Title: Richard Eakin Oral History Interview, June 16, 2020.

Identifier: UA95.18.04   (https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62321)

Description: Video recording of former ECU Chancellor Richard Eakin's interview for the "The Rise of Alpha Dog" oral history project conducted by Don Leggett. The project explores perceptions of East Carolina as an "underdog" or "alpha dog." Eakin describes his early career, his selection as Chancellor, and his impressions of ECU and how it has changed since he was hired. Eakin and Leggett discuss whether East Carolina has been perceived as an "underdog" institution, the potential of being known as a "party school," how ECU athletics is a source of the "underdog" status, whether being an "underdog" motivates ECU to improve, and how the ECU community's perception of the university's status has evolved. Next they discuss how ECU can work towards an "alpha dog" role, what that effort would mean for different parts of the university community, how ECU can improve its standing relative to other universities without impacting its role in the economic development of Eastern N.C., and what would indicate ECU's long-term success as an academic institution.