EC Alumni - Winter 2012

Spirit of AloHA

“Kumu” Kent Knorr ’97 is spreading his love of music through the ukulele

Mission

Fulfilled

This past summer, Kimberly Smith Lamb ’85, Kyla R. Stone ’09, and Whitney Lanier ’09 lived ECU’s motto of Servire when they traveled to Kenya on a mission trip with First Baptist Church of Cary, North Carolina. They built two houses with the Houses of Hope Project, presented the “True Love Waits” curriculum at five elementary and middle schools, served food to children at a local church, and donated items including ECU T-shirts to the Walk on Water Orphanage. While in Kenya, the graduates also traveled to the Equator, Lake Victoria, Nakuru, and Nairobi.

Alumni are encouraged to carry out the University’s motto in April during Service Month.

See page 4 for details.

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FEATURES

12

16

20

10 passing pirate pride

Retired NBA player and ECU standout “Blue” Edwards proudly shares his college legacy with twin daughters Britny and Whitny.

12 inspiration on wheels An inspiration to all who meet her, newlywed Rachelle Friedman Chapman ’08 isn’t letting an accident get in the way of her happiness.

16 spirit of aloha

The ukulele is more than just an island instrument—it’s a way of life for musician Kent Knorr ’97.

20 a pirate remembers With an amazing list of stories, Bernie Ham ’53 celebrates his many life experiences.

DEPARTMENTS ON THE COVER Ukulele enthusiast Kent Knorr ’97 is instructor and owner of the only ukulele academy and store on the East Coast.

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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 The world needs leaders!

Believe it or not, I saw my first East Carolina football game on September 21, 1985 in State College, Pennsylvania. Our Pirates dropped a hard fought 1710 match-up to a Penn State team that would go 11-1 losing the National Championship to Oklahoma. In full disclosure, I was 11 years old and already a die-hard Penn State fan, having had fandom passed down to me from my dad, a ’72 graduate of Penn State. You can imagine my shock and dismay upon learning the details of the horrible child abuse scandal that has rocked a university that my family holds dear. By most accounts, the failure of many involved to provide leadership when it was needed is the root cause of unnecessary pain and suffering, and has irreparably damaged the lives of the victims and a respected university.

Occupy Wall Street or Occupy <insert your city here> is self-defined as a leaderless resistance movement that will no longer tolerate corporate greed and political corruption. Recently, both NBA and NFL players disbanded their unions and engaged in drawn out labor disputes on how to divide billions of dollars. These are but a few of the many examples where we are in desperate need of leaders.

I’ve believed for a long time that higher education is the answer to all the world’s problems. Poverty. Cancer. Literacy. Voids in Leadership. Global Warming. Political conflict. These problems and more are studied and will be solved on our campuses by brilliant, innovative, and creative students, faculty, and partners.

ECU has taken it one step further and positioned our University as THE Leadership University in North Carolina. Leadership training is now infused in every curriculum, student experience, and program offered. Here are just a couple of examples of how leadership is now part of the fabric of the ECU experience: The BB&T Center for Leadership Development has a proud history of providing support to ECU colleges and schools for innovative leadership initiatives. Focused primarily on faculty leadership, the center has benefitted from $1.85 million from BB&T since its inception.

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 VICE PRESIDENT FOR ALUMNI MEMBERSHIP & MARKETING

Jennifer Watson ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ALUMNI COMMUNICATIONS

Chris Williams ’01 ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ALUMNI MEMBERSHIP

The ECU Leadership Challenge Institute is a five-week intensive program that helps students with demonstrated leadership experience to further develop their potential as leaders.

Each year, nearly 10,000 East Carolina students contribute more than 130,000 hours of volunteer service to more than 185 health and human service agencies.

Cadets from ECU’s Army ROTC have distinguished themselves with a winning record in contests such as the All American Brigade Ranger Contest, in which they prove their mettle at navigation, rifle marksmanship, and physical fitness against teams from other states.

Many more examples exist in Student Affairs and throughout the colleges.

I am convinced that when leadership is needed throughout the state, our nation, and the world around us, that many will continue to look East to East Carolina University to provide it. “The Leadership University” is more than a catchy tagline, it is a defining characteristic of our 28,000 students and 138,000 alumni. It is also another example that many point to when they say that East Carolina is the University FOR North Carolina.

GO PIRATES!!!

Paul J. Clifford, President & CEO 2 EC ALUMNI WINTER 2012

ALUMNI

VOL. 5, NO. 1

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 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.

Come home and celebrate 50 years of being a Pirate Calling all members of the Class of 1962! Come back home to Greenville May 3-4, 2012 to reunite with fellow alumni for a special Golden Alumni Reunion weekend.

This reunion includes participation in campus tours; the Senior Salute Dinner, which celebrates the accomplishments of East Carolina graduates past and present; recognition at the Candlelight Induction ceremony where members of the Class of 1962 pass the torch of Pirate pride to the newest East Carolina alumni, the Class of 2012; and a special reunion dinner.

The highlight of the Golden Alumni Reunion for class members will be leading the Class of 2012 into Friday’s Commencement Ceremony in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. All reunion participants will adorn gold robes and Golden Alumni Reunion medallions to signify their Golden Alumni status. Look for more details soon or contact Tanya L. Kern ’02 at Tanya.Kern@PirateAlumni.com or 800-ECU-GRAD.

Alumni Scholarships

Philanthropic opportunities for alumni to help “pay it forward” The East Carolina Alumni Association annually awards scholarship funded by alumni contributions. Evaluation of scholarship applicants is based on academic performance, demonstrated service to the University community, and a letter of recommendation.

To support the scholarship program, the Alumni Association holds a variety of fundraising events and accepts donations throughout the year. Regional chapters also hold fundraising events to fund their respective scholarships. These scholarships are awarded to deserving ECU full-time undergraduate students at the scholarship luncheon in April, for the following academic year.

Visit PirateAlumni.com/scholarships for more information and specific application details. If you are interested in donating to the scholarship program or would like to register to attend this year’s luncheon on Saturday, April 21, 2012, 1:00–3:00 p.m., please contact Stephanie Bunn at Stephanie.Bunn@PirateAlumni.com or call 800-ECU-GRAD.

Alumni Association Scholarships

Several $2,500 scholarships.

Mary Jo Outland Baugh ’55 Alumni Scholarship

One $2,500 scholarship.

East Carolina Teachers College (ECTC) Scholarships

Several $1,000 scholarships, preference is given to students who are descendants of East Carolina alumni.

The New York Metro Alumni Chapter Scholarship

One $1,000 scholarship awarded to a student from the New York Metro area.

The Tidewater Virginia Alumni Chapter Scholarship

One $1,000 scholarship awarded to a student from the Tidewater Virginia area.

PIRATE CONNECTIONS

Golden Alumni Reunion

Megan Grace Lavinder Memorial Scholarship

One $1,000 scholarship.

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 3

PIRATE CONNECTIONS Uphold ECU’s motto Servire this April

for fellow alumni in your area or let us know how you plan to contribute this April is Service Month April. To get started, contact Tanya L. Kern ’02 at Tanya.Kern@PirateAlumni.com The University’s motto is Servire, meaning or 800-ECU-GRAD. “to serve,” and encourages students, faculty, and staff to get involved with Pirate Alumni Road Race community service. Last year, more and Fun Run than 12,000 students worked with 372 Save the date for our spring community partners to provide more scholarship fundraiser than 174,600 hours of volunteerism and service learning not only in Pitt County, On Saturday, April 14, the Alumni but also in 33 other counties, 14 states, Association will hold its 5th Annual Pirate and 4 foreign countries.

Alumni Road Race and Fun Run. The race, From the students to the Board of sponsored by and hosted at University Trustees to alumni like you, service to Book Exchange, travels along historic Fifth others and giving back to make a positive Street adjacent to ECU’s campus. difference in the world is what East Carolina This year’s race will include a team is built on. The Alumni Association component, where a team of six runners (3 encourages all alumni and friends to get females and 3 males) can compete to win involved! Many Alumni Association Pirate prize money of $300, $200, and $100, Contacts will plan Service Month projects respectively. for alumni and friends across the Pirate Participants will enjoy a victory Nation, but individuals are invited to breakfast immediately following the race volunteer in their community where with awards for the top overall finishers help is needed. Plan a service project and winners in eight age categories.

T-shirts will be given with goody bags and all participants will be entered into the door prize drawing.

Look for more details and registration to begin soon. For more information, please contact Tanya L. Kern ’02 at Tanya.Kern@PirateAlumni.com or 800-ECU-GRAD.

Host a Freshmen Sendoff Looking for a way to share your Pirate pride? Consider hosting or sponsoring a Freshmen Sendoff this summer!

From May to July, the Alumni Association coordinates these fun social events in various cities and states for the

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Carl Davis ’73, Chair

Diane Davis Ashe ’83, ’85

Marian McLawhorn ’67, ’88, ’97

Celebration, FL

Grifton, NC

William Burnette ’96

Michael McShane ’66

Virginia Beach, VA

Alexandria, VA

Justin Conrad ’96

Doug Morgan ’88

Greensboro, NC

South Riding, VA

Tarrick Cox ’96, ’07

Steve Morrisette ’69

Greenville, NC

Richmond, VA

Neal Crawford ’85

Angela Moss ’97, ’98

Richmond, VA

Raleigh, NC

Raleigh, NC

Ralph Finch ’67

Joanie Tolley ’65

Midlothian, VA

Charlotte, NC

Dave Fussell Jr. ’90

Elon, NC

Jason Tomasula ’00, ’03, ’10

Rose Hill, NC

Raleigh, NC

Robin Good ’80

Charlotte, NC

Linda Lynn Tripp ’80, ’81

Houston, TX

Derwood, MD

Melanie Holden ’79

Greenville, NC

Raleigh, NC

EMERITUS MEMBERS:

Winston-Salem, NC

Wesley Johnson ’85

Virgil Clark ’50

Powder Springs, GA

Greenville, NC

Pat Lane ’67

Greenville, NC

Dave Englert ’75

Chocowinity, NC

Norfolk, VA

Adrian Cullin ’03, ’04, Vice Chair Jim Newman Jr. ’68, ’74, Treasurer Glenda Palmer-Moultrie ’79, Secretary Ernest Logemann ’68, Past Chair Paul J. Clifford, President and CEO

Charlie Martin Jr. ’68

Greenville, NC 4 EC ALUMNI WINTER 2012

PIRATE CONNECTIONS Incoming freshmen at a Freshmen Sendoff in Charlotte

Class of 2016 to get to know other local area incoming freshmen, their family and friends, and alumni. These events are free for incoming freshmen and children, but there are venue, catering, and other associated costs.

By serving as a host or sponsor, not only are you providing volunteer or monetary assistance, but you will have the opportunity to introduce incoming freshmen to ECU, share your memorable experiences, and teach Pirate traditions with other supportive alumni.

The list below includes cities and areas annually visited for Freshmen Sendoffs that still have openings for hosts or sponsors:

Fayetteville, NC Raleigh, NC (both North and South regions) Wilmington, NC Clemmons, NC Charlotte, NC Northern Virginia/Washington, D.C. These events are a fantastic way for our new Pirates to begin their voyage into college. If you are interested in hosting or sponsoring a Freshmen Sendoff event, whether the city is listed above or you live in a different region or state, please contact Tanya L. Kern ’02 at Tanya.Kern@PirateAlumni.com or 800-ECU-GRAD by January 31.

Pirate Voyages

A Mediterranean excursion Chart a course through the sun-washed islands of the Mediterranean, by joining fellow alumni and tourists aboard the beautiful MV Aegean Odyssey for a 14-day trip, October 15-30, 2012. The Islands of Antiquity—Athens to Athens cruise and tour includes free air to and from Athens, Greece, from select North America cities, two-night accommodations at the deluxe Athens Plaza Hotel, receptions, most meals, a dedicated travel representative, and all transfers and baggage handling.

Pirate Voyages provide opportunities for alumni to cultivate their passion for learning through travel. We have 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 800-8429023 and ask about the East Carolina Alumni Association Mediterranean Inspiration trip.

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 5

LEGISLATIVE MATTERS 6 EC ALUMNI WINTER 2012

Board of Visitors play key role in supporting ECU In a time of economic uncertainty, the members of the East Carolina University Board of Visitors remain steadfast in their mission to support the University and serve as ambassadors in their own communities.

The ECU Board of Visitors members help spread the good word about the University by putting human faces to the story. Whether participating in one of the alumni receptions across the state or lobbying on behalf of the University to the North Carolina legislature, the members prove that the support of alumni and friends of the University is essential.

The ECU Board of Visitors is a 64-member service organization of the University that is elected by the Board of Trustees on nomination by the Chancellor.

The board exists to perform the following important functions: To assist the Board of Trustees and the Chancellor in maintaining and improving the excellence and effectiveness of East Carolina University; To advise and assist the Board of Trustees and the Chancellor in conveying to the people of North Carolina the mission, programs, accomplishments, and aspirations of East Carolina University; To assist in informing the Board of Trustees and the Chancellor of the attitudes, beliefs, concerns, and expectations of the people of North Carolina with respect to East Carolina University; and To advise and assist the Board of Trustees and the Chancellor with respect to the developmental activities of East Carolina University.

The members of the Board of Visitors have accomplished these goals and many more as the University has continued to battle the economic crisis. Three particular areas where this influential group has made a positive impact include legislative relations, scholarship support, and community engagement.

Throughout the year’s legislative sessions, this organization made a marked impact in the growth and sustainability of the University. Board of Visitors members played key roles in securing and protecting the funding of the new School of Dental Medicine, and helped advocate for all of ECU’s funding priorities. The members were effective at using their personal contacts and connections from around the state to educate elected officials on the many positive contributions ECU makes to the state of North Carolina.

In addition to legislative advocacy, the board works diligently to raise the critical funds needed to support the University’s Access Scholarship Program.

This program supports students with demonstrated financial need and proven academic potential. The fundraising and development committee of the board identifies key funding needs for the students and encourages members to give generously to this program at each meeting throughout the year. Generous support such as this provides a clear example of how support from alumni and friends is important for the success of ECU. Finally, the Board of Visitors plays a key role in representing the University in their home communities around our state and nation. This board is an engaged and active group of volunteers that shares the story of ECU outside of the immediate University area. Members can frequently be found proudly wearing their purple and gold while participating in the many Pirate Alumni Receptions across the state.

Whether it is providing information to a prospective student or simply sharing the views of the University to a local rotary club, the Board of Visitors serves as the eyes and ears of East Carolina.

The Board of Visitors is a vital component in the life of this University.

Their service provides the much-needed support we need to maintain the excellence and effectiveness of ECU. Please visit their website at www.ecu.edu/bov to learn more about this important organization.

As representatives of the University, we encourage all alumni to reach out to the members of this board for your connection and communication with East Carolina.

Did you know alumni donations fund everything from buildings to scholarships to computers? Did you know tuition doesn’t cover the cost of an ECU education? Did you know that more than 15,000 students receive financial aid?

Everything comes with a price tag, and all contributions—big and small—add up to great things!

November 15 marked ECU’s second annual celebration of National Philanthropy Day. This special day recognizes and honors the great contributions that philanthropy— and those people active in the philanthropic community—have made to our lives, our communities, and our world.

This year, ECU’s Office of Annual Giving celebrated National Philanthropy Day with a two-week campaign that kicked off November 2. Campus media, social networking, flyers, and good old word of mouth encouraged students to follow Get Hooked on Giving on Facebook, where they found information about Philanthropy Day and the impact of private donations on their education.

November 14 was Paint it Purple Day. Purple yard signs and posters were displayed throughout the campus and buildings.

This visual showcased the value of private donations. Scholarship recipients, student employees, faculty, and staff wore purple buttons, indicating that they benefit from private gifts.

On November 15, students were invited to Get Hooked on ECU. Students could make a gift Students were encouraged to contribute to ECU in recognition of the impact of to the library, college, and/or department of philanthropy on every aspect of ECU. their choice.

This proved to be a great opportunity to reach our future alumni donors while they are on campus, and share the impact of alumni gifts on their education.

ADVANCEMENT UPDATE

Get Hooked on Giving!

Signs like these decorated campus on National Philanthropy Day, November 15.

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 7

ADVANCEMENT UPDATE

Women’s Roundtable Spotlight: Gail Herring As a young girl, Gail Herring knew she wanted a career in either medicine or business. When she was considering where to go to college, her decision came down to three simple things: accreditation, proximity to her hometown of Wilmington, North Carolina, and friends. East Carolina University fit the bill—it had a great reputation in both business and medicine, it was close to her hometown, and most of her high school friends were attending ECU—so Herring became a Pirate.

Shortly after arriving at ECU, Herring decided to major in business and quickly discovered her passion—sports. She joined any intramural team she could find, whether it was flag football, softball, or soccer. Never one to be uninvolved, Herring also pledged service sorority Gamma Sigma Sigma and joined Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Through both organizations she was constantly volunteering to do more and to give back to the Pirate Nation.

In 1980, with her business degree in hand, she started applying for jobs. “[My] education prepared me for finance or banking. Having that background [from ECU] on my resume opened many doors.

My career just kind of happened—I got married, moved to

te!

Save thECeUDa h wit

2012 Inside the Women’s Roundtable held The second Inside ECU will be te for April 20-21, 2012. Save the da rsity! this rare look inside our Unive

8 EC ALUMNI WINTER 2012

Greensboro, and got a job in a small bank, like my mother.”

This small step into the world of banking started her career off with a bang. Now as the senior vice president of retail banking for First Citizens Bank in Pender and New Hanover counties, she has never felt more gratified.

“Developing others is my drive and the favorite part of my job,” Herring said. “I love to help someone grow in their role as a banker, coaching them to improve in their role as a trusted advisor to our customers. That’s what excites me about getting up and going to work every day.”

Herring moved back to Wilmington in 1996 but still bleeds purple and gold. Her son and daughter-in-law both earned their undergraduate degrees at ECU, and her grandson’s entire wardrobe is Pirate gear. Her son and daughter-in-law are expecting a baby girl soon, and Herring has already picked out the baby’s ECU cheerleading outfit.

“We will raise them as Pirates just like we did our son,” she said.

In 2009, Herring read about the Women’s Roundtable in EC Alumni and joined immediately. When she was approached to join the board of directors, she readily agreed and took on two leadership roles, treasurer and chair of the Incredible ECU Women’s Series: Investing in the Future, which was held in October 2010. Herring put her heart and soul into that event, which was attended by more than 300 people.

“It was a labor of love,” she explained. Although it was time consuming and difficult at times, she would not have traded the experience for the world.

“Meeting the keynote speaker, Jean Chatzky from NBC’s Today, spending time with her, and seeing the significant impact the Women’s Roundtable makes at ECU was one of the highlights of my career.”

Herring continues her support for ECU and the Women’s Roundtable through her service on the board of directors and as chair of the leadership committee. She lives by the philosophy, “never give up,” and that philosophy has served her—and ECU— well. Now she is using that philosophy to reach out to alumni in different locations, encouraging them to support ECU and the Women’s Roundtable.

In August, Herring reached out to the Wilmington-based Cape Fear Pirates to ask if the Women’s Roundtable could be a part of their annual Football Kick-Off Party. They readily agreed, and many of the attendees joined the Women’s Roundtable. By recruiting new members and creating awareness, the Women’s Roundtable will continue to grow and support more students through the Access Scholarship Program and the Honors College.

That is part of what drives Herring’s involvement with the Women’s Roundtable.

“The Women’s Roundtable is the best involvement with the University because it connects you with other ECU women; it is gratifying and most rewarding.”

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 and Twitter.

ADVANCEMENT UPDATE

Second Century Campaign has incredible impact After reaching its original financial goal of $200 million in May, East Carolina University’s Second Century Campaign has also made great strides toward reaching its true goal—turning a bold vision of East Carolina University’s future into reality for our University’s future. Through its support of vital programs, scholarships, professorships, research, outreach, and facility support, the Second Century Campaign has touched nearly every aspect of East Carolina University, making a tangible difference today and tomorrow.

“Since its launch in 2004, the Second Century Campaign has provided vital private support for ECU,” said Vice Chancellor for University Advancement Mickey Dowdy. “Your generous support has touched thousands of students, enriching their East Carolina experience, and helping to provide them with a world-class education and an experience that is uniquely East Carolina. 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.”

In 2007, East Carolina University’s Board of Trustees adopted ECU Tomorrow: A Vision for Leadership and Service, a strategic plan to lead East Carolina into its second century. To fully implement this strategic plan will require in excess of $1 billion in new resources from state, federal, and private sources over the next 10-15 years, and the Second Century Campaign has been a tremendous step forward in accomplishing that ambitious vision for East Carolina.

With contributions from generous and dedicated Pirates, more than 100 scholarships and 19 professorships have been created; the Family Medicine Center has been completed; the School of Dental Medicine has welcomed its first class and broken ground on its building, Ledyard E. Ross Hall; world-class Olympic sports facilities have brought new resources to bear for ECU Athletics; colleges, schools, and programs have even more resources for instruction and research; students are volunteering and serving their communities even more than ever; and East Carolina’s economic impact on eastern North Carolina has risen to

approximately $3 billion annually.

“The Second Century Campaign has set a great precedent for East Carolina University,” Dowdy said. “Many people believed that the $200 million goal was beyond our reach, but we have (as of September 30, 2011) shown that we are capable of much, much more. ECU still has many philanthropic needs—we should all use this momentum to move our University into places and areas that previously seemed impossible.”

Contribute online to East Carolina University by visiting www.giving.ecu.edu or by calling 252-328-9550.

$211,839,000

Support of colleges, schools, departments, centers, and institutes

$55,820,666

Distinguished professorships and lectureships

$14,974,927

Scholarships

$25,611,407

Research, education, and outreach (Corporate / Foundation grants)

$38,402,000

Capital projects

$5,200,000

Total academic program support $140,009,000 Athletics (scholarships, endowments, facilities)

$71,830,000

CAMPAIGN TOTAL $211,839,000 (as of 9/30/2011) 105.9% of GOAL!

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 9

Passing Pirate Pride

Whitny, Britny, and “Blue” Edwards

Theodore “Blue” Edwards passes the torch of basketball greatness to his twin daughters, Britny and Whitny Edwards first-round National Basketball Association (NBA) draft pick in 1989, Theodore “Blue” Edwards is probably East Carolina’s most well-known basketball player. He set numerous records during the 1988-89 season at ECU, including: most points scored in a single season (773), most field goal attempts in a game (32), most field goals made in a single season (297) and most free throws made in a single season (154). (ecupirates.com) He was named a Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year in 1989 and named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 1990. Now retired from professional play, “Blue” spends his time coaching on the Amateur Athletic Union Circuit, training youth basketball players, and supporting his twin daughters, Britny and Whitny, who enrolled at ECU for graduate school after attending and playing for UVA, as they make their mark on ECU Women’s Basketball. The trio answered some questions for EC Alumni.

A

10 EC ALUMNI WINTER 2012

EC Alumni: What did you enjoy about your ECU

experience?

“Blue”: I enjoyed the close-knit family atmosphere that surrounded the ECU campus. During my years there, I experienced tremendous personal growth.

EC Alumni: How did playing basketball at ECU prepare

you for the NBA? “Blue”: Playing at ECU helped me develop leadership skills [and] better communicative skills. I was afforded time and space to mature as a basketball player; therefore I became a more complete player for the NBA. EC Alumni: What did it mean to you to be selected in the

1st round of the NBA Draft?

“Blue”: I was so elated to be drafted in the first round.

Definitely, it was something that I had dreamed about occurring numerous times. I was so exhausted from all the pre-draft workouts that I was barely awake when my name was called!

EC Alumni: Share three of your fondest memories of

playing professional basketball.

“Blue”: My three fondest memories from pro basketball had to be: 1) my first game against Michael Jordan. I had to guard MJ full court with about 26 seconds left. I forced him into a turnover and we scored the winning bucket with 2 seconds left; 2) playing in Boston Garden for the first time—I was so underwhelmed with the Garden; and 3) meeting Bill Russell. If anyone should have their number retired league-wide, it’s definitely Mr. Russell.

EC Alumni: What was it like growing up as the daughter

of an NBA player?

Britny: I was very fortunate. My parents grew up very differently than I did, so what a lot of people did not understand was that my parents provided my sister and me with a lot of things because they wanted us to have what they did not have growing up. Also, through my father’s job, I learned about the hard work that is required to play at the professional level and I also learned that there has to be a willingness to sacrifice in order to be successful.

EC Alumni: What is it that you love about basketball?

Whitny: I love basketball because it is a great outlet. I’ve

grown up around basketball and it has always been a really big part of my life. I really love the fact that basketball is a team sport and gives you the opportunity to develop great relationships on and off the court. Also, in my playing experience, I have been able to travel around the country and see places for the first time and return to places I haven’t been to since I was really little, which is always a great experience.

EC Alumni: What were your first experiences with playing

basketball competitively?

Britny: My mother helped coach the first organized basketball team that I played for. It actually wasn’t very fun for me. My own mother benched me, which is quite funny looking back, but it made me realize what I needed to do to become a better player.

EC Alumni: What are your strengths, on and off the court?

Whitny: On the court I am a pretty good shooter. Shooting has

always come pretty naturally to me, so over the years I have worked to develop other areas of my game, such as attacking the rim and finishing in different ways. I am also a good defender and actually take pride in guarding and stopping the other team’s best player.

Off the court, I love to read and I think this has aided my work in school because I can usually knock out the reading really quickly.

EC Alumni: Same question, Britny.

Britny: On the court, my strength lies in the experience that I

have gained from playing basketball for so long and I have also been fortunate to have the knowledge my parents gained from their days of playing passed on to my sister and me. My parents have this saying—“basketball is basketball”—which means that no matter where you go, how the game is played doesn’t change.

That is a strength for me because it allows me to be confident in my basketball IQ and knowledge of the game. Off the court, my strength comes from my desire to be independent. I am learning now, though, that it is okay to be independent, but also to admit that I need help sometimes.

EC Alumni: What does it mean to play at your parents alma

mater?

Whitny: I think it is great being at my parent’s* alma mater

because we can share stories with them and compare our experience with what they remember when they were students here. We have a lot of family on my dad’s side that lives in town, so it is great having the family support. *Valerie Cooper Edwards also attended ECU and was a letterwinner for the Women’s Basketball team.

EC Alumni: What does it mean to you to have Britny and

Whitny follow in your footsteps and play basketball at ECU? “Blue”: I’m honored to have my twins at ECU. It gives our family another thing to bond over. Like blood, that’s something that will never be taken away or forgotten.

EC Alumni: Future plans?

Britny: I’d like to play basketball overseas…then do something

with sports and communication.

Whitny: I would love to continue my playing career in some form. As far as having a job, I am researching the options of doing something that allows me to combine my love for sports and my work experience in the field of health communication.

“Blue”: My goal is run my own foundation. I aim to provide a number of services for people in need while introducing Christian principles to live by.

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 11

Inspiration on Wh 12 EC ALUMNI WINTER 2012

Rachelle Friedman Chapman ’08 is living a new life and encouraging others Life can truly change in an instant.

One minute you are an excited young bride celebrating your pending nuptials with your closest girlfriends, and the next you are in a hospital intensive care unit fighting for your life. Rachelle Friedman Chapman’s life changed in just this way in May 2010 after a playful push into the pool during her bachelorette party left her with a C6 spinal cord injury and paralyzed from the collar bone down. But this determined young woman has not let tragedy change her course of happiness.

Rachelle met Chris Chapman ’05, ’08 at ECU the weekend of Halloween during her freshmen year. Chris was dating someone at the time and Rachelle was interested in Chris’ cousin, but the two spent time together and became fast friends. Over the next months, and with changes in their individual relationship statuses, the two discovered they were much more than just friends. “He liked

eels

Rachelle with her then boyfriend Chris after graduation in 2008.

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 13 Rachelle’s dog PeeDee shows off his jersey during our visit.

Chris and Rachelle on their wedding day.

(Photo by Martha Manning Photography)

“It’s kind of ironic that this [the accident] happened to me; considering that I was a lifeguard and I had worked with people in wheelchairs. You just never know what can happen.”

14 EC ALUMNI WINTER 2012

me first,” said Rachelle. “I wasn’t ready for a relationship because I thought, ‘if I get together with this guy, I’m either going to marry him or I’m going to lose my best friend.’ It was a big risk and I just wasn’t ready.” But the two found themselves spending more and more time together—even at home in Virginia Beach—and a first kiss shared on 65th Street in their hometown sealed their relationship, and was the beginning of a lifetime of love and commitment. “It’s like we were meant to be together. There were just too many coincidences,” Rachelle said. “We had to go all the way to Greenville to meet each other, but we grew up not far from one other. We used to go to the same pool, and my uncle was his dentist. I’m sure we crossed paths many times, but we never knew it.”

The two were active students while at ECU. Both avid student Pirate Club members, they never missed a football game and still don’t. Chris played intramural basketball while Rachelle would spend time on the rock climbing wall and working out at the Student Rec Center. She also enjoyed being a member of the S.C.U.B.A. Club. As a management of recreation and facilities services major, Rachelle was active in the College of Health and Human Performance—she even participated in adaptive sports, working with those in wheelchairs, and learned how to implement this type of programming into recreational environments. After graduation, she worked for Wake County Parks & Recreation and then Resources for Seniors. She taught aerobics and line dancing, and managed recreation facilities. Rachelle was also a lifeguard at a local pool. “It’s kind of ironic that this [the accident] happened to me; considering that I was a lifeguard and I had worked with people in wheelchairs. You just never know what can happen,” Rachelle said.

Recent media coverage of Rachelle’s story has, unfortunately, given some misinformation on her condition.

“Many people think that because I can use an iPad I can use my hands. That’s not true. I tap a touch screen on my iPad with my knuckle. People get confused because I can press down a button on the computer, but I can’t use my hands and have no control over them.” Rachelle is considered a quadriplegic whose limbs, both arms and both legs, are impaired. She uses a manual wheelchair that she controls with pressure from her arms, using the strength of her shoulders. She also has spasticity, a condition in which muscles involuntarily contract, which might sometimes make it appear as though she can move her hands and fingers. The accident also resulted in additional impairments. She can’t cough, sneezes sound really funny, and she doesn’t sweat. It is also difficult for her body to regulate temperature and blood pressure. “I always preferred warm weather, but now I really can’t stand being cold. I spend a lot of time near a heater. My blood pressure is around 90 over 50 on a good day, but it’s been as low as 50 over 30 before—kinda scary.” Medication helps regulate her blood pressure and she takes care to wear appropriate layers to stay warm enough—especially when she attends ECU football games. Rachelle needs assistance with many routine tasks, like opening doors, preparing food, and styling her long hair. Through months of intense physical therapy and rehabilitation that she received at Pitt County

Memorial Hospital, she relearned how to do many things that most of us take for granted, like feeding herself, bathing, and applying makeup—each still taxing and time consuming endeavors, but ones that Rachelle was determined to do on her own. She is diligently working to improve her independence, like being able to transfer herself from her wheelchair to the couch without assistance, and is taking the first steps to drive a vehicle again. Her determination is truly amazing, but her positive attitude is what makes her really special.

“I want to go back to work someday.

Chris and I hope to start a family, too. I’m just like everyone else, except I use wheels to get around instead of my legs,” said Rachelle. Perception is important for Rachelle and she hopes that people perceive her as the strong, fun, and loyal young woman that she is.

“One of the topics that I speak about is disability etiquette and appropriate reactions, especially with children. I’m not defined by my disability. I’m not the quadriplegic Rachelle; I’m Rachelle who has a disability. Some people see a person in a wheelchair in the hallway and they immediately go up against the wall to give you room to get by. Then others don’t do anything differently at all. I don’t want people to go out of their way for me, but I hope they will be considerate. It’s amazing how many people abuse handicapped accessible parking spaces! And motorcyclists are the worst! They’ll try to park in the lines

that surround the parking space.

Those spaces are there for a reason and I want people to respect that.”

Rachelle hopes that her story will inspire others with her same disability to do what they Chris’ grooms cake, an ECU Pirate ship. can to improve their quality of life and remind others to be grateful the reception was in the barn. Chris’ for what they have. “This teenage girl uncle married us. We even entered our sent me a letter. She told me she was a reception to ‘Purple Haze’ because of spoiled brat, but after seeing my story, ECU!” The couple shared a first dance she said it ‘woke her up.’ She didn’t want to Rascal Flatts’ “Won’t Let Go,” and to be a brat anymore. It makes me feel guests enjoyed Southern fare favorites good that I’ve had a positive influence like fried okra, macaroni and cheese, on someone.” steak, and seafood. “I surprised Chris Since Rachelle’s accident, her life with an ECU pirate ship groom’s cake. has changed in another big way. She It was awesome,” recalled Rachelle. “I is no longer a bride, but a wife. On wouldn’t change anything about that July 22, 2011, Rachelle and Chris day.” After a night in Las Vegas where finally shared their long-awaited vows they saw The Lion King onstage, the in a dream wedding at Fearrington couple enjoyed a romantic honeymoon Village in Pittsboro, North Carolina. at a resort in Fiji.

“It was so different than what we had Rachelle has never revealed the name originally planned. It was so much of the bridesmaid that pushed her, and better! 1-800-REGISTRY heard about says she never will. “People don’t care our story and offered to pay for our about how it can mess your life up,” she wedding and honeymoon. Everything said. “The media kept pressuring me to was so perfect and so ‘us.’ I wanted say who it was, but I wouldn’t. It was it to be really Southern with a barn. an accident and could have happened I just happened to find Fearrington to anyone. Why would I want to make Village online and knew it would be it even worse for my friend who already perfect. The ceremony was outside and suffers from this? Producers of Oprah wanted me to be on a show about forgiveness with my friend. I love Oprah!

Well, I’m not sure how I feel now, but I did love Oprah. I didn’t do the show. I couldn’t subject my friend to millions of people knowing who she was. Without even knowing her identity, so many have said horrible things about her—I mean horrible. And I’m not going to make it worse for her.” Rachelle is committed to protecting her friend, who was still part of her wedding. But she has a few words of wisdom to share with others: “None of us is invincible. I know it’s so cliché, but it can be you. Don’t take the small things for granted because you could lose them.” Good advice for us all to remember.

Rachelle’s story has been covered by several media outlets including NBC’s Today. To watch, visit PirateAlumni.com/inspirationonwheels.

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 15

h o l A f Spirit o

T

he ukulele; a small, four-stringed instrument often considered lowly on the proverbial totem pole of musical instruments. A child’s toy, a joke among the populous, and the instrument du jour of eccentric performer Tiny Tim, the ukulele does not get the respect it deserves in popular culture.

Yet, this powerful music maker has a rich history associated with royalty, a dedicated following, and is quietly (or loudly, depending on how it’s played) gaining a new reputation among music lovers. Kent Knorr is one of the many musicians in love 16 EC ALUMNI WINTER 2012

with the ukulele and he’s making a new name for the instrument through the North Carolina Ukulele Academy.

A casual, easygoing kind of guy, Knorr spends his days in flip-flops and T-shirts. He came south from Huntington, New York, to attend East Carolina because he likes the warm weather and warm hospitality. While in college, Knorr was a leader in Sigma Pi Fraternity as its president and vice president. He was a business marketing major, but took as many music classes as his schedule would allow. “There was no music major for ukulele, so

ha “Kumu” Kent Knorr ’97 is spreading his love of music through the ukulele

I figured I’d better do something where I could find employment.

It’s worked out really well as a small business owner to have a business marketing background,” said Knorr, “but music is my passion and sometimes I can’t believe that I’m doing what I’m doing.”

With a penchant for anything musical, Knorr started playing ukulele at age 14 when he picked up his grandfather’s 1920s Martin ukulele after a friend showed him a few chords on a guitar. “My mom helped me tune it and I got some books to

learn how to play. At that time, in the late ’80s, anytime I went to a music store to try to find someone who taught ukulele lessons, they would always laugh and say, ‘oh no, you need to learn how to play guitar.’ So, I learned as much as I could with ukulele on my own, but I took guitar lessons and then applied that to ukulele.”

In college he learned to play 5-string banjo and has since picked up resonator guitar and mandolin, but his passion is the little ukulele. “I do all kinds of styles with ukulele; everything from classical to jazz to traditional Hawaiian. There is the Hawaiian PIRATEALUMNI.COM 17

Spirit of Aloha Spirit of Aloha aspect of it and I have a deep respect for the Hawaiian roots, but I look at it as just an instrument, like you would guitar. Just because you play guitar does that mean you have to play only Spanish music or flamenco? No, with guitar you think blues, jazz, and all these other genres, and it’s the same with ukulele,” Knorr said.

In recent years, the ukulele has seen resurgence in popularity thanks to YouTube and artists like Eddie Vedder, Ziggy Marley, Jack Johnson, comedian Adam Sandler, and the band Train. “Every generation seems to have their ukulele inspiration: George Harrison for the baby boomers, Jason Mraz for today’s high school and college kids, Arthur Godfrey for the generation before the boomers.

It was the boomers that pretty much left the ukulele alone with the popularity of the Beatles and the guitar. But in the ’50s and even in the ’20s and ’30s, it was the instrument. I look at it like the iPod of

the ’20s—you could take it with you and you had portable music.”

It was the ease of portability that made the ukulele popular and ultimately landed it in the Kingdom of Hawaii in the 1880s. Portuguese from the Madeira Islands and Spaniards recruited to work in the sugar cane fields brought their braguinha (cavaquinho or machete), a small instrument with four strings, with them from their native lands. Barrel and cabinetmakers that had also made the journey were the first to modify the braguinha out of native Hawaiian wood like Koa, and alas, the ukulele was born.

Three men, Jose do Espirito Santo, Manuel Nunes, and Augusto Dias, all passengers of the S.S. Ravenscrag, are credited with the creation of the ukulele.

The Hawaiian King Kaläkaua is said to have been fascinated by the little instrument and quickly requested its inclusion in celebrations and ceremonies,

helping the ukulele gain respect among Hawaiian natives. The mainland saw a rise in ukulele popularity after the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893 and the Panama Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco in 1915.* Knorr has integrated the Hawaiian tradition of the ukulele into his life and teaching methods at the North Carolina Ukulele Academy. He is the Kumu, or “teacher,” and embraces this role with his whole heart. “I equate the Hawaiian tradition of the ukulele to that of bluegrass. It’s casual, it’s fun, and everyone can be involved. It’s folk music and it’s entertaining. It’s meant to be shared.” Knorr embodies the spirit of Aloha and teaches the Hawaiian golden rule of kindness and respect to his pupils, young and old. “The concept of Aloha is actually two things, of course it’s ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye,’ but it’s also Hawaiian law—it’s a way of showing love.”

His mission for the Academy is to expose as

Why Uke?

By Kent Knorr

EASY to learn. You can learn to strum and play chords instantly. That builds confidence. The ukulele says, “Go ahead—try me and I’ll reward you for it!” All ages and experience “get it” quickly.

BIG sound. Smooth and

SMALL and easy to take along.

are a distinct and diverse group. In the massive sea of guitar dabblers, ukulele players are an island that rises above the tide and glitters in the sun.

The ukulele’s compact body fits easily into a backpack, your lap, or in a child’s arms.

18 EC ALUMNI WINTER 2012

sweet, plucky and lively; however you want your ukulele to sing, it’ll do it in a surprisingly big way. Expect a lot of sound that’s rich and easy on the ears.

ORIGINALITY Ukulele players

Spirit of Aloha Spirit of Aloha many people as he can to the ukulele and to teach Aloha.

Business savvy and marketing prowess have gotten Knorr to where he is today.

“I came to Wilmington after graduation because this is where I wanted to live. I used to drive to Beaulaville just to get the Wilmington newspaper to look for job openings. Paula, my wife (who is a ’96, ’97 ECU graduate), liked Wilmington, too, so we’ve never left. I was able to get work in advertising and eventually started my own tourist publication and then a real estate firm. I was teaching music lessons and playing in different bands, but work was miserable. I did well with it and was grateful to have it, but music is my passion and music is never work for me. I kind of half-joked with Paula about doing this [opening the NC Ukulele Academy] and she was supportive, so I sold my companies and started the Academy in 2007,” said Knorr. “From what I understand, I’m the

only ukulele teaching school and store on the eastern seaboard, and the only ukulele academy this side of California!”

The city of Wilmington has embraced Knorr and the Academy. His students enjoy opportunities to jam with each other outside of class, learn from wellknown ukulele players through concerts and workshops, and showcase their talents in the Wilmington community.

Knorr is sought out by event planners to play private parties, beach resorts during summer months to entertain guests, and brides who desire the unique sound of the ukulele at their wedding or reception. He frequently visits Hawaii to pay homage to his ukulele passion and maintains relationships with ukulele players around the world.

Knorr can get lost in the music and finds that the world floats away, as if on a wave, when he plays. He plays incessantly, even keeping a ukulele on the passenger

seat of his vehicle to play while sitting at stoplights. (Don’t worry; he puts it down while actually driving!) “My inspiration is my students—the joy of creating music and giving that power to others. It’s an amazing feeling when one of my students becomes as fascinated with the ukulele as I am. I love to see that joy on their faces.

I teach in a casual, non-technical way. I try to make it as fun as possible and sneak learning in along the way. Music used to be for people to play in a casual setting.

Now, so many people look at music as though only the professional performers can create it. I believe it is everyone’s birthright to play and enjoy music.” The ukulele is a great way to start.

Some historical information for this article was taken from alohau.com and ukuleleguild.org/history. *

True Meaning of

ALOHA Akahai, meaning kindness, to be expressed with tenderness

Lokahi, meaning unity, to be expressed with harmony

Oluolu, meaning agreeable, to be expressed with pleasantness

Haahaa, meaning humility, to be expressed with modesty Knorr jams on his ukulele during our visit. Watch him play at PirateAlumni.com/kentknorr.

Ahonui, meaning patience, to be expressed with perseverance (to-hawaii.com/aloha) PIRATEALUMNI.COM 19

A PIRATE REMEMBERS

BERNIE HAM

’53 “I am blessed. Big time,” said Bernie Ham when commenting about his life. From experiencing the Battle of the Bulge to attending graduate school with Pat Boone, from studying with Metropolitan Opera great Jerome Hines to surviving non-Hodgkins lymphoma, Ham is grateful for every experience.

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 21

Ham (second from left) and The Collegians, 1951

The Collegians, 1960

B

orn in 1926 in Portsmouth, Virginia, Ham grew up in a house filled with love, music, and laughter. “My dad had a Model T Ford, but I loved to ride my bike everywhere,” Ham said. “That was back in the time when there were still streetcars all over the place. In fact, when I was about 12-years-old the Model T stalled on a streetcar line and my side of the car was hit. We were OK, but I’ll never forget it…I played four sports in high school—basketball, baseball, football, and I was a pole vaulter.”

During his high school senior year, Ham was drafted by the Army just before the end of World War II. “I was sent from Richmond on a black out train to Fort Meade in Maryland. Then I was sent to Fort Monmouth in New Jersey. After basic training I landed in France, but not before German U-Boats had fired on our ship,” Ham said. His ultimate destination was the 7th Army Infantry, which was part of General George S. Patton’s 3rd Army.

“It was a very scary time for me. I was only 18-years-old and my sergeant told our squad that we were replacements for his soldiers that had been wiped out the night before.” This experience near the end of the Battle of the Bulge was Ham’s only major conflict during WWII. Fortunately, the War was winding down at this point and the Germans were surrendering to the Americans rather than the Russians, for fear of certain death. “The Germans knew that the Americans would let them take showers and give them new clothes, and we would feed them.”

Ham contracted Hepatitis during this time and despite early treatment from Army medics, his symptoms continued to worsen after he’d been put on light duty.

“I was in this old German house and I 22 EC ALUMNI WINTER 2012

found a baby crib to lie down in. I stayed there for about three or four days before anyone found me and saw how sick I was.

They flew me to a hospital near Paris where I stayed for two months. The War had ended by that point, so I was able to get well.” Once Ham was released from the hospital he spent some time in Paris.

It wasn’t quite the “city of lights” that it is today, but it was still an adventure for Ham. “There were many military in the city at that time and I was preparing to salute an officer that was walking toward me. Low and behold it was my brother! Because of the War, I hadn’t heard from him in about four years, so it was wonderful to spend some time with him.

He’d been called back to go to Japan, but ended up not having to go,” recalled Ham. They celebrated their reunion at a Paris café with a bottle of wine that his brother confiscated after the winery he was near in Germany had been bombed. Prior to

returning to the United States in 1945, Ham was assigned to guard P.O.W.s in Germany—ones that were awaiting trial at Nurenburg, including Reichstag President and a leading member of the Nazi Party Hermann Göring.

Shortly after returning to the States in 1945, Ham enrolled at East Carolina through the G.I. Bill. “Some friends of mine from high school were attending East Carolina and after I’d made a couple of visits, I enrolled. I intended to major in business, but I failed the first business course I took, so I figured I’d better find another major,” Ham said. He quickly changed his major to music and pursued curriculum to be a band director.

Ham’s talent for singing was noticed in 6th grade by his music teacher, Ms. Brooks. “She wanted me to sing a solo in the Christmas program. I got on stage and couldn’t sing a note! I guess I had stage fright.” But he overcame that stage fright

Visit PirateAlumni.com/bernieham to watch Ham and The Collegians perform “I Thought About You” at the 2011 Homecoming Dinner Dance.

and went on to sing in many performances in high school, and even did solo shows at a local restaurant. (Ham also plays piano.)

He carried this love of music to East Carolina and was a natural fit with The Collegians. He also played a little jazz in a trio with Henry Whitener ’56 and Ernie Black ’53, ’59, who were also members of The Collegians; was a member of Circle K Club; Phi Sigma Pi Fraternity; and played on the golf team. “Believe it or not, my team played against Arnold Palmer’s team when he was at Wake Forest. Our team lost to them, but we had a good time hanging out with Arnie and his teammates.”

After graduation, Ham was a band director in Plymouth, North Carolina for a few years. He then enrolled in New York City’s Columbia University to pursue a master’s in music. He sang with a number of choirs and played at piano bars while in graduate school. “I stayed in New York for a while after graduation, but then I got tired of the busy New York life and came home to Virginia. I got into teaching vocal music in the Virginia Beach School System and did that until I took a full-time job with the National Guard in 1960,” said Ham. He retired in 1980.

Ham continues to sing and has been a member of the Virginia Symphony Chorus for 40 years. He’s also been a baritone soloist at Christ and St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Norfolk for 51 years. Ham continues to sing with The Collegians during their annual reunion at ECU’s Homecoming and enjoys this opportunity to reconnect with old buddies. His greatest musical influence was Jerome Hines, who he studied with for three years.

A renowned basso opera singer, Hines taught Ham the mechanics of singing, which Ham then taught his students. “There is much more to singing than just having a good voice. I would work with students on the mechanics like it was taught to me, beginning with the vowel sounds.”

Ham’s passion for music performance was fostered at East Carolina and ECU will benefit from his great appreciation through a bequest that establishes an endowment for voice majors in the School of Music.

“Being part of the Leo Jenkins Society is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It was decided upon over a round of golf and I’m so glad I did that. The camaraderie with fellow students and the relationships I built with professors [while at East Carolina] was priceless. I’m still in touch with my voice teacher Gladys White, who I visited over the recent Homecoming weekend. It’s those things that make ECU special to me,” said Ham. Big band music and classical repertoire are Ham’s favorite to perform. “I like to sing songs like “New York, New York,” “Some Enchanted Evening,” and Handel’s Messiah,” said Ham. “Music has been part of my life for as long as I can remember, and as long as I can continue singing, it always will be.”

“The camaraderie with fellow students and the relationships I built with professors [while at East Carolina] was priceless.”

Calling All

Pirate Alumni and Friends!

One of the loveliest paintings ever of our campus

by Artist William Mangum

Wright Auditorium is a charming sight with its gracefully arched portico. Located on the heart of campus, it is a favorite icon of students, visitors and alumni.

This beautiful signed and numbered reproduction is available for your home or office today.

Image size: 13” x 22” $125 each Order by phone or online 336.379.9200 WilliamMangum.com

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 23

Where Pirate Memories Continue...

“After serving as the East Carolina University attorney for 17 years, I made my home at Cypress Glen where I enjoy riding my bike, hiking, being served fine food, and having good fellowship with fellow ECU retirees.”

Col. Dave Stevens began his career at East Carolina University in December of 1970 when he accepted a job as assistant professor of business law within the School of Business. In March of 1974 he was promoted to associate professor of criminal law and social welfare legislation within the School of Allied Health and Social Work. During the same year Dave was made attorney advisor and director of equal opportunity programs as well as given tenure for his dedication and talent. In 1981, he was made the university attorney and in 1984, was promoted once again to professor of criminal law and social welfare legislation.

Dave retired from ECU in 1988.

Col. Dave Stevens ’99 (h) Cypress Glen Resident since 2002

Official Partner

www.cypressglen.org

Gift Your Home Now and Stay in It for Life A retained life estate is a gift plan that allows you to donate your home, vacation home, or farm to one of the ECU foundations while retaining the right to live in it for the rest of your life and/or a term of years. If you decide to vacate your property, you may rent all or part of it or sell the property in cooperation with the ECU Real Estate Foundation Inc. When your retained life estate ends, the ECU foundation of your choice can use your property or the proceeds from the sale of your property for the purpose you designate.

EXAMPLE:

If you irrevocably transfer your property with a value of $250,000 and a cost basis of $50,000, to ECU Real Estate Foundation Inc., and the right to live in it is retained for an individual, age 60: • You qualify for a federal income tax deduction of approximately $113,154. Your deduction may vary depending on the timing of your gift. Deductions for this and other gifts of long-term appreciated property will be limited to 30 percent of your adjusted gross income. You may take unused deductions of this kind over the next five years, subject to the same 30 percent limitation.

• Your estate may enjoy reduced probate costs and estate taxes.

• The residence sale price after the donor’s lifetime will fund a project of your choice at the East Carolina University Foundation Inc., East Carolina Medical & Health Sciences Foundation Inc., or the East Carolina Educational Foundation Inc. (Pirate Club).

For more information regarding planned giving instruments, please contact Greg Abeyounis, assistant vice chancellor for development, at 252-328-9573 or e-mail at abeyounisg@ecu.edu or visit www.ecu.edu/plannedgiving.

24 EC ALUMNI WINTER 2012

The United States federal government employs more than two million people each year, making it the largest employer in America today. Furthermore, 85 percent of these government jobs are not located in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and projections show that approximately 270,000 mission-critical workers will need to be hired by the end of September 2012. Although the majority of federal jobs require a 4-year degree, some require no formal education and many focus more on specialized experience.

What does this mean for you? No matter where you are located or what experience and educational background you have, if you are looking for employment or thinking of changing careers, it might be time to start thinking about going government.

Recently, The Career Center at East Carolina University hosted a three-part webinar series that exposed current students and alumni to the idea of federal employment and several resources to help them secure government jobs. The following are websites that can help you explore, find, and secure federal employment.

Explore MakingTheDifference.com This website helps people explore the various areas of employment within the federal government, breaking down the functions and roles into 18 fields of interest. Each interest area provides information on jobs, internships, and data, showing the typical area people in this field work, both geographically and by agency.

This is a great resource for exploring federal government opportunities by using your current interests and past experience.

Additional Resources and Strategies

Federal Agency Websites: Another great way to find out about federal employment opportunities is to visit specific government department’s websites. For example, if you have a background in criminal justice or security, a great first step would be to explore the Department of Homeland Security’s website. Many government agencies will advertise job announcements on their own website first to see who is looking at their individual page for Find USAJobs.gov employment. This makes the employer feel Between 40,000 and 181,000 federal job valued and will help an applicant stick out. openings are advertised daily on USAJobs.

This website was created as a one stop, Social Media: Government agencies are central source for all federal government now taking advantage of social media jobs and employment information. The outlets like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube newest version of USAJobs allows you to gain visibility and get their message to create an account, upload up to five out to a larger audience. Connecting with searchable resumes, and save employment these pages will help potential applicants searches which will send you new job learn about upcoming events and possible announcements directly to your e-mail. If opportunities to become involved within you are looking for federal employment, a field of interest. Also, social media sites this website is your new best friend. like LinkedIn can help connect people with professionals that work within a Secure CallToServe.org department, agency, or field.

The purpose of this website is to inspire and educate a new generation about federal For more information on federal employment service, government hiring techniques, and or to view the three part webinar series hosted innovative recruiting methods through by the Partnership for Public Service please visit partnerships with more than 700 colleges www.ecu.edu/career. For questions on general job and 75 federal agencies. There are several searching please contact The Career Center at 252events and online webinars hosted through 328-6050 and set up an appointment with one of this organization as well as helpful our skilled Career Counselors. information on federal hiring programs, including targeted internships for recent college graduates.

CAREER CORNER

Going Government

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 25

AROUND CAMPUS 26 EC ALUMNI WINTER 2012

ARTS &

SCIENCES Dr. Gary A. Stringer named 2011 Whichard Distinguished Professor

from the National Endowment for the Humanities, including the most recent award of $240,000 to ECU, with an additional $30,000 in matching federal funds.

Biology professor awarded first Dr. Gary A. Stringer, research professor of THCAS Advancement Council English at Texas A&M University, joins the Distinguished Professorship ECU faculty for the 2011-12 academic in the Natural Sciences and year as the David Julian and Virginia Suther Mathematics Whichard Distinguished Professor in the Humanities, and as a visiting professor in Dr. Kyle Summers, professor of biology the Department of English. The endowed at ECU, has been named the first recipient professorship, housed within the Thomas of the Thomas Harriot College of Arts Harriot College of and Sciences Advancement Council Arts and Sciences, Distinguished Professor in the Natural is made possible Sciences and Mathematics. through a generous “I am extremely pleased and grateful donation by the to be the first recipient of this award,” Whichard family said Summers. “My in honor of David research interests Julian and Virginia are broad, and I Suther Whichard of hope to use the Greenville. professorship as a Dr. Gary A. Stringer “I’m honored platform to connect beyond words to my main field of have been selected to hold the appointment interest (evolution) for this term,” said Stringer. “The resources to many threads of of the professorship will enable me to carry research that are out several aspects of my research that Dr. Kyle Summers pursued on this would otherwise not be possible, and I am campus.” finding myself able to use some of those Established through generous funding resources to support initiatives proposed by by Harriot College’s Advancement colleagues I’ve met since coming to ECU.” Council, the professorship is a valuable As part of the professorship, Stringer resource for the college’s natural science will teach one English course each semester. and mathematics departments. The award This fall, he is teaching a graduate-level is conferred upon a professor for a period course on the satirical writings of John of five years, after which the title and funds Donne. In the spring, he will teach a will be passed on to another worthy faculty graduate-level course related to digital member. humanities.

Any individual chosen as a recipient Stringer received his Ph.D., M.A. of the professorship is expected to fulfill and B.A. degrees in English from the specific duties, including 1) be actively University of Oklahoma. During his engaged in significant research and nearly 50-year academic career, he has held publication in his or her scientific and/ faculty appointments at the University of or mathematical area; 2) teach at least one Oklahoma; Oklahoma State University; course per term during the regular academic Northwestern State University in year; 3) communicate the results of his or Natchitoches, Louisiana; the University of her research to the University community Southern Mississippi; and most recently, through lectures and/or presentations; Texas A&M University. and 4) lead the University community to Among his many accomplishments, understand more fully the importance of Stringer has received faculty service awards the sciences and mathematics in higher and research grants from many of the education and day-to-day life. institutions where he has taught. Also, “I think the establishment of this award since 1986, Stringer has been the recipient will go a long way toward highlighting and of grants totaling more than $1.5 million promoting the importance of scientific

AROUND CAMPUS research on this campus,” stated Summers.

Summers’ research on poison frogs has garnered international recognition, with frequent highlights in National Geographic magazine, BBC Wildlife, and Scientific American. He has attracted attention for his research on the evolution of monogamy and for his research in evolutionary medicine. Within the past 10 years, Summers has received nearly 20 grants totaling more than $740,000. He has co-authored more than 70 journal articles and 50 scientific papers, and he has been an invited presenter of more than 40 seminars.

Summers received his doctoral degree in biology from the University of Michigan, and his bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of California at Santa Cruz. After postdoctoral research appointments at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Queen’s University, Cambridge University, and the University of California at Davis, Summers joined the faculty of ECU in 1996 as an assistant professor of biology.

FINE ARTS &

COMMUNICATION Marching Pirates essential to ECU spirit

Founded in 1938 as the 20-member East Carolina Teachers College Band, the East Carolina University Marching Pirates has grown into the University’s largest student organization—more than 225 strong. The Marching Pirates play an important role in the home football game day atmosphere and spirit support for ECU athletics. Traditions such as Call to Port, the march to the stadium, the ECU Fight Song, and the Pirate Fans Dance have become a vital part of home football games. The tremendous growth in the quality of the ECU football program represents a great opportunity for the Marching Pirates to further establish East Carolina as a leader in University pride, artistic support, and community involvement.

A football game is not an ECU football game without your Marching Pirates. Show your Pirate Pride by making a contribution today to the Marching Pirates. Your donation to the Marching Pirates will support: Travel expenses: Help us support your Marching Pirates when they are on the road supporting the football team at away games.

Uniforms: With your help, the Marching Pirates can look their best on game day.

Equipment: Contributions to the Marching Pirates also support equipment purchases to help your band fill DowdyFicklen Stadium and other venues with the biggest and best sound possible.

Scholarships and recruiting: Our goal is to recruit, retain, and support the finest students, and the Marching Pirates need your help to offer scholarships to talented students who will dedicate themselves unselfishly to ECU and the marching band.

For more information about how you can support the ECU Marching Pirates, contact the University Development office at 252-737-1505 or e-mail give2ecu@ecu.edu.

School of Art and Design introduces new concentration

And…action!

The School of Art and Design added a new concentration in the bachelor of fine arts degree. This year marks the first cohort of students studying in cinematic arts and media production.

Students marry the art of storytelling and composition with authentic production practices.

As each concentration in the school is accompanied by a student guild, the Cinema Guild exists to enhance the collegiate experience as related to the profession. While sculptors raise funds to travel to iron pours around the country and ceramicists bring potters from overseas to guest lecture and make work, the Cinema Guild manages the Southern Circuit Film Festival.

Southern Circuit is a $10,000 project funded by the School of Art and Design, the S. Rudolph Alexander Performing Arts Series, the Cinema Guild, and the Greenville Museum of Art. Sophomore Alison Pulley, Cinema Guild president, led a team of screeners to the South Arts headquarters in Atlanta last summer.

With Professor Rudy Chu and a small entourage, selections from 40 films were screened in one blurry-eyed weekend. ECU’s circuit ranked the films and fought bitterly to present favorites in Greenville.

“Southern Circuit has been a big success. We’ve grown audiences from tens to over 100 and have had to find bigger spaces for screenings,” says Professor Michael Dermody. “It is student organized and managed, and ultimately will assist in donor development for the guild and the program.”

The program is unique in that each film on the tour is accompanied by the filmmaker that made the work. As a result, audiences have the ability to ask questions on the topic at hand, and students can glean specific information on editing, narrative, production, and craft-making topics.

“It’s a great learning experience and has brought me closer to my classmates and my professor,” says Sean-Michael Hoban, a guild member. “It’s a great way to get to know members of the community who share common interests and an incredible opportunity to meet the filmmakers who assemble the work we host.”

Film titles are diverse. “The Toe Tactic” (February 14) brings to life a layered world of reality and imagination through the combination of filmmaker/animator Emily Hubley’s distinctive, hand-drawn animation and live action. In “A Good Man” (March 13), a team of filmmakers follows critically acclaimed choreographer Bill T. Jones as he creates a work in honor of Abraham Lincoln’s bicentennial. The season concludes with “My Perestroika” (April 17), an intimate epic about the extraordinary lives of the last Soviet generation.

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 27

AROUND CAMPUS

Cinema Guild students at the Greenville Museum of Art

Southern Circuit screenings are funded in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. Special support for Southern Circuit was provided by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.

The Greenville Museum of Art serves as the screening site.

Films are free and all are welcome to attend.

HEALTH &

HUMAN PERFORMANCE

the spinal cord to stand once pressure is placed on the bottom of the feet.”

After weeks of stimulation and locomotor training, Summers was able to stand independently for up to four minutes at a time and he could perform this repeatedly after brief periods of rest.

He could also take steps with assistance. Finally, after six to seven months, he was able to voluntarily move his legs on command but only during epidural stimulation. “The results from the first subject that we have implanted using the stimulation strategies developed have significantly exceeded our expectations,” said Edgerton. “These results have revealed a new and important conceptual discovery that could have a large impact on a wide range of neuromotor disorders.”

Future research plans include repeating the procedure in four more subjects using the present technology and to develop a more advanced device that will take full advantage of the capability of the spinal circuitry to control movement in the presents of stimulation.

Edgerton received a bachelor’s in health and physical education from East Carolina University in 1961, a master’s in 1963 from the University of Iowa, and a Ph.D. in exercise physiology from Michigan State University in 1968. In 2008 he received the HHP Centennial Award. He is a native of Pamlico County near Oriental, North Carolina, and currently serves as professor at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Alumnus steps forward in paralysis research

HONORS COLLEGE

When Dr. Reggie Edgerton ’61 took health, exercise physiology, and biology classes at East Carolina University while working at the campus infirmary, he had no idea that the foundation for a remarkable research career was being established. He also did not know this research would become a life-changing discovery for a man paralyzed from a spinal cord injury and could provide hope to millions of others.

Edgerton recently lead the clinical trial Dr. Reggie Edgerton that used epidural stimulation of the spinal cord to help Rob Summers, who was completely paralyzed from the chest down, regain voluntary, conscious control of movement and other autonomic functions, such as improved bladder and temperature control.

For more than three years following a motor vehicle accident, Summers was unable to stand, step, or exert any voluntary control of muscles within his legs. Doctors told him he would never walk again. Then he became the first human to participate in specific research involving epidural stimulation.

A 16-electrode array, along with a small stimulating device and battery, was surgically implanted in Summers’ dura, the thick membrane surrounding the lumbar spinal cord. The device permits long-term electrical stimulation and activates the spinal nerves just enough to make them responsive to sensory signals coming from Summers’ lower extremities.

Edgerton said, “The stimulation is at a threshold intensity which does not actually induce a movement but enables the spinal cord to receive and interpret the sensory information which tells

EC Scholars make a difference during recent trip

28 EC ALUMNI WINTER 2012

Charleston, South Carolina, was the destination for the EC Scholars senior IMPACT trip. During East Carolina University’s recent fall break, thirteen EC Scholars joined the Interim Dean of the Honors College Dr. Richard R. Eakin, Associate Dean Mr. Kevin Baxter, and Interim EC Scholars Director Dr. Katie O’Connor on a trip to make a change in someone’s life. The students and administrators worked at the Sea Island Habitat for Humanity, the third oldest Habitat for Humanity affiliate in the world. The students began their first project at the ReStore facility. Through the selling of donated home furnishings and construction supplies, ReStore raises funds for new home construction for low-income, working families. After working in the morning to organize hundreds of pieces of construction materials, home equipment, and furniture, the EC Scholars grabbed tool belts and went to

EC Scholars volunteer for Habitat for Humanity

AROUND CAMPUS

NURSING ECU College of Nursing repeats as National League for Nursing Center of Excellence

Above: Mark Horton ’83 conducting a painting demonstration workshop for the EC Scholars. Below: EC Scholars painting in Horton’s studio.

a home construction site. The next several hours were spent in three teams, learning how to take a floor plan design and execute actual home construction. The sawing, drilling, and hammering started; and sweaty scholars came away with a permanent bonding experience, and progress on someone’s new home emerged.

Fortunately, Ken Barlow ’58, a graduate of ECU’s College of Business, lives near Charleston in Isle of Palms, and he was able to join the EC Scholars for dinner to share his leadership wisdom and business expertise. The following day, the EC Scholars met at the corner of State and Queen Streets in historic downtown Charleston to visit Horton Hayes Fine Art Gallery. Mark Horton ’83, a graduate of the College of Fine Arts and Communication, features original works by eleven artists in his studio. Horton spent the afternoon teaching the EC Scholars watercolor and oil painting techniques in a workshop demonstration format, and then each EC Scholar was given watercolor paper or a canvas to paint as Horton monitored and mentored individual progress. One of Horton’s oil paintings Winter Dusk is currently on display in the Honors College art gallery, which is located in the newly renovated Mamie Jenkins Building.

The EC Scholars Class of 2012 trip participants were Maria Avery, Alexandria Booker, Jacob Davis, Meagan Decker, Requita Demery, Dillon Godley, Amber Heckart, Rachel Nelson, Hersh Patel, Emilee Quinn, Deepak Ravindranathan, Maggie Walston (Class of 2011), and Emily Zaruba. The EC Scholars award is the most prestigious undergraduate scholarship offered at East Carolina University.

For more information about the Honors College or EC Scholars Program, please visit www.ecu.edu/honors (Honors College) and www.ecu.edu/cs-acad/ecscholars (EC Scholars).

East Carolina University’s College of Nursing is among eight schools in the nation to receive top recognition for the way it teaches students. ECU has been named a Center of Excellence for 2011-2015 by the National League for Nursing. Six of the eight, including ECU, are repeat designees. The college will be formally recognized at a special presentation Sept. 23 at the NLN’s annual Education Summit in Orlando, Florida.

“We are so honored to have been re-designated as a National League for Nursing Center of Excellence for our distinction in creating environments that enhance student learning and professional development,” said Dr. Sylvia Brown, dean of the ECU College of Nursing. “This award reflects our continued commitment to provide innovative programs in nursing education that ultimately impact the health and well being of citizens in our region and around the world.”

The college has been recognized for offering a wide variety of programs and technology to help students learn including distance education, simulation labs, clinical placements, and study abroad.

ECU is known for innovative online outreach efforts designed to increase working nurses’ access to education in rural areas.

Students also are taught to give back. Last year, students organized and raised funds through a kickball tournament to help nursing students in Haiti devastated by the earthquake. They also contribute to the college’s emergency needs fund to help fellow nursing students in crises.

Other schools and colleges named include Duquesne University, Regis College, Trinitas School of Nursing, Collin College, and the University of Connecticut. The University of North Carolina at Greensboro also was chosen, earning their third consecutive COE designation along with Excelsior College. As such, they are entitled to an additional designation year, from 2011-2016.

Since 2004, the National League for Nursing has invited

Dr. Sylvia Brown proudly shares the College of Nursing’s College of Excellence Award with engaged students and faculty.

nursing schools and colleges to apply based on their ability to demonstrate sustained excellence in faculty development, nursing education research, or student learning and professional development. Schools must show a commitment to continuous PIRATEALUMNI.COM 29

AROUND CAMPUS quality improvement.

ECU faculty and staff serving on a task force to obtain designation was chair Frances Eason, Lou Anne Baldree, Laurie Evans, Mary Holland, Donna Lake, Kim Larson, Annette Peery, Donna Roberson, Ann Schreier, and Mary Wilson.

The ECU College of Nursing was established in 1959, the oldest in the health sciences division, and has an enrollment of more than 1,100 students in baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral nursing programs. It is the largest producer of new nursing graduates in the state and offers the only nurse midwifery plan of study and alternate entry MSN option for non-nursing bachelor degree holders in the state.

ECU has nursing graduates in 82 of North Carolina’s 100 counties and in every state in the nation except Maine.

According to N.C. Board of Nursing statistics for the most recent testing period, ECU’s first time pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination was 98 percent for 227 nursing graduates. The state average is 93 percent. The exam is required to get a license to practice as a nurse in the United States.

TECHNOLOGY

& COMPUTER SCIENCE PCC, ECU sign agreement regarding engineering transfer

Pitt Community College and East Carolina University have signed an agreement thatcreates a pathway for the college’s preengineering transfer students to move on to the University and complete a four-year engineering degree.

The articulation was signed recently at PCC, during a special ceremony attended by administrators and faculty who played key roles in creating the pact.

Through the agreement, PCC students who complete the pre-engineering associate in science degree—or accrue enough hours in the curriculum—can transfer into ECU’s Department of Engineering for the continuation and completion of their engineering studies. Graduates from ECU’s program will be awarded a bachelor of science in one of the following concentrations: industrial and systems engineering, mechanical engineering, bioprocess engineering, biomedical engineering, and electrical engineering.

PCC President G. Dennis Massey said the PCC-ECU articulation deals with an area of college transfer not well covered by the statewide Comprehensive Articulation Agreement regarding transfer between the North Carolina Community Colleges and the University of North Carolina System.

“It was extremely important to us and to our students to build upon a long relationship with ECU’s College of Technology and Computer Science,” Massey said Thursday. “… PCC understands and values college transfer. It’s a very productive relationship, and we welcome more partnerships

30 EC ALUMNI WINTER 2012

ECU Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor Marilyn Sheerer, left, and PCC President G. Dennis Massey sign an agreement between the two schools regarding transfer of engineering students.

with other departments at ECU.” Calling the PCC-ECU engineering agreement a “milestone,” ECU Engineering Professor Paul Kauffmann said the articulation would benefit students educationally and professionally. He called the partnership “a pathway for people to pursue a better career and better life.”

Dr. Marilyn Sheerer, ECU Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor, agreed and said it was important for Eastern North Carolina that PCC and ECU “grow engineers together.” Like Massey, she said the time had come to look more closely at other possible opportunities for the two schools to work together.

PCC launched its pre-engineering associate in science curriculum at the start of the fall 2009 semester to give students an opportunity to complete the first two years of an engineering degree in a more personal setting and at a lower cost before transferring to a four-year institution for a bachelor’s degree.

One graduate of PCC’s program Ash Smith was featured in the college’s Career Focus magazine earlier this year. Smith received a degree from Pitt in 2010 and moved on to ECU in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in engineering.

An excellent student at PCC, Smith has continued to achieve academic success at ECU. He says Pitt prepared him “very well” for his ECU coursework, noting that he has already received a pair of certificates from East Carolina’s engineering and physics departments in recognition of his Honor Roll status at the University.

WandaYuhas, executive director of the Pitt County Development Commission, attended the signing ceremony and said producing future engineers like Smith would help the region attract new industry. She said the PCC-ECU engineering articulation would be an important selling point for the Pitt County area, adding that it would create wealth not only for future engineering graduates but for the community, in general.

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A LOOK BACK

Celebrating Native American Culture at ECU

North Carolina’s rich heritage of Native American culture is a special component in the lives of some East Carolina students, faculty, and staff. With ancestors traced to the first oral and written histories of our country’s settlement, the pride of Native Americans is steadfastly steeped in traditions passed down through generations.

Native American East Carolina students find camaraderie and kinship in the East Carolina Native American Organization (ECNAO), which provides fellowship for Native Americans on campus, involves members in learning more about each other’s culture and heritage, and provides members with peer support in academic and social pursuits. The organization also offers public activities to celebrate Native American culture. Now in it’s 12th year, the annual pow wow is a culmination of tribal community, musical expression, and elaborate dress that gives outsiders a peek into the Native American’s sacred way of life.

Susan Askew gave a glimpse of this special ceremony in “Celebrating Native American Culture at ECU,” in the ECU Report, June 1995, Volume 26, No. 2: Dressed in regalia of feathers, buckskin and face paint, Joey Crutchfield ’80 takes his place in the procession that will officially open ECU’s second annual pow wow.

Over a loudspeaker, the master of ceremonies announces the order of the Grand Entry, pre-determined by pow wow protocol.

A color guard leads the way, carrying both the American flag and a P.O.W. flag (today’s pow wow is dedicated to American veterans).

Next, the Head Man and Head Lady dancers take their traditional place of honor, then the Coharie chief and his wife from Clinton, the men’s traditional dancers (Crutchfield is among them), straight dancers, men’s fancy dancers, women’s traditional dancers, and women’s shawl dancers. The same divisions of youngsters bring up the rear.

The groups enter the arena from the

32 EC ALUMNI WINTER 2012

East, because East is held by most tribes as the most sacred—the direction from which life comes. They proceed clockwise, moving slowly to the beat of a drum circle that is outside the arena.

For the Native American, the pow wow is a celebration of life, with the arena symbolizing the circle of life; the beat of the drum representing the heartbeat of Mother Earth. For the non-Native, it is an opportunity to gain a better understanding of the Native American culture.

For Crutchfield, from the Monacan Tribe in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, the pow wow is that and more.

“I think of a pow wow as a big family reunion,” he said. “No drugs, no alcohol.

That’s not what it’s about. It’s a family thing—great for the kids. Through pow wows, they begin to understand the spirituality behind the event, as well as the good times.”

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“Having left Greenville in 2003, we joined the Alumni Association to keep us close to the University through exciting events like Alumni Tailgate, Homecoming and reunion activities, and annual scholarship events. It’s satisfying to know that we are funding scholarships for successful students so that they may experience an ECU education and share our passion for the University.

Most importantly to us, the Association is a way to maintain our Purple Pride, no matter where we are in the Pirate Nation.”

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