ALUMNI HONORED Six individuals and one group have received honors from the Black Alumni Chapter of the Alumni Association.
A PIRATE REMEMBERS Known as an exemplary college football coach, there’s more to Jerry Tolley ’65, ’66 than just a playbook.
Renaissance Man TLC’s Patrick Brown ’87 is helping homeowners across America.
THE ARTIST’S PALETTE Making children smile comes naturally to New York Times Bestselling Illustrator Mike Litwin ’01.
ation that I want to thank you for the delightful 50th anniversary celebr ed and plann well so you planned for our class of 1961. Everything was be wearing we felt so honored. I had no idea 50 years ago that I would Leading a gold robe and cap and be a part of the 2011 year graduation. me. the 2011 graduates into the ceremony was aweso ates who I felt that the events which you planned helped all ’61 gradu n Golde the into ion attended to bond together as a group. The induct Being us. Alumni Society was so special. The meal before it was delicio been made shown around the campus to see the developments that have on Friday Hilton the at dinner through the years was so interesting. The ries. It memo many night was also delicious and special. We shared so ntos that was fun to autograph each other’s memory books. The meme . were given us are treasured. We all parted as a special group e years. Four of us at the event had been best friends during our colleg our We had been in each other’s wedding. Two of us will celebrate 50th their ate celebr will 50th wedding anniversaries this year. Two had we since anniversaries next year. It had been many, many years was as if seen each other although we had kept up with each other. It we were young ladies again! tic job The young folks who served as our guides/assistants did a fantas feel that and they, too, made us all feel so special. They truly made us great. were too, s, we were honored guest at all times. The bus driver was In short, I had an absolute ball, and that was a statement that attend didn’t who i alumn made by others at the reunion, too! Those ’61 missed a very special event. Sincerely, Charlotte Purifoy Whitford ’61
GOLDEN GRADS
Members of the Class of 1961 celebrated their Golden Alumni Reunion by ushering in the graduating Class of 2011 at spring commencement. Reunion participants enjoyed two days of activities designed specifically around their 50th class reunion, including campus tours, a special reunion dinner, the annual Candlelight Ceremony, and an archival presentation.
BLACK ALUMNI CHAPTER
Recognition of Exceptional Contributions
13
FEATURES
16
20
24
13 recognizing exceptional contributions The Black Alumni Chapter of the East Carolina Alumni Association has extended honors to six alumni and one group, the first recipients of this new tradition.
16 renaissance man With drill and nail gun in hand, Patrick Brown ’87 of TLC’s Home Made Simple is living his dream life and helping homeowners, one show at a time.
20 the artist’s palette Mike Litwin’s ’01 colorful, exuberant illustrations have earned recognition from The New York Times Best Seller List and children throughout the country.
24 a pirate remembers
Legendary college football coach Jerry Tolley ’65, ’66 reflects on his storied career, his time at East Carolina, and life after retirement.
DEPARTMENTS ON THE COVER Patrick Brown ’87 of TLC smiles as cameras roll for filming of an episode of Home Made Simple. Photo by Corey Lowenstein of the News & Observer.
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dear pirate nation pirate connections legislative matters advancement update career corner around campus a look back
EC Alumni, the magazine of the East Carolina Alumni Association, takes a closer look at the accomplishments of our alumni, bringing you engaging feature articles highlighting their success. EC Alumni also features news from around campus, updates from University Advancement, career advice, how alumni and friends can support ECU’s legislative initiatives, and a look back at the University’s treasured history.
DEAR PIRATE NATION Do you believe in magic? I am not talking about the David Copperfield illusions or smoke and mirrors, but true magic. You know, that spark, that instant when something changes right in front of your eyes that you did not expect. Those of us that love East Carolina have all experienced it before…a last second Hail Mary touchdown pass against Tulsa, life changing medical devices like the SpeechEasy stuttering management device, or the impact that our teachers have on young lives. When these magical moments occur, they take your breath away, leave you speechless, and at times, move you to emotion. We recently experienced that magic again on campus during Commencement Weekend. Your Alumni Association sponsored the Senior Salute Dinner on the Mall, followed by the Senior Candlelight Ceremony, and for the first time we honored our 50th Reunion Class at both of these events. The magic occurred at the Candlelight Ceremony when we sang the praises of the Class of 1961 reunion participants and they received an enthusiastic ovation from the hundreds of graduating seniors that had gathered. The reunion participants were moved by the warmth of their fellow Pirates. As the ceremony progressed, the Class of 1961 lit their candles first and then passed the torch to the graduating class of 2011. You could see the Class of 2011 members suddenly realize that they were part of something much bigger than their specific class, they realized that they are now connected to generations of graduates that share the common bond of walking these hallowed grounds, studying in the same buildings, and living in the same halls. The Pirate Nation became more than just a cool moniker to define our spirit, it became real. Pirates of all generations are connected; those of us that are here today are here because of the accomplishments and sacrifices of those that came before us. As we celebrate with the Class of 2011 on their great accomplishment, let us also remember that our Pirate heritage of service, hard work, and loyalty has been forged by 100 years of proud graduates. Do you believe in magic? The Classes of 1961 and 2011 do.
The mission of the East Carolina Alumni Association is to inform, involve, and serve members of the ECU family throughout their lifelong relationship with the University.
Paul J. Clifford PRESIDENT AND CEO
Monique Best ACCOUNTING TECHNICIAN
Stephanie Bunn ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ALUMNI PROGRAMS
Emily Adkins ’08 ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ALUMNI PROGRAMS
Candi High ’97 ACCOUNTANT
Tanya Kern ’02 DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI PROGRAMS
Betsy Rabon ’86 ALUMNI CENTER COORDINATOR
Doug Smith ’00, ’07 DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI COMMUNICATIONS & MEMBERSHIP
Jennifer Watson ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ALUMNI COMMUNICATIONS
Chris Williams ’01 ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ALUMNI MEMBERSHIP
GO PIRATES!!! ALUMNI
Paul J. Clifford President & CEO East Carolina Alumni Association
In Memoriam
VOL. 4, NO. 3
EC Alumni (ISSN: 2152-3886) is published quarterly by the East Carolina Alumni Association. The Alumni Association is a member of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and Council of Alumni Association Executives (CAAE) and is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that operates interdependently with East Carolina University. The views expressed in EC Alumni magazine do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of the Alumni Association or the University. Reproduction of EC Alumni in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. ©2011 East Carolina Alumni Association Read EC Alumni online at: PirateAlumni.com/ECAlumni ISSN: 2152-5668 To contact us or comment on this magazine: 252-328-6072 | 800-ECU-GRAD alumni@PirateAlumni.com
Alumni Association Board Member Emeritus Yvonne Pearce ’82 passed away on April 16, 2011 at the age of 59. A long-time member of the Board of Directors, Yvonne was a dedicated volunteer and loyal alumna. She will be greatly missed. 2 EC ALUMNI SUMMER 2011
Send change of address to: East Carolina Alumni Association Taylor-Slaughter Alumni Center 901 East Fifth Street Greenville, NC 27858 EC Alumni is paid for with non-state funds.
Every summer the Alumni Association hosts Freshmen Sendoffs, summer outings held in local parks, popular restaurants, or alumni homes, to “send” incoming ECU freshmen on their way and wish them well. These events are terrific opportunities for alumni in the area to make a connection with students and new Pirate families and share about their ECU experience. Freshmen Sendoffs will take place in the following locations: • June 26 – Tidewater VA region • June 27 – Richmond, VA • June 30 – Beaufort, NC • July 8 – Fayetteville, NC • July 9 – Raleigh, NC • July 11 – Wilmington, NC • July 14 – Triad NC region • July 15 – Charlotte, NC • July 23 – NY Metro • July 24 – Cherry Hill, NJ • July 27 – Raleigh, NC • July 30 – Nags Head, NC • August 6 – Washington, D.C. Metro
The Robert H. Wright Alumni Leadership Award is the most prestigious award given to graduating seniors, recognizing academic achievement, service, and leadership qualities. The 2011 recipients exemplify those special characteristics that cause them to be recognized as those who will make a difference in their respective professions and communities. In addition to many other accomplishments, this year’s recipients had an overall academic average of 4.0. The 2011 Robert H. Wright Alumni Leadership recipients are: • Brittany Leigh Carr, a double major in biology and Asian studies from Mount Olive, NC • Deepak Ravindranathan, a double major in biochemistry and chemistry from Calabash, NC • Parteek Singla, a biology major and international studies minor from Greenville, NC • Anna Elizabeth Smith, a biomedical engineering major from Oakboro, NC
Freshmen Sendoffs are free for incoming freshmen and children 10 and under, and To read more about these accomplished $15.00 per person for other attendees. students and their future plans, visit For more details and to register, visit PirateAlumni.com/wrightaward. PirateAlumni.com/freshmensendoffs or call the Alumni Association at 800-ECU-GRAD.
ALUMNI TAILGATE
presented by dowdy student stores
Football season is just around the corner and that means it’s time to tailgate! Join the Alumni Association’s familyfriendly tailgate for great food, Pirate beverages, entertainment, children’s activities, and fantastic ECU door prizes. Alumni Tailgate is $10.00 per person for Alumni Association members and $25.00 for non-members. Children 12 and under are free of charge. Alumni Tailgate begins twoand-a-half hours prior to kickoff and is held outside Gate 1 of Minges Coliseum at ECU’s Athletic Complex. Tickets go on sale to Alumni Association members on Monday, July 11. If
Home Tailgates
September 10 Virginia Tech September 24 UAB October 1 UNC-Chapel Hill October 29 Tulane
PIRATE CONNECTIONS
Welcome Class of 2015 at Four graduates receive a summer outing Robert H. Wright Leadership Award
November 5 Southern Miss November 19 UCF PIRATEALUMNI.COM 3
PIRATE CONNECTIONS
VIEWING PARTIES
tickets are still available, non-members can purchase tickets beginning Monday, August 1. If you are not a member of the Alumni Association, join today to take advantage of member pricing for this season. Visit PirateAlumni.com/jointoday or call the Alumni Watch the Gridiron Pirates Association at 800-ECU-GRAD. on the big screen Thank you to our generous Alumni Tailgate sponsors: Dowdy Student Stores, Liberty Mutual, Coca-Cola Bottling Corp., Mutual Distributing, Occasions Party and Tent Rentals, RA Jeffreys Distributing, and WITN.
Can’t make it to Greenville for the big game? Then join fellow alumni and Pirate fans this fall at your favorite watering hole for a viewing party. When the Pirates’ games are televised, enthusiastic fans love to gather to cheer the team to victory. Watch for details about viewing parties in your area Away Game Tailgates through e-mail and on regional Facebook pages. If you are interested in planning a Join the Alumni Association and the Pirate viewing party in your area, contact Director Club when the Gridiron Pirates go on of Alumni Programs Tanya L. Kern ’02 at the road. Away game tailgates are $25.00 Tanya.Kern@PirateAlumni.com. per person and include great food, Pirate beverages, and terrific door prizes. Children Support the Alumni 12 and under are free. Association’s scholarship
program
• September 3 – vs. South Carolina [in Charlotte, N.C.] • October 8 – vs. Houston • October 22 – vs. Navy
There are many ways you can support the Alumni Association’s scholarship program.
Thanks to the generosity of alumni and friends, as well as area and regional businesses, the Alumni Association has awarded 134 scholarships over the past six years. Here are a few ways you can support the scholarship program: • Do you have a service or item that would do well at an auction? Items are currently being collected for the Pirate’s Bounty Scholarship Auction, which will be held at the Hilton Greenville on Thursday, September 29. Those who contribute an auction item will receive two complimentary auction tickets and listing in the program. • Spend the day on the links with fellow Pirates on Friday, September 30 at the ECU Scholarship Classic at Ironwood Golf and Country Club. Gather a team of four and play for student scholarships. • Sponsorship opportunities are available for the auction and golf tournament. Get your business name in front of ECU alumni and friends.
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Carl Davis ’73, Chair
Diane Davis Ashe ’83, ’85
Michael McShane ’66
Celebration, FL
Alexandria, VA
Sabrina Bengel
Doug Morgan ’88
New Bern, NC
South Riding, VA
William Burnette ’96
Steve Morrisette ’69
Virginia Beach, VA
Richmond, VA
Rick Conaway ’68
Angela Moss ’97, ’98
Chesapeake, VA
Raleigh, NC
Justin Conrad ’96
Glenda Palmer-Moultrie ’79
Greensboro, NC
Derwood, MD
Raleigh, NC
Tarrick Cox ’96, ’07
Brenda Myrick ’92
Greenville, NC
Arlington, VA
Garry Dudley ’92
Greenville, NC
Jim Newman Jr. ’68, ’74
Chesterfield, VA
Charlotte, NC
Melanie Holden ’79
Raleigh, NC
Linda Lynn Tripp ’80, ’81
Raleigh, NC
Elon, NC
Wesley Johnson ’85
Greenville, NC
EMERITUS MEMBERS:
Winston-Salem, NC
Powder Springs, GA Pat Lane ’67
Virgil Clark ’50
Chocowinity, NC
Greenville, NC
Harry Stubbs ’74, ’77, Vice Chair Adrian Cullin ’04, Treasurer Joanie Tolley ’65, Secretary Ernest Logemann ’68, Past Chair Paul J. Clifford, President and CEO
Greenville, NC
4 EC ALUMNI SUMMER 2011
Charlie Martin Jr. ’68
Dave Englert ’75
Greenville, NC
Norfolk, VA
Marian McLawhorn ’67, ’88, ’97
Yvonne Pearce ’82 (deceased)
Grifton, NC
Greenville, NC
PIRATE CONNECTIONS These scholarship events take place the Thursday and Friday before Fall Events ECU’s game against UNC-Chapel Hill. Come to Greenville early Save the Dates for exciting fall events at ECU and in Greenville to participate and make a difference in a student’s life! Contact Tanya L. Kern at Tanya.Kern@PirateAlumni.com or 800-ECUPIRATE’S BOUNTY SCHOLARSHIP AUCTION GRAD by July 29 to donate to the auction, play in the golf SEPTEMBER 29 • HILTON GREENVILLE tournament, or become a sponsor.
September 30
The Alumni Association is proud to offer Alumni Networking Events for alumni and friends of East Carolina who are interested in networking, exceling in their careers, and renewing their connection with ECU. Alumni Networking Events will be offered in a number of cities, and formats will include speed networking in a facilitated environment, featured alumni speakers, and casual networking receptions, among others. Join alumni and friends in Wilmington, Raleigh, Greenville, and other locations throughout the summer and fall. Attendees will have an opportunity to distribute business cards and Alumni Association members could win an ECU door prize. Registration costs vary based on location but typically include refreshments.
ECU Alumni Scholarship Classic golf tournament Ironwood Golf and Country Club October 28
Alumni Awards Ceremony and Dinner Hilton Greenville October 28-29
Homecoming 2011: Pee Dee Goes to Hollywood Look for complete details in the fall issues of EC Alumni and East magazines.
Visit PirateAlumni.com/networkingevents or call 800-ECU-GRAD for specific location details and to register. Want to suggest a location for alumni networking? E-mail Assistant Director of Alumni Programs Stephanie Bunn at Stephanie.Bunn@PirateAlumni.com.
Pirate Voyages Like a jewel box fashioned by Fabergé, St. Petersburg is a masterpiece of design and ingenuity, a magical tapestry of vibrant colors framed by sparkling water. The days of the czars may be long over, but a vivid record of their glory and aesthetic influence lives on in this fabled city. It was the vision of Peter the Great to build a Russian capital that would rival the great cities of Europe. Through three centuries of strife, St. Petersburg has reigned like a charming, flamboyant monarch—defiantly opulent, extravagantly colorful, and altogether irresistible. This cruise sets sail on October 16 and returns to port on October 24. Pirate Voyages provide opportunities for alumni to cultivate their passion for learning through travel. The Alumni Association has partnered with AHI Travel and Go Next to offer you these special opportunities to travel the world with fellow Pirates at affordable rates. Visit PirateAlumni.com/piratevoyages for specific trip information or call 800-842-9023 and ask about the East Carolina Alumni Association St. Petersburg: The Cultural Season trip.
Registered National Historic Places Located directly across From the campus of East Carolina University
Proud to be the Official Inn of the East Carolina Alumni Association Offering Special Rates for Alumni Association Members
1105 East 5th St. Greenville
355-0699 the5thstreetinn.com PIRATEALUMNI.COM 5
6 EC ALUMNI SUMMER 2011
East Carolina alumni are making a difference for North Carolina
Larry Bell ’85 (Dem.) NC House of Representatives 300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 606 Raleigh, NC 27603-5925 919-733-5863 Larry.Bell@ncleg.net District 21 – Sampson, Wayne
Rayne Brown ’75 (Rep.) NC House of Representatives 300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 638 Raleigh, NC 27603-5925 919-733-0873 Rayne.Brown@ncleg.net District 81 – Davidson
Stephen LaRoque ’85, ’93 (Rep.) NC House of Representatives 300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 635 Raleigh, NC 27603-5925 919-715-3017 Stephen.LaRoque@ncleg.net District 10 – Greene, Lenoir, Wayne
Marian McLawhorn ’67, ’88, ’97 (Dem.) NC House of Representatives 16 W. Jones Street, Room 1217 Raleigh, NC 27601-1096 919-733-5757 Marian.McLawhorn@ncleg.net District 9 – Pitt
Jean Preston ’57 (Rep.) NC Senate 300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 629 Raleigh, NC 27603-5925 919-733-5706 Jean.Preston@ncleg.net District 2 – Carteret, Craven, Pamlico
Edith Warren ’60, ’73 (Dem.) NC House of Representatives 16 W. Jones Street, Room 1323 Raleigh, NC 27601-1096 919-715-3023 Edith.Warren@ncleg.net District 8 – Martin, Pitt
LEGISLATIVE MATTERS
Every East Carolina alumnus/na can be an advocate for East Carolina University. Those who serve in the North Carolina General Assembly are particularly poised to champion the University among their constituents and fellow legislators. As elected officials, these East Carolina graduates have a special interest in seeing the University excel and positioning its legislative initiatives to the forefront of Senate and House f loors. Help East Carolina University prosper by letting your voice be heard to elected officials.
PIRATEALUMNI.COM 7
ADVANCEMENT UPDATE 8 EC ALUMNI SUMMER 2011
Second Century Campaign continues through December 31 New scholarships and professorships, updated facilities, more research and outreach projects, and increased resources for the University’s centers and institutes. Since its beginning in 2004, East Carolina University’s Second Century Campaign $202,090,986 (as of May 17, 2011) has supported nearly every aspect of the University. After reaching its initial $200 million goal in May, ECU will push forward through December 31 to meet additional program needs. “This represents another important milestone in the history of East Carolina University,” said Vice Chancellor for University Advancement Mickey Dowdy. “Your generous support of ECU and the Second Century Campaign have already touched thousands of students and reached most every area of the University. However, this is only the beginning of our goal to harness the University’s full philanthropic potential to meet the many additional priorities that have surfaced since the campaign began.” Private contributions to ECU are extremely important in this era of declining state support. “Gifts to the Second Century Campaign and ECU can be designated to the program, school, college, or area of your choice,” Dowdy said. “Your contributions, whether large or small, designated for a specific program or not, all truly make a difference at ECU.” Contribute online to the Second Century Campaign today by visiting www.giving.ecu.edu, or for more information about the campaign, visit www.ecu.edu/devt or call 252-328-9550. Support of colleges, schools, departments, centers, and institutes
$54,032,293
Distinguished professorships and lectureships
$14,761,230
Scholarships
$24,720,463
Research, education, and outreach (Corporate / Foundation grants)
$37,223,000
Capital projects
$5,200,000
Total academic program support Athletics (scholarships, endowments, facilities)
$135,936,986 $66,154,000
CAMPAIGN TOTAL $202,090,986 (as of 3/31/2011) 101.1% of GOAL! Deferred gifts (included in total above)
$26,337,000
ADVANCEMENT UPDATE
Women’s Roundtable Spotlight: Mary Plybon ’71 With a love for her native Pitt County and a drive to give back to the area that means so much to her, Mary Plybon’s dedication to eastern North Carolina and her alma mater East Carolina University is contagious. After spending part of her childhood and graduating from high school in Raleigh, Plybon ’71 had no doubt that she would return to her Greenville roots to attend East Carolina University. She attributes her family’s love of eastern North Carolina to the strong bonds they have with the people in the area and the legacy of Pirates in her family—both of Plybon’s parents attended East Carolina. “My dad attended [ECU] when it was known as East Carolina Teachers College,” said Plybon. “He grew up near Tarboro on a tobacco farm and was the first boy in his family to attend college.” Plybon studied social work as an undergraduate and said she was attracted to this field of work because of her childhood during the 1960s. “I grew up with John F. Kennedy and the mentality of, ‘ask what you can do for your country,’” she said, “I’m drawn to people who need a hand up not a hand out, and when you’ve been given a lot, you should give back.” Plybon watched a monumental event in ECU’s history play out during her freshman year. In 1967, ECU was still known as East Carolina College and was seeking university status, and there was a tense debate about whether East Carolina College would become East Carolina University. Plybon remembers the commotion surrounding the issue. “I was one of the students at Chancellor Jenkins’ house, just watching and waiting for the approval from the N.C. Legislature.” she said. Plybon witnessed that historic approval and has since marveled at ECU’s impressive growth over her lifetime. She is excited about the new medical, dental, and engineering schools that ECU boasts, but most of all, she admires ECU’s commitment to provide opportunities to all. “I like that ECU has continued to give people a chance. ECU offers access and honor scholarships, and I hope it always keeps that in balance,” she said. “ECU wants the best of the best, but it also
gives people the opportunity to reach that potential.” After graduating in 1971, Plybon’s first job was a position with Carteret County Department of Social Services. Her job focused on helping older adults “keep afloat” so they did not have to be institutionalized. “It was a hard job emotionally, and I had to learn to leave it at work,” Plybon said. “I had to try to find a balance in life, like anything else.” Plybon was also part of a group who pioneered an adult day-care program. It was a novel program for its time and it was a hard concept for many to accept, but her team pushed through. Plybon and her husband have become involved with many areas across ECU, from athletics to academics. She has served on the Board of Visitors and her husband Bob serves on the ECU Foundation Board of Directors. The Plybons are passionate about philanthropy and are grateful they have the opportunity to give back. Mary Plybon is now beginning her duties in her new position as the Women’s Roundtable chair. The Women’s Roundtable was founded in 2003 and is a group of women dedicated to acknowledging the contributions of women to ECU’s legacy. The organization encourages new levels of leadership, philanthropy, and commitment by women to the University’s future. Since its inception, the Women’s Roundtable has hosted several events that have raised thousands of dollars for prospective ECU students. Plybon has loved her experience as a member and said it has been a way for many of her friends to reconnect with the Pirate community. She is also grateful that she has been able to witness the evolution of the organization firsthand. “We didn’t foresee what the Women’s Roundtable was going to evolve into, but we recognized the talent and commitment of ECU women graduates; we knew they wanted and deserved to have an active role in the University. The Women’s Roundtable was an excellent way to get the process started,” Plybon said. She is excited about her new role and is ready to continue the Women’s Roundtable
mission and wants to help “identify women in a variety of fields that are doing really good work.” She wants to reconnect with more ECU graduates in all walks of life, emphasizing young graduates that have recently entered the working world. “We want them to know that there is a place for them at the table and in the Pirate community.” Plybon also strongly believes that taking the time to ask people is the key to creating authentic involvement. “Everyone gets caught up in their day-to-day lives,” she said. “Unless someone gives you a call, you’re not as likely to join something until there is personal involvement.” Plybon encourages Pirates to never lose sight of what they learned at East Carolina and to always remember the sense of community they feel when they walk onto campus. “Obviously, all ECU graduates do not stay in eastern North Carolina or even in North Carolina,” Plybon said, “but I guarantee you they take what they learned at ECU and make wherever they land a better place.” For more information about how you can become a part of the Women’s Roundtable at East Carolina University, contact Marcy Romary, senior major gifts officer and director of women’s philanthropy, at 252-328-9580 or romarym@ecu.edu. Visit the Women’s Roundtable on the Web at www.ecu.edu/womensroundtable or on Facebook!
PIRATEALUMNI.COM 9
ADVANCEMENT UPDATE
Louise Burevitch supports “adopted” alma mater Louise Burevitch is not quite an alumna of ECU, but she is one of its strongest supporters. Often, the biggest supporters of East Carolina University are not alumni, but people who see the impact ECU has on eastern North Carolina, its citizens and beyond, and want to be a part of it. Often, these people realize that ECU will be made better with the support of alumni and friends alike, for scholarships for students, professorships for faculty support, college, school, and program support, contributions to help improve facilities, and a myriad of other things. Burevitch, the second largest donor to ECU’s College of Allied Health Sciences, is a prime example of how friends of ECU can have a tremendous impact on the University. Born in Badin, North Carolina, Burevitch and her family moved to Wilmington, North Carolina, where she grew up. When she started attending East Carolina in 1935, Burevitch was doing so because her mother, a teacher, attended East Carolina and wanted Burevitch to follow in her footsteps. But Burevitch had other plans. “I always wanted to be at home,” she said. She spent a few months at ECU, but quickly realized she was too homesick to stay. Instead, she met Arthur Oriole, corresponded 10 EC ALUMNI SUMMER 2011
with him for one year, and got married. Soon after, they moved to New York, where they lived for ten years. Oriole was in the Army during World War II, but never had to go overseas. After the war was over, they saw Europe, traveling to Switzerland, France, and Italy, among other places, and traveled all over the U.S. Later, they moved back to Wilmington, where Oriole worked as a stockbroker. “The stock market was good in those days,” Burevitch said. Then tragedy struck and Oriole died of a massive heart attack at the young age of 49. “We had a happy, good marriage,” said Burevitch. “We were together most of the time.” After Oriole’s death, Burevitch decided to contribute to the charities and organizations that meant something to her, and ECU’s College of Allied Health Sciences has been one beneficiary of her incredible generosity. “She thought about what charities had an impact on her,” said Rosalind Cooper, a friend of Burevitch and her investment adviser. “She always remembered going to ECU, and she chose healthcare because nurses and health care providers are an important part of her life.” Through her generosity, Burevitch has created three scholarship programs in the College—the Louise O. Burevitch Endowed Scholarship in Health Services Management, the Louise O. Burevitch Scholarship in Occupational Therapy, and the Louise O. Burevitch Scholarship in Physician Assistant Studies. At 94 years old, Burevitch still lives alone with no help, still drives, and is still very active in her community. “She’s a wonderful lady and people adore her,” Cooper said. Now, the love of her life is her dog Jake, a shih-tzu that is her constant companion. “Boy do I love him,” Burevitch said. “We have a good life together.” Contributions such as Burevitch’s are vital to ECU and the College of Allied Health Sciences. In this era of declining state support, private support means more than ever for students, faculty, staff, and programs in each and every one of ECU’s colleges, schools, and programs. “As we reach the initial dollar target of the $200 million Second Century Campaign,” said Mickey Dowdy, vice chancellor for university advancement, “we cannot lose our focus or determination to accomplish our strategic goals. We are extremely grateful for Louise Burevitch’s support of the College of Allied Health Sciences and encourage everyone connected to ECU in any way to consider supporting the University and its impact on eastern North Carolina and the state as a whole.” One of many colleges and schools at ECU that need your support, the College of Allied Health Sciences was established in 1967 in response to the growing need for healthcare professionals and services in eastern North Carolina and the state. The College offers an array of bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs in biostatistics, clinical laboratory science, communication sciences and disorders, health services and information, management/ community health, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assistant studies, and rehabilitation studies. “In 2011, we can meet and surpass our goal for the Second Century Campaign,” said Dowdy. “It is only through the staunch support of donors like Louise Burevitch that we have gotten this far, and we will only accomplish our immediate and future goals with the support of everyone who loves ECU.” For more information about how you can contribute to the Second Century Campaign, visit www.ecu.edu/devt or call University Advancement at 252-328-9550.
ADVANCEMENT UPDATE
Inside ECU with the Women’s Roundtable Thanks to everyone that participated in the first Inside ECU in April 2011. It was a great two days for the Women’s Roundtable. Attendees visited the Colleges of Allied Health Sciences and Nursing, Joyner Library, and Hospitality Management, got an insider’s look at Athletics and had breakfast at the Chancellor’s residence.
Breakfast at the Chancellor’s Residence (top left), Hospitality Management (top right), Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium (bottom left), and Health Sciences (bottom right).
It’s our time! Each alumnus has the opportunity to leave their legacy and shape the future of East Carolina University. Planned gifts are among the most convenient and tax advantageous ways to leave your legacy and shape the future of ECU. These gifts, which can reduce estate, capital gains and income taxes include: Testamentary gifts (relinquish no assets during the donor’s lifetime): •
Bequest provisions in your will
•
Beneficiary designation in your 401(k), 403(b), and IRA retirement accounts
•
Gifts of life insurance
•
Gifts of real estate
Revenue producing gifts: •
Charitable Gift Annuities—funded by appreciated assets
•
Charitable Remainder Trusts—funded by appreciated assets
For more information about your planned giving options and how you can leave your legacy at East Carolina University, contact Greg Abeyounis, assistant vice chancellor for development, at (252) 328-9573 or abeyounisg@ecu.edu.
Tomorrow starts here.
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12 EC ALUMNI SUMMER 2011
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BLACK ALUMNI CHAPTER
Recognition of Exceptional Contributions
For the first time, the East Carolina Alumni Association’s Black Alumni Chapter recognized six individuals and one group with honors. This distinction pays tribute to alumni who have made exceptional contributions to East Carolina University and their local communities. Eligibility for acclaim is limited to those who have received a degree from the University, are currently enrolled at the University, or for a charted student club or organization. Honorees should have noted volunteer work and community service, accomplishments in their career field, and should adhere to conduct that would cause the University to be proud to present recipients as role models for students and other alumni.
Eta Nu Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. was founded in 1906 at Cornell University. Locally, the Eta Nu Chapter was founded at East Carolina in 1971 and was the first African American fraternity established at ECU. Members of the group are known as “Alphas” and their motto is “First of All, Servants of All, We Shall Transcend All.” Their colors are black and old gold, and famous alumni members include Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Jackie Robinson, Lionel Richie, Kennan Ivory Wayans, and Duke Ellington. Fraternity brothers volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, March of Dimes, and Boy Scouts of America. The fraternity develops leaders, promotes brotherhood and academic excellence, while providing service and advocacy for its communities.
As the director of ECU’s School of Social Work in the College of Human Ecology, Dr. Shelia G. Bunch ’76 ensures that BSW and MSW faculty are providing top-notch education for social work majors. Bunch also works directly with students as a professor in the school. Personal knowledge and experience in the field give Bunch an edge as a teacher and administrator. She has career experience as a social worker and case manager, having worked with pediatric and newborn patients, persons with mental handicaps, and elderly patients. Bunch has been an adjunct professor, lecturer, instructor, assistant professor, and associate professor at East Carolina before taking her current post. Bunch is a published researcher, with articles having appeared in nearly 20 journals and books. Throughout her career, Bunch has also given numerous presentations on varied topics, including domestic violence, child abuse, racism, and diversity. In 2007, Bunch was named an ECU Woman of Distinction. She is a member of the Council of Social Work Education, Bachelors Program Directors, and the National Association of Social Workers.
James D. Corbett ’85 is the founder and pastor of Community Christian Church in Greenville, North Carolina. After many years of service in the United States Army and a new spiritual beginning, Corbett felt the call of ministry. He and wife Delores established Community Christian Church in 1982. Corbett believes in ministering to the whole person: spirit, soul, and body. He ministers practical teachings of the Word of God, through men, women, singles fellowships, seminars, crusades, newsletters, daily television and radio broadcasts, teaching tapes, and supplementary books. Community Christian Church is also home to Community Christian Academy, a kindergarten through 12th grade private Christian school that emphasizes academic and spiritual excellence. Established in 1995 for students in Greenville and eastern North Carolina, CCA is a fully accredited, non-denominational, non-profit school. The church also offers the Community Christian Child Development Center, which assists parents in the growth and development of their children in a Christian environment. Before receiving a degree in accounting from East Carolina, Corbett was a two-time honor graduate at Pitt Community College. He received his divinity degree from World Christian Council in Fresno, California.
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Derval Hamilton is a junior exercise physiology major from Hickory, North Carolina. Hamilton is making the most of his East Carolina student experience through involvement with a number of organizations. He is president of Circle K International and also served as its secretary. Hamilton has been active in Student Government, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, the Campus Tobacco Cessation Committee, and was a mentor for the First Year Student program. He is also a member of Omicron Delta Kappa. Hamilton has received a number of awards for his volunteer service, including a Community Service Volunteer Award, Outstanding Circle K President Award, Campus Compact Impact Award, and Volunteer Appreciation Award. He is currently a server at the Greenville Country Club and maintains a 3.57 GPA. Hamilton will graduate in May 2012. Mike Moseley ’80 spent his career helping North Carolinians with mental and developmental disabilities. Since 1975, he has worked in mental health care, having served as a recreation specialist, resident advocate, administrator, consultant, director, and chief operating officer, among others. From 2004-2008, Moseley was division director of the North Carolina Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services in charge of more than 12,000 employees and responsible for service oversight of more than 350,000 North Carolina citizens. In 2008, just prior to retirement, Moseley served a three-month term for the State of North Carolina as a policy adviser on mental health to the secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, the first director in history from North Carolina to serve in that capacity. Moseley is currently a member of ECU’s Board of Visitors, the NC Diabetes Advisory Council, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, the Kinston Noon Rotary Club, Kinston/Lenoir County Chamber of Commerce, Lenoir County Community Foundation Board, and St. Augustus A.M.E. Zion Church. Moseley has received several notable awards and honors during his career, including Who’s Who Among Executives and Professionals, Outstanding Young Men of America, KinstonLenoir County Citizen of the Year, and Community Leader of the Year. Although retired, Moseley continues to practice as a mental health consultant and trainer.
Best known for his significant contributions as a Gridiron Pirate and now as a fullback for the Houston Texans in the National Football League, Vonta Leach ’10 continues to live a Pirate’s life of service. In his hometown area of Robeson County, North Carolina, Leach sponsors the annual Vonta Leach Football Camp, a shopping trip for underprivileged children known as “Shop with a Jock,” a community Thanksgiving giveaway that fed more than 2,000 families in 2010, and a six-week summer program for 50 children. Leach also sponsors local youth baseball teams, provided new football uniforms for his former high school team, and donated new weight room equipment to his former high school. In Houston, Leach also participates in the Texans All Community Team as sponsor of Vonta’s Victories, which provides 20 children with free tickets to every Texans home game. He also works with The Fifth Ward Enrichment Program, a school-based project that provides a holistic approach to male youth development, focusing on abstinence and substance abuse education. Leach was selected to the 2011 Pro Bowl, named a member of All Pro 2011, and the 2010 All-AFC South Team. A former chair of the East Carolina Alumni Association Board of Directors and the first African American to hold the position, Brenda Myrick ’92 gives East Carolina University her time and talent. Her arduous efforts have impacted many facets of the University, including the reinstatement of the Ledonia Wright Scholarship; connecting black alumni with the University through activities such as Homecoming, reunions, socials, jazz events, societies, and interest groups; serving on the ECU Women’s Roundtable, the Board of Visitors, and Foundation Board; and supporting Access Scholarships. She is a member of the Chancellor’s Society and is a Centennial Pirate member of the Alumni Association. In her professional life, Myrick has worked at Pitt County Memorial Hospital since 1985. She started as a nurse in the operating room, then served as a systems analyst where she was the lead analyst of the Surgical Management Project for PCMH and SurgiCenter Services of Pitt County, and is currently an administrator of Operative Services. In this position, Myrick assures the integration of patient care for the Operating Room of a level I trauma center. She is also pursuing a master’s of nursing at ECU.
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News at Six Dave Jordan
Lynnette Taylor
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atrick Brown ’87 loves helping about getting into others. As a licensed general acting…that he contractor, Brown shares his could hook me talents on The Learning Channel’s up with a local (TLC) Home Made Simple by giving agent and tell me homeowners creative ideas for easy where to have home improvements, making their head shots made. dwellings homes they love to live At this juncture, I in. He and the other “mavens” help thought ‘Why not?’ homeowners with renovations, interior and jumped off design, and cooking techniques— the diving board,” everything they need to simply make recalled Brown. He their house a home. Despite his fame just happened to be and constant travel, Brown will always in the right place call North Carolina home and a part at the right time to of him will always be at East Carolina make a connection. University. Brown started “I became a North Carolinian by working with an virtue of the United States Marine agent who helped Corps who transferred my father to him secure a Camp Lejeune,” said Brown. He was few commercial born in Hawaii but moved with his family to Jacksonville, North spots and some Carolina, where he spent his formative years and heard the calling independent films, of East Carolina University. “At some point early on, music became the most notable a really important part of my life. All I wanted to do was play the of which was the drums and surf. I really thought I was going to make a career as ESPN movie 3: a drummer. Now when I watch something like VH1’s Where Are The Dale Earnhardt They Now? I’m really glad I didn’t follow that path. I knew a lot of Story, in which people that talked about going to Carolina or NC State, but I had he played famed my arrows pointed at Greenville and ECU. My dad Jerry Brown NASCAR legend ’82 got his master’s from there and my brother Ivan and sister Richard Petty. Catherine ’84 are also Pirates.” His original intention was music, “It was like being but he switched his major to sociology. “Right after I graduated, Mickey Mouse in I like to say it was divine inspiration, I just knew that I should do Disney. We filmed something in media—it was a feeling I couldn’t shake. I did some in western North independent film work in Greenville and Raleigh, but at the time, I Carolina, where, of wasn’t willing to do whatever it took to ‘make it’ so I started living course, NASCAR life normally and ended up getting into general contracting. I was is so popular. I didn’t really grow up with that vibe—I was more working in Raleigh and living in Greenville—I just loved it so into football—so it was really exciting for me to come out of much there, I had a hard time leaving.” the makeup trailer looking just like Richard Petty and have all of Brown excelled at general contracting and eventually started the people ask for photographs! They thought I was really him,” his own Raleigh-based company in the mid-90s called Integrated recalled Brown. It was the casting director from the movie that Contracting Services, which he still runs today. But the longing saw something more in Brown. “About six months after filming to be involved with media still 3, she called me and said she lingered in his heart. “I was had this great gig that I’d be having one of those days on perfect for. She wanted me ...there’s something about finding the job where everything that to be in Charleston, South that thing you were made to do in could go wrong did go wrong. I Carolina, the next morning to life and when you’re doing it you went to lunch with my foreman audition for a new show on feel like, ‘Why did it take this long?’ Bob and said to him, ‘Bob, I TLC called Town Haul. It was a hate this. This is not what I’m spin off from Trading Spaces that supposed to be doing. This is not what I was made for.’ He said, one of the designers Genevieve Gorder was hosting. I really had ‘Really? What are you supposed to be doing?’ I told him that I my sights set on film, so I turned it down! Of course I told my should be doing something with media, but that I never really girlfriend (now wife) about the opportunity and she encouraged pursued it because it was kind of silly and I thought other people me to go for it. Once I knew I had her support, it was like I lit up would think it was silly. It turned out that the waitress had heard inside. Within a week I was filming my first real TV show—I was part of our conversation. She came back with a guy who worked talking on camera and the focus was directly on me, it wasn’t just at the restaurant part-time, who had been on Dawson’s Creek a bit part. It was an amazing feeling for me…there’s something and done some commercial work. He asked me if I was serious about finding that thing that you were made to do in life and
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An actor, TV host, cont spokesperson, Patrick Br homeowners across Ame
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COREY LOWENSTEIN/NEWS & OBSERVER
sance Man
tractor, speaker, and rown ’87 is helping erica
when you’re doing it you feel like, ‘Why did it take this long?’” Since that time, Brown has made the most of every opportunity that has come his way. He served as the lead contractor on Town Haul for the 2005 and 2006 seasons. TLC liked his oncamera persona and offered him a role on their newly developed show Home Made Simple. “This show is the first of it’s kind. It’s actually a spin off of a website, not another TV show,” Brown said. Procter & Gamble has a website of the same name that offers advice on food and recipes, home organization, crafts, home décor, holiday and party, and garden. It has hundreds of do-it-yourself projects that homeowners can tackle without hiring a professional. Things like creative framing, space planning, centerpieces, jewelry making, easy dinners, and green thumb rules are staples of the site. With the site’s
popularity, Procter & Gamble and TLC created a television show to incorporate these home ideas and show homeowners the tricks of the trade. Since 2006, Brown has been Home Made Simple’s resident construction/home improvement maven and has the longest tenure of any of the cast and crew. For him, it’s a dream come true. Brown was also the spokesperson for Swiffer® and was a speaker at nationwide home shows from 2008-2009. Brown is a natural in front of the camera. With his spiky hair, edgy attire, and classic good looks, he fits the rugged, works-with-his-hands type that the show’s mostly 20-45 age, female demographic appreciates. But it’s his affectionate smile and warm eyes that draw in the viewer. The show focuses on “attainable aspirations”— projects that the homeowner can truly handle with a little help from an expert. Brown’s contributions
for each episode begin with project ideas that must be approved by the shows executives and by Procter & Gamble, the show’s primary sponsor, three of which will be used during filming. Brown has to consider things like budget, project complexity, and ease of reproduction for viewers at home. “I try to marry people’s expectations with their budgets. I develop a game plan that fits. Not just to meet the needs of the homeowner but to engage our audience as well,” commented Brown. When it comes to filming, things move quickly. Before cameras roll, the mavens scout the house to come up with project ideas. Once they are approved, “swaps” (projects at different stages of completion) are made to make filming scenes with homeowners go smoothly. “When the camera is rolling we have to be on our game. We have to know the steps of the project, know the script, PIRATEALUMNI.COM 17
Home Made Simple on location at the home of Mark Froning, right, in Fuquay-Varina, NC. Photo by Corey Lowenstein of the News & Observer.
and know whom it is that we’re working with. Depending on who the producer is that season, we may focus more on the project or we may focus more on the homeowner and their story. And we have to be engaging while using power tools,” laughed Brown. “Sometimes it takes many, many takes to get it right. The show is supposed to look organic, but after you’ve shown someone how to use a drill gun for the fifth time, that look of excitement is not there anymore. For the homeowners, being on camera is usually a big deal and a first for them. Nerves are just part of it and we work with them to make each take look good. My goal at the end of the show is that you [the viewer] know how to do plenty of stuff and that it’s not intimidating anymore.” A typical day on set starts early with makeup, then filming his various components of the show—the walk up, the construction or home improvement work, and the reveal. Each show is filmed over three days, so Brown does a lot of laundry to make it look like it all happened in just one. He spends time with the homeowners, getting to know them and helping them through the projects. Sometimes scenes are reshot later in the day if editors find they need a different angle or an additional clip. The final outcome is a cohesive, 60-minute episode that showcases the cast’s hands-on talent. Home Made Simple takes Brown across 18 EC ALUMNI SUMMER 2011
“I love visiting other cities and living in that culture for a while, but I love coming home to North Carolina, too. We [Denise and I] both have family here, so it makes • Know when to call a sense that Raleigh is our home base,” professional—most homeowners Brown said. need a licensed tradesman During his free time, Brown is with for electrical, plumbing, and his family and keeps his business running. structural projects He loves music and continues to play jazz, rock and roll, and a little country • Be discriminatory when on his drums. “My kids are my future choosing a contractor—ask to and making sure they are completely and have the numbers of the last utterly fulfilled in life is what I have my three people they completed compass pointed towards. I love doing projects for and call them film, I love doing television, and I’ll ride • Trust is more important than that out as long as I can. After that, I’d price—make sure you have a like to get behind the camera more and comfort level with who is going do some directing and producing, and to be working on the largest even some writing. I’m one of those guys investment you’ll make that believe you need to squeeze every bit of potential out of the life that God has the country. A true family man, his wife given you. I have really big dreams and Denise and children Aaron (4) and Bri’Elle they don’t stop with Home Made Simple. I (2) go on the road with him. “We film can honestly say that a lot of that started twenty-six episodes at a time, which is two at ECU—my soul is in Greenville. One of seasons back to back. We spend at least the greatest compliments I ever received half the year on location, two months in is that I’m a Renaissance man, and I guess each city. I just couldn’t be away from my that’s pretty true. But at the end of the family for that long. It would be the worst day, I want my wife to know that she is thing if they couldn’t come with me.” The absolutely adored and my kids to know show has taken Brown to Washington, they are more important than any of these D.C.; Charleston, South Carolina; Miami; other things that I’ve done.” Savannah; Chicago; Austin, Texas; Raleigh; Watch Patrick Brown on TLC’s Home Los Angeles; Seattle; Dallas; and San Made Simple Saturdays at 9:00 a.m. Diego—some locations more than once.
Making Successful Home Improvements
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The Artist’s Palette
New York Times Bestselling Illustrator Mike Litwin ’01 is creating a world of whimsical mischief in vibrant color
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ike a crayon box filled with blues, purples, pinks, and greens, Mike Litwin’s ’01 colorful creations explode with imagination, whimsy, and lively scenes of endearingly roly-poly children. The world this illustrator is sharing with young minds is filled with fanciful characters of playful innocence and devilish mischief. A two-time New York Times bestselling children’s picture book illustrator, Litwin has taken his love of drawing and immense talent to the national stage. “I have an incurable obsession with achievement,” said Litwin, who knew from a very young age that he wanted to be an artist. “Or an author, or some combination of the two.” He was nine when his mother, who worked in a bookstore, gave him his first journal, which subsequently became filled with his interpretive drawings of Bill Watterson’s Calvin and Hobbes comic strip. “Pretty early on I made the connection that comic-like drawings in books, magazines, or newspapers equaled millions of viewers. That was something that excited me and fueled my passion for drawing,” Litwin said. “I was inspired when I went into the bookstore where my mom worked. Seeing all of those covers—it’s like an art gallery for graphic designers and illustrators.” Litwin spent time studying works by Lane Smith, Tim Burton, Norman Rockwell, and Shel Silverstein. He put pencil to paper and practiced—over and over again. “I just wanted to emulate what I loved,” he added. But it wasn’t until he began taking art classes in ECU’s School of Art and Design that Litwin received the basic training every artist needs to be successful. Mastering the Fundamentals
“ECU was the only school I applied to because it was the only one in North Carolina with an accredited art program,” recalled Litwin. “I was very intimidated when I first visited ECU. I didn’t quite fit the ‘artist’ stereotype. Here I was, this clean-cut guy from the Outer Banks with neatly-combed hair and a collared golf shirt. All of the other kids were talking about what their concentrations were going to be—painting, sculpture, C.A.—I didn’t even know what ‘C.A.’ meant! But that’s what I said when I had to introduce myself. Of course, I found out that C.A. means communication arts, which actually turned out to be the right fit for me since I had only a very sketchy idea of where I was going with this artist thing. ECU gave me a lot of room to grow and I learned the practical devices of art in my classes. You have to have a strong foundation and study the basics. Most people need discipline and encouragement, and I thrived on those. Discipline makes your work
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better, and encouragement is what lets you persevere to believe that your work is going to get better. Those two things are what I got out of the program at ECU.” Litwin fondly remembers Craig Malmrose and Joan Mansfield as the professors who provided him with the most discipline, encouragement, and the most pushing to experiment outside of his comfort zone. Litwin got his first taste of being published when he was hired by The East Carolinian newspaper to do a weekly comic strip. “I was paid $12.00 a week, but I got to see my work in print! That was a great feeling and something that drove me,” said Litwin. “I had an epiphany while I was in college—when it came to what I wanted to do for a career, that is. My illustration professor Joan Mansfield showed us a book by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by Lane Smith called The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales. That book was so fun! It wasn’t over the top cutesy, but fun in a cute, combined with Tim Burton kind of way. I identified with those illustrations more than any other I had ever seen. To me, his work is the pinnacle and it’s become the bar against which I measure my work. That book is the reason I want to illustrate children’s books.” Wake Up Call
“I didn’t expect to stay in Greenville after graduation,” said Litwin, who longs to travel and experience new things. But despite my incessant pursuit of illustration and design jobs across the country, I just wasn’t getting hired anywhere. So I stayed in Greenville and worked in the frame shop for U.B.E., and eventually I was hired at ECU working as a graphic artist for Housing and Dining. I worked there for three years and then took a job at McRae & Associates, a restaurateur company in Kinston. My wife Glynis ’01 and I were married and had our first daughter at that point, so staying around eastern North Carolina seemed like a good idea. I was able to get back on with the University in 2005 as a graphic designer for University Publications and that’s where I’ve been ever since.” In his current role, Litwin shares his artistic talents with
readers of East magazine, a publication in which many of his drawings have been featured. He also does traditional graphic design work for the Alumni Association, for the University’s many colleges and schools, and for campus departments. Pieces range from simple postcards to multi-page reports and large-scale posters. “I like my 8:00-5:00 job,” said Litwin. “I get a lot of freedom to be creative while getting direction from people who know what they’re doing.” His work tools include the Adobe Creative Suite, particularly Photoshop and InDesign. But he also relies on his traditional art training to meet clients’ needs and often incorporates hands on media into projects. Litwin works closely with clients and University Publications’ Senior Art Director Brent Burch to produce high-quality, eye-catching pieces, one “Family Feud” East, 2006. of which won him a Gold Addy® Award for his illustrations in East magazine’s fall 2006 “Heard it Through the Grapevine” series. Litwin has a strong work ethic that he learned from his parents. “My dad taught me a lot of things, but the one thing that I really remember him saying was, ‘If you can find something that you’re good at and you spend your life doing it, yes, you’ll work, but you won’t hate your life.’ That’s something I feel very fortunate to have…I don’t know what I would do if I got up every day and had to do something I hate,” said Litwin. “I hope I never get to be the best at what I do, and I don’t think I ever will. There is always something new to learn, and I like challenging myself. The world disappears when I draw—my best work comes when everything around me ceases to exist.” A good sign that he’s in the right line of work. His Big Break
Like many artists that embody innate talent, Litwin is a sought-after freelancer and has been for many years. “I started freelancing when I was in college with occasional logo designs for friends of
the family and spot illustrations for former employers who produced books about lighthouses. Not much money—$50 here, $20 there—but I didn’t really care. It gave me experience, a little bit of pocket money, and got my stuff into print. Once I was in my final year of college and beyond, I had a lot more bills to take care of, so freelancing became more of a frequent and serious thing along with some entrepreneurial projects in the form of eastern NC-related prints, even while I was working a full-time day job,” remarked Litwin. “Illustrating children’s books was always the dream, and when a few years had gone by without seeing any real progress in that direction, I took out a loan from a family member and bought space on some online portfolio sites. That led to a few more spot illustrations, but nothing in the way of a whole book.” It was in 2007 that Litwin received an opportunity that would put him on a fast track to becoming a New York Times bestselling illustrator. Fellow Pirate Ralph Finch ’67 was interested in publishing a children’s book based on ECU’s mascot Pee Dee the Pirate, with proceeds from sales of the book to be given to the College of Business. Litwin’s former professor Joan Mansfield gave his name to Finch as a possible book illustrator. Litwin submitted sketches based on Finch’s story and was a frontrunner for the job. It was when Litwin offered to do the project pro bono that he secured the work and began his children’s book illustration career. “For one thing, I figured if Ralph (the author) was putting up his own money for printing and sacrificing all profit as a way to serve our alma mater, I should do no less. Also, I really wanted to have my first published children’s book, and I wasn’t going to miss that opportunity over a question of
Illustrations from My Name is Not Alexander (left) and My Name is Not Isabella (right).
money,” recalled Litwin. The Adventures of Pee Dee the Pirate made its debut at ECU’s first home football game in 2007 and was very well received by Pirate fans and the ECU family. Before the mascot book’s official release, aspiring author Jennifer Fosberry from San Francisco, who had seen his work online, contacted Litwin about illustrating her first self-published children’s book. “She had a really great manuscript about a little girl imagining herself in the roles of her favorite female historical heroes. It was simple, cute, and very ‘girl-empowering.’ The result was My Name is Not Isabella, and it is arguably the project that has been most instrumental in launching my book illustration career,” Litwin said. Now an official talent with an agent, Litwin’s freelance work has increased to include well known clients such as Highlights magazine. My Name is Not Isabella caught the attention of Sourcebooks Inc., a publisher outside of Chicago who bought the rights to the book for reprint and marketing under their Sourcebooks Jabberwocky children’s imprint. The publishing house also funded a boy-themed sequel called My Name is Not Alexander. “My Name is Not Isabella was re-released in September 2010, and by January 2011 it made #10 on The Times bestseller list,” said Litwin. “The sequel My Name is Not Alexander was released shortly afterwards in March 2011, and after one month it also made #10 on The New York Times April 10th bestseller list, accompanying Isabella, which reappeared simultaneously on the list at #9.” In just over three years, Litwin has gone from sharing his work for free to being a two-time bestseller.
Same Old Mike
Litwin takes his newfound fame in stride. “I’m surprised that I’ve actually been able to make a career in the arts. Sometimes I wonder if it’s all been by luck, because on the surface I appear to be fairly left-brained: logical thinker, good at math, follows directions—I probably could have made a great career in engineering or law. But that’s not where my heart was, and I’m a very ‘follow your heart’ kind of guy,” Litwin commented. “So maybe I’m not as left-brained as I thought—or maybe I am, and I’m just rebelling against adulthood robbing me of my right-brainedness!” A big kid at heart, Litwin is humble, has a great sense of humor, and although he takes his work very seriously, he’s the first to laugh at himself. His work is an extension of his soul and his personality, and his everyday experiences are his muse. “Inspiration comes from everywhere, which is why I always try to have a notepad on me at the very least, if not a whole sketchbook. God forbid I should be without something to record an idea, because you never know when a fleeting inspiration is going to hit you and then leave before you can catch it,” he said. “It comes from obvious sources, like looking at the work of other artists I admire or seeing a compelling image in a book, an ad, or a store display. Sometimes it comes from less obvious sources, like overhearing a snippet of someone’s conversation or my kids making some off-the-wall observation…sometimes I close my eyes while listening to classical music or an instrumental score and let the music generate a story in my mind. And sometimes, if I stare at a stucco wall or a textured surface long enough, I’ll start
to see images and faces emerge from the patterns. No, I’m not on drugs.” The father of three girls, Litwin stays busy with family. On the rare occasion that he has free time, he enjoys Pirate football, photography, playing old Nintendo games, and visiting the ocean. He likes the month of October, the color blue, sandwiches with kettle cooked potato chips, New York style pizza, sweet tea, listening to music, laughing, and watching movies—often the same ones over and over again. He has a big heart and an amazing gift that he is proud to share with the world. “I’ve been told that things are now poised in my favor to make some big advances in this field. I’m really looking forward to seeing where things go from here.” And so are we.
Hear Mike in his own words by listening to his October 6, 2007 A Pirate’s Life for Me! interview at PirateAlumni.com/apirateslifeforme
“House at Corner” Highlights for Children, 2009.
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MOST INTERCEPTIONS IN A SINGLE GAME (3) | HIGHEST CAREER KICKOFF RETURN AVERAGE (32.1 YARDS/RETURN)
JERRY TOLLEY W
A PIRATE REMEMBERS
’65’66
hen it comes to coaching, Jerry Tolley ’65, ’66 is one of the greats. A recent inductee of the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame, Tolley is best known for his Elon back-to-back National Football Titles in 1980 and 1981. Although the town of Elon and Elon University has been his home since 1967, Tolley is an ECU Pirate through and through. Tolley has always been an athlete. At John A. Holmes High School in Edenton, North Carolina, where he grew up, he lettered in track, baseball, basketball, and football. Surprisingly, he was also president of the school choir. “My senior year, it was upon the encouragement of the principal that I join the choir. There was one other football player in the group, and just for fun the class thought that we should be president and vice president,” recalled Tolley. There were six children in his family, and their mother primarily raised them. “My mother worked at Belk Tyler’s. My older brother went to East Carolina for a
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while, after he got out of the Army. I always thought I was going to go into the military as well, but then I was recruited by Jack Boone to play football,” said Tolley, “and fortunately I received a scholarship. My two younger brothers also graduated from East Carolina, so we’ve been a Pirate family for a long time.” While at ECC, Tolley was a star on the football field under Coach Clarence Stasavich and also excelled in track. As a threeyear starter in football, the team garnered a 23-6-0 record with a winning percentage of (.793), claiming two bowl victories, including the 1964 Tangerine Bowl. Tolley set nine all-time ECU gridiron records, five of which remain today. In track, he led the 1963 team in scoring and established a school record for the triple jump and was a member of an ECC record-setting 440-relay team. Tolley was also active in myriad student organizations and clubs. He was a representative for the Student Government Association, a judge on the University Student Honor Court,
HIGHEST SEASON KICKOFF RETURN AVERAGE (31.9 YARDS/RETURN) | LONGEST NON-SCORING KICKOFF RETURN (92 YARDS)
president of the Inter-Dormitory Council, and a representative on the Dean’s Advisory Council. He was also a member of Kappa Alpha Order Fraternity, Phi Delta Kappa Honorary Education Fraternity, Sigma Delta Psi National Athletics Fraternity, and a charter member of East Carolina’s chapter of Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Tolley was also selected as a Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. “Joanie ’65 [my wife] and I met at East Carolina. She tells the story that because I was a football player I got special treatment. She says the first day she saw me that I waltzed my way into the front of the line at the dining hall while she and the other students waited in the heat and humidity. Apparently she thought to herself, ‘get in the back of the line, hayseed!’ I don’t quite remember it that way, but I don’t think she liked me very much at first,” recalled Tolley. “It was Homecoming weekend and Joanie was about to end her shift at the Soda Shop. Now at the time, she was dating another football player, but I liked her blue eyes and I wanted to date her. According to Joanie, I said, ‘I’m going to give you fifteen minutes to accept the opportunity of your life.’ Again, I don’t quite remember it that way, but whatever I said it worked and we’ve been together ever since.” The couple will celebrate their 45th anniversary in June. While earning his master’s degree, Tolley was a graduate assistant coach for Coach Stas. Upon graduation, he took a position at Fayetteville Senior High School. After six months he headed to then Elon College with the FSHS head coach Red Wilson, who accepted the Elon head football coaching position. Tolley served as an assistant coach for ten years and concurrently coached track for three years, then tennis for seven. In 1977, he
accepted the head football coach position—a job that brought him much success and admiration. “It was a hard job,” said Tolley, “but I made a lot of great friends. You’re really a part of the faculty when you’re on a small campus. I was also an assistant professor while I was coaching.” It was his winning record that made him so well known on the campus and among his peers. As head football coach, Tolley earned a 49-11-2 record with an unprecedented winning percentage of (.806). It is believed that his winning percentage is the highest in the history of North Carolina collegiate football. Tolley’s teams were known for their ability to win close games. In contests decided by nine or fewer points, his teams won an amazing twenty-two of twenty-four games for a winning percentage of (.917). Also, as head coach, his teams never had a losing season and were never held scoreless. In an article by Ron Cherubini in an issue of Pirate’s Chest magazine, Tolley was noted as perhaps the “greatest football coach to emerge from the ranks of East Carolina players.” In leading the Elon football program, Tolley coached fifty-three All-Conference performers of which four received conference Most Valuable Player honors, thirty of his players were named All-District, and fourteen were North Carolina All-State selections. Eighteen of his players gained All-American recognition, and eighteen have been enshrined in Elon’s Sports Hall of Fame, as has Tolley himself. A change came in Tolley’s career in 1982 when he made the difficult decision to step down as head football coach. “I loved coaching and I loved working with those kids, but after two national championships, I wanted to go out on a high note.”
PIRATEALUMNI.COM 25
HIGHEST SEASON KICK RETURN AVERAGE (PUNT AND KICKOFF RETURNS COMBINED, 24.4 YARDS/RETURN)
Tolley turned his attention and focus to fundraising. He held many director and administrative positions over a five-year period and led the $9 million dollar Pride II capital campaign. Once again it was time for a change and Tolley left higher education for the corporate world. LabCorp, the second largest clinical laboratory in the world, recruited Tolley to serve as their associate vice president of training; later he was associate vice president of community and public affairs. In the latter position, Tolley established LabCorps’ matching gift and volunteer programs, and under his guidance in conjunction with the North Carolina Governor’s office, he also helped institute the statewide Drug Free School Zone program. He stayed with the company for twelve years before returning to Elon— where his heart was. Upon returning to Elon, Tolley jumped right back into fundraising as a major gifts officer and helped lead the College’s $15 million campaign for their new football stadium. With the completion of the campaign, Tolley moved into other fundraising positions where over a six-year period he increased the Elon Fund by 198% and bolstered the Elon Society (the University’s most premier giving society) membership from 678 to an impressive 904 members. Tolley officially retired from Elon in May 2010, upon which the University bestowed upon him the title of Head Football Coach Emeritus, the first in the school’s 120-year history to carry the name Coach Emeritus.
The Tolley’s favorite place in their backyard.
26 EC ALUMNI SUMMER 2011
Although retirement is supposed to be a time of leisure and often for enjoying travel and grandchildren, Tolley finds time to continue to serve his community. As the Town of Elon’s Mayor, he is the longest to serve in the position, now in his fourth term. He is a passionate volunteer and community leader, always taking time to listen to citizen’s concerns and do what he can to make the lives of those in his community better. Tolley’s volunteer services extend to various foundations and boards, including founding trustee of Be Active North Carolina, former president and founding director of the Alamance County Community Foundation, and on two occasions chairperson of Citizens for Schools. Tolley has been recognized for his arduous work and contributions to athletics, education, his community, the state, and region—by national, regional, and state organizations, as well as by East Carolina University. He has received the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Dwight D. Eisenhower Award, the Eastman Kodak National Collegiate Football Championship Award, American Football Coaches Assocation Lifetime Membership Award, and is a member of several Halls of Fame including the ECU Athletics Hall of Fame and the National Assocation of Intercollegiate Athletics Football Hall of Fame. Tolley is a nationally renowned author and has published six books about football, including The American Football Coaches Guidebook to Championship Football Drills and 101 Winning Football Drills from the Legends of the Game. “I enjoy writing,” said Tolley. “I credit Dr. Gail Hennis, who directed my doctoral studies at UNC-G, for my love of research and writing. She was always most encouraging.” Tolley’s books have sold in all fifty states as well as in twenty-five countries. Grant Teaff, executive director of the 11,000 member
Tolley running Relay for ECC.
American Football Coaches Association said of Tolley’s authorship, “Coach Tolley is unquestionably one of the foremost authors of technical and instructional books in the history of football.” His story “The Legend of the East Carolina Pirates” is a permanent fixture on the ECU Athletics web page. Tolley’s love for sports influences many aspects of his life, and no surprise, was the topic of his doctoral dissertation, which was about the history of men’s athletics at Elon. A proud family man, Tolley says his fondest memory of East Carolina is meeting his bride. The couple has two sons Jay and Justin, two grandchildren, and another on the way. His wife says he’s a very happy person who is giving, has integrity, and cares about others. That includes his deep love for East Carolina. The Tolleys are Centennial Pirate members of the Alumni Association, members of the Chancellor’s Society and Pirate Club, endowed the Dr. Ray Martinez Teaching Excellence Award, and were major contributors to the Clarence Stasavich Football Suite in the Ward Sport Medicine Building and to the Henry Van Sant Athletics Scholarship. They also established the Jerry and Joanie Tolley Scholarship in honor of their East Carolina teacher and mentor Dr. William B. Martin. What’s next for this man who wears so many hats? “I think that the next thing I’ll do is write the history of Elon football,” Tolley said. If the many accolades legendary football coaches like Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden have given his previous books are any sign of how good his next publication will be, Tolley’s Elon football history book will be one for the ages—just as he is.
Most people enjoy talking about their personal experiences that led them to their current career position. You can tap into this useful knowledge by conducting Informational Interviews to gain valuable information about your area(s) of employment and career interest. The goal of an Informational Interview is not necessarily to secure a job but rather to gain invaluable knowledge, as well as develop potential network contacts. Informational Interviews can be conducted in person, by phone, or by e-mail. The best approach is to schedule a face-to-face session to gain exposure to the work environment; however, telephone and e-mail contacts are also highly effective methods. Telephone and e-mail contacts will also allow you to conduct interviews out of your local area. How do you prepare for an Informational Interview? GET ORGANIZED! • Develop a written list of questions you plan to ask. • Ask your contact relevant questions about the career field, the organization, the mission, beginning salaries, and potential personal growth opportunities.
Suggested Informational Interview Questions About the Career Field • How did you get into this career? • What advice do you have for someone preparing for a career in this field? About the Organization/Industry • What is unique to your industry, organization, or office? • How does your organization fill job openings? • Is this typical of other organizations in your field? About Future Growth/Salary Information • What is the growth and promotional potential in your field? • What is the typical starting salary in this field? Follow-Up Questions • May I contact you again if I have further questions? • Can you recommend other professionals in this field with whom I should speak?
• Schedule a time and place to meet. • If you are conducting a telephone interview, use a land-line phone, if one is available, to avoid a dropped cell phone call.
CAREER CORNER
Expanding Your Network Via Informational Interviews
• Expand your networking opportunities by asking for referrals to other professionals in your field. • Send thank you letters and notify your For more information and contacts when information and/or assistance with networking, referrals lead to a job opportunity. visit www.ecu.edu/career and view our Career Success Guide. Knowledge gained during Informational Interviews is extremely valuable for developing résumés, cover letters, and to use during employment interviews. It shows you have conducted diligent research and that you are willing to put additional effort into your personal career development.
PIRATEALUMNI.COM 27
AROUND CAMPUS
ARTS &
SCIENCES Beloved biology professors honored, remembered
On March 18, a large crowd of friends and colleagues gathered for the ceremonial dedication of the newly christened BrinsonChristian Ecology Laboratory located in the Howell Science Complex, room S309. To facilitate the naming, a diverse group of donors, led by the ECU Biology Advancement Council, raised more than $27,000 for biology scholarships. The laboratory dedication was held in honor of ECU biology professors Drs. Mark Brinson and Robert Christian for their many years of service to ECU, Dr. Mark Brinson both of whom retired in August 2010. In an unfortunate turn of events, the dedication also served as a memorial to Brinson, who passed away unexpectedly on January 3, 2011. Both Brinson and Christian served the ECU community, its students, and faculty for many years. Brinson came to ECU in 1973 after completing his doctoral degree from the University of Florida. He taught courses in ecology and biology, and throughout his career, Brinson authored numerous publications in his field of research and served as a technical consultant to the US Environmental Protection Agency, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Smithsonian Institute. Brinson also was honored with awards ranging from a National Wetlands Award for Science Research, ECU’s Board of Trustees Lifetime achievement Award, and the Thomas Harriot College of Arts
Dr. Robert Christian
28 EC ALUMNI SUMMER 2011
and Sciences Distinguished Professorship. Christian came to ECU in 1981 after serving as an assistant professor at Drexel University in Philadelphia. During his career at ECU, Christian taught courses in biology, microbiology, and ecology. His areas of research include coastal ecosystems and headwater streams within the coastal plain. He has authored numerous publications and received grants that total more than $3 million in funding. Of his many awards, Christian also has received the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor Award, an ECU Lifetime Achievement Award in Research and Creativity, and a Fellowship of the American Academy of Microbiology. Harriot College announces Moldin Scholarship, Advancement Council scholarship recipients
The Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences recently announced the 201112 recipients of the Moldin Scholarship and the newly established Harriot College Advancement Council Scholarship. The Moldin Scholars are Greenville native and senior chemistry major Sarah Howell Kinsley, and Los Angeles, California, native and junior dualmajor in biology and chemistry Quan Nguyen. Recipients of the Harriot College Advancement Council Scholarship are Stephen Canady, Caitlin Spivey Hale, Amanda Huffman, Moldin Scholarship recipients Sarah Danielle Jessen, Howell Kinsley Courtney Koch, (top) and Quan Andrew Norris, Nguyen (bottom). Ashlee Perkinson, Sierra Plato, Justin Salisbury, and Chadwick Spence. The Moldin Scholarship, established in 2006 by ECU alumni Richard ’70, ’73, ’76 and Nancy Moldin ’73, provides a $2,000 annual scholarship to two rising juniors enrolled full-time in the Department of Chemistry or the Department of Biology,
AROUND CAMPUS with a minimum 2.5 GPA and demonstrated financial need. The $2,000 monetary award is available for one academic year— $1,000 each semester— and is renewable through the recipient’s senior year, upon maintenance of the scholarship eligibility criteria. Established this spring by the College’s Advancement Council, The Harriot College Advancement Council Scholarship provides a $2,000 annual scholarship to rising juniors or seniors enrolled full-time at ECU, who have declared a major within the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences and have a minimum 2.5 GPA. The $2,000 annual scholarship award is for one academic year—$1,000 each semester.
FINE ARTS &
COMMUNICATION Collier ’02, ’04 receives Distinguished Alumni Award
Olivia Anne Hill Collier received the ECU School of Communication’s Distinguished Alumni Award at the CommCrew’s Spring Reception held at Emerge Gallery April 2. The Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes East Carolina University alumni with a minimum of four years of work history, outstanding and uncommon achievement in one’s profession, in civic affairs, and/or politics. It is awarded by the ECU School of Communication CommCrew Board. “Olivia is an incredibly talented and dedicated individual,” said Dr. Linda Kean, Director of the School of Communication. “She is dedicated to the state, the region, and her alma mater. She expresses this dedication not only through words but deeds. She is someone who walks the walk as well as talking the talk. She is someone of whom we can all be proud.” CORRECTION In the winter 2011 issue of EC Alumni, a photo was incorrectly identified as Bob Ebendorf. The person pictured was Gil Leebrick, the retired director of the ECU School of Art and Design Gallery. Mr. Ebendorf is pictured to the left.
This dedication to her community and University both stem from a desire to give back. “They have given so much to me,” Collier said. “I am a firm believer that my time at ECU is what shaped me to be the Olivia Collier person I am today. I work in the public sector not for the money, but for the joy I receive knowing that the work I am doing helps others.” She added that, while at ECU, she herself received much-valued guidance. “I am consistently reminded of the alumni who mentored me as a student, which has helped me to this day.” Collier earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication in May 2002 and Master of Public Administration in May 2004. She said that in her line of work she has been able to effectively use the communication skills she developed at ECU. While an ECU student, Collier learned to communicate not only in the classroom but also from her experiences as a Public Affairs Intern for the NC Department of Commerce. Collier was hired full-time by that department in January 2004 as a public information officer. In 2006, she became the chief of Local and Regional Affairs, with primary responsibility for the NC Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Program for the NC Department of Commerce in Raleigh. In addition, Collier is a member of The American Society for Public Administration, as well as a member of the East Carolina University Board of Visitors. “My proudest accomplishment since graduating was being asked to serve on the Board of Visitors,” she related. “At the time
that I was nominated to the Board, I was the youngest person to serve.” She stated that serving on this Board has given her an opportunity to stay engaged in campus life, and numerous chances to promote the University to potential students, community members, state law makers, and others. “I am proud to live the University’s motto ‘to serve’ daily,” she said. Collier also served as the CommCrew president from 2006–2007 and is an East Carolina Alumni Association member. Being the second recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award is described as “an honor” by Collier. “To have been selected from all of the highly qualified nominees is humbling. I am very fortunate in that I love my job, which affords me the opportunity to give back to the citizens of North Carolina daily.” Recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Award adhere to standards of moral and ethical conduct that cause the University to be proud to present the honorees as role models for students and other alumni, and are recognized by their professional peers as being truly outstanding within their professions. For more information about the Distinguished Alumni Award, visit: www.ecu.edu/cs-cfac/comm/alumnifriends/ alumniaward.cfm
HEALTH &
HUMAN PERFORMANCE Air Force ROTC alumni help HHP reach new heights
ECU Air Force ROTC alumni have joined forces to sponsor an undergraduate scholarship. Vince Smith ’84, and Tom ’74 and Kathy ’74 Shubert have generously pledged $20,000 to establish the Chief Master Sergeant Robert L. Smith Scholarship in honor of Smith’s father. The scholarship will support a junior or senior Health and Human Performance student in the Air Force ROTC program. Smith and Tom first met when Smith was assigned to serve as Tom’s deputy in the Air Force’s Congressional Inquiry Division. Smith recalls his first conversation with Tom. “So, I understand you are a fellow Pirate and Detachment 600 alum,” said Tom. The conversation continued and a firm friendship followed. PIRATEALUMNI.COM 29
AROUND CAMPUS Smith retired from the U.S. Air Force in 2007 with nearly 23 years of service. He currently serves as adjudicator for the Physical Disability Board of Review, a Department of Defense agency charged with reviewing disability claims of all active, Reserve, and Guard Military members who were required to leave the service of the nation due to physical and/or mental issues caused by their service in defense of the United States. Previously, he commanded the 620th Expeditionary Air Base Group in Kosovo and Macedonia and he traveled extensively for the Air Force Legislative Liaison from 2005 to 2007 escorting numerous members of Congress to Iraq, Afghanistan, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, and Pakistan. As a student in the ROTC program, Smith recalls Lieutenant Colonel James Thomas as his inspiration from the first day he arrived at ECU and walked into Detachment 600. Some may remember Colonel Thomas as one of our great ECU athletes who is a member of the ECU Sports Hall of Fame. Smith graduated from ECU in 1984 with a bachelor of science degree in history. A native of La Grange, North Carolina, Smith said, “I want young people coming after me to realize how valuable a career in the Air Force can be in making you a quality person, not because of the benefits, but because of the value in getting up every day knowing you are fortunate enough to be an officer in the finest Air Force ever for the greatest nation time has ever seen.” After Tom and Kathy Shubert graduated from ECU and received their commission in 1974, Kathy went on to attend Aircraft Maintenance Officer training and then served as a Maintenance Officer in Texas and Georgia before leaving active duty. Tom
LTC Vince Smith, Cadet Thomas Jennings, CMSgt Robert Smith, Dean Glen Gilbert, Col. Tom Shubert
30 EC ALUMNI SUMMER 2011
attended the Air Force’s undergraduate pilot training program and then went on to operational assignments piloting B-52 strategic bombers and airlift aircraft in the United States and Asia. In 2005, after 30 years of active service, Tom retired from the Air Force as a Colonel and entered Civil Service with his first position being in the Office of the Secretary of Defense as the country director for Poland and the Baltic states, followed by work as the country director for Southeast Asia. He first worked in the Office of the Secretary of Defense as the country director for Poland, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania. He prepared and advised, as well as traveled, with the Secretary of Defense and other senior Department of Defense officials for meetings with their foreign counterparts to discuss the United States’ defense relationships in Europe and Asia. Currently, he serves as chief of the Air Operations Division, Office of Legislative Liaison, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force in Washington, D.C. He is responsible for executing more than 250 foreign and domestic trips annually by hundreds of members of Congress and congressional staff, as well as personally escorting Congressional Delegations throughout the world. Kathy currently serves as an admissions coordinator with George Mason University and is responsible for reviewing undergraduate transfer student applications. In addition to her degree from ECU, she also holds a master of science degree in education from the University of Southern California and is pursuing a bachelor of arts in anthropology at George Mason University. “Participating in Cadet activities such as drill team, collecting for the March of Dimes, military balls, and field trips to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and Fort Bragg developed an esprit de corps that has followed us from Detachment 600 to today. The Air Force assisted us, especially as out-of-state students, to continue our education at ECU. We want to provide a similar opportunity to serve in the Air Force to a current Air Force Cadet,” said Tom and Kathy.
HONORS COLLEGE
Honors College completes inaugural year
Matthew Edwards was thrilled when he learned he was a member of the ECU Honors College’s inaugural class last year. Since then, the first-year junior biology and chemistry major has grown as a student and leader—while watching the Honors College develop and prosper as well. “I was excited that I would have the chance to be a part of the program as it emerged,” Edwards says. East Carolina’s newest college provides the best and brightest students scholarships, rigorous academic courses, research opportunities, internships, leadership and service projects, and studyabroad experiences. The Honors College offers a multidisciplinary approach to learning, giving students a strong, wellrounded academic base. They work with top faculty, who interact with Honors students through seminars, colloquia, specially designated sections of courses, research assistantships, mentoring, and advising support. The college also houses the EC Scholars program, ECU’s most prestigious scholarship, and the Early Assurance program through the Brody School of Medicine, which provides four students each year provisional acceptance to the medical school as they graduate from high school. Edwards and Shayna Mooney, an incoming EC Scholar and neuroscience and biology major, are both Early Assurance students. That opportunity, paired with the benefits of the Honors College, have the students excited about their futures. “I feel that the Honors College will stretch my mind to its absolute limits,” says Mooney. “I will be able to integrate creative activity, research, and international experience that will definitely enhance my undergraduate tenure at ECU.” That is one tenet of the Honors College: to nurture the talents and abilities of the most promising students on campus, handing them the tools they need to excel in their areas of study, stand out as community leaders, and think from a global perspective. “That’s what the Honors College is all about,” says Distinguished Honors Professor Dr. Michael Bassman.
AROUND CAMPUS used Japanese-style puppetry to teach local school children about healthy eating and diabetes. With such far-reaching possibilities, Honors College students are encouraged to study abroad. EC Scholars are awarded a study-abroad stipend, and Honors College students have already traveled all over the world. “I am lucky to be enrolled in a health-related, study-abroad program this summer in Switzerland,” Edwards says. “It was only in association with the Honors College that a first-year student like me was accepted for the program.” Mooney plans to eventually travel to both Africa and a Spanish-speaking country. With literally a world of opportunity open to students in the Honors College, Above: Mamie Jenkins Building, the new home of the Honors College. Mooney is eager to begin her ECU journey Below: Honors students served as puppeteers this fall. She is looking forward to “working in local schools during their spring seminar in a research lab, engaging in meaningful “Puppet Shows That Make a Difference.” community service, pursuing internships, or “The students have it inside of them, and studying at a foreign university,” she says. “I it’s up to us to bring it out.” have always admired the accomplishments The Honors College includes students of ECU Honors students.” from a diverse range of academic disciplines, and provides a unique living-learning community on campus for first-year LIBRARY students. Students live together, making it easier to study, collaborate, and form Joyner Library’s latest exhibit lasting relationships with each other. “It’s on Native Carolinians circa 1585 a spectacular opportunity,” says Edwards, who is also an Honors Ambassador. “Many Engravings more than 400 years old were of my closest friends at ECU this year are the focus of a new exhibit this spring fellow members of the Honors College, at J.Y. Joyner Library at East Carolina and I know this would not have been University. “Native Carolinians, 1585: possible without the unique living-learning The Theodor de Bry Engravings of John community.” White Watercolors” was on display in the The Honors College itself has a Verona Joyner Langford North Carolina new home. The newly renovated Mamie Collection through May 2011. Jenkins Building—one of ECU’s original The Native Collections exhibit featured buildings—near the heart of campus twenty-two engravings created by Theodor provides access to college administrators de Bry and that appeared in the English, and staff in a central location. “It’s Latin, and German 1590 editions of important when a student knows you Thomas Harriot’s A Briefe and True Report of care about them,” Bassman says. “That the New Found Land of Virginia. The engravings individual attention is always key to having were based on watercolor paintings, created a successful Honors program.” around 1585, by John White, who later With almost 450 students in the became governor of the 1587 colony on Honors College, administrators and Roanoke Island. professors are finding innovative ways to Harriot’s A Briefe and True Report of the New ensure that each student reaches his or her Found Land of Virginia was the first published potential, in every facet of his or her mind. account of native North Carolinians and Unique seminars and colloquia stimulate the plant and animal life in the coastal area thinking in new ways and even benefit the of North Carolina. It is still considered the larger community. Edwards participated in cornerstone of North American natural “Puppet Shows That Make a Difference,” history. through which Honors College students White worked with Harriot throughout
JOYNER
the region to make a visual record that complemented Harriot’s written account of the environment and its inhabitants. ECU’s College of Arts and Sciences is named for Harriot, a scientist who accompanied Sir Walter Raleigh’s 1585 colony to Roanoke Island to conduct experiments. “We are grateful to Michael Joyner for sharing his prints and books for this exhibit,” said Maury York, assistant director for Special Collections at Joyner Library. “Through his exceptional generosity, the students at ECU and the people of eastern North Carolina had a rare opportunity to view important images of Native Americans as they were seen by Europeans during the lifetime of Sir Walter Raleigh.” Also on display was a large print of The Invincible Armada Defeated of the English defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 and prints depicting Sir Walter Raleigh and Queen Elizabeth I of England. In addition, the exhibit included Raleigh’s Historie of the World and an early biography of him. Joyner said he hopes that by making these images of native Algonquian Indians from coastal North Carolina available through this exhibit, it will inspire a new generation of Americans to rediscover the early history of the state and English exploration and interaction with the native people of the Outer Banks and surrounding coastal communities. For more information about exhibits or Library collections, contact Dawn Wainwright at 252-328-4090.
Title page of the 1590 edition of Thomas Harriot’s A Briefe and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia
PIRATEALUMNI.COM 31
A LOOK BACK 32 EC ALUMNI SUMMER 2011
College radio outlet utilized, WWWS This article describes how the ECC radio station began. This and other articles may be found in the University Archives. Citation for this article is: “College Radio Outlet Utilized,” The Daily Reflector, May 14, 1958. On the upper floors of the Joyner Library at East Carolina College, complete radio studios are maintained. These are not just empty studios. They are the home of WWWS, the FM voice of East Carolina College. Actually, when the library was constructed, there was no such station operated by the College. However, plans were made for including a specially designed studio, control room, and other facilities on the upper floor of the big new building. For some time the studio was used for taping broadcasts to be mailed to commercial stations for remote programs fed to the local station. Then, about two years ago, the idea of an FM educational station was born when Dr. J.D. Messick, president of the college, A. Hartwell Campbell, president of television station WNCT, and Wendell Smiley, college librarian, were discussing radio and television. It was Campbell who suggested that the college purchase an FM station and develop it into an educational station. Dr. Messick liked the idea and a sum of money was set aside to purchase the station. It became Smiley’s job to find a transmitter and he began the search. He finally located the needed equipment in Norton, Virginia. Station WNVA was discontinuing its FM operation and wished to sell its three KW transmitter. The transmitter had been operated about 27,000 hours and was obtained at a low cost. New, the equipment would have cost the college about $18,000. The equipment was dismantled and moved the Greenville where it was installed in the control room of the studios. Its tower was installed on the roof of the building and, after an additional section was added to place the station on 91.3 megacycles,
WWWS was born. The top of the tower was 135 feet above ground and the station can be heard within a radius of 50 miles. The station is student operated under the supervisions of Miss Rosalind Roulston, director of radio and television for the college. It can carry baseball, football, and basketball games plus other special events, which might be scheduled for the auditoriums on the college campus. There are lines to the auditoriums and athletic fields for remote broadcast. Along with educational programs, the station will carry programs of recorded music. A record library has been built up and it includes classical, semi-classical, and popular music. The station is on the air from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 2 to 9:30 p.m. on Sundays. Soon the college station will expand its services on the campus. Recently, the Phi Kappa Alpha fraternity, through its president Thomas A. Farlow and faculty advisor Dr. Orval L. Phillips, presented a check for $238 to the radio station. The funds will be used for installation of carrier AM transmitters in the basements of ECC residence halls, allowing dormitory residents to pick up the stations programs with any type of radio. Librarian Smiley, who was station director, said the new limited range facilities will enable persons within 268 feet of any one of the new transmitters to pick up the station. It will operate on 760 kilocycles on the AM band and will retain its FM operating band of 91.3 megacycles. The Phi Kappa Alpha raised its donation by means of a variety show.
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JOIN TODAY! JOIN TODAY! JOIN TODAY! JOIN TODAY! JOIN TODAY! OIN TODAY! JOIN TODAY! JOIN TODAY! JOIN TODAY! JOIN TODAY JOIN TODAY! JOIN TODAY! JOIN TODAY! JOIN TODAY! JOIN TODAY! TheTODAY! East Carolina Alumni Association is excited to offerJOIN a uniqueTODAY! opportunity to alumni OIN JOIN TODAY! JOIN TODAY! JOIN TODAY
Summer Membership Promotion
and friends who join the Alumni Association June 1 through July 31, 2011. All those who join by July 31 will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win great prizes! Prize Pack #1: UNC-Chapel Hill vs. ECU Weekend Receive 2 complimentary tickets to the Pirate’s Bounty Scholarship Auction, 2 complimentary players in the ECU Alumni Scholarship Classic golf tournament, and 2 complimentary Alumni Tailgate tickets.
September 29 – Pirate’s Bounty Scholarship Auction September 30 – ECU Alumni Scholarship Classic October 1 – Alumni Tailgate before UNC-Chapel Hill vs. ECU football
Prize Pack #2: Alumni Tailgate Receive 2 complimentary season Alumni Tailgate tickets for all home football games (children 12 and under are free).
September 10 – Va. Tech September 24 – UAB October 1 – UNC-Chapel Hill October 29 – Tulane (Homecoming) November 5 – Southern Miss November 19 – UCF
Prize Pack #3: Enjoy the Arts Receive 2 complimentary tickets to the S. Rudolph Alexander Performing Arts Series production of your choice during the 2011-2012 season.
Make your tax-deductible membership contribution today! Join online at PirateAlumni.com/jointoday
Call the Alumni Center at 800-ECU-GRAD.
For as little as $35 you can have a chance to win one of these great prize packs! Your support truly makes a difference for East Carolina.