SPRING 2016 Licensed to heal Steve Ballard’s era MO-mentum Prescription for Prosperity Skilled graduates are one way ECU is leading economic development East The magazine of East Carolina University produced in partnership with the East Carolina Alumni Association Pirate Battalion Army ROTC Cadet Christopher Rudkowski and other cadets get muddy as they navigate ECU’s West Research Campus’ new ROTC obstacle course in early April. The cadets were practicing for the eighth annual Patriot Mud Run there later that month. The run supported Eagle Rock Camp, a program that supports military families. Photo by Cliff Hollis Prescription for prosperity Skilled graduates are one way ECU is leading economic development. 20 Licensed to heal Tanya Darrow ’07 serves patients and students in rural N.C. 28 Steve Ballard’s era Chancellor Ballard reflects on his 12 years at the helm of East Carolina. 32 MO-mentum A new coach and a new staff have injected energy into ECU’s football Pirates. 38 On the cover: Alex Morsch ’13 is a biomedical engineering graduate who is part of ECU’s effort to boost economic development in the East—in her case, by providing a workforce with expertise in life sciences and advanced manufacturing. Photo by Cliff Hollis Student Regional Public East Carolina Call to Success Transformation Service Alumni Action With this issue, East introduces a set of icons to identify stories, photos and features with specific content. They are student success, regional transformation, public service, alumni and call to action. The first three are the commitments in ECU’s strategic plan, the fourth indicates information with an alumni focus, and the final icon could have various meanings, from giving opportunities to a call to stay connected or take action on behalf of your university. We hope these images add to East s coverage of ECU and the people and stories related to the university. How to receive East FROM THE EDITOR FROM OUR READERS face is real, skills they will need to be FROM THE EDITOR FROM OUR READERS face is real, skills they will need to be Springing forward Change has bloomed at East Carolina this spring alongside the dogwoods and azaleas. And it’s all in this issue of East, chock full of big news, inside information and Pirate insights. Chancellor Steve Ballard, who has led ECU through an era of accomplishments and accolades, completed his final semester this spring. He will step down July 1 after 12 years leading our university. On page 32 check out the highlights of that era and how they shaped ECU, from the founding of a dental school and Honors College to landing a spot in a national athletic conference. In that same story, get some insight into what makes this chancellor tick, including his views on public leadership and the role integrity plays in higher education. On page 4, share the excitement about the next leader of East Carolina, Chancellor- elect Cecil Staton, announced April 27 by University of North Carolina President Margaret Spellings. Dr. Staton will begin his role July 1 and made it clear in his initial remarks he values East Carolina’s focus on students, its commitment to service and its impact in the region. Look for a more comprehensive conversation with him in the Fall issue. Speaking of President Spellings, who began her new role March 1, we share on page 6 her first official visit to ECU and the purple-carpet welcome she received. It was a big day for us, and I don’t think it’s boasting to say we wowed her with our spirit, our impact and our innovation. Then, on page 38, there’s our new head football coach, Scottie Montgomery, a North Carolina native. Read about his desire to be a Pirate, his philosophy and his plans. In addition, East and the East Carolina Alumni Association continue to refine the relationship that has developed during the past year. With the guidance of Heath Bowman, the new president of the association, we’ve integrated alumni-related content throughout East instead of simply providing an alumni section in the magazine. Since much of our content has an alumni angle or connection in some way, this seemed a smarter way to highlight our alumni and their relationship to the university we love and serve. Look in this issue as well for new visual features spotlighting alumni as well as features on students who are making the most of the opportunities provided for them through philanthropy to the university. We hope you notice that these tweaks—as well as our regular content—focus more intentionally on demonstrating East Carolina’s incredible impact on lives and communities. Keep in touch. As always, Go Pirates! SPRING 2016 VOLUME 14, NUMBER 3 East is produced by East Carolina University in partnership with the East Carolina Alumni Association. INTERIM EDITOR Mary Schulken ’79 MANAGING EDITOR Doug Boyd ’99 ART DIRECTOR/DESIGNER Brent Burch PHOTOGRAPHERS Jay Clark, Cliff Hollis CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Crystal Baity, Doug Boyd, Jackie Drake, Amy Adams Ellis, Alyssa Gutierrez, Jeannine Manning Hutson, Kathryn Kennedy, Jules Norwood, Jessica Nottingham ’06 ’08, Kelly Setzer, Jamie Smith CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Rob Goldberg, Joshua Lott, Joe Pellegrino, Doug Smith ’00 ’07 COPY EDITORS Jimmy Rostar ’94, Spaine Stephens ECU REPORT EDITOR Jeannine Manning Hutson ALUMNI NEWS EDITOR Jackie Drake CLASS NOTES EDITOR Joanne Kollar ecuclassnotes@ecu.edu EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION, PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND MARKETING Mary Schulken ’79 East Carolina University is a constituent institution of The University of North Carolina. It is a public doctoral/ research intensive university offering baccalaureate, master’s, specialist and doctoral degrees in the liberal arts, sciences and professional fields, including medicine. Dedicated to the achievement of excellence, responsible stewardship of the public trust and academic freedom, ECU values the contributions of a diverse community, supports shared governance and guarantees equality of opportunity. ©2016 by East Carolina University Printed by RR Donnelley C.S. 16-1611 29,500 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $14,669 or $.50 each. sie Smith, Glenesha Berryman and Emmanuel Mor Coming in first 22 Having served as a longtime administrator in higher education, not many articles I read within my field move me to tears. Winter 2016’s East article “Coming in First” by Spaine Stephens did just that for me. The issues and challenges that first-generation college students and Stephens completely captures the essence of the experience in the piece. Even though I didn’t attend ECU as an undergraduate student (though ECU’s first-generation college students set a standard for success I did complete a doctoral program at ECU), I was a first-generation, four-year student and identified with the article immensely. Virginia D. Hardy has made an indelible impression on ECU by creating programming that pays special attention to “first gens” and arms them with the information and successful in the classroom and beyond. Meanwhile, over on the medical campus, Dr. Paul R.G. Cunningham, with whom I worked several years while an employee at ECU, has ensured that the Brody School of Medicine adheres to one of its early tenets: to educate medical doctors with special attention to recruiting, educating and training M.D.s from traditionally underrepresented populations. Bravo to Hardy and Dr. Cunningham—both unsung ECU heroes—for making a difference every day for East Carolina University and the people of the East and beyond. —T. Greg Prince ’15, Salisbury, Md. MAKE A NOTE OF YOUR NEWS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS Complete this form (please print or type) and mail to: Class Notes Editor, Howard House, Mail Stop 107, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858-4353. Please use additional paper as necessary when sending your news. You also can email 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: Division of University Advancement, Greenville Center, Mail Stop 301, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858-4353, or email advancementservices@ecu.edu. NAME First Middle Last Maiden CLASS YEAR E MAIL DAY PHONE EVENING PHONE ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP YOUR NEWS East, the magazine of East Carolina University, is published three times a year. It is mailed to members of the East Carolina Alumni Association and the Pirate Club as well as to those who support ECU through donations to the university. If you would like to receive East by mail, please make your donation by calling 252-ECU-GIVE (328-4483) or visiting the ECU Giving website at ecu.edu/give. To join the East Carolina Alumni Association and receive East as well as other benefits and services, visit piratealumni.com or call 800-ECU GRAD (328-4723). To join the Pirate Club, visit ecupirateclub.com or call 252-737-4540. Contact Us n 252-737-1973 n easteditor@ecu.edu n www.ecu.edu/east Customer Service To start or stop a subscription, or to let us know about a change of address, please contact Advancement Services at advancementservices@ecu.edu or 252-328-GIVE (4483). Send letters to the editor to easteditor@ecu.edu or Howard House Mail Stop 107 East Carolina University Greenville, N.C. 27858-4353 Send class notes to ecuclassnotes@ecu.edu or use the form at left. ECU© REPORT PHOTOGRAPHY BY CLIFF HOLLIS AND JAY CLARK Jay Clark military affairs. He is also USG’s liaison with the Georgia Research Alliance and supports USG’s economic development initiatives and efforts to match the resources of USG institutions with Georgia’s evolving workforce needs. Since July 2015, Staton has also served as interim president of Valdosta State, a regional USG institution with 11,300 students. In that role, he has focused on retention, improving student success and better marketing and branding to reverse recent enrollment declines and associated budget shortfalls. He has also worked to expand VSU’s distance-learning offerings and competency-based education plan. As a result of these efforts, the university’s operating budget has been aligned with enrollment; applications for fall 2016 are up 60 percent over the previous year; and a capital campaign has raised more than $46 million during the past 18 months. Staton also served as associate provost at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, a multi-campus institution with professional package,” said Steve Jones, chair of the ECU Board of Trustees. “It’s an exciting time.” John Stiller, chair of the Faculty Senate and a member of the chancellor search committee, said Staton “emerged as a strong candidate as we went forward.” He added: “We have a tremendously strong leadership team here, tremendously successful and efficient shared governance. I’m going to do my best to work with the new chancellor.” Active in professional and civic organizations, Staton has been recognized numerous times for his service and leadership. His awards and honors include the Georgia Independent College Association’s 2014 Miller-Deal Award for significant public service in higher education; Legislator of the Year awards from the Georgia Hospital Association, Georgia Technology Association and Georgia Rural Health Care Association; and the Georgia Ambulance Association Star of Life Award. He also holds an honorary doctorate from Mercer University and received the inaugural Richard B. Furman Award from Furman University. He serves on the board of directors of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the board of visitors of the University of Georgia. Staton, himself a first-generation college student, said ECU has “world-class faculty,” a “studentfocused” staff and “engaged students.” “I’m very impressed with the students who are there, their backgrounds and how East Carolina prepares them,” Staton said. “I believe, too, (ECU is) in the business of changing lives. As we change lives, we change families, we change communities and maybe the world.” Eliza Monroe, a senior urban and regional planning major and member of the search committee, was impressed with how Staton has worked to increase retention at universities and with his varied background. “I think he’s a great choice,” she said. Staton and his wife, Catherine, have two children: Cecil P. Staton III, a financial planner in Atlanta, and William Davidson Staton, a student at DePaul University in Chicago. A native of Greenville, South Carolina, Staton has a bachelor’s degree in religion from Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, master of theology and master of divinity degrees from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest and a doctorate in Old Testament, Hebrew and ancient Near Eastern studies from the University of Oxford in England. During the search, the 15-member committee evaluated 70 candidates, interviewed 11, brought five to campus for further talks and submitted three names to Spellings, Jones said. —Doug Boyd programs including medicine, law, business, education, pharmacy, engineering and nursing. In addition to teaching in the College of Liberal Arts and serving as an administrator, he led Mercer’s University Press and secured more than $4.5 million to help endow the academic publishing program. Staton began his academic career at Brewton-Parker College in Mount Vernon, Georgia, where he was an assistant professor of religion from 1989-91. Staton’s private-sector experience includes founding and leading three communications companies: Smyth & Helwys Publishing, a publisher of books Jay Clark Staton shakes hands with officials from other system universities after his election. Cecil P. Staton elected chancellor of ECU and curriculum products; Stroud and Hall Publishers, a publisher of books on politics and current Cecil P. Staton, interim president year that he was stepping down Staton said he’s looking forward university’s work,” Staton said events; and Georgia Eagle of Valdosta State University in and will return to the faculty. to being part of ECU’s mission the day of his election. “That’s Media, a holding company for Valdosta, Georgia, has been named the 11th chancellor of East Carolina University by the University of North Carolina Board of Governors. “Dr. Cecil Staton brings to ECU a rare blend of leadership experience in higher education, the private sector and elected public office, as well as a practical to serve students, the region and the state. “I am very excited about this opportunity because of the wonderful assets at East Carolina exciting to me, and I’m very happy to be here.” Since 2014, Staton has served as vice chancellor for extended education for the University broadcasting, newspaper and media properties. In 2004, Staton was elected as a Georgia state senator representing the state’s 18th Staton, 58, was elected April 27 understanding of how to bring University and the ability I think System of Georgia. In that role, District. He served five terms during a special called meeting of diverse constituencies and we have to use those assets to he is responsible for strategic before retiring in 2014. the board. He will assume his new organizations together to get meet the challenges public higher initiatives related to international duties July 1, succeeding Steve things done,” said UNC President education is facing today and education, continuing and Ballard, who has led ECU since Margaret Spellings. to really be innovative and show professional education, 2004. Ballard announced last excellence in every area of the entrepreneurial education and “His skill set of the public sector, legislative and academia—I feel like we really got the total 45 Cliff Hollis Cliff Hollis Mia Andriana Leone, left, and Janae Brown talk with UNC President Margaret Spellings in Mendenhall. million in grant funding. “You’re doing an experiment, and across the bench (someone says), ‘Oh, why don’t you do that?’” said Maria Torres, a fourth-year doctoral student in bioenergetics and exercise science. “That happens all the time.” Drs. Carlos Anciano and Mark Bowling, lung specialists at the Brody School of Medicine, talked about image-guided interventions they use to diagnose lung cancer and remove malignancies. Nearly 500 North Carolinians die of lung cancer every month, Bowling said. Using high-definition video of an actual procedure, Anciano showed how they remove lesions using UNC president visits ECU as part of listening tour During a March 30 visit to able to find a job,” he said. more baccalaureate nursing tiny laparoscopic instruments. He then showed a follow-up procedure on the same patient. Greenville, UNC President graduates—587 alone in the most As psychology student Zack Margaret Spellings learned recent academic year — “Now you’re just showing off,” Evans, a senior, showed Spellings about ECU’s work to promote innovation and economic than any other UNC-system Spellings quipped. “augmented reality” technology school. Ninety-eight percent he’s developing that literally She also visited the School development, improve access to health sciences education and of students pass their licensure puts people in other places, she of Dental Medicine, where exam on their first try, and slightly said, “That’s cool. What a great she participated in a remote health care, and more. more than half remain in eastern learning experience. Go ECU.” presentation from community North Carolina to practice. Dr. Sean Bush, an ECU emergency physician and international snake expert, shows At the ECU Innovation Design service learning centers in Earlier, Spellings toured the a cottonmouth and copperhead to Angie Glasgow, center, and Denali Broadky Lab on Jarvis Street, Spellings saw the new MakerBot 3D On the fourth floor of the East Elizabeth City and Spruce Pine. Health Sciences Campus. She during Venom Week V, held March 9-12 at ECU. More than 250 experts in snake Carolina Heart Institute, scientists noted the concerns she has heard Spellings, who assumed her role and spider venom attended the conference, including presenters from ECU, Duke printing lab and heard faculty innovators talk about their and doctoral students spoke with across the state regarding the as leader of the state’s university University, the University of Colorado and the University of New Mexico. Spellings about their research and university system: affordability, system in March, visited ECU as work to reduce sports injuries and improve adolescent health, the collaborative nature of the Watch a video from Venom Week at https://youtu.be/Ew5Y1gx-0vw. accountability and access. part of a listening tour of the 17 labs there, where the East Carolina system campuses. explore the coast and help the ECU leaders addressed those Diabetes and Obesity Institute is —Doug Boyd military care for traumatically issues head-on. For example, working with approximately $6 injured and brain-injured troops. Dr. Elizabeth Baxley, senior associate dean at the Brody “This bond will be a great help as Today, it exceeds 28,000, with In late December, workers One word kept coming up. Biotechnology School of Medicine, told Spellings Spellings reacts after being shown augmented reality technology we train tomorrow’s workforce thousands of students taking removed the lettering and “If I had a nickel for every time ECU medical graduates leave by Jim Menke and student Zach Evans. building to become and build economic capacity in biology-related courses and labs, signage designating the building reality with bond I’ve heard ‘partnership’ since I school with nearly $50,000 less the East,” said ECU Provost Ron Ballard has said. Aycock Residence Hall. Since and are in higher demand than the Connect NC Bond Act, ECU Among those partnerships Jay Clark got through the door, I’d be rich,” debt than the national average. Mitchelson. —Doug Boyd then, the building has been funding Spellings said. “That’s what it’s all Because of that, they can choose referred to by its campus building In addition to the money ECU about.” primary care fields that pay less inventory number, 71. With the March 15 passage of will receive, the 16 other UNC Board approves institutions, the state’s community During its September meeting, more lucrative specialty fields. officials will begin planning Legacy Hall is one with the life sciences colleges, state parks—nine the board voted to transition for a new Life Sciences and sector in eastern North Provost Ron Mitchelson showed of which are in eastern North the name from Aycock once 60 Biotechnology Building. ECU trustees voted unanimously Carolina—particularly workforce statistics indicating significant Carolina—and the N.C. Zoo, the percent of the cost to create Heritage Hall had been raised, which had occurred by December. to rename Building 71, formerly Aycock Residence Hall, as Legacy development. numbers of ECU students come Funded by $90 million that National Guard and local water from across North Carolina—not will come from the bond, the and sewer projects will also Andrew Moghaddam, a 2014 ECU Hall during their Feb. 19 meeting. just from counties surrounding new building will measure receive funding from the bond. The hall will be a permanent place chemistry graduate and analytical Greenville. And many of them are 150,000 square feet and house Officials have said the bond will At the request of students to recognize people of historical chemist at Mayne Pharma in receiving need-based scholarships the biology and biomedical/ not require a tax increase. and others, the board began significance to the university, Greenville, told Spellings ECU’s and learning through distance bioprocess engineering discussions in 2014 about including Aycock. work with life sciences companies In talking about the bond in education. ECU leads the UNC departments, as well as the renaming Aycock residence helped him get a job after the weeks before its passage, The eventual Heritage Hall is system in the number of credit Pharmaceutical Manufacturing hall, which honored former graduation. Chancellor Steve Ballard pointed intended to occupy a physical hours earned through distance and Development Center of Gov. Charles B. Aycock, whose out the enrollment growth at space in a new Student Services Center as well as virtual space. “The relationships they’ve built education, Mitchelson said. Excellence. tenure at the turn of the century ECU since the Howell Science up with these pharmaceutical has been associated with white Sylvia Brown, dean of the College Voters approved the bond by Complex opened in 1969. —Jamie Smith companies was huge in me being supremacy campaigns. of Nursing, noted ECU produces about a 2-to-1 margin. Enrollment then totaled 9,000. 67 ECU recognized for international education Golden LEAF receives applications Dental leader hosted from around 1,600 students a year and gives scholarships to The ECU School of Dental Medicine 215. Scholarships are $3,000 a earned some national recognition year for up to four years. Feb. 29-March 1 as the American Dental Association president Some scholarship recipients are spent two days on campus. Taj Nasser part of the Golden LEAF Scholars Leadership Program. Participants Dr. Carol Summerhays is the attend leadership conferences 152nd president of the ADA and and complete paid summer represents more than 158,000 internships with funds from members nationwide. Her mission Golden LEAF. on this trip, however, was to connect with the future of the field. The most common majors among Golden LEAF Scholars “It has been a huge priority to get are in health care and education, out to dental schools around the according to Gerlach. “If students country, because this is the future are interested in these areas, of dental medicine,” she said. that’s often why they go to ECU,” During town hall meetings held he said. Feb. 29 in Ross Hall, she shared Taylor Bradley is a senior advice on leadership opportunities education major from and fielded questions about ECU leads among Golden LEAF Scholars Washington who’s conducting efforts to reduce student debt Growing up in the eastern I have spent most of my life, so I her student teaching at and secure higher reimbursement North Carolina town of Wilson, envision staying here,” he said. Wintergreen Primary School this rates for Medicaid-funded care. Taj Nasser wanted to attend a semester. She has received the Students, residents and faculty Nasser exemplifies the kind of college with the same sense of Golden LEAF Scholarship for four members from ECU community student Golden LEAF wants to community as his hometown: ECU. years and was also a member service learning centers around the help. of the leadership program. She state also joined the question-and“ We’re trying to reach young This commitment to community chose ECU because she grew up answer sessions by teleconference. people who have deep roots in is also part of what earned a Pirate; her parents are alumni. Nasser four years’ worth of Summerhays visited the ECU eastern North Carolina and who undergraduate scholarships from “It made sense to attend a school dental clinic in Ahoskie and said are likely to return here and help that was close to home as well the Golden LEAF Foundation, a she was impressed by the facility them go to college,” said Golden nonprofit organization dedicated as one that began as a teaching and what it represents. LEAF President Dan Gerlach. to strengthening the economies college,” said Bailey, who hopes of rural or tobacco-dependent The scholarship program has to work in eastern North Carolina. “The model that ECU has with communities such as Wilson. LEAF existed since 1999 but underwent “Projects through this scholarship their clinics is a really fine stands for Long-term Economic a change about six years ago. have opened my eyes to the example of bringing care to Advancement Foundation. Instead of giving a certain support that is given when communities in need,” she said. number of scholarships to various living and working within a rural Each spring, Golden LEAF Community service learning community.” schools to distribute, Golden ECU is among seven colleges group,” said Jami Leibowitz, centers are in eight rural and awards scholarships to high LEAF now gives scholarships and universities nationwide ECU’s interim global academic school seniors and community Thanks to the Golden LEAF underserved areas across North directly to students through recently named as winners of initiatives director. “Receiving college transfer students heading Scholarship, Bradley will graduate Carolina. Fourth-year students a grant to the NCSEAA. Then the prestigious 2016 Senator this award is also a testament to debt-free from ECU in May. and dental residents train at the to any of North Carolina’s public students choose which school Paul Simon Award for Campus ECU’s willingness to invest in and or private four-year colleges centers under faculty supervision they will attend. “This scholarship has been the Internationalization. allow to flourish innovative ideas or universities. Recipients are while providing dental care to main support through my time that support its mission.” local residents. selected based on multiple “More Golden LEAF Scholars The Simon Awards are granted at ECU,” she said. “It has helped factors including GPA, financial have chosen ECU than any through NAFSA: Association The GAI program partners with me learn leadership skills, gain Two dental students who are need, length of residence in other school in the state by of International Educators and 62 institutions in 33 countries to internship experience and members of the American qualifying rural counties and a wide margin,” Gerlach said. recognize outstanding and provide an interactive, student-allowed the opportunity to make Student Dental Association an expressed commitment to “This is because our mission innovative achievements in driven global experience for connections within my field while lured Summerhays to ECU after returning to a rural county that is aligns so closely with ECU’s campus internationalization. approximately 300 ECU students connecting with other scholars meeting her last year. economically distressed. mission of serving the public and each semester. from across the state.” ECU was recognized as a transforming the region.” “We were both struck by her Administered through the Senator Paul Simon Spotlight Since the program began Without the Golden LEAF warmth and sincere interest in North Carolina State Education Of the total 832 Golden LEAF Award recipient, which in 2004, more than 17,000 Scholarship, some students students,” said Jennifer Pan, a Assistance Authority, more Scholars across the state, 123 are honors a specific international students have participated would not be able to afford third-year dental student. Golden LEAF Scholarships are at ECU, according to Gerlach. program or initiative that in GAI activities worldwide. college at all. awarded to students at ECU than The school with the next highest She said she hoped Summerhays contributes to comprehensive GAI’s largest section is Global at any other school. number of Golden LEAF Scholars “Golden LEAF is my saving sensed “our mission and internationalization on campus. Understanding, a course where has 89. grace,” said freshman Robynique dedication to service” during the Other universities recognized in students work with three distinct Nasser, who has a bachelor’s Willis-Brown of Greenville, an visit. “That’s what’s unique about this category include UNC-Chapel partner institutions for three to students from other countries. is extremely important in our degree in chemistry from ECU “In general, ECU educates intended social work major. “I am us,” Pan added. Hill and Texas Tech University. four weeks. Students lead real- globalized world.” in 2014, is now a second-year approximately 10 percent of the an independent student paying time discussions about college “This is not a class, it is an medical student at ECU’s Brody undergraduate population in The visit was not ECU dental “Over the years, I have looked my tuition out of pocket. Without life, family and cultural traditions, experience,” said Meg Matthews, Simon, the late U.S. senator School of Medicine. After the state, but around 15 percent, medicine’s only connection to the to the previous Simon Award the support of the Golden LEAF meaning of life and religion, a sophomore majoring in public from Illinois, was a supporter ADA. Dr. Greg Chadwick, dean of residency training, he wants to or one in seven of our Golden winners as a source of inspiration Scholarship, I wouldn’t have been and stereotypes and prejudices. health. “GAI put a focus on trying of international education and the school, was president of the practice in the East. LEAF Scholars, choose ECU,” and ideas, so it is a huge honor able to afford school this year.” Sixty percent of the class time is to better interactions between foreign language learning. Gerlach said. national organization 15 years ago. to now be among that elite —Jackie Drake spent in video connections with people with differences, which —Jamie Smith “Eastern North Carolina is where —Kathryn Kennedy 89 Cliff Hollis Cliff Hollis Top: Raqurra Ishman, foreground, one of the students in a foreign language class, talks to students at the Henan Polytechnic University in Jiaozuo, Republic of China. Students spoke via video or conducted one-on-one chats over a computer connection. Above: Video image of class in China with ECU class in the corner Alumni Scholarship recipients share a love for each other, East Carolina family and community services Grad programs ranked with a concentration in family University Archives Lekisha Pittman Contributed photo Cliff Hollis Samantha and Ryan Wilson community, and it’s shaped my programs were ranked 23rd future career goals.” out of 147 schools. Last fall, 316 students were enrolled in the Howell remembered for his dedication to ECU As one of 16 shift leaders, college’s six online graduate Pittman has completed Serv-Safe ECU Chancellor Emeritus John administrators. He was options: adult-gerontology certification, National Restaurant clinical nurse specialist, neonatal Howell, who served the university composed, he was humorous and Association food and beverage for three decades as a professor he knew what higher education safety training that students can clinical nurse specialist, neonatal nurse practitioner, nursing and administrator, died Jan. 3. was about.” take into their professional lives education, nursing leadership and He was 93. after graduation, Umberger said. In 1982, Howell was tapped as nurse midwifery. John and Gladys Howell Now married, Ryan Wilson ’11 and Samantha Cahill Wilson ’10, once had only one thing in common: they were Alumni Scholarship recipients at ECU. Now, they’re encouraging other alumni to support the association in events such as the Pirate Alumni Road Race and Fun Run held each spring. They ran in the 2013 road race before they got married and participated in the 2016 event as well. They’re glad to know they’re helping students by running in the race and supporting the scholarship program. “We know it’s less stress on the students,” Ryan said. “It takes the pressure off to pay for college, and it rewards them. It reminds them they’re doing something right.” “It makes me smile to think of current students getting this scholarship,” Sam said. “I remember that exact feeling. We know firsthand how much it means to students. Even if it’s just by running, we’re happy to do our part.” —Jackie Drake studies. “I want to do something that impacts hunger in the United States,” said Pittman, a senior from High Point. Sometimes students will get involved because they need service hours for an organization. But once they’re in, they realize they want a more active role, said Jade Umberger, the nutrition outreach advisor for ECU Campus Kitchens who is in the middle of a yearlong service project with AmeriCorps VISTA. “It means a lot to me,” said Pittman, who started volunteering with Campus Kitchens in 2014. “It’s great to give back to the ECU’s online graduate programs in business, criminal justice, education and nursing are listed in U.S. News & World Report’s 2016 Best Online Programs. The College of Education’s programs tied for 14th out of 252 schools. A total of 366 students were enrolled in the following ECU online education programs during the 2014-2015 year: adult education, business education, elementary education, instructional technology, science education, reading education, special education and middle grades education. ECU’s College of Nursing Colleagues remembered him for his knowledge, leadership and service. “His influence began long before he was chancellor,” said Henry Ferrell, a former history professor and university historian at ECU. Howell was instrumental in creating the Faculty Senate and was one of the primary researchers who helped compile information that led to the founding of the Brody School of Medicine. Howell served in the U.S. Army Air Corps for three years during World War II, after which he received a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in political science from the University of Alabama. He taught at Randolph Macon Women’s College before attending Duke University, where he earned a doctorate in political science. He was hired at ECU in 1957 after teaching at Memphis State University and became a full professor in 1961. He helped found the ECU Department of Political Science and was its first chair. He later served as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, dean of the graduate school and vice chancellor for academic affairs. “He had a strong ability to organize and structure things,” said Ferrell. “He was one of this university’s outstanding interim chancellor following the tenure of Thomas Brewer. “He was considered a good choice because he knew the campus, got along well with faculty and had the strong support of Bill Friday, president of the state university system,” said John Tucker, professor of history and university historian. “He is known for his steady, stabilizing influence on campus and in relation to the community.” Howell’s mission was not to create change, Tucker added, but to guide to maturity the advances begun during the tenure of Chancellor Leo Jenkins, especially the medical school. He served as chancellor until he retired in 1987. In 1991, the Howell Science Complex was named in honor of John and Gladys Howell. She is a retired member of the university’s sociology faculty. “Chancellor Howell served ECU with distinction,” said Chancellor Steve Ballard. “Nancy and I will always remember the grace and warmth with which he and Gladys welcomed us to the Greenville community.” The Howells raised two sons in Greenville, both of whom now live in the Triangle area. For the last few years, Howell had been a resident of Golden Living Center. —Jules Norwood Support the Alumni Scholarship program by participating in the 2016 ECU Alumni Scholarship Classic golf tournament Sept. 9 or by donating at PirateAlumni.com/Donate. And be sure to look for information on next year’s Pirate Alumni Road Race and Fun Run April 22, 2017. Campus Kitchens addresses food waste, hunger A student-led project at ECU is pounds of food, provided more marking six years of addressing than 1,900 meals and served hunger locally. 1,226 clients. ECU has the only Campus While the dining hall donates Kitchens program in the UNC meat it would otherwise have system and the largest of four discarded due to impending programs in the state. expiration dates, most of the vegetables and fruit come from “We’re still sustainable, and that’s the annual ECU Homecoming the beauty of this project,” said canned food drive. More than Victoria Barfield, a graduate 1,100 pounds of food were student in nutrition science and collected in the fall and will advisor for ECU Campus Kitchens be used throughout the year, Hot Meals. Barfield said. Teams of students prepare Student coordinators, such as nutritious meals consisting of a shift leader Lekisha Pittman, are protein, vegetable, starch and the heart of the program. One dessert at Todd Dining Hall of the biggest things she has and deliver them on a rotating learned through volunteering schedule to four community is that “hunger has no specific partners: Operation Sunshine, face,” she said. “You may have the Little Willie Center, JOY food today, but you may not have Soup Kitchen and the Ronald food tomorrow.” McDonald House. Volunteering with Campus In the 2014-2015 academic year, Kitchens also has influenced her the team at ECU had more than career choice. She intended to 200 volunteers, saved 2,500 major in nursing, but switched to “We’re trying to educate our students about hunger in North Carolina,” Umberger said. “There are 1 in 4 kids in North Carolina going hungry,” she said. In west Greenville, where she primarily works, there is limited access to fresh foods and vegetables, creating a food desert. To address the gap, Campus Kitchens started a nutrition outreach program last summer that provides four nutrition lessons each month to children from the Little Willie Center and Operation Sunshine. “It allows students to serve with people, not to people, to make it a positive relationship,” Umberger said. “I think both community and campus benefit.” At Thanksgiving, Campus Kitchens planned a Turkey Palooza which resulted in enough donations to support all the families at Operation Sunshine and several more at the Lucille W. Gorham Intergenerational Community Center. Twenty-five families received a box complete with turkey and all the sides. ECU’s Volunteer Service-Learning Center and Aramark opened ECU’s Campus Kitchen in 2010. It’s one of 45 at schools across the country. —Crystal Baity The online master of business administration program tied at 72nd out of 221 schools in the country. Of the 709 total students enrolled in the ECU MBA program last fall, nearly 80 percent selected online classes. ECU’s online graduate criminal justice program placed the highest in North Carolina and tied for 30th out of 51 schools. U.S. News also ranked traditional ECU graduate programs in medicine, nursing and rehabilitation counseling. The Brody School of Medicine is ranked 32nd overall among primary care schools and 88th for research. The College of Nursing is ranked 88th out of 259 graduate nursing programs listed, while the concentration in nurse anesthesia is ranked 29th out of 112 programs and nurse midwifery is ranked 15th out of 39 programs across the country. The doctor of nursing practice degree program is ranked 80th out of 149 programs surveyed. In addition, the rehabilitation counseling program in the College of Allied Health Sciences is ranked 18th among such programs by U.S. News. —Crystal Baity Alumni adds recent grad membership level BENEFITS AT A GLANCE Art school to open ‘glass station’ in Farmville • Every issue of East magazine Recent graduates will be able and opportunities to network and The ECU School of Art and a destination for anyone to join the East Carolina Alumni connect with other Pirates, said • At least a 25 percent savings on registration for most alumni Design plans to open a hand-interested in learning about Association for $25 starting Crawford. events, including Buccaneer Buffet tailgates and networking events blown glass art studio in a glass blowing. The studio will July 1, while other membership “We’re always trying to find ways • VIP (Very Important Pirate) experiences at select alumni events building that formerly housed feature public viewing areas and dues will rise. a service station in downtown offer workshops to the general to engage young alumni, and this • The monthly e-newsletter ECUpdate Farmville. public, including underserved Annual individual memberships (recent graduate) rate will make • Weekly MemberGrams with discounts at local and national retailers populations who may never have will increase to $40 from $35 on it easier for them to join and stay Hand-blown glass is a new been exposed to this type of art. July 1, and the annual couple’s connected to the university,” • Exclusive access to the online alumni directory curriculum area for ECU and the membership will increase to $60 Crawford said. first of its kind in the UNC system. “Our hope is to make Farmville a • Free registration for the Pirate Career Casts series from $50. Students will travel from Main go-to creative center in eastern Benefits include discounts Military alumni chapter planned Col. Tom Shubert ’74, center, with cadets in the ECU Air Force ROTC program The East Carolina Alumni help current students?” Contributed photo Jay Clark Doug Smith Campus in Greenville for classes, North Carolina,” Buddo said. This is the first rate increase since on registration for Buccaneer which are expected to begin this “We are thankful to Farmville for the membership program began Buffet tailgate and Bring the fall, said Chris Buddo, dean of building a vision around art.” in 2006. Whole Crew family outings, the ECU College of Fine Arts and East magazine and more (see The school will recruit two “The economic landscape has Communication. glance box). Membership artists to serve as adjunct changed so much since then; it support allows the association to host networking and social Because of the type of equipment faculty members and purchase really was time for an increase,” and space needed, no more than equipment needed for glass said Neal Crawford ’85, past events for alumni and their Association is partnering with Shubert helped the Civil Air Patrol six to eight students will be able production. ECU also will be chair of the association board families, provide scholarships to students, give awards to honor ROTC and Student Veteran organize incentive flights for Air to participate at a time. “We partnering with Pitt Community of directors. “Joining the alumni Services to form a chapter for Force cadets at the Pitt-Greenville expect that demand will outpace College and Pitt County Schools association remains one of the the accomplishments of alumni volunteers and leaders, and offer military alumni. Airport in November. Many of the our ability to meet it,” Buddo to make the facility available for more cost-effective and impactful The chapter will serve a variety of pilots were ECU alumni. Shubert said. “We expect this will become instruction and other learning ways to support ECU. We help services and communications for populations, including veterans hopes the group will foster more a growth area for us.” opportunities. make it possible for alumni and 165,000 alumni worldwide. Membership is open to anyone supporters to have a lifelong who came to ECU after serving, experiences like this. Hand-blown glass could become Todd Edwards, a member of The relationship with East Carolina.” and graduates who entered “I think military alumni would like a new concentration in the art Farmville Group, wanted to create who wants to support ECU, including former students, the military after college, either to be more involved,” Shubert said. school. Initial interest is expected an incubator for young artists Not only is membership a great through ROTC or independently. “I think they’d enjoy meeting other to come from ceramics and that would help retain talent in way to support ECU, it also spouses, parents, faculty, staff and community members. The first step is to gather data alumni, but I think they really want sculpture students, Buddo said. the area and have local economic provides many benefits such as impact. His construction member-only communications and build a master list of military to engage with cadets and help —Jackie Drake The project is a result of a company is contractor for the trust on the project. alumni. While any existing them along their careers.” grassroots effort by The Farmville military alumni outreach has been Military alumni can provide Group, a volunteer economic fragmented, this effort would valuable insight and guidance development association “We want school kids to be update information across the to students. interested in growing the local inspired and to come here and be entire central alumni database. economy through the arts. The engaged,” said Edwards. “This is “A big thing when you leave the Allen and Stowe families donated a template and road map for all Cliff Hollis DT Nguyen uses a powertool to cut parts of a car. “We’ve got to figure out a military is that you’ve lost your the building to the DeVisconti small towns. This will go beyond good way to make sure we’re social network, and going to Trust, which is leasing it to ECU. just this facility,” getting to everyone,” said Nicole college and getting a degree can Jablonski, assistant director of seem like an unattainable goal,” Community leaders contacted ECU will pay approximately Student Veteran Services. “We’re Jablonski said. “It can be helpful ECU in 2014 to talk about $14,000 a year, plus utilities, to ECU medical students so close to so many military and motivating for students to opening a studio or art gallery lease the building that officials participated in a bases, there’s a big population see alumni who were once in their space as a way “to use art to are calling the “glass station” as disaster day drill we can pull from. We just have to situation who have now gotten breathe economic life into a nod to the building’s former life with the Winterville find them.” jobs or started businesses.” downtown,” Buddo said. as a gas station on West Wilson Fire-Rescue-EMS Street. Built in 1946, the building department. The Accurate numbers for military One of the goals for the In response, ECU proposed will provide about 2,400 square Emergency Medicine alumni at ECU are hard to come chapter is to host a military a glass art facility that would feet of studio space. Interest Group at —Crystal Baity Brody coordinated by. Prospective students applying event as part of homecoming, not only serve as a classroom to ECU have an option to self- as well as other events where for students but also become the event to give identify as military, which doesn’t always happen and wasn’t always an option in the past. alumni could mingle with students and network. students a better understanding of what happens before “This group could help alumni There are roughly 1,500 make connections with potential patients get to the graduates of the ROTC program employers,” Jablonski said. “A lot hospital. An EastCare at ECU, around 1,200 from the Air of companies are interested with helicopter was on site, Force detachment and more than working with military alumni. It’s and after students 300 from the Army detachment. a win-win for everyone.” worked with several wrecked cars to “There’s a huge untapped To find out more or get involved simulate a patient potential there,” says Tom with the military alumni chapter, extraction, the patient Shubert, who graduated from the contact Lindsay Raymond- mannequins were Air Force ROTC program at ECU in 1974. He retired as a colonel Weston, assistant director for transported back alumni programs, at 252-328 to Brody, where a after 30 years of service and now 1958 or raymondwestonl15@ecu. simulated emergency works with the Civil Air Patrol, a edu or visit PirateAlumni.com/ department was set civilian auxiliary of the Air Force. “What are these alumni doing MilitaryAlumni. up for students to —Jackie Drake continue “treatment.” now and what can they do to 12 13 Jay Clark Nido Qubein, High Point volunteer for the Charlotte area. University president, presents “Keeping connected with fellow the Leo M. Lambert Engaged Pirates is very important because Leader Award to ECU Chancellor we are what keeps each other Steve Ballard. strong in a sea of unfamiliar faces,” said Los Angeles volunteer faculty, staff and students, and Wayne Sampson ’08. he started the Engaged Outreach Scholars Academy to support Building a network galvanizes faculty and students who work the resources of the Pirate with community partners on Nation, said Michael Dudley ’10, mutually beneficial research a volunteer in Charleston, South projects. To date, hundreds of Carolina. “This allows each of us faculty, staff and students have to give back to our alma mater, participated in these programs. enhancing what ECU has to offer and producing quality alumni On average, 45 percent of North who can, in turn, add their own Carolina students are active in resources to the network of civic and community engagement, Pirates,” he said. well above the national average of 39 percent, according to People need not worry that the Leslie Garvin, executive director alumni association just wants of the compact. to ask for money, said Dunn of Volunteers organize alumni events and chapters across U.S. Virginia. “That’s not the point at “This is a movement,” Garvin Ballard accepts award for ECU’s community engagement From the nation’s capital to the 2014. More recently, she and travels across the country.” all,” she said. “We would like you said. “We are committed to to give back to ECU, sure, but Pacific, alumni volunteers are her co-volunteer Drew Leisure Chancellor Steve Ballard received community means everything to success, service to the state and transforming North Carolina one Last fall, Coleman coordinated personally I would much rather hosting events and organizing ’12 have started to organize the Leo M. Lambert Engaged what kind of university we are.” regional transformation in eastern institution at a time. We couldn’t an alumni event at Southern see you help out a fellow ECU chapters to connect fellow monthly happy hour events as a Leader Award from the North North Carolina. be more excited about the Methodist University in Dallas grad who may be new to the Ballard arrived at ECU in 2004, Pirates. way for alumni to socialize and Carolina Campus Compact at its future of service learning, and where more than 200 Pirates area or just help us cheer on the “and East Carolina has never For example, ECU’s support expand their networks without 16th annual conference held Feb. we couldn’t do all this without “When I first moved to Northern gathered for some barbecue flown Pirates like we’re back in Dowdy- been the same since,” said of the Lucille W. Gorham the pressure of a traditional 10 at High Point University. leadership.” Virginia right after graduating, I in from eastern North Carolina. Ficklen.” Nido Qubein, HPU president Intergenerational Community networking event. knew one other local Pirate. Now, “It was such a huge showing of The award recognizes North and chair of the N.C. Campus Center, a campus-community N.C. Campus Compact is The alumni association is working I know more than 50, and there “We held our first event in school spirit. Even Shane Carden Carolina chancellors or Compact Executive Board. partnership started in 2007 to a collaborative network of to strengthen chapters in are over 2,000 in this area,” said February and had a terrific stopped by,” she said. presidents who are committed ECU has become an economic support children and families in colleges and universities with Washington, D.C., southeastern Courtney Dunn ’13, a volunteer response, so we look forward to meaningful engagement in engine in the region and has west Greenville, was nationally a shared commitment to Pirates are known for their spirit Virginia, Charlotte, Raleigh and who helps organize events to what this program has the their communities, highlighting been nationally recognized for recognized in 2012 with the educating engaged citizens and in Greenville and across the Greenville-Pitt County. If you live for the DC Metro Chapter in potential to grow into,” Dunn said. the role leaders play in setting its community engagement C. Peter Magrath University/ strengthening communities. country. in these cities and would like to Washington, D.C. priorities at their institutions. efforts, Qubein said as he Community Engagement Award. Presidents and chancellors from It’s easy to be friends with get involved with other Pirate “Even my co-workers know introduced Ballard. ECU also partners with the more than 48 public, private Dunn, who holds a degree anyone from ECU, says Nicole alumni in your area, contact “This is really a recognition of that graduates of ECU always Wounded Warrior Project to assist and community colleges and in history, is now an event Blood Coleman ’06, a volunteer Lindsay Raymond-Weston, ECU and the commitment of The UNC system’s longest-support their university and soldiers returning to civilian life. universities have joined since the coordinator for the Mercatus in the Dallas area. “It brings assistant director for alumni hundreds of people to make a serving chancellor, Ballard was have true Pirate pride,” said compact was founded in 2002 at Center at George Mason me a great sense of pride, programs, at 252-328-1958 or difference in the community,” recognized for his efforts to The chancellor has also Karla Jones ’00, who works at Elon University. ECU joined as a University. She helped organize especially being so far from raymondwestonl15@ecu.edu. Ballard said after the ceremony. make ECU known as a leadership established academies to provide Central Piedmont Community charter member the same year. a wreath-laying ceremony at home. It’s so exciting to see how —Jackie Drake “Engagement with the university, focusing on student intensive leadership training for College and serves as a —Jackie Drake Arlington Cemetery in December the spirit of the Pirate Nation Contributed photo 100YEARS AGO75YEARS AGOFlight training offered at East Carolina School physician named state medical society president 50YEARS AGO25YEARS AGORecommendation made for life sciences institute Pirates capture third straight conference championship Courtesy University Archives school to reduce the spread of malaria. “Is it students, including advice on the expansion told you by the United States Public Health students join. Among for a new building to house the NCAA baseball tournament. Service, by the state public health service, those are John the expanded programs. The Third basemen John Gast and by your local public health service, and Johnston and Matt concept behind the Institute (number 28 at left) is named to by the physicians of your town? If it was Phillips (pictured). of Life Sciences and Community Health leads to the development of the School the All-CAA team and named making your chickens and horses and cows Both would be killed of Allied Health Sciences and Health Professions the following year. The school CAA Co-Player-of-the-Year. sick, you’d stop it,” he tells the crowd. in World War II. would call the Belk Building (pictured) home from 1972–2006. Dr. Charles O’Hagan Laughinghouse, a local Courtesy University Archives As war rages in Courtesy University Archives A consultant’s report Courtesy ECU Athletics Media Relations The Colonial Athletic Association doctor and ECTTS school physician, is named Europe, East Carolina, recommends the development plays its 1991 baseball president of the Medical Society of North along with the of an Institute of Life Sciences tournament at ECU’s Harrington Carolina. A staunch advocate of public health Civil Aeronautics and Community Health at Field, and the Pirates make and preventive medicine, Laughinghouse, in Administration, ECU. The report says such an the most of their home-field a speech during “Better Babies Week,” urges begins offering institute would provide the advantage. Defeating James Greenville residents to clean up a mosquito- flight training at the base for the development of a Madison twice, George Mason infested ditch near the grade school and high local airport. Twenty medical school. It also offers once and Richmond twice, the Gary Overton-coached team possible that you have eyes that see not and two women, enroll. of undergraduate science wins its third-straight CAA ears that hear not the things that have been The next year, more programs and the planning championship and goes on to 16 17 Four ECU faculty members were recognized for their research, engagement and creative accomplishments during ECU’s 10th annual Research and Creative Achievement Week in April. Bob Ebendorf, a professor emeritus of metal design in the School of Art and Design, received the Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Research and Creative Activity. Shouquan Huo, an associate professor of inorganic and organic chemistry, and S. Raza “Raz” Shaikh, associate professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and a member of the East Carolina Diabetes and Obesity Institute at the Brody School of Medicine, received Five-Year Achievement Awards for Excellence in Research and Creative Activity. Paige Viren, an associate professor of recreation and leisure studies, received the Scholarship of Engagement Award. Ebendorf is an internationally known master metalsmith and jewelry designer who incorporates cast-off objects into his works, pairing unusual items from broken glass to bottle tops in his one-of-a-kind designs. He has taught undergraduate and graduate students for the past 19 years at ECU. He’s also helped raise funds for art scholarships at ECU; there is an endowed scholarship in his name. He was named the Carol Grotnes Belk Distinguished Professor of Art in 1999. Examples of his work are in 29 museums around the world, including the Smithsonian, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, The Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Through the years, he has completed large commissions for corporations, temples, churches and private clientele. He’s received numerous awards and accolades including the Society of North American Goldsmiths Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014, the highest honor given by the society. Ebendorf has bachelor of fine arts and master of fine arts degrees from the University of Kansas and was awarded a Fulbright. Before joining East Carolina, he taught at the University of Georgia and State University of New York at New Paltz. Huo’s research focuses on selectivity in organometallic bond activation, the use of phosphorescent materials and organometallic anticancer agents. Organometallic chemistry is the study of chemical compounds containing at least one bond between a carbon atom of an organic compound and a metal. Huo has designed, synthesized and characterized a number of phosphorescent platinum complexes. A significant finding is one isomeric platinum complex that demonstrates higher toxicity against a series of human lung and prostate cancer cells. Huo has a doctorate in chemistry from Nanjing University in China and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry from Zhengzhou University in China. He has written more than 40 peer-reviewed research articles, given more than 35 invited talks and is the owner of 13 U.S. patents, with two patents pending. He is a member of several academic and research societies. Shaikh, an expert in lipid biochemistry, nutritional immunology and membrane biophysics, has a doctorate in medical biophysics from Indiana University and completed postdoctoral training in immunology at Johns Hopkins University. He has established himself as a leader in several fields. Since joining ECU, Shaikh has received continuous extramural funding from the National Institutes of Health as well as from industry groups including pharmaceutical and dietary supplement companies. In 2012, he received the Early Career Award from the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids. His first—and perhaps most often-cited—published work demonstrated the underlying mechanisms by which dietary omega-3 fatty acids target the molecular organization of lymphocyte lipid membranes to modulate inflammatory responses. Shaikh has published 37 research and review articles as co-author and senior author. Viren’s focus is on the development of sustainable community-based tourism. Applying her experience as a travel agent, she works to support economic development and protect and promote natural and cultural resources in towns along the Roanoke River. Viren and her students crafted marketing plans and supported grants to secure funding for a wheelchair-accessible kayak launch and boat ramp in Windsor. The latest project is the construction of two treehouses and a “treeZebo,” or observation deck connected by an elevated walkway, on the banks of the Cashie River, which are intended to provide additional accommodations in Windsor. Viren also collaborated with Pitt, Pamlico, Craven and Carteret counties to develop master plans with strategies to increase recreational access in these communities. Viren joined ECU in 2008 and has served as an affiliate faculty member with the Center for Sustainable Tourism. She has a bachelor’s degree in recreation and leisure studies and a master’s in leisure and tourism studies from Bowling Green State University and a doctorate in park recreation and tourism resources from Michigan State University. She has published 17 peerreviewed articles. —ECU News Services Professors recognized for their research, creative work Shouquan Huo Cliff Hollis Ph.D. program advances research in nursing Many people have a mental image of what modern nursing looks like—one that’s based on countless trips to physician offices, clinics and hospitals. “It’s the idea of a compassionate individual, dressed in a white coat or scrubs, delivering care at the bedside in a hospital,” said Elaine Scott, a nursing professor at ECU. But Scott, director of ECU’s Ph.D. program in nursing, wants to expand the collective perception of this storied health care profession. She wants it to include the concept of nurses as scholars. “Nursing is a science and an art— most often the public thinks of the caring art of nursing and remains unaware of the science that supports the interventions nurses use in their practice,” Scott said. “Ph.D.-prepared nurses conduct research to create nursing science that promotes healthy outcomes and establishes evidence-based practices in nursing. These nursing research findings also shape health policy and influence quality and safety initiatives.” As the College of Nursing approaches 60 graduates from its 12-year-old doctoral program, administrators have added three new academic options intended to facilitate nurses’ transition to the role of scientific thought leader. Last August, three students enrolled in the new DNP-to-Ph.D. program, making ECU one of only six schools in the country that offer this opportunity. The DNP, or doctor of nursing practice, targets nurses who want the highest level of education for clinical practice. This degree also equips nurses to solve problems and advance health by testing ideas for best nursing practice and implementing evidence generated by Ph.D.-prepared nurses. “Some DNP nurses return to practice and begin testing small changes in how nurses practice and want to do more,” Scott said. “They may decide they love research and need more education on how to conduct research. When that happens, returning to school for the DNP-to-Ph.D. in nursing is a great option.” Graduates are prepared to serve as tenure-track faculty members and deans of nursing, coordinate research and quality improvement at major hospitals, and analyze and set policy by working for organizations such as the N.C. Board of Nursing and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Amy Jnah, a neonatal nurse practitioner at two hospitals and director of the neonatal nurse practitioner program at ECU, decided she wanted to obtain her Ph.D. while in the middle of earning her DNP. The new program is allowing her to pursue her research interests, which center on mentoring, self-efficacy and self-confidence in inpatient, acute care nurse practitioners. “I have such a passion for research, for research methodology and for interventional research,” said Jnah. “I know the Ph.D. is going to help me develop in those areas so that I can take the knowledge that I get from this program and carry it on with me into the community and make a difference.” All three students in the program, including Jnah, were able to transfer at least 18 hours from their DNP program into their Ph.D. coursework. All are expected to graduate within five semesters. Though the program is the newest addition to the College of Nursing, it’s not the first bridge program instituted to help nurses earn a Ph.D. Administrators previously established a program where nurses with a bachelor of science in nursing could seamlessly obtain a Ph.D. The three members of this program’s first group are close to the end of their studies. “It opens up a lot of doors for me as far as being able to teach at a university level,” said Albert Anderson, a registered nurse at Vidant Medical Center who is a dissertation away from graduation. “It is going to give me lots of options, but I think it is as much personal motivation as it is anything.” Anderson—whose research focuses on the safety culture of a nursing unit and the relationship the leader of the unit forms with a team—hopes to use his doctorate to continue creating new knowledge for the discipline. These programs also address a need to prepare younger nurses for the future of the field. In most disciplines, the average age someone obtains a doctorate is late 20s or early 30s. But the average age nurses obtain a doctorate is mid-to-late-40s. College of Nursing administrators are doing their part to help. In addition to varied paths for receiving a doctorate, they established a competitive program where incoming ECU Honors College freshmen can apply for early assurance of acceptance in the BSN-to-Ph.D. program. “We have this myth that nurses have to practice nursing and that you have to get out there and be a ‘real’ nurse before you can go back and get additional degrees,” said Scott. “We will give students who choose to pursue a BSNto- Ph.D. ways to develop clinical acumen and work part time, but we don’t want them to stop continuing their education while they are gaining that clinical competency. “These young scholars are the future of nursing, the students who can help us drop that average of the nurse getting their Ph.D. to below 40.” —Alyssa Gutierrez Dr. Gregory Chadwick, dean of the ECU School of Dental Medicine, has received the 2016 Paragon Award from the American Student Dental Association. The award recognizes people who have significantly contributed to the advancement of the rights, interests and welfare of dental students throughout their careers. It is the highest and most notable award given by ASDA. Chadwick accepted the award during the ASDA Annual Session in Dallas on March 5. Wanda Tyler has been named director of intercultural affairs at ECU’s Ledonia Wright Cultural Center. She comes to ECU from the University of New Haven in Connecticut, where she worked for more than nine years. Tyler has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from James Madison University in Virginia and a master’s in counseling and student personnel services from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. At ECU, she will be responsible for cultivating environments where students, faculty, staff and the region may engage in critical discussion and interaction about race/ethnicity, gender, culture, sexual identity, gender identity/expression and worldview. Fifteen clinicians from ECU Physicians, the group medical practice of the Brody School of Medicine, have received national recognition for their skill in providing high-quality care to patients with diabetes. The three-year Diabetes Recognition Program distinction from the National Committee for Quality Assurance shows these providers have demonstrated they deliver the highest level of diabetes care based on five key measures associated with complications from the disease. Recognized were Drs. Janice Daugherty, Justin Edwards, Jason Foltz, Susan Keen and Gary Levine from the Family Medicine Center; Drs. Tommy Ellis, Celeste Jackson, Kelly Philpot and physician assistant Mark Harrell from the Firetower Medical Office; Drs. Muna Mian and James Powell from internal medicine; Drs. Almond Drake and Robert Tanenberg from endocrinology; and Drs. Lacy Hobgood and Mary Turner from internal medicine/pediatrics. They are the only health care providers in ECU Physicians’ 29-county service area to hold this recognition. College of Education embarks on assessment plan The ECU College of Education is on a quest for excellence. Grant Hayes, who has been dean and distinguished professor since August, opened his first faculty and staff meeting asking tough questions: “What does the ECU College of Education want to be known for?” and “What can students get here that they cannot get elsewhere?” To help the college answer these questions, department chairs are working with faculty to increase the impact, performance and visibility of their work. “Grant is resourceful and prepared,” said Art Rouse, chair of the Department of Educational Leadership. “From the time he interviewed and then came to ECU as dean, he could see that the college has major impact on the region, but it was not being told or seen by our various stakeholders.” Training more than 20 percent of North Carolina’s teachers, ECU plays a crucial role in replenishing the 10,000-teacher shortage in the state. Graduates teach in 98 of the 100 North Carolina counties and have the highest employment rate of all UNC-system schools. Enrollment dips have affected teacher- preparation schools and colleges across the country, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education. The office reported enrollment in teacher-education programs has dropped by about 10 percent between 2004 and 2012. ECU has experienced an 18 percent decline in enrollment in its education programs, while the UNC system has seen a 30 percent decline across 15 universities. To address that, Hayes has implemented a three-year plan that focuses on strengthening academic programs, increasing partnerships, and generating collaboration and external support for research activity. “We need to reclaim our profession,” he said. “People are making decisions without our voice, and ECU faculty need to be heard as leaders of these discussions.” As a first step, each department in the college will establish benchmarks to measure impact over time. In year two, departments will refine their impact statements and develop a clear metrics plan. Year three will consist of data analysis and development of each department’s first volume of impact reports. “(Faculty) can step back and ask ‘why are we doing this,’ or determine that something isn’t effective and needs to be revised to increase effectiveness and impact,” said Hayes. For example, the college introduced co-teaching. It places two interns with a teacher in the field, and they plan, deliver and assess instruction together. More than 100 interns are co-teaching in 91 classrooms representing seven teacher preparation programs at ECU. Since 2011, the college has implemented edTPA, a capstone assessment taken by students before they graduate (comparable to the bar exam for law students). Students in all initial licensure programs are required to take the assessment. On average, students in nine of the 13 programs are performing better than the national average. ECU received national recognition for implementing edTPA with limited resources and for using the assessment tool to improve teacher preparation. Recently, the college launched a pilot program with a mixed-reality classroom of fifth-grade avatars called TeachLive, which provides on-the-spot teacher training. Focusing on classroom management, the avatars have diverse personalities and learning styles that education students must react to in real-time. With TeachLive, students can face real classroom challenges in a safe setting. ECU is the first university in the state to use TeachLive for teacher preparation. In response to losing good teachers to other professions and states, the college has made collaborating with a variety of partners to train and retain teachers in eastern North Carolina a priority. The North Carolina New Teacher Support Program was established in 2012 by UNC General Administration. ECU delivers NTSP professional development and coaching for teachers in their first through third years of teaching in Duplin, Hoke, Lenoir, Pamlico and Perquimans counties. Another example, which is funded by the State Employees’ Credit Union Foundation, is the SECU Partnership East program, a degree-completion partnership with 20 North Carolina community colleges from Raleigh to the Outer Banks. With a mission to “grow our own,” the program allows students interested in teaching to attend their local community college for two years and then take two years of ECU education courses online or face-to-face at a nearby site. Since its inception in 2002, the program has prepared 674 teachers. —Jessica Nottingham Five minutes with Nneka Jones Tapia ’03 Position: Executive director, Cook County Jail, Chicago Degree: Master s in psychology Hometown: Grifton Last year, Jones Tapia became one of the first clinical psychologists in the country to work as a warden. At her institution, Cook County Jail in Chicago, up to one- third of the 9,000 detainees are mentally ill. It could be considered the largest mental institution in the country. “The need for mental health treatment and expertise in all correctional institutions is paramount. As state budgets continue to suffer, the typical result is the underfunding or elimination of community mental health services. As a result of those cuts, we have seen striking increases in the number of individuals with mental illness ending up in correctional institutions. “The Mental Health Transition Center offers mental health treatment, educational programming and job-readiness skills training. Many of the participants that have been released from custody have restored their relationships with their families, continued their educational programming and become employed. “My initial desire to attend ECU’s master s program was rooted in its proximity to home. However, once I started attending, I grew most fond of the family-oriented spirit of the institution. The class sizes were small enough to allow my cohort to develop bonds with each other and our instructors. “My education at ECU was my introduction to the professional world of mental health. The internship experiences I had while there were formidable and solidified my desire to work with justice-involved individuals. “Throughout my life, including my time at ECU, I’ve learned the benefit of resilience. Once you’re inspired to do something, you can do it. You just need the tools to succeed, and I try to relay that message to our detainees. We want to hear stories from alumni about how their experiences at ECU shaped them today and how they pass those lessons to others. Send us an email at easteditor@ecu.edu. Photograph by Joshua Lott/The New York Times/Redux Tyree Parker and Grace Baran in the Bioprocess Engineering Lab Prescriptionfor prosperity Skilled graduates are one way ECU is leading economic development 22 That refrain is heard over and over around eastern North Carolina, and East Carolina University’s leaders are doing all they can to make sure it is sung loudly and clearly. For example, they adopted “regional transformation” as one of the university’s commitments in the 2014- 2019 strategic plan. “It’s intentional,” says Provost Ron Mitchelson. “It’s part of the mission, a clear part of the strategic plan. “They want innovation,” he says of the people and leaders of eastern North Carolina. “They want entrepreneurship.” Regional reach Forbes and Chief Executive magazines rank North Carolina second and third, respectively, among the 50 states for business. That’s not widely evident in the East. According to the N.C. Department of Commerce, eastern North Carolina has 22 Tier 1 counties, meaning they are the state’s most economically distressed. The department also says 19 eastern counties are losing jobs. Only five eastern cities—Greenville, Jacksonville, Rocky Mount, Wilson and Goldsboro—rank among the state’s 25 largest in terms of population. Meanwhile six eastern counties—Halifax, Northampton, Martin, Washington, Hyde and Lenoir—have lost citizens, according to the N.C. Office of State Budget and Management. And the average pay in every county in the East is below the state average of $44,969. “The equation is education equals economic development,” says John Chaffee, chief executive of the NCEast Alliance, a nonprofit economic development organization. But it’s not just workforce development that boosts business. Universities also offer technical expertise, technology that can be commercialized and more. In his 1990 book, The Competitive Advantage of Nations, Michael Porter forecasts that in most of the world, a nation’s economic prosperity would no longer be tied to abundant natural resources and cheap labor. Instead, competitive advantage would increasingly be based on creative and scientific innovations. He says this new model positions colleges and universities as primary engines of economic growth. For example, in 2014, ECU received $44.4 million in external funding, had 14 active license/option agreements with small businesses, filed 13 patent applications and was awarded eight patents. “ECU is as well-positioned as any university in the state to have a distinctive impact on its region,” Chaffee says. Charles Hayes ’72 ’74, president and CEO of the Research Triangle Region, likes A glimpse of the economic struggles in northeastern North Carolina was revealing for Stephanie Smith ’11. She co-wrote an economic development strategic plan in 2014 for Bertie County when she was working on her master of business administration degree at N.C. Central University. Though she was born in Greenville, she grew up in Charlotte and Raleigh, so going up U.S. 13 and meeting residents of Windsor, Aulander and the other Bertie towns unveiled a new economic reality for her. “I didn’t even know eastern North Carolina existed in the way it did,” says Smith, now a business operations analyst at Cisco in Research Triangle Park. “I just never thought of all the places I passed on the road and the conditions they live in.” Those include substandard housing, inadequate educational opportunities and a lack of transportation. About 40 miles north of ECU and bordered by the Roanoke River, Bertie County ranks near the bottom in most of the state’s economic categories. A review of Census data by the website 24/7 Wall St. determined it’s the state’s poorest. Its median household income of $29,388 compares to the state median of $46,693. The poverty rate is 25.5 percent; unemployment is 7.8 percent. To remedy some of that, Smith’s plan included ideas such as Career Readiness Certificate testing for all high school students and improving county branding and marketing. “Our plan isn’t to attract those big industries but what can people do at a grassroots level,” she says. It’s also inclusive. In rural communities, she says, people can be resistant to change. And people who want change face obstacles such as inadequate education and reliable transportation. Making stakeholders feel like they’re part of the plan can help lead to solutions. “Bring people together, putting a plan together as a facilitator…but it has to be their ideas,” she says. “And then be a champion for those things.” Buy-in from important constituencies is also important. In rural counties, black ministers are some of the most influential people around. “A pastor explaining the importance of higher education on a Sunday is way more powerful than picking up a newspaper and reading about it,” she says. Smith did notice that as a black woman, people in the majority-minority county felt a link to her—and she to them. “Some of them still call me,” she says. “When you have that connection, you’re ready to do all you can.” She thought about that a lot two years ago on those drives between the Triangle and the Coastal Plain. “At the end of the day, I can drive home, but they have to stay there,” she says. “It hurt.” “Blueprint for Bertie” is online at unc.live/1VOHQQM. —Doug Boyd Rural communities face stubborn challenges 23 John Chafee Charles Hayes continued on page 25 Stephanie Smith guides community members through a planning exercise in Windsor. In the office of Wanda Yuhas ’75, purple is prominent. The head of the Pitt County Development Commission wears a purple skull-andcrossbones scarf. The office suite features purple accents, restrooms included. Even the logo on her business cards includes purple as one of its four colors. It’s not a coincidence. “It reminds us every day that these are our closest partners,” she says of the logo, which includes the colors of Vidant Medical Center, Pitt Community College and the city of Greenville. But of the purple, she adds, “We can’t ever overestimate the importance of ECU.” Ecotourism a piece of the puzzle for river towns When I was growing up in Williamston, my grandmother warned me about the Roanoke. If I got so much as knee-deep in the swirling water, she would say, currents might suck me under, never to be seen again, pulled down into what she called the “bottomless” stretches of the river. So when I bought myself a personal watercraft for my 30th birthday, naturally I headed for the insidious Roanoke. What I found was one of the wildest yet most serene places—and some of the clearest water—one could hope to experience. “We have a beautiful place you can get to, leave your technology behind, and clear your head,” says Carol Jones Shields ’94 ’00, executive director of Roanoke River Partners, an economic development and tourism organization representing 11 communities along the river. Toward that end, ECU faculty members and students have been working with the river communities to boost tourism, including subcontract work on a $73,500 state grant in 2013. To city dwellers, a day of canoeing or kayaking, eating local fare such as herring and barbecue, and watching wildlife might not seem like much to folks who grew up in the area. But that attitude is changing as communities realize the textile factories and tobacco warehouses are gone, and the land itself is one of their best hopes for economic revival. From 2010-2013, 10 new businesses including campsites, outfitters, guide services, and restaurants opened in eight of the 12 municipalities along the river. “They’re really looking for an authentic experience,” Paige Viren, an ECU assistant professor of recreation and leisure studies and affiliate faculty member in the Center for Sustainable Tourism, says of tourists to the northeastern region. “They’re not looking to go to Applebee’s or Starbucks. They want to go to the Oyster Bar in Williamston or the Cypress Grill in Jamesville. “That’s the beauty of an adventure tourist,” Viren says. “You don’t have to have all that infrastructure. You develop what is existing. We can provide that in eastern North Carolina, we can charge for that, and it can be an economic value.” In addition to the wild areas, historic sites such as Hope Plantation near Windsor, Somerset Place in Creswell and the Edenton waterfront offer glimpses into antebellum and Colonial North Carolina. At Somerset Place, presentations and exhibits represent the lives of slaves who lived on the plantation, one of the first sites in the state to do an interpretive focus on the enslaved population of the region’s plantations. Paige Viren Keeping the tourists coming takes cooperation among stakeholders—not competition. “Our small communities in eastern North Carolina are so economically challenged, we all need to find all the ways of working together for the good of the region,” Shields says. —Doug Boyd to say, “Higher education is economic development.” Government, business and academia must work together to create jobs and opportunity, he stresses. “It takes a concerted and well-thought-out strategy and plan,” he says. “The university has to be sitting at the table to lead.” And ECU leaders are embracing that work. “It really is in our DNA as a regional institution,” says Michael Van Scott, interim vice chancellor for research, economic development and engagement. “It started a focus on producing teachers for the region. What we’re seeing now is an extension of that mission into other programs that impact economic development.” Jennifer Lantz, executive director of the Wilson Economic Development Council, says programs and people at ECU, such as the engineering department, are eager to help industries and municipalities grow and prosper. If a company needs a specific type of training program for workers, she says, “who we’re going to go to is ECU. Because of that entrepreneurial spirit. It’s going to be ECU whom we call first.” Regional businesses will reap even more of the benefits of that entrepreneurial spirit next year when the Miller School of Entrepreneurship opens, says Stan Eakins, dean of the College of Business. “Any company that hires anybody…they all are looking for an innovative employee, one that has entrepreneurial ideas and wants to push things forward,” he says. Life sciences leadership Though the Research Triangle gets the recognition, companies such as Patheon, Pfizer, Mayne Pharma and many others make eastern North Carolina the home of nearly 8,000 life sciences jobs. “The largest life sciences sector per capita is in eastern North Carolina,” Lantz says. “ECU can play a pivotal role in growing that sector.” ECU is already stepping up. The new Pharmaceutical Development and Manufacturing Center of Excellence, announced a year ago and funded by the Golden LEAF Foundation, is a partnership among ECU, Pitt Community College and the pharmaceutical industry aimed at training a superior workforce. Alex Morsch ’13 is just the type of student the center of excellence aims to produce. The bioprocess engineering graduate works at Pfizer’s facility in Rocky Mount as a process validation engineer. She ensures that processes are capable of producing products that will consistently meet predetermined specifications and quality attributes. “I think ECU is incredibly important to economic development,” she says. “It helps develop eastern North Carolina in multiple areas, from engineering, teaching, improving medical practices, dental. With the variety of programs the school has to offer, it attracts people to move to the area and attend school.” Many then decide to live and work in the region, she adds. Another life sciences boost is coming as ECU develops its Millennial Campus, a district where the university, industry, government and the military will work together on research and bringing ideas to market. Part of that campus might be the new biotechnology and life sciences building, to be constructed with funds voters approved in the Connect NC bond act, passed in March. That building will be home to the biomedical and bioprocess engineering departments as well as the pharmaceutical center. Thousands of students will be their first dose of life sciences education as they take biology courses and labs in the new building. “Education is the answer, and at the highest level of leadership, you need to embrace that and create strategies to accomplish that,” Hayes says. Education aimed at jobs In its 2015 rankings, Educate to Career put ECU fourth out of more than 1,200 universities in the nations in terms of “actual college outcomes data,” according to the California nonprofit. The rankings indicate which schools do the best job of improving the earnings and job prospects of students, according to ETC. The ranking matches what Justin Wood, manager of quality engineering at Sequence, a Morrisville-based consulting company started by Mike Putnam ’98 ’01, sees in ECU engineering graduates. “One of the things that impresses me about this program is they come out prepared for the real world from day one,” he said. “They’re polished. Not only do they have a technical background, they have the communication skills you need and the other skills we look for.” In the chemistry department, the good manufacturing practices lab prepares chemistry students to document their reports. “They’re immediately employable,” Keith Holmes ’68, one of two faculty members who lead the lab. “They’re much more experienced because they have documented what they have done in a regulatory- compliant manner.” Funded by the Golden Leaf Foundation and supported by local companies, the lab opened in the early 2000s to teach how to keep logbooks and lab reports that meet FDA regulations. The class cuts three to six months off the time a company must train a new employee, Holmes says. He recalls one administrator from AAIPharma Services in Wilmington calling him after hiring one of his graduates. “They said, ‘Where did (she) come from? We’ve never had anyone who understood regulations and knew how to write, ever,’” Holmes says. As part of the Pharmaceutical Development and Manufacturing Center of Excellence funded by the Golden LEAF Foundation, the chemistry department also has begun offering tailored short courses for industries that Columbia• ★East Carolina University Columbia• ★East Carolina University Helping communities help themselves in 13 area middle schools. The goal is to build an education-to-workforce pipeline for advanced manufacturing workers and entrepreneurs. Again, education drives economies. “In our world today, the places that have the most educated people are the places that are going to win, and that’s not going to change,” Hayes says. “Education is the answer, and at the highest levels of leadership you need to embrace that and create strategies to accomplish that.” Another way ECU helps the region is by sending hundreds of healthcare professionals into the workforce every year. The university also staffs or owns numerous medical clinics around the region and eight dental centers from the Smokies to the Albemarle Sound. Those centers contribute an estimated $1 million annual economic impact to their respective towns, according to the dental school. “That is an important part of the marketability of a community, dental health care,” says Dan Gerlach, president of the Golden LEAF Foundation. Van Scott, the vice chancellor who oversees economic development, says these examples show “a culture that’s developed here at ECU of taking ownership of the problems and opportunities. People aren’t satisfied giving a little advice and walking away. People want to see real change.” In her downtown Greenville office, Yuhas puts it another way. “Nobody is expecting the university to wave a magic wand and solve all our problems,” she says. “But even knowing the university will be there with us in the proverbial trenches, always there and willing to participate—they really do want to help effect change in a region and state that needs help making this change. “They’re not a silent partner. They’re a full partner.” East Eastern N.C.’s economic clusters, representative companies and their products/services AEROSPACE AND DEFENSE Spirit Aerosystems, Kinston Aircraft structures and components Tcom, Elizabeth City —Surveillance blimps ADVANCED MANUFACTURING AND LOGISTICS Keihin Carolina System Technology, Tarboro Electronic assemblies Transportation Impact, Emerald Isle Shipping logistics and cost- savings; co-owned by ECU alumnus Travis Burt LIFE SCIENCES Fuji Silysia Chemical USA, Greenville Synthetic amorphous silica Purdue Pharmaceuticals, Wilson Pain-management pharmaceuticals VALUE-ADDED AGRICULTURE AND FOOD Mt. Olive Pickles, Mount Olive Pickle manufacturing Hillshire Bakeries, Tarboro Sara Lee baked goods E E astern North Carolina has a history of economic challenges. That’s why the ECU Office of Innovation and Economic Development is looking for ways to tackle problems and inject ECU’s expertise into local, governments, schools and economies. The Innovation Design Lab and MakerBot Innovation Center are examples. Another is the Talent Enhancement and Capacity Building Program, which is helping communities help themselves. The program is a partnership that leverages resources at ECU and the N.C. Department of Commerce to provide financing, technical assistance, capacity building and comprehensive community development training to rural local governments. Since 2009, the state has invested $2.1 million in TECB, and ECU has partnered with 39 rural communities. “The TECB program helps ECU and the state make a crucial investment in economic development in eastern North Carolina and other rural regions across the state,” says Ted Morris, associate vice chancellor for innovation and economic development. In downtown Columbia, a town on the way to the Outer Banks, a similar ECU program helped the town map its economic future about a decade ago. ECU experts helped the town and local landowners see how they could profit from the area’s Scuppernong grapes. Now, a winery now operates out of a building that was on its way to the scrap heap. They also helped town leaders set goals for attracting an assisted living center, which will open this year. Most of all, they helped leaders prioritize. “The important thing East Carolina was able to assist us with…was facilitation,” says Town Manager Rhett White. “There’s no shortage of ideas in small towns. Sometimes, it’s tough to narrow those prospects down to where we can bite them off piece by piece.” —Doug Boyd request it, as well as doing contract analytical work for firms that lack the specialized equipment ECU has been able to acquire. “If they need something done, we want to do that,” Holmes says. The College of Business also has nine- month programs in topics such as data analytics and project management aimed at working people. “We continue to roll out more certificates that are applicable to what the world currently needs,” says Eakin, the business dean. “We talk about lifelong learning, but if you’re not responding to the lifelong learning needs of the employers, then it’s just talking,” says Chaffee. ECU’s reputation for working with business and industry is attractive to companies looking to expand. “That keeps us on a list,”Yuhas says. “A company’s not looking for a reason to put us on a list. They’re looking for a reason to mark us off. So the more we can have to keep us on the list, the better.” In December, the university opened its expanded Innovation Design Lab and announced the start of a workforce- development program funded by the Duke Energy Foundation to address the growing demand for trained innovators in high-skill, high-pay pharmaceutical and other advanced manufacturing careers throughout the region. This facility includes the only MakerBot Innovation Center in North Carolina, where students can rapidly build scaled prototypes of their ideas to test, refine and perfect. The lab has also hosted schoolteachers from the region to train them so they can take 3D printing to their own classrooms. Last summer, ECU hosted its first Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Academy. Funded through a $1.25 million Golden LEAF Foundation grant, the academy is part of a larger project to open pilot entrepreneurship, science, technology, engineering, art and design, and math labs or with a public sector initiative, ECU offers these resources: • Center for Survey Research provides access to opinion polling surveys and marketing analysis to local governments to guide their zoning and other long-range planning. Call 252-737-1349. • Community and Regional Development Programs offers technical assistance, training, financial resources and other economic development products and service to rural local governments and nonprofit organizations to help increase capacity and build more competitive communities. If you need help starting or expanding a business in eastern North Carolina • Bureau of Business Research, the applied research arm of the College of Business, provides economic data and forecasting services to businesses, governments and individuals. Call 252-737-1441. • Center for Innovation in Technology and Engineering, offered by the College of Engineering and Technology, provides an alternative for specialized industrial training and project implementation. Call 252-328-9654. Call 252-737-1342. • ECU Entrepreneurial Initiative holds meetings where spin-ins (local start-ups that need ECU’s technical help) and spin-outs (companies started by faculty that need help commercializing their discoveries) present their ideas to angel investors, venture capitalists and other entities supporting early stage innovations. Call 252-737-1345. • Small Business and Technology Development Center, whose eastern regional office operates within ECU, provides business research, technical assistance in obtaining state and federal (often military) contracts, targeted assistance to local companies hoping to export their products, and one-to-one counseling to assist businesses in the commercialization of innovative technologies. Call 252-737-1368. • Small Business Institute, an outreach program of the College of Business, assigns student teams to analyze problems encountered by the business, then develops possible solutions. Call 252-737-1057. Licensed to heal Tanya Darrow ’07 serves patientsand students in rural N.C. Licensed to heal Tanya Darrow ’07 serves patientsand students in rural N.C. BY CRYSTAL BAITY PHOTOGRAPHY BY CLIFF HOLLIS “Family medicine” has infant son, Luke, she drops At least two Brody School of more than one meaning for Gavin off at school then heads Medicine graduates and a couple Tanya Darrow ’07. for her job as a physician of other ECU P.A. graduates She and her husband, Mark, start each morning before daybreak with physical therapy treatments assistant at Vance Family Medicine in Henderson. “It’s a mix of urgent care and practice there, putting ECU’s mission to serve the underserved to work every day. for their 6-year-old son, Gavin, primary care all in one,” Darrow “We’re not quite ready to paint who has cystic fibrosis. says of her practice, which has it purple, but we’re close,” About three hours later, after working out and feeding her thousands of patients, from “babies to geriatrics. It’s truly ‘womb to tomb.’” Darrow says. “We’re a big family here.” Working for health Darrow has practiced at Vance Family Medicine since graduating from ECU with a master’s degree in P.A. studies in 2007. In conjunction with a supervising doctor, physician assistants evaluate, diagnose and treat, provide counseling and prescribe medication. The practice is open long hours and on Saturdays. Situated on the Virginia line and Kerr Lake along Interstate 85 and U.S. 158, Vance County has a population of about 45,000. Henderson is the county seat and home to about 15,000. Unemployment is in the high single digits. More than a quarter of the population lives below the poverty line, according to Census figures. Life expectancy, at 74.9, trails the state number of 78.3, according to state statistics. Cancer death rates exceed state averages, and deaths from chronic kidney disease are worse than national averages, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Diabetes is rampant. Asthma hospitalizes children at a rate nearly 50 percent higher than the state as a whole. Against that backdrop, Darrow works to make sure her patients grasp her explanations and participate in their care. “If you don’t understand something, she will explain it until you do,” says 17-yearold Samaira Williams, who is interested in attending ECU to study anthropology. “She makes things clear for you,” says Samaira’s mother, Samantha Williams. “She’s got a lot of patience whether it’s over the phone or face to face.” Darrow says it’s important to educate children and their parents early about proper nutrition and exercise when looking at childhood obesity rates, especially in rural areas where access to playgrounds or fresh fruits and vegetables can be limited. “We have to get creative,” Darrow said. One of the hardest parts of Darrow’s job is referring patients to a specialist when test results come back abnormal, something she’s had to do at least a dozen times because of cancer. Another challenge is when a patient dies. She recently attended the funeral of a woman whom she had cared for since she became a physician assistant. “In rural medicine, you can’t help but get close to your patients,” she said. “Everybody knows everybody. It’s like a part of your family has passed away as well.” Outside the clinic, Darrow is a team leader for the annual Great Strides walk, a fundraiser for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Held in Durham on April 16, she joined more than 300 walkers to raise funds for research. Darrow’s team, “Gavin’s Groupies,” has been walking since her son was 1. She wanted to get more involved this year and served on the planning committee for the annual event. “I want to see my child grow up and go to school and get married,” says Darrow. While cystic fibrosis has no cure, Gavin has been taking a new drug, ivacaftor, which targets the underlying cause of the disease in patients with a specific gene defect. In people with cystic fibrosis, that defective gene causes a buildup of thick mucus in the lungs, pancreas and other organs. It clogs airways and traps bacteria leading to infections and extensive lung damage. In the pancreas, the mucus prevents the release of digestive enzymes that allow the body to break down food and absorb vital nutrients. Since starting the drug last year, Gavin’s weight has increased and he’s gotten taller. “We’re starting to see a turnaround,” Darrow says. Professionally, Darrow serves on the Government Affairs Committee for the North Carolina Association of Physician Assistants. The committee monitors state legislative activity that could affect how physician assistants practice in North Carolina. At the national level, areas under consideration include continuing medical education and certification exams. There also is concern about understanding the profession’s role. “There is a perception that we’re glorified medical assistants,” Darrow says. “We are licensed to diagnose and prescribe, and I’m trained to do certain procedures. The whole idea is for the physician assistant and the doctor to work together as a team to expand access to care.” Teacher and provider Darrow worked as a research assistant and clinical trials coordinator at Duke University Health System before entering graduate school. Now, in addition to seeing patients, she mentors students as a preceptor, or clinical teacher. “I like to think I’m providing students with a great experience that will help develop their skills and prepare them for providing excellent patient care,” Darrow said. ECU was Darrow’s top choice because of its commitment to underserved areas of the state, as well as its low cost compared to other programs. “ECU’s efforts to train people who go on to serve in rural areas of the state was and still is my main focus,” Darrow says. Darrow received a grant from the North Carolina Medical Society Foundation’s Community Practitioner Program, which helps medically underserved communities across North Carolina attract and retain needed practitioners. The program pays back some of the debt Darrow incurred as a student. Kim Stokes, clinical coordinator and clinical assistant professor in the P.A. studies program in the ECU College of Allied Health Sciences, saw Darrow’s commitment to rural health when she was in Stokes’ clinical rotation in primary care at Med Center 1 in Greenville. “I noted a bright young lady with an eagerness to return to rural primary care, which truly meets the mission of our P.A. program,” Stokes says. “Almost every day of her clinic life, she is educating someone in Darrow walks with her family and more than 300 other walkers in the Great Strides walk held April 16 in Durham to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. the next graduating class. She never seems to burn out on educating students. We couldn’t ask for a more dedicated preceptor.” At the outset, Darrow finds out more about each student, giving them an opportunity to ask questions or give suggestions on how they could learn better. “Depending on previous rotations, some students are not as confident in certain areas and may need a little extra help,” Darrow says. “I’m very flexible in my teaching style because we all learn differently. That helps me provide an exceptional learning environment when I can for students.” Darrow said it’s important to provide learning opportunities for students across the state in a fast-growing field. “It’s becoming increasingly difficult for students to be placed in a quality environment where they can be exposed to various aspects of primary care,” Darrow says. “In one week (here), you can see a variety of cases and procedures. An experience like that can really push a student forward in his or her training.” ECU alumna Brandy McBryde spent the summer of 2013 with Darrow at Vance Family Medicine. “She always took the time to sit down and educate patients. Even when time was running short, she was teaching,” says McBryde, a P.A. in the emergency department of Harnett Health in Dunn and Lillington. “I believe this is a large part of our job. Managing someone’s health care needs isn’t a one-sided relationship, but a partnership that needs to be nurtured and guided.” She says Darrow was constantly reading and referencing new material from medical journals. “I was able to see firsthand the dedication that is required to practice in medicine,” McBryde says. “The learning doesn’t stop after you receive your degree; you are constantly changing your practice and improving upon your knowledge.” Darrow said she enjoys teaching students, each of whom brings a different perspective and experience to the rotation. “They may have seen or heard something in another rotation that prompts them to ask a question that I can’t answer,” Darrow says. “We both continue to learn. “As a P.A., you can grow as much as you want to,” she adds. “It’s why I chose it. The evolution is still there. It’s constantly growing and changing.” East Twenty years of training rural and underserved providers A A ccredited in the fall of 1996, the mission of ECU’s physician assistant studies program is to prepare primary care providers and increase access to health care for citizens in rural and medically underserved areas. The program is one of nine departments in the College of Allied Health Sciences, the leading university provider of allied health professionals in the state. ECU’s first class of physician assistants graduated in 1999. Until recently, ECU had the only state-supported program in the University of North Carolina system. ECU has graduated 30 to 35 students a year since the program started, says Kim Stokes, clinical coordinator and clinical assistant professor in the P.A. studies program. ECU has affiliations with 129 active clinical sites with 188 preceptors in North Carolina from Southport north to Edenton and west to Chapel Hill. “We focus on rural areas over urban,” Stokes says. About 91 percent of ECU P.A. graduates stay in North Carolina to practice. And ECU graduates have consistently achieved a 100 percent pass rate on their state licensing exams. Before they graduate, students work six-week rotations in family medicine, pediatrics, women’s health, general surgery, internal medicine, behavioral medicine and geriatrics, exposing students to a variety of specialties to choose from when entering the workforce. —Crystal Baity Steve Ballard’s Era Twelve years of leadership and service BY JACKIE DRAKE PHOTOGRAPHY BY CLIFF HOLLIS Officials including former ECU Board of Trustees Chairman Jim Talton, former Gov. Jim Hunt, former UNC President Molly Broad and ECU Professor James Bearden accompany Ballard at his installation ceremony in 2005. Steve Ballard made a bold prediction in his March 2005 installation speech after being named East Carolina University’s tenth chancellor the previous year. “In 2015, ECU will be recognized as ‘the leadership university,’ where each member of our community is empowered to achieve his or her aspirations,” he said at the time. “It is safe to say this goal you set in 2005 has been reached,” says Kimrey Miko of the ECU Staff Senate at a reception earlier this year honoring Ballard. “Kimrey, I can’t believe you actually went back and looked at promises I made. Don’t anybody else do that,” jokes Ballard, who will step down as chancellor July 1. “You found one I delivered a little bit on.” Beneath his trademark humor and modesty, Ballard has delivered more than a little on this goal and others—namely, making ECU a national leader by focusing on student success, public service and regional transformation. “It doesn’t seem possible it has been 12 years,” Ballard says as he reflects on his time in Greenville. “I think it has gone quickly because ECU has been such a good fit for me. We’ve gone from a university that there were some questions about to a major public university. And I don’t take credit for that, I give hundreds of people credit for that.” Ballard, the longest-serving chancellor in the University of North Carolina system, has seen four UNC presidents. He’s presided over a growing student body, budget cuts and academic reorganization, the establishment of the Honors College and the School of Dental Medicine, financial challenges to the Brody School of Medicine, moving to the American Athletic Conference and expanding community partnerships. “My whole professional career has been devoted to the difference that public universities can make for our society,” he says. “Finding a place like ECU that was already committed to that made the work a lot easier.” Ballard had to get right to work when he started his job in May 2004. ECU was in a period of rapid leadership turnover; Ballard was the fourth person in three years to lead the university in either a permanent or interim role. “But larger than that, in the system, ECU was not getting as much respect as many people here felt it should get,” Ballard says. “In a way, that’s a great time to enter a university, when everything seems to be down.” As he began his job as chancellor, Ballard felt ECU had a solid foundation built on service, spirit, leadership and character. It was this foundation that drew him and his wife, Nancy, to East Carolina. Both had experience that aligned with ECU’s commitment to serving the region, particularly through the Brody School of Medicine. “When he was looking at all the materials in the interview process, I was looking at them, too,” says Nancy Ballard, who left a career in health communication to support her husband as chancellor. “I knew he believed in what this university stands for. He didn’t have to convince me. To be part of the growth of this community is more gratifying than I could ever explain.” Leadership and service Molly Broad, president of the UNC system from 1997 to 2006, hired Ballard for his experience in running complex public universities with medical schools and his enthusiasm for finding opportunities to serve the community. She called him “a superb leader.” “Steve has had a profound impact on ECU and has renewed the institution’s focus on community engagement and economic impact for eastern North Carolina,” says Broad, now president of the American Council on Education. Ballard has been honing his ideas on leadership for decades. As shortstop and captain of the University of Arizona baseball team, he learned the importance of cohesiveness and commitment to any organization—sports team or otherwise. That’s the essence of his leadership style, and he used it to build what’s become a strong team of administrators. Rick Niswander, ECU’s vice chancellor for administration and finance, was dean of the business school, Faculty Senate chair and on the search committee that interviewed Ballard 12 years ago. Ballard’s leadership style of hiring good people and letting them do their jobs without micromanagement helped convince him to take on a larger role at the university. “You don’t get there unless you’re confident in your own skin, and he’s confident in his own skin,” Niswander says. Ballard also worked with leaders around the community and region to make sure ECU is part of decisions affecting the region. “One of the marks of a good leader is that he surrounds himself with good people, and Chancellor Ballard has done an excellent job of that,” says Tony Cannon, chief executive of Greenville Utilities. “He has put the right people in place to position ECU, Greenville and the region for a bright future.” Joel Butler, who served as a university trustee from 2004-2013, says Ballard has held fast to what’s best for ECU when he has had to make tough decisions or persuade others to do so, such as when dealing with budget restrictions or when the university was working to establish a dental school. Ballard didn’t think the initial dental school plan was right for ECU, Butler says. But as the plan evolved into one incorporating service- learning centers, it became a better blueprint. “That allowed for political support across the state,” Butler says. “I think in the Legislature, he is very thoughtful and very level-headed and very persuasive.” In addition, he says, during Ballard’s Chancellor Steve Ballard poses with seven former SGA presidents who prepared a surprise dinner for Ballard and his wife in March. MODELING LEADERSHIP Chancellor Steve Ballard’s well-known passion for mentoring students, particularly student leaders, has helped them become successful leaders after they graduate. “It’s rare to encounter a leader that treats you as a peer,” says Justin Davis ’15, who served as ECU student body president in 2012, and as such was an ex officio member of the Board of Trustees. “Serving on the board can be daunting for a 20-year-old,” Davis says. “Chancellor Ballard really listened to us. That does something for your confidence and professional development. I learned as much on the board as I did in class. His character and commitment made us who we are as people today.” Davis is now the director of business development for a local catering company. His predecessor, Drew Griffin ’08, recently founded a consulting firm in Washington, D.C., and serves as its vice president. entrepreneurship,” Griffin says. “He set an example. He was so poised under pressure. We got to see that up close. That’s definitely something I took away from ECU.” Griffin, Davis and several other past presidents, who have kept in touch over the years, decided they wanted to share these sentiments with Ballard before he stepped down. They quietly worked with Nancy Ballard to host a surprise home-cooked dinner for him at the chancellor’s residence in March. “We wanted to do something in an intimate setting and honor him in a personal manner,” says Griffin, who coordinated the event. “We wanted him to hear how much we appreciated him in a way that he could relax and soak it all in. It was nice to put life to the words we’ve been feeling all these years.”“His impact has been felt not only through the university but through this whole area,” adds Davis. “The environment Chancellor —Jackie Drake Ballard created at ECU allowed us to learn about leadership and administration, service became a central part of ECU. “He did more than speak about it,” Butler says. “He also made sure the idea of service was co-mingled throughout the curriculum of the university.” Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Virginia Hardy first worked with Ballard as interim chief diversity officer. She notes his “wicked” sense of humor, his integrity and that he challenges his team with insightful questions. One of his top accomplishments is “developing and nurturing effective teams who are committed to shared decision making, collaboration and to being authentic to who we are as an institution,” she says. “He is a mentor, coach and friend.” Ballard seeks out people who, like himself, put ECU first. “He cares very much about the university,” Niswander says “His values and the university’s values are closely aligned. The notion of being part of something that’s bigger than yourself, that’s what it’s all about. “Being a chancellor for 12 years—it’s almost unheard of anymore, and you don’t do it if you don’t enjoy it.” Student success One thing Ballard does enjoy is being around students, and their success has been a priority while he’s been chancellor.“The most fun I have is when I meet with students,” Ballard says. “The soul of ECU is our students.” Ballard notes that some universities are committed to generating the most research dollars, some to having the No. 1 football team or basketball team, some to being No. 1 in U.S. News & World Report. “There’s nothing wrong with any of those things,” Ballard says, “but at ECU, our first obligation is doing all we can for our students.” That commitment can be seen in the growing Honors College, an enrollment target of 1,000 engineering students and in other ways. In addition, ECU is on its way to establishing a School of Public Health after several years growing that discipline on the department level. Enrollment has consistently increased, and incoming freshman have higher GPAs and test scores than ever. New facilities such as the Gateway East and West residence halls and new student centers under construction along 10th Street and on the Health Sciences Campus demonstrate the university’s commitment to making the student experience second to none. Student- athletes have also seen gains during Ballard’s tenure. Women’s sports have become fully funded, meaning they have the money to allot the maximum number of scholarships under NCAA rules. The football team won consecutive Conference USA titles and has made several bowl appearances. Swimming and diving continued their traditions of success, winning multiple conference championships, producing NCAA All-Americans, individual conference champions and nearly 200 all- conference performers. The baseball team won the 2015 American Athletic Conference tournament title, and at least four other teams have won conference titles since Ballard arrived. That brings up what is perhaps the top athletic accomplishment during Ballard’s tenure: getting ECU into the AAC after years of knocking on the door of major conferences only to be told Greenville’s media market was too small. “We’re the only small-market school that has gone up so significantly,” Ballard says. “For us to make that jump was a huge accomplishment. And that wasn’t me; dozens of people helped with that. I’ve had chancellors at peer universities tell me they would never try to. All of Pirate Nation should feel good about that accomplishment.” Administrators and faculty work together When John Stiller became chair of the faculty in collaborative environment that means so much to our ongoing from 2009-2012. “He made sure that the faculty, especially reorganization and a complete revision of the ECU Faculty 2015, it was without any direct successes as a university.” through the Faculty Senate, Manual. This positive relationship experience as a central faculty officer. He had never met with the academic council and had never had a one-on-one meeting with Chancellor Steve Ballard. The University of North Carolina Board of Governors requires each chancellor to ensure the existence of a faculty senate or council at each campus in always had a voice, and he took that voice seriously.” Walker and Ballard embarked on a series of meetings called “CH3: Chats with the Chancellor between the chancellor and the chair of the faculty has continued. “From both my own experiences and comments from my predecessors, I think “At our first meeting, Dr. Ballard the system, and this model of and Chair of the Faculty,” Dr. Ballard is an exceptional was so welcoming, so respectful shared governance has worked where faculty from all areas team-builder,” Stiller says. “He of my role as faculty chair, and particularly well at ECU. could discuss obstacles and recognizes the importance of so open and direct, that I quickly lost any jitters,” Stiller says. “I felt the same way in my meetings with all our senior administrators. It exemplified for me, in a direct and personal way, how Dr. Ballard has helped to cultivate the strong “Chancellor Ballard took this charge very seriously and worked to preserve this active and productive shared governance model at ECU,” says Marianna Walker, who chaired the faculty opportunities. Ballard’s administration and the Faculty Senate worked together on several issues through the years including tough budget decisions, academic involving diverse campus and community constituencies in planning and enacting key initiatives, particularly those with broad impact.” —Jackie Drake Continuing challenges While ECU has gained access into a larger conference, maintaining competitive athletic programs will continue to be a challenge, Ballard says. Today’s college athletic landscape is uneven; ECU spends a fraction of what some schools in the South and Midwest spend on athletics. “Pirates are really competitive, and I’m proud of how we’ve competed, but the challenge is competing in an environment where some universities have so much money,” Ballard says. “That disparity makes the competition more challenging. I think we’ve done really well on that, but it’s going to remain a significant challenge.” If college athletics is an ever-changing challenge, it’s nothing compared to health care, particularly the unique issues faced by medical schools. ECU’s Brody School of Medicine was founded in an era of relatively generous federal and state support for medical schools and health care in general. But cutbacks have added pressure on Brody. The university has worked to preserve the school and make sure legislators know its purpose, mission and structure, such as the fact the school doesn’t own a hospital. “In the future, the question is, what do we have to do to ensure that the Brody School of Medicine remains fiscally viable in an era in which all the revenue streams and reimbursement variables have changed dramatically,” he says. “The world has changed. The competition has changed.” As a result of the efforts of Ballard and other ECU leaders, in 2015 Brody received $8 million from the state to help stabilize its budget, and the state has restored some of its ability to collect debt and bill Medicaid at higher rates for patient-care services. Ballard’s advice for the next chancellor would be “don’t let anything come before your work on the Brody School and all the leadership in health sciences. That challenge is huge because the environment is 180 degrees different from when I got here.” The overall ECU budget will also be a challenge. During the last six years, ECU has lost close to $110 million in state appropriations, or close to one-quarter of its state funds. Those cuts led in 2011 to the formation of the Program Prioritization Committee, a group of administrators and faculty members that reviewed 277 academic programs and made recommendations for which ones to invest in, cut, merge or otherwise modify to improve efficiency and reduce costs. It was an example of how Ballard has been able to work with faculty on important issues. “We all have to realize the future isn’t going to look like the past, in terms of budget,” Ballard says. Lasting legacy Hardy says Ballard has helped grow the awareness and reputation of ECU, particularly at the UNC system level and with the General Assembly. “He has set the bar high for how we do things and doing them with a sense of integrity, authenticity, urgency and quality,” she says. “We have been able to do this with so many different initiatives, projects and programs that ECU is often looked at as a model by other campuses.” In his 2005 speech, Ballard said, “North Carolina cannot be a great state without a thriving eastern region. North Carolina needs the East, and for the East to prosper, ECU must prosper.” Twelve years later, Ballard is confident about ECU’s next steps. “If we continue to emphasize academic quality for our students, there’s nothing in the way of ECU being as good and as important and as significant as we want it to be,” he says. “I have no doubts about what is here in the future.” Or, to build on Ballard’s favorite phrase, it will keep on being a great time to be a Pirate. East Highlights of Ballard’s tenure n One of only two universities to receive the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award n Establishing the Honors College n Establishing the ECU School of Dental Medicine n Receiving the C. Peter Magrath University/ Community Engagement Award from the Association of Public & Land-Grant Universities for the Lucille W. Gorham Intergenerational Center n Joining the American Athletic Conference n Establishing a Millennial Campus, a 22-acre site in Greenville’s warehouse district n Recognition as an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities n Establishment of a school of entrepreneurship with a commitment of $5 million from alumnus J. Fielding Miller ’84 and his wife Kim Grice Miller ’83 n Raising $220 million in ECU’s Second Century Campaign MO-MENTUM A new coach and new staff have injected energy into ECU’s football Pirates BY JULES NORWOOD PHOTOGRAPHY BY CLIFF HOLLIS Watch coach Montgomery lead practice at https://youtu.be/w7uSRLA_Q_I From the moment Scottie Montgomery took the podium during his first news conference as head football coach at East Carolina University, the excitement and energy he brings to the program has been tangible. Since then, he has wasted no time, assembling a talented staff and obtaining commitments from a full class of recruits despite having only a few short weeks to pitch ECU and its football program to high school players. “Chaos? I don’t remember any chaos,” says Montgomery. “Except maybe at home with my boys during bath time.” While the outside perception may have been “Our families were extremely patient with Teaching and training that there was much to do and little time to us, and our coaches were patient with me,” With winter conditioning and spring do it, Montgomery says it was all business he says. With so many ideas and recruits to practice done, the focus is on the fall and inside the walls of the Ward Sports Medicine analyze, “you have to be patient to evaluate developing his team into the best football Building, which houses the football offices people inside and out and not move too fast.” players and young men they can be. The and the athletic department. Rob Goldberg new staff has implemented several programs and policies aimed at turning out not only athletes, but also productive citizens. One example is Tie Tuesdays, when the members of the team are expected to wear ties. The event began with lessons in how to tie them. It can be a difficult transition the first time a young man has to put on a tie for an interview, Montgomery says. “We wanted them to see what it feels like to be presentable in every single setting that they walk into.” As students, the football players are expected to sit in the first three rows in class, to dress appropriately and not wear headphones. The team’s position groups compete on participation in community service activities. “Our offensive line went to the children’s hospital, and they left there better than they went,” Montgomery says. “They left with a better understanding of how important it is for a guy that’s 6 years old or a young girl that’s 7 to smile. Just one day of smiling. “They got to see the impact of spending 45 minutes or an hour with them. We spend that much time looking down at our cell phones and not impacting anybody.” He pointed out that he and his coaching staff only have four years, five at the most, to work with the players while they’re in college. “My challenge is that in that four to five years I have to make them better, leave them better than I found them,” he says. “And then we’re turning them loose to society to impact where we stand as a country, as a program and as a university.” Like his predecessor, Ruffin McNeill, who coached the Pirates from 2010 to 2015, Montgomery will emphasize the relationships among himself, his players and staff. “I’m a young coach in this business, and a head coach that has accomplished what (McNeill) has, I have a level of admiration for that,” he says. “One thing about me is the guys will know that they’re going to get a great level of honest. Sometimes brutal honesty. They also know that any time they knock on that door, I’m available.” Montgomery served as offensive coordinator at Duke under head coach David Cutcliffe, who says Montgomery’s experience playing and coaching in college and the NFL have prepared him for his new role. “He understands how a student-athlete should represent himself, his family and his school, as well as what it takes for a young man to reach the goal of playing in the National Football League,” Cutcliffe says. “Scottie’s ability to relate to the young men will be evident from day one —he will undoubtedly have a positive impact on every individual in the program.” As a coach, added NFL veteran Hines Ward, Montgomery has a natural understanding of the game and his players. Montgomery coached Ward as the wide receivers coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. “He’s a stickler for being fundamentally sound because it’s the fundamentals that win games,”Ward says. “Even though I was older than him, he was always pushing me to be better. At the same time, he wants his players to have fun playing the game, which brought a good balance to all of us. He commanded my respect, and he ultimately made me a better receiver and player.” That focus on the basics will be essential in the American Athletic Conference, Montgomery says. There will be no easy games, no cupcake opponents. Technology has changed recruiting, providing access to highlights from and communication with players around the country, and that has created parity and a higher level of competition. “The team that makes the fewest mistakes in this conference will win,” Montgomery says. “This is a team that’s going to play through the echo of the whistle. Our spring practice won’t be about schematics, it’ll be about fundamental football and getting better at the basics.” The coaches have to be adept at delivering information in the classroom, and the players have to be ready to learn. “On the field we’re going to coach on the run,” says Montgomery. “We’re not going to spend a lot of time standing around talking, with guys not getting work. Our coaches are going to have to be in better shape, myself included.” In practice and games, he wants to see a high-tempo, high-pace format on offense and defense, along with a high level of conditioning. But Montgomery is tight- lipped when it comes to the specifics of his scheme and the depth chart. “One thing we don’t do is give ’em sugar before they put pads on,” he says. “I will say that this is one of the more athletic teams that I have been a part of, and this team is determined to not disappoint.” Strength and conditioning coach Jeff Connors says Montgomery’s winter conditioning program was as detailed and disciplined as any he’s seen. “I think what we did in our winter conditioning program is exactly what our team needs right now, putting the extra time into making sure that things are done right, that they’re detailed and highly disciplined,” he says. The tempo and excitement level are high, he added, which will feed directly into spring practice and into the fall. The family team In the midst of building a staff, meeting the team, bringing in recruits and preparing for conditioning and practice, Montgomery has also moved his family to Greenville. His wife and three sons love their new home, he says. Cassius, 6, has started school, and Moses, 2, is happy as long as he has open space to run, Montgomery says. “The little one, Magnus, is learning to move around, explore, and Ebony is just unbelievable at handling and managing everything. And my in-laws have been very helpful as well.” The community has already welcomed them by bringing food—“not just good food, excellent food,” says Montgomery. 2016 ECU FOOTBALL SCHEDULE SEPT. 3 WESTERN CAROLINA SEPT. 10 N.C. STATE SEPT. 17 AT SOUTH CAROLINA SEPT. 24 AT VIRGINIA TECH OCT. 1 UCF OCT. 8 AT USF OCT. 13 NAVY OCT. 22 AT CINCINNATI OCT. 29 CONNECTICUT (HOMECOMING) NOV. 5 AT TULSA NOV. 12 SMU NOV. 26 AT TEMPLE DEC. 3 AAC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (higher-seed campus site) He credits his parents for their influence in teaching him and demonstrating the meaning of character and the importance of education. “My mother, just watching the sacrifice from her made me realize what a parent needs to do to be successful at being a parent. She was driven to making us the best that we could be,” he says. As for his father, who took it upon himself later in life to further his education, “it changed our family, and it changed our community, because his getting educated inspired people in our community. It also changed the way that we carried ourselves, the level of pride. “I’m very appreciative of him and everything that he did to get me to the point where I am now.” His mentors in the field of coaching—high school coach Ron Greene, Cutcliffe, Bruce Arians and Mike Tomlin—also fall into the family category. Greene, he says, was a father figure for his players, who knew they had to answer to him if they got in trouble with their teachers. He could dole out sprints or take away playing time. “We had so much respect for him because he sacrificed for us, for all 50-100 of us, the way that our parents sacrificed for us, and he still had his own family,” Montgomery says. “If someone said something negative about those people around me, that’s when I would probably not be able to hold my tongue. Just like my family. I’ve trusted them, and they’ve given me opportunities that no one else has.” Rounding out the football family are the support staff inside Ward, he says. It takes a team of people to make it all work, from administrative assistants to the custodial staff. “As coaches we are going to get all the shine in the world, just like we get all the criticism…but what it takes to make it all run is the people. It’s not the façade, the brick exterior, it’s the interior of this place, of the university—it’s beautiful. I knew that it was going to be special, but I didn’t know it was going to be like this. They truly embody what Greenville is all about. This is family.” Montgomery grew up in Shelby, where N.C. State’s David Thompson was a hometown legend. And as a high school football player, Duke was the only school that offered him the chance to play wide receiver. “With the Duke blue, and the red that’s in my veins, I think that turns into purple,” he says, “and that really is the only color I’m concerned about right now.” He’s excited about the football culture in Greenville, which he says is remarkable considering the size of the city. “I knew football was a passion here, but I didn’t know it was going to be like this,” he says. “I’ve been in some passionate places, but this place is leading by far. In Cleveland County we didn’t have a lot other than football. No distractions. Here in Greenville we’re fortunate to have a lot of the things that people can be distracted with but have still been able to maintain the football culture.” The players feel it, and recruits get a sense of it when they come in from other places. Montgomery recalls one recruit who visited and had left town wearing some Pirate gear. Stopping to eat about 40 miles outside of Greenville, he was asked if he was an ECU player. “He said, ‘No, but I’m a recruit.’ And as he was getting ready to leave three or four people all at once gave him the ‘Aaargh!’ and startled him and his family. You know he understands that passion now,” Montgomery says. Sports journalist David Glenn says Montgomery’s personality and charisma will serve him well on the recruiting trail and in building relationships with his players. “He both played and coached in the NFL, which can provide an important connection with young prospects who want to see themselves there someday. His coaching experience has come with the Pittsburgh Steelers, a consistent winner in the NFL, and at Duke, where he helped with one of the most stunning turnarounds in major college football over the last few decades,” Glenn says. It will be an entertaining year in Dowdy- Ficklen Stadium, with home tilts against instate opponents Western Carolina and N.C. State as well as conference foes UCF, USF, Navy, UConn and SMU. Chances are coach Montgomery will be all business on the sidelines, but if fans are lucky they may get to see his moves. “I always remember him dancing,” says Ward. “He would always dance and was up to date on all the latest dance moves and styles.” Whether he dances or not, Montgomery’s enthusiasm and energy have already impacted the ECU football program and will undoubtedly spread throughout the stands and the city of Greenville. East New press box, seats part of stadium plans In the Ward Sports Medicine Building, the football locker room and team meeting areas, athletics training headquarters and the equipment room would be modernized and expanded, and a football team lounge would be built. A $55 million project unveiled in April would add 1,000 seats, a new press box and more to Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium for the 2018 football season. The Ward Sports Medicine Building would also see improvements, and a new hitting area near Clark-LeClair and premium seating Stadium would benefit commitments. the baseball and Construction should softball teams. begin following the The seats would be in final 2017 home a new club level and 20 football game with loge boxes on the south completion scheduled side of the stadium. An by the 2018 home 8,000-square-foot area opener. is also planned between For information, contact the west endzone and the ECU Pirate Club the Murphy Center at 252-737-4540 or to provide close-up ecupirateclub@ecu.edu. viewing of on-field —ECU Athletics action. The ECU Athletics Ticket Office would be relocated and team locker rooms added to Scales Field House. The plans are subject to approval by the ECU Board of Trustees and the UNC Board of Governors and also depend on donations All photos Cliff Hollis Changing Lives, Changing Communities Giving Back Ongoing gifts fund scholarships and more From supporting scholarships quarterly or annual donation to concerts and lectures, schedule that is automatic many donors to East Carolina through our online giving site, University have found recurring our Telefund program or via bank contributions are a convenient draft,” she said. and financially manageable way For Tina Hull ’79, it was a to give back. coworker who helped her realize “We decided early on that we the importance of giving back. wanted to begin giving back, “I would not be where I am if it not only with our talent but our Kali Bousquet weren’t for ECU. I didn’t just learn treasures,” said Ray Rogers ’72. how to do the art, I had to learn Hometown: Winterville, N.C. “Being a part of the working how to source everything that I Year: Junior world and trying to raise a family, needed to create and produce financially we could not amass Major: Secondary mathematics my art,” she said. “It made sense enough to do a one-time gift, so education and mathematics to help support another student we sought ways to work it into who might need help getting Career goals: Public high school our monthly budget, and that has through school.” teacher, higher education worked for us.” instructor Hull worked in insurance and Rogers, an alumnus of the banking before getting back to Scholarships make College of Business, completed her roots with a promotional a difference his degree after interrupting marketing business. “We do his college career to serve in My family’s financial situation screen printing and embroidering, An increase in private investment obesity and/or nutrition. It can Vietnam. He has worked in the had recently declined, and I and I know a lot about textiles and over the past year is expanding also be used to support students banking industry in Greenville was unsure of how I would be how things are assembled. From educational opportunities for going on rotations at other and as financial administrator able to attend college. Because ceramics and sculpting to printing health sciences students at ECU medical schools or attending for Cornerstone Baptist Church. of the Abernathy Scholarship, and dyes, there are a lot of ways and improving quality of care for state or national conferences on His wife, Eve ’69, and daughter I have not only been given I have come full circle with what I patients. these subjects. Adeea ’05 are also alumni. financial support but have also learned at ECU,” she said. Through March of the current fiscal Family medicine also received had the opportunity to live Rogers started giving through She started out with individual year, the ECU Medical & Health a significant bequest from with fellow education majors in an employer match at Wachovia gifts but realized it would be Sciences Foundation had received Caroline Raby ’70 to be used the Education Living Learning and has donated monthly since more manageable to use the gifts, pledges and commitments for scholarships for students Community. The community has 2003. The Rogers’ donations automatic withdrawal option to totaling nearly $10.7 million, pursuing a career in primary care become my family away from have supported the Ledonia support the School of Art and compared to $5.2 million at the medicine who demonstrate a home, and I am blessed to be a Wright Cultural Center, the Janice Design priority fund. same time in the previous fiscal commitment to service. part of it. Hardison Faulkner Gallery and year. This includes more than $5 the Laura Marie Leary Elliott “I think it’s important, and it does More occupational therapy Broadening minds, million in bequest commitments Memorial Scholarship. add up,” Hull said. graduates will be able to pursue opening doors from those who included the advanced degrees thanks to a Last semester, I took a math “I really developed a great appre-Chris Dyba, vice chancellor of university in their wills. bequest from Randy Strickland education course where I ciation for the education I received university advancement and These gifts will go toward ’75 and his wife, Laura Ann was sent to a high school for as well as the relationships during president of the ECU Foundation, scholarships, professorships, Schluter Strickland, to a observations. Being in that the final year before I graduated,” agrees recurring donations are a research and patient care. scholarship endowment in the environment helped me to Rogers said. “Over the years, there good way budget for donations. College of Allied Health Sciences. confirm my aspirations and have been different things near “People are becoming much “We have heard our donors’ and dear to my heart that I wanted more aware of the quality A recent $300,000 gift from an gave me a strong desire to help requests to make giving easy, and my future students achieve to do more than give lip service to and impact of our programs anonymous foundation to the recurring credit card gifts are the their goals. This year, I have also and have chosen to give.” and are choosing to invest School of Dental Medicine will easiest way to ensure continued in health care through their help provide patient care for those had the opportunity to serve Jennifer Watson, director of support of ECU,” he said. “Every personal philanthropy,” said who wouldn’t otherwise be able on the College of Education annual giving at ECU, said the gift in any amount makes an Mark Notestine, president of the to afford treatment. It will also Dean’s Junior Advisory Board DONOR SPOTLIGHT university has options to make impact on the students of ECU foundation. give students more opportunities and to speak at the Leo Jenkins recurring donations convenient. and the people of North Carolina.” scholarship donor event. All Betty S. Abernathy ’51 ’57 was a high to practice caring for patients as “Donors can set a monthly, —Jules Norwood An anonymous bequest of $2 of my accomplishments were school science teacher who spent part of their education. million to the Department of only made possible because of most of her career at Fike High School Psychiatry in the Brody School of Finally, Jackie Jones Stone ’64 the financial support from the in Wilson. She was a leader in science Medicine will provide $1 million for and her twin sister Jeannette Abernathy Scholarship. education and instrumental in the an endowed professorship and $1 Jones ’64, members of the first formation of the North Carolina Science million for research. This research graduating class of nurses at East Real results Teachers Association. Her planned gift would develop and promote Carolina, decided to bequeath a By supporting the College supports science and math education prevention, early intervention and significant portion of their estates of Education, you are not only students through a four-year, $20,000 more effective treatments for to scholarships for undergraduate helping students attend college, scholarship awarded yearly to an mental illness, according to Dr. Sy students in the College of but you are also providing outstanding high school senior. Saeed, department chair. Nursing. The scholarships will schools with amazing teachers. For information on planned Eve and Ray Rogers be given to students from A bequest of $1 million from eastern North Carolina and giving, call 252-328-9566, email an anonymous retired Brody eastern Virginia with an interest plannedgiving@ecu.edu or visit faculty member will support ecu.edu/give in community health nursing or eculegacy.org. medical students working in the psychiatric nursing. ECU Family Medicine Center on —Jackie Drake Laura Ann and Randy Strickland Gifts benefit health sciences students, patients CLASS NOTES CLASS NOTES Joe Pellegrino/The Daily Reflector Maurice Harris EDUCATORS HONORED Maurice Harris ’98 ’06, principal at Wellcome Middle School, is Pitt County Farm Bureau 2015-16 Principal of the Year. Other principal nominees included Cathy Kirkland ’90, principal at Eastern Elementary School. Shannon Cecil ’12, assistant principal at Pactolus School, is Assistant Principal of the Year. Other assistant principal nominees included Alison Covington ’13, Falkland Elementary School; Jeremiah Miller ’01 ’03, South Greenville Elementary School; Tabitha Stormer ’00 ’04, South Central High School; and Darryl Thomas ’02 ’12, J.H. Rose High School. THE 2015 GREAT 2015 Isaac Joseph Boota wed Sarah Willa Fisher on May 23 at Unity Freewill Baptist Church, Greenville. The wedding party included Hannah Blecher ’13, sister of the bride. He works for Mayne Pharma, Greenville, and she is an ECU student. Daniel B. Casale of Latham was commissioned as an Army second lieutenant after completing a ROTC program and graduating from ECU. Darlene Cummings, principal at Pembroke Middle School, is Robeson County’s 2014-2015 Principal of the Year. Angela Fields, a family nurse practitioner, cardiac vascular nurse and clinical exercise physiologist, joined Southeastern Health Clinic Gray’s Creek. Kristen Lee Garrison wed Christopher Colt Marion ’14 on March 28, 2015, at the Brooklyn Arts Center, Wilmington. Anne M. Stephano joined Coastal Surgery Specialists, Wilmington, as a physician assistant. Taylor Wooten is an assistant cheerleading coach at ECU. 2014 Catherine Rebecca Cole wed Tyler Seth Martin ’16 on Sept. 5 at Cypress Bend Vineyards, Wagram. She attends Wingate University School of Pharmacy and works at the First Health of the Carolinas pharmacy. He is completing bachelor’s degrees in mechanical engineering and applied physics at ECU and is a sustainability intern at Keihin Carolina System Technology, Tarboro. Erica Edmondson is a project coordinator at Carney & Co., a marketing firm in Rocky Mount. McLean Godley won a two-year term on the Greenville City Council. Kinnley Perkins runs the house bar and is general manager of DAP House restaurant, Greenville. Freda Lauren Thompson wed Nikolai “Nik” Leonid Sigmon on June 6 at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, Lenoir. The wedding party included Lindsey Chaney. She is a physician assistant with Carolina Rehabilitation and Surgical Associates, Raleigh. 2013 Kristen Cook is a community health educator with the FirstHealth Community Health Services health programs team serving Moore, Montgomery, Hoke and Richmond counties. Laura Thomas is fund development coordinator of Girl Scouts-N.C. Coastal Pines. 2012 Carrie Browder passed the N.C. bar exam and is a first-year associate at Dysart Law, Raleigh. Lucie Katherine Edwards wed Donald Gray Strickland II ’14 on Oct. 3 at First United Methodist Church, Henderson. The wedding party included Laurie Elizabeth Edwards ’08, sister of the bride, Andrew Henderson Pierce ’14 and Benjamin Luke Pulley ’14. She is a manager at Kitty Hawk Surf Company of Nags Head. He is guest services manager for Hampton Inn and Suites Resort, Corolla. Samantha Paige Meinsen wed Andrew Michael Tilley ’10 on July 11 at Saint Thomas Preservation Hall, Wilmington. The wedding party included Brittany Estep and Brendon Kennerly ’10. In Atlanta, she works at Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital, and he works with the Large & Gilbert accounting firm. Kristi Michelle Rogers wed William Andrew Haddock on Oct. 24 at The Village Chapel, Pinehurst. continued on page 48 100 NURSES The following ECU-trained nurses were among the 2015 Great 100 Nurses, which recognizes and promotes nursing excellence: Lisa Alphin ’05 of LaGrange; Anne Brown ’81 of Franklinton; Emily Morgan Brown ’06 of Asheboro; Laura Carmon ’08 of Winterville; Felicia Collins ’94 ’06 of Greenville; Sonya Hardin ’08 of Hickory; Denise Harper ’00 ’10 of Washington; Christine Herring ’93 of Robersonville; Dana Johnson ’91 ’02 of Apex; Kelly Philbeck ’96 of Stanley; Cheryl Somers ’82 of High Point; and Kathryn Vogel ’01 of Liberty. Virginia sculptor Page SCULPTOR residence at the COMMEMORATES Saint-Gaudens National Historic LINCOLN Site in Cornish, New Hampshire. In addition to daily sculpting, he led classes and tutorials in sculpture and related topics for The site contains the historical home and studio 1965. It was the first national park to have an artist in residence, and it is the only one with a sculptor in residence, according to Page. The park is open from May to October. Saint-Gaudens created sculptures of several key Union figures from the Civil War. He is best known for his bronze bas relief monument of Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Massachusetts, a regiment of black soldiers, and a larger-than-life bronze statue called “Abraham Lincoln: The Man,” also known as “Standing Lincoln.” Last year was the 50th anniversary of the national park site and the 150th anniversary of Lincoln’s assassination. To commemorate the 16th president, Page created molds for round bronze plaques of Lincoln’s profile. Page is in the process of securing funding and a facility to cast six full-size plaques in bronze. One will stay at Saint-Gaudens, and others will be given to U.S. officials such as the president and the secretary of the interior. Page also plans to cast 300 smaller copies, which will be made available to members of the public. Page has a bachelor of fine arts from Old Dominion University and a master of fine arts from ECU. He mastered his specialty of bronze casting while working in Naval facilities in Virginia and furthered his studies as a Fulbright Fellow in Milan, Italy. He has taught sculpture and other subjects at the public school and university levels in the U.S. and abroad. Page has maintained a sculpture studio in Portsmouth, Virginia, for 40 years. His works have been exhibited and collected publicly and privately around the world. —Jackie Drake Cliff Page The wedding party included Amanda Gilmore Cutrell, Emily Jane Haddock ’13, sister of the groom, and Kelsey Lauren Jewett ’13. She passed the N.C. State Bar Exam, and he is a CPA with Dixon Hughes Goodman, Raleigh. Dr. Holly Stegall is a primary care physician with Carolinas HealthCare System in Anson County. Caitlin Walton joined the law firm of Essex Richards, Charlotte. 2011 Whitney Elvis is a nurse practitioner with Physicians East in its Farmville office. Olivia Hall, sixth-grade language arts teacher at Roseboro- Salemburg Middle School, is 2015-2016 Teacher of the Year for Sampson County Schools. Alexandra Susanne Herring wed Edward Moore Venters on Oct. 2 on the beach in Emerald Isle. She works at Just Hair, Emerald Isle. Tremayne Smith, a graduate student at George Washington University, won a seat in the GWU Student Association Senate. Brad Staley, assistant principal at Northside High School, Jacksonville, is Onslow County School District’s 2015-2016 Assistant Principal of the Year. 2010 Meredith Hill, media coordinator at Creekside Elementary School, Greenville, is N.C. School Library Media Association 2015 Media Coordinator of the Year. Tyffani Alana Welch wed Chase Johansen Abel ’09 on Aug. 29 in Havelock. The wedding party included Joshua Abel ’09 and Sharon Ireland ’13. She is a registered nurse at N.C. Specialty Hospital in Surgical Services, Durham. He is a chemist for Dominion Power at the Brunswick County Power Station in Virginia. Mary Elizabeth Woody wed Evan Bodrie Gearino on Oct. 3 at Red Rock Canyon National Park, Las Vegas, Nev. 2009 Dr. Adrian Jacobs leads Red Springs’ first pediatric clinic. Sierra Jones ’09 ’12, communications assistant for Greenville-Pitt County Convention and Visitors Bureau, received the Destination Marketing Achievement 2015 Rising Star Award at the DMANC/N.C. Tourism Industry Association’s N.C. Tourism Leadership Conference, Charlotte. Heather Larsen ’09 ’11 ’15 is an adult gerontology nurse practitioner with Gastroenterology East and Dr. Jack Cole’s practice in Greenville. Alfred J. Leonetti III published his first book of poetry, A Poetic Wonderland, on lulu.com. Danielle Marie Sheppard wed David Ross Davenport on Sept. 26 at Rock Springs Center, Greenville. The wedding party included Blair Taft ’11. She teaches at Southward Elementary, Kinston. 2008 Ashley Elizabeth Bissette wed Joshua Andrew Wilson on Oct. 24 at The Leaning Tree, Bailey. She works for BB&T in Wilson. He works for ELS in Kenly. Eric Fitts, principal of Brentwood Elementary School, Raleigh, is 2015 N.C. Principal of the Year. Christie Hagan joined Lumberton Children’s Clinic as a physician assistant. Melanie Nichols received national professional certification as a financial planner. Lynn Marie Pattillo wed Ryan Alan Moretz on July 11 at Kerr’s Chapel Baptist Church, Elon. She teaches fourth grade at Caswell County Schools, Mebane. Dr. Laura Slusher is a radiologist at Middlesboro ARH Hospital, Middlesboro, Ky. 2007 Laura Salmons is head librarian for Currituck County with the East Albemarle Regional Library system. Tim Watkins is a project manager with Kjellstrom + Lee, Richmond, Va. Charles Welch is assistant director of athletics media relations at ECU. He was in the athletics communications division at UNC Greensboro. 2005 Justin Barnhill was promoted to equipment manager at Barnhill Contracting Co. P.J. Connelly, a real estate broker, won a two-year term on the Greenville City Council. Dr. David Gilbert ’05 ’10 joined ECU Physicians Firetower Medical Office, Greenville. Michelle Hunt Jackson, a kindergarten teacher at Coopers Elementary School, is Teacher of the Year for Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools. Patrick Miller ’05 ’11, Greene County Public Schools superintendent, was inducted into the Educators Hall of Fame of the ECU College of Education in 2015. Timothy James Morgan was appointed to the ECU Board of Visitors for a four-year term. He is a risk advisor with Towne Insurance, Raleigh. Elaine Scott, an associate professor at the ECU School of Nursing and director for the nursing doctoral program, is N.C. Nurses Association Nurse Administrator of the Year. 2004 Andrea Leigh McNeely wed Matthew David Zimmerman on June 27 at the University of Virginia Chapel, Charlottesville, Va. She is a programs administrator at the Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia. Trey Oglesby was promoted to managing director, audit, at KPMG, Norfolk, Va. Bryan Tuten, director of ECU’s Dowdy Student Stores, is serving a one-year term as president of the College Stores Association of N.C. Sara Twiford, part of the treasury and merchant sales team at TowneBank’s headquarters in Suffolk, Va., was promoted to assistant vice president. Jonathan Quinn Wehmann wed Dr. Catherine Braxton Stanfield on May 30 at Snipes Farm Retreat, Chapel Hill. He is a real estate broker with Howard Perry and Walston, Durham. 2003 John Lee is executive director of First Tee of ENC serving children and schools in Craven, Jones, Pamlico, Onslow, Carteret and Lenoir counties through The First Tee Life Skills Experience. Christina Revels, a certified physician assistant, joined Children’s Health of Carolina’s Pembroke Pediatrics. Nneka Jones Tapia is executive director (warden) of Cook County Jail in Chicago. She was featured in The New York Times. Andrew Wright is vice president of existing industry services for Surry County Economic Development Partnership. 2002 Katie Lomax joined Wrightsville Beach Family Medicine. Quintin Mangano, principal of Nashville Elementary School, is 2015-2016 Principal of the Year for Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools. Lenwood Morris “BJ” Murphy of Kinston is a business-to-business certification trainer and field trainer with LegalShield. 2001 Jeremy Cayton joined NCEast Alliance as director of marketing and communications. He was marketing and research specialist for Wayne County Development Alliance. Hattie Lee Hammonds graduated from Clemson University in 2015 with a doctorate in educational leadership. Jeremiah Miller ’01 ’03 is principal of Bethel School. He was assistant principal at South Greenville Elementary. 2000 Johnica Ellis-Kiser ’00 ’06, program chair and instructor of business administration/accounting at Edgecombe Community College, received the 2015-2016 Keihin Endowed Faculty Chair. 1999 Rhonda James-Davis is director of career and technical education for Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools. She was director of secondary education and career and technical education for Currituck County Schools. Ira Varney ’99, art teacher at South Central High School, Greenville, is the N.C. Art Education Association 2015-2016 Secondary Art Educator of the Year. 1998 Ted Lockamon, sports supervisor for the city of Henderson, Nev., presented an educational session at the National Recreation and Parks Association annual conference in September. Eric Meyer ’98 ’05 is a physician assistant on the palliative care team at Vidant Medical Center, Greenville. SOCIAL, ECONOMIC and ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Coaching students for future careers We’re more than a mining company. PotashCorp-Aurora supports education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics through programs like Science Olympiad, MathCounts and FIRST Robotics Competitions. ALUMNUS WINS $50,000 ON GAME SHOW O O n the gameshow Are You Smarter than a 5th grader? Caleb Cubbison ’06 remembers the lights, the cameras and the sound of the crowd. Yet the loudest sound of them all may have been his heartbeat. “I was very excited, but extremely nervous. It was a crazy experience,” Cubbison told his hometown newspaper, the Orangeburg, South Carolina, Times and Democrat. The show, hosted by comedian Jeff Foxworthy, has contestants answer history, science, spelling, geography, astronomy, health, social studies and math questions designed for first- through fifth-graders. “You have no idea what the subjects are going to be,” Cubbison said. He got on the show through a friend who knew the show’s casting director. He went for an audition, had a phone interview with the producers and was cast. During the game, Cubbison made it to the 11th question that was worth $100,000. “In mammals, what is the area called between the epidermis and the hypodermis?” Foxworthy asked. “I didn’t know the answer, so I opted to drop out of school,” he said. That meant he was choosing not to answer any further questions and keep the money he’d won to that point, $50,000, rather than risk losing it all with an incorrect answer. The correct answer to the question is “dermis.” Cubbison said the highlight was when he correctly answered his $10,000 question, which also netted $10,000 for a school. “They brought on like a video chat with this music teacher,” Cubbison said. “He told his students if they would raise $2,000 for cancer research, he would shave his head.” The students raised $11,000, and the teacher shaved his head. “I was like ‘Oh my goodness! That’s amazing! I can’t get this question wrong,’” Cubbison said. In pursuit of acting, Cubbison attended ECU. He completed his bachelor’s degree in theater arts in 2006. After graduation, he and his wife, Jillian, moved to Los Angeles. They live in Southern California and have two children: 5-year-old Liam and 1-year-old Audrey. He works as a director of operations with Chick-Fil-A. 1996 Andy Kievit is Eastern Elementary (Greenville) School’s Teacher of the Year. Since 1996, he has taught kindergarten, first, second, third and fifth grades. Robert McGee ’96 ’98 is Cape Fear Community College’s first dean of student affairs. He was athletic director at the school. Allison Setser ’96 ’10 is principal of H.B. Sugg and Sam Bundy schools in Farmville. She was principal of Bethel School, Pitt County. Nicole Smith ’96 ’98 ’04 joined ECU’s College of Education. She was principal of H.B. Sugg and Sam Bundy Schools in Farmville. Ernest Solar published his debut science fiction novel, Two Moons Rising. He teaches special education courses at Mount St. Mary’s University and lives in Lovettsville, Va., with his family. Drock and Ashley Driver Vincent ’95 welcomed a baby girl in 2015. 1995 Dorothy Dalton ’95 ’02, a fourth- grade teacher at Oakwood Elementary School in Hickory, is 2015 N.C. Council of Teachers of Mathematics Outstanding Elementary School Mathematics Teacher. Dr. Angela Peace joined Southeastern Health’s physician practices division at Southeastern Medical Clinic in North Lumberton. Ronald Villines is principal of Williston Middle School, Wilmington. He was principal of Graham Middle School, Graham. Anne Wilson is a life enrichment/ wellness director at Touchmark at Mt. Bachelor Village, Bend, Ore. 1994 Sharon Bell is executive director of SAFE Inc. in Wilkesboro. She was with Barium Springs Home for Children. Dr. Victor Freund, a board-certified neurosurgeon, joined Vidant Neurosurgery, Greenville. Vevlyn Lowe, band director at Sampson Middle School, is the Belk Foundation Honored Educator Scholar for 2015-2016. Katina Lynch ’94 ’96, assistant principal of Red Oak Middle School, is Assistant Principal of the Year for Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools. Grace Daughtry Smith, outgoing president of the N.C. Association of Zoning Officials, received the 2015 NCAZO Outstanding Member of the Year award. She is the first association member selected twice for the association’s highest honor. Brock Womble ’94 ’96 ’01 is continued on page 52 ALWAYS IN SEARCH OF THE BRIGHTEST STARS A career with ARAMARK provides an opportunity for alumni to be part of a Higher Education team that has the ability to positively impact the student experience. Visit www.aramark.com to explore career opportunities at your alma mater. director of the N.C. Center for the Advancement of Teaching. 1993 Lance Metzler has been appointed to the N.C. Department of Administration’s Human Relations Commission. Kristin Moore is creative director at Hershey Cause Communications, a strategic communications firm in Los Angeles. W. Scott Newton II is senior vice president and city executive with Southern Bank in Goldsboro. Mandy Pitts is CEO of Hickory-Conover Tourism Development Authority. She was communications director and brand manager for the city of Hickory. Jonathan Powers, a financial adviser with Edward Jones, Greenville, received the A.F. McKenzie Award for his business-building skills and client services in 2015. 1992 Allen Thomas won reelection to a two-year term as mayor of Greenville. He serves as treasurer of the N.C. Metropolitan Mayors Coalition. 1991 Cavan Harris was promoted to regional vice president of Wells Fargo & Co. Charlotte West commercial banking team. 1990 Valeria Lassiter was appointed to the NEA Foundation board of directors. She is CEO of Lassiter & Associates, a for-profit fundraising and communications consultant firm to the nonprofit sector. 1989 Willie M. Carawan is manager of Washington County. He was Chowan County’s finance officer. 1988 Dr. Michael C. Good, a gynecologic surgeon, joined Heritage Medical Center, Shelbyville, Tenn. 1987 Kevin Cutler, principal of South Edgecombe Middle School, is Edgecombe County Public Schools 2015-16 Principal of the Year. Merrill Flood was promoted to assistant manager of Greenville from his position as the city’s community development director. Capt. Michael White retired from the U.S. Coast Guard in Seattle, Wash., in 2015. He is now senior maritime advisor for the National Security Division of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Wash. He and his wife, Dianne, live in Walla Walla, Wash. 1986 Tommy Stoughton was appointed by the Greenville City Council to a three-year term on the Greenville Utilities board of commissioners. He is a partner with Kittrell and Armstrong LLC, Greenville. Richard “Trey” Williams is senior director of sales for the aviation firm Erickson’s government aviation services. 1984 Timothy Mertz is assistant state director of child nutrition programs for the state of Hawaii. He retired as a director of school nutrition services in Virginia in 2012. Michael L. Parnell is assistant director of campus recreation overseeing the aquatics center and fitness programs at UNC Pembroke. 1983 Mitzi Davis was inducted into the Alexander County Public Education Foundation and the Alexander County Sports Hall of Fame in 2015. She played volleyball/softball at ECU and is a member of the USSSA Softball Hall of Fame. Hope Dougherty ’83 ’85 published two novels in 2015, Irish Encounter and Mars…With Venus Rising. 1982 Lt. Gen. William “Mark” Faulkner, deputy commandant of the Marine Corps for installations and logistics on board Camp Lejeune, retired in 2015 after nearly 34 years of service. 1981 Christy Welborn ’81 ’12, a certified nurse practitioner, joined Vidant Multispecialty Clinic-Tarboro. 1977 Mark Garner, vice president of Rivers & Associates, Greenville, received the Robert E. Linkner Private Sector Service Award from the N.C. Chapter of the American Public Works Association. 1975 Meredith Dean “Buddy” Betts, a 1965 graduate of Milford High School, was inducted into that school’s 12th Man Gridiron Club. He was a center on offense and a linebacker/defensive end on defense. A captain on the 1964 team, he was selected third team All-State that season. At ECU, he was a walk-on playing defensive end on junior varsity football for three years. Kenneth L. Daniels was elected to the boards of directors of United Community Banks and its subsidiary, United Community Bank. Ray Franks retired as CEO of the Boy Scouts of America’s East Carolina Council after 40 years of professional Scouting service, including 20 years as an executive and seven years as the council director. 1973 Ernest L. Avery ’73 ’90 retired in 2015 after 16.5 years as technical services librarian at Piedmont Community College, Roxboro. 1972 Leonard G. Green is senior staff attorney for the N.C. Utilities Commission focusing on the commission’s regulation of electric and natural gas utilities. 1971 David S. Warren, adjunct instructor of music at Tidewater Community College, Norfolk, Va., and director of the TCC Chorus, was appointed repertoire and standards chair for two-year colleges for the American Choral Director’s Association’s southern division, covering 11 southern states. 1968 Walter E. Bostic retired in 2014 as vice president of global technical services after 22 years with Ralph Lauren. He was an all-conference, honorable mention All-American and four-year letterman for the East Carolina football team from 1963 to 1967. Monte McCraw teaches at Southern Crescent Technical College, Griffin, Ga. 1967 Ronald E. Hignite published his first novel, The Devil’s Damsel, a mystery thriller inspired by a true crime. He is a former educator who has written several books. 1966 D. Ann Neville ’66 ’68 retired as vice president of student services, Martin Methodist College, Lynnville, Tenn., after a 40-year career in higher education. In May 2015, she was inducted into the DAR after tracing her Orange County, N.C., ancestry. Betty Johnson Vaughn’s novel, Yesterday’s Magnolia, was published by Total Recall Press in 2015. All three of her published novels have won the historical fiction award from the North Carolina Society of Historians. 1964 Judith Joyner Smith ’64 ’78 ’04 was inducted into Educators Hall of Fame at ECU. She spent her career teaching in Lenoir and Greene counties before going to work at ECU in 2007, from which she retired in 2015. 1962 James B. Kirkland of Lumberton received the Devoted Lion Award in honor of his 50 years of service to Lions Club International. The retired business owner has served as club secretary, bulletin editor and Tail Twister, among other positions. 1949 Milton P. Fields was inducted into the Twin County (Nash and Edgecombe counties) Hall of Fame in 2015. A U.S. Navy WWII veteran who was a photographer on the USS Saratoga in the Pacific Theatre, he retired from his law practice in Rocky Mount. “I am a member of the Alumni Association because I want everyone to know what East Carolina means to me and how much pride and love I have for ECU. I want to be a part of its continued success. Both of my sisters graduated from ECU, so it is our home, a legacy in our family. I continue to be a member because I hope that one day when I have kids, they too will want to go there, as they will surely grow up attending football games with me, you can count on that! Being a member means the world to me, and is the one way that I can give back and stay connected to the place that gave me the best years of my life. Go Pirates!” Jeremy Woodard ’01 Broadway actor 2015 Outstanding Alumni Award recipient JOIN TODAY! CALL 800-ECU-GRAD OR VISIT PIRATEALUMNI.COM/MEMBERSHIP. Join today! presented by September 9, 2016 9:00 a.m. | 2:00 p.m. Grab your clubs and join us for golf and good times as we support ECU scholarships! PirateAlumni.com/2016Golf IN MEMORIAM IN MEMORIAM As an alumnus of East Carolina University® you could save on auto and renters insurance.1 1940s 1950s “Lady” Matthews ’51 of Richmond, pianist, he toured with Special Va., died Sept. 28. She was a retired Services shows, performing on Helen “Penny” Joyce Gilbert elementary school teacher. She was military bases and playing goodwill Flanagan Cherry ’58 ’63 married to Jack Sherrod Matthews concerts throughout Europe. Doyle ’40 of of Kinston died Sr. ’50. Lt. Col. (USAF) Ret. Ernest L. Highlights of his career include Virginia Beach, Nov. 5. At McFarland ’57 of Belmont died Sept. performing with The Hi Los, Charlie Va., died Sept. Lenoir 15. He served 22 years in the USAF Byrd and Tommie Newsome. He was 26 at 95. Community of which 985 days were spent as a band director in the Chesapeake Before College, she combat pilot in Vietnam. After (Va.) City Schools for 41 years. beginning her served as an retiring from the military, he taught Memorial donations can be made to teaching instructor, for 18 years in North Carolina. the Herbert L. Carter Scholarship career, she dean and in Patricia Bradshaw “Patsy” Perkins Fund at East Carolina University, used her math several ’59 of Greenville died Nov. 4. She 102 A.J. Fletcher Music Center, degree doing research on wing administrative positions, including taught for several years before Attn: Friends of the School of Music, design for the National Advisory two terms as interim president of partnering with her husband to Greenville, NC 27858-4353. Committee for Aeronautics the college. She worked in music build their company, Hatteras (currently NASA) at Langley Field programs at Parkers Chapel FWB 1960s Hammocks, now The Hammock and served with the Red Cross. She Church, Greenville; LaGrange FWB Source. Riddick Revelle ’50 of Carolyn Taylor Allen ’63 of was the daughter of Mayor Roy C. Church, LaGrange; Immanuel Baptist Fayetteville died Sept. 13. A U.S. Charlotte died Oct. 7. After a 25 and Helen P. Flanagan of Greenville. Church, Kinston; and Armenia Army WWII veteran, he was an year teaching career in Cabarrus Elizabeth Christian Church, Kinston. She was independent insurance agent and Mecklenburg school systems, DeCormis Peal one of the first 10 selected for the serving Fayetteville and eastern N.C. she had several business careers. Edwards ’43 of “100 Incredible ECU Women” award for more than 60 years. He achieved Andrew Spencer Appleby ’69 of Winston-by ECU’s Women’s Roundtable. life membership in the industry’s Norfolk, Va., died Sept. 13. A U.S. Salem died Fred Allen International Million Dollar Round Army veteran, he did tours in Oct. 17 at 94. Davenport ’57 Table. Retired Maj. George Bernard Vietnam and Germany. Bobby R. For more than ’60 ’83 of Rose ’55 of Williamsburg, Va., died Blinson ’60 of Fernandina Beach, 30 years, she Plymouth died Sept. 16. He served 20 years in the Fla., died Aug. 26. A U.S. Navy taught in Oct. 21. In 1996, U.S. Air Force, including three tours veteran, he retired as chief of audits Henderson he retired as in Vietnam. He then served 20 years for the IRS in Washington, D.C., in City Schools. associate in Navy civil service. Theodore Page 1994. In 1990, he received the Wilmar superintendent “Ted” Smith ’55 ’59 of Vass died Clifford R. Gross Award for Kearney of Washington So you can June 22. He retired as principal of “Excellence in Federal Government Pleasant ’46 of County Intervale Elementary School, Service.” Cmdr. John Blake Boyd Jr. Angier died Schools after Parsippany, N.H. His brother is Don ’65, USNR, died Aug. 26. After snap on, post on Sept. 12 at 90. 40 years as a public school teacher Smith ’57. Alice Little Stancill ’59 ’75 retiring from the USNR he worked She taught and principal in Maryland and North of Greenville died Nov. 21. She for the Texas Employment fifth grade in Carolina. Betty Jean Dewar and explore on. retired after 30 years of teaching in Commission (Texas Workforce Harnett Goodson ’53 of Greenville died Nov. Chesapeake, Va., Kinston and Commission) for 25 years retiring in County for 27 17. She taught in Pitt County Schools Fayetteville. Leonard B. Starling Jr. 1996 to work as a flight simulator When you protect your possessions, you’re really protecting the years. Pleasant for 10 years and worked at Tammy’s ’53 of Duncanville, Texas, died Sept. instructor for Lockheed Martin. things that make you, you. Let Liberty Mutual Insurance keep you and her Day Care Center for 10 years, 18. He served 26 years in the U.S. Air Edwin Osborn Bradbury ’69 ’73 of identical twin sister, Illmar Kearney retiring in 1993. Thomas Temple covered, with benefits like Home Computer Endorsement,2 Force retiring as a lieutenant colonel Kinston died Aug. 22. He was a Nobles ’46 ’62, were featured in the Grey ’57 ’60 of Southern Pines died Accident Forgiveness3 and a Multi-Policy Discount — so you can in 1978. He later taught music at the teacher and band director at Winter 2013 issue of East. Ernestine Nov. 30. He was a teacher and focus on doing what you love, at home and on the road. high school and college levels. Alice Woodington Middle School, Jackson Warren Rankin ’49 of New coach at Vass-Lakeview High McKenzie Sweeney of Kingston, Kinston. Edgar “Eddie” Alton Buck Bern died Oct. 10. A county home School, a teacher in Southern Pines Tenn., died Oct. 2. For more than 25 Sr. ’64 of Charleston, S.C., died Dec. Join thousands of qualified customers already saving: demonstration agent for several and guidance counselor with years she taught at Kingston Junior 3. He was chair of Jupiter Holdings years, she retired after more than 30 Richmond County Schools, where High and Cherokee Middle School. Co. and Buck Lumber Co., former Save up to $519.52 Renters Insurance years of teaching in Craven County he helped design the curriculum for Rita Potter Tetterton ’56 of Charleston County councilman and on Auto Insurance4 as low as $20/month5 schools. Louise Brett Thomas ’43 of Richmond Senior High School. Coy Washington died Nov. 15. She retired noted sport fisherman. Margaret Farmville died Oct. 11 at 94. She Ward Harris ’59 of Alexandria, Va., as an income maintenance “Peggy” Braswell Claus ’69 of retired from elementary school died Nov. 7. A U.S. Army veteran, he representative out of the Greenville Madison, Ala., died Nov. 18. She teaching in Greene and Pitt was a Herff Jones yearbook Visit libertymutual.com/ecualumni counties. John Donald “Don” representative and co-owner, with Regional Office with the State retired as a registered nurse at Division of Social Services. Huntsville Hospital. Don Graham Whitehurst ’48 of Greenville died his wife Sheila, of Victor O’Neill or call 844-877-1125. Henry N. Dempsey ’68 of Greenville died Dec. 11. He owned American Truck Studios. Paul Franklin Hawkins ’59 Whitener ’56 Nov. 20 at 90. A U.S. Army Air Client # 7814 Center, Winterville. Audrey ’61 of Kinston died Nov. 9. A social of Chesapeake, Corps veteran, he was a guidance Elizabeth Mozingo Worley ’44 of worker and an educator in Harnett Va., died Nov. counselor at Farmville Central High Princeton died Nov. 27 at 91. She and Jones counties and the Camp 9. A U.S. Army School, where the students referred This organization receives financial support for allowing Liberty Mutual to offer this auto and home insurance program. retired from Cherry Hospital where Lejeune school systems, he retired veteran, he to him as “Doc.” Bobby D. Branch 1 Discounts and savings are available where state laws and regulations allow, and may vary by state. To the extent permitted by law, applicants are individually underwritten; not all applicants may qualify. she worked in vocational from civil service in 1990 and the 2 With our optional Home Computer Endorsement, we will cover up to $10,000 for your computers and smartphones, subject to a $50 deductible. was assigned ’74 ’76 of Rock Hill, S.C., died Aug. 3 For qualifying customers only. Accident forgiveness is subject to terms and conditions of Liberty Mutual’s underwriting guidelines. Not available in CA and may vary by state. rehabilitation. John Morgan Young state system in 1993. Rachael Lang to the 7th 22. He was a U.S. Army veteran. 4 Average annual savings based on countrywide survey of new customers from 01/27/2014 to 01/16/2015 who reported their prior insurers’ premiums when they switched to Liberty Mutual’s group auto ’48 of Beaufort died Oct. 11 at 91. A Kinard ’57 of Highlands Ranch, and home program. Savings do not apply in MA. Army Band Sidney Louis Gaskins ’60 of Lenoir 5 The figure was based on the average premium for renters policies written between 5/14/14 - 4/30/15. WWII U.S. Army veteran, he owned Colo., died Oct. 18. She was a flight and Symphony died Sept. 14. He taught science at a dry-cleaning business in Beaufort attendant and instructor for Eastern Orchestra and West Caldwell High School, Ashley Coverage provided and underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance and its affiliates, 175 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116. Liberty Mutual Insurance is licensed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. All rights reserved. for many years before moving to Airlines in Miami and New York City ©2016 Liberty Mutual Insurance Stuttgart Ballet in Germany and as High School in Gastonia and South Virginia Beach but later returning to before becoming a full-time mother principal arranger, composer and Mecklenburg in Charlotte. Frances 15-AFF-136764 Affinity: Millennial Toolkit Beaufort. He played football at ECTC. and homemaker. Laura Frances Jane Langston Henderson ’60 of Newton Grove died Oct. 25. She taught sixth grade at Hobbton Elementary School from 1966 to 1977 and at Hargrove Elementary from 1977 until retiring in 1992. Elaine Brewer Horne ’64 of Raleigh died Nov. 7. She taught school for many years and retired as a real estate agent. She was a member of Chi Omega Sorority. Ben F. Howard ’69 ’70 of Cary died Nov. 5. He was a teacher and principal at several schools, retiring from Alamance- Burlington School System Central Office in 2000. Linda Newell Jennings ’68 of Greensboro died Dec. 6. She spent her career as a nurse and later taught nursing. Peggy J. Jessup ’62 of Charlotte died Oct. 28. She was a CPA for 50 years. Caroline Campbell Kearney ’61 of Roanoke Rapids died Aug. 10. She taught in Jacksonville and at Johnston Elementary, Rocky Mount. Evelyn Johnson Kirkland ’61 ’62 of Lumberton died July 13. For 30 years, she taught middle grades language arts in public schools in Greenville, Fayetteville and Lumberton. At ECC, she was a member of Kappa Delta sorority. Gary Edward Lakin ’63 of Virginia Beach, Va., died Sept. 4. A U.S. Air Force Vietnam War veteran, he became a commercial pilot for National, Pan Am and Delta airlines after leaving the military. Jerry Dale Law ’69 of Winterville died Nov. 13. A U.S. Army veteran, he was a program consultant for the N.C. Division of Medical Assistance for more than 42 years, retiring in 2014. He received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine award for his dedicated service to the state of North Carolina. An advocate for Pitt County Girls Softball League, the Sara A. Law Softball Complex was named in memory of his daughter. Benjamin Joseph Martin Sr. ’64 ’74 ’78 of Hope Mills died Sept. 2. A WWII Army veteran, he fought in the Battle of the Bulge and helped liberate three concentration camps. He was wounded twice, receiving Purple Hearts and an Oak Leaf cluster. He was a teacher, principal, coach and high school basketball official in North Carolina. He was inducted into the Fayetteville Sports Club Hall of Fame in 2013. Albert David McNeill ’69 of Beaufort died Oct. 2. A U.S. Army Vietnam War veteran, he owned and managed Eastern Pest Control. Patricia Biggs Morrison ’61 ’69 of Burlington, formerly of Wilmington, died Nov. 4. She retired as an audiologist at New Hanover Memorial Hospital. Susan Kinsey Jackson Noble ’69 ’87 of Greenville died Oct. 4. After 32 years in Pitt County Schools, she retired as a guidance counselor at Ayden Grifton High School. She was also a counselor and recruiter for Pitt Community College. Ivey Harold Pittman ’67 of Selma died Nov. 18. A U.S. Air Force Vietnam War veteran, he retired as a probation and parole supervisor with N.C. Department of Corrections and then worked with USDA in Johnston County with the department of farm services. Betty Marie Andrews Robbins ’62 of Bethel died Nov. 20. She taught in the Tarboro School System. Crethie Storey Spence ’63 ’66 of Williamston died Sept. 12. She taught for many years in public schools and later was a counselor at Martin Community College. Ralph E. Stone ’64 of Gainesville, Va., died Sept. 5. He was a teacher and principal in Virginia public schools retiring in 1998 after 20 years as principal at Zachary Taylor Elementary School in Arlington County, Va. In 1990, he received the Washington Post Distinguished Leadership Award for Arlington County. James Richard Warner Jr. ’66 of New Bern died Oct. 3. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran. The Rev. Dr. Tony Davis Warren ’67 ’69 of Williamston died Dec. 10. He taught at Farmville High School and Pitt Community College before turning to radio announcing and sales and agribusiness sales. In 1992, he entered the ministry serving as pastor in several N.C. churches. Nancy Wordsworth ’62 of Wilmington died Dec. 3. She was a member of Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority. 1970s Charles F. Atkins ’75 of Sanford died Nov 1. He was a businessman and real estate developer. Joseph Whitmel “Whit” Blackstone Jr. ’73 of Washington died Dec. 4. Since 1977 he owned Blackstone Realty Inc. T/A Pamlico Properties and was a realtor in Washington. Wanda Wentz Dyer ’71 of Greenwood, S.C., died Nov. 18. For more than 33 years, she taught in the Greenville County (S.C.) Public School System. Since 2006, she substitute taught at Pinecrest Elementary School in A gift made through your will, to one of our four foundations, may be the best way to make a substantial contribution to the university that you hold dear. When you make a bequest or beneficiary designation gift to one of our four foundations, there are many benefits to you: • Your gift doesn’t cost you anything today • Your gift is free of federal and estate tax • You can change your mind • You can still benefit your heirs with specific gifts • You can leave a legacy Contact us for more information or visit eculegacy.org. Greg Abeyounis, CFRE Kendra K. Alexander Associate Vice Chancellor Gift and Estate for Development Planning Officer abeyounis@ecu.edu alexanderk@ecu.edu 252-328-9573 252-328-9566 You can leave a percentage of your estate or a specific dollar amount to any of the four foundations at ECU: East Carolina University Foundation Inc., East Carolina University Medical & Health Sciences Foundation Inc., East Carolina Alumni Association Foundation, or the East Carolina University Educational Foundation Inc. [Pirate Club] Mark S. Hessert Associate Executive Director of the Pirate Club hessertm@ecu.edu 252-737-4543 Greenwood. Nancy Parker Foster ’70 of Greenville died Dec. 4. In 2009, she retired after teaching English in Pitt County Schools for 30 years. Philip Alan Grochmal ’74 of Norfolk, Va., died Oct. 25. He was an accountant and a financial planner before becoming a teacher of accounting at the University of Phoenix. Marion Sandra “Sandy” Hardee died Nov. 2. For 32 years, she taught special needs students in Robeson County School System. Judith “Judy” K. Hesselberth ’76 of West Chester, Pa., died Dec. 27. She was a juried member of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen in weaving and quilting. She taught art as a volunteer and a seventh- grade art teacher in Kinston in the late 1970s. Ted Lewis Hollingsworth ’79 of Randleman died Sept. 10. He was owner and creative director of Line Design Graphics for 29 years as well as a local real estate agent. A member of the Pirate Club, he was a representative of Triad County Pirate Club. In 2013, he received the Forever Pirates Alumni Legacy Parent of the Year award. Harry “John” Jablonski Jr. ’75 of Farmville died Nov. 26. In 2007, he retired after 30 years as a child support program supervisor in Pitt County government. Sara Miller Liles Newton ’70 of Laurinburg died Sept. 22. She retired as a teacher with Marlboro Academy, Bennettsville. Robert “Bob” Palsha ’70 of Burlington died Oct. 27. He was a real estate agent for 30 years before becoming manager of Brookwood Condo Association. Connie Ray Price ’78 of Fremont died Nov. 7. He retired after 25 years as Wayne County planning director. Jacqueline “Jackie” Ann (Phelps) Smith ’77 of Kempton, Ind., died Aug. 28. She retired a year ago after more than 20 years of teaching at Tipton Elementary School, Tipton, Ind. Myron “Gig” Shelton Staton ’70 of Garner died Sept. 29. A U.S. Air Force Vietnam War veteran, he retired as finance director of the Wake County ABC Board. 1980s Kathryn Lynn Sheats Brannan ’84 of Wilmington died Aug. 28. She worked at Harris Teeter in Porter’s Neck. Peggy Joyce Gurganus Bunn ’83 of Bath died Sept. 3. In 2014, she retired from teaching in Beaufort County Schools. Sylvia Ann Rogerson Smith Carpenter ’81 of Rocky Mount died Oct. 2. She was director of patient and family services at Beaufort County Hospital. Constance “Connie” Capps Cox ’86 of Greenville died Oct. 14. She was a retired elementary school teacher. Julia Katherine “Kat” Littlejohn Foard ’80 of Hendersonville died Oct. 26. She was a CPA until retirement. Shari Phelps Froelich ’84 of Bozeman, Mont., died Oct. 31. Allan Frederick Guy ’88 of Manassas, Va., died Aug. 20. A third-generation artist, illustrator and designer, he worked in design and brand identity with many national and international companies in Manhattan and then Manassas, Va. At ECU, he wrote and illustrated a comic for the East Carolinian called “Walkin the Plank.” Mark Timothy Hendrix ’88 of Plymouth died Oct. 16. He was CEO of The Soundside Group. Lili Karen Johnson ’82 of New Albany, Ohio, died Dec. 2, 2014. She was a former SBI agent, dean of Central Piedmont Community College and academic director of the International Law Enforcement Academy, Roswell, N.M. Ernest George “Gavin” Miller Jr. ’86 of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., died Nov. 18. He was a Web designer/ specialist for ALGY. Desiree Ann Moore ’81 of Gibsonia, Pa., died Oct. 13. She was an elementary school teacher at a private school for many years. George Ryan Morris There is an easy way for you to help East Carolina University. ’84 of Hubert died Nov. 13. He retired from the U.S. Army as a first lieutenant and then had a career in sales. Irene Bailey Overton ’82 of Elizabeth City died Sept. 29. She was a lung transplant recipient in 2000 and an advocate of organ donations. Jeffrey Clinton “Clint” Price ’84 of Hampstead died Sept. 4. He worked in management in the furniture industry for many years, later establishing Absolute Quality Upholstery. Clinton Swaringen Rogers ’83 ’86 of Durham died Oct. 6. Carol Joy Sandhofer Sweetser ’80 of Springfield, Va., died Oct. 27. She retired from Northern Virginia Community College as director of disability services. Joseph Blalock Ward ’83 ’86 of Newport died Oct. 2. He owned and operated Pro Bait and Tackle, Atlantic Beach. Beatrice Story Waters ’82 of Plymouth died Oct. 14. She taught fifth grade in Washington County schools for 22 years, where she was recognized as a Teacher of the Year. 1990s Robin Morrison Allison ’90 of Asheville died Oct. 4. She was an occupational therapist with Care Partners Healthcare, Asheville. Matthew Tyler Aten ’99 of Marble Falls, Texas, died Where Pirate Memories Continue Independent LivingApartments & Cottages Antonia Dalapas was born to Greek parents in Lawrence, Massachusetts and grew up in Maine. She received a BM and MM in voice and opera at the prestigious New England Conservatory in Boston. While earning her master’s degree, she was chosen to sing operatic scenes on the inaugural program of WGBH-TV in Boston. Antonia fondly reminisces about meeting ECU Chancellor Leo Jenkins, who chauffeured her around Greenville when she interviewed for the position which she accepted. She served on the voice faculty at the ECU School of Music from 1971-1992. Her love of ECU continues at Cypress Glen where she still enjoys attending the plays, concerts, symphony and performing arts. “Cypress Glen residents are an amazing and diverse group who enjoy learning and discovering new interests.” 252.830.7067 | cypressglen.org Assisted Living | Skilled Nursing | Alzheimer s Care 100 Hickory Street • Greenville, NC 27858 Official Partner Antonia DalapasECU Faculty 1971-1992Cypress Glen resident since 2015 Nov. 11. While working for Chancel Wilmington died Oct. 28. She was several area businesses and Centers throughout the South, Joong Ho Kim of Clifton, Va., died for student affairs and medical made possible The Wang Distinguished Lecture, which brings Construction, he helped build an administrative representative co-owned with her husband including in Greenville, Raleigh and Sept. 11. He taught mathematics at informatics at the Brody School of Distinguished Medical Initiative at top medical scholars to lecture at some of the buildings at Coastal with Verizon. She was a member of All Season’s Garden Shack & Durham. He was married to Maliha ECU from 1968 until 1993. Medicine from 1976 to 1989. the Brody School of Medicine. ECU’s Brody School of Medicine Raymond Allan A. Okech of Edna, Texas, Carolina University, Conway, S.C. Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority. Carla Landscape and Evans Florist. Farhadi, who retired from Joyner each year. Memorial contributions George Richard “Richie” Creech Morris Gormley ’07 of Richmond, Library in 2011. may be made to the ECU Medical Harold died Aug. 11. He was an assistant 2010s STAFF ’97 of Sims died Oct. 18. He won the Va., died Sept. 19. While still in & Health Sciences Foundation Charles Edgar Stevens ’54 of Martinez of professor in ECU’s educational Greenville died Sept. 4. A lifelong Greenville died leadership department from 2006 1997 Colonial Athletic Association school, she taught a community Laura Michelle Bodenheimer of John F. Boseman of Pitt County (Albernaz Lectureship), 525 Moye individual golf championship pacing college psychology course in Dare Denver, N.C., died Sept. 15. She was died Aug. 28. He worked in ECU Blvd., Greenville, NC 27834. Karen educator, he began teaching music Dec. 16. His to 2010. in Washington, N.C., public schools, wife, Inez the Pirates to a third-place team County and did substance abuse a graduate student in the physical facility services until retiring in McCann Hause of Norfolk, Va., Evelyn Louise Perry of Raleigh finish. He worked in the family-counseling. She was a Rotary therapy class of 2017. Katina “Tina” 2006 due to health reasons. died Aug. 30. She was married to later retiring as dean of ECU’s Norris died Sept. 10. In 1981, she retired as owned Carol Creech Promotions, Paul Harris fellow. Devin Lance L. Ferguson ’14 of Wake Forest died Barbara Boyd Clement Gibbs of the late Robert Hause III, School School of Music, where he was Martinez ’59 dean of ECU’s School of Nursing, an advertising business. Sung Ho Hatley ’00 of Charlotte died Oct. Oct. 30. She taught elementary Washington died Oct. 9. She retired of Music faculty member, with on the faculty from 1960 to 1990. ’66, died Oct. where she was on the faculty from “Steven” Lee ’94 of Greenville 26. A U.S. Navy veteran, he was school in North Carolina. Barrett as secretary to the dean of ECU’s whom she performed in the ECU He was the piano accompanist 15. In 1954, he 1962 until 1981. She was a staff died Sept. 18. He was an assistant sustainability co-coordinator and Jerry Foushee ’10 of Timberlake College of Business. Olive Jarvis Symphony Orchestra. Durwood for many faculty performers and was ECC’s first nurse in the U.S. Army serving in golf professional at Greenville an environmental educator at died Dec. 4. He worked in the family Jones of Columbia, S.C., died Nov. McKinley Price of Greenville died directed many church choirs. He head swimming and diving coach South Korea during the Korean Country Club and later worked in UNC Charlotte’s Office of Waste business, Foushee Electric. Samuel 2 at 100. She retired after 44 years Aug. 19. He was a Wayne County was a member of Phi Mu Alpha leading ECU swimmers to several War among other nursing positions accounting. Frank Jeffrey “Jeff” Management and Recycling. Jai Matthew Mayo of Lucama, an ECU of nursing, starting at the original agri-businessman who endowed Sinfonia where his “little brother” team and individual championships before coming to ECU. Long ’92 of Raleigh died Oct. 1. Chandler Kamke ’00 of Memphis, sophomore engineering student, Pitt County Memorial Hospital and a scholarship at ECU. Memorial was Andy Griffith. in the 1950s and 1960s and Alfred Shih- A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, he Tenn., died Oct. 5. He taught music died Oct. 18. Justin Ryan Pierce ’14 finishing with 17 years in ECU’s gifts may be made to D. McKinley developing groundbreaking training Ruth Jensen Broadhurst of p’u Wang of later joined the U.S. Air Force, to youth through church programs of Elizabeth City died Aug. 28. He college infirmary. Thelma Brinson and Barbara Price Study Abroad practices and assisting in facility Morehead City died Nov. 18. She Missouri City, retiring as a major in 2008. Donald and private teaching schools and worked at Jordan Company. Sawyer of Greenville died Oct. Scholarship, ECU Foundation, development. In 1986, he retired as was a professor of nursing at ECU Texas, died “Donnie” Robert Mansfield ’99 performed on classical guitar with 4 at 92. She formerly worked at Office of Gift Records, 2200 S. professor emeritus and from 1961 to 1989. Sept. 20. He of Chesterfield, Va., died Sept. 24. bands and solo. Gwendolyn Alice ECU Student Health Center. Gary Charles Blvd., Greenville, NC 27858. administrator in the College of FACULTY Constantine “Connie” Anthony taught He was a general contractor for Melton ’00 of Morehead City died Rogers Stanley of Greenville died Health and Human Performance. He Ciesielski of Rhodelia, Ky., died literature in 20 years. James E. Rogers ’91 of Nov. 17. She taught children with Abdul-Shakoor Farhadi of Oct. 22. A U.S. Air Force Vietnam and his wife, Inez, opened Raynez Nov. 21. He retired from teaching ECU’s Brooklyn, N.Y., died Oct. 22. special needs. Tammy Murrelle Greenville, professor at ECU’s War veteran, he worked in ECU’s Swim School in 1960 teaching construction management at ECU. Department of He was a lawyer. Presnell ’02 of Greensboro died School of Art and Design from 1986 comparative medicine department children to swim. She helped to start English from Nov. 14. She was a physician until 2011, died Oct. 26. He was Gary Gilliland of Greenville died until retirement. ECC’s School of Nursing, where she 2000s 1967 to 1994. assistant. Sunny Daniel Thompson instrumental in the renovation of Sept. 30. He taught in ECU’s Brody taught from 1960 to 1988. He and his wife, Veronica, taught Joreka E. Allen-Benson ’04 of ’02 of Tucson, Ariz., died Nov. 21. eastern N.C. communities, including School of Medicine. Paul R. Mehne of Havertown, Pa., British and American literature FRIENDS Topsail Beach and Kenansville She taught music in grades K-6 at Uptown Greenville, Washington Walter Rex Houston of Greenville died Sept. 14. In 1975 he came to (and, on occasion, Chinese culture) died Sept. 28. She retired as Tanque Verde Elementary School. and Plymouth. His low-income died Nov. 5. In 2015, he retired as Dr. Jose Geraldo Albernaz of ECU as an assistant professor in the to ECU undergraduate and a teacher and librarian in the Jennifer Lea Wemple Tynch ’01 of housing designs for refugees were a counselor in ECU’s College of Greenville died Oct. 3 at 91. In 2006, School of Allied Health Sciences, graduate students for a combined Duplin County School System. Edenton died Sept. 18. She was a adopted by the United Nations. He Nursing, where he had served his son and daughters established later becoming associate dean total of 60 years. Their generosity Caroline Johnson Ennis ’04 of bookkeeping accountant for also designed more than 10 Islamic since 2000. the Jose G. Albernaz Golden Apple 58 “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 UPON THE PAST From his inaugural address and installation as East Carolina’s first president Our own collegerailroad A hand-tinted black and white photograph from the 1927 The Tecoan. Visitors to East Carolina University during the next year or so will see 10th Street converted to a modern thoroughfare to overpass one of the city’s inconveniences: the railroad track that runs just west of campus, regularly stalling traffic along 10th and Dickinson Avenue. But in the formative years of East Carolina Teachers Training School and into the 1940s, the railroad was more like a lifeline —the primary way students from out of town traveled to and from campus. It even was a reason the school was built here in the first place. The Atlantic Coastline Railroad was built through Greenville in 1889, and the Norfolk Southern line intersected Greenville and the Atlantic Coastline in 1907, making Greenville accessible to the rest of the state and a possible location for a normal school. The first students at ECTTS came to Greenville by train, and then took the school jitney, or bus, from the train station to campus. Students continued to come primarily by train through the 1940s. A new campus power plant opened in the late 1920s where Bate now stands, and a supply track was built from the Norfolk Southern tracks south of campus to haul coal to it. According to Henry Ferrell’s history of ECU, No Time for Ivy, students referred to the tracks as “Our Own College Railroad.” East Howard House Mail Stop 107 East Carolina University Greenville, NC 27858-4353 electronic service requested Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PAID East Carolina University More than 5,000 students put an exclamation point on the spring semester April 21 at the 37th annual Barefoot on the Mall. Performing live were Battle of the Bands winner Eastern Comfort, The Score, Gumbo and ECU students Xavier Brodie and Trey Scarborough. Students also sang during live band karaoke, and more than 100 student organizations set up information tables to talk about their groups. Photo by Cliff Hollis