offered. loca {iONS. It Sa | Students in the School of Dental Medicine could easily get hands-on great idea and | experience at one of many community service-learning centers ECU have ee throughout North Carolina. In 2015 a few more service learning centers were ITS great fo see | planned, built and staffed. Locations open to the community were Ahoskie and Elizabeth City. Those and KNOW that that were under construction in 2015 were Sylva, Lillington, Spruce Pines, Davidson County, Brunswick County and Robeson County locations, with few students have more to come alongside those sites in the future. done their part Senior dental student, Kelsey Weiss, was excited to see ECU putting their ability to serve into action. Weiss expressed, “| love the new locations. It’s a IN Serving the great idea and it’s great to see and know that students have done their part in oe serving the community.” comm unity. The new locations benefited the communities financially. Each location accepted a wider variety of insurances, including Medicare. lt was an exciting year for the program because it was the first four-year graduating class and the first year pre-doctoral students gained hands-on experience treating patients. Each fourth-year student got divvied out to the new locations. ECU decided to allow students in the new clinics for a number of reasons. The dental Pirates were able to take their skills past the clinic and take on reality. “You get the feel of the career life and you are put into real life situations,’ stated Weiss. The most popular program was the pre-doctoral which led to Doctor of Dental Medicine Degree (DMD). In addition, ECU offered a post-graduate program in Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD), General Practice Residency and Pediatric Dentistry. What began in 2011, the School of Dental Medicine was one of the newest additions to East Carolina. Year after year more people became involved in the programs and school, including staff, students and patient populations. The process to get into the program was very extensive as It was about a two-year process. The students prepared their application to excel from the others with extensive volunteer hours, shadowing experience, an interview and Dental Admissions Test (DAT) score of at least a 16 or higher. To show the competitiveness of the program, there were an estimated 400 applicants and only 52 acceptances. -Kelly Weiss, Senior Dental Student Article By: Angela Antrilli 107 Increasing Dental Capacity * PE 2S SS ae ae 2 ee ee MOUNTING GREATER Rock climbing competition Flatlander’s Fling drew in the biggest crowd and sponsorships Adventure Rec had ever seen Since 2010 ECU’s Adventure Program had personally seen the boom in growth in the annual rock climbing competition Flatlander’s Fling. It grew in the number of participants and sponsors, enough where, according to Assistant Director of Adventure Program Brad Beggs, there was “always more than enough food leftover.” Corporate and local sponsors donated to the event in various ways. Gear was typically donated by corporate sponsors, such as Adidas, while the food that was supplied throughout the entire day was provided by local sponsors such as The Scullery, Tipsy Teapot and Sup Dogs. Also, over the last five years the number of climbers increased from about 25 to 51. Some were new climbers and some had climbed for the last four to five years. Anyone could participate as long as they were a registered college student. Skill level ranged from beginner to some being able to climb at an almost professional level. Beggs said he’d seen climbers grow year to year in ability. The increase in participants led to Flatlander’s being divided into three heats for the first time. Each heat was exactly the same with no distinction. Climbers ended up in certain heats depending on when they arrived to the event, and those who finished with the best skill and time received the most points. Winners received handmade wooden trophies that coordinated with the year’s theme, “A Night in Hollywood” In years past the event was only Article By: Emily Gardiner one round where climbers started climbing all at once. East Carolina was part of the Eastern Edge rock climbing series, a series that also included Virginia Commonwealth University, Duke University, Old Dominion University and UNC Chapel Hill. Fellow rock climbers could come to these events to find people with like interests, and the competitions could build camaraderie within this community. Before 2010 Flatlander’s was held at UNCW, but because the rock wall hooks couldn’t be moved the competition was moved to ECU because the rock wall hooks could be moved and rearranged to create different types of routes at varying difficulty levels, adding versatility to the competition that it never had before. According to Beggs, the wall at UNCW wasn't as good for competitions as ECU's was. Something special about Flatlander’s Fling was that it was all student-run. The Adventure Program staff was comprised only of student staff who a week before the competition shut down the rock wall, rearranged the hooks and created paths climbers would take during the competition. Also, Campus Recreation and Wellness worked with Adventure Program to help put on the event. It's because of CRW staff that the wall could be shut down a week prior to the event. Top: Participant climbs in one of the three heats. Bottom Left: Winners received hand made trophys that coordinated with the event's theme. Bottom Right: A week before Flatlander’s Fling, the rock wall is shut down to map out routes for the competition. Photography By: Lauren Barkand Governor Charles B. Aycock’s name was removed from Aycock Hall because of his controversial past “I was a student voice, among many, that believed in being the change | wanted to see,’ senior, Black Student Union President Tyler Morrison said. The change that Morrison wanted to see was Governor Charles B. Aycock’s name removed from the residence hall located on College Hill. On Feb. 20, 2015, the Board of Trust- ees voted and then approved to remove Aycock’s name from the dorm after months of debate between faculty, stu- dents, staff and alumni. According to Robert Brinkley, chairman of the ECU Board of Trustees, before a formal request to remove Aycock’s name was presented, administration was looking into the removal of the name for some time. “We did get a formal request that the name be removed and that started a lengthy, detailed and thorough process that the trustees wanted to undertake to understand the issues involving that request,’ Brinkley explained. After the formal request was pre- sented, the board looked more into why Aycock’s name was on the dorm and the controversy associated with him.. According to Andrew Morehead, associate professor of organic chemistry at ECU, in 1961, a Board of Trustees member suggested to the chancellor that the university should honor the “Educational Governor” by placing his name on the dorm. “Governor Aycock was very instru- mental in the history of North Carolina in the form of public education... his administration created more public schools than any prior administration” said Brinkley. Despite his progressive educational attitude, Aycock was also involved in the Democratic Party's “white supremacy” campaigns during the late 19th century. Article By: Kelley Pressey “There is little doubt that the increas- ing knowledge of Governor Aycock’s white supremacy advocacy and disen- franchisement of black voters prompt- ed the requests [to remove his name],” Morehead explained. Even though students did not make the formal decision to remove the gov- ernor’s name from the dorm, their input played a valuable role in influencing the board’s decisions. Morehead explained that the students were critical in the decision and “were the voices given the most weight.” “At any public institution of education, students need to understand that they are the driving force that keeps the university going!” Morrison said. The Black Student Union planned Judgement Week, a student-led social movement to express the importance of voice, opinion and culture among students here at ECU. The week long demonstration includ- ed spreading the word through social media, boycotting of various university offices and a ‘sit-out’ outside Aycock Hall. “Lastly, we greeted the members of the Board as they entered their meeting to illustrate how much we care about this university and the decisions made for it,’ Morrison described. The Board of Trustees was impressed with the way students handled the whole re-naming process. “The way the students conducted themselves in terms of coming [to the Board] with their ideas, their feelings, both emotionally and factually, was done in a way that improved our pro- cess in a positive manner,’ said Brinkley. Aycock’s name will be moved to the newly created Heritage Hall, a building designed to commemorate East Caro- lina University’s rich history. Top: As a form of protest, some ECU students took the incentive to canvas the campus with flyers giving a brief description of Charles Brantley Aycock as a way to encourage the campus to rename Aycock Residence Hall. Bottom: The renaming of College Hill’s residence hall, Aycock Hall, was one of the biggest debates around campus. Photography By: Mason Sanders 111 Farewell Aycock aN PERSONAL ANECDOTES Students checked out humans at Joyner Library’s Human Library event by To break Ever thought you could check out a person? Well, ECU students could during the second Human Library event put on by Joyner Library. stereotypes, Attendees to “checked out” human beings or “human books” Participants were chosen because their life story held deep meaning create an open and had interesting information to share with others. During a 10- . 15 minute conversation students were able to openly converse with dialogue, {O human books and gain knowledge about beliefs, walks of life, abilities break through and backgrounds that may have differed from their own. The Human Library was established in 2000 and occurred at several socig/ barriers on universities throughout the U.S. The Diversity Committee at Joyner Library along with Katy Kavanagh Webb, the interim head of research these were the and instructional services at Joyner, brought this event to ECU. . . f h Students who volunteered to serve as “human books” had life If) tentions O [ € stories that may have fit a common stereotype. In order to display that ; ” stereotype, they created a title that captured it. To break stereotypes, Human Library. create an open dialogue, to break through social barriers- these were the intentions of the Human Library. Books at the Human Library covered a variety of topics. Some of the volunteers discussed their struggles with: dyslexia, post traumatic stress disorder, Native American heritage, surviving cancer, poverty, sexual abuse, homelessness, multiple sclerosis and the Islam religion. A primary focus of the 2015 Human Library was Judaism, “because of anti-Semitic events that took place on ECU’s campus earlier this year, said Webb. These books emphasized Jewish culture. The Human Library had the privilege of hearing from a Rabbi, a person whose parents survived the Holocaust as well as its first ever “e-Book” where a student from Israel was on Skype via an iPad. Aside from the three Jewish books, the most popular books included a student with PTSD who served in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as a former Foster Child. “The event is extremely positive because people are free to ask any questions they have, regardless of how simple the question,” said Webb when excitedly discussing the Human Library. As the Human Library is an all day event, there were 80 checkouts at the first shift between 2-4 p.m. and 26 checkouts from 5-6 p.m.. During the first shift, students could choose between 26 books while during the last hour of the event only 11 books were available for students to checkout. Article By: Kendall Schewitz alannah hi Human Book” tells their story. “ a Human Books Bottom Left Students listening to the stories of the “Human Books” they checked out. ight: Summaries of the Top left out for students to read. ” “ cc = i) £ ° ca ttus Courtney T Photography By A WINTER WONDER PIRATELAND Freshly fallen snow... what more could a student want than freshly fallen snow that got classes cancelled and allowed for one to procrastinate on homework one more day only to throwdown in the white fluffiness? The day got real when people said they were heading down to the fishbowl, a snow-filled area on West End, with trashcan lids, street signs and maybe their own sleds in hand, or when breakfast was served all day at the dining hall with Saturday morning cartoons playing overhead and bodies still clad in pajamas. Where in the student handbook did it say you couldn't roll straight out of bed and come to the dining hall for a fresh hot meal? The mall was suddenly filled with snowball fights and other preplanned events (i.e. the great 2014 Harlem Shake). Snow days in Pirate Nation were just a major little thing students looked forward to most during the winter season. . ti ee nase aceneeine anteater iim ge eet myee aay WITH OLYMPIC POTENTIAL They skated for more than themselves Typically a solo sport, East Carolina’s Figure Skating Club team worked together to demonstrate the true definition of teamwork with a common goal to make it to nationals. In the early 2000's, figuring skating was introduced as aclub sport at East Carolina but it had not been until 2010 when the team began competing at a competitive level. You can find Head Coach Stephanie Bradykine preparing her 14 skaters for competition season at the Carolina lce Zone on Monday andThursday nights. Although their season runs from November to April, the dedicated skaters make sure they practice year round. “In order to qualify for nationals, you have to be in the top three for the region,’ said president and junior Sally Warren. “That is why we practice all year.” Skating since the age of five, she has had plenty of experience in the arena of figure skating. However, Warren has never seen dedication and teamwork from other skaters since her time at East Carolina. Several of her teammates have skated for the USA team and have skated alongside her at national competitions. With this team, teamwork truly made the “dream work.’ Warren predicted they would host tryouts for the 2016 season. This would be the first time the figure skating team held tryouts. Warren said, “I love that our Club Figure [Skating] brings a team aspect to a solo sport. When you are competing on behalf of East Carolina, you are representing school. When we compete we are not just competing for ourselves, but each other and all of our classmates as well.” The team received partial funding from Campus Recreation and Wellness and the girls worked hard to fund the rest through dues and fundraisers and active involvement in student activities such as Pirate Palooza, Polarbear Plunge and other events organized by Campus Recreation and Wellness. Article By: Kendall Schewitz Top: ECU Club Figure Skaters skate during practice. Bottom: ECU Club Figure skater strikes a pose duing practice. Photography By: Lauren Barkand & Kadedra Davis HOME B, PUCK ADVANTAGE Hockey players break the ice East Carolina University was all about expansion, a vision that was evident even among the Club Ice Hockey team. Most sports teams had a home court, where home games are packed with fans, spirit and tradition. When a team plays at home, it is said that they have the “home court advantage.” Unfortunately, the Club Ice Hockey team did not have a large enough rink to accommodate opposing teams and, therefore, planned to expand to build their own rink. “It is tough to get the big teams to come out to Greenville,’ stated Head Coach Mike Markham. Even though the ice hockey team lacked this home court luxury, they did not lack the necessary skill to excel. Players, who once played on teams like the Junior Hurricanes, Junior Flyers and Junior Huskies came to play on ECU's team. According to Coach Markham, out of all the years he coached, the boys of the 2014-2015 season had the best attitude. Markham had an eye for spotting the team leaders and successful athletes within minutes. The Club Ice Hockey team was also an accomplished member of the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Division three and the Blue Ridge Hockey Conference’s Colonial South Division in 2014. Accomplished in their character and drive, the team continued to work on gaining a solid foundation of fans. Utilizing the live stream radio, posters and community support services, the hockey team’s support system gradually increased. Markham explained, “The fan base is rapidly being built up.” One of the biggest sponsored events the Pirates had was when they joined together with a Sled Hockey team in Raleigh, NC. “It was a lot of fun, and it was really cool to see the same guys come back for more clinics,’ Markham continued. With the expansion in student-backed support, the next step for the Ice Hockey team was to establish a home rink to display their hard work. Article By: Angela Antrilli Top: Players face-off on the ice. Bottom: Player readies himself for a play. Photography By: Courtney Tittus S117 Winter Club Sports - Figures Skating and oN ics ECUAthIlet Photography Courtesy of SPORTS There were two distinct sounds during the 2015 winter season; swoosh and splash. It was characteristic of a Pirate to be well-versed in both land and water battle, and it was all too apparent at the Williams Arena and Minges Natatorium that ECU winter athletes are exactly that. There was a feeling of resilience among the teams that manifested in many recording-breaking moments and accepted challenges during the season. ECU men’s basketball took home a monumental conference win against the Cincinnati Bearcats, upsetting a fourrgame winning streak in a long- awaited victory. The women’s team was on a speed bump in Ohio’s six-game winning streak as well, providing them their first loss of the season. The swimming and diving Pirates dominated the waters and led many teams off the plank as they set one record after another. Rokas Cepulis took the helm and swam a national record breaking 200- yard breaststroke that left other teams wondering if they needed swimming lessons. Distinct in their scenery but identical in their purpose, both the basketball and swimming/diving teams refused to be ignored this season. The “Undaunted” model was well represented by all ECU winter athletes in their respective arenas as each team made a place for themselves among the American Athletic Conference. Article By: Ryan Carter-Stanley 119 Winter a4 angari guards:an opposing player. 3 a PS a a Cl a In I I I eS SCHOLARSHIPS Full-ride scholarships changed player’s perspectives Athletic scholarships were hard to come by for some students, but in the case of ECU’s varsity Men’s Basketball team, most players received the honor of being fully scholarshiped. This financial opportunity not only helped them with the cost of living in college but also helped them maintain a humble perspective in their everyday lives. Jeff Lebo, head coach for East Carolina University Men’s Basketball, said although the majority of his players were on scholarships, it didn’t have an effect on the dynamic of the team. A full athletic scholarship at East Carolina covered room, board, tuition, and books and fees. The amount varied from player to player depending mostly on their state of residency. Jeff Compher, the director of East Carolina University Athletics, estimated that student athletes receive approximately $7 million a year in scholarships. He said funds were mostly generated from the Student Pirate Club, a student organization and ECU Athletics booster club effort. For a student athlete to qualify for the scholarship they had to be or remain NCAA eligible, which required athletes to maintain a 2.0 GPA and be recruited by the respective team. The ECU Men’s Basketball team had three players who were not scholarship players. They were considered walk-ons. “The walk-ons typically don’t play as much in the games. Their value is typically in practice and in preparation. In my program we don’t treat them any differently than a scholarship player. The only thing different is that they aren’t getting any kind of aid,’ explained Lebo. According to Lebo, regardless of scholarshipstheplayershadoneunanimous goal: to win. “I think they are competitive kids. | think that they want to win, they want to be good at what they do so, | don’t think there would be any performance that would go down [if scholarships were reduced],’ Lebo said. Paris Roberts-Campbell, a senior shooting guard and the oldest member of the Men's Basketball team, agreed with his coach. “It [basketball] has changed my life big time. | probably couldn’t even see myself at East Carolina if it wouldn’t have been for basketball. It gave me the choice to go to college for free,” he said. Sophomore shooting guard and small forward Caleb White said, “My mom tells me all the time that she thanks God that | picked up basketball and really got into it because a lot of players may take it for granted, but the scholarship really does come in handy.’ Winning games during that season had not been an easy feat for the Pirate’s, who are now in the American Athletic Conference. “We jumped to a very strong basketball league which has national programs so we are trying to make that adjustment with our program,’ stated Lebo. His player’s know this and tried to perform to the best of their abilities. “Knowing that my scholarship would be on the line and that | would get to go to college for free has helped my performance. And since I've gotten here pretty much everyone is on scholarship, so we all just compete because we want to come back each year,’ said Roberts-Campbell. The coaching staff took notice to their player's efforts. “We have well-rounded kids. I’ve got guys that work hard, there is really no behavior problems for us. They do what | ask them to do. They like each other. They value their education. They value what it means to play here and to wear this uniform,’ Lebo stated. According to Roberts-Campbell, the biggest lesson he took away from his scholarship and his basketball career was the importance of being humble. He suffered a knee-injury during the 2013-2014 season that took him off-the-court for a while. He said that showed how easily it all could end and the need for humility in that type of situation. “Well | think the things that we try to instill in them is understand the big picture. Understand the process of what they are doing here; why they are doing it. The big picture of dealing with adversity. | think that is one thing that today’s young person has a hard time dealing with,’ said Lebo. According to Lebo, that was the most important part of playing the game. Article By: Anna Ray-Smith 121 scoring Ete oN MEASURE OF Where passion and skill ca me together the men’s basketball team It all began back in 1932, when the first intercollegiate ECU basketball game was played against Campbell College. The Men's Basketball team evolved into a CAA Championship team in 1993. The next big step for the Pirates would occur in 18 years in 2011 when Head Coach Jeff Lebo led the team to its first-winning season and has continued to keep the team steady into the 2014-2015 season. Lebo exceeded all expectation when he drove the Pirates collectively to win 73 games in Division 1 history within a four- year time span. He believed that moving up to the American Athletic Conference league not only benefit the team, but also challenged them in a way the previous conference, Conference USA, could not do. The men were tested by teams who were in the top twelve in the nation: some with championship trophies. They also claimed victory over teams who had some of the best records In history. The success of the team did not come easy to the men. The season opened with a couple detrimental injuries, forcing players to stay off the court for up to six weeks. Despite the disadvantage of missing teammates, the Pirates never stopped fighting and proving that they were undaunted. Lebo passionately described, “We proved that we were not Article By: Angela Antrilli Fan Profile: Meghan Matulewicz Basketball was one of those sports that had you on your feet and screaming at the top of your lungs the entire season: at least it was for freshman Meghan Matulewicz. She showed her commitment as a Pirate fan by attending almost every game. “I've played basketball since the third grade, and | really enjoy watching a sport | love to play,” said Matulewicz. She believed Pirate basketball players lived up to the “Undaunted” motto by always showing confidence and never giving up “no matter what the scoreboard [said].” One of the most memorable moments of the 2014-2015 season, was her appearance on the big screen. Prior to her grand debut, Matulewicz earned her spotlight by painting her stomach and acting like a lunatic. “[Another] one of my favorite memories from the games was the crying baby face from the student section,” shared Matulewicz. Article By: Angela Antrilli going to be a pushover team. We proved that we would fight: We proved to them that we could win” With the help of the student support, the Pirate athletes were able to be remain positive on and off the court. Lebo saw so much potential in the senior players. He viewed them in 4 way that aimed to inspire others. “They committed to good character and making good decisions. The seniors laid out the foundation for the youngel guys,’ Lebo explained. Unfortunately, the team had to say goodbye to three seniors at the end of the 2014-2015 season. In regards to the future of the basketball team, Lebo stated, “We are getting better and better and we area very young team so we will be getting a lot of guys back.” Lebo believed there was always room for growth, and with such a young team growth was possible. “Il am excited for Minges to fill up with all of the home advantages in the future, said Lebo. He continued, “Practices are helpful and it is good to have that space.” With hard work and dedication, the East Carolina Men’s Basketball team tested their limits and overcame obstacles: Without the passion for the game, the athletes would not havé become the Pirate family were. arcane Soa a mal bl | Senior Guard Antonio Robinson MD eveli cme) omcelar-| | fTelanlessvavevar-lel-liamlelist- | 1 | ed atenceys]e-] lim =\ em Cr-lic-iumer-lii)elel-1) il|) | | i i 123 Wilste KS URomeli ate. The ECU Women’s Basketball team experienced success on and off the court For the 16 women on the ECU Women’s Basketball team, juggling Division 1 basketball and a full-course load proved harder than it seemed, but, with the help of their coach, the team excelled on and off the court. According to a poll by the American Athletic Conference coaches, the Women’s Basketball team was projected to finish the 2014-2015 season in second place — an amazing feat considering it was their first year in the new conference against tough opponents. “It was a nice pat on the back. It showed that we are good and are expected to succeed,” senior forward Tatiana Chapple said. Head Coach Heather Macy had high expectations for her unwavering players throughout the season. “They only had two choices,” Macy explained. “To meet the expectations or to exceed them.” Playing for Coach Macy was challenging, according to senior point guard Janesha Ebron. “She's intense and passionate. She loves the game and loves to win. She’Il do whatever it takes to win,’ Ebron explained. While they didn’t finish quite where they wanted to, the Women’s Basketball team at East Carolina University kept a strong mentality throughout the season, a quality that was instilled in them by Coach Macy. “We experienced adversity in a multitude of areas, whether it was a new player getting acclimated to our game or simply not playing as well as we should” Article By: Kelley Pressey Chapple said. "AS as a team, however, we were there for each other when things got rocky,” Ebron added. The two players said that the team’s goal was to make the season as long as possible, and they overcame a lot to be as successful as they were. One thing the players had to overcome was the constant juggle between basketball and school work. The athletes learned how to prioritize their work with the help of a mandatory study hall set up asa designated time to do homework. By her senior year, Chapple said that she learned to cope with the stress. “I had to make it happen. | have never given up my dream to graduate,” explained Chapple. The resilient mentality instilled in them by Coach Macy allowed these athletes to succeed on and off the court. “Because of the women’s basketball program at East Carolina, | have skills that | can use for a future career outside of basketball’ Chapple said. Chapple graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology, and Ebron graduated with a bachelor’s degree in public health studies. Both players were working toward their master’s degrees. Ebron was thankful for her time at ECU saying, “It's hard being a Division 1 athlete in any sport. | don't regret anything. | am proud to say that | played collegiate basketball at a Division 1 school” Fan Profile: Erica Alligood The ECU Women’s Basketball team had a great 2014-2015 season. One fan, who attended many games, was an avid basketball player herself. Erica Alligood, a sophomore majoring in Health Fitness, enjoyed attending women’s = basketball games at ECU with her stepdad. Alligood "7 explained that she began watching the Lady Pirates in middle school for enjoyment and to improve her own game. “I actually attended Coach Macy’s basketball camp ad” # ll ae Rs in high school. So it was fun to watch the Lady Pirates that | had met playing out on the court,” Alligood recalled. Article By: Kelley Pressey Pictured: Guard/Forward Jada Payne Toye) : Garrett Campbell Photography By cd 's Basketball VAVolaaisia MAKING CONFERENCE ECU's Swimming and Diving team kicked butt and made conference win with Head Coach Rick Kobe’s help For the last 33 years, Coach Rick Kobe has been leading the Pirates into deep waters as the swimming and diving head coach. He saw a number of swimmers come and go over the three decades he had spent at ECU. In 2015, Kobe was named the American Athletic Conference Men's Swimming Coach-of-the-Year. Kobe won over 500 meets, coached an Olympic athlete and led his team to win eight different conference championships. Throughout his team's success, Kobe had more wins than any other coach in Pirate athletics’ history. The swimmers and divers of the 2014-2015 season upheld and exceeded coach Kobe's expectations. As the program continued to grow, Kobe’s swimmers continued to blow him out of the water. This season, Kobe was very impressed with his swimmers. “Every season a new group of kids comes in and prove themselves time and time again,’ said Kobe excitedly when talking about his swimmers. During the 2014-2015 season, Kobe saw swimmers who were faster and more focused than any other swimmer he had coached before. Swimmers kept breaking records, improving their times and proving themselves to be better and better swimmers as the season progressed. Since 2002 both the men and the women’s teams placed Article By: Kendall Schewitz Fan Profile: Charlie Casey Senior Charlie Casey was an active member of the student body at ECU. It was undeniable that Casey was an avid supporter of the ECU Swimming/Diving team as well. This fan spent many of his evenings at Minges cheering on the Pirates during their meets. Although Casey had never been a swimmer himself, he thoroughly enjoyed watching the sport. Casey said his favorite part about attending the meets was, surprisingly, watching the parents. “It is encouraging to watch parents cheer on their kids and show how proud they are of them,’ said Casey. Although Casey did have friends on the team, his motto was "If | can't be an athlete, I'll be an athletic supporter." Casey also believed all student athletes were the same; to him, regardless of the sport they played they all deserve to be equally supported. Article By: Kendall Schewitz at least fourth in their respective conference championships. However, they are continuing to place in the top of their division and shatter records along the way. At ECU, Swimming and Diving always was a top athletic team so their accomplishments during the 2014-2015 served to further the highly esteemed reputation. A major victor from the men’s team, who brought home the first American Athletic Conference championship in East Carolina history. As for the women’s team, their work outside of the pool and inside of the classroom secured them the title of “Scholar All-America Team” During the fall of 2014, the girls team had a cumulative GPA of 3.34, earning them one out of the three spots on the All-America Team, presented by Nike Swim. Seventeen of the East Carolina swimmers received all- conference awards at the 2015 American Athletic Conference Championships in February. Senior Rokas Cepulis was invited back to the NCAA Division 1 Swimming Championships where he would swim the 100 and 200 breaststroke. During the 2015 American Athletic Conference Championships, he captured the gold in the 100 and 200 while also setting ECU records in each event and shattering his own records as well. Wemvonnabinny toe eomned CHAMPION ewe ” is a Top: Pictured: ECU Swimming & Diving Team Bottom Left:Pictured: ECU Swimmer Bottom Right: Pictured: ECU Swimmer Photography Courtesy of: ECU Athletics 127 Making Conference Waves ECU Theatre program excelled at performing the play Arcadia The School of Theatre and Dance took a huge leap when they decided to performTom Stoppard’s play, Arcadia, as their main spring production. “It’s a love story, a slapstick comedy and a mystery piece all rolled into one,’ Jillian Brocki, a fifth-year senior said. If an audience member had no prior knowledge of the play’s plot, they would likely be lost with the back and forth scenes of the story. It was known as a very difficult play to effectively portray because of the story and the characters. Originally auditioned for the role of Septimus, Thomasina’s The production of Arcadia intertwined two stories set in tutor but received a call back for the role of Richard Noakes, England during the 1800's and present day. The story focused the landscape architect. on Thomasina, a 13-year-old girl, who was a prodigy in the subjects of science and math. Her thoughts and ideas were way ahead of her time period. To prepare for her audition, Brocki first read the difficult script then read a synopsis of the scene to get a better understanding. She also worked on her British dialect as that was a major determining factor for who got which role. Brocki also used her height as a bargaining tool to earn the role of Thomasina, which was half the battle according to the actress. “Since Thomasina starts out being 13, | knew that | could at “It's nice to be at the theatre and just get relaxed and in the least look the part. ... | also liked her spunk and attitude; she’s zone with enough time to everything that | have to do,” Brocki very smart but still so naive at times. | knew it would be afun explained. role to play,’ Brocki explained of her character. cast list came out, she was genuinely surprised. “| was mostly happy because the full cast list was compiled of really deserving and awesome actors” she admitted. Another one of the deserving actors was Joseph Lisi, a double major in professional acting and theatre education. Lis! Euphoria was the one word that described Lisi’s emotions when he saw his name on the cast list. “This was the first time | was cast ina main stage production at ECU and | couldn't have been any happier,” Lisi described. After weeks of rehearsals, the performers were eager to act their hearts out on the Stage. Before the show began, they arrived at the McGinnis Theatre two hours before to prepare by warming up on the stage, practicing entrances and exits and performing vocal warm ups. Article By: Kelley Pressey Throughout her five years at ECU, Brocki learned that low ‘ \ j | | la. 131 0) - ) O 7) © cD = Cast of Arcad Two Eras Collide S Pictured Two cast members dance dur Top Center Photography Courtesy of Dorothy Austin Bottom Right: Three cast members complete a scene. Bottom Left ah —— Sess eons a —"— ce SS A a CALLING ALL INSTEINS 9th Annual Research and Creative Achievement Week celebrated student research at ECU The 9th Annual Research and Creative Achievement Week had been long in the works since the fall semester in 2014. Research and Creative Achievement Week Chair Dr. Thomas McConnell and Co-Chair Mary Farwell, director of undergraduate research, met beginning early in the fall bi- weekly in preparation of the event. 2015 featured 378 presentations with 121 judges who looked over each work. It was one of the biggest yet. More students meant adding new categories as well, adding a diverse mix of presentations to be seen. “In 2015 we really had huge numbers...| think the big thing is expanding categories” Farwell said. Farwell said the large number of participants meant double the amount of rubrics as well. /V inne 0 he 2¢ A ) > aD feo ® Natural Sciences Doctoral Oral: Hilde Zenil, Joseph Luczkovich Human Health Doctoral Poster: Elizabeth Flannery, Walt Jenkins Biomedical Sciences Doctoral Poster: Maria Torres, Darrell Neufer Natural Sciences Graduate Oral: Amanda Fortner, Claudia Jolls Social Sciences Graduate Oral: Julie Church, Archana Hegde Biomedical Sciences Graduate Oral: Dan Ladin, Rukiyah Van Dross Humanities Graduate Oral: Kate Oliphant, Thomas Huener Technology and Computer Sciences Graduate Oral: Any student at ECU could present their work. Participants fé! into organized categories. Categories were based upon fiel of study, undergraduate versus graduate versus post-doctora students and poster versus oral presentations. For examplé students could present under the biomedical undergraduat poster category and so on. make sure even if a student has chosen a category we mak sure there’s enough for a judging group.” Categories for fields of study ranged from biomedicé sciences to social sciences to masters of fine arts student to anywhere in between. Those who presented in a scienc category focused on presenting the techniques they used fo their research, whereas masters of fine arts students focused of why they chose their field of study and how they were inspired This is where dance presentations or art exhibits would be very much welcomed in the future. Achievement VWeek: Hooman Hedayati Nasseh Tabrizi Fine Arts, Graduate Oral: Hosanna Rubio, Ken Bova Human Health Graduate Poster: Melanie Morgan, Ari Mwachofi Natural Sciences Graduate Poster: Katherine Novitzky, Beth Thompson Social Sciences Graduate Poster: Anna Casteel, Courtney Sparks, Tracy Carpenter-Aeby Biomedical Sciences Graduate Poster: Stephanie Adams, Tonya Zeczycki Education Graduate Poster: Tiesha Martin, Stacy Warner Natural Sciences Undergraduate Oral: Sophia Samir, Stefan Clemens ee rors College Research Post if : Reception Schedale « C RESEARCHACREATIVE Ke I we OThkt AAA 4} 7TH ANALLA RESEARCHS CREATIVE ACHIEVEMENT WEEK MARCH e 23-27 ¢2015 MENDENHALL STUDENT CENTER o Top Left: Pictured: Staff who helped organize Research and Creative achievement Week. °p Right: Banner for Research and Creative Achievement Week. Ban- ey designed by graphic design student Kristen Bitar. Ottom Right: Banner for Research and Creative Achievement Week. Photography Courtesy Of Paul Gemperline l) Biomedical Sciences Undergraduate Oral: Education Undergraduate Poster: Payton Burnette, Kathy Cox James Parris, Virginia Carraway-Stage Fine Arts Undergraduate Oral: Natural Sciences Undergraduate Poster: Benjamin Sledge, Christine Gustafson Thomas Vaughan, Tom Rickenbach Technology and Computer Sciences Undergraduate Oral: Engineering Undergraduate Poster: John Kuhlman, Nicholas Abbondanzio, and Jessica Staton Alex Bryan, William Howard Robert Chin Biomedical Sciences Undergraduate Poster: Social Sciences Undergraduate Oral: JoColl Burgess, Lidia Yessenia, Ortega Tuan Tran Kristi Wilkerson, Melani Duffrin Technology and Computer Sciences Undergraduate Poster: Social Sciences Undergraduate Poster: Garret Carpenter, David Costa, Larry Gonzalez, Ranjeet Jacqueline Glass, Derrick Wirtz Agarwala Fine Arts Undergraduate Poster: Online Presentation Award Graduate Online: Michae Prunka, Charles Twardy Cody Don-Smith, Darrell Neufer Human Health Undergraduate Poster: Post-Doctoral Postdoctoral Poster: Kellie Baker, Linda May Terence Ryan, Joseph McClung \133 Calling All So } | | | | I | |) | | : | { | | } NAVIGATING ADVENTURE Adventure Rec journeyed down to Florida for spring break for some paddling and self-discovery Paddling down rivers, seeing alligators, camping by a riverside and doing alittle self-journeying perhaps weren't typical spring break activities, but in the spring of 2015, The Adventure Center took a small group of students to do just those things. The Crooked River and the Okefenokee Natural Wildlife Center were the backdrop of these students’ spring breaks. For three days they paddled down the Crooked River near the Florida/ Georgia Line before heading down to Florida to paddle for two days at Okefenokee. Between trips they took a One-day break at Burney Park to hang out at the beach, watch wildlife, collect seashells and spend time with One another on the mid- semester break. Okefenokee and Crooked Creek weren’t the Original plan though. Two days before departure trip planners noticed the water levels was too high in the Swannee River in Florida, their original destination, to paddle down, so they were faced with creating a plan B. of control where other people have stopped them....They realize ‘Oh it's probably me holding myself back, “said Beggs. Staff members were trained to look at the deeper meaning behind certain activities and what they could signify to some people. “One of the things our staff is trained in as facilitators of the experiences... is as we're going watching peoples’ reactions and helping them make connections with the reactions to Article By: Emily Gardiner what's going on.” “That's why | love working in the university setting becausé you get to have people for a much longer period of time. We're in a guided setting. We get to have an impact.” This was one of the reasons why Beggs loved the collegé atmosphere. The cost of the trip was $290, which included food; transportation and all equipment needed for trip activities. Beggs mentioned that some of the food had been described by some students as better-than-restaurant quality. Some food eaten on these trips include chicken Alfredo, pancakes and a favorite of sweet curry rice with either chicken or tofu. Ability to 2014-2015 academic to challenge themselves. Rocking climbing trips to Pilot Mountain, North Carolina waterfall tours, paddling down the Tar River and a Bear Island trip were among many of the options available. Adventure Rec was part of ABE (Alternative Break Experiences) along with the Volunteer and Learning Service Center, Center for Student Leadership, Ledonia Wright Cultural Center and Campus Living. These groups on campus put together trips that challenged students in both personal and physical ways. “5 —~ See cae “ Top: A group of eight students and one staff member jump in the air for a picture. Bottom Left: On this trip participants where able to each day paddle about 12-16 miles. Bottom Right: While on a break from paddling, Brittany Turns poses for a quick picture. Photography Courtesy of The ECU Adventure Center 135 Navigating Adventure S a at URE New magazine, The Hook, aimed to capture Pirate Nation at its finest Newspaper? Check. Radio? Check. Student- interest magazine? Nope! Not until the 2014-2015 academic year did ECU have its own student-interest magazine. The new magazine, named The Hook, accompanied literary arts journal Rebel 57 and minority magazine Expressions within the ECU Student Media Magazine Division, something that also wasn’t established until 2014-2015. “We wanted to serve as a fresh perspective for ECU and the Greenville community by including content that students were interested in but didn’t know much about,’ said Summer Falgiano, Magazine Division general manager and The Hook editor in chief. The magazine's intent was to entertain the Greenville community on hot topics and trends that.took place in the area. Noticing how local student: life was under the radar, a group of students realized the need for it to be highlighted. . Their-overall goal was to have readers finish a estory inThe Hook and say, “Wow, | did not know that”” ECU had expanded in a number of ways and The Hook staff’'wanted to be apart of that. “We hope to have everything grow: the number of readers, number of staff members, number of pages, number of copies, you get the picture. We wantThe Hook to be the number one source that students trust and go to for campus and community information,’ explained Falgiano. Because the magazine was brand new, the name and logo had to catch the community's attention. Falgiano claimed that creating the publication’s name was more difficult than the magazine. Many names were brainstormed and thrown around, but most seemed to be too corny and cliché. The staff also wanted to stay focused on the idea that ECU was comprised of a community of Pirates. Falgiano excitedly said, “It dawned on us that the hook, the symbol that us Pirates throw up in group photos or at home games in Dowdy- Ficklen, is the best reflection of being an ECU Pirate” It only made sense to use that name after they came to that conclusion. The logo was then decided and based on a simple hook design that could be recognized and associated with the magazine's brand. Once the magazine’s brand was established, the internal creation process began. It all began by choosing the content and cover story ideas, followed by the arrangement of photo shoots and interviews for stories. The final step was to design everything and make the final edits to content. Upon building a large enough team to accommodate the publication process, they also had to create enough content to feature all semester long. “It came down to hard work and dedication to make this the best magazine it could be,” said Falgiano. The first issue of The Hook was proudly named “the foundation’ Student Media _ believed the creation of the whole magazine was an accomplishment and was excited to see the growth of this new and upcoming publication. In 2014-2015 The Hook was only released once. Falgiano said in the following academic years it would be released twice a year, once a semester. Article By: Angela Antrilli Hooking The crowd Ne gateway’ from east campus to west campus Pirate Nation expanded on and off Campus in a variety of forms: new students, faculty, courses, and organizations. One form of expansion was easily recognized everywhere on campus. During the 2014-2015 academic year, construction of new buildings and walkways were prevalent. Belk Hall, one of ECU's oldest and most beloved dormitories, began demolition during the fall of 2014 and was revived as two completely new residence halls took its place. Gateways East and West were the newest addition to the College Hill community. “It is a key part of the University’s work to update College Hill. It really changes the face of College Hill and the University along 14th street,” said Aaron Lucier, director of housing operations at ECU. Gateways East and West dramatically improVed the number of students able to live on campus as it housed 720 students, which was 250 more than Belk Hall. Within Gateways East and West, a_ large multipurpose room can be divided into classrooms where students can meet. There also will be a large computer lab available for floor of the new idence halls.) The two-resi€ ence halls were connected Sai student$ito pass from 14 Construction continues on the Gate WAVE area College Hill, and is estimated to be fo) el=Jalere| wee ERE ARR KEE DHE MEP PORY CORN SY yaaa M De Mr a a ue sainanesaen ween Saree Ae er year peso PAS ee ae eee Supteroryr ere “pore Zope ee or Top: Josh Jackson, a printmaking art student, is shown here demonstrating a printin multiple color variations on a single print during his senior exhibition at Emerge Gallery. Bottom Left: Sometimes art walks even include senior shows from some art maj Student holds his exhibition at Emerge during an art walk. Bottom Right: Emerge, along with other a g technique of using a split-fountain to get ors at ECU. Josh Jackson, ap ntmaking art rt galleries, hold an annual art walk: alw ys accruing on the first Friday of each month. Photography By: Garret Campbell Uptown Greenville close proximities to ECU’s campus was @ make or break deal to the many students that resided on Campus or in the area. Although there was a reputation associated with Uptown Greenville regarding the nightlife, Many individuals all agreed that there is much more found in Uptown Greenville than many believe. The First Friday ArtWalk event, as well as the Umbrella Market were two events sponsored and carried out with the help of Uptown Greenville Both events displayed the culture Of Greenville and were interactive, family fun events. The first Friday of every month, excluding July and August, Uptown Greenville offered an art event called First Friday ArtWalk. This was a time when galleries in Uptown Greenville Showcased their new exhibits, as well as put their artwork on display. However, this event was not solely about art. It appealed to anyone who was interested in eating at delicious restaurants, Shopping and most importantly: free things. During the First Friday event, local businesses offered a variety of discounts to all participants. Chico’s Mexican Restaurant, Tipsy Teapot, Fitzgerald's, Christy’s Euro Pub, Thai 360, Closet Consignment, Coastal Fog and East Carolina Massage all offered numerous discounts to the individuals that attended First Friday. Other participating venues had a First Friday window decal displayed which invited customers in for discounts during the First Friday Event. Greenville native and ECU sophomore, Callie Wilson, had been attending the First Friday event with her family for Several years. During her freshman year she continued the tradition, she even took her friends along with her, which gave her the chance to show them the culture of Greenville. FIRST Uptown Greenville provided fun for everyone “| love the First Friday event because its free and fun! You get to experience Uptown Greenville without having to step foot into a bar,’ said Wilson. “It's a great time, and | would recommend everyone to check it out at least once,’ said Wilson, commenting on the First Friday event with her enthusiasm to spread the word. The early months of summer up until the very middle of the fall season on Wednesday nights you would have found many Greenville citizens in Uptown Greenville area exploring the famous Umbrella Market, a market that had similar ideas to a Farmer’s Market, where fresh, unique foods were offered to the public. This event was free to the public unless of course you chose to buy something. The Umbrella Market offered a wide variety of food ranging from fresh produce, seafood, artisan cheeses, homemade ice cream, yogurt and craft brew. Aside from food, the Umbrella Market also displayed handmade arts, vintage items, jewelry, antiques and allowed kids to make free crafts. As this event was held directly in the heart of Greenville, at the Five Points Plaza, at 5th and Evans streets, There was also live entertainment to keep a more upbeat atmosphere. Offered at both events was a free ride through the district on the Greenville Jolly Trolley. The trolley, an old fashioned streetcar, capable of seating up to 30 individuals and included a back Presidential porch. The newest addition to Uptown Greenville, the new parking deck, completed in March 2015, made the biggest difference for these popular events and allowed for even more people to attend. The Friday ArtWalk and Umbrella Market events provided a taste of culture of the town as well as allowed for families, students, and others to let loose and enjoy the atmosphere. Article By: Kendall Schewitz 143 First rridays SX | For the first time in 2015, East Carolina hosted an event called “Pirates Got Talent’ This event was intended to be a direct mimic of America’s Got Talent, a famous NBC television Program where contestants had a chance to show their talents and a chance to win a prize. On Mar. 31, 2015, contestants gathered in Hendrix Theater for Pirates Got Talent, where there were three judges, one host and a variety of acts. Contestants were allowed to perform solo Or in groups. Derek Hairston Jr., Student Activities Board entertainment chair, organized the event and was also the host. The Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs was chosen to be one judge and two East Carolina athletes were chosen as the other judges. Inside receiver for the Pirates, Isaiah Jones, and Tori Blake, a volleyball player, were the two student judges. Although judges provided feedback to the contestants, this was an interactive event where the audience played a large part and were the ultimate judges through an electronic voting system. However, Derek Hairston said that even though the winner was not based on the judges, “their feedback definitely contributed to the quality of the show.” The judges were able to provide their Opinions of how the Article By: Kendall Schewitz contestants performed and then the audience was given thé chance to vote. Similar to how it worked on America’s Got Talent, after the contestant performed a text code appeared on the screen behind them. The audience was told to vote for thé) contestants using the text code as soon as the polls opened. For 60 seconds after each performance, a voting poll was opened and the audience casted their vote. The winner of the 2015 Pirates Got Talent competition was freshman, Jeremy Duncan. He performed a range of melodies of songs ranging © from rap, to hip-hop, to pop and R&B all on the piano. His talent) # impressed the judges and the audience as well. As an incentive for participating in the event, the winner was. Promised a cash prize and a chance to perform later on. Along | with MKTO, Jeremy Duncan had the chance to perform as the opening act at Barefoot on the Mall. Other talents included singers and vocalists, other musicians, group dancers and even a baton twirler. Although there were only 10 contestants total, Hendrix Theater was packed full of students, faculty and administration. | Hairston said the event “exceeded their expectations entirely.’ | Hairston also included that they are looking forward to hosting the event next year and that Pirates Got Talent was a great finale to the 7:07 series. i a ea Se eeu \ enna : oe a i n . : a “ ont a wheel A os rh : on \ A ae So AL RAR STE Cae AMR A CHC SS SR ce Sa Tae a ae AS VN “ ea ‘ ian Top: Arrrya Pirates perform at Pirates got talent. Bottom Left: Student perform at Pirates Got Talent. Bottom Right: Vishnu Bhaskar entertains the crows during Pirates Got Talent. Photography By: Garrett Campbell All The fundraising even inthe wor ld Top: Delta Delta Sigma sisters pose for a picture. Bottom Left: ECU participates in Relay for Life every year. Bottom Right: Students paddle board North Recreational Complex, the location of Relay for Life. Photography By: Lauren Barkand PIRATES UNITE ECU student organizations raised money and walked to raise cancer awareness Losing loved one to the disease of cancer was a personal affair, and with the American Cancer Society's annual Relay for Life events, people were able to unite together. On April 11, 2015, you could see fellow Pirates walking and raising money for a cause bigger than themselves. Greek life especially took the opportunity to raise money not only for the sake of lost loved ones but also to show the student body what Greek life cared about. All year organizations worked hard to reach their financial goals for the event. The top three teams who raised the most money were fraternity Alpha Sigma Phi, Sigma Sigma Sigma, Alpha Delta Pi and Phi Gamma Delta, and Alpha Phi and Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Alpha Phi and Sigma Alpha Epsilon raised money by being in contact with the Alumni Association, which led to a number of donations. Their overall goal for the team was to just earn what they could. “I have set the goal to $5,000 but | would like to go beyond that,’ said team leader and sophomore biology major, Micayla Albers. As for the top team in the event, Alpha Sigma Phi and Sigma Sigma Sigma raised over $6,000 by requiring each active member to individually gather $50 in donations. They also hosted a Car Smash in hopes to create a snowball effect to generate public awareness. Team leader and sophomore nursing major, Robert Nales, said, “Our goal was surpassed quite early but our true goal is to ensure that the community sees Greeks giving back to such a noble and great cause such as Relay For Life." Alpha Sigma Phi and Sigma Sigma Sigma had a significant amount of loved ones lost to cancer including Nales who lost his mom to cancer when he was 14 years old. “We all wanted to stay strong and help raise money to find a cure and allow people to ‘Have More Birthdays’” stated Nales. To incorporate the 2015 theme of Footloose, the team hosted a booth with members dressed in 80’s attire up dancing around.During the race each member of the team dressed according to the theme. Big hair, sweatbands, jean jackets, hair gel and leggings were some of the most popular attire outfits worn by the at, team. ai Alpha Delta Pi and Phi Gamma Delta raised awareness by word of mouth. Team = captain and junior health services management major, Eric Woodruff, pushed his 4 team by saying, “If you haven't donated, then donate; and if you have donated, then get someone else to donate.’ Greek life were not the only student organizations to raise money. ECU had a el Relay for Life team where they did their own fundraising throughout the year. The _ student-led ECU chapter of the American Cancer Association held a few events ae throughout the year, including a Paint it Purple week, a dog kissing booth and a ae bake sale. Another way the team was able to collect money was by selling raffles and luminaries. Article By: Angela Antrilli “Our goal was surpassed quite early but our true goal is to ensure that the community sees Greeks giving back to such a noble and great cause such as Relay For Life.” -Robert Nales, Nursing Major 147 Pirates eS Money was raised in the “Paint it Purple” 5K Road Race for the Alumni Scholarship program The Pirate Alumni 5K Road Race and 1-mile Fun Run helped fund Alumni Association scholarships distributed every year to the student body. On the morning of Apr. 11, 2015, participants embarked on the eighth annual Road Race that began at U.B.E. at the corner of Cotanche Street and Reade Circle. For the first time the Alumni Association held a color run called “Paint it Purple” edition, a spin off of the traditional color run. Runners were encouraged to wear a solid white T-shirt when running because at certain points throughout the race volunteers threw colored powder on the contestants as they ran by. Contestants who registered prior to Feb. 28, 2015 were required to pay an entry fee of $20, while after that the price was raised to $25 and $30 for those who wished to register on race day. A raceT-shirt was guaranteed to those who registered prior to Monday, March 30, and the maximum number of Participants was capped at 700 people. benefitted East Carolina Alumni Association scholarships. The Alumni Association annually awarded scholarships to qualified undergraduates for the academic year. As of April 2015, the Alumni Association awarded 224 scholarships totaling to more than $300,000. Any remaining balance was used to support the scholarship endowment. Article By: Kendall Schewitz Awards were given to the first three male finishers overall, first three female finishers overall and the top three male and female finishers in age categories for both sexes from 15 and under to 70 and over. Shawn Moore, director of alumni programs, was in charge of Organizing the race and said she was extremely pleased with the turnout of the race. Over 450 runners participated in the raise, raising over $6,000 for the Alumni Scholarship program. Although in 2014 there were almost 500 runners, participation in the race greatly increased from 2010-2015.. “Most years we have about 200-300 runners but we have seen a great increase over the last few years,’ said Moore. Courtesy of money raised during the race, every spring the Alumni Association awarded around 25 scholarships of $1,000-$2,500 to students at East Carolina. The scholarships were available to full-time undergraduate students for the following academic year. Students applied and were chosen by the scholarship committee, which was comprised of alumni. The application period opened in the fall, with applications due at the end of January. Recipients were notified and announced in February and March, and they were honored at the Scholarship Luncheon every April. They received the money the following fall and spring. Te a a ce —e i Fe tet SATS an oe a : 7 : An Be so ee oo AWG uN A : Top: A little boy runs through and gets color powder thrown on him. Bottom Left: Participant enjoys running through the color powder. Bottom Right: Pictured: Participants walking along the road race path. Photography By: Lauren Barkand 149 Funding With Color S Annual PirateFest festival gave everyone a taste of Pirate life Greenville-style Greenville natives traded in their professional clothes for eye patches during the 2015 PirateFest. Since 2007, pirates of all ages invaded Greenville during the annual PirateFest. What began as a birthday party for East Carolina University for its centennial celebration morphed into a festival dedicated to all pirates. held Apr. 11-15, 2015. From live music, games and inflatables to food, crafts and vendors, everyone found something they were interested in. Pirate Fest was organized by Uptown Greenville and the Pitt County Arts Council at Emerge, with proceeds going to benefit both organizations. From 2007-2015 PirateFest had roughly grown from 2,000 attendees to over 30,000, according to Uptown Greenville’s director, Bianca Shoneman. As the attendance grew, the need for more vendors grew as well. 126 vendors and 22 performers. We even had professional pirates come out and join in on the fun,” Shoneman explained. Craft and food vendors had to apply for a spot at PirateFest. Festival organizers tried to keep the vendors local. Craft vendors included ECU Metals Guild, D.E. Birdhouses, Makeys Ferry Peanuts & Gifts, Pottery by Suz and Tyson Creek Studio as well as many others. Food Vendors included the ALAS Community Market, George’s Sauces, Hot Diggity Dog and Skylight Inn BBO, among many other tasty street food. Cathy Hardison, director of the Pitt County Arts Council at Article By: Kelley Pressey Emerge, said over the years, the physical footprint of the festival expanded to more of downtown Greenville and Five Points Plaza as a result of the increased attendance For a festival of this Magnitude, many volunteers were needed to ensure that PirateFest ran as smoothly as possible. “It truly takes a lot of people...300 people over two days donated their time to ensure the fun and safety of all, Shoneman said. Her number of volunteers didn’t include the volunteers from the City of Greenville who supplied security and sanitation staff. Visitors to the festival included families from the Greenville area, East Carolina University students as well as out-of-state visitors. “It really boosts the economy. Hotels were completely booked and local businesses saw an increase in sales, especially restaurants like the Scullery,” Hardison said. PirateFest allowed the residents of Greenville to create camaraderie over something other than Pirate athletics, to break out their inner pirate. “One minute you're walking down the streets of Greenville, and the next, you’re talking to a real pirate!” Hardison explained. Shoneman explained that even though PirateFest grew a massive amount in a short time, they still were going to keep working hard to create a quality event. “AS a municipal of nearly 90,000 people, Greenville is thirsty for an event like this... Pirate Fest will continue to grow until all 90,000 people are transformed into pirates” said Shoneman. Mer NAAN GHA Infante Lie ea INCESSIONS Fuquay-Varina, NC A One pean q ) Top:Pirates and a mermaid march down the streets of downtown Greenville in a parade for PirateFest. Bottom Left: Pirates having a swordfight to entertain the audience. Bottom Right: Children gather to say hello to the mermaid Photography By: Courtney Tittus & Jasmine Hilliard 151 Creating One Big Pirate Family S Top Left: Zeta Tau Alpha sisters Stops to pose for a picture. Top Right: At convocation each year, the sisters of Alpha Delta Pi welcome incoming freshmen, get- ting them pumped up for the upcoming recruitment. (Pictured is Rache| Wakeford and Sydney Schoonover) Bottom Left: Pictures: members of sorority Delta Zeta. Bottom Right: Alpha Delta Pi’s bid day theme this year was “If You Ain't First, You're Last,” where every- thing was Nascar themed. After bid day, sisters welcomed a new alpha class of 58 girls. om Om Cig>\>),4 Life IC oe es a Se - “1 ean am i niu jes es os SOT min AFI od SLICE OF GREEK LIFE Top Left: Pictured: Sorority Phi Mu (full chapter) Top right: Pictured: Sorority Alpha Delta Pi have fun. Bottom Left: Sorority sisters stop to take a picture. Bottom Right: Three sisters, Kristin Karas, Angela McLain and Madison Pope, have fun at the AOI! Big/Little reveal. Photography Courtesy Of ECU Greek Life 155 Slice Of Greek oS RE ae ee wee ee ee ee se a ae lr ee AN ten Colle niversity legacy by enriching future generations ln1907,..before .East Carolina University was an accredited university, it was, first known.as._ East Carolina Teachers’ Training School. In 1921, the school was renamed East Carolina Teachers College, but it wasn't until 1928 when the school was given. the name of East Carolina University. As ECU was a school built%on training teachers, it continued to take pride in the College. .of Education. It was well-known reputation.among many schools for their education program with about 15 percent of the student population enrolled in: the school. Ihe Dean of the College of Education Dr. Linda Patriarca was proud of the college and said, “ East Carolina University has become a leading institution for the preparation, of classroom teachers and other education professionals.” Patriarca continued to say, “We are proud of the numerous and various teaching, service and research activities that take place here at the College of Education.” The mission of the College of Education continued to prepare professional educators and allied practitioners with astrong commitment to three important related areas which were: the encouragement and nurturing of professional growth for all, a continuing emphasis on support for scholarship and research/creative activity and servicé in all areas of professional education. These whoewish to be a part of the College of Education at ECU had endless opportunities and paths to choose from. Out of six.academic departments offered by the COE, there were 17 undergraduate degree programs, 22 graduate degree programs, six programs for advanced certification and an EdD. program in educational leadership that were available for students. Some of these programs included special education (general and adapted curriculum), literacy, english and history education, mathematics, science and instructional technology education and interdisciplinary professions offered from kindergarten to 12th grade. Before entering the College of Education, students had to first applied for the Upper Division. For those interested in seeking initial licensure in education, upper division was the official step in applying and being admitted to the College of Education. There were six requirements one must have met before being admitted to upper division. First, a”C” must be obtained in an Early Experience course at ECU, have a 2.5 or better grade point average and receive adequate scores on the PRAXIS 1 Test or the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Testing Program (ACT). For the interview portion of upper division, | candidates must have had a satisfactory interview, meet computer competencies requirements andcomplete a 250-word essay discussing reasons for wishing to pursue a career in education. Aside from teacher training programs, the College of Education also dealt with the Office of Clinical Experiences, the Office of Alternative Licensure, the East Carolina Latham Clinical Schools Network, State Employees’ Credit Union Partnership East, North Carolina Teaching Fellows and Maynard Scholars Program, the ECU Center for STEM Education, Summer Ventures and was a host for NCTEACH. From the beginning ECU cared for teachers’ education, and continued to pursue this commitment of training professionals to teach the next generation. Article By: Kendall Schewitz Cultivating The NS The East Carolinian created TECTYV, a student-ran broadcast of news, sports and entertainment Since 1925, The East Carolinian served as East Carolina University’s campus news source for students and faculty. The East Carolinian (TEC) ventured into becoming more online- friendly with its redesigned website, increased use of social media and the newly created TECTV. “To be competitive in a market, it is important to be able to provide your stories in a variety of ways. | think that’s something we've seen and are finally catching up on,” Caroline West explained. TECTV was a student-ran weekly show that covered TEC’s news and sports highlights. Anchored by Josh Graham and Caroline West, TECTV gave students a new medium from where they could get their Campus news. West, a sophomore Communications major concentrating in Journalism, asked herself, “Where do | get my news from?” She admitted that she does not watch the five o’clock news because student life can get hectic and it is easier to watch a but sometimes stories aren't just good for print, you need a short video on her phone or scroll on a news feed. visual aspect to really understand what a story is about,” said West was the multimedia manager for The East Carolinian West. where she managed the online avenues of social media and video production. To produce one episode of TECTV, West and her crew took the entire week prior to prepare their Scripts and packages. They would begin filming at 12:30 p.m. in Joyner East on Fridays. West explained that even though TECTV was not a live show, they still tried to film everything in one take giving the imitated pressure of live television. Most of the TECTV staff were sophomores and juniors who had not taken any video production classes yet in their academic career. But with the help of Dr. Glenn Hubbard, an assistant professor for the School of Communication at ECU, the TECTV staff learned how to effectively run a newscast. In the 2015 job market, having skills in a multitude of avenues proved impressive to potential employers. The direction TEC took was aimed that way. better reporters, able to learn more, and in a competitive job economy we will be able to say ‘Hey, not only did | report for print but | also reported for video and online,” West explained. Not only was it important for students to be competent in a variety of mediums, it was also important to West thatThe East Carolinian do the same. on Campus need to ask themselves, ‘Are they targeting toward their audience? ... [The East Carolinian] has really good stories, from the 2014-2015 academic year during the summer break to determine what improvements would need to be made. As for the future of TECTV, West said that it would continue to improve as long as people kept supporting it. “| hope that people who are interested in broadcast are given the opportunity, and that they aren’t learning it just in the classroom,’ West said. Article By: Kelley Pressey Top: An issue of The East Carolinian hangs on the wall of the meeting room inside the TEC offices. Bottom Left: Student employees working on an issue of the The East Carolinian. Bottom Right: Staff meeting deadlines during production day at the East Carolinian office. 159 NN Expanding Mediums PND EN TET HOLI FESTIVAL Students celebrated the new spring time air by participating in The Holi Festival, a Hindu festival that celebrates the beginning of spring and the feeling of love. Students started at Hendrix Theater for an in- formational session before heading outside to the MSC Brickyard to throw vivid colored powder at each other and in the air. euremetan PEN EP 2 PES EO Photography By: Kadedra Davis eee see. Loe Saas a } hea Top: Students gather together waiting for the concerts to start. Bottom Left: MKTO's Malcolm Kelley performs. Bottom Right: MKTO’s Tony Oller performs. Photography By: Courtney Tittus Months in advance students wait in anticipation for the announcement of the headlining music artist for Barefoot on the Mall. In years past, students had the opportunity to hear from artists like country star Lauren Elena, band A Great Big World and in 2015 heard from duo MKTO. Three opening acts joined the ranks of MKTO. 2015 Battle Of the Bands winner, August is Ours, and Pirates Got Talent Winner, Jeremy Duncan, and talented pop-rock violinist Rhett Price began the show before MKTO. Acts were separated with announcements from ECU alumni, the stylings of DJ K-Ro and different comedy acts, all making for great transitions as Everyone awaited the big performance of the headliner. Performances started at 2 p.m. with a set August Is Ours. The band was comprised of Sophomore JT Ackerman, Freshman Jacob Revis and Senior John Shaffer, who were recently Signed to Lamon Records in Nashville, TN. Ackerman, the lead vocalist and guitar player, commented On how they won the opportunity to perform at Barefoot. The band had only been together three months before entering INto the Battle of the Bands competition. “We all came together and won the first event that we ever Entered as a group so that was pretty sweet,’ he said. August Is Ours warmed up the audience with a diverse set that consisted of both original music and covers including Boys Like Girls’ “The Great Escape” Duncan performed after August Is Ours and serenaded the Half a dozen opening acts & headliner MKTO filled Pirate Nation’s air with music and talent at annual Barefoot on the Mall event concert-goers with his skills on the piano. After Duncan, Price shocked the crowd with his violin talent. “It's pretty awesome getting to perform for one of the biggest events of the year, plus it's with MKTO. | am a huge fan of their music” said Price. The Midland, TX, native had played violin for over 22 years and was discovered warming up with a country band in a coffee shop in Boston. Price said he hoped his story inspired and encouraged other students to pursue their dreams. The former Berkeley School of Music student entertained the crowd with a variety of music ranging from Michael Jackson to Justin Bieber. “The most exciting thing about performing for people that haven't seen me before is that they see me walk on stage with a violin but they definitely don’t expect what | do,” revealed Price. After the crowd was warmed up by much Pirate talent, MKTO finally came onstage to perform, playing songs from their 2014 debut album, “The American Dream’”The crowd sang along to the most popular hit from that album, “Classic? and heard new songs such as “Bad Girls” “Overall, | think that this was one of the best Barefoot on the Malls that we have had during my time here,’ said Senior Aneisha Thomas. Thomas said that she has not missed a Barefoot on the Mall since her freshman year, and she thought MKTO was a great selection for the event. Article By: Anna Ray-Smith 163 Music's In The AS Barefoot on the Mall always celebrated the end of the academic year with fun, concerts, food and free stuff 2015 marked the 35th Barefoot on the Mall event for East Carolina University and as always made for a well-deserved break from classes and taking exams. This annual spring event was eagerly anticipated throughout the year, and as the year grew closer to the end of April, students excitedly waited for the headlining music artist and theme to be unveiled. Each year featured a different theme, and in 2015 the theme was “One Love, One Barefoot” to celebrate people from all different walks of life gathering together to celebrate their common ground: being a Pirate. “Barefoot on the Mall” provided students a chance to browse various vendors, including over 100 student organizations set up all across the mall. Each booth promoted something different such as campus activities and club sports teams. Other local organizations, such as churches and businesses from around the community, also had booths set up. Ryan Carter-Stanley, junior, found a new favorite organization this year through a booth set up on Barefoot. “The organization serves to raise awareness and help young girls in foreign countries gain access to education,’ said Stanley. The many free goodies at Barefoot were well-received by the college crowd. Covenant Church passed out free popsicles to anyone who walked by and free Barefoot t-shirts were given out to any student who had their one card and was willing to stand in line. Ld Article By: Kendall Schewitz Aside from free things, Barefoot also featured a variety of inflatables for students to enjoy. From bounce houses to jumping and dodging, the inflatables were certainly a hit at this past year’s Barefoot. Elizabeth Pirrone, freshman, experienced her first “Barefoot OnThe Mall” and said she was excited to return next year. She enjoyed the music playing all day and said it gave campus a “homey feel and it made East Carolina feel like a community.” Pirrone also said she enjoyed the time to wind down during the stressful time of year and hang in the trees in her hammock with her friends. “Enoing” was a fad that gained great popularity among students at Barefoot.This trend, based off a brand of hammocks called “Eno* allowed for easy setup and hammock stacking. The display, sometimes reaching as many as six hammocks high, was quite colorful. Students hung their hammocks in trees, relaxed and watched as people explored Barefoot. The Student Activities Board also hosted a free concert featuring MKTO. The opening act was East Carolina’s very own Jeremy Duncan who won this year’s “Pirates Got Talent” competition and sang and played piano while also doing comedy. After the concert was over, SAB put together a viewing of a childhood classic: “Shrek.” Students gathered on blankets and chairs across the lawn to watch “Shrek.” Top: Students resting while waiting for their turn on this inflatable obstacle course. Bottom Left: Students stand in line to make personalized Coca-Cola bottles. Bottom Right: Students brought their dogs to enjoy the weather and fun. Photography By: Lauren Barkand & Mason Sanders WHAT YOU NEED With each passing year a new trendy social media site came to take the place of the ones prior. The new popular social media sites for the 2014-2015 year were The Odyssey and the app, Yik Yak.. "Part of the Olympia Média Group based out of Indianapolis, IN, The Odyssey, nd ae site, where Myiters from colleges and universities around the ar blogging sites she saw. According to her, “One thing a lot of People do not reall ae tThe Odyssey is that all students who write for it are Fated with a | Gre rgani ai a tp Greek Life. While some articles on The Odyssey are Greek- Life related, most are applicable to oH college students.” ___ She explained The Odyssey paid writers from each university that had the most oo shared article each week. Parker said he experienced positive feedback on her articles from ott Pirates and that was what motivated her to continue writing for the site. | UnlikeThe Odyssey, Yik Yak was an anonymous app where people within a user’s icinity could post anonymous co ments, also referred to as a “Yak” Users of the application also had the option of up or down voting aYak. If aYak was down voted more than five times, it was then deleted from the application’s newsfeed. The content that appeared on the application since its rise in popularity left Pirates Witheemixed opinions. “| feel like Yik Yak is super fun. | thinkit is a great y for college students to know about what is going on in their co hy said eshman Emily Jordan. : oS Freshman Geena White had a differing opinion. “| hate Yik Yak. In my opinion itis stupid. | think that because it either starts fights and arguments or it’s about sex. There is no actual good reason to be on there, especially with issues dealing with race. People have a lot to say when we don’t know who they are,’ White said. Although both The Odyssey and Yik Yak were two completely different forms of social media, they both took ECU’s Campus by storm. Article By: Anna Ray-Smith 40) inteessntayy Top Center: ECU Football Team enjoys big plates of bbq. Middle Left: Bbq being cooked in a big smoker. Middle Right: Crowd plays on inflatables outside Minges Colliseum and Dowdy-Ficklin Stadium. Bottom Left: ECU's Football Team plays a defnsense vs. offense football game for the Spring Game. Photography By: Courtney Tittus ~ PIRATES LOVE -BARBEQUE Students and ECU football fans alike enjoyed plates of bbq and the Spring Football Game East Carolina University and Greenville were both known for their rich ' | history and tradition. The two were combined in the 32nd annual PigSkin Events like this Pig Out that was held at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium on Apr. 17-18, 2015. promote the The two-day event largely focused around a barbeque cooking contest i . from local pirates and one last defense vs. offense spring game with the community by ECU Pirates. , On Friday, April 17, a Parade of Pigs rode through the Dowdy-Ficklen parking getting everyone lot supplying the pigs for the eagerly anticipated barbeque showdown. The ' : 7 | Marching Pirates, ECU Cheerleaders and Pee Dee himself joined in on the involved. It IST l ai ee By just for the college East Carolina University’s beloved Pee Dee also celebrated his birthday on : the Bagley Field during the PigSkin Pig Out! Everyone was invited to hang students. En tire out and party on the same field that the ECU Football players played on. = i | “Events like this promote the community by getting everyone involved. It amllieés Can come isn’t just for the college students. Entire families can come out and have a blast” said junior Chandler Kuenzi. out and have a On Saturday, April 18, the real action began. The 40 teams in the barbeque blast 44 contest were judged, and Pirate Radio took home first place in the ' sacideibsidls S melan. dedi -Chandler Kuenzi, Junior “There were bouncy houses for the kids, promotional tents, the selling of old ECU sports gear as well as a live DJ,’ Kuenzi described. Beginning at 11:00 a.m., fans lined up to get a taste of how real Eastern North Carolina barbeque tasted. For only $8, fans got a plate of barbeque with all the fixin’s, which included cole slaw, hushpuppies and much more. “My favorite part would be the barbeque. It’s made the night before by the locals and it tastes great. Barbeque is an important tradition in Pirate Nation! Pirates love barbeque!” Kuenzi explained. After a delicious meal of Eastern North Carolina Barbeque, Pirate fans gathered in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium to watch the Spring Game. “lt was nice to see what we are going to be working with next football season as a lot of our players are graduating this May,’ said Kuenzi who was an avid ECU football fan. Despite the rainy weather, many people showed up to participate in fun- filled activities and cheer on the ECU Pirate Football team during the Spring Game. “\ memorable experience would be walking up to the event in the rain and heading to the game and seeing a pretty large turn out. It shows the dedication that Greenville has to Pirate Nation,’ Kuenzi explained. The annual PigSkin Pig Out routinely bridged the gap between the university and Greenville. As Kuenzi said, “The university isn’t just simply located in Greenville, it is a part of the community.’ Article By: Kelley Pressey 169 Pirates Love Sadat COMPETITION Intramural volleyball offered competition without the pressure of a varsity league Sand volleyball was another spring-specific intramural sport offered to ECU students. As Opposed to other intramural sports that compete throughout the season, intramural sand _ volleyball players competed in a tournament that took place over the course of a weekend. The weekend-long tournament of 2015 was held at the North Recreational Complex at the end of April. Teams were co-ed and were contained to eight people maximum per team. Intramural sports were unique in that they were offered to graduate students as well. Lydia Hormenoo played on an intramural co-ed sand volleyball team called “Plaque Off” The team consisted of her and her classmates who were all first-year dental students. In the past, Hormenoo played on competitive volleyball teams but said the aspect of fun was missing. Playing with her classmates “was a healthy balance between competition and fun, while we get the chance to do something together other than study.” said Hormenoo. Intramural sports, such as sand volleyball, gave students the chance to be active and have fun with one another at no expense. Full of friendly competition and free of costs, sand volleyball was among many spring intramural sports students enjoyed at ECU. Article By: Kendall Schewitz Top: Intramural teams play one another in a game of volleyball: Bottom: Intramural sports team player serves the ball to the other tea™ Photography Courtesy of: ECU Intramural Sports pall. am Top: “i Intramural softball team player jumps up to catch the ball at home base. ttom: |ntramural softball team player hits the ball. Photography Courtesy of: ECU Intramural Sports PITCHING BONDS Intramural sports offered co-ed sporting opportunities like softball In 2015, the intramural softball division of the ECU Intramural Sports Program offered leagues for co-ed teams, separate men and women’s teams and teams specifically for Greek life. Their season lasted only a couple weeks, from March 16 through April 2. Hunter Holliman, a senior at ECU who was actively involved in intramural softball, played as left fielder and pitcher on a co-ed and men’s teams. In 2015 he played on a co-ed team called “The Long Haul Bombers” The team consisted of 12 players, seven males and five females. Softball games were played on Blount Fields, an ECU owned off-campus facility located behind the Belk Building on Charles Blvd. Holliman said he enjoyed being on an intramural team because it gave him a chance to play the sports he loved. He said, unlike church league or pick-up games, intramural sports offered a competitive edge to the game. Holliman enjoyed playing intramural softball mainly because “I got to play sports with my friends who love it too, win or lose we always have a good time joking around and playing hard.” Article By: Kendall Schewitz 171 NN Intramural Sports: Volleyball & Softball it Ni PPI LIE oearey \ i aspera aco i a PCr lh iti ns cdi e omit i ee ane 7 f ih aa ine ‘ aa De et td loach Bt hy a oe "a gs oe a Ma ih ae va be SUN after Photography Courtesy of ECU Athletics & Garrett Campbell Bottom Left: Pictured: Eric Tyler celebrates with Garrett Brooks Middle Right: Pictured: Shewit Weldense making a diving catch. Middle Left: Pictured: Frida Gustafsson > iS } ige) als: = yp Lop) =, — ee Lo) Se =D} = 2 AE po ® ~ = ® Oo o i i Tn NOTABLE 2014-2015 SPORTS RECORDS Men’s Basketball Nov. 14, 2014- ECU vs. N.C. Wesleyan ECU won its season-opener for the 15th consecutive season. Dec. 22, 2014- ECU vs. Florida A&M First meeting between two team since Dec. 26,1969- 45 years ECU 75 Florida A&M 57 Dec. 28, 2014-ECU vs. UNCG Coach Jeff Lebo won his 80th game with the team (home and away) Mar. 10, 2015- B.J. Tyson B.J. Tyson led all freshman in the American Athletic Conference freshman in scoring with 12.483 ppg Led conference freshmen with five 20 point performances Cross Country Nov. 14, 2014-NCAA Southeast Regional Women’s: Shewit Weldense: 1st Pirate runner to complete the 6K course Nov. 8, 2014- NC State’s Three Strip Invitational Men's: Jorge Montes: Broke the school’s 5K record with a time of 14:58:19 Oct. 31, 2014-American Conference Championships Men’s: Jorge Montes was the first freshman in program history to place top 10 of a conference championship meet Football Sep. 20, 2014 ECU vs. UNC ECU 70-UNC 41 Record breaking crowd-51,082 “The Pirates had a 400-yard passer (Shane Carden, 438 yards), 200-yard rusher (Breon Allen, 211 yards) and 100-yard receiver (Trevon Brown, five for 117, and Isaiah Jones six for 116) for the first time in school history.’ Sep. 21, 2014 ECU found itself nationally ranked for the first time since 2008-No. 23 by AP, No. 24 by USA Today Oct. 4, 2014- ECU vs SMU Shane Carden became ECU's all-time passing leader with 9,134 yards Nov. 22, 2014- ECU vs Tulane ECU 34 Tulane 6 Justin Hardy, a walk-on, became the career receptions leader in NCAA history with 355 Dec. 4, 2014- ECU vs. UCF ECI 30-UCF 32 Warren Harvey became school's all-time leading scorer: 292 points Dec. 8, 2014 Justin Hardy named 2014 Burlsworth Trophy Winner-nation’s most outstanding player who began his career as a walk-on. Men's Baseball Dec. 26, 2014 The baseball team surpassed previous team-wide GPA of 2.90 with a 3.05 during the Fall 2014 semester. Feb. 22, 2015 ECU Pirates won third straight title at the annual Keith LeClair Classic. The ECU Pirates have won the title a total of eight times. Mar. 15, 2015 ECU wins 3 game series against Elon. The first road non-conference sweep in school history since 1966 Men’s Track and Field Dec. Z 2014-Christopher Newport Holiday Open Senior Henry Johnson set school record with pole vault earning clearance of 5.21 meters Feb. 22, 2015 John Crossley ECU record of 1:19.62 in the 600-meter run at VT Challenge Feb. 27, 2015 Jasmine Thompson broke school record in pentathlon with 3,263 points at American Athletic Conference Indoor Championships Feb. 28, 2015 “In their first-ever American Athletic Conference Indoor Championships, the East Carolina Track and Field team came away with a pair of event victories, one new school record, 17 personal bests and had 11 all-conference selections.’ mor. 19, ZOTS Jorge Montes broke school record of 5000 meter run at Virginia Challenge with 14:40.36 Women’s Basketball Nov. 21, 2014- ECU vs. Delaware Record crowd attendance of 4,937 in Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum Jan. 21, 2015- ECU vs. SMU ECU 67-SMU 49 Head Coach Heather Macy won her 200th career victory Women’s Golf Sep. 16, 2014 Frida Gustafsson Spang, junior, set a new Minnesota Invitational tournament record on Sept 15-16. Shot a 9-under 207 Swimming and Diving Men’s/Women's Sept. 27 2014- Purple-Gold Meet Bailie Monahan, junior-setting record for 200 yd. butterfly event with time of 2:02:52 Vendela Norrman, freshman-setting women’s record for 200 yd. breaststroke at 2:21:08 Nov. 21, 2014-Nike Cup Lauren Chew, senior, new record in 500 free. Time: 4:50:79 Info By: ECUpirates.com is Notable 2014-2015 Sports de The Bass Fishing Club had the opportunity to compete all over the country East Carolina was home to many unique club sports, including the Bass Fishing Club. The club, which expanded greatly over the 2014-2015 season, provided an opportunity for the students to gather and do something they loved at a collegiate level. Thanks to a large number of sponsors, the team was able to compete all over the country including; Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina and Georgia. The club expanded their horizons when it came to gaining publicity. Most of the tournaments, hosted by BASS, FLW and Boat US, were televised on ESPN and NBC. “My favorite part of being on the team is the competition and being on TV. Since last year, we have grown about 10 members due to our name being out there” said sophomore criminal justice major, Jordan Wise. Registration for each tournament typically ranged from $400-500, not including lodging or food, and the season lasted year-round. Traveling to the competition itself was costly but necessary. Luckily, most of the tournaments had some sort of payout. Prizes included: money, fishing equipment and gift cards to Bass Pro Shops or Cabela’s. The rules for each tournament remained consistent except for some minor differences. There were two people ailowed in a boat and a five bass limit. To win the team had to weigh in their five biggest bassees. Each tournament had up to 100 or more boats. “The competition was huge, but we are currently 10th in the nation. We are on the rise and should be in the top 5 at the end of the year, said sophomore criminal justice major, Chris Phinney. The growth in competition and publicity placed the colle- giate “anglers” even closer to becoming professional bass fishermen. Article By: Angela Antrilli Top: Ronnie Moore and TJ Chafatelli hold up their catch on Lake Norman Bottom: Ronnie Moore shows his excitement when his partner Michael Bellassai shows him his catch at the 2014 National Championship on Lake Pickwick. Middle: Anglers are in line for registration and dinner for the BASS event on Lake Norman pictured Bailey Abernathy, Chris Phinney, Chase Johnson, Eric Leifheit, Jordan Wise, and Ronnie Moore. Photography Courtesy of ECU Bass Fishing Club Top: Jon Gappa diving into his bunker, backed up by Tyler Bailey at a practice in Angier, NC Bottom: Tyler Bailey diving to make his spot at the Liberty Open. Photography Courtesy of SKT Media SPATTERING COMPETITION ECU’s Paintball team competed in national competitions East Carolina University’s Club Paintball team was one of the fastest growing clubs on campus as it started with just five members and grew to 15 within a few semesters. “This particular paintball club specialized in speedball paintball. This is a fast paced game where you try to eliminate the other team’s players by shooting them with paint,’ said freshman biology major, Dilay Uras. The team played in Class A in the National Collegiate Paintball Association, which was the higher of the two tiers in college paintball. “Now that we are in this division,” said team leader Michael Seegars. “Our goal is to bring back more trophies to ECU." Not only did the East Carolina club paintball team come together to compete, they found friendship in the midst of their shared hobby. Uras continued, “We all come together to find new friends and compete in series of exciting games.’ The dynamic of the team was static because of their drive to become better. “We are always critical of one another in positive ways and we love to motivate each other,’ stated Seegars. The competitions required the team to travel miles away from Greenville but this was well worth it. . Uras said, “Traveling to Virginia to play Liberty University was a lot of fun!” Among the many 2015 season tournaments, one specific tournament was a charitable event called “The Xander Childhood Cancer Shootout.” Seegars said, “It was a great feeling to not only play for a great cause but to also donate to one.” The dynamic of the team was as unique as the sport itself. As she was the only girl on a team full of guys that may have looked weird to others, but Dilay Uras did not have to worry about that at ECU. Instead, she saw being on the team as an opportunity to expand her friendships. “Being the only girl, | can say it was tons of fun and a great way to bond with other people,’ explained Uras. They were considered one another family and took the games very seriously. In regards to her teammates, Uras said, “The respect they give to each other is great; not to mention the sportsmanship they show.” Article By: Angela Antrilli 177 NN Club Sports: Bass Fishing & Paintball —*. nesamerapereine pad i SPRING SPORTS During the spring, the Pirate sword was replaced by the bat, the racket and the golf club. Armed with their weapons of choice, Pirate athletes took the spring season by storm with many record breaking and memorable moments. Track and field athletes knocked the dust away from their track shoes in time for the flowers to bloom and the sun to shine. Even though spring weather took its time settling back into Greenville, the ECU track team was quick on their feet and set four new school records and won eight female events all during the Bill Carson invitational. With a backswing into spring, the men’s Pirate golf team secured a second place win at Mission Inn Spring Spectacular mid-season and finished strong near the end of the season in a close competition at the Irish Creek Collegiate, only seven strokes behind first place winner, University of South Florida. The undaunted women’s golfer, Frida Gustafsson Spang, consistently claimed top 15 on the green, proudly embodying the persistence that is characteristic of lady Pirate golfers. With the spring softball season came Hawaiian tourna- ments, recording breaking fan attendance and a temporary return of softball legacy and alum, Keli Harrell. The ECU baseball team saw many victories over the course of the season in series sweeps and individual wins. While the equipment of choice may differ, the performance and potential of the spring season athletes remains the same; exceeding and expanding. Article By: Ryan Carter-Stanley | | 179 i oo a Spring SS With the help from their coach, the East Carolina University baseball team gave the term “Pirates” a new meaning When it came to collegiate athletics, East Carolina group of guys who are relentless in everything they do,’ University was known for its baseball program.The rich the coach explained of his athletes. tradition of the sport and the track records of the past When Godwin accepted the position at ECU, he seasons brought determined players to ECU to play created a mission statement for the baseball team that the sport that many loved. Head Coach Cliff Godwin defined them as athletes, students and members of the answered the call to help those athletes continue the community. The acronym, PI.R.A.T.E.S., standing for legacy that ECU baseball was. Purpose, Integrity, Responsible, Attitude, Toughness, Godwin had an impressive baseball career. He grewup' Excellence and Selflessness, consisted of the core playing baseball in Eastern North Carolina and went on values that he urged his players to embody. to play for ECU from the fall of 1996 to the spring of 2001. “PILR.A.T.E.S. is an idea that can be applied to many Upon his college graduation, Godwin did not give up aspects of life, not just baseball” explained the Godwin. his love for the sport. He went on to help coach at some One way the ECU Baseball team applied the PI.R.A.T.E.S of the top universities in the nation- Vanderbilt, Notre lifestyle was by helping out in the community and by Dame, LSU, UCF and Ole ‘Miss. being role models for younger fans. The team held a Godwin’s baseball career came full circle when he food drive during Thanksgiving, visited elementary and accepted the head baseball coach position at ECU, the middle schools and also helped with the Boys and Girls team he played for almost 20 years prior. Club. After their Sunday games, young fans ran around “| went wherever the job presented itself...| had great the bases while the players signed autographs. experiences [coaching at the various other schools]/’ According to the coach, the team faced failure and Godwin said. toughness throughout the season but, because of those Compared to the other universities that he had Obstacles, the team had ultimately grown. Godwin coached at, Godwin said that the ECU Pirates had the wanted to create a culture of winning among his athletes best chemistry of them all. who are “well equipped to be successful.” “These players compete hard... they are a close knit Article By: Kelley Pressey Fan Profile: Michael Johnson Michael Johnson has been watching East Carolina University baseball since his freshman year at ECU. He believed that fans are very important to the sport because it can give players an extra bit of encouragement. “They can be real motivating to a player and at times can give a player that extra bit of energy to make a big play,” Johnson explained. At ECU, Johnson said that the fans get really involved in creating an exciting game-time environment. “[The fans] are quick to heckle the other team’s players after they make a mistake, but also really get behind the ECU players and give them energy,’ Johnson said. Fan who don’t sit in the stands can watch the game from behind the outfield inThe Jungle. “There are a couple of fans out in the Jungle that bring megaphones to every game,” Johnson described. The fans in the Jungle scream “One-Up” every time ECU records an out and fans in the stands respond with “One-Down. Johnson said that if ECU scores more than one run in an inning, most of the time, a purple/gold chant breaks out. Johnson said that one of his favorite games to attend was when ECU beat UNC during the 2013-2014 season. seadaeaeenaelncsaaeniael Article By: Kelley Pressey Top: Outfielder Garrett Brooks slides into third base against Memphis. Bottom Left: Third Baseman Kirk Morgan surveys the outfield between innings. Bottom Right: Head Coach Cliff Godwin in the dugout overseeing a matchup against Memphis. eo A TIAN AT RTE ARG EGR TTI ee ———— ' i ' | | t ' mem HUSTLE & HEART After losing a few games, the Men's Tennis Team came back and levelled out their season record by adjusting their normal routines East Carolina University’s men’s tennis coach, Shawn “They turned it around by getting healthier. The guys Heinchon, led his 11th year team to success. He helped worked more on techniques and worked on the individual them work and fight hard so that, in the end, the team weaknesses,” explained Heinchon. finished with satisfaction. He used his leadership abilities to be an example for the team. His highly skilled athleticism drove the team to a school-record 19-win season and a first-ever appearance in the national ranking in the NCAA D1 American Athletic Conference. Heinchon was a special. He always paid attention to details, and he had a passion for recruiting men from all over the world. None of the team members in the 2015 season were from North Carolina. They were from the east coast, Europe and Africa. “Having international athletes help us become more competitive, and we want to be as successful as we can,’ said Heinchon. Finding the athletes obviously was not an overnight easy process. Heinchon attended different international recruitment events. He said, “It is all about the different contacts you have and how many recruiters you know.’ Throughout the years the team grew individually and as a whole. They maintained their success of winning regionally and nationally since Heinchon took over the team. The 2014-2015 season started rocky because of a tough schedule. By the end they were able to make a comeback and level out their record. It took hard work and drive for the athletes to succeed. Heinchon also believed the being part of a university played a big role in the athlete’s drive. Tennis players who played their entire life mainly focused on themselves and their own score. “Coming to college the players learn a sense of community. It changes you because you become more of a team,” Heinchon said. The overall goal for the team was the “breathe success” The team took to the court 5-6 days a week to work on the skills they needed to improve. “Most of our practices contain trying to get better and get the most of our abilities up a level,” explained Heinchon. He continued, “\We want to be able to look back on the season and be satisfied regardless of the final record.” Of course every team had its ups and downs and obstacles they needed to overcome. For the men’s tennis team that was losing one of the top tennis players in the history of Pirate Nation. Other adjustments included the use of their indoor and outdoor facilities. Heinchon said that it made a difference in their playing. Heinchon was a proud coach when he said, “ECU was one of the few university sports that's truly a universal sport, and its great to be part a collegiate level.’ Article By: Angela Antrilli Fan Profile: Carson Cherry Carson Cherry, a sophomore from Durham, NC, was a sports writer for campus newspaper, The East Carolinian, and attended multiple sports games, but his favorite by far was men’s tennis. As a former competitive and four-year high school varsity tennis player, his interest in the game was more intense than other Pirate fans. “Going to the games reminded me of the times when | played really competitively and | enjoy the nostalgia,’ said Cherry. For many people, their parents were the ones to teach them about a sport and help them learn and grow. For Cherry, this person was his mother. Cherry said, “Tennis is one of the few things my mom and | have in common, and that we can enjoy and play together with.” He was an experienced Pirate fan who had a passion for watching, and writing about, sport he loved to play. “ee Hustle & FAN ps [S) ~ E & > ee: [ox [e) ~ > xe) 190) 1) — wn EO le igo) YW icp) - 0) => a ae : Courtney Tittus Photography By Se ahaa se ATS Sat a Re ER le OER ea HEA laa MORE THAN A MATCH The ECU Women’s Tennis Team defined themselves beyond wins and losses Each year the members of the East Carolina University Women’s Tennis team laces up their sneakers, grabs their rackets and hits the court for another season. According to CoachTom Morris, director of tennis and head coach of the Lady Pirates, the team had a great season. “I’m pretty happy overall, there is always a couple of matches that | wish we could re- do but nothing | can really put my finger on,’ said Coach Morris. The Women’s Tennis Team, which consisted of 10 players, ended the season with a 12-11 regular season record although Coach Morris stated that the numbers were nota true reflection of the growth his team underwent on the court each match this season. He said, “| thought we had a very close team this season. This year’s team as a whole was a little bit harder working and disciplined as a team than they have been in past years.” The biggest challenge the 2015 team faced was scheduling. “Trying to play a harder schedule and not knowing what to expect really made this season very difficult,’ said Coach Morris. The season also was one of the first years in a while the team suffered no injuries. “The group we had this year were healthy. We had a lot of injuries in the past seasons and that has made a big difference in our performance. As a whole we worked better from top to bottom,’ revealed Coach Morris. Although every tennis team strived to win as many matches as possible, Coach Morris stated he wanted the women that play for him to learn more than just great performance on the court. “AS a coach | focus on three things: purpose, discipline and response.” Coach Morris explained the purpose of all of the work they do both on and off the court is being a team. “Anything we can accomplish as a team iS better than what we can do as individuals,’ he said. As for discipline he said it was the main factor that separated the East Carolina Women’s tennis team from others. He also explained he wanted the women on the team to learn how to respond well to situations both on and off the court. Although this year came with an abundance of different challenges, Coach Morris still remained confident in the progress the Lady Pirates Tennis program accomplished. “I think if we stay healthy going into a second season, we know what to expect. We had a good year, and we hope to improve based on that,’ he said. Article By: Anna Ray-Smith Fan Profile: Olivia Battle The ECU Women’s Tennis made an impression on freshman Olivia Battle. Battle, a nursing major, said that she has always loved the sport of tennis ever since she was little. According to Battle, tennis was her mother’s favorite sport, and after her passing, tennis took a special place in her heart. Battle said that she really enjoyed watching Pirates Women’s Tennis compete in both pairs and individuals, but it is really the passion that the players have that really makes her continue to attend their events. “Other Prates should come out because not many people come. We are acommunity and we should always support our Pirate brothers and sisters. Plus it is really fun to watch, especially when the match is so close in points,’ explained Battle. Article By: Anna Ray-Smith 185 NN More Than A Match With every new thing that came their way, the ECU Softball Team united, adapted & came back stronger every time With the youngest team East Carolina had seen in the last decade as of 2015, the women’s softball team proved that age was just a number. Last season, eight seniors graduated, the most seniors that had left the softball program ever. Although the team was the youngest it had ever been, Coach Steve Jaecks said, “despite losing experience and a point of : view shift, the team has done an incredible job this season” The team also had a new coach this season. Coach Steve Jaecks joined as assistant coach of the women’s softball team in 2012 but this was the first season he was head coach. Perrell said she enjoyed working with the upperclassmen because they were always willing to work with her and help her improve her game. However, she also said she learned a lot from the other freshmen. There were six freshmen on the team, and over the past season, they become very close and provided each other with pointers on how to improve their game. Despite the loss of mature players and the addition of a new coach, the team demonstrated progress in their overall playing, especially in the offensive production. Their success was displayed for the public. During the 2014- 2015 season, the team won several of their games that were broadcasted on television, which was Article By: Kendall Schewitz Fan Profile: Skyler Sundquist Skyler Sundquist, a sophomore at ECU, had played on the Club SoftballTeam for three semesters. In the midst of spending a lot of her time practicing and playing for the club team, she still made an effort to support other ECU athletics to her very best. Sundquist, along with some of her teammates, frequently attend Women’s Varsity Softball games. Sundquist enjoyed going to the games to observe the skill of the players. “By watching them play, it is almost like practice, when | watch them | ask myself, what would | do after every play,” said Sundquist. Through her position as a club athlete, Sundquist set a positive example for other students at ECU. She understoodtheimportanceofsupportingandencouraging one another in every way possible, regardless of the sport or the level of the team, as well as maintaining a humble character. Article By: Kendall Schewitz critical for publicity and exposure. They won their game against University of Alabama at Birmingham, which they were not predicted to win. Winning these games provided them an opportunity to show how well they embodied the “Undaunted” reputation of ECU Athletics. The softball team experienced the largest recorded stadium attendance, this season, since the program was started at East Carolina in the 1900's. In the 2014-2015 season, there were a total of 20 players on the team, all of whom were “a wonderful group of athletes who came together and understood the importance of working with one another to achieve a goal,” said Coach Jaecks. One of his favorite things about coaching the team was having the chance to watch like-minded young women enjoy competing and seeing where they stand in terms of their performance and abilities. Although the 2015 season was one filled with ups and downs for the team, their comraderie was outstanding. Every girl had a desire that translated into a team desire to reach the highest level of performance and to work towards winning the Women’s College World Series. t 1 i Wes Conover views the ball after his swing. ECU Athletics Photography Courtesy of IRON STORY The Men’s Golf team valued teamwork with great magnitude The 2014-2015 Men’s Golf team consisted of the most committed players Men’s Golf Head Coach Press McPhaul had ever seen. McPhaul said his players had a motivation to be excellent in all things they did, whether it was in their work ethic, a willingness to push themselves, a desire to do well for each other or just represent the university well. “It's not that these things have not been present in the past,” said McPhaul. “They are just present in a lot greater numbers amongst members of the team now.’ When asked about the most impressive thing from his players, McPhaul responded with an answer that spoke wonders about the character of the men on the team. “Although there is competitiveness from the boys, there is less rivalry than other teams | have seen,’ he said. Instead of using competitiveness as a motivating force, the players chose to care for and encourage one another to strive toward success. The players had the ability to get excited, enthusiastic and supportive for their teammates when someone did well. There was not a great deal of jealousy amongst these men. “Because golf is an individual sport, putting it into a team context can be difficult and sometimes [there can be] rivalry and dissent, [but] there is not much of that with these players,’ said McPhaul. An interesting aspect about the men’s golf team was how they focused on the long-term picture of improvement instead of dwelling on their mistakes. They chose to deal with disappointments by using them as data and reflected and responded to their failures by looking to them as a sal & 6 way to begin fresh and create a new event or goal. Out of the 11 men on the team during the 2014-2015 season, only one was a senior, Al Dickens. Dickens intended to graduate in May 2015, but since he had one year of eligibility remaining, he decided to return to the team in the fall to pursue another degree. The season ran from August to October, and then the players had a break until second semester started again in January. From then until summer, the men practiced diligently six out of seven days of the week. Several members of the team were not only full-time athletes and students, but also were involved in other on- campus activities such as campus ministries. The whole team also took initiative to do community service. Once a week the team worked in conjunction with Bradford Creek Public Golf Course and Greenville’s Third Street Community Center as well as local churches and schools to start a “first tee program” The program introduced underprivileged adolescents to golf. Players from the team served as golf counselors and taught children character traits such as, courtesy, respect and integrity. During the 2014-2015 season, the Pirates finished in fourth place at the 2015 Irish Creek Intercollegiate tournament and were looking to place in the top ten in the American Athletic Conference Men’s Golf Championship held at the end of April. Aside from their records, the ECU Men’s Golf team was a group of men dedicated to excelling in all things and successful in representing the university well. Article By: Kendall Schewitz Fan Profile: Courtney Dupree Since 2012, senior Courtney Dupree was a loyal supporter of the Men’s Golf team. Dupree demonstrated her faithfulness to the Pirates by traveling out of state to watch them play and attending matches rain or shine. The first tournament she went to was at the Lonnie Poole Golf Course, the home course for the NC State Men’s Golf team. Ever since that tournament in 2012, Dupree has not quit on the Pirates. “| enjoy watching them do well. | know how much practice they put in so it’s awesome to watch it pay off. | love when they win a tournament!” Dupree said. Article By: Kendall Schewitz 189 lron EEN SMALL TEAM | BIG RESULTS Women’s Golf'Team was small but their dynamic drove them toward success The Women’s Golf Team traveled all over the nation participating in various tournaments throughout the 2014- 2015 season, making a positive name for East Carolina University in the golf realm. With only nine golfers, the chemistry of the team was different than those of sports with larger teams. The team consisted of two freshmen, four juniors and three seniors, so it was a mature team according to Head Coach Kevin Williams. “These girls are very tenacious. They set their mind to something and do all they can to accomplish the goal,’ Williams explained. The Women's Golf Team was ranked 68 out 272 Division | teams, “which is pretty great,” Williams said. With their 3.68 team GPA, these girls were tenacious in the classroom in addition to during practice on the green. Because many of their tournaments were out of state, keeping up with school work was very important. Communicating with their professors about missing work taught them skills that would help them later in life. “They push themselves harder academically because, without good grades, they can’t play,’ Williams said. When recruiting for the team, Williams said he looked for players in North Carolina first, but in order to help the program, they also looked internationally. “Four of our nine players are international athletes. They don’t know the difference between UNC and ECU, but they Article By: Kelley Pressey Fan Profile: William Altman Senior business marketing major, William Altman, was seen as one of the Women’s Golf Team’s biggest fans. While he was not able to physically attend the golf matches, he still kept up with the team on golf statistic websites and the ECU Athletics website. “My dad taught me how to play [golf] at a young age, and I've been playing on and off my entire life,” Altman explained. Now at ECU, Altman plays three to four times a week. During his sophomore year of college, he was neighbors with some of the girls on the team and quickly became good friends with them. “| have really enjoyed being able to play with the girls on multiple occasions at Ironwood Golf and Country Club, one of Greenville’s four golf courses,” Altman said. Article By: Kelley Pressey have the mentality that we want” Williams explained. Golf is traditionally an individual sport so making the transition to a team sport proved most challenging for the small team. Williams explained the girls place too much pressure on how their individual score will impact the team. “If they play well individually by making their personal goals, the team scores will take care of itself. | tell them to let me worry about the team,” Williams said. One issue that was a result of the small team was that only the top five starters would travel to the tournaments, leaving the four other players back in Greenville. “That created an interesting dynamic on the team,’ Williams explained. As with the other varsity sports at ECU, theWomen’s Golf Team moved into the new American Athletic Conference. According to Williams, the new conference had some of the best teams in the country, including ECU. Many of the schools in the conference were not new to the team though, so “it was nice to have some familiarity,’ according to Williams. Allowing Williams to worry about the team scores led the ECU Women’s Golf Team to national recognition making the NCAA Regionals for seven years In a row. “We are hoping this will be the eighth year. We still have some work to do, but I’m hopeful,” Williams said. Pictured: Katie Kirk Photography Courtesy Of ECU Athletics a mn NAGS ARR AER SES ieathanet neg Se ae i a a iit Hi Nay i Nh cn Oe ae HA \ RRA a i \ ‘ ‘Nie Buy BR : a ae a ‘ SERRE ‘ERASE Bh PN \ AN i CMe et CUM Ee cio clneeteteee i ee ae me i : on SUES at Ma mae |, \ SHR \ i : ‘ ea aa \ ‘ ‘ BALA a ae i ae ! ' ae 191 STaatelimictclaah =e) mice lics The Spring Semester brought both East Carolina University’s Men’s and Women’s Track and Field teams outdoors to begin its outdoor season. According to Coach Curt Kraft, director of Track and Field/Cross Country and head coach for both Men’s and Women’s Track and Field teams, the outdoor season brought its own types of challenges, but overall they had a productive season. “I want them to get good marks of course. If we could have done the weather over again we would have had a better time,” he said. The East Carolina University Track and Field teams did not let the weather get the best of them. “We have improved this season more than ever. This season we had great leadership from our seniors. Both men, and women, they have had a great maturity level and it has shown,’ Coach Kraft said. He said that the maturity level of the athletes was the biggest improvement that he saw this season. “| constantly preach the importance of maturity, and they actually got it this year” said Coach Kraft. The maturity levels of the seniors were extremely important to this year’s team due the amount of younger athletes that competed. “This year we had a lot of freshmen on both sides. When you are a younger athlete, there are always have to overcome Article By: Anna Ray-Smith explained Horton. new people. Article By: Anna Ray-Smith RUNNING | THE HURDLES ECU's Men's and Women’s Track & Field teams pushed one another in maturity and on the track seasons. Both men and women athletes competed in various types of events including, sprints, hurdles, distance, pole vaults, jumps and throws. Fan Profile: Brianna Horton Track and Field gained another fan during the 2014-2015 season. Junior English major, Brianna Horton, had never attended an ECUTrack and Field meet until this season. "My favorite part of supporting the team is that we're all Pirates. | know that if | was working my butt of playing a sport here at ECU, | would want students to come out and support, so | try very hard to do the same for our student athletes," She said the atmosphere at the track meets were “very inviting and fun’ and she got the Opportunity to meet a lot of Horton's decision to extend her support to the track team resulted in pleasant and unexpected discoveries. Inspired by this past season’s team, Horton, who ran track in high school, said she looked into walking on the team the next year. a lot of adversity, but we had a good group of seniors to help our younger athletes with that” admitted Coach Kraft. Team dynamic was key in all sports teams, and it seemed these teams got it and carried it throughout the season. According to Coach Kraft, watching the team dynamic form and unfold was exciting. According to Coach Kraft respect and being on time were the two most important lessons that he taught his athletes. “Integrity is very important to me,’ he said. He explained he stressed the importance of integrity because it was a virtue valuable in every aspect of life. In retrospect, Coach Kraft said that both Women’s and Men’‘s Track and Field teams had a season that he was satisfied with. “If | had to go back and redo anything this season, | would probably redo nothing. As far as | am concerned everything has been well and we are looking forward to where the program is headed in the future,” he admitted. East Carolina University’s Track and Field participated during both indoor and outdoor iia aH Lay + Ls heat. Track & Field pole vaulter runs to pole vaul Track & Field runner readies herself for her Bottom Left Track & Field runner pushes through and jumps multiple hurdles. Bottom Right o = : Garrett Campbell Photography By Running The Ht rdles “ ONCE A PIRATE © ALWAYS A PIRATE Graduation Day was a sweet time in every student's life. For student Lacey Balazs, she was ready to move on but would always consider herself a Pirate. Her graduation day was definitely one for the books. EG: What did you do on your graduation day? LB: My boyfriend is Canadian so he flew down for two weeks to visit me and attend my graduation. | chose not to go to the big commencement ceremony at 9 in the morning so instead, he and | went to Cracker Barrel with my Mother and stepdad and ate a delicious brunch. Afterwards, we went to my political science graduation where my cousin was also graduating. After | walked across the stage, | had to leave in order to make it to my German Department graduation. Once the ceremony there was finished, we ended the day having dinner at Longhorn with my aunt, uncle, my two cousins, my boyfriend and my parents. It was a great, but long day. EG: How do you feel graduating? Will you miss ECU or are you ready to be in the real world? LB: | am ready to be graduating. The American university system takes up a lot of time and requires you to do a lot of busy work that isn't really necessary. While I will miss the academic stimulation, | am ready to finally focus on advancing in a career path. If | will miss anything from ECU, it is the fact that one can evade responsibilities and do whatever they want. EG: How were the last few weeks leading up until graduating? What did you did and how did you feel? LB:The last few weeks were VERY stressful. | had finals and last minute papers that needed to be completed. It felt like graduation would never come and the work would never end. It seemed like every single one of my teachers needed something important from me and needed it immediately. | had a very bad case of senioritis. Article By: Emily Gardiner EG: What are your after school plans? LB: As far as after school plans, |am taking the Foreign Service Officer Test on June 6th, which is a very hard test to pass. There is a 75 percent chance that you will fail the test the first time you take it. If | pass this test, it will put me in the direction of becoming a foreign service officer, and | would basically work in an U.S. Embassy or consulate abroad. EG:What was one of the most memorable experiences you had at ECU? LB: My favorite memories as a Pirate are from me studying abroad in Germany for my entire junior year. It was a remarkable year where | met my boyfriend and was able to travel to seven other countries as well as all over Germany. | grew as a person and matured like | would have never imagined. | realized that a city could capture your heart, and | will love Freiburg, Germany, and miss it every single day. EG: How was the whole college experience for you? LB: | had a great first year living with one of my best friends in Cotten while it was still an all girls dormitory. My roommate and |, along with 4 other girls that lived on our hall, would have Indian food and movie date sleepovers. We would take a blow up mattress on the floor and everyone would just pile into our room and hang out for the night. It was so much fun! | also joined my sorority, Alpha Omicron Pi that year and met some incredible people. | lived in my sorority house my sophomore year and had a wonderful experience there. Then during my junior year | lived in Europe and met the man that | plan to marry one day and was even lucky enough to travel all across Europe with him. Finally, my senior year was a great year to focus on myself and what | want in terms of friends and a future career. irate Snes Sere Eure asia ngasenenete Top: At the Foreign Language graduation ceremony Lacey goes up to the podium to accept her certificate and a small gift from the faculty. Bottom Left: Lacey Balazs, a graduating senior with a double major in German and Political Studies poses for a picture at her apartment before leaving to attend her AA - oe two graduation ceremonies for the day. Bottom Right: The second graduation, which was held in the SciTec building, recognized all the Foreign Language graduating Seniors. Photogrpahy Courtesy Of Noah Brownstone a eet OEE EARP RN chain soe RR SESE “SN MMO yay ba Sica naenirneteeoe eens nniantiainic WME ME 9 4 eo *§ * 4 4 &¢ * = i i i i | 2 2 *& 2 « 2 @ ¢ @ & = @ @ + 2 4 4 4 4 8 4 SS Se 2 SS 2 @ +* ¢ = 2 = @ @ @ “2s 9°92 * * ‘* 2 & Ge so = & = we +s? + — ee : 48 @ «6 «4s af see Se er oe J 4% * +e 4s 4 oS + nd i tie oe 4&4 oe a ee a? + + ss 2-3 = *- ! © i ee | . +e = ¢ = = => c's ]+ 2 « @ « 2 + + +2 «@ +++ 4 2 «4 << “es << ~ a GLOT 19 SSID * ir 5 See oh LHD WATS) VULOIET —— a THM am uiiiil RSP EE SSE RE I SA TT a A ASS SSeS Sessa seis ssseseses Sisal asasasesseaseaseeeeee os a emt yew pe ~r pea ae eal — WVersity ae lina Un "ie ss * EO Ae 4 ares to Michael Abshire Alicia Adams Casey Adcox Megan Aldrich Kimberly Amzler Fatima Anderson Kristen Augustin Nigel Barefoot Emerald Barnes Jessica Barnes Craig Barnes Jr. Cherry Barrett Elizabeth Brooks Barrett Christopher Battle Mackenzi Beasley Hanna Berghout Tayla Berry Priya Birdi Jordan Blackwood Tamara Bonner Melissa Bowers Charlotte Broughton Raven Brown Shannon Brown Jena Bruno Bria Bugg Amber Burch Samantha Burke Eboni Burton Meroe Butler Adam Caldwell Aimee Callicutt Briana Caple Charles Casey Jose Cevallos Laura Chandler Kimberlain Childers Joy Clark Kaci Clark Stacy Connor Jasmine Cooper Renata Copeland Tsahia Copeland Joseph Coppersmith Senior Portraits 203 Charity Cornwell Dan Craine Collin Cranford Melissa Crouse Rebekah Currie Katie Curtis Alaina Cvetic Sophia Cyriacks Matthew D’ Allura Dierra Davis Aslyn DeHart Breanna Dean Jennifer Dockery Ariel Dorcent Mary Driver Courtney Dupree Elizabeth Epperly Fredrisha Faison Summer Falgiano Noel Farmer Susan Faucett Caroline Finley Loretta Flaig Luis Flores Lauren Fowler Margarita Futerman Ethan Galloway Geraldine Gamboa Jay Garcia Latisha Garner Christopher Gianvito Sean Giblin Alexis Gillespie Alicia Glover Mary-Allison Gray Olivia Green Rachel Green Jamar Gregory Meredith Haney Rebecca Hansen Paige Hardaway Brittany Hargrove Nikki Harrell Kendra Harris Senior Portraits 205 Lawanda Hart Brandi Hasty Megan Hauser Elizabeth Hawkins Janet Hawley Teresa Heavilin Jared Hensley Ronald Hicks Mauresha Hill Jasmine Hilliard Harley Hodge Arlie Honeycutt John Hoppe Ashley Howell Deja Jackson Tasia Jackson Randy Jackson Jr. Brianna James Andrea Jenkins Jessica Jewell Avery Johnson Kerchina Johnson Delilah Jones Diedna Jordan Brittany Kearney Kasa Khang Katherine Kirk Ted Kron Ashley Lamb Elexiss Ledbetter Savoyia Lewis Amee Little Milton Long Marisol Lopez Thomas Lowery Marcus Martinez Emani Matthews Sara Maxwell Justin Mayfield Raquel McCain Rochelle McCain Samantha McCall Aaron McClannon Kendra McCurdy Jack McDaniel 207 Senior PK 3 Parrah McDonald John McFarling Courtney McGowan Alyssa McKinnon Courtney McLaughlin Adrian Modzik John Bradley Moody Jr. Olivia Moton Lauren Myers Sara Neilson Tonisha Nixon Christopher Nowlin Terry Nutter Jr. Clementina Oguejiofor Miller Orians Sharlyne Oseko Nicole Ostrander Rashard Overton Nicholas Parker Alaina Partin Anisha Patel Rashelle Pearley Paige Pearson Jennifer Pender-Lewis Tressa Perry Bianca Peters Lauren Phillips Justin Pierce Hope Pittard Keeshunda Poston Gabriela Potter Elizabeth Powell Juvenson Prevost Katie Pridgen Erin Pruitt Kaitlyn Puglisi Catherine Ray Mary Ann Ray Tanika Reddon Shariyka Riley-Romero Ashley Ritter Shakera Robbins Danielle Ross Raven Nicole Ross Adaria Russell Christa Sanderford Senior Portraits Erin Satterwhite Sarah Sekscienski Brittany Simmons Lucretia Smith Megan Sommer Jennifer Soto Shauna Soule Alisha Spivey Jacinta Staton Abbey Strickland Sara Strickroot Lindsey Sullivan Marlene Taylor Tia Taylor Kevin Terrell Nashira Thompson Andrew Tiernan Meagan Tirado Nereida Torres Tyler Troutman Angela Truehill Emily Tucker Muane Kong Vang Erica Vizueth Victoria Wagoner Kathleen Walls Adriana Walter Monique Washington Taylor Waters Lauren Watkins Kaylee Watson Jenna Wells Stephanie Wiafe Brittney Wilhelm Kristi Wilkerson Andrea Wilkins Christel Wilkins Christopher Williams Nia Williams Angela Wofford Kristin Wooten : Nancy Wrotto Madelon Wygand Houakhing Yang Julia Yang Kristen Zelnosky Senior Portraits 211 NN iat i CS Bis Cae a oe oe - gree ce cane a THE NEW MAN IN TOWN Pirate Profile featuring: SGA PresidentsJake Srednicki When original 2014-2015 Student Government Association President Michael King stepped down from his tenure, Vice President Jake Srednicki boldly stepped up to the plate, ready to take on the the position with confidence. One of the things that made Srednicki so special was how he unexpectedly took on a leadership role during the middle of the school year. In the midst of being a full-time student taking 17 credit hours, Srednicki took on the job of being student body president, something that had been a “learning curve” he expressed. A job that required one to “wear many hats in order to be successful” explained Srednicki. As president, he spent on average 15 to 20 hours a week doing student- government-related activities. Some of his duties as president included: senate meetings, discussion boards, various on-campus events, executive council meetings and one-on-one meetings with students, faculty, administrators as well as the Board of Trustees. Aside from acting in the executive branch, he also served as the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences senator and as student body senate speaker. Something Srednicki was overwhelmingly grateful for during his experience was the incredible support system he received from ECU as a whole. He thanked Chancellor Steve Ballard, Dr. Virginia Hardy and the Board of Trustees for helping him transition into his new leadership role. “A time consuming, yet rewarding position” was how Srednicki described serving as president. Not only did Srednicki fearlessly take on the role of president, he stepped into this role with intention for change. These various implements concerned transitioning into an advocacy model consisting of various committees whose job would be to organize advocacy campaigns, create an accountability system for timelines and deadlines to ensure goals are met effectively and expand outreach programs through collaboration efforts. His goal was to make all these changes and allow students a chance to be involved on campus. Among his many plans, Srednicki planned on piloting a program to increase student representation across the university. This program would consist of senators presiding over general assembly meetings within their college. Students would have the opportunity to discussion current affairs and get more involved in their college by meeting faculty, administrators and organization leaders. “Overall this plan will strengthen student voice and further improve the campus- wide connection of the student government voice,’ Srednicki said. As if serving as student body president was not enough on his plate, Srednicki was also involved in a variety of other on-campus leadership activities. These activities included: the Jarvis Leadership Program, LeaderShape, executive director of alumni relations for the Financial Management Association, First Friend of the International House, Chancellor’s Roundtable, representative on Faculty Senate Committee and Alpha Tau Omega National Leadership Development Fraternity. He also served his fellow students as a resident advisor for Campus Living. Srednicki led the student body boldly and courageously as he immediately took command of an extensive leadership position which positively influenced ECU's Student Government Association. Article By: Kendall Schewitz 213 SX Pirate Profile Featuring: Jake Srednick sr amiehie ie, a i sei at yee a ‘ . AN APPETITE FOR SUCCESS Pirate Profile Featuring: Graduate Student Robert Nelson Ambition. Ambition is the very thing that drives students to achieve their dreams; what causes them to stay up into the wee hours of the night studying; what causes them to pursue four, six and even eight year degrees; it’s what fuels the passions of Pirates at the EO, It surely seemed ambition motivated graduate student Robert Nelson’s hopes and dreams for his future. He was off to a successful start as he completed his undergraduate degree in accounting and finance at East Carolina, and he couldn’t stay away too long as he returned to the university to obtain his masters in accounting. During Nelson’s time at ECU, he only hoped he could have an impact on people, and they in turn they too would desire to change the world. This stemmed from his love of Gandhi and his passion for changing the world. He especially loved Gandhi’s quote “Be the change you want to see in the world.” However, who inspired him most was his grandmother, a vital part of his support system. Because of her, Nelson learned how important the concept of receiving a good education was, and one of the last things she expressed to her grandson was, “You can do anything you want to do in this world, but don’t let anyone else tell you differently.’ One thing Nelson learned throughout his years in school is that people will never stop learning. “Learning does not stop with graduation, but rather prepares you for a life full of learning,’ remarked Nelson. Starting from a young age, Nelson was drawn to success. Most students in high school only had a small part-time job; however, Nelson decided to busy himself in by founding and managing R.D. Lawn Care, Inc. This experience with leadership later on helped him secure the position of vice-president of accounting for the fraternity Beta Alpha Psi. Upon completion of graduate school, Nelson had the opportunity of a full-time job with Dixon Hughes Goodman, the 16th largest public accounting firm in the U.S. His internship work in the company’s auditing department set him up for this opportunity. He thanked those who spurred him forward at ECU and how they helped him acquire the internship that set up him up within Dixon Hughes Goodman Accounting. “It is because of the professors that | was able to secure an internship followed by a full-time job/’ said Nelson. “They go above and beyond for their students and they have had a tremendous impact on me.” When he wasn’t preparing for his future, Nelson was the captain of the Club Men’s Ultimate Frisbee team, a brother of Delta Chi Fraternity and loved tailgating at football games. He claimed football games were his favorite because he loved hanging out with his friends and loved the cheers and chants yelled during football games. “| will forever remember how loud the Purple and Gold chants were at the games!” He expressed. Article By: Angela Antrilli 215 An Appetite For SON i ' ‘ eect SUCRE ae | SINGING TO THE STARS Pirate Profile Featuring: Trey Scarborough East Carolina knew him as Trey Scarborough, the campus-famous music star. But beyond that persona, Scarborough was a 20-year-old music therapy major originally from Garner, NC. lt was a given that music had been involved in Scarborough’s life ever since he was little. Elaborating on his aspiration in life, Scarborough stated, “My biggest inspiration for music is my mom, as she was a director, and | always desired to be just being like her. I’m on my way to doing that now.” Following in his mother’s footsteps and making his own strides, he had the privilege to be the music director for two choirs at his hometown church. Scarborough started his mark early; in high school he was given the opportunity to join the all-county and all-district bands. Not only was he heavily involved in those bands for four years, but he also conducted the marching band his senior year of high school. This led to him receiving the most prestigious award a band member could get, the John Phillip Sousa Award. “Music has been in my blood due to my involvement in various ensembles at ECU, including the ECU Chamber Singers, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, the ECU Gospel Choir and BSU Signature Sounds,’ said Scarborough. Just like most freshman, Scarborough didn't know what he wanted to do when he came to ECU; he just desired to continue his passion for music. Originally a primary trumpet player, he is now most passionate about voice, that being his primary instrument. His involvement in Kappa Kappa Psi National Band Fraternity taught him to “Strive for the highest!” which is one of the many life lessons Scarborough has acquired through his fraternity. Scarborough’s goal was to be the best all-around performer he could be, so he could aid others with good techniques and habits. Scarborough said, “One of my favorite parts is helping others. | have had the honor to help people record their work.” Another goal Scarborough expressed was to learn how to produce music with the hope to one day be a producer of a record label. “Inmusictherapy,|hopetohaveanestablishment to help young and troubled children and teens find a way back to society through way of music,’ Scarborough expressed upon his explanation of his desire for music therapy. After graduation he hoped to teach choirs and have therapy sessions with several clients. “Since joining the ECU Chamber Choir, | have sang multiple solos, and | even went to Spain! One thing led to the other, and | was blessed with, an acceptance into the School of Music as a vocal major,’ Scarborough remarked upon one of his most joyous moments. Students know Scarborough as the three-time champ of ECU Stars. A fan club even developed saying he should try out for The Voice and American Idol. Scarborough elaborated upon his fans’ request, “It has always been a dream of mine to do this. | am simply waiting for the right time. Music was constant in almost all areas of Scarborough’s life, and his passions drove him toward his major, what organizations he pursued and what he desired to do for the rest of his life. Whether he pursued American Idol or helped record music, this musical Pirate seemed to always stay true to himself, never straying away from his passions. Article By: Angela Antrilli 217 Singing To The TEN neptune ne A a * nrg ene oto: raphy By: Garrett Campbel | VERBAL VICTORY Pirate Profile Featuring: ECU football player Daevon Grayson Everyone is faced with challenges at some point in their life in various degrees. While some people let it get the best of them, others choose to ia | ‘Ve grown make the best of it. ECU football player, sophomore Daevon Grayson, preferred to refer to his speech impediment as a “gift from God.’ tremendously Grayson had his impediment, commonly known as a stutter, since he was 11 years old. from MY speech Originally from Cleveland, OH, Grayson moved to Virginia when he ‘blessing ™ ae / like was only 12 years old. He found East Carolina because of his love for football. He was recruited as a freshman to play for head coach Ruffin tO call It. It has McNeill. Unlike ordinary people, who can speak through simple words, to forced me to think help get his points across, Grayson used physical actions. This has led Grayson to become more of a “show me rather than tell me” type of before | speak, person. and to value the It was a little difficult for Grayson to adjust in the classroom. Just like most college students, he was the quiet kid in the back that tried VOICES of others.” to blend in. When he realized life wouldn’t be simple, he eventually learned to accept his disability as a part of who he was. -Daevon Grayson, Sophomore This impediment helped shape Grayson into the person and athlete and ECU football player he was. One of the toughest challenges for Grayson was to stay positive throughout his everyday activities. Sometimes it was difficult for him to introduce himself to new people. He would mispronounce his name on purpose just because it was easier for him in the long run. As an athlete, he did not speak much, so when he did talk, his teammates really took his advice in, reflected and appreciated what he had to say. Grayson said, “I've grown tremendously from my speech- ‘blessing’ as | like to call it. It has forced me to think before | speak, and to value the voices of others.” Eventually Grayson learned how to cope with all the negativity that was thrown at him. He made sure he humbled himself as he become the man he hoped to be. His mindset was to never let anyone pity him. Ignoring all the people who tried to put him down helped him. Despite his speech impediment, Grayson was a starter on the football team as a wide receiver. His dream was to play in the NFL and then use his football career to launch his own youth football camps. He desired to help high school athletes get more exposure with college opportunities and see them succeed. Football wasn’t the only thing Grayson had his mind set on. School was very important to Grayson, and he wanted to stay on track to graduate in 2017 with a Bachelor's Degree in Health Fitness. Outside of football he wanted to reach out to the community to open new doors for his peers and ECU. Grayson stated, “I want to be known as a very selfless human being who always did above and beyond for those surrounding him, but most of all consistently put smiles on the faces of others.” Article By: Angela Antrilli 219 Verbal aN # A¢ '« i (e Nar eee 4 re Garrett Campbell. Photography By seeseeeee2 228068 POLITICAL PIRATE Pirate Profile Featuring: 2014 NC House candidate Uriah Ward “Thoughtful, Moderate Leadership.’ That was the motto for one ECU Pirate who ran for state office during the 2014 November election. Uriah Ward ran for the District 9 Democratic nominee for a position in the North Carolina House of Representatives for the midterm election in 2014 only to lose against Representative Brian Brown. Even though he lost the election, he looked upon his campaign as a learning experience. Ward considered running for ECU's Student Government Association, but he decided that ultimately his involvement in local government at a young age was at his benefit. The age requirement to run for political office is 21 years old. Ward, however, was 23 years old at the time of the election. “There are some people who look at me — understandably -— with skepticism,’ Ward explained, but he feels like he is not the inexperienced candidate. Despite his age, Ward was not new to politics when he decided to run for office. Ward became heavily involved in politics at the young age of 15. In 2008, Pitt County Schools implemented a new school uniform policy, and Ward organized a campaign for students who were against them. Since then, Ward has managed two successful campaigns, served as the chairelect of the Greenville Bicycle and Pedestrian Commission and has served as president of the Down East Grange, the ECU College Democrats and the Young Democrats of Pitt County. Running for NC House District 9 simply added to his resume. “It's an interesting dynamic to be able to be both the candidate of youth and the candidate of experience,’ Ward said. He believed his young age transformed into a_ long-term investment if he was elected to the house. Ward’s young age has also helped him with recruiting young and active volunteers. The Pitt County native was encouraged to run for political office by members of his community. Ward knew immediately what he wanted the basis of his platform to be: public education. He was excited to fight for what influenced him the most. “I’m a product of the Pitt County Public School System from Eastern Elementary to East Carolina. We need to stop the cuts and support our teachers,” he said. To prepare for his campaign, Ward asked for help and advice from people who went through the same experiences. “| have been around campaigns for a long time, but this process has still been a huge learning experience for me,’ Ward explained. “It's exciting to be able to play [an] active role in your community,’ Ward said. Ward decided to attend ECU so he could still work for the community that he loved. He graduated from ECU in December of 2014 with a degree in political science and business. Article By: Kelley Pressey 221 Political INS Pirate Profile Featuring: Wes Conover €s spend their whole lives practicing ecessary to succeed in the sports r Wes Conover, however, had a different path. He srsity where he played at the 2012 PGA Jones Cup and reach id at the 2013 North Caroli inships. Conover did not, Varsity men’s golf team. ar that Conover realized Photography By: Garrett Campbell na Amateur Match however, play for realized golf would be more than a hobby for him. Conover said the fact that golf was new to him was a setback as he said, “| didn’t start really trying to get good at golf until college, where most kids start playing golf at a young age.” Conover’s athletic accomplishments spoke louder than the humility of the newfound golfing superstar. As a college athlete, Conover finished first at a collegiate tournament and had multiple top 10 finishes. He was also award and was the fi honor. guiding him and abo / poy cola sor REFUSE TO LOSE Pirate Profile featuring Women’s Soccer Team Player Kelsey Reeves Sophomore Women’s Soccer Team Player Kelsey Reeves used what most would consider a setback as a gain in her sports career. Even after sustaining multiple sports injuries, she pushed forward and overcame her personal obstacles. Reeves played center and outside midfield for the East Carolina Women’s Soccer Team. At the age of four, Reeves began playing the sport that would eventually become her whole life. During her adolescence she played on multiple club teams and was captain of Leesville High School’s Women's Soccer Team during her junior and senior years. While on the team, Reeves and her teammates were regular season as well as 4A state champions during the 2011 season. She had Olympic Development Program experience, as she was a member of the North Carolina state squad. During her time playing in high school, Reeves tore her ACL and hyper-extended the same knee two times. Typically, an injury as severe as a torn ACL severely distorted a player's ability on the field. However, Reeves did not let her injuries hold her back. Her injuries meant spending a lot of time sitting out unable to play, Reeves said each six-month recovery period was very discouraging because she felt like all of her hard work and rehabilitation was a waste of time. However, after her second injury she was not going to let this time go to waste. She worked twice as hard through her second recovery, eager to get back on the field. For Reeves, her hard work paid off. “It was an amazing feeling finally being able to play again and at the collegiate level too,” she said. Unfortunately for Reeves, there were more surgeries in her future. During the middle of Reeves’ freshman year season, her first on the ECU women’s soccer team, She tore her meniscus and obtained a micro-fracture in her opposite knee. Unlike her torn ACL and hyper-extended knee, this injury was a more gradual process, building up the intensity of the injury over time. When it seemed like she could never catch a break and was spending more time off the field than on, Reeves chose to keep going. Unlike most injured athletes feeling defeated and confused, Reeves began to view her injuries as positive rather than negative. According to Reeves, “learning how truly mentally strong | am is one of the biggest positives and also knowing that | can get through any obstacle.” Humbly, Reeves admitted her success was not all from her own doing. She gave credit to her trainers who constantly pushed her to be the best and to ensured she stayed on track and her teammates who encouraged her and reminded her she can get through anything. She also was thankful for her rehabilitation, which made her a stronger player, and herself for not taking the easy way out and listening to everyone who had her best interest at heart. Article By: Angela Antrilli 225 Refuse Io PON Rokas Cepulis, a double major in psychology and business, was the first male swimmer to compete in the NCAAs since 1979 as an East Carolina University student. With a number of awards and honors to his name both in and out of the pool, Cepulis spent his four years at ECU well. As a freshman he set records in both breaststroke events and the 200 Individual Medley (IM). He continued on with these outstanding achievements into his sophomore year, earning All-Conference USA honors with a second-place finish in the 200 breaststroke at the league’s year-end meet. Continuing to climb up the achievement ladder, he completed his junior year with a NCAA Division | Men's Championship in the 100 and 200 breaststroke as well as the 200 IM and was also was awarded first place in the 200 breaststroke and second in the 200 IM at the Nike Cup. Along with those accolades, he entered into his senior year as the team’s co-captain, as he was the only senior on the team. While a double major and competing on the swim team, Cepulis still managed to make the honor roll all four years of his academic career. Commenting on this, he said, “| learned how to set goals and know how to work towards it.” Originally from Siauliai, Lithuania, he moved to the United States and discovered ECU through a number of sporting conferences. The conference leaders evaluated his past records and accepted him immediately. He was able to earn a full-ride swimming scholarship his second year at ECU. Cepulis always tried to improve his game. He compared himself to others and learned from the best. He was very educated as he learned about different techniques and excelled with the performance. “| also put my trust in my coach. They know what they are doing and if you focus on what they have to say then you will get better,’ shared Cepulis. Weight lifting was another big factor in his success. Cepulis commented, “The new weight lifting coach is by far the best we have ever had.” He claimed the coach had a set system that worked for him. Nothing was impossible for the swim team to overcome, but as the co-captain Cepulis was faced with some challenges. He wanted to bring the team to the next level and change the team culture. | have great teammates. They work hard and were able to win a conference this year for the first time since 1989,’ said Cepulis. He continued, “It was nice to see and help get the team to progress over the years.” Being on the swim team helped keep the players in line with their grades. It allowed Cepulis to dream big and have his post graduation goal of working with consulting in the business field. He did not want to stop swimming after he graduated either. He had a dream to use his 16 years of swimming experience to-join the Lithuanian swim team to compete inthe University Games in South Korea. | ‘ ’ | 227 Amphibious ent WS Wiitinadememee eee — pe - meses ogee rp tees nee npr ane an RE TE TREE Ea DETTE IS af ete SSE AE TBAT OEE Di Zé alll Dean, Breanna 204 DeHart, Aslyn 204 Delta Chi 215 Delta Delta Sigma 146 Delta Zeta 152 Dernier Cri Modeling Association 58 Dickens, Al 189 Dieckman, Laure 95 Dockery, Jennifer 204 Don-Smith, Cody 133 Donaldson, Don 102, 103 Donnenwirth, Rob 74 Dorcent, Ariel 204 Dower, Bethany 64 Driver, Mary 204 Dross, Rukiyah Van 132 Dubois, Blanche 26, 27 Duftrin, Melani 133 Duncan, Jeremy 144, 163, 164 Dupree, Courtney 189, 204 E East Carolina Alumni Association 148 Easton, Samantha 10 ECU Baseball 175 ECU Baseball 180 ECU Basketball (Men) 122 ECU Basketball (WWomen) 96, 175 ECU Black Alumni 31 ECU Buccaneer 261 ECU College Republicans 46, 47 ECU Dance Club 91 ECU Football Team 168 ECU Golf (Women) 190 ECU Soccer (Women’s) 225 Ecu Student Government Association 213; ye x ECU Swimming/Diving 126, 127 ECU Tennis (Men) 183 ECU Tennis (Women’s) 185 ECU track. 175, 792, 193 ECU Women's Varsity Softball 186 Eff, Amber 30 Elena, Lauren 163 Elliott, Dan 241 Epperly, Elizabeth 204 Epsilon Sigma 94 Epsilon Sigma Aloha 94 Epsilon Sigma Alpha 94, 95 Fia Psi Se Eubanks, Dylan 27 Everett, Allison 94 E Faison, Fredrisha 204 Falgiano, Summer 137, 204, 237 Fallahee, Abby 57 Falls, Maurice 73 Farmer, Noel 204 Farwell, Mary 132 Faucett, Susan 204 Faulconer, Lily 9 Financial Management Association 213 Finley, Caroline 204 Flaig, Loretta 205 Flannery, Elizabeth 132 \Y ~ “letcher, John 25 Gardiner, Lisa 260 Mores, Luis 205 Garner, Latisha 205 “ortner, Amanda 132 Gianvito, Christopher 205 “ortune, Alec 92 Giblin, Sean 205 ‘owler, Lauren 205 Gillespie, Alexis 205 Prazier, Charles 247 Glass, Jacqueline 133 rreeman, Keyia 18 Glover, Alicia 205 rey, Kendall 74, 75 Godwin, Cliff 180, 181 ‘tied, Chelsea 19 Gomez, Selma 102, 103 “uterman, Margarita 205 Gonzalez, Larry 133 Goodman, Dixon Hughes 215 Graham, Josh 96, 97 158 Gray, Briana 31 G Gray, Mary-Allison 205 Grayson, Daevon 219 Salloway, Ethan 205 Green, Olivia 205 Galvin, Stefani 105 Green, Rachel 205 Samboa, Geraldine 205 Gregory, Adison 41 Sappa, Jon 177 Garcia, Jay 61, 205 Gardiner, Emily 33, 50, 57, 132, 134, 194, 237, 247 258, 259 Gregory, Jamar 205 Gustafson, Christine 133 Gustafsson, Frida 174 267 oe H Hairston, Derek 144 Haithcox-Dennis, Melissa 89 Haney, Meredith 205 Hansen, Rebecca 205 Hardaway, Paige 205 Hardison, Cathy 150 Hardison, Scullery 150 Mardy, Justin 69,70, 73, 174,175, 186 Hardy, Virginia 89, 213 Hargrove, Brittany 205 Harrell, Keli 179 Harrell, Nikki 205 Harris, Kendra 205 Hart, Lawanda 206 Harvey, John 261 Harvey, Warren 175 Hasty, Brandi 206 Hauser, Megan 206 Hawkins, Elizabeth 206 Hawley, Janet 206 Hearne, Gracie 9 Heavilin, Teresa 206 Heere-Macleod, Amber 152, 216, 258, 259: 261 Hegde, Archana 132 Heinchon, Shawn 183 Helman-Dollar, Grey 98 Hensley, Jared 206 Herron, Devan 43, 278 Hicks, Ronald 206 Hill, Mauresha 206 Hilliard, Jasmine 151, 206, 228, 229, 258, 200° 261 Hodge, Harley 206 Hodgin, Jenny 93, 280 Holliman, Hunter 171 Hollingsworth, Chelsea 76 Hollingsworth, Denver 42, 43 Home, Kennedy 89 Honeycutt, Arlie 206 Hoppe, John 206 Hormenoo, Lydia 170 Horton, Brianna 192 Howard, William 133 Howell, Ashley 206 Hubbard, Glenn 158 Hudson, Morgan 10 Hudson, Taylor 71 Huener, Thomas 132 Hyman, Aaron 92 Ice Hockey Club 117 lvey, Lamar 70 Jackson, Deja 206 Jackson, Jordan 33 Jackson, Josh 142 Jackson, Josh 142 Jackson, Tasia 206 Jaecks, Steve 186 James, Brianna 206 Jenkins, Andrea 206 Jenkins, Walt 132 Jewell, Jessica 206 Johnson, Avery 206 Johnson, Chase 176 Johnson, Henry 175 Johnson, Kerchina 206 Johnson, Michael 180 Johnson, Noah 10 Johnson, Stewart 74 Jolls, Claudia 132 Jones, Amber 8, 258, 259, 261 Jones, Delilah 207 Jones, Isaiah 144, 175 Jordan, Diedna 207 Jordan, Emily 166 Joyner, Matthew 43 Jr, Carlester Crumpler 9 Jr, Craig Barnes 202 Jr, Derek Hairston 144 Jr, John Bradley Moody 208 Jr, Randy Jackson 206 Jr, Terry Nutter 208 Kappa Kappa Psi 217 Kappa Kappa Psi 217 Karas, Kristin 155 Kearney, Brittany 207 Kell, Erich 27 Kelly, Trevor 98 Kessler, Cate 26 Khang, Kasa 207 King, Michael 213 Kirk, Katherine 207 Kirkner, Emma 248 Kobe, Rick 126 Komlo, Tara 64 Kowalksi, Stanley 26 Kraft, Curt 192 Kron, led 207 Krull, Dmitri 229 Kubana, Carman 98, 99 Kuenzi, Chandler 169 Kuhlman, John 133 Kurtz, Sarah 83 Ladin, Dan 132 Lamb, Ashley 43, 207 Lamb, Austin 43 Lebo, Jeff 121, 175 Ledbetter, Elexiss 31, 207 Lee, Dan 76 Leitheit, Eric 176 Lennon, Domonique 73 Lenns, Erika 74 Lewis, Marketer Alex 57 Lewis, Savoyia 207 Lisi, Joseph 130 Little, Amee 207 Lodge, Hope 94 Long, Milton 207 Lopez, Marisol 207 Lowery, Thomas 207 Lucier, Aaron 138 Luczkovich, Joseph 132 Macy, Heather 96, 97 175 Markham, Mike 117 Martin, Tiesha 132 Martinez, Marcus 207 Matthews, Emani 207 Matulewicz, Mark 101, 102, 103 Matulewicz, Meghan 122 Maw, Shana 95 Maxwell, Sara 207 May, Linda 133 Mayfield, Justin 207 McCain, Raquel 207 McCain, Rochelle 207 McCall, Samantha 207 McCarty, Elizabeth 105 McCarty, Nelr 105 MecClannon, Aaron 207 McClung, Joseph 133 McConnell, Thomas 132 McCurdy, Kendra 207 McDaniel, Jack 207 McDonald, Parrah 208 VicDonald, Ronald 94 Monroe, Eliza 102, 103 VicFarling, John 208 Montes, Jorge 76, 77, 175 VicGowan, Courtney 208 Montford-Brown, Kristopher 34 Vckinney, Jordan 95 Moody, Michaela 45, 64, 79 VicKinnon, Alyssa 208 Moore, Ronnie 176 VcLain, Angela 155 Moore, Shawn 148 VicLaughlin, Courtney 208 Moore, Tyler 100 McNeill, Ruffin 31, 70, 73, 219 Morehead, Andrew 110 VicPhaul, Coach 222 Morgan, Kirk 181 VicPhaul, Press 189 Morgan, Melanie 132 VicRae, Ashley 79 Morris, Tom 185 Vien's Club Soccer 65 Morrison, Tyler 110 Men's Rugby Club 64 Moss, Donovan 60 Metcalf, Bailey 258, 259, 261 Moton, Olivia 208 Michael, Student Body President 31 Moye, Yvonne 261 Miller, Kelly 74, 81 Miller, Mitzi 88, 89 Modlin, Bryce 43 Murphy, Aaron 70 Mwachoti, Ari 132 Myers, Lauren 208 Modzik, Adrian 208 Mollen, Kathleen 64 Vionahan, Bailie 175 tech sa OAMD Cy aioe SESAME Tate ae, 5 Nales, Robert 147 National Collegiate Navarro, Drew 233 Navarro, While 233 Neigro, Ross 182 Neilson, Sara 208 Nelson, Robert 215 Nettles, Islan 54 Neufer, Darrell 132, Nixon, Tonisha 208 Noakes, Richard 13 Norrman, Vendela 1 N Paintball Assn 177 133 0 iis North Carolina Teaching Fellows 157 Novitzky, Katherine Nowlin, Christophe Nu, Xi 60, 61 to? r 208 O Oguejiofor, Clementina 208 Oliphant, Kate 132 Oller, Mkto Tony 162 Omicron Gamma Sigma 61 Orians, Miller 208 Oseko, Sharlyne 208 Ostrander, Nicole 208 Overton, Rashard 208 p Paek, Hannah 89 Park, Burney 134 Parker, Jaclyn 166 Parker, Nicholas 208 Parris, James 133 Partin, Alaina 208 Patel, Anisha 208 Patriarca, Linda 157 Patrick, Kelly 41 Pearley, Rashelle 208 Pearson, Paige 208 PenderLewis, Jennifer 209 Pendergrass, Maggie 40, 81 Perry, Iressa 209 Persaud, Sharda 99 Peters, Bianca 209 Phi Beta Sigma 60, 61 Phi Gamma Delta 147 Phi Mu 155 Phillips, Lauren 209 Phinney, Chris 176 Pi Kappa Phi 40 Pi Sigma Alpha 238 Pierce, Carson 102, 103 Pierce, Justin 209 Pirrone, Elizabeth 19, 164 Pittard, Hope 209 Pope, Madison 155 Poston, Keeshunda 209 Potter, Casey 31, 74 “otter, Gabriela 209 ‘owell, Elizabeth 209 ressey, Kelley 9, 10, 27, 40, 47, 74, 76, 79, 16, 105, 110, 130, 138, 150, 158, 169, 180, I90, 221, 233, 234, 258, 259, 261 *revost, Juvenson 209 rice, Rhett 163 *ridgen, Katie 209 ruitt, Erin 209 *runka, Michae 133 *uglisi, Kaitlyn 209 Randal, Jake 99 Randle, Jake 98 Ray, Catherine 209 Ray, Mary Ann 209 Ray-Smith, Anna 61, 76, 91, 98, 102-121, 163, 166, 185, 192, 2G, 200 Raynor, Hayden 91 Records, Lamon 163 Reddon, Tanika 209 Reeves, However 225 Reeves, Kelsey 225 Reiser, Caroline 77 Revis, Jacob 163 Rice, Randall 52 Rice, Ronald 53 Rickenbach, Tom 133 Riley-Romero, Shariyka 209 Ritter, Ashley 209 River, Tana 248 il - Robbins, Bryanne 64 Robbins, Shakera 209 Roberts-Campbell, Paris 121, 228 Robinson, Guard Antonio 123 Roebuck, Kyle 7 Rollins, Janet 261 Ronayne, Ally 18 Ross, Danielle 209 Ross, Raven Nicole 209 Rubio, Hosanna 132 Rugby, Women’s Rugby Club 64 Runyan, Dr Tim 243 Russell, Adaria 209 Ryan, Terence 133 Saenz, Nick 65 Salazar, Stephen 234 Samir, Sophia 132 Sanderford, Christa 209 Sanders, Mason 104, 136, 156, 165, 166, 2567 260) 261 Satterwhite, Erin 7 210 Sauces, George 150 Savant, Victoria 6, 72: 122, 182, 173, 1 256, 250,26) Sawyer, Bryce 43 Sawyer, Debbie 25, 62, 63 Scarborough, Trey 7 58, 217 Schewitz, Kendall 15, 19, 25, 35, 43, 52, 54, 65, 70, 83, 89, 94, 112, 116, 126, 143, 144° 148, 157-464, 170, 171, 186, 163, 213,222, 229,230) 241, 243, 246, 2 261 Schoonover, Sydney 152 Schwartz, Taylor 41 Scott, Chelsea 102, 103 Scott, Stevie 98 Searles, Delaney 43 Seate, Brooke 41 Sseegars, Michael 177 Sekscienski, Sarah 210 Semple, Elizabeth 261 Shaffer, John 163 Sherrill, May 52 Sherrill, Will 52 Shoneman, Bianca 150 shouse, Eric 244 Sigma Gamma Rho 30, 31 Sigma, Sigma Sigma 147 Simmons, Brittany 210 Simpson, Russell 43 Slade, Daneshia 18 Sledge, Benjamin 133 Slone, Jarrett 61 Smith, Anna Ray 261 Smith, Lucretia 210 Smith, Secretary Lauren 57 Soares, Peter 93 some, Jude 94 Sommer, Megan 210 Sorkin, Brandon 64 Soto, Jennifer 210 Soule, Shauna 210 Spang, Frida Gustafsson 179 Sparks, Courtney 132 Spivey, Alisha 210 Srednicki, Jake 100, 213 Staton, Jacinta 210 Staton, Jessica 133 Steindl, Matt 63 Stella, Top 26 Stoppard, Tom 130 Strickland, Abbey 210 Strickroot, Sara 210 Student Government Association 100, 101, 102 Sullivan, Lindsey 210 Sundauist, Skyler 186 Svenson, Brooke 95 Swan, Maia 43 Tabrizi, Hooman Hedayati Nasseh 152 Taft, Sam 94 Taylor, Marlene 210 Taylor, Tia 18, 210 Terrell, Kevin 71, 210 The Black Student Union 110 The East Carolinian 158 Thomas, Aneisha 163 Thompson, Beth 132 Thompson, Jessica 98 Thompson, Nashira 210 Thullah, Ilsa 83 Tiernan, Andrew 210 Tieto, Ashlee 95 Tirado, Meagan 210 Tittus, Courtney 11, 18, 42, 55, 74, oo, 113, 11% 151; 162, 166, Te2, 164, 226, 232, 240, 258, 259 Torbett, Julie 79 Torres, Maria 132 Torres, Nereida 210 Tran, Ortega Tuan 133 Transgender Student Union 57 Troutman, Tyler 210 Truehill, Angela 210 Tucker, Emily 210 Turner, Sydney 14, 15 Turns, Brittany 135 Twardy, Charles 133 Tyler, Eric 174 Type, Hamilton Wood 241 fyS0n, by 1/5 U Uras, Dilay 177 Vang, Muane Kong 210 Vaughan, Thomas 133 Vizueth, Erica 211 W Wagoner, Victoria 211 Waheed, Nayyirah 43 Wakeford, Rachel 152 Walls, Kathleen 211 Walter, Adriana 211 Ward, Toni-Lynn 9 Ward, Uriah 221 Warner, Stacy 132 Warren, Sally 116 Warrick, Garrett 20 Washington, Monique 211 Waters, Taylor 211 Watkins, Lauren 211 Watson, Kaylee 211 Watts, Brandalyn 64 Webb, Katy Kavanagh 112 Welborn, Holden 243 Welbourn, Savannah 25 Weldense, Shewit 76, 77 174, 175 Wells, Jenna 211 West, Caroline 158 West, Ebony 238 West, Katie 244 White, Caleb 121, 228 White, David 50 White, Geena 166 Wiate, Stephanie 211 Wilhelm, Brittney 211 Wilkerson, Kristi 133, 211 Wilkins, Andrea 7 211 Wilkins, Christel 211 Williams, Christopher 211 Williams, Kevin 190, 278 Williams, Nia 211 Williamson, Samantha 58 Wilson, Callie 143 Wilson, Kami 105 Wilson, Nikki 95 Wirtz, Derrick 133 Zenil, Hilde 132 Wise, Jordan 176 Zeta Tau Alpha 32, 33, 152 Wofford, Angela 211 Zira, Travis 93 Woodruff, Eric 147 Wooten, Kristin 211 Wrotto, Nancy 211 Wygand, Madelon 211 xX bf Yang, Houakhing 211 Yang, Julia 211 Yessenia, Lidia 133 Yost, Shabree 35 Z Zangari, Forward Michael 120 Zeczycki, Tonya 132 Zelnosky, Kristen 211 277 ago Yang, Julia 211 Yessenia, Lidia 133 Yost, Shabree 35 You, Never Taught 93 Z Zangari, Forward Michael 120 Zeczycki, Tonya 132 Zelnosky, Kristen 211 Zenil, Hilde 132 Zeta, Delta 152 Zira, Travis 93 Zone, Carolina Ice 116 Zoo, National 35 Williams, Head Coach Kevin 190 Williams, Nia 211 Williams, Tennessee 27 Williamson, Samantha 58 Wilson, Callie 143 Wilson, Kami 105 Wilson, Nikki 95 Wirtz, Derrick 133 Wisdom, Abysmal 243 Wise, Jordan 176 Wofford, Angela 211 Woman, Ain't |A 54, 55 Women, East Carolina University 74, 79, 185 Women, Leesville High School 225 Woodruff, Eric 147 Wooten, Kristin 211 Write, In The 247 Wrotto, Nancy 211 Wygand, Madelon 211 X Y Yak, Yik 166 Yang, Houakhing 211 281 Signing pails SS 283 Signing rN 285 Signing SN 287 Signing as \ \ | | | | } Walsworth Walsworth