Title: Steve Ballard Oral History Interview, June 25, 2020

Identifier: UA95.18.07   (https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/62324)

Description: Video recording of former ECU Chancellor Steve Ballard'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." Ballard describes his education and career, and how he learned about ECU and was selected as Chancellor. Ballard and Leggett discuss whether East Carolina has been perceived as an "underdog" institution, some factors which influenced that perception, and whether being perceived as an "underdog" has any advantages. Next they talk about whether ECU is moving on to an "alpha dog" status, if there is any resistance to the change, whether ECU can improve its status academically while maintaining its role in the economic development of eastern N.C., what role athletics plays in how ECU is perceived, and how to know if and when ECU has met its goals for improvement. Ballard wraps up by saying that regardless of how ECU is seen in relation to other universities, it does an excellent job of achieving its stated mission.