portrait of the Artist Scott Avett of the Avett Brothers viewfinDer East Jay Clark spring 2009 The Magazine of easT Carolina UniversiTy FEA TU r E s 16 PorTraiT of The arTisT By Jimmy Rostar Whether he’s holding a banjo or a paintbrush, Scott Avett ’99 ’00 puts family ahead of fame. 22 invisiBle no More By Marion Blackburn On a spring night in 1969, about 150 mostly black students came knocking on President Leo Jenkins’ front door asking tough questions about campus desegregation. Their questions and his answers changed minds and the history of campus race relations. 28 gooD CheMisTry By Leanne E. Smith It isn’t easy explaining organic chemistry in terms students can understand. But that’s a piece of cake for Brian Love, a fun-loving professor with an oddball sense of humor and a cool Camaro. 32 eQUiTy, finally By Bethany Bradsher Women’s sports at ECU become “fully funded,” meaning their teams offer the maximum scholarships allowed. pEE DEE shApEs Up A slimmer and healthier-looking pee Dee debuted at the homecoming game. A series of funny videos explaining the mascot s new look can be seen at ECU’s YouTube channel. Just search for “pee Dee. DE p A r TME n T s froM oUr reaDers . 3 The eCU rePorT . 4 sPring arTs CalenDar . 12 PiraTe naTion . 36 Class noTes . 37 UPon The PasT . 48 32162228 spring 2009 froM The eDiTor East froM oUr reaDers The Magazine of easT Carolina UniversiTy Volume 7, Number 2 Miss norTh CArolinA no. 7 I am currently editor of the Caroline County Bring BACk ThE olD pEE DEE East is published four times a year by Fall graduation In the most recent edition Times-Record and the Caroline County editor I’m a very proud alum who loves coming East Carolina University Division of University Advancement of East, in the section for the Easton Star-Democrat (both on the back to visit Greenville and ECU. I attended We had reached my favorite part of commencement ceremonies, where the 2200 South Charles Blvd. entitled “East Carolina eastern shore of Maryland), as well as a Homecoming weekend and had a wonderful graduates walk across the stage as their names are read aloud. I enjoy hearing Greenville, NC 27858 Timeline,” there was stringer for the AP. Tom Tozer and I worked time. As always, the campus, the weather, the shout-outs from parents and friends in the audience, and tonight Wright mention of six ECU together on the student newspaper, where the activities, the cleanliness, the Greenville h Auditorium is ringing with laughter as the 140 School of Communication’s students who have been I was first reviews editor and then sports southern charm were all perfect. I even graduates cross the stage. The loudest come when Pierre Bell, a popular EDITOR crowned Miss North editor. I worked in Rocky Mount, Durham, proposed to my girlfriend of four years student who’s a star linebacker on the football team, walks across. He flashes steve Tuttle Carolina. I know of at least one other. Lynn for the Washington Post Co., then the (also an ECU alum) on the beautiful, grassy 252-328-2068 / tuttles@ecu edu a dazzling smile, then hugs the lady department head as she hands him his Williford was crowned Miss North Carolina Salisbury Times, the Annapolis Capital and now campus mall late Friday afternoon. I couldn’t diploma. She practically disappears in his beefy embrace. ART DIRECTOR/DESIGNER 1981, representing Wilmington. She also my current job. In between, there was a 12-have asked for a better weekend. My only Seven departmental graduation exercises are going on across campus tonight but Brent Burch competed in 1979, representing another year career as senior communications officer concern is the “new face” of Pee Dee, which I’m at this one for two reasons. First, my wife is the commencement speaker, and, community. for the Riggs National Bank. I noticed during the football game. My PHOTOGRAPHER second, I’m just one course shy of completing a B.S. degree in communication Forrest Croce —Margaret Daniel Gafford ’79, Vista, Calif. —John Evans ’76, Denton, Md. girlfriend and I were very upset with the and would be walking myself tonight if I’d managed my time better. mascot’s “new look” and I heard comments Editor’s note: We overlooked Williford TiME To rEplACE ThE nATAToriUM? COPY EDITOR from other fans sitting around us. Please because she had already graduated when I’ve been taking a couple courses each semester for the past two and a half Jimmy rostar ’94 After reading the article related to the help bring the traditional Pee Dee back! she was crowned Miss North Carolina years. Once you get used to being older than everyone in the room, including stadium expansion in the fall issue of East CONTRIBUTING WRITERS and thus was not on the ECU records we —Heath Courtright ’03 ’05, Charlotte the professor, attending classes is fun. I didn’t originally go to ECU, so being I believe that the vision of our Athletic Marion Blackburn, Bethany Bradsher, researched. A theatre arts major, Lynn Editor’s note: Turn back a page to see the new a student here now helps me understand the East Carolina experience that we Director Terry Holland, his staff and kellen holtzman, Erica plouffe lazure, headed to Broadway after graduation and Pee Dee. reflect in this magazine. Christine neff, Jimmy rostar, the Pirate Club should be commended. had a small role in a 1980 production of steve row, leanne smith The range of projects would benefit not pirATEs AroUnD ThE worlD As the commencement speaker, Gayle McCracken Tuttle ’75 seems to really Snow White. Today she’s director of national only football but also basketball, softball, connect with the Comm School graduates. She’s a corporate PR executive CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS field sales for Murad Inc., a global provider I was reading my wife’s most recent Clemson volleyball, tennis and other sports and now but previously she was a White House correspondent, and before that a David Butler, Brian Christiansen, of professional skin care products, and living alumni magazine. In it, they dedicate a activities utilizing these new facilities. great beat reporter; she tracked down racist serial sniper Joseph Paul Franklin. Jay Clark, Crackerfarm, rob goldberg, in Nashville, Tenn. “I still have wonderful section (similar to what East does with Cliff hollis, kelsey sutton However, I did notice that there was no the Class Notes) showing alumni wearing She sympathizes with the graduates, who are walking into the highest memories of ECU,” she told us. mention of a new competitive swimming Clemson attire in various locations of the unemployment rate since 1975—the year she sat where they sit now. She CLASS NOTES EDITOR facility. Swimming has been one of the struggled to land her first job and they probably will, too. But you’ll do fine, leanne Elizabeth smith ’04 ’06 ThAT wAs MY sisTEr! world, anywhere from the Great Wall of most successful sports in the history of East she assures them, because you’ve acquired that special ECU spirit. She leans ecuclassnotes@ecu edu I could not help but smile to see the article China to Afghanistan to South Africa. I Carolina University. The swimming facility, on page 56 of the Winter 2009 issue titled thought it was really neat and would be a into the microphone, her voice rising: “You know what I’m talking about. Skip ADMINISTRATION though kept in great condition, is over 40 “Meeting Eleanor Roosevelt” by student great way to show how our ECU alumni are Holtz knows what I’m talking about. They don’t have it at Syracuse and they Michelle sloan years old and is scheduled throughout the reporter Clarissa Humphrey—my sister! spreading the word about ECU throughout down.”The kids break into the “ECU, ECU, ECU” chant. don’t have it at Auburn. It’s what lets us get things done when the chips are h She worked part time free of charge for day and night. the world. I say that because I immediately the newspaper in Greenville so as to learn —Professor Emeritus Ray Scharf, start conversations with others, regardless ASSISTANT VICE CHANCELLOR At the university’s main fall graduation ceremony the next night, Phil Dixon ’71 swim coach 1967-82, Harker’s Island FOR UNIVERSITY MARKETING something about newspapers and journalism. of where we may be, if I see them wearing tosses off a statistic that put things into perspective for East Carolina’s 100th Clint Bailey She taught English and journalism at Jenkins something relating to ECU. Just as the case Editor’s note: Holland said he stretched the commencement class. Recent statistics show, he says, that out of 100 ninth- High School in Savannah, Ga., for many with the Class Notes, I am confident our budget as far as he could to devise a plan that graders only 58 finish high school. Of those 58, only 38 will begin college, 28 East Carolina University is a constituent institution of years and died in 1994. alumni would take great interest in not only will significantly improve the facilities used by will return for a second year and only 18 will earn a degree in six years. The University of North Carolina. It is a public doctoral/ —Richard Crotwell ’87, Metter, Ga. learning about how others are prospering, research intensive university offering baccalaureate, master’s, 13 of the school’s 19 teams. Building a new “This puts you in very unique company,” he says. Plus, “You know you specialist and doctoral degrees in the liberal arts, sciences but also “where” they are spreading the swimming facility for the men’s and women’s and professional fields, including medicine. Dedicated to the AnoThEr irA BAkEr proTEgE attended the best university in the state and you’re not snotty about it.” pirate message. teams would cost about as much as all the achievement of excellence, responsible stewardship of the Loved the story on ECU students who have public trust and academic freedom, ECU values the other Olympic Sports facility improvements —Drew Walker ’89, Greer, S.C. contributions of a diverse community, supports shared gone on to become journalists. I had both combined, Holland added. That does not governance and guarantees equality of opportunity. Ira Baker and Larry O’Keefe as my teachers. Editor’s note: You can already see many photos include expansion of the football stadium, like that at the Alumni Association’s web site, ©2009 by East Carolina University During a 33-year career in journalism, I’ve which will be funded by the sale of the PirateAlumni.com. Printed by Progress Printing won two Associated Press awards and several additional seats and the additional Pirate U.P. 09-328 74,000 copies of this public document were state awards for editorials and sports stories. printed at a cost of $42,539 or $.57 per copy. Club donations of the new seat holders. 2 3 The eCU rePorT Cliff hollis a “healthy disregard for the impossible.”The Campaign at $121 million ECU office that supervises LeaderShape is Halfway through its eight-year Second 20,000 jobs arrive via highway 17 making plans for a third annual retreat in Century Campaign, East Carolina August, either on campus or at an outside The huge investment the state has made While the costs for materials, University has raised more than $121 site. The previous two sessions were held over in four-laning U.S. Highway 17 is paying labor and expenditures can be million, or 60 percent of its $200 spring break at Camp Carraway in Asheville. earnings, said Mulatu Wubneh, chair —Erica Plouffe Lazure Leadership and Civic Engagement and the resulting in more than $1 billion in need of upgrading. assistant director of the Center for Student 300 miles from the Virginia border to a theme like “The Value of One, The Campaign is vital to the university’s attention, and a major grant, for research that brings doctors a step closer to Wilmington. In that time, more than Fifty miles of Highway 17 still Power of All” and “Living and Leading ability to continue that service, now stopping the spread of monkeypox, a coronavirus that’s a cousin of smallpox. $5.5 billion in output was produced are only two lanes and other with Integrity.” It’s not a week of leisure and in the years to come.” Once found only in Africa, monkeypox recently turned up in prairie dogs in the by the region’s construction sector, sections of the road remain in by any stretch, said Krista Wilhelm, U.S. and spread to humans. them dollar values,” he said. present but we cannot assign “These benefits are achieve within the ECU campus community. Closer to curing monkeypox transportation costs. define a specific leadership goal they hope to time and lower Breakthrough Blueprint” in which they 20,000 jobs. reduced building exercises. Halfway through the week, improvement. travel each participant develops a “Leadership big dividends for eastern North Carolina, quantified, Wubneh said, other million goal. Launched in 2008, the according to an ECU study showing that benefits from the highway Any ECU student with at least a 2.5 GPA Second Century Campaign is providing every dollar the state spent on the roadway improvements can’t be can apply for the program, which uses an resources for student scholarships, has generated nearly three dollars in direct improved safety, quantified, including interactive approach with an emphasis on faculty, program, and athletic support, output and earnings and created more than small groups, problem solving and community and campus facility construction and Since 1989 the state Department “East Carolina is being called upon of Transportation has spent $2.43 to enhance its service to students, billion upgrading Highway 17, eastern the region and the state,” said Vice North Carolina’s major north-south Chancellor for University Advancement transportation artery that stretches Camp participants explore topics around Mickey Dowdy. “The Second Century Brody School of Medicine microbiologist Dr. Rachel Roper is attracting national The Second Century Campaign is one of the major steps necessary to Her technique involves removing a specific gene from the pox virus that affects accomplish the ambitious goals of immunity. Her research also may lead to better treatments for other viruses, of ECU’s Urban and Regional coordinator for ECU LeaderShape. “It’s ECU Tomorrow: A Vision for Leadership particularly the human severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) virus. “The Planning Department, who led intensive,”Wilhelm says. “It’s almost like shaping leaders and Service, the university’s strategic plan emergence of SARS [and other viruses, including monkeypox] may well be the study at request of you must stay committed. I was searching Health, awarded a $504,000 grant to East Carolina researchers to study how K–12 quickly that becoming a successful leader The National Center for Research Resources, a part of the National Institutes of benefits to the region.” was, and what I wanted to do. I learned and generates additional “Before going, I thought I knew who I reinforces the principles taught at the retreat. continues to grow over time Congleton, a senior from Wendell. meets throughout the school year and has a multiplier effect that difference maker in my life,” says from the ECU LeaderShape Society, which such threats as monkeypox. investment in infrastructure “Attending LeaderShape was the graduates receive continuing encouragement Biotechnology Center to produce a vaccine that’s safer and more effective against have sought successfully if he proving that the virus belongs to a previously unrecognized group of coronaviruses. he feels sure he never would Initiative, was one of the scientists who sequenced and analyzed the SARS genome, the period studied. of the student body, an office Roper, former program director for the British Columbia SARS Accelerated Vaccine earned $600 million during Brad Congleton is vice president the study. Construction workers leadership boot camp.” adopted in 2007. To fully implement biggest infectious disease event since HIV,” Roper says. “I enjoyed how you moved around a good this strategic plan will require in excess amount,” says Tiffany Mills, a senior from of $1 billion in new resources from “We were asked to find out what Hertford who attended in 2007 along with state, federal and private sources over did the state get back in return Congleton; both returned to the camp the next 10–15 years. hadn’t spent a week at ECU’s for its investment,”Wubneh said. as program assistants last spring. After Now she’s working on a vaccine created by removing a gene from the virus that Leadership Institute. “Even during these challenging “This study shows that the they complete the program, LeaderShape seems to inhibit immune responses in mammals. She’s using a grant from the N.C. economic times, when they have chosen where to spend their philanthropic dollar, alumni, friends and supporters have chosen East Carolina in record numbers,” said Dowdy. “That Add two cups of science Students who are accepted to the August remarkable support is truly making ECU conducted the session of LeaderShape will be asked to a difference at our university and we make a nonrefundable deposit of $100, but are heartened by the dedication of the for an easy road, but the program taught students can use food to learn concepts in science, math and nutrition. The 2008 the Highway 17 campus organizations and local businesses Pirate Nation.” me that being a leader is a daily job and Science Education Partnership Award will fund the second phase of an earlier Association, are encouraged to sponsor a student who an alliance of sometimes it’s very challenging.” Please use the envelope inserted in the ECU study that showed that such common items as measuring cups and spoons might not otherwise be able to attend. magazine to make a donation. For more can become valuable learning tools. “Children love anything to do with food and businesses in Each year, up to 60 students like Anyone interested in sponsoring a student information about the Second Century food preparation,” said Melani Duffrin, professor of nutrition and dietetics. “We’ve the region. Congleton have the opportunity or donating to LeaderShape can contact Campaign, please visit www.ecu.edu/devt been watching enthusiastic, young students engage in scientific processes such as to attend LeaderShape, a weeklong Wilhelm at wilhelmk@ecu.edu. or call 252-328-9550. measurement, data collection, critical thinking and comparative analysis in very intensive leadership camp that teaches —Bethany Bradsher natural self-directed ways, and it’s exciting.” The eCU rePorT supply of dentists declines After four years of moderate increases, the state’s supply of dentists per capita has taken a downturn, according to the Sheps Center for Health Services Research at UNC Chapel Hill. According to the center’s annual report, the dentist workforce grew 4.8 percent in 2003–2004 but the growth rate slipped to 1.6 percent in 2006–2007. Adjusted for population growth, this translates into a 3.9 percent increase in ’05– ’06 and a 0.7 percent decrease in ’06–‘07. Nationally, there are an average six dentists per 100,000 population but in North Carolina the ratio is 4.3 dentists per 100,000. Four counties in eastern North Carolina—Camden, Gates, Hyde and Tyrrell—did not have an active dentist in 2007, and Camden and Tyrrell haven’t had a dentist since data collection began 1979. “The fact that our dentist supply is not keeping pace with population growth is of concern and a trend worth further monitoring,” said Erin Fraher, director of the Health Professions Data System. “North Carolina already lags behind the nation in dentist supply and we have an aging dentist workforce with nearly one in three dentists aged 55 and over. As this cohort begins to retire, it is likely that supply will contract at an even faster rate and some counties, particularly rural ones where dentists are an average three years older, may be left without a dentist,” Fraher added. East Carolina’s new dental school will accept its first students this fall, and the dental school at Chapel Hill is expanding, but these additional graduates will not enter the workforce until 2015 and 2016 respectively, Fraher said. After adjusting for population growth, the state’s supply of physicians, nurses and pharmacists increased while the supply of physicians in primary care specialties declined slightly. ECU plans an online high school After studying the feasibility of opening an Early College High School on campus for pupils from the region, East Carolina has determined that the better option is creating the special school in cyberspace. Chancellor Steve Ballard said UNC System President Erskine Bowles and the governor have given the go-ahead for ECU to expand its existing Second Life web portal, which already is used by thousands of online students, to Cliff hollis Tuition rises 2.8 percent Tuition at ECU will rise 2.82 percent next year for both in-state and out-of-state undergraduate students, an increase that’s on the low end of what most other UNC campuses are adopting. Currently, tuition and fees are $4,219 per semester. The Board of Trustees approved the increase at a special meeting in November after failing to reach a decision at its regular October session. North Carolina residents will face a $69 increase in tuition, while students from other states will see their rates increase by $366 annually. All students will pay an increase in fees of $25. Graduate students, both resident and nonresident, will pay an extra $69 beginning next year. Chancellor Steve Ballard proposed a 2.41 percent tuition increase at the trustees’ October meeting but several members of the executive committee thought that was too low. “We are trying to hold to a East Carolina officially opened its newest student recreation facilities last semester with house the Early College High School. minimum to North Carolina students,” Ballard said Shirley Carraway ’75 ’80 Ballard said. “I think this is a reasonable plenty of lacrosse sticks, rugby balls, soccer cleats and free ’00, the recently retired superintendent of Orange County schools, has been hired part time to work on this project with Pitt County Schools and Pitt Community College. DE enrollment grows The number of distance education students enrolled in East Carolina grew to 6,190 during fall semester. They are studying for more than 60 types of undergraduate, advanced and certificate degrees. They range from 18 to 81 years old and log on to virtual classrooms in 99 of the state’s 100 counties, 43 of the 50 states and five countries other than the United States, according to a new report. The 16 compromise while paying attention to the needs of our students.” Around $650,000 of the tuition increase will be used to boost faculty salaries; about $1.5 million will go to financial aid; the rest, nearly $500,000, will be used for other support services at the university. Trustee Margaret Ward, who wanted to see a higher increase, voted against the compromise. The hikes at ECU are lower than fee and tuition increases at UNC Chapel Hill, N.C. State, UNC Wilmington, Appalachian State and UNC Greensboro, where increases were 5.5 percent or higher. The Board of Governors limits tuition increases at the state’s universities to a maximum of 6.5 percent a year. Cliff hollis north recreational Complex opens food. Chancellor Steve Ballard led the ribbon-cutting for the North Recreational Complex, an $8.5 million project on U.S. Highway 264 six miles from the Main Campus in a booming area of big-box student apartment complexes. Women and men’s club sports teams put the fields to good use before downing lots of hot dogs and hamburgers. Construction began on the project in March 2006. It sits on 129 acres and features eight lighted regulation fields for rugby and soccer. It is financed by student fees. Ballard noted that with the new fields and the existing Student Recreation Center on the core campus, ECU offers students some of the best and most comprehensive recreation and fitness opportunities in the nation. Nance Mize, assistant vice chancellor for campus recreation and wellness, said the new fields interior design students display their ideas for “barracks of the future” that are better able to accommodate sick and wounded Marines during their rehabilitation at Camp UNC system campuses combined now put the university in a position ECU, the third-largest school in the lejeune’s wounded warrior Battalion. The students visited military bases and talked to host state, regional and have more than 22,000 DE students, with wounded Marines about what they would like to have in their barracks and UNC system, ranks sixth in fees and national championships in incorporated their input into the designs. The designs include public areas for Marines up 20 percent in just the past year. several club sports. seventh in tuition. who do not like to be alone, furniture specially crafted for wheelchair-users and storage —Christine Neff —Greenville Daily Reflector space designed to hold military gear. 6 7 The Access Scholarship program, begun just two years ago, has grown to serve 62 students as of fall semester. The scholarships are worth $5,000 a year for four years, enough to cover college costs beyond what’s available in most student loans. More than 9,000 undergraduate students at East Carolina have demonstrated financial need, the highest in the UNC system. With existing resources ECU is only able to meet 60 percent of financial aid requests from students with the most need. A $250,000 gift from BB&T allowed the program to expand by two scholarships.For more about this gift, see page 38. The eCU rePorT greenville’s expensive real estate Let’s say you’ve just taken a job teaching at East Carolina and will be moving to Greenville from, say, Raleigh. You should be able to buy a much nicer house in Greenville than the one you had in Raleigh, right? Wrong. Based on sales over the past year, the average price of a 2,220-foot, four-bedroom home with 2½ baths, a family room and a two-car garage here will cost you about $50,000 more than in Raleigh, according to a national survey by Coldwell Banker Real Estate. Greenville real estate also is pricier than Winston-Salem and Durham. rank school City housing cost 1 stanford University Palo alto, Calif . $ 1,740,731 17 University of virginia Charlottesville, va . 408,475 21 University of north Carolina Chapel hill 369,966 30 west virginia University Morgantown, w va . 331,333 42 virginia Tech University Blacksburg, va . 302,075 47 East Carolina University greenville 283,022 74 north Carolina state University raleigh 236,124 78 wake forest University winston-salem 230,667 83 Duke University Durham, n C . 221,491 90 University of Tennessee Knoxville, Tenn . 208,637 100 University of south Carolina Columbia, s C . 189,262 spiders for scholarships There’s a new reason to give money to ECU: You could get a spider named for you. Biologist Jason Bond, who received international attention last summer for naming two of his newly discovered trapdoor spiders after musician Neil Young and talk show host Stephen Colbert, is offering similar naming rights to donors to a scholarship fund for students studying biodiversity. “We want this event to be a lot of fun, as well as informative,” says Jeff McKinnon, chair of the biology department. The largest donor to the fund will win the opportunity to name one of Bond’s trapdoor spiders. The winner was to be announced on Feb. 12. Bond discovered the new species of trapdoor spiders in late 2007 and is in the process of naming them. Other species in Bond’s collection have been named after Nelson Mandela, Neil Young, Angelina Jolie, and Bond’s wife, Kristen. To learn who won and how much money was raised for scholarships, visit www.ecu.edu/ biology. Contributed photo heart Center opens its doors After two years of construction, the university and Pitt County Memorial Hospital jointly dedicated the East Carolina Heart Institute on Dec. 11. The $220 million heart institute includes a six-story patient bed tower to be used by the hospital and a 206,000-square-foot research, education and outpatient care facility for the Brody School of Medicine. The dedication capped more than four years of collaboration between ECU and PCMH supported by $60 million from the N.C. General Assembly and $160 million from PCMH for the bed tower. Just how blue is ECU? The widespread perception that college professors and top administrators are politically liberal would seem to have even greater credence now that North Carolina has turned blue for the first time since 1976. But according to records at the State Board of Elections, the East Carolina community, at least, is about as divided in its politics as everyone else. According to a search of records of the 500 highest-paid employees of East Carolina University available online from the State Board of Elections (SBOE), 36 percent are registered as Democrats and 23 percent are registered as Republicans. A little less than 20 percent are unaffiliated and about 21 percent of them couldn’t be found in SBOE records. As state employees, the university’s employee and salary records are public documents, as are state voter registration lists. Those statistics indicate that ECU employees—at least the highest paid ones, most of whom work on the medical campus—are less Republican than the state as a whole. Statewide, 45 percent of all registered voters are Democrats, 34 percent are Republicans and 21 percent are unaffiliated, according to SBOE data. “Those with higher levels of education are likely to be further to the left on the ideological scale,” says political science professor Bonnie Mani. “Remember that ideology and party affiliation are two different concepts—although Republicans are more likely to be conservative and Democrats are likely to be further to the left.” Despite ECU’s Democratic leanings, the Republican Party does target students with groups such as College Republicans and Students for McCain. Kim Hendrix, the chair of the Pitt County Republican Party Executive Board, echoed Mani’s sentiments. “Most educators are Democrats, but there does seem to be a Republican presence on campus.” “I’ve noticed that just driving through the faculty parking areas during the day that most cars are sporting Obama bumper stickers, ” says grad student and teaching assistant Nicole Keech. “There are very few in support of McCain—maybe that just means that McCain supporters are more conservative in publicly expressing their political stances.” A Democrat hasn’t carried North Carolina since Carter in ’76. In 2004, George Bush defeated John Kerry here 56 percent to 44 percent. In Pitt County, Bush edged out Kerry 53 percent to 46 percent. Barack Obama carried Pitt County by 54 percent to 46 percent. Of the 14 other counties that host a UNC system campus, only New Hanover County, home of UNC Wilmington, went for John McCain, and that by only the slightest of margins. —Kellen Holtzman Editor’s note: East occasionally publishes original writing by ECU students. This story was prepared by Holtzman as a research project for the Communications 3320 Investigative Reporting class. The fact that Barack obama, Joe Biden and sarah palin all campaigned in greenville stoked a noticeable increase in political activity on campus. obama filled Minges Auditorium on April 18 and sarah palin did the same on oct. 7. Three weeks later, Joe Biden walked out of the student center wearing an ECU baseball cap and talked to students gathered on the mall. nancy Ballard welcomes Barack obama to Minges. The eCU rePorT Photo courtesy western Carolina University Uni Marilyn Sheerer was appointed provost and senior vice chancellor for academic and student affairs, a post she had held on an interim basis. Sheerer came to ECU in 1996 as a professor and chair of the Department of Elementary and Middle Grades Education. She served as dean of the College of Education from 1998 to 2006 and also led the university’s fund-raising operation and the Division of Student Life. In making the appointment, Chancellor Steve Ballard said that Sheerer “is exactly the right person to fill this critical role at the university.” John Given, an assistant professor in the Department of Foreign Languages and versity Life Literatures, is the new director of the program in Classical Studies within the College of Arts and Sciences. He replaces John Stevens, who directed the Classical Studies program for the past five years. Stevens will return to the classroom. Given has worked to create a full curriculum in Greek. Mary A. Farwell was appointed director of undergraduate research in the Division of Research and Graduate Studies. She had worked for 14 years as associate professor and director of undergraduate studies in the Department of Biology. Farwell will be responsible for helping to organize and fund undergraduate research projects. David Weismiller was named associate provost for the Office of Institutional Planning, Assessment and Research. He was vice chair for academic affairs in the Department of Family Medicine. A faculty member since 1996, he was recognized in 2004 with the School of Medicine’s 100 100 EAsT CArolinA TiMElinE YEArs Ago 75YEArs Ago coveted Master Educator Award. Beth Velde, a professor of occupational therapy and assistant dean in the College of Allied Health Sciences, was named director of East Carolina’s new Outreach Scholars Academy. The academy will develop engaged scholars who are leaders in their professions, working with communities to improve the quality of life and foster economic prosperity for North Carolinians. The academy will provide professional development for faculty and enable them to pursue sponsored scholarship related to curricular engagement, outreach and partnerships. Patrick Pellicane, dean of the Graduate School, has resigned to become vice provost for research and dean of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Graduate School. Paul Gemperline, associate vice chancellor for research, will serve acting dean for the Graduate School while a search continues for a permanent replacement. Dr. Lessie Louise Bass, 62, died Jan. 18, weeks after receiving the 2008 Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Public Service (above). Dr. Bass joined the ECU College of Human Ecology School of Social Work faculty in 1993. She also taught at the University of Maryland, Fayetteville State University and Barton College. She also was Executive Director of the Lucille W. Gorham Intergenerational Community Center of West Greenville. She was a founding member of the Wilson, Omicron lota Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority and a life member of Norwayne Alumni. 40 40 YEArs Ago Kelsey sutton The green grass Cloggers, founded at ECU in 1971, received the 2008 Mountain heritage Award at the 34th annual Mountain heritage Day at western Carolina University. in the years since the group was started by Dudley Culp ’71 and Toni Jordan williams ’77, helped by recreation professor ralph steele and geology professor stan riggs, a third of its nearly 160 members have been ECU graduates or faculty. green grass Cloggers now has a team based in Asheville, and a home Team based in greenville that performs regionally. The two teams perform together at least once a year. A 40th anniversary reunion of all former and current members is being planned for 2011 in greenville. 25 25 YEArs Ago Computerized registration begins as student complaints soar over long lines at registration and drop-add, east Carolina buys 50 iBM computers in the spring of 1984 and becomes the first college in the state to move toward a computerized, decentralized system of registering students for classes . The system requires students to go to their advisors’ offices and make out class schedules . The schedules are then given to computer operators who feed the data into the campus mainframe . observers are awed that the mainframe is able to crunch the data and confirm the requested classes “within minutes ” after a year of testing, the system is first used in March 1985 . Images courtesy University Archives The first faculty arrives in the spring and summer of 1909, President robert wright (far right) hires 10 teachers to instruct the inaugural class of 174 east Carolina students, who will arrive in the fall . Today, several buildings on campus are named for those first faculty members . from left to right, top row, are Kate w . lewis, william henry ragsdale (residence hall), Birdie McKinney, sallie Joyner Davis (library), Maria D . graham (classroom building), Mamie e . Jenkins (originally the infirmary, now an office building), Claude w . wilson (residence hall), Jennie M . ogden, fannie Bishop and herbert e . austin (classroom building) . robert wright dies amid enthusiastic preparations for the 25th anniversary of the school’s founding, and robert wright’s 25th year as president, the 64-year-old leader suffers a heart attack while working at his desk in the spilman Building and dies two days later, april 25, 1934 . he lay in state in the auditorium later named for him . president Messick’s last year The rigors of leading a college undergoing constant growth and change begins wearing on President John Messick . in his 12 years at the helm, the student body triples in size to 4,000, 11 new buildings are constructed and 13 others on campus are enlarged or remodeled . in early 1959 he tells friends, “i’m just getting tired of the pressures involved, mostly the pressure of obtaining sufficient funds to operate a college like ours ” he announces his resignation in october . leo Jenkins, Messick’s longtime right-hand man, is named to lead the college . The ECU opera Theatre’sspring productionwillbePuccini’s Madama Butterfly March 4, 5 and6infletcherrecitalhall John Kramarwilldirectthreeevening performancesandoneafternoon performance, which will be sungin italian and accompanied by theeCUsymphonyorchestra The Four seasons ChamberMusic Festivalcloses its seasonwithtrios,quartetsandquintets TheMarch19–20programwill feature haydn’s PianoTrioin C,schumann’s PianoQuartet in E-flat majorand faure’sPiano Quartet No. 1 in C-minor. PerformerswillbeeCU’sara gregorian, violin; shai wosner, piano; hsin-yun huang, viola; andzviPlesser,cello Thefinale april 30 and May 1 will consistof Bloch’s PianoQuintetNo.1 and Dvorak’s Piano Quintet inA. Joininggregorianwillbe guests Thomas sauer, piano; soovin Kim, violin; elina vahala, violin;andamitPeled,cello Theprogramswillbeplayedin fletcher recital hall ECU Theatre and Dance. The eCU-loessin Playouse seriespresents shakespeare’s All’s Well That Ends Well april 2–7, and the season concludesapril 23–28 with Dance2009, the annual programfeaturing eCU dancers inballet, modern, jazz andtap The family fare serieswindsupapril17withan eCUstorybookTheatre production of Willy Wonka, basedonthebookbyroald Dahl TheeCUproductionwillbe the musical version, with musicand lyrics by leslie Bricusse andanthony newley The ninth annual newMusic@ ECU Festivaltakesplacefeb 25–March 1, with the DaedalusQuartetandPulsoptionalamong thefeaturedguestperformers festival director edward Jacobsplanned seven concerts, alongwith master classes with visitingcomposers,performersand conductors,andreadingsessions ofstudentcomposers’works new this year is an orchestracompositioncompetition among theeCUperformerswillbe theChambersingers,feb 26 at st Paul’s episcopal Church; newMusicCamerata,feb 27and feb 28 at fletcher recital hall; and symphony orchestra, March1atwrightauditorium Clarinetist Christopher grymes of the musicfacultywillleadoffthefestival feb 25 with a program at thestarlight Café ECU symphonyprograms inlate winter and early spring willinclude an unusual range ofmusicalselectionsandalsowill highlight winners of orchestralcomposition and concertocompetitions aMarch 1 concertinwrightauditoriumat3p m thatispartofthenewMusic festival will include Folksongs of the Vikings,a work by DavidDahlgrenfortubaandstring orchestra, which will featuretubasoloistTomMcCaslin,and aworldpremierepiecebyMarc faris of the Music school’scomposition program faris alsoisaco-founderofPulsoptional, the ensemble scheduled to play inthenewMusicfestival Theapril 26concert(wrightauditorium, 3p m )willincludeBorodin’s overture to Prince Igorandstravinsky’s SymphonyinThree Movements. The ECU Jazz studies program’sJazzatnightseriesatthehilton greenville hotel ends feb 20andMarch27 Jazzstudents, aswellasfacultymembersand guest musicians, perform, and thehotel donates a portion of ticketholders’ restaurant purchasestotheuniversity’sJazzstudies program Performancesbeginat 8p m The school of Art and Design’sannualexhibitionofartand craft work by undergraduatestudents will be on displayMarch 4–april 8, with anawardsceremonyscheduled March4 Theannual exhibitionofthesisworks bygraduatestudentsis scheduledapril17–May22 who’s in town? Uzee Brown Jr., president of thenational association of negroMusicians,formerchairofthe musicdepartmentofClark atlanta University, and choirdirectoratMartinlutherKing’s home congregation, ebenezerBaptistChurch,willbethespecial guestoftheschoolofMusic foraprogram,“Theartofthe spiritual,”ina J fletcherMusic Center recital hall March 17 at 8p m Brown recorded a CD of hisownsolospiritualarrangements, Great Day, in 2006 rebecca penneyswillpresenta pianorecitalMarch21at7p m at fletcher recital hall she hasbeen a resident artist at theChautauquafestivalsince1978 and was appointed visiting artistatst PetersburgCollegein florida in 2001 sole nero, a piano and percussionduo, will perform in fletcherrecitalhallapril5at7p m PercussionistanthonyDisanzais and pianist Jessica Johnsonexplorenewandexistingworks for piano and percussion gary smart, yessin Professorof Music at the University ofnorth florida in Jacksonville, willpresentapianorecitalinfletcher recital hall april 9 at 7 p m smartisacomposerandimproviser whosemusichasbeenperformed atlincolnCenter,Carnegiehall and Kennedy Center —Steve RowFor ticketing andotherinformation,go to www.ecu.edu/arts Jennifer licko shelton’98willpresentaspecialst Patrick’sDay concertMarch17at8p m inwrightauditoriumasafund-raiserforthe s rudolphalexanderPerformingartsseries lickosingsCelticmusic andplayspiano,guitarandbodhrán—theirishdrum Theswansboro nativestartedperformingasahighlanddancerbeforeshewasa teenager shehasrecordedseveralCDssincegraduatingfromeCU withamusicdegree she’salsostudiedinscotlandandireland hear songs from her new album at www jenniferlicko com The s. rudolph Alexander performing Arts seriesconcludes its seasonwith internationally known piano accompanist John wustman andMetropolitanoperabaritonenathangunn,whowillperformfranz schubert’s Die schone Mullerin feb 20, and the russian nationalBallet’s production of Giselleapril 2 wustman, the robert l JonesDistinguished visiting Professor in the eCU school of Music, willaccompanymembersoftheeCUvocalstudiesDepartmentinthefirst and second parts of wolf’s Spanisches LiederbuchMarch22and23 Jazz singer nnenna Freelonwillbetheprincipalguestartist for the Billy Taylor Jazz Festival april16–18,withmostevents heldatthegreenvilleConventionCenterandadjacenthilton hotel freelonlivesinDurhamandismarriedtoPhilfreelon,the architect who is designing eCU’s new student center nnenna wasdiscovered in 1990 by jazz pianist ellis Marsalis and signed byColumbiarecords,whichhasreleased11ofheralbums fiveof themgarneredgrammynominations shehasreceivedtheBillie holidayawardfromtheacademieduJazzinfranceandthe eubieBlakeawardfromthenationalJazzinstitute shetoured with the Monterey Jazz festival’s 50th anniversary Band in 2008 freelon’sapril18performanceat8p m closesthefestival,whichwill rununderthedirectionofCarrollv DashiellJr ,directorofjazzstudies intheschoolofMusic overthreedaysthefestivalwillincludeafree “JazzBones”programapril16atthehilton,aticketedperformanceby the ECU Jazz Ensemble april17attheconventioncenter,andcritiques ofvisitinghighschoolandmiddleschooljazzensemblesapril18atthe convention center 2009 Spring Arts CalendarThe ECU opera Theatre’sspring productionwillbePuccini’s Madama Butterfly March 4, 5 and6infletcherrecitalhall John Kramarwilldirectthreeevening performancesandoneafternoon performance, which will be sungin italian and accompanied by theeCUsymphonyorchestra The Four seasons ChamberMusic Festivalcloses its seasonwithtrios,quartetsandquintets TheMarch19–20programwill feature haydn’s PianoTrioin C,schumann’s PianoQuartet in E-flat majorand faure’sPiano Quartet No. 1 in C-minor. PerformerswillbeeCU’sara gregorian, violin; shai wosner, piano; hsin-yun huang, viola; andzviPlesser,cello Thefinale april 30 and May 1 will consistof Bloch’s PianoQuintetNo.1 and Dvorak’s Piano Quintet inA. Joininggregorianwillbe guests Thomas sauer, piano; soovin Kim, violin; elina vahala, violin;andamitPeled,cello Theprogramswillbeplayedin fletcher recital hall ECU Theatre and Dance. The eCU-loessin Playouse seriespresents shakespeare’s All’s Well That Ends Well april 2–7, and the season concludesapril 23–28 with Dance2009, the annual programfeaturing eCU dancers inballet, modern, jazz andtap The family fare serieswindsupapril17withan eCUstorybookTheatre production of Willy Wonka, basedonthebookbyroald Dahl TheeCUproductionwillbe the musical version, with musicand lyrics by leslie Bricusse andanthony newley The ninth annual newMusic@ ECU Festivaltakesplacefeb 25–March 1, with the DaedalusQuartetandPulsoptionalamong thefeaturedguestperformers festival director edward Jacobsplanned seven concerts, alongwith master classes with visitingcomposers,performersand conductors,andreadingsessions ofstudentcomposers’works new this year is an orchestracompositioncompetition among theeCUperformerswillbe theChambersingers,feb 26 at st Paul’s episcopal Church; newMusicCamerata,feb 27and feb 28 at fletcher recital hall; and symphony orchestra, March1atwrightauditorium Clarinetist Christopher grymes of the musicfacultywillleadoffthefestival feb 25 with a program at thestarlight Café ECU symphonyprograms inlate winter and early spring willinclude an unusual range ofmusicalselectionsandalsowill highlight winners of orchestralcomposition and concertocompetitions aMarch 1 concertinwrightauditoriumat3p m thatispartofthenewMusic festival will include Folksongs of the Vikings,a work by DavidDahlgrenfortubaandstring orchestra, which will featuretubasoloistTomMcCaslin,and aworldpremierepiecebyMarc faris of the Music school’scomposition program faris alsoisaco-founderofPulsoptional, the ensemble scheduled to play inthenewMusicfestival Theapril 26concert(wrightauditorium, 3p m )willincludeBorodin’s overture to Prince Igorandstravinsky’s SymphonyinThree Movements. The ECU Jazz studies program’sJazzatnightseriesatthehilton greenville hotel ends feb 20andMarch27 Jazzstudents, aswellasfacultymembersand guest musicians, perform, and thehotel donates a portion of ticketholders’ restaurant purchasestotheuniversity’sJazzstudies program Performancesbeginat 8p m The school of Art and Design’sannualexhibitionofartand craft work by undergraduatestudents will be on displayMarch 4–april 8, with anawardsceremonyscheduled March4 Theannual exhibitionofthesisworks bygraduatestudentsis scheduledapril17–May22 who’s in town? Uzee Brown Jr., president of thenational association of negroMusicians,formerchairofthe musicdepartmentofClark atlanta University, and choirdirectoratMartinlutherKing’s home congregation, ebenezerBaptistChurch,willbethespecial guestoftheschoolofMusic foraprogram,“Theartofthe spiritual,”ina J fletcherMusic Center recital hall March 17 at 8p m Brown recorded a CD of hisownsolospiritualarrangements, Great Day, in 2006 rebecca penneyswillpresenta pianorecitalMarch21at7p m at fletcher recital hall she hasbeen a resident artist at theChautauquafestivalsince1978 and was appointed visiting artistatst PetersburgCollegein florida in 2001 sole nero, a piano and percussionduo, will perform in fletcherrecitalhallapril5at7p m PercussionistanthonyDisanzais and pianist Jessica Johnsonexplorenewandexistingworks for piano and percussion gary smart, yessin Professorof Music at the University ofnorth florida in Jacksonville, willpresentapianorecitalinfletcher recital hall april 9 at 7 p m smartisacomposerandimproviser whosemusichasbeenperformed atlincolnCenter,Carnegiehall and Kennedy Center —Steve RowFor ticketing andotherinformation,go to www.ecu.edu/arts Jennifer licko shelton’98willpresentaspecialst Patrick’sDay concertMarch17at8p m inwrightauditoriumasafund-raiserforthe s rudolphalexanderPerformingartsseries lickosingsCelticmusic andplayspiano,guitarandbodhrán—theirishdrum Theswansboro nativestartedperformingasahighlanddancerbeforeshewasa teenager shehasrecordedseveralCDssincegraduatingfromeCU withamusicdegree she’salsostudiedinscotlandandireland hear songs from her new album at www jenniferlicko com The s. rudolph Alexander performing Arts seriesconcludes its seasonwith internationally known piano accompanist John wustman andMetropolitanoperabaritonenathangunn,whowillperformfranz schubert’s Die schone Mullerin feb 20, and the russian nationalBallet’s production of Giselleapril 2 wustman, the robert l JonesDistinguished visiting Professor in the eCU school of Music, willaccompanymembersoftheeCUvocalstudiesDepartmentinthefirst and second parts of wolf’s Spanisches LiederbuchMarch22and23 Jazz singer nnenna Freelonwillbetheprincipalguestartist for the Billy Taylor Jazz Festival april16–18,withmostevents heldatthegreenvilleConventionCenterandadjacenthilton hotel freelonlivesinDurhamandismarriedtoPhilfreelon,the architect who is designing eCU’s new student center nnenna wasdiscovered in 1990 by jazz pianist ellis Marsalis and signed byColumbiarecords,whichhasreleased11ofheralbums fiveof themgarneredgrammynominations shehasreceivedtheBillie holidayawardfromtheacademieduJazzinfranceandthe eubieBlakeawardfromthenationalJazzinstitute shetoured with the Monterey Jazz festival’s 50th anniversary Band in 2008 freelon’sapril18performanceat8p m closesthefestival,whichwill rununderthedirectionofCarrollv DashiellJr ,directorofjazzstudies intheschoolofMusic overthreedaysthefestivalwillincludeafree “JazzBones”programapril16atthehilton,aticketedperformanceby the ECU Jazz Ensemble april17attheconventioncenter,andcritiques ofvisitinghighschoolandmiddleschooljazzensemblesapril18atthe convention center 2009 Spring Arts Calendar 12 13 Portrait ofthe Artist Whether he’s holding a banjo or a paintbrush, Scott Avett ’99 ’00 puts family ahead of fame. It’s the last week of December, and the Avett Brothers are playing the third of five back-to-back, sold-out concerts. Sweat flies, strings break and fists pump inside Asheville’s Orange Peel club as the band performs a string of their own songs and covers of tunes made famous by Townes Van Zandt and Bob Wills. The audience cheers for an encore and the band complies, first with the ballad “If It’s the Beaches,” a song from their 2006 album The Gleam that’s been featured on the NBC drama Friday Night Lights. Then the concert ends with the anthemic “Salvation Song,” from the band’s 2004 album, Mignonette. As the song reaches the final chorus, band and audience become one as they sing together: “We came for salvation We came for family We came for all that’s good That’s how we’ll walk away We came to break the bad We came to cheer the sad We came to leave behind the world a better way.” By Jimmy Rostar brother Seth, a graduate of UNC Charlotte, with bandmates Bob Crawford and Joe Kwon—will follow the path of so many bands before them, from discovery to sudden success, followed quickly by burnout and oblivion. They aren’t performing for the fame, the money, the attention. “Salvation Song” tells you exactly why the Avetts came. ‘Day by day—that’s the key’ It’s difficult to define the type of music The lights dim with the band right where the Avett Brothers play. The San Francisco they spent many nights in 2008—on stage, Chronicle describes it as “the heavy sadness performing for enthusiastic fans who love of Townes Van Zandt, the light pop the music and seemingly know all the lyrics concision of Buddy Holly, the tuneful by heart. And with a new album coming out jangle of the Beatles, the raw energy of the produced by the legendary Rick Rubin—the Ramones [which] allows them to express a man who revived Johnny Cash’s career—many full range of emotions and opt for honesty believe 2009 will be the year the band emerges and optimism over irony and cynicism.” as the next big thing in American music. Scott primarily plays the banjo, and he also If that does happen, it’s unlikely the plays the guitar, piano, harmonica, and Avett Brothers—Scott Avett and younger drums. Seth’s mainly a guitarist, while he too The Avett Brothers—Joe kwon, Bob Crawford, scott Avett and seth Avett, from left—perform at the sold-out Belk Theater in Charlotte on Dec. 30. They are joined by Bonnie Avett rini, scott and seth’s sister. Crackerfarm David Butler plays piano and drums. The brothers share most of the singing and songwriting duties. Crawford is the bassist, and Kwon plays cello. However you categorize the tunes, 2008 was a momentous year for the Avetts. The band released its 10th album, The Second Gleam, and continued building an ever-growing fan base through a grueling tour schedule. A visual artist as well as a musician, Scott showed paintings and other artwork at a gallery in New York City. On personal notes, he also became a father, and Seth got married. This year is shaping up as an even greater seminal period, with the much-anticipated new album and another heavy touring schedule on the way. The Avett Brothers will play several shows with the Dave Matthews Band, including an April 22 concert at Raleigh’s Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek and an April 24 show at Charlotte’s Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre. With all of that ahead, Scott says it’s more important than ever for him to keep focused on the family values he learned growing up in Concord, N.C., and the work ethic that earned him two degrees from East Carolina. “I can’t think about the big picture too much and what’s ahead because it’s way too overwhelming,” he says during an interview in his art studio in Concord, a suburb of Charlotte. “Day by day. That’s the key.” He credits his parents, Jim and Susie, for nurturing a love for family and the arts. A welder by trade, Jim Avett played guitar and had a collection of records and 8-tracks that he shared with his family. As children, Scott, Seth and sister Bonnie all learned to play the piano. Family sing-alongs were common, and the three siblings regularly sang with their father at church services. Some of those songs would make their way onto the 2008 album Jim Avett and Family, a collection of each week Time magazine asks a notable person what they’re reading, watching or listening to . in the Jan . 8 issue, John grogan, author of the best-seller Marley & Me, said he’s listening to Emotionalism by the avett Brothers: “i discovered the avett Brothers while browsing in one of those iconic hippie shops in san francisco’s haight-ashbury district . The album was playing on the store’s sound system, and i was instantly smitten . it is impossible not to grin while listening to this infectiously upbeat blend of folk, rock and bluegrass, all played on acoustic instruments and with whimsical, witty lyrics to boot ” gospel tunes featuring the Avett patriarch along with his children, as well as Crawford and Kwon. “As far back as our memory goes, it’s there,” Scott recalls of his first exposure to music. “The earliest memories are of whatever my parents were listening to and my dad was playing. I always remember this sort of mid-’70s John Denver vibe, and Tom T. Hall. Those old country and country rock things were really inspiring, and they really impacted us as kids.” Interest in the visual arts also developed early, Scott says, recalling a game in which his father encouraged his children to create images out of simple shapes he would draw. “They had art around,” Seth Avett says of his parents. “We weren’t a family of means—there wasn’t a lot of money—but if we wanted to hear music, there was a record player in the living room. We could hear Dad playing guitar and singing to us. There were some art books in the bookshelves, and there was a lot of good literature around.” The brothers agree that the family bond has been essential in shaping who they are as people and as artists. “I’ve been very fortunate to grow up and realize how much that’s carried me,” Scott says. “Seth and I wouldn’t be able to do what we do if our parents hadn’t been so generous and forthcoming with supporting the music.” Now a father himself, Scott says he even more deeply appreciates the importance of family as he and his wife, Sarah, tend to their infant daughter. “Our family has stepped up,” he says. “We just do things for each other. There’s no talk about how anybody needs favors returned or how anybody is on borrowed time or anything like that. As I get older, I realize how important that is.” Coming to greenville At East Carolina, Scott found a home in the College of Fine Arts and Communication. In 1999, he earned a BS degree in communication. A year later, he earned a BFA degree in 16 17 in a recent post to the ramseur records blog (ramseurrecords.blogspot.com), scott Avett talks about his passion for printmaking: My introduction to printmaking was by professor of printmaking at east Carolina University, Michael ehlbeck . while focusing on painting as a concentration at the school of art, i also found time and the good fortune to learn multiple printmaking processes under ehlbeck’s instruction . among these processes was relief block printing, which i initially learned on wood and then later on linoleum . The process has proven very useful in the moving world that i live in, where mobility is a must due to the changing workspace . over the past five years i have used The avett Brothers’ annual new year’s shows as a commercial outlet to produce prints using this process . in between show posters i have also completed prints using other subject matter as well . The process of relief block printing starts with a drawing, usually in one of my many sketch books and then it is transferred, in parts, to a large piece of tracing paper to make up a unified composition . The image is then traced again on the opposite side of the tracing paper and then burnished onto a piece of linoleum . i then redraw the image over the lines i have transferred and add touches and possibly more elements to the image on the linoleum, sometimes changing it completely . some images are drawn straight to linoleum when traveling with scrap pieces . after the image is completely drawn in black ink on the linoleum, i began carving the unmarked areas away . This creates the “negative” space that ink will not touch, and will leave the paper exposed creating the lighter value of the image . The black areas that make up the drawing become the surface in which the ink is carried and make up the dark value of the image . once the linoleum block is entirely carved i began the printing process . Printing has been done in the printmaking department at east Carolina University with the help and support of Michael ehlbeck and others . without the faculty within the printmaking department at the school of art at eCU, printmaking, for me, would not be possible . The prints are made in limited runs and are signed and numbered accordingly . some will not be reproduced . Some of Avett’s artwork can be viewed and purchased at Envoy Gallery located in New York City’s Lower East Side or at www.envoygallery.com. Prints are also available through Applewood Gallery of Charlotte, N.C. scott avett returned to campus in 2008 to create this print commemorating the band’s year-end concerts . art, focusing mainly on painting. “ECU was absolutely awesome,” he says. He says his college experience was especially fruitful once he opened himself to the support his professors gave in shaping his craft. “ECU was there to offer whatever direction it was that I needed,” he adds. “It was there to guide me. There was nothing stopping me after I homed in on what I wanted to do. For that, I have ECU to thank.” Leland Wallin, a professor emeritus of painting, recalls Scott Avett the art student as “an individual with enormous potential,” and he encouraged the budding artist to continue in his studies. “The works he did with me were quite beautiful—painterly portraits, lush brushwork and color, with considerable amount of control,” he says. “Scott was one of my outstanding students. He’s a very talented guy in many ways, quite diversified in his abilities.” Scott also took an interest in printmaking and continues to keep in touch with professor Michael Ehlbeck. He regularly returns to campus to create elaborately crafted prints that commemorate the band’s annual New Year’s Eve and other big shows. “I have the highest opinion of Scott—the work he does, the work ethic that he has set up for himself, things that he does on the road, things that he does at home,” Ehlbeck says. “He wants to keep his hands in the printmaking and in the painting. He continues to make prints and paintings because he feels it’s important.” Scott says his music and visual artwork are pursuits that parallel and complement one another, adding that his time at East Carolina definitely shaped his dedication to both as career and artistic options. “The same year that Leland Wallin said, ‘You’ve got to stay in this [painting]; this is what you’re obligated to do,’ I picked up the banjo and started playing,” he says. “So I committed myself to both of them at the same time.” He sang in bands throughout his years at East Carolina. One, a rock outfit called Nemo, eventually brought Scott and Seth Avett together along with a few friends. In the late 1990s, a side project featuring acoustic instruments was born, and the Avetts began collaborating on songs over the phone. In 2000, Scott and Seth—along with Nemo guitarist John Twomey—released a CD under the Avett Brothers name. Since that first album, the Avett Brothers have continued a period of intensive songwriting, performing and recording. Their songs focus on many aspects of the examined life—love, loss, regret, resolve, truth and honesty among them. David Butler, who hosts an Americana music radio program on Guilford College’s WQFS in Greensboro, first heard the Avett Brothers’ music on a box set of Charlotte-area musicians. Later he saw the band perform at MerleFest, the perennial music festival in Wilkesboro. He says he knew he had seen and heard something special. “They impressed me more than anybody I saw at MerleFest that year,” Butler says of that 2004 performance. Since then he has been to nearly 70 of their shows and plays the band’s music regularly on his program. He says the artistry of their songs keeps his interest engaged. “I love them live, and I like the fact that you can see them several nights in a row and it’s radically different each night,” he says. “But to me, it’s their basic songwriting skills. They’ve got the ability to write great, amazing songs. Whether I’m listening to the studio things or listening to them live, it’s the songs that stick with me.” ‘They want to make great art’ In 2003, the Avett Brothers connected with Dolph Ramseur, a former tennis pro from Concord who owned an independent label called Ramseur Records. The Avetts have been with him ever since. “They want to make great art,” Ramseur says. “Their artwork is pretty much an extension of how they really live. They’re doing it the right way.” Even as they achieved early success with DisCogrAphY 2000 The avett Bros . 2002 Country was 2002 live at the Double Door inn 2003 a Carolina Jubilee 2004 Mignonette 2005 live, vol . 2 2006 four Thieves gone: The robbinsville sessions 2006 The gleam 2007 emotionalism 2008 The second gleam 19 Ramseur, the Avetts remained a small, do-ityourself operation consisting of the band, the label, a road manager, a sound engineer, a booking agent and a distributor. Marketing has largely been by word of mouth and the support of fans who volunteer to hang up concert posters. To date, they’ve sold more than 150,000 albums. They’ve performed in all but a handful of the continental United States, and they’ve done a string of shows in the United Kingdom. They’ve built a successful business model based on good will and a handshake—the band and Ramseur never signed any contracts with one another. “I want the whole world to hear them,” Ramseur says. “I think they’ve got something that touches everybody. We started out just winning over a fan at a time and selling one record at a time. I feel we’ve grown at a great pace, and it’s just a good situation.” Megan Westbrook ’08 was won over as a freshman at East Carolina when she saw the band perform in Greenville. She’s seen them perform about 25 times since then. “It’s real music and honest lyrics, and they’re such great songwriters,”Westbrook says. “There’s a wide range of emotion you can feel in their songs. They write what they feel.” Their last two albums, Emotionalism and The Second Gleam, made it to the Billboard Top 200 chart. When Emotionalism debuted, it was No. 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart as well. The band has appeared on Late Night with Conan O’Brien and won awards from the Americana Music Association. Scott Avett continues to immerse himself in visual work as well as his music. A self- portrait still in process is among a variety of paintings in various stages of life at his art studio. He recently began selling sketches through Envoy Gallery in New York, where he has shown his works on several occasions. And he still regularly visits Ehlbeck’s shop on campus to make prints, often accompanied by his brother. “You watch Scott and Seth printing together, and it’s like they’re good friends who haven’t working with a luminary label. Ramseur will stay on as manager. and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. “It’s really seen each other in a couple of years—and amazing,” Scott says of working with Rubin. The music world sat up and took notice last The Grammy-winning Rubin, co-founder they’ve been on the road for 200 days “Surreal at first, absolutely. The more we’ve July when the band announced that its next of Def Jam Records, has produced albums together,” Ehlbeck says. “It’s a pretty unique grown, the more serious we’ve become as album would be produced by Rick Rubin by Johnny Cash, Metallica, the Dixie combination for all of them, and I think it musicians and the more serious we’ve gotten and released on his American Recordings Chicks, Neil Diamond, the Beastie Boys feeds Scott’s work.” as songwriters. The songs aren’t as light as they once were, and [Rubin] gravitated toward that. He gravitated toward the bigger, serious-topic songs.” The band was prepared to surrender a certain level of creative control to Rubin as they made the record, but Scott says 95 percent of the decisions made were the band’s own. Ramseur says the core organization that is the Avett Brothers remains intact. “It’s still a day-to-day operation,” he says. “There’s going to be a lot more hard work ahead, and we’re prepared for it. We could continue to put records out on Ramseur Records, and we could have done really well. But sometimes you’ve got to see the big picture and realize that if we partner with someone, maybe we can take this to a wider audience.” Scott recalls that it wasn’t too long ago that he and his brother were performing songs in front of 10 people on a Charlotte sidewalk. Last summer, the band played to 7,000 people at the Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary, near Raleigh. Whether the audience includes 10 or 7,000 people, the connection with them continues to be vital to him, Scott says. As he meets fans and hears their stories, he says he is nourished by their energy and feels a strong sense of obligation to continue producing art. “There’s a real goodness to this that has kind of blindsided me,” he says. “Where I’m at in my life, I want to grab at that obligation, and if we can make it into positives, then we ought to.” He pauses to consider his future in music and art. “I’m going to see to it that my skill and my craft are as well-refined in whatever way refined means,” he says. “I am going to educate myself and learn. But everything learned and established and achieved amounts to nothing if there’s not some type of good coming from it. That takes a while to get to. “You can’t own enough to make yourself feel good. You can’t make enough to make yourself feel good. You can’t know enough to make yourself feel good. You’ve just got to do the best at what you do and try to return the favor by being positive.” East University archives Invisible no more One spring night 40 years ago, about 150 students came knocking on President Leo Jenkins’ front door asking tough questions about campus desegregation. They wanted to know why Dixie persisted at football games, why there were no black faculty members, and why the only other blacks on campus were janitors and housekeepers. The moment was tense but lines of communications were opened, and although the students continued pressing for answers that spring, the path to campus equality continued peacefully. by marion blackburn T T he iconic photograph captures a moment when minds and history were changed: On the evening of March 26, 1969, a group of angry students surround President Leo Jenkins on the front porch of Dail House, their arms crossed, their faces intent. It was not a social call. Frustrated by lingering prejudice on campus, the students rose from a meeting and strode across Fifth Street to ask why, nearly seven years after the first black student enrolled at East Carolina, they still endured the playing of Dixie at football games. Why the Confederate battle flag appeared at sponsored events. Why there still were no black professors. The visitors felt campus desegregation had stalled, and they wanted Jenkins to take action. Because of Jenkins’ natural empathy for their cause, and the students’ own maturity, the face-off ended peacefully that night. The students went home with a promise the university would continue addressing their concerns, and Jenkins kept his word. That night marked an especially rocky stretch on East Carolina’s road to desegregation, which began in 1962 and perhaps culminated when the first group of African American faculty arrived in 1974. They were critical years for the university, marking its departure from provincialism into the ways and values of a modern, multicultural university. Behind the transformation were leaders like Jenkins and the late Dr. Andrew A. Best, Greenville’s first African American physician. Together, they crafted a thoughtful path to desegregation— avoiding the courts, the National Guard and federal intervention. In the weeks after the front porch summit, Jenkins held several high-profile meetings with students. By the next year, no one heard Dixie at games and the battle flag was unwelcome. Though it would be years before African American faculty were hired in significant numbers, the university was on its way toward full desegregation. First steps In 1962, a single African American student arrived on campus, Laura Marie Leary Elliot ’66. Two years later, a hopeful class of 16 other black students arrived with a sense that they weren’t just going to learn history, they were going to write it. “We stepped out on faith,” says Ray Rogers ’72 of Greenville. “If you live in a dorm with only four blacks and you walk across campus and you’re always in class by yourself, it takes a lot of inward peace and feeling good about yourself. Everywhere you went, there was a culture of 16 versus 10,000.” He later met and married another dynamic African American student, Eve (Everlena) Clark ’69, who arrived on campus in 1967. Rogers, a financial administrator, today works as a consultant, and his wife, a retired juvenile justice administrator, has been recognized with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine award. “We had a sense that there was a movement afoot concerning civil rights,” Eve Rogers says. Though without a lot of money, she says, her parents were keenly aware of the value of a good education for their daughter. She felt inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King to take part of the change happening around her. “We felt that however small, we were part of it,” she says. Meanwhile, out of the public eye, Jenkins and Dr. Best worked to accelerate desegregation. They knew strong forces beyond the university opposed them. They also knew what happened further south, where armed intervention ushered desegregation onto campuses in Mississippi and Georgia in the early 1960s. The two men held deep personal commitments to racial equality. Dr. Best befriended the trailblazing African American students, and tirelessly advocated for them. Jenkins instructed staff and faculty to welcome and support black students, seeing to it they received financial aid. That assistance was critical, because though they were high achievers, they likely could not have afforded college. For campus pioneers like Ray Rogers, an ordinary walk across campus took enormous inner strength. It was common to hear racial slurs whispered and sometimes shouted at him. He recalls a rally by the Ku Klux Klan at the site of today’s Minges Coliseum, and says his classmates were aware of their unspoken boundaries. “Downtown was not a place you were welcomed,” he says. When Rogers returned to ECU from overseas military service in 1970, he noticed quite a few changes. He no longer heard Dixie at sporting events; he didn’t feel so alone. By that time, about 200 black students were enrolled. second wave In 1969, however, the mood was grim. Dr. Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy were assassinated the year before and racial tensions were high throughout the nation. Black students numbered about 90 on a campus they felt was still largely segregated. Student William Lowe was quoted as saying in 1969, “When you see your race being cast in the role of invisible people, it gives you a feeling of inferiority.”There was work to be done. To unify their calls for progress, the students created SOULS, or Society of United Liberal Students. They developed a list of requests and in a dramatic move, presented them to Jenkins on his front porch on March 26, 1969. While by the late 1960s most universities had successfully desegregated, memories of the beatings, high-pressure water hoses and imprisonments could not have been far from the students’ minds that night. For them, Jenkins was a lightning rod. “If we were to be a true part of the campus, we needed to have our ideas heard,” says Luther Moore ’72, who was among the 150 or so students facing Jenkins that night. “One of the first concerns was with playing Dixie at football games…and displaying Confederate flags at school sponsored events. “Our job was to try to make the student body understand how we felt, why we didn’t like the playing of that song and what it stood for. It brings thoughts of slavery and Jim Crowism, those kinds of things that occurred after slavery was abolished.” Today, Moore works as a guidance counselor at Clinton High School and, as the county’s only African American male counselor, is still something of a pathfinder. He vividly remembers those heady days. “We were a small group of African Americans and bonded,” he says. “We became a group I could socialize with, and feel part of something. I am humble, but I knew we were pioneers, because there were very few of us. I felt like I had to be my best. Academically, I didn’t set the world on fire, but I was successful.” The students weren’t alone that night on the front porch of Dail House. Watching from the shadows were campus police, state troopers and an agent of the State Bureau of Investigation, who took the historic image. In the original photograph stored in the University Archives, you can see numbers written on several faces, an apparent attempt by the SBI agent to identify those involved. “We were aware of the fact that we were involved in events where there were people taking photographs,” says Roosevelt Morton ’84 of Raleigh, who works with the state Department of Public Instruction. “We didn’t know who the people were, but it wouldn’t have been a stretch to imagine that it was an official arm of the government.” As a result of that meeting, Jenkins initiated a series of roundtable discussions and eventually held a special convocation. Morton remembers those meetings. “He gave us the opportunity to sit down and talk about what was on our minds,” he says. “I think that was an initial step. But we also weren’t sure of the changes that would result, after our meeting. We didn’t see immediate change.” In his convocation, Jenkins asked students for patience during those turbulent times. “We will settle what we can here, but on matters requiring a broader consensus, we must be patient and we must take into consideration that we do not get everything ray and Eve rogers, at home with daughter Adeea inTEgrATion TiMElinE 1962 1962 laura Marie leary elliot ’66 of vanceboro becomes east Carolina’s first black student . 1964 1964 sixteen african american students are enrolled, including ray rogers ’72 . 1966 1966 about 50 black students are enrolled . Paul D . scott is the first black student to receive a football scholarship . vincent Colbert and Marvin simpson become the first black players on the basketball team . elliott becomes the first black graduate . 1967 1967 Dennis Chestnut is selected for the sga Judiciary Board, the first black in a student leadership role . 1967 1967 Bennie Teel, managing editor of The East Carolinian, is the first black from east Carolina in Who’s Who. lillian T . Jones and nellie ross graduate . 1968-69 1968-69 about 90 black students form the society of United liberal students, or soUls . They come up with a list of demands at a March 3 meeting and present them to President leo Jenkins . at soUls’ next meeting on March 26, 1969, the students decide to march to Dail house to press Jenkins for faster action . in coming weeks Jenkins meets with soUls several times, then calls the entire student body and faculty together for a convocation in ficklen stadium . he urges patience and predicts progress will be slow, but he makes it clear that overt prejudice will no longer be tolerated . referring to two professors accused of discrimination by soUls, Jenkins says “one of these is no longer with us, and the other is leaving at the end of this year ” 1970 1970 Black enrollment grows to about 200 . 1971 1971 The admissions office turns to the sga office of Minority affairs for help writing a recruitment brochure aimed at black high school students . although brutally frank about the state of race relations on campus—it admits there have been “open displays of prejudice by some whites to some blacks” and that some white professors discriminate against black students—the brochure is highly effective and widely praised . Ken hammond ’73 ’83 ’85 and other black students establish the eta nu chapter of alpha Phi alpha, eCU’s first black fraternity . alpha Kappa alpha, the first black sorority, is formed . 1973 1973 hammond is the first african american elected senior class president . 1974 1974 The first black faculty members arrive on campus, including ledonia wright, a community health professor originally from rockingham County who has had a distinguished career in new york and Boston . she becomes adviser to soUls . 1975 1975 The old “y” hut is converted into the afroamerican Cultural Center . a year later, it is renamed the ledonia wright Cultural Center upon wright’s sudden death . 1976 1976 The separate black and white homecoming queen contests are merged, and Jeri Barnes becomes the school’s first black homecoming Queen at eCU . 1981 1981 natalear Collins and Brenda Klutz became the first african american graduates of the Brody school of Medicine . we want. I am aware that this may be taken as a statement for the maintenance of the status quo in a time of change. But you are well aware that I do not have the reputation of a defender of the status quo.” First black greeks In 1969, Ken Hammond ’73 ’83 ’85 was among the change leaders who helped establish ECU’s first black fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha. These days Hammond pastors Union Baptist Church in Durham, a congregation of more than 5,100 members. He remembers how Dr. Best successfully negotiated a change in the rule barring students who received financial aid from joining a social organization, which effectively banned black fraternities and sororities. “That rule was suggested as a means of keeping blacks from joining white sororities and fraternities,” Hammond recalls. “Dr. Best had to negotiate with Dr. Jenkins to have it changed.” It’s no surprise that Dr. Best, himself a member of APA, paid the charter’s start-up fees. The university’s first black sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, was founded in 1973. Hammond became senior class president and later worked at the university for many years before leaving his post in 1991 as associate director of student activities to assume leadership of the Durham church. During 2008 Homecoming festivities, he was named an Outstanding Alumni, one of the university’s highest honors. “From day one I was involved in campus life, and those are memories that I cherish,” he says. “ECU will always be a very special place. It provided an atmosphere to excel.” A legacy for tomorrow In 1974, the university hired several African American faculty, including Ledonia Wright, a community health professor originally from Rockingham County with a distinguished career in New York and Boston. She briefly served as adviser to SOULS before her death in 1976. In 2006, the university awarded the Jarvis Medal, its highest service award, posthumously to Dr. Best, who died in 2004. Ray and Eve Rogers today are proud of their daughter, Adeea Rogers ’05, for many reasons, but high on the list is a passion for leadership. You could say it runs in the family. Adeea Rogers works at the university union as an event planner, but she’s carrying on her parents’ legacy as staff adviser to the Black Student Union—the grandchild organization of SOULS. “I tell my students stories about my parents, and remind them they can learn from others,” Adeea Rogers says. “We have immense pride in ECU and the strides it has made. It’s important for students to know that history.” East In Volatile Economic Times, Invest In What You Believe In PLANNED GIVING AT EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY® As you evaluate your top priorities, know that your investment in East Carolina University through one of our foundations (East Carolina University Foundation Inc., the East Carolina University Medical & Health Sciences Foundation Inc., and the East Carolina Educational Foundation Inc. [Pirate Club]) will ensure meaningful future opportunities for students. A revocable gift such as a bequest provision in your will, a beneficiary designation from your qualified retirement plan such as an IRA or 401(k), or an owner/beneficiary designation from an insurance policy serves as a meaningful gift that does not distribute assets from your estate during your lifetime. These options are an excellent way to leave a future gift (either dollar total or percentage) to ECU. Your planned gift enables you to designate your future contribution to any area for the purpose of your choice. Your support will help us attain our Second Century Campaign goal while you earn membership benefits in the Leo W. Jenkins Society. Please call Greg Abeyounis, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Development, at 252-328-9573 or e-mail at abeyounisg@ ecu.edu for more information or to schedule an appointment to discuss these or other planned giving options. www.ecu.edu/devt GiselleEAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY® TherUssiannaTional BalleTThursday, April 2www.ecu.edu/srapas froMThe ClassrooM28froMThe ClassrooM28 Good Chemistry it isn’t easy explaining organic chemistry in terms students understand But that’s a piece of cake for Brian love, a fun-loving professor with an unique sense of humor “if we were making cars instead of molecules,” he says, “we’d be building the drill presses and lathes to make the parts ” it’s not surprising that love uses cars in his analogy because his hobby is maintaining his classic ’74 Camaro that’s often parked near the sci-Tech building . Brian Love says most of the problems his students confront involve mixing materials, identifying variables and predicting what will happen in the ensuing chemical reaction. “We don’t have to study that sugar makes tea sweet,” he explains. Students just need to know that A+B=C. “We learn by doing and remembering.” However he explains it, Love says he knows he’s reached students when their facial expressions change from “What?” to “Now I get it!”Then he knows “they can solve a problem they couldn’t before.” Even some colleagues don’t fully understand Love’s specialty: organic synthesis and synthetic methodology. To those who say “all you’re doing is cooking” in his field of study, Love responds with the ever-present twinkle in his eye: “So? How do you eat? Someone has to make the molecules, so it’s not an insult to be accused of cooking.” As for culinary preferences, he loves desserts. That’s why there’s a Periodic Table of Desserts poster in his office peeking through hanging storage for his molecular models. It’s By Leanne E. Smith stylish efficiency: suspend the models from the ceiling and they don’t get tangled in a box. He says, “It’s quirky. It’s chemical. I just pluck them down when I need them for class.” Love has taught at East Carolina since 1994. He received his undergraduate degree from Texas Christian University in 1980. He received his doctorate from Princeton in 1986, completed his postdoctoral fellowship at UCLA the following year, and taught at Auburn University before settling in Greenville. He chose teaching as a career almost as an afterthought. “There was no big aha moment,” he says. In college he had many good teachers and some bad ones. He observed his professors’ lifestyles and thought, “I could do this.” Besides, teaching sounded better than company lab work, plus he likes “explaining stuff to people, not having to wear a suit to work, and picking my own projects.” Andrew Morehead, director of graduate studies, says Love is “a wonderful colleague and mentor to the young faculty. He tirelessly serves the department and students, but what I enjoy most about him is his sneaky sense of humor. As his many lucky students can attest, Brian’s dry wit and puns can enliven the driest of subjects—and fortunately for his colleagues, meetings.” Students don’t forget his influence. Love’s first thesis advisee, James Wynne ’94 ’96, now is senior research chemist at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C., and a professor at George Mason University. As a professor Wynne says he tries to pass on Love’s “immense passion for organic chemistry and immeasurable patience with new researchers.” He recalls a time when Love captured the imagination of the class by letting students create esters, or fragrances, and try to identify the starting ingredients. He says, “I still practice Dr. Love’s perfected technique of glassware cleaning—no bubbles allowed in the base bath!” Books BY ECU FACUlTY if you think politics was hot and voters were demanding change in last fall’s presidential election, you should have been around in 1888, when an issues-dominated campaign produced an 80 percent voter turnout That heated race between Democratic incumbent grover Cleveland and the goP’s Benjamin harrison foreshadowed both the modern political campaign and the modern presidency, or so eCU history professor Charles w Calhoun argues in his new book, Minority Victory. americans had money in the gilded age and spent a lot of it on imported goods . Tariffs on those goods piled up as surpluses in the federal budget . Most Democrats, Cleveland among them, took the small-world view of government and supported slashing duties on imports, thereby cutting prices for consumers . harrison stood on his front porch daily to rail against “Cleveland’s pinched sense of what the government could and should do ” Cleveland won the popular vote but harrison took the electoral College, becoming one of only four presidents (Bush is another) to lose the popular vote but win the white house . harrison told americans “yes we can,” an outlook that kept his party in power for a generation . froM The ClassrooM Love teaches both undergraduate about that and likens it to the and graduate classes. He says near constant work he must do the latter are fun for him to keep his Camaro running. It’s because they are more like his the first car he ever drove; he says lab work, and he can integrate he keeps it around because “it current research. He has greater seems silly to sell it now.” expectations for independence Keeping things running also and gives take-home problem sets is what he enjoys about being to be completed on the honor director of Organic Labs, a system, for which his analogy is: position he’s held for eight years. if two paratroopers jump out In that capacity he’s responsible of a plane, one who studied and for revising the lab course pack, one who cheated, the one who scheduling classrooms, restocking studied is more likely to land supplies and many routine tasks safely. At the graduate stage, he such as repairing drawer locks. assumes, “There’s a drive to learn “His ability to organize labs has instead of just get by.” helped our students have the best One of his most vivid teaching learning experience possible in the memories challenged his lab classes,” says Morehead, the preconceptions but showed he graduate studies director. “The was doing something right. A job needs someone who can keep student, unhappy with an exam it together, so I’ll do it till it’s grade, complained that the set so the next person won’t have test wasn’t fair because some trouble,” says Love, who admits questions weren’t straight out he’s an “organization freak.” of the book. He asked the In research, too, he looks forward student, “Do you think it’s to a sense of accomplishment. unfair to expect students to think He’s won numerous grants and on exams?” Love says he was published a dozen articles but blown away when the student says it’s a “way bigger thrill responded, “Yes.” He laughs [when] something we did about it now, calls it a “slap-my is getting used. When Love forehead moment,” but his tests read in a journal article that still have at least one question someone was finally able to requiring students to explain solve a problem using one of his something. methods, he thought, “Woohoo! “I try, anytime we’re talking about Circle that!” Most of those something we’ve done, to show revelations happen accidentally connections,” he says. Sometimes from working on projects where students ask, “Do we need to he found published research remember that?”To which he methods impractical. bent,” he responds: “Yes, we’re now using says. “Like my students, I want what seemed useless.” something to be easy.” arrrrgharrrrgh The Voice of thePirate Nation —Steve Tuttle One of his biggest surprises But his sense of humor shines about teaching is the fact that through in the serious subject of Minority Victory professors must keep updating research. “How can there be this By Charles w. Calhoun listen free online University press of kansas, their lectures and teaching many chemists, and we haven’t 243 pages, $29.95 strategies. But he’s philosophical done everything already?” www.pirateradio1250.com 32Equity, Finally women’s sports become ‘fully funded,’ meaning their teams offer the maximumnumber of scholarships allowed Equity, Finally women’s sports become ‘fully funded,’ meaning their teams offer the maximumnumber of scholarships allowed Jay Clark By Bethany Bradsher Tracey Kee and Charina Sumner wore the same uniform and played the same sport. But 20 years have passed since Kee represented the Pirates on the softball diamond where Sumner stars today. And there’s a world of difference in how the two women athletes were treated. Kee, who is Sumner’s coach, came to East Carolina from Virginia on a partial scholarship and many of her teammates received only textbook money. Sumner was recruited all the way from Hawaii and was offered a full scholarship. When Kee was a player, the women’s softball team stayed in budget hotels, sometimes five to a room, and ate on $12 a day. For their away games this season, the Lady Pirates will stay in Marriotts and Hiltons, two to a room, and receive $30 a day for meals. Kee remembers walking along the railroad tracks in downtown Greenville to get to their weightlifting facility in a warehouse on 14th Street. Today’s teams lift in the Murphy Center, considered one of the finest collegiate fitness centers in the country. “I share lots and lots of stories from back in the day when I played,” says Kee, who is starting her 12th season as the women’s softball coach. “I want them to appreciate what they have, and appreciate those that helped build our program by playing with less.” It’s a new day for the female athlete at East Carolina in terms of scholarships, amenities, facilities and victories. “It’s hard to compare where we were,” says Tom Morris, the women’s tennis coach and a 10-year veteran of the athletics staff. “Women’s sports are really on the rise here. And I think that’s going to continue to improve.” It’s been an uphill climb and no one can see the summit yet. That may come when new playing facilities for sports like softball, tennis and volleyball, now on the drawing board, actually become reality. Still, in the gauge that means the most to the coaches— scholarship numbers—East Carolina is finally right where it should be. In coach talk, the magic word is “fully funded,” which means that a sport is able to offer the maximum number of scholarships allotted to it by the NCAA. In 2001, at the urging of the NCAA, East Carolina drafted a gender equity plan and appointed a task force to make sure it was followed. That year basketball and golf were the only fully funded women’s teams. At the time, the women had a total of 63.5 scholarships overall out of a maximum allowed 99. “We just made sure we stayed on track and improved on the schedule as more funding became available,” athletic director Terry Holland says of the gender equity plan. “Having the maximum number of scholarships allowed by the NCAA is normally viewed as essential to having an equal opportunity to be competitive.” Today all sports teams are fully funded, which allows coaches to recruit superior players, compete with tougher opponents and amass more wins. “I don’t think it’s any mistake that we’re very close to being fully funded now, and you start to see some success in women’s programs with that,” says women’s soccer coach Rob Donnenwirth, who will use all 14 scholarships—the maximum—for the first time this fall. “That’s a big piece of the puzzle that is now there for us.” In the past, most women’s teams were led by the coach who also headed up the men’s team. Now, the swim team and track and field are the only teams that still have just one coach and one training program for both teams. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that as the number of scholarships available to women athletes rose, and coaching improved, there has been a corresponding increase in victories and other successes. Over the past three years: n Both the basketball and softball teams earned bids to the NCAA tournament. The basketball team stunned Conference USA by winning the tournament and making the field of 64 in 2007, and the softball team earned its first-ever NCAA at-large bid last spring after reaching the semifinals of the C-USA tournament. n The soccer team made a national name for itself last fall, becoming the first women’s team to clinch a C-USA regular season title after going 12 games without a loss in the heart of conference competition. rob goldberg They made it to the championship game of the C-USA tournament, where they fell to Memphis and narrowly missed an at- large bid for the NCAA field. n The golf team has finished second in the conference for the past two seasons. Junior Abby Bools—the reigning C-USA Golfer of the Year—finished in the top four in all but one of the fall tournaments the team played this season. And the competition for the golf team keeps getting steeper— their first tournament of the spring season is hosted by Ohio State and features 15 of the nation’s top Division I teams, including Florida, Notre Dame, Stanford and the University of Southern California. n The women’s swimmers finished the 2007– 08 season 7-1 in dual meets. The tennis team has compiled four consecutive winning seasons, including a 17-6 mark in 2008. More success, more pressure When the administration throws its support behind women’s sports with full funding, the coaches feel the need to set higher goals, Kee says. “When someone is putting that much money and care into your student athletes, then with that comes a lot of responsibility and a lot of pressure. You want to win.” And more victories by the women’s teams is translating into greater fan support of the rabid kind usually reserved for the “big three” of football, baseball and men’s basketball. “When we’re getting closer to these postseason invites and that kind of thing,” Kee says, “I think that’s when the regular fan notices us.” When the women’s soccer team started to climb the C-USA ladder last fall, the message boards on several Pirate fan sites were heavy with positive comments from fans who normally only follow football. Bodies in the bleachers are also a tangible gauge. “Every year that I’ve been here attendance has been up,” said basketball coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener. “The year before I got here we averaged 191 [fans per game in Minges], and this season it was 2,500. I think people are realizing that it’s a pretty good game.” The softball team benefits from close proximity to the baseball stadium. At times during the season, men’s baseball fans will stick around after that game ends to watch the women play. Kee remembers one of the first times that happened, in 2006, when the Lady Pirates were in extra innings against UNC Chapel Hill. “I bet they were 25 people deep along our sideline, just heckling [the Tar Heels]. You see a little bit more rowdy crowds, and I think that’s a good thing. People are getting a little bit more passionate about it.” Junior tennis player Brooke Walter says she’s seen public awareness and fan support—as well as the team’s expectations of itself—rise every year. “Last year we were nationally ranked for the first time in years, so that got some people’s attention.” smart players, smart students Female athletes at ECU historically have excelled in the classroom, and that tradition is continuing even as the teams win more games. The volleyball, golf, soccer and softball teams all were honored by their coaching associations in the past year for their high cumulative team GPAs. In April the tennis team was the only sports program at ECU to receive a special NCAA honor for compiling a team GPA in the top 10 percent nationally. The softball team was recognized by C-USA in July for having the highest GPA of its sport among conference members The men’s basketball, men’s golf and men’s tennis programs also were at the top of their sports academically. While most women’s teams have achieved parity with the men in scholarships, coaching and equipment, they still largely lag behind in one major area—facilities. But that is changing with a plan adopted by the university that will see major enhancements to women’s sports facilities over the next two or three years: East Carolina has committed to a new women’s softball stadium; a new track and field facility; and a new auxiliary gym at Minges Coliseum that will house practice courts for the men’s and women’s basketball teams and the volleyball team. Also on the list are 12 new tennis courts, a women’s soccer field and practice facility, a women’s sports field house and a sports medicine facility. Funding for the new facilities is coming out of the student activity fee. When Rick Kobe started coaching the swim team in 1982, he had exactly one-half of a scholarship for a female swimmer. Today he is fully funded at 14, but his swimmers— both male and female—are still using the natatorium that was built in 1968. Kobe can promote an array of benefits to recruits who are considering ECU—decades of winning records, the team’s camaraderie, dedicated coaches—but he still occasionally loses swimmers to schools with superior facilities. Baldwin-Tener is competing in recruiting against schools that have three different dedicated gyms—one each for men’s basketball, women’s basketball and volleyball. ECU has one gym for all three sports, a facility that’s used by physical education classes in the mornings. The volleyball coaching staff can schedule up to 20 hours of practice a week according to the NCAA, but the team never comes close to that number because they have to share the gym with so many others. “We need a practice facility, and I think everyone knows that,” Baldwin-Tener said. “It’s a huge factor right now in recruiting.” No one denies that women’s sports have come a long way since 1932, when President Robert H. Wright refused a request for an organized girls’ basketball on the grounds that such “boisterous activity” would be unladylike for the young women who attended ECTC. Funding is up, success in many seasons is surpassing that in the men’s arenas, and talented recruits are choosing to be Pirates by the dozen. Once the physical accommodations catch up to the talent and motivation among the Lady Pirates, ECU’s evolution to a friendly place for female athletes will be complete. East ClassnoTesPiraTe naTionClassnoTesPiraTe naTion Brian e . Christiansen April is service month pirate Career Calls Come out to run for fun The university’s motto, Servire, meaning To The Alumni Association has teamed up Lace up your running shoes for a good Serve, is dear to the hearts of many East with the Career Center and ECU’s Human cause—student scholarships. The Alumni Carolina alumni and friends. To capture that Resources office to offer monthly training Association will host its second annual spirit, the Alumni Association celebrates sessions via teleconference. Pirate Career Pirate Alumni 5K Road Race and 1 Mile service month every April. Hundreds of Calls offer career advice, tips and tools to Fun Run on Saturday, April 18, as part of PirateFest. All proceeds will benefit Alumni 2008 MAGGIE O’NEILL is the new executive director at Wake Forest Downtown Revitalization Corp. From Raleigh, she previously was deputy town clerk in Garner; town clerk and finance director in Bethel; and a management intern in Ayden, which was named a Small Town Main Street Town during her time there. 2007 ALUMNI SPoTLIGhT Association scholarships that are awarded to AMANDA FAYE HALL of Fayetteville and John each month from undergraduates who excel in the classroom, Delanion Fisher II of Stedman were married May on campus and in the community. Our 5K 24 in Fayetteville and live in Buies Creek. She teaches others in need. The race travels down historic 5th Street and business at West Johnston High School in Benson. LESLIE ANN HART and Jason Scott Mozingo were leaders of is a USATF certified course. Awards are married July 12 at Yankee Hall Plantation in Pactolus and live in Winterville. She works at Golden Living Center of Greenville. EMERY DEREk SMITH and Alumni Association covered this spring include: presented to the first three male finishers Salary Negotiations (March overall, the first three female finishers overall, groups are planning 5), Career Changers (April and the top three male and female finishers Sonya Nichole Edens of Grifton were married June 28 in Winterville. He works at West Greene Elementary corners of 2) and Taking Advantage of in each of six age categories. Registration School in Snow Hill. LACI LEE STANLEY of in a ceremony in the old house Chamber in the state Capital Fuquay-Varina and Justin Keith McDonald of building, James r. gorham ’81 of Kernersville (at podium) Winston-Salem were married Oct. 11 at the Cape Fear was promoted to brigadier general in the n C . army national Development Opportunities is $15 and includes a race packet and complimentary T-shirt. Visit PirateAlumni. com/roadrace or call the Alumni Center at are plenty of ways to serve the environment, 800-ECU-GRAD to register. River Deck in Wilmington and live in Morrisville. She guard . state and army officials congratulated gorham on teaches at the Ballet School of Chapel Hill and Cary becoming the first african american to attain that rank in Ballet Conservatory. the state guard . a vice president of first Citizens Bank, children, senior citizens, four-legged friends, Call for nominations gorham enlisted in the army after high school and used the Buy a painted pirate nonprofit organizations, local hospitals and Vacancies will soon occur on the Alumni gi bill to earn a history degree from eCU . he’s been in the 2006 schools, and even those in your family. The Alumni Association is glad to assist guard for 34 years . in 2004, his unit was deployed to iraq for Association board, and Chair Sabrina Bengel Last spring 16 “Painted Pirate” statues were APRIL PAUL BAER, originally of Benson, is the 15 months, where he was promoted to colonel . he told the is asking for nominations to fill the seats. unveiled during Greenville’s 2nd annual project coordinator for university wellness at Frostburg Winston-Salem Journal that his latest promotion is as much you in promoting your planned service Nominees must be dues-paying members PirateFest. After spending a year on display State University in Maryland. His latest project is about opportunity as race . he said it gives soldiers the Creating Healthy Informed Lasting Lifestyles, where he of the association but do not have to be at each sponsor’s business, 15 statues will projects by spreading the word to fellow knowledge that they can go from private to general . will manage modeling a biomedical and health initiative alumni in your area. Be sure to take plenty graduates. Members of the board serve three-be auctioned off during PirateFest 2009. that may be used at universities across the county. of photos, and remember to wear purple year terms and can be reappointed for an Proceeds will benefit the Historic Fleming and gold to show your Pirate spirit! additional term, including a term as an officer. House Renovation Fund and the Alumni sales executive with ISP Sports’ University of Southern Mississippi property in Hattiesburg. Kistler was assistant We’ll put all service project photos on our A slate of candidates will be presented to the Association Scholarship Fund. The ECU web site at PirateAlumni.com. Contact board in April. New directors will assume Office of Centennial Events, the Greenville- Kendra Alexander at 800-ECU-GRAD office July 1. Nominate someone today at Pitt Chamber of Commerce, and the Alumni or Kendra.Alexander@PirateAlumni.com. PirateAlumni.com/boardnomination. Association sponsor this public arts project. The Alumni Association recognized its 2008 Alumni Award recipients during halftime of the homecoming football game. standing left to right are Chancellor steve Ballard, Distinguished service Award recipient steve showfety ’70, Alumni Association Board Chair sabrina Bengel, honorary Alumni Award recipients Charles rogers, Mrs. JoAnn Eakin and Dr. richard Eakin, outstanding Alumni Award recipients Capt. (ret.) David Fitzgerald ’66, rev. ken hammond ’73, ’83, ’85, Dr. Jerry Mcgee ’66, and lt. gen. gary north ’76. NICk D. kISTLER is the new corporate sponsorship general manager with a collegiate summer league baseball club in Edenton. CLAYTON McCULLOUGH is the youngest inductee for the J.H. Rose Walk of Fame at J.H. Rose High School in Greenville. After playing baseball and football at Rose and baseball at ECU, he was drafted by the Cleveland Indians, made AAA Buffalo, worked as a hitting coach and manager for minor league baseball operations in the Gulf Coast League for the Toronto Blue Jays, and now manages the rookie league Lansing Lugnuts in Michigan. JOANNE MORACE is a nurse practitioner at Eastern Psychiatric & Behavioral Specialists. An RN for 15 years, she worked with critical care patients at PCMH. 2005 CELESTE AMSTUTz and DAVID LEICH ’06 were married July 26 at Airlie Gardens in Wilmington. At ECU, she was in Alpha Xi Delta, he was in Kappa Alpha, and both are in the MBA program. roger w. newsom ’86 made a lot of birdies as a member of the eCU golf team from 1982-85, and he’s still sinking long putts, as evidenced by his win at the 2008 sunTrust state open golf tournament . his July victory was followed by golfer of the year honors from the virginia state golf association . newsome, 44, is an ophthalmologist who practices in the hampton roads area . after eCU, newsom studied at the eastern virginia Medical school, then did his residency at the wake forest University eye Center, where he won a fellowship to study plastic and reconstructive surgery of the eye at the University of Toronto . he is especially skilled in cataract and implant treatment techniques and the treatment of other ocular problems . Dr . newsom also serves as a diplomat on the national Board of Medical examiners . Class noTes ALUMNI SPoTLIGhT Chalk (center) with williamson (left) and king after a 33-year career, w. kendall Chalk ’68 MBa ’71 retired from BB&T in september and the bank honored his 33 years of service, most recently as Cfo, by donating $250,000 to east Carolina to endow two scholarships in the access scholarship program . The contribution creates the first two endowed access scholarships, which are given to students with the best academic potential and the least financial resources . The grant is the latest in a long list of gifts to east Carolina from BB&T . Three of the five executives who helped transform a regional farm lender in wilson into the nation’s 14th largest bank are graduates of eCU’s business school and the MBa program . of the three, only President and Ceo Kelly King ’70 ‘71 still goes to the office every day . henry williamson ’69 ‘72, Chalk’s predecessor as Cfo, retired earlier . all three are active supporters of the university . Ken Chalk is a former chair of the eCU foundation board and currently is co-chair, with King, of the board of the BB&T Center for leadership Development within the College of Business . i am very grateful to my associates at BB&T, the executive management team, and the board of directors for this recognition, Chalk said about the grant . “The access scholarship program is essential to help students who could not otherwise afford higher education to attend eCU and become successful leaders in their communities . BB&T has contributed more than $1 6 million to date in support of eCU’s efforts to become the best leadership university in the state . AMY BRITT ASkEW and Stephen Douglas Craft III were married Sept. 20 in Kinston and live in Greenville. She is office manager of Hometown Pharmacy of Greenville. NICHOLE DUNN ’05 ’08 is a student counselor at Edgecombe Community College. She was a rehabilitation counselor at Vocational Rehabilitation in Rocky Mount. JEFF GADDIS is a maintenance sales consultant at the Greenville office of Piedmont Air Conditioning. He previously worked with a property management company. ERIN MARIE SOWELL and David Charles Davis of Greenville were married Nov. 1 in Wilmington. She is an advertising executive with Inner Banks Media. 2004 JASON MATTHEW ELDRIDGE and kENDRA NICOLE CLEMENT ’06 were married Oct. 18 at the Village Inn Golf and Conference Center in Clemmons, and they live in Mount Airy. He is a graphic artist with Encore Group in Winston-Salem, and she is a court counselor with the N.C. Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in Stokes County. MICHAEL HOLT is a vice president and commercial banker in the Greenville office of The Little Bank. He worked for First Citizens Bank and Albemarle Bank & Trust. MARIAN IONE LOWE ’04 ’06 of Raleigh and DARRYL ROSS kENNEDY ’05 of Goldsboro were married Oct. 25 in Winston-Salem. A 2001 debutante and member of Phi Kappa Phi and Kappa Omicron Nu honor societies, she is an early intervention service coordinator for the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services in Smithfield. He is a project manager for Hine Sitework in Goldsboro, where they live. kRISTIE MICHELLE PETTERSON of Pfafftown and JONATHAN BRUCE COMER of Yadkinville were married Dec. 6 in Winston-Salem and live in King. In Winston-Salem, she is an R.N. at Forsyth Medical Center, and he is a quality engineer for BE Aerospace. WILLIAM LEE PERCISE II of Snow Hill is an attorney with White & Allen, a regional firm based in Kinston. He received his law license on Sept. 8. ERICA LYNN STOCkS and Christopher Brian Evans were married Aug. 2 at Yankee Hall Plantation and live in Greenville. She is self-employed. 2003 CHRISTINA LYNN CRAWFORD ’03 ’08 and Frederick Casey Edwards of Ayden were married Oct. 4. She works for Pitt County Schools. DENA MARSHALL and Jeremy Konkel of Apex had a son, Nolan Adam, on May 2. She is assistant director of public affairs at the N.C. Medical Board. LEIGH ANN POTTER and kELLY CHRISTOPHER HODGES ’04 of Wilmington were married Oct. 11 in Greenville. She works at Cape Fear Academy, and he is a project superintendent with Harold K. Jordan Construction. BENJAMIN TAYLOR WILLIAMS and JEANNE NICOLE HORNE WILLIAMS ’04 of Pinehurst had a daughter, Kenley Nicole, on Sept. 6. 2002 DR. JOHN HOWARD BROOkS, a cardiologist at Scotland Memorial Hospital and a Pembroke native, opened Lumber River Cardiology in Laurinburg. At BSOM, where he completed a three-year cardiovascular-disease fellowship, he received the PCMH Presidential Service Award. STEVE SETSER of Belhaven was promoted to vice president and auditor for The East Carolina Bank. He was a staff auditor for four years, completed his third year at the N.C. Bankers Association School of Banking, and is in ECU’s MBA program. 2001 PATRICk F. ABRAMS of Mount Olive was promoted to banking officer in the Warsaw office of Southern Bank. He previously was a repairman at Buddy’s Jewelry in Mount Olive. JENNIFER DIANE ANGEVINE and James William Gentry of Winterville were married July 19 in Wilmington. She works at the N.C. Biotechnology Center in Greenville and is in Pitt Community College’s nursing program. MELISSA DAWN BARRINGTON and Matthew Douglas McClelland of Raleigh were married Aug. 23 in the Preston Woodall House gardens in Benson. She is a realtor for Keller-Williams in Raleigh. MELISSA DAWN CASPER ’01 ’04 and Christopher Aaron Reaves were married Sept. 17. She is a financial analyst for Time Warner Cable in Wilmington. LAURIN LEONARD DEATON and zACHARY NORRIS DEATON ’04 ’07 had a son, Luke Zachary, on Nov. 6. TODD ALSTON HALES ’01 ’05 and Emily Kelly Fleming of Greenville were married Aug. 9 and live in Durham. He is a project analyst with PRA International. APRIL NICOLE HERRING ’01 ’02 and JOHN PATRICk GARVER ’03 of Goldsboro were married Nov. 8. She is marketing director at Southco Distributing Co. in Goldsboro. He is a sales representative with Eastern Turf Equipment in Fayetteville. BRYAN HOLLEY ’01 ’07 of Wilson, a fourth-grade teacher at Corinth-Holders Elementary School in Zebulon, received the Milken Family Foundation National Educator award, which includes $25,000 and a free trip to the Milken National Education Conference in Los Angeles. The award goes to no more than 80 teachers each year, and since the program’s start in 1985, 43 N.C. teachers have received the award. JOSEPH HOOVER was promoted to assistant vice president with BB&T in Raleigh. From Greensboro, he joined the bank in 2005 and is an investment counselor. DONNA WELLER STALLS was promoted to vice president at BB&T. Since 2001, she was process and quality manager in BB&T’s branch operations department in Wilson. CHAD TRACY, the Arizona Diamondbacks’ third baseman, visited Clark-LeClair Stadium for the first time during Homecoming 2008 and talked with the ECU baseball players. He is married to kATIE MARTIN TRACY ’03. ASHLEY WRIGHT of Newport News, Va., and Morgan Ryan Terry of Dallas, Tex., were married in Williamsburg, Va., on Nov. 1 and live in Charlotte. She is a transportation planner with PBS&J, a national planning and engineering consulting firm. 2000 DONNA DEES ALDREDGE, a Chi Omega sister, had a son, William Beecher Aldredge, on Jan. 23, 2008. RICHARDSON COWLES TALLY of Oakland, Calif., and Elise Marie Kopesky of Camden, Maine, were married July 27 outdoors at Garre Vineyard in Livermore, Calif., and live in Oakland. He is patron services manager for the Berkeley Symphony. 1999 TAMIkA “MEEk” JACkSON and Onjeinika “Polly” Brooks, sisters originally from Wilmington, founded Polly & Meek Partnership, a book writing company. Their first book, Sisters Are from Heaven, includes Meek’s photos and Polly’s lessons for children. Class noTes Jackson works in biotechnology in Washington, D.C., and owns Portraits by Tamika, a company specializing in affordable location and small wedding shoots. 1998 DEBRA ANN BARD and Gregory Thomas Fowler Jr. of Raleigh were married Oct. 4 at Haywood Hall in Raleigh. She is a pharmaceutical representative with Merck & Co. IAN ANDREW CARY and JENNIFER JOY PREVATT CARY ’99 of Statesville had their first child, Callum Andrew, on June 12. JOY EUBANkS started the Marley Fund in 2001 to memorialize her cat who died of feline leukemia, and the Greenville-based program has expanded to the Triangle with a foster program called Marley’s Cat Tales for cats with feline AIDS. TED LOCkAMON is recreation services supervisor for Henderson, Nev. There since 1998, he is married to ELIzABETH BRUSSOCk ’95. EDWARD WILLIAM TURCOTTE III and Meghann Rae Stubbs were married July 12 on the promenade deck of the Henrietta III in Wilmington. He is a sales associate with Carolina Jewelry in Wilmington, where they live. RUSSELL VERNON of Wentworth was named Rockingham County Schools 2008–2009 Assistant Principal of the Year. He taught science, and since receiving his master’s from Appalachian State in 2006, has been assistant principal at Wentworth Elementary School. CHRIS WALkER of Greensboro launched Produce-A-Pic, a company that sells film promo packs to help finance independent films in preproduction stages. Walker also owns 5Rings Design, a branded content development company, and Ve-Shan, a documentary and feature film company. 1997 MATTHEW CAVE was promoted to senior project manager for the Target store construction team with John S. Clark Co., where he has worked at the corporate office in Mount Airy since 2003. He and his wife, EMILY CAVE ’05, live in Dobson, manage a family farm, and have three daughters. JENNY GAY and Jason Everett of Huntersville were married Sept. 13 in Clinton. She works with Stone Properties of Huntersville. AMANDA ROSS MAzEY and her husband, Randy, had a daughter, Sierra Maranda Mazey, on Aug. 24. A WITN news/sports anchor/ reporter for eight years, Mazey is now a freelance broadcaster in Fort Worth, Texas, and also works for The Mountain Network. JANIE SOWERS TAYLOR is a licensed marriage and family therapist and an approved clinical supervisor at CareNet Counseling East in Greenville, and she is working on her doctorate in medical family therapy. 1996 DEBRA DAVIS BAILEY ’96 ’00 became director of student loans at ECU in July after eight years as the financial administrator at Philippi Church of Christ. kATHY FLICk ’96 ’97 of Atlanta founded It’s Her Team, a women’s line of sportswear. JENNIFER HEMINk is the new owner of A Proper Setting in Greenville’s Arlington Village after teaching middle school for nine years. DR. SCOTT ALAN kENDRICk ’96 ’02 is a nephrologist at the Greenville office of Eastern Nephrology Associates after completing his residency in Maine and fellowships in Alabama. 1995 LISA WRIGHT CARTWRIGHT and CLAY CARTWRIGHT ’96 expanded their 10-year-old Halloween Express franchise to two locations in Greenville for the fall 2008 season. Lisa also owns Debu Cafe and Catering. CLAIRE CULBREATH of Winston-Salem started a new career as a singer- songwriter. A music therapy major, she went blind from juvenile diabetes in 1998 at age 28, and underwent years of rehabilitation that included learning to play piano by ear with the help of Michael “Zoo” Zeoli of the band Joe Next Door. She plays jazz, sacred and popular songs in a band called Shadowbox Two. WILLIAM HUNTER LLOYD JR. and kATHRYN ELIzABETH LENNOx ’01 of Greenville were married Nov. 22. 1994 MATT HOLDER returned to Greenville, reopened his hair salon and expanded his Matt Holder Hairstyling products to 14 shampoos, conditioners, sprays, mists, foams and smoothers. A stylist for 20 years, he was a product formulation educator for Joico in California, but left for lack of sweet tea and barbecue. He plans to start an apprenticeship- style education alternative to community college beauty school programs. BRIAN JOHNSON and Jamie Rothman of Raleigh and Jacksonville, Fla., were married Oct. 25 at Old St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Jacksonville. They work for a local television station. CHARLIE LEE MEEkS JR. of Newport and Erin Ruth Bradley of Garner were married Oct. 18 at Jones Chapel at Meredith College in Raleigh and live in Morehead City. He is a probation officer in Jacksonville. JEAN M. SUGG ’94 ’06 of Grifton is a legal administrator with White & Allen, a regional law firm based in Kinston. 1993 kIM HAMPTON ’93 ’05 is the new student support specialist at Edgecombe Community College. She was a counselor and taught French and Spanish at Southwest Edgecombe High School. LISA SPIRIDOPOULOS HERMAN and her husband, Josh, of La Quinta, Calif., had their first child, Mackenzie Barbara, on June 17. MICHAEL POLLARD ’93 ’06, assistant principal at Greenville’s Hope Middle School, was named Pitt County’s assistant principal of the year. In education for 16 years, he was president of the N.C. Bandmasters Association Eastern District and helps coordinate the “Stang Power” mentoring program. EDUCATors hAll oF FAME The 2008 class of inductees into the eCU educators hall of fame includes: TonY roBErTson BAnks ’72 of winterville, ginA prEsCoTT BEAMAn ’88 ’96 of greenville, DoroThY BrAnnAn ’50 of greenville, sYlviAn k. Brooks ’35 ’37 ’58 of holly springs, MArY ElizABETh MckiM CorBin ’07 of greenville, AnThonY “TonY” Y. grAY ’73 of vilas, lEnnon hoopEr ’57 of greenville, gwEn gooDson JEFFrEYs ’43 of greensboro, pAUl JonEs ’55 of Kinston, ChArlEs E. long ’69 ’71 of farmville, DoroThY prUiTT ‘56 of oxford, riTA rEAvEs ’73 ’75 ’80 of greenville, pAMElA BAss sTriCklAnD ’70 of Dunn, whEATlEY MArTin sTriCklAnD ‘36 of Dunn, sArAh CArvEr williAMs ’90 of grimesland and TED williAMs ‘62 of Durham . 1992 CHRISTIAN kEIBER of Los Angeles guest starred as Boston wise-guy Paul Reilly on TNT’s Raising the Bar, as ex-mobster Paulie on ABC’s General Hospital, and federal marshal Panicali on NBC’s ER in September. kENNY STRICkLAND of Fayetteville was appointed to the ECU Board of Visitors. kENDRICk WHITEHURST was promoted to senior vice president with BB&T in Greenville. From Wilson, he joined the bank in 2001 and is a group director in the private financial services department. He is president of Literacy Volunteers of Pitt County and treasurer of the United Way of Pitt County. 1991 DAVID CRUMPLER of Greenville was promoted to assistant vice president for East Carolina Bank marketing, which works with all 24 ECB locations and ECB Bancorp. He previously was a marketing and public relations consultant in Wake County. MARk A. MOORE of Raleigh co-produced a surf-rock album, Encomium In Memoriam Vol. 1: Jan Berry of Jan & Dean, with Cameron Michael Parkes of Box o’ Clox. The album includes more than 20 guest artists, five of whom played or sang for original Jan & Dean material in the 1960s. It was also featured in The News & Observer. 1990 SUSAN LANEHART RHODES of Fuquay-Varina received her National Board Certification in school counseling. She has 16 years of experience as a teacher and counselor in Wake County Public Schools. She and her husband, MICHAEL RHODES ’04, have three sons. DOUG WALkER, a Miami, Fla.-based steel drum artist, released a 17-track CD titled Caribbean Christmas: Holiday Songs in a Steel Band Style. 1989 MARk kLAICH is the new manager of the ReStore at Habitat for Humanity of Pitt County. He previously worked with design and installation of commercial security systems. He is married to kAREN kLAICH ’83. NANCY MCNEILL PETERSON ’89 ’93 and Jeff Peterson of Wilmington had a son, Chase McNeill Peterson, on Aug. 5. 1987 CHARLES PILkEY of Mint Hill exhibited his sculpture The Sound of Waves at the Mint Hill Arts November show “Three in One.” After growing up in Hillsborough, working for an oil company, sailing the East Coast, bartending in Wrightsville Beach, living in Japan for 15 years and teaching at Kyushu Sangyo University in Fujuoka, he paints and sculpts at his home studio. He teaches part time at Central Piedmont Community College and Spartanburg Community College; he has exhibited pieces in Japan, China, Korea, Turkey and Italy. 1986 kAREN J. RENz was a finalist for Cincy Magazine’s ATHENA Award for women professionals and community leaders in the Greater Cincinnati Area. A partner in Graydon Head & Ritchey law firm, she co-chairs the firm’s communications and information industry and women’s professional development groups. She is involved in the Cincinnati Area Senior Services Board, Leadership Cincinnati Class XXVIII, Executive Women’s Golf Association, and volunteers in pet therapy at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and with VITAS. The West Chester Chamber Alliance named her a Woman of Excellence. OLIVIA SCOTT founded a promotional products company, Promotional Partners, in 2007. Based in Cary, it supports two high school intern programs, PTA school improvement teams, and business alliance committees. As an Apex Chamber ambassador, she is on an education committee that develops opportunities for youth and business leaders to interact. 1985 kATHEE BROWN STATON ’85 ’88 and Boyd Ingram of Nashville, Tenn., are married and live in Lebanon, Tenn. They were regulars on the Renfro Valley Barndance show in Kentucky, where he was a lead singer for The Casinos and she recently hosted the annual Alumni Day performance. 1984 TOM HALES of Greenville received the Regional Service Award from the N.C. Association of Realtors. He was president of his local association in 1994, director and chair of the Legislative Committee and Professional Standards, and for 20 years has been a member of the Greenville-Pitt Association of Realtors. BETH A. WOOD of Raleigh, a Durham CPA, was elected North Carolina state auditor. It was her first run for office. When not crunching numbers, she enjoys shag dancing, snow and water skiing, and reading bestsellers. ALUMNI SPoTLIGhT grover J. “russ” whitehurst ’66, director of the institute of education sciences in the U s . Department of education, won the prestigious Peter h . rossi award for contributions to the theory or practice of program evaluation . The association for Public Policy and Management presents the award annually . whitehurst has led ies since it was established in 2002 . he previously was assistant secretary for the office of educational research and improvement . Before that he was chairman of the Department of Psychology at the state University of new york at stony Brook . he is the author or editor of five books and has published more than 100 scholarly papers . whitehurst was born and reared in washington, n C . after majoring in psychology at eCU, he obtained a Ph D . in experimental child psychology from the University of illinois, Urbana-Champaign . he is married and has two children . Professor Emeritus and former swim coach ray scharf won five gold medals at the n C . senior games state Championships in september and qualified for the national senior games to be held at stanford University in san francisco in august . Competing in the 70-74 age group, scharf placed first in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle and in the 50-, 100- and 200-yard breaststroke . he coached the eCU swim team from 1967 to 1981, winning 11 consecutive southern Conference titles . he trained more than 30 all americans and sent more than 40 swimmers to nCaa championship meets . he was inducted into the eCU athletics hall of fame in 2002, the same year he retired from teaching after a 35-year career here . he returned to competitive swimming in 2007 for the first time since graduating from college in 1961 . over the past two years he has won 10 gold medals in local competitions and three gold and two silver medals at the state level . scharf and his wife now live on harkers island . Breast cancer survivor valerie weathington kolkjen ’80 has launched an online business selling fine soaps and other skin care products, many of which she discovered while undergoing radiation treatment . her business, www finegiftsoaps com, also offers a blog and a newsletter with tips and encouragement for women suffering from breast cancer . Kolkjen also has a day job as vice president of atlanta-based sales Performance group . Class noTes 1982 JAMYE BORCHERT COOPER is a major gifts officer for UNC Asheville. She previously was executive director of the international festival Folkmoot USA and chief financial officer for the Daniel Boone Boy Scout Council in Asheville. SUSAN FREELAND PAPARAzO of Morehead City got her master’s at Old Dominion University, has two daughters aged 23 and 25, and is a nurse practitioner at Western Carteret Medical Center in Cedar Point. 1981 DAWN SINGLETON ’81 ’93, principal at Wintergreen Primary and Intermediate schools, was named Pitt County’s principal of the year. She was on the State Department of Public Instruction’s Testing and Accountability Compliance Commission for four years. 1980 WALLACE “BUTCH” DAVIS was inducted into the ECU Athletics Hall of Fame. He lettered in baseball for three years, leading the team his senior year in batting average (.362), home runs (12), and RBIs (27). RUFFIN MCNEILL JR., originally of Lumberton and now of Lubbock, Texas, is defensive coordinator for the Texas Tech football team. At Tech since 2000, he Make a Note OF was linebackers coach before his promotion to assistant head coach in 2003. He is married to ERLENE MCNEILL ’79. JAMES M. RANkINS received the Amy Carroll-Sherry Little Award for excellence in physical education in Pitt County Schools and was selected to coach the East team in the N.C. High School Athletic Association East-West All Star Game. He and his wife, DORIS kORNEGAY RANkINS ’79 ’88, have a teenage son, Tyler. THOMAS CRAIG WILLIAMS ’80 ’83, formerly of Jacksonville, Fla., is vice president for global organizational effectiveness with Wal-Mart and is based at the company’s home office in Bentonville, Ark. 1978 WILLIAM JOSEPH ETHERIDGE ’78 ’86 ’03, principal of Phillips Middle School in Battleboro, was named 2008–2009 Edgecombe County Public Schools Principal of the Year. He has more than 30 years experience as a teacher, counselor, instructional support specialist, and administrator. 1977 JACk D. LAIL, news director of innovation for the Knoxville News Sentinel, was elected to a one-year term on the Associated Press Managing Editors board during the group’s annual conference in Las Vegas. REGGIE PINkNEY was inducted into the ECU Athletics Hall of Fame. A defensive back who played in the NFL for five years, he set the school record of 197 yards in interception returns his senior year. His son Patrick is an ECU quarterback. 1976 MIkE RADFORD and Maureen Ryczak of Wilson celebrated their 30th anniversary on Dec. 29. A diabetes care specialist with Novo Nordisk, he has 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. They have two sons, Brian and CHRIS RADFORD ’07. 1975 ROBERT BAREFOOT retired as Fayetteville- Cumberland Parks and Recreation director after 30 years in parks management. He was parks and recreation director for Harnett County and Wake Forest before becoming the Fayetteville-Cumberland superintendent of parks in 1983 and director in 1988. GLENN EURE, the Nags Head artist who created the original design for Greenville’s Pirate statues unveiled in 2008, was featured on WRAL TV’s “Tar Heel Traveler” news segment in October. IRA “GLENN” CUTRELL JR. retired from Pitt County government after 30 years with the tax assessor’s office, the last nine years as tax assessor. He works part-time YOUR NEWS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS Complete this form (please print or type) and mail to: Class notes editor, Building 198, east Carolina University, greenville, nC 27858-4353; or fax to 252-328-4269 Please use additional paper as necessary when sending your news . you also can e-mail your news to ecuclassnotes@ecu edu . while East happily prints wedding announcements, it is our policy not to print engagement announcements . also, when listing fellow alumni in your news, please include their class year . Please send address changes or corrections to: Kay Murphy, office of University Development, greenville Center, east Carolina University, greenville, nC 27858-4353, fax: 252-328-4904, or e-mail: murphyk@ecu edu . naMe first Middle last Maiden Class year e-Mail Day Phone evening Phone aDDress CiTy sTaTe ziP yoUr news 43 45in marketing with Tax Management Associates of Charlotte. H. GERALD PITTMAN of Kenly retired Nov. 1 after 30 years as an accounting manager with the City of Wilson. 1972TONY ROBERTSON BANkS of Winterville pledged $100,000 to the ECU College of Education. EDWARD V. ENGLISH retired as director of children’s outpatient services at Edgecombe-Nash Mental Health Center in Rocky Mount. He also ran a private psychology practice. MICHAEL “MIkE” DAVID JARRELL retired to Southern Pines after 35 years in the brick industry, the last 13 as director of national sales for Triangle Brick Co. 1971DAVID L. BEST, owner of David L. Best and Associates since 1990 in Clinton, received his certification as a Social Security Disability Law specialist from the N.C. State Bar. 1965DR. MARIA H. kOONCE of Cocoa, Fla., published a book, Loving the Gringo: A Bicultural Life, about multicultural issues in her and her husband’s lives. She and BILL kOONCE ’68 met at the 1962 orientation dance behind Flanagan after he left the Navy and she arrived as a Fulbright Exchange student from Uruguay, and they pursued education careers. JERRY TOLLEY ’65 ’66 was named to the 2008–2009 class of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. 1961BARBARA kELLY of Keswick, Va., retired after 38 years as assistant athletics director at the University of Virginia. She also helped create the ACC women’s basketball tournament and co-founded U.Va.’s Women’s Faculty and Professional Association. She was the first woman on the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame board and was named one of ECU’s 100 Incredible Women. 1960DAVE THOMAS was inducted into the Wingate University Sports Hall of Fame in October after being inducted into the N.C. Athletic Directors Hall of Fame in 2005 and the ECU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1998. He retired in 2003 after 42 years in education and is now on the Wayne County Board of Education. 1953WILLIAM “BILL” H. ROWLAND received the Willie Parker Peace History Book Award from the N.C. Society of Historians for Through the Eyes of Soldiers: The Battle of Wyse Fork, Kinston, North Carolina, March 7–10, 1865, a book that documents Union and Confederate troop movements and battle lines and describes the largest mass capture of Union troops in North Carolina during the Civil War. Class noTes1920sGRETTA MAE LITTLE NEELY ’29 of Pineville died Feb. 24, 2001. Originally from Marshville, she taught in Mecklenburg County for more than 40 years, beginning her career at Steele Creek and retiring from Berryhill elementary schools. She was active in Steele Creek Presbyterian Church. 1930sMATTIE LUCILE ALLEN ’30 of Raleigh died Nov. 22 at 100. For 39 years, she taught elementary school in Johnston, Wayne, Harnett and Wake counties. She was active in Trinity United Methodist Church, and after retirement, traveled the U.S. CHRISTINE “TENA” ALFORD BENTON ’38 of Raleigh died Oct. 8 at 93. She gave the first classical piano recital at ECTC and retired from teaching at Governor Morehead School for the Blind. HILDA BLAIR BARNHILL CARSON ’34 of Bethel died Sept. 23 at 95. She retired from Pitt County Schools after teaching at Bethel and North Pitt High schools and was active in Bethel Baptist Church. ROSA JONES LITTLE COOk ’34 of Brandon, Fla., died Nov. 24 at 100. She taught music and was chorus director at Tyrone Junior High School in St. Petersburg and was active in Palm Lake Christian Church. NINA WALSTON FOUNTAIN ’32 ’69 of Tarboro died Nov. 27 at 95. She retired in 1978 after 17 years with Edgecombe County Schools; was president of the Edgecombe Community College Foundation for 22 years, a Democratic Party and Nursing Homes Advisory Committee chair, charter member of the Tarboro Pilot Club, Red Cross volunteer; and received three Governor’s Volunteer Awards, the last in 2000. EMMA GLADYS GRAY HARRISON ’39, of Williamston and later Cypress Glen in Greenville, died Sept. 11. She taught school in several Eastern N.C. counties, played golf and bridge, and was active in Williamston’s First Christian Church. MARY HELEN HAMMOND HILL ’38 died Oct. 2 at 91. She taught school in Cary from 1955 until her 1977 retirement and was a Glenaire resident for nine years. MARY CRAVEN LOWE ’39 of Charlotte died Oct. 13 at 90. She was active in Myers Park United Methodist Church, played golf at Carmel Country Club, and enjoyed Duke sports and playing cards. RUTH BELCH MCDANIEL ’39 of Woodland died Nov. 25 at 90 in Ahoskie. She taught for 31 years in Northampton County until her 1979 retirement. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, Halifax-Northampton Retired School Personnel, and Woodland Baptist Church. SELMA ODELL PRITCHARD ’36 ’39 of Williston died Nov. 25 at 97. She taught in Weldon and Rocky Mount and was Craven County supervisor of schools for many years. IDA OPHELIA ROBERTS ROBERTSON ’39 of Shawboro died Sept. 29 at 90. A retired home economist, she was a life member of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences and was active in Providence Baptist Church. LUCY MCLAWHORN SMITH ’36 of Ayden died Sept. 19 at 91. She retired from Pitt County Schools and PCMH, owned Smith Lumber Co. with her husband, and was active in Ayden Christian Church and the Keen-Agers group. LILLIAN MITCHINER STEPHENSON ’32 of Raleigh died Nov. 12 at 98. She taught school in Roanoke Rapids before traveling cross-country with her salesman husband. In Charlotte for 40 years until 1984, she was active in her church and the Salvation Army and Professional Engineers women’s auxiliaries. She was also an N.C. Century Farmer with land in Northampton County. FLORA A. YEARGAN ’36 of Garner died Oct. 13 at 93. She worked for Carolina Power and Light Co. 1940sELIzABETH THIGPEN BRAxTON ’40 died Oct. 23. Traveling with her Army husband of 66 years, Col. Joseph C. Braxton ’38, she taught in North Carolina, Maryland, Germany, and Japan before their 1972 retirement. She visited more than 50 countries. PINEAR MAE “PAT”WINDLEY EPPS ’45 of Edenton died Nov. 23. She started her 40-year education career at Brogden High School in Dudley and continued it in several Eastern N.C. locations teaching gifted education, social studies, and home economics. She and her Methodist minister husband of 60 years were known as “Preacher & Pat.” CHRISTINE GRAY SMITH ’48 of Winter Park, Fla., died Oct. 4. At ECTC, she was junior class vice president, Y.W.C.A. president and regional delegate, Emerson Society treasurer, and a member of the Science Club, Women’s Athletic Association, and varsity softball, basketball, and gymnastics teams. She taught chemistry and biology in Lenoir County and later at the Lankenau School for Girls in Pennsylvania. She and her dentist husband, Dr. Grover W. Smith ’49, returned to Kinston in 1953 when he opened his dental practice. She was involved in fund-raisers and scouting activities at Northwest Christian Church. J.B. SPILMAN JR. ’44 of Greenville died Oct. 1. In the Army during WWII, he served in North Africa, Sicily and Italy. He was a traveling sales representative until his 2004 retirement, chaired the Pitt County Board of Elections and the Pitt County Democratic Party, and was active in The Memorial Baptist Church. 1950sGENE P. BAkER ’58 died Sept. 14. He worked in education for 32 years and then at Greenville Marine and Sports Center for 16 years. He was a member of the N.C. Teachers Association and Principals Association; Civitan, Pitt County Wildlife, and Eastern Pines Men’s Fellowship clubs. He was a member of the Chancellors’ Society with his wife, retired ECU instructor Judy B. Baker ’63 ’82. He was the brother of Patsy Baker O’Leary ’59. Memorials may be made to ECU’s Volunteer and Service Learning Center. WILBUR I. BENNETT JR. ’58 ’69 of Greenville died Oct. 16. He was in the Air Force during the Korean Conflict, worked in finance in Charlotte, returned to ECU to study geography while teaching evening classes, and taught in Pitt County Schools for 19 years. He was active in Covenant United Methodist Church, ECU’s Pirate Club and Alumni Association, and the Greenville Recreation and Parks committee. Memorials may be made to the ECU Educational Foundation or Greenville Recreation and Parks Extreme Park. MARY P. EDWARDS ’51 of Brown Summit died Sept. 15. She was a home demonstrator for county extension services. DR. kENNETH D. HALL ’56 ’61 of Punta Gorda, Fla., and formerly of Brick, N.J., died Nov. 5. He taught, coached, and was an administrator in five districts. After his 1995 retirement, he directed the Futures American School in Cairo, Egypt. He later was president of the N.J. Association of School Administrators. LAURA HORTON HAMLET ’55 of Burlington died Feb. 16, 2002. She retired from teaching elementary school. SARAH BOWLAND MCLAWHORN ’54 of Greenville died Oct. 13. She taught home economics at Chocowinity High School, and after 30 years with Wachovia, retired as an operations officer. MARTIN RABUNSkY ’52 of Silver Spring, Md., died Aug. 26. He taught public school in several states and retired as assistant principal and history department head at Wheaton, Md. SHELBY EUGENE “GENE” RUSS SR. ’54 died Sept. 19. He worked in Wilmington for the Remington Rand Co., with which he held executive positions in New York and Ohio. In 1976, he started Associated Office Systems. A. LOUIS SINGLETON ’56 of Greenville died Sept. 17. From 1961 to 1995, he was a lawyer with Gaylord and Singleton in Greenville. A past president of the Pitt County Bar Association and Third Judicial District Bar and member of the American Bar Association and Greenville Planning Commission, he was Greenville’s city attorney and an attorney for Greenville Utilities Commission. He was a trustee for ECU and PCMH, a charter member of the Greenville Noon Rotary Club, and board member and Sunday school teacher at St. James United Methodist Church. PATRICIA GRAY SUTTON SPEIGHT ’51 of Kinston died Oct. 23. She retired from teaching at Kinston High School and was the New Hope Baptist Church pianist for 50 years. 1960sCAROLYN SUMRELL BRIGHT ’69 of Roanoke, Va., died Oct. 7. A Simpson native, she taught ALUMNI SPoTLIGhTfour Pirates are being groomed for greater roles in public service to the state as students in this years class of leadership north Carolina They are (from left) robert s. parker’72 ’78 of winston-salem, vice president of special operations and community health at north Carolina Baptist hospital; Jerry Beckman’84 of raleigh, south atlantic operations manager for arcadis; gayle McCracken Tuttle’75 of raleigh, director of strategic communications for Blue Cross and Blue shield of north Carolina; and John Cantrell’92 of Charlotte, president of h B Cantrell & Co insurance firm all four have deep eCU roots The son of an alumna, Parkerhas a daughter who earned her nursing degree here in 1998 in recognition of eCU’s service to their family, the Parker Meritscholarship was established several years ago and is nowawarding a scholarship to a deserving student each year Beckman, a school of Technology graduate, started working for arcadis while a junior at eCU and is still with the international consulting and engineering company he’s a past president of the Pitt County alumni Chapter and is active in the Pirate Club he is married to ingrid lutman Bechman ’93 Tuttle was the fall graduation speaker for the school of Communication after serving as white house correspondent for the Pittsburgh Press,Tuttle became an entrepreneur she started two businesses providing quality assurance and public relations consultation and services to insurers and health care provider organizations Married to Eastmagazine editor steve Tuttle, she joined Blue Cross in 2004 They have a son who is a sophomore at eCU Cantrell, president of h B Cantrell & Co , a family insurance business started by his father, henry B Cantrell ’65, was tapped for lnC after achieving another life goal: becoming an ironman he completed the ford ironman wisconsin competition last fall in 13 hours and 45 minutes, finishing in the middle of some 2,100 men and women competitors after swimming 2 5 miles in lake Monona, Cantrell pedaled 112 more on his bike, then he ran 26 2 miles Training for and then being in the ironman competition taught me the importance of being present, of living in the moment,Cantrell says “Truly, it was a life- changing experience The four will complete their lnC training in april 44in marketing with Tax Management Associates of Charlotte. H. GERALD PITTMAN of Kenly retired Nov. 1 after 30 years as an accounting manager with the City of Wilson. 1972TONY ROBERTSON BANkS of Winterville pledged $100,000 to the ECU College of Education. EDWARD V. ENGLISH retired as director of children’s outpatient services at Edgecombe-Nash Mental Health Center in Rocky Mount. He also ran a private psychology practice. MICHAEL “MIkE” DAVID JARRELL retired to Southern Pines after 35 years in the brick industry, the last 13 as director of national sales for Triangle Brick Co. 1971DAVID L. BEST, owner of David L. Best and Associates since 1990 in Clinton, received his certification as a Social Security Disability Law specialist from the N.C. State Bar. 1965DR. MARIA H. kOONCE of Cocoa, Fla., published a book, Loving the Gringo: A Bicultural Life, about multicultural issues in her and her husband’s lives. She and BILL kOONCE ’68 met at the 1962 orientation dance behind Flanagan after he left the Navy and she arrived as a Fulbright Exchange student from Uruguay, and they pursued education careers. JERRY TOLLEY ’65 ’66 was named to the 2008–2009 class of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. 1961BARBARA kELLY of Keswick, Va., retired after 38 years as assistant athletics director at the University of Virginia. She also helped create the ACC women’s basketball tournament and co-founded U.Va.’s Women’s Faculty and Professional Association. She was the first woman on the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame board and was named one of ECU’s 100 Incredible Women. 1960DAVE THOMAS was inducted into the Wingate University Sports Hall of Fame in October after being inducted into the N.C. Athletic Directors Hall of Fame in 2005 and the ECU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1998. He retired in 2003 after 42 years in education and is now on the Wayne County Board of Education. 1953WILLIAM “BILL” H. ROWLAND received the Willie Parker Peace History Book Award from the N.C. Society of Historians for Through the Eyes of Soldiers: The Battle of Wyse Fork, Kinston, North Carolina, March 7–10, 1865, a book that documents Union and Confederate troop movements and battle lines and describes the largest mass capture of Union troops in North Carolina during the Civil War. Class noTes1920sGRETTA MAE LITTLE NEELY ’29 of Pineville died Feb. 24, 2001. Originally from Marshville, she taught in Mecklenburg County for more than 40 years, beginning her career at Steele Creek and retiring from Berryhill elementary schools. She was active in Steele Creek Presbyterian Church. 1930sMATTIE LUCILE ALLEN ’30 of Raleigh died Nov. 22 at 100. For 39 years, she taught elementary school in Johnston, Wayne, Harnett and Wake counties. She was active in Trinity United Methodist Church, and after retirement, traveled the U.S. CHRISTINE “TENA” ALFORD BENTON ’38 of Raleigh died Oct. 8 at 93. She gave the first classical piano recital at ECTC and retired from teaching at Governor Morehead School for the Blind. HILDA BLAIR BARNHILL CARSON ’34 of Bethel died Sept. 23 at 95. She retired from Pitt County Schools after teaching at Bethel and North Pitt High schools and was active in Bethel Baptist Church. ROSA JONES LITTLE COOk ’34 of Brandon, Fla., died Nov. 24 at 100. She taught music and was chorus director at Tyrone Junior High School in St. Petersburg and was active in Palm Lake Christian Church. NINA WALSTON FOUNTAIN ’32 ’69 of Tarboro died Nov. 27 at 95. She retired in 1978 after 17 years with Edgecombe County Schools; was president of the Edgecombe Community College Foundation for 22 years, a Democratic Party and Nursing Homes Advisory Committee chair, charter member of the Tarboro Pilot Club, Red Cross volunteer; and received three Governor’s Volunteer Awards, the last in 2000. EMMA GLADYS GRAY HARRISON ’39, of Williamston and later Cypress Glen in Greenville, died Sept. 11. She taught school in several Eastern N.C. counties, played golf and bridge, and was active in Williamston’s First Christian Church. MARY HELEN HAMMOND HILL ’38 died Oct. 2 at 91. She taught school in Cary from 1955 until her 1977 retirement and was a Glenaire resident for nine years. MARY CRAVEN LOWE ’39 of Charlotte died Oct. 13 at 90. She was active in Myers Park United Methodist Church, played golf at Carmel Country Club, and enjoyed Duke sports and playing cards. RUTH BELCH MCDANIEL ’39 of Woodland died Nov. 25 at 90 in Ahoskie. She taught for 31 years in Northampton County until her 1979 retirement. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, Halifax-Northampton Retired School Personnel, and Woodland Baptist Church. SELMA ODELL PRITCHARD ’36 ’39 of Williston died Nov. 25 at 97. She taught in Weldon and Rocky Mount and was Craven County supervisor of schools for many years. IDA OPHELIA ROBERTS ROBERTSON ’39 of Shawboro died Sept. 29 at 90. A retired home economist, she was a life member of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences and was active in Providence Baptist Church. LUCY MCLAWHORN SMITH ’36 of Ayden died Sept. 19 at 91. She retired from Pitt County Schools and PCMH, owned Smith Lumber Co. with her husband, and was active in Ayden Christian Church and the Keen-Agers group. LILLIAN MITCHINER STEPHENSON ’32 of Raleigh died Nov. 12 at 98. She taught school in Roanoke Rapids before traveling cross-country with her salesman husband. In Charlotte for 40 years until 1984, she was active in her church and the Salvation Army and Professional Engineers women’s auxiliaries. She was also an N.C. Century Farmer with land in Northampton County. FLORA A. YEARGAN ’36 of Garner died Oct. 13 at 93. She worked for Carolina Power and Light Co. 1940sELIzABETH THIGPEN BRAxTON ’40 died Oct. 23. Traveling with her Army husband of 66 years, Col. Joseph C. Braxton ’38, she taught in North Carolina, Maryland, Germany, and Japan before their 1972 retirement. She visited more than 50 countries. PINEAR MAE “PAT”WINDLEY EPPS ’45 of Edenton died Nov. 23. She started her 40-year education career at Brogden High School in Dudley and continued it in several Eastern N.C. locations teaching gifted education, social studies, and home economics. She and her Methodist minister husband of 60 years were known as “Preacher & Pat.” CHRISTINE GRAY SMITH ’48 of Winter Park, Fla., died Oct. 4. At ECTC, she was junior class vice president, Y.W.C.A. president and regional delegate, Emerson Society treasurer, and a member of the Science Club, Women’s Athletic Association, and varsity softball, basketball, and gymnastics teams. She taught chemistry and biology in Lenoir County and later at the Lankenau School for Girls in Pennsylvania. She and her dentist husband, Dr. Grover W. Smith ’49, returned to Kinston in 1953 when he opened his dental practice. She was involved in fund-raisers and scouting activities at Northwest Christian Church. J.B. SPILMAN JR. ’44 of Greenville died Oct. 1. In the Army during WWII, he served in North Africa, Sicily and Italy. He was a traveling sales representative until his 2004 retirement, chaired the Pitt County Board of Elections and the Pitt County Democratic Party, and was active in The Memorial Baptist Church. 1950sGENE P. BAkER ’58 died Sept. 14. He worked in education for 32 years and then at Greenville Marine and Sports Center for 16 years. He was a member of the N.C. Teachers Association and Principals Association; Civitan, Pitt County Wildlife, and Eastern Pines Men’s Fellowship clubs. He was a member of the Chancellors’ Society with his wife, retired ECU instructor Judy B. Baker ’63 ’82. He was the brother of Patsy Baker O’Leary ’59. Memorials may be made to ECU’s Volunteer and Service Learning Center. WILBUR I. BENNETT JR. ’58 ’69 of Greenville died Oct. 16. He was in the Air Force during the Korean Conflict, worked in finance in Charlotte, returned to ECU to study geography while teaching evening classes, and taught in Pitt County Schools for 19 years. He was active in Covenant United Methodist Church, ECU’s Pirate Club and Alumni Association, and the Greenville Recreation and Parks committee. Memorials may be made to the ECU Educational Foundation or Greenville Recreation and Parks Extreme Park. MARY P. EDWARDS ’51 of Brown Summit died Sept. 15. She was a home demonstrator for county extension services. DR. kENNETH D. HALL ’56 ’61 of Punta Gorda, Fla., and formerly of Brick, N.J., died Nov. 5. He taught, coached, and was an administrator in five districts. After his 1995 retirement, he directed the Futures American School in Cairo, Egypt. He later was president of the N.J. Association of School Administrators. LAURA HORTON HAMLET ’55 of Burlington died Feb. 16, 2002. She retired from teaching elementary school. SARAH BOWLAND MCLAWHORN ’54 of Greenville died Oct. 13. She taught home economics at Chocowinity High School, and after 30 years with Wachovia, retired as an operations officer. MARTIN RABUNSkY ’52 of Silver Spring, Md., died Aug. 26. He taught public school in several states and retired as assistant principal and history department head at Wheaton, Md. SHELBY EUGENE “GENE” RUSS SR. ’54 died Sept. 19. He worked in Wilmington for the Remington Rand Co., with which he held executive positions in New York and Ohio. In 1976, he started Associated Office Systems. A. LOUIS SINGLETON ’56 of Greenville died Sept. 17. From 1961 to 1995, he was a lawyer with Gaylord and Singleton in Greenville. A past president of the Pitt County Bar Association and Third Judicial District Bar and member of the American Bar Association and Greenville Planning Commission, he was Greenville’s city attorney and an attorney for Greenville Utilities Commission. He was a trustee for ECU and PCMH, a charter member of the Greenville Noon Rotary Club, and board member and Sunday school teacher at St. James United Methodist Church. PATRICIA GRAY SUTTON SPEIGHT ’51 of Kinston died Oct. 23. She retired from teaching at Kinston High School and was the New Hope Baptist Church pianist for 50 years. 1960sCAROLYN SUMRELL BRIGHT ’69 of Roanoke, Va., died Oct. 7. A Simpson native, she taught ALUMNI SPoTLIGhTfour Pirates are being groomed for greater roles in public service to the state as students in this years class of leadership north Carolina They are (from left) robert s. parker’72 ’78 of winston-salem, vice president of special operations and community health at north Carolina Baptist hospital; Jerry Beckman’84 of raleigh, south atlantic operations manager for arcadis; gayle McCracken Tuttle’75 of raleigh, director of strategic communications for Blue Cross and Blue shield of north Carolina; and John Cantrell’92 of Charlotte, president of h B Cantrell & Co insurance firm all four have deep eCU roots The son of an alumna, Parkerhas a daughter who earned her nursing degree here in 1998 in recognition of eCU’s service to their family, the Parker Meritscholarship was established several years ago and is nowawarding a scholarship to a deserving student each year Beckman, a school of Technology graduate, started working for arcadis while a junior at eCU and is still with the international consulting and engineering company he’s a past president of the Pitt County alumni Chapter and is active in the Pirate Club he is married to ingrid lutman Bechman ’93 Tuttle was the fall graduation speaker for the school of Communication after serving as white house correspondent for the Pittsburgh Press,Tuttle became an entrepreneur she started two businesses providing quality assurance and public relations consultation and services to insurers and health care provider organizations Married to Eastmagazine editor steve Tuttle, she joined Blue Cross in 2004 They have a son who is a sophomore at eCU Cantrell, president of h B Cantrell & Co , a family insurance business started by his father, henry B Cantrell ’65, was tapped for lnC after achieving another life goal: becoming an ironman he completed the ford ironman wisconsin competition last fall in 13 hours and 45 minutes, finishing in the middle of some 2,100 men and women competitors after swimming 2 5 miles in lake Monona, Cantrell pedaled 112 more on his bike, then he ran 26 2 miles Training for and then being in the ironman competition taught me the importance of being present, of living in the moment,Cantrell says “Truly, it was a life- changing experience The four will complete their lnC training in april 44 in MeMoriaM in MeMoriaM elementary school and was a reading tutor in Danville He was a geologist, quarry manager, science teacher, the Washington Studio School, and for the last 10 FACULTY DEATHS years with the N.C. Rural Fund for Development. from 1965 to 1994. She served in several roles not City Schools until her retirement. She was married to and most recently a project environmental analyst years was associate director of the School of Art traditionally held by women, including president of MAVIS RAY, one of the founding members of Danny Lee Bright ’68, had four children and eight for the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. He & Design at Montgomery College. VICTORIA EVELYN LAWRENCE BOYETTE ’62 ’65 the N.C. Vocational State Association and the North what is today the School of Theatre and Dance, died grandchildren, was sister of Chris A. Sumrell ’78, volunteered at the Oklahoma City Zoo for 10 years. LYNN O’NEAL PITTMAN ’84 of Elizabeth City of Greenville died Oct. 4. A Falkland native, she Carolina Milk Commission. She helped develop the Tax Jan. 11 at her Florida home. Born in England, she and battled multiple sclerosis. JOHN G. “SONNY” INA SUE CANNON WILLIAMS ’66 of Virginia died Nov. 11. She was an animal nurse and foster graduated Phi Beta Kappa at Women’s College in Aid program and served on the Greenville Affordable was an accomplished ballet dancer and actress who GILLIkIN ’60 of Minnesott Beach died Dec. 4. He Beach died Oct. 7. She was a librarian at Princess Anne parent, and participated in the Huntington’s Research Greensboro and taught history at Ayden High School, Housing Loan Committee, and in 2005 was honored was persuaded to come to ECU in 1965 by Edgar worked for the Social Security Administration for High School for 19 years. SANDRA kAY YOW Center. DAVID MARSHALL ROBERTSON PCC, and then at ECU from 1964 to 1982. She was by the National Campaign for Tolerance. She was Loessin, who had been charged with creating a theatre 27 years until his 1986 retirement. He was mayor of ’64, who won more than 600 games as coach of the ’83 of Ahoskie died Oct. 11. He was president of active in the Mayflower and Pitt County Historical married to Dr. Norman Rosenfeld, who taught in department for the school. Together they staged over Minnesott Beach from 1993 to 2001, and a town women’s basketball team at N.C. State University, Boyette & Robertson Insurance Agency and sang societies, Friends of Sheppard Memorial Library, ECU’s English department from 1965 to 1995. 75 musicals and several operas on campus. She took commissioner. WALTER PERRY HARRELL SR. and more than 700 overall, died Jan. 24. She was 66. in the choir at First Baptist Church in Ahoskie. He and First Presbyterian Church. She was married to a leave of absence to return to Broadway and was in DR. MAURICE DEAN SCHNELL of Davenport, ’60 of Suffolk, Va., died Nov. 12. He retired as a sales She coached the U.S. Olympic team to a gold medal was president of the Ahoskie Jaycees. GINGER Dr. Joseph G. Boyette ’55 ’57, who taught biology the cast of Ballroom, which won the 1979 Tony Award Iowa, died Nov. 15. He played football at Iowa supervisor with Union Camp Corp. in 1997, and in 1988, won four ACC tournament championships, STODARD THOMAS ’86 died Oct. 20. A behavior at ECU from 1957 to 1989 and died in 2001. for Best Musical. She returned to campus in 1983 and State and after serving in the Army during the enjoyed genealogy, traveling, and fishing. CHARLES earned 20 NCAA tournament bids and reached the analyst for 20 years in Florida, she worked at Liberty Memorials may be made to ECU’s Evelyn and Joseph remained here through her retirement in 1989. Korean Conflict, bypassed a pro football career for TAYLOE HOYT JR. ’66 ’81 of Jacksonville died Final Four in 1998. ICF, Northeast Florida State Hospital, Behavior Boyette Fellowship. medical school. Certified in physical medicine and Oct. 8. He became director of education and media Management Consultants, and Pace Secondary School. DAVID W. kING of Williamsburg, Va., died Dec. rehabilitation and orthopedics, he taught at several services for Onslow County Schools in 1964. He 1970s NATHAN ALExANDER WHITE ’89 of Elon died 7. He taught at Valdosta State University, LaValle, universities, including ECU from 1979 to 1981, worked with the school system in several capacities, Dec. 9. He made Phi Beta Kappa at UNC, studied WALTER J. ARSENEAU JR. ’75 of Niceville, Fla., and at ECU from 1967 to 1971, before retiring from before becoming medical director of rehabilitation at including assistant superintendent, for more than 38 math at ECU, was active in Oakmont Baptist Church, died Nov. 29. He was a businessman, international Christopher Newport University. He co-authored a Genesis Medical Center in Davenport, Iowa. years, during which time he oversaw the construction and enjoyed art, butterflies, and playing piano. LEE industrial union electrician/supervisor, retired N.C. college French textbook and played piano and organ. of 17 schools and renovations at 17 others before his WILLIAM WASzAk ’84 of Wendell died Sept. 22. DR. JAMES A. “JIM”VAN FLEET of Naples, Fla., public school teacher, and Washington, N.C., real estate 2002 retirement. He was in the vestry and choir at St. He worked with This End Up Furniture and later DR. DAVID JOHN “JACk” MIDDLETON JR. died Sept. 26. He taught political science at ECU from agent. THOMAS G. “TOMMY” LITTLE JR. ’74 Anne’s Episcopal Church, trained American Saddlebred with Kioti Tractors. He was an elder in Covenant of Gloucester died Nov. 12 in Raleigh. Originally 1998 to 2001. He worked with the Peace Corps in of Winterville died Nov. 20. Since 1978, he worked show horses, and was an official for Coastal Plains Presbyterian Church and was married to Donna from Warsaw, he graduated from Duke and UNC the Dominican Republic and taught at the University for NACCO Materials Handling Group, most recently Horse Show Association. ROBERT LEE “POPS” Holliday Waszak ’83 for 22 years. DARLENE HALL Chapel Hill and was director of continuing education of the Pacific before he was appointed to the U.S. as divisional DFT manager. He was a deacon at The HUFFMAN JR. ’68 of Birmingham, Ala., died Sept. WYRICk ’86 of Sophia died Sept. 16. She worked at Appalachian State before serving as ECU’s dean AID mission in Bolivia. He taught at Wichita State Memorial Baptist Church, a Gideon, and member 21. He worked for R.J. Reynolds. IRIS NEWTON in Infant Bereavement Services and coordinated the of continuing education from 1962 to 1980. In University and was dean of foreign students at the of the Delta Waterfowl Foundation. WILLIAM C. kENDRICk ’65 of Jamestown died Nov. 15. From annual Walk to Remember at Randolph Hospital, retirement, he moved to Gloucester and served on universities of Louisville and Toledo. SMITH JR. ’76 died Feb. 28 in Purcellville, Va. He Bayboro, she taught English and reading in Florida, taught nursing at Davidson Community College, and several boards and commissions in addition to his 40 majored in business. BRADFORD LEE SNEEDEN Virginia, and several N.C. school systems. She also was a member of Neighbors Grove Wesleyan Church. ’75 ’77 ’81 of Pine Knoll Shores and Cary died Oct. worked for the Greensboro News and Record and sang 23. He was superintendent of Carteret County schools in the choir at Hickory Chapel Wesleyan Church 1990s and was working on his doctorate in educational in High Point. MELVIN T. “TOM” RAY ’61 of leadership at ECU. He taught elementary school, ERIkA S. HORNSLETH ’98 of Scottsdale, Ariz., Whiteville died Nov. 4. He taught in Southport, and community college, and from 1996 to 1998, he was formerly of West Chester, Pa., died Nov. 5. She from 1964 to 1992 worked for the N.C. Division of an adjunct professor in educational leadership at ECU, worked with Vanguard, most recently as a relationship Motor Vehicles. He was president of the Whiteville where he also directed the Office of School Services manager. She was a swim instructor at Malvern Prep Lions Club. ERNESTINE NICHOLS REEDER and was named a James Batten Outstanding Educator. Swim School and Pennypacker Country Club, where ’59 of Murfreesboro, Tenn., died Nov. 7. She taught He received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine in 2003. she was assistant manager. DONNA LAUREN high school in Elizabeth City and classes at ECU He was married to Carolyn Mayo Sneeden ’75 ’77. MATTHEWS NUNNALLY ’94 of Warfield, Va., before teaching for 22 years at Middle Tennessee State died Nov. 2. She was social services director at Golden University, where she chaired the human sciences 1980s Living Center-Petersburg and a board member for department before retiring. JUDY WHITLEY ROSE Brunswick Crime Solvers. xIAOYU WENG ’92, of ’67 ’68 of Princeton died Oct. 17. A Delta Sigma MITCHELL “MITCH” LYLE BYRD ’83 of NanJing, China, and Raleigh, died Oct. 2. He was a Phi member, she was named an outstanding teacher at Concord died Nov. 5. He was vice president of HELP financial analyst with GlaxoSmithKline in Research Southern Nash Elementary and South Johnston High business development at Technology Partners Inc. Triangle Park and was active in Chinese Baptist Church School, where she headed the vocational academy. He was past president of the Risk and Insurance in Raleigh. She was active in the Princeton Lions and Women’s Management Society. JAMES BRADLEY EURE ’84 clubs and the local chapter of the American Business of Chilhowie, Va., died Nov. 8 in Nashville, Tenn. For US 2000s Women’s Association. HAYWOOD SPRUILL JR. nearly 20 years he was a Meineke manager. SANDRA Visit PirateAlumni.com ’68 of Winter Haven, Fla., died Nov. 27. A native of zAREMSkI GRAHAM ’82 of Fayetteville died COREY CHAPMAN HADDON ’05 of Cary died Roper, he was a retired financial advisor. WILLARD Nov. 6. She was a trustee for Camp Ground United Oct. 26. She studied communication arts and taught or call 800-ECU-GRAD GARLAND “GARY” STEPHENSON ’69 of Methodist Church. BRUCE RIVERS HALL of art. MICHAEL EDWARD PEELE ’00 of Baltimore RAISE Raleigh died Sept. 22. A Sigma Phi Epsilon brother, Tallahassee, Fla., died Aug. 30. He was an illustrator and formerly of Hatteras died Oct. 8. He was a to make your he retired as a software engineer with Alcatel-Lucent in and graphic designer with Cliett Creative Group. massage therapist and enjoyed cooking and bowling. tax-deductible 2007, volunteered with the Alliance of AIDS Services-He was a member of several bands, including 911, Carolina, and enjoyed raising Dobermans. LARRY Del Suggs, and Contents Under Pressure. kATHY membership ROGER TAYLOR ’67 of St. James died Sept. 7. He LAMARR MUNDAY ’80 of Tarboro died Oct. THE contribution today! was a Lamba Chi Alpha brother at ECU, owned Realty 1 in Statesville. She retired as an administrator at World Taylor and Associates in Winston-Salem and Edgecombe Community College and was active Taylor Family Appraisals in Southport, played bridge in Monticello Baptist Church. MARGARET and golf, and was a St. James Bowling Team member. DOROTHEA “MAGGIE” NOSS ’82 of Takoma BAR! GAIL FRANkLIN “FRANk”VERNON, JR. ’69, Park, Md., died Nov. 20. She was a ceramic sculptor, an 18-year resident of Edmond, Okla., died Sept. 30. artist, and printmaker and was executive director of 46 47 University archives vila rosenfeld with ralph nader at a 1982 campus panel session DR. VILA MAYBERRY ROSENFELD died Nov. 8 in Greenville. She taught in ECU’s Education program UNCOver 70,000 Association members NC STATEOver 20,000 Association members ECU - 4,715East CarolinaALUMNIASSOCIATIONYour East Carolina University Connection ForeverPiratePee DeeID: #1907Member Since 2006 UPon The PasTUPon The PasT “We are not here to destroy the old and accept only the new, but to build upon the past…” —robert h . wright, nov 12, 1909 from his inaugural address and installation as east Carolina’s first president April 2April 9April 10April 12April 6April 7 Cafeteria fire closes school What’s now called the Old Cafeteria Building was known as the Refectory when the three-year-old building burns on the evening of April 1, 1915. The roof is destroyed but the walls are left standing and nearly all the dining room furniture is saved. Before the fire is out, President Robert Wright summons students to the auditorium at midnight. He tells them they should leave for home immediately and to stay home for a week—the school’s first spring break. The students return to their dorms and pack; townspeople prepare breakfast for them later that morning. By noon the campus is empty. It requires a Herculean effort, but Wright makes good on his promise to reopen the cafeteria within 10 days when faculty and students dine together on April 12. all images courtesy University archives eCU gallery A snowstorm in January transformed greenville into its more aptly named neighbors, winterville and snow hill. Photo by Jay Clark East University Advancement 2200 South Charles Blvd. East Carolina University Greenville, NC 27858-4353 change service requested nonprofit organization U s Postage PAID PPCo