EC Alumni - Spring 2013

from college hill to capitol hill An East Carolina education took Michael McShane ’66 all the way to Washington, D.C.

Kymia Nawabi ’03 is

The NextGreat

Artist

creating opportunities Hospital administrator Deborah Davis ’79, ’83 gives back to ECU as a Trustee

living the dream Actor Jeremy Woodard ’01 plays a rockstar on Broadway

EVERY DAY IS GAME DAY

U.B.E.

PirateWear.com

12

features

16

20

22

12 from college hill to capitol hill

The passion for learning Michael McShane ’66 gained at East Carolina took him to the highest levels of government

16 the next great artist

After winning Bravo’s TV show “Work of Art,” artist Kymia Nawabi ’03 is thriving in New York City

20 creating opportunities

Trustee Deborah Davis ’79, ’83 works to create opportunities for students at ECU just as she had as a student here

22 living the dream Actor Jeremy Woodard ’01 rocks his role on Broadway in the musical “Rock of Ages.”

departments on the cover Kymia Nawabi returned to ECU last year to speak with art students, critique their work, and provide advice on life as a professional artist.

2 3 6 8 25 26 32

dear pirate nation pirate connections survey results 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 In this issue of EC Alumni magazine, you will read about a star of a Broadway musical; a nurse leading a life of service; an accomplished artist; and an American political and international relations guru. As I read the pre-press copy for this issue, I was struct by how these Pirates are impacting the world at the highest levels of their professions. From Broadway to the White House to the hospital board room to a New York City artist’s studio, these alumni are living a Pirate’s Life of leadership, hard work and service.

For those of you that are NFL fans or at least Pirate Football fans, then you know that the past three Super Bowl champions have had Pirates on the roster. The most recent is Vonta Leach ’10 of the Baltimore Ravens. Leach came to East Carolina in 2000 as a linebacker for the Pirates before switching to fullback. He completed his degree in child development and family relations in 2010 during the NFL off-seasons, having started his professional football career in 2004. Originally from Rowland, a small town outside Charlotte, Leach is also known for his work with atrisk youth. He started the Vonta Leach Foundation Vonta Leach ’10 celebrates with his daughter Giselle after the Ravens 34-31 win against the San Francisco 49ers in in 2007 to Baltimore Super Bowl XLVII. provide education, recreation and health opportunities to help develop youth. With many national awards for both his on field accomplishments and his community service, this Pirate is a winner on and off the field!

East Carolina alumni are doing amazing things in their personal and professional lives, and these are just a few examples. I hope you enjoy their stories.

GO PIRATES!

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

Linda Cataldo ’80 ALUMNI CENTER COORDINATOR

Jackie Drake ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ALUMNI COMMUNICATIONS

Candi High ’97 ACCOUNTANT

Michael S. Kowalczyk ’09, ’10 ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ALUMNI PROGRAMS

Shawn Moore ’91, ’98 DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI PROGRAMS

Doug Smith ’00, ’07 VICE PRESIDENT FOR ALUMNI MEMBERSHIP & MARKETING

Chris Williams ’01 ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ALUMNI MEMBERSHIP

ALUMNI

Vol. 6, No. 2

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.

Paul J. Clifford

Let’s Be Social!

©2013 East Carolina Alumni Association Read EC Alumni online at: PirateAlumni.com/ECAlumni ISSN: 2152-5668

piratealumni.com/linkedin

facebook.com/ecaafanpage

Send change of address to: East Carolina Alumni Association Taylor-Slaughter Alumni Center Mail Stop 305 East Carolina University Greenville, NC 27858-4353

TM

twitter.com/piratealumni Use the hashtag #piratealumni

2 EC ALUMNI SPRING 2013

To contact us or comment on this magazine: 252-328-4723 | 800-ECU-GRAD alumni@PirateAlumni.com

flickr.com/photos/piratealumni Tag your photos with piratealumni

EC Alumni is paid for with non-state funds.

Class of 1963 50th Golden Alumni Reunion The Alumni Association is honored to invite members of the Class of 1963 back to campus for their Golden Alumni Reunion to celebrate fifty years of being a Pirate. Come home to East Carolina on the weekend of May 9-10 to reunite with fellow alumni and inspire the graduating Class of 2013 during commencement weekend.

Reunion activities include campus tours, the Celebration Under the Stars dinner on the mall saluting the senior class of 2013, and the Candlelight Induction Ceremony where the Class of 1963 passes the torch of tradition to graduating seniors. During commencement, reunion participants will lead the procession into Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium wearing gold robes and medallions to signify their Golden Alumni status. After graduation, a special reunion luncheon and formal dinner will be held.

A block of rooms has been reserved at the City Hotel and Bistro; be sure to book by April 12.

Shuttle transportation will be provided throughout the weekend. For more information, contact Director of Alumni Programs Shawn Moore ’91, ’98 at Shawn.Moore@PirateAlumni.com or 252-328-5775.

Class of 1963

2013 Pirate Alumni Road Race and Fun Run Race to raise money for scholarships!

It’s time to lace up your running shoes and join in the fun as the East Carolina Alumni Association presents the sixth annual Pirate Alumni Road Race and Fun Run on Saturday, April 20, 2013. Join fellow alumni and friends as we race to raise money for ECU scholarships.

The 5K road race and the one-mile fun run will begin at 9:00 a.m. starting at U.B.E. and go through Uptown Greenville. Registration for the road race is $15 through April 5 and $25 thereafter; the fun run is $15. Registrations will be accepted through the day of the race. Runners can check in starting at 7:30 a.m. on race day or check in during the afternoon of April 19 at U.B.E. All participants will be given a T-shirt and goody bag. Prizes will be awarded in various categories. Proceeds benefit the Alumni Association scholarship program.

For more information, contact Director of Alumni Programs Shawn Moore ’91, ’98 at Shawn.Moore@PirateAlumni.com or 252328-5775.

pirate CONNECTIONS

Celebrate fifty years of being a Pirate

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 3

PIRATE CONNECTIONS April is Service Month

Uphold ECU’s motto Servire this April The University’s motto “Servire” meaning “to serve” encourages students, staff and alumni to get involved and give back to their communities. Every April, the Alumni Association holds Service Month, an initiative that coordinates community service projects throughout the Pirate Nation. Projects will be conducted on campus and around Pitt County, but alumni are encouraged to lend a hand wherever help is needed. Service unites Pirates no matter where they are! If you are an alumnus or friend looking for a place to volunteer, or if you are an organization that could use some volunteer work, contact Director of Alumni Programs Shawn Moore ’91, ’98 at Shawn.Moore@PirateAlumni.com or 252-328-5775.

Freshmen Sendoffs

Help welcome the Class of 2017!

The Alumni Association will host several Freshmen Sendoff events across the Pirate Nation this summer where freshmen and their families can get to know fellow Pirates and alumni in their area before coming to campus this fall. Hosts are needed to hold these events in July and August. If you would like to host a freshmen sendoff or find out more, contact Assistant Director of Alumni Programs Michael S. Kowalczyk ’09, ’10 at 252-328-5557 or Michael.Kowalczyk@PirateAlumni.com.

WANTED: Nominations for the Alumni Board of Directors The Alumni Association is looking for dedicated Pirates to serve on the board of directors.

These individuals assist the association in meeting its mission to inform, involve, and serve members of the ECU family throughout their lifelong relationship with the university and advance the organization to achieve its strategic goals. Nominations for the 2013–2014 board are currently being accepted and new directors will assume their role in July 2013.

Please download a nomination form at PirateAlumni.com and return to the AlumniAssociation.

ALuMNI ASSOCIATION Board of Directors Diane Davis Ashe ’83, ’85

Celebration, FL

Charlie Martin Jr. ’68

Winston-Salem, NC

Greenville, NC

Virginia Beach, VA

Grifton, NC

Michael McShane ’66

Greenville, NC

Alexandria, VA

Charlotte, NC

Angela Moss ’97, ’98, Vice Chair

Marian McLawhorn ’67, ’88, ’97

Tarrick Cox ’96, ’07 Adrian Cullin ’04

Raleigh, NC

Chocowinity, NC

Dean Browder ’77 William Burnette ’96

Jim Newman Jr. ’68, ’74, Chair

Pat Lane ’67

Doug Morgan ’88

South Riding, VA

Ralph Finch ’67

Dan Spuller ’06, ’07

Midlothian, VA

Raleigh, NC

Jeff Foster ’83

Winterville, NC

Ainee Lynnette Taylor ’97

Winterville, NC

Dave Fussell Jr. ’90

Allen Thomas ’92

Rose Hill, NC

Winterville, NC

Raleigh, NC

Robin Good ’80

Jason Tomasula ’00, ’03, ’10

Richmond, VA

Houston, TX

Duane Grooms ’80, ’82

Charlotte, NC

Derwood, MD

Columbia, SC

Emeritus Members:

Melanie Holden ’79

Raleigh, NC

John Israel ’82

Greenville, NC

Wesley Johnson ’85

Neal Crawford ’85, Treasurer Glenda Palmer-Moultrie ’79, Secretary Carl Davis ’73, Immediate Past Chair Paul J. Clifford, President and CEO

4 EC ALUMNI SPRING 2013

Raleigh, NC Norfolk, VA

Powder Springs, GA

Virgil Clark ’50

Greenville, NC

Dave Englert ’75

Norfolk, VA

Proudly supporting the ECU campus community for 22 years.

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 5

SURVEY RESULTS

Thanks for the feedback!

What do you think of East Carolina? If you’re like most alumni who responded to the survey we recently distributed, you are proud of our University and want to stay connected. Sent via e-mail in the fall of 2012, this alumni attitude survey was designed by an impartial party to gauge your perception of the University, your experience as a student and now as an alumnus, and how we can better serve you. With more than 1,100 responses, we are very pleased with the results! We’ve noted some improvements since the last time this survey was done in 2007, and we’re proud to report our progress on the actions we have taken and will take to keep alumni satisfaction high. We expect improvement to continue as we keep evaluating the data and working to enhance your experience as an alumnus. The East Carolina Alumni Association’s mission is to inform, involve, and serve members of the ECU family throughout their lifelong relationship with the University. The results of this survey will guide our future plans, ensuring that we provide programs, activities, and communications that meet and exceed your needs and expectations of the Alumni Association.

Purple Pride Pride in East Carolina keeps our University thriving, and it’s easy to see from the survey results that loyalty continues to reign true at ECU. Ninety-six percent of alumni indicated that their experience as a student was good or excellent and the same number said attending East Carolina was a good or great decision, both similar figures to the 2007 results. Experience as an alumnus also ranks high at seventy-five percent, which is three percentage points higher than the seventy-two percent result in the last survey.

Ninety-five percent of alumni responded that their current opinion of the University overall is good or excellent.

Value of Your Degree

than national rankings, media visibility, and athletic team wins. The University’s quality and variety of academic programs, preparedness of our graduates to enter the workforce, the success of our alumni in their professions, and the ongoing promotion of these factors all ultimately increase the value of every degree from East Carolina and the prestige of the University as a whole. The Alumni Association propagates the value of East Carolina degrees by celebrating the accomplishments of our alumni on our weekly radio show “A Pirate’s Life For Me!,” in our quarterly magazine EC Alumni, and in relationships with media. An ECU degree is worth more than a treasure chest of gold!

Engaging Current Students and Young Alumni

According to our respondents, the number one factor that determines their overall In the 2007 survey, we noted the importance opinion of the University is the value and of engaging current students while they are respect accorded to their degree, moreso on campus; after all, today’s students are 70

How often do you promote East Carolina to others?

60 45 50 40 40 35 30 25 20 20 10 15 0 10 5 0

6 EC ALUMNI SPRING 2013

Poor

Fair

Good

Excellent

Never

Occasionally

Regularly

All the ;me

All School

ECU 2012

ECU Comps

ECU 2007

All School

ECU 2012

ECU Comps

ECU 2007

SURVEY RESULTS 70

tomorrow’s alumni! Which of the following best describes your overall current opinion of 60 Carolina?

Young alumni have East much ahead of them 70 and affinity for the 50 Alumni Association 60 40 can ebb and flow based on life events, 30 50 so it is important to establish strong 20 40 bonds early on.

30 Even if they don’t 10 have a lot of money 0 or time, young 20 Poor Fair Good Excellent alumni can still stay 10 connected! When we reported the 2007 0 results, we said, “In Poor Fair Good Excellent the future, a student All School ECU 2012 ECU Comps ECU 2007 alumni association will be formed to help students and young alumni see the percent of East Carolina alumni live in welcome to update your contact preferences value of an Association membership.” We North many activities with us anytime.

Members also continue to All Carolina; School therefore, ECU 2012 ECU Comps ECU 2007 are happy to report that we have fulfilled and events take place in our state. However, enjoy our monthly e-newsletter ECUpdate this goal. Formed in 2010, our Forever with ninety-seven percent of our alumni and our quarterly magazine EC Alumni. Our Pirates student alumni organization is more spread across the south and east from Texas radio show “A Pirate’s Life For Me!” airs than 1,300 members strong! Forever Pirates to Maine, engaging out-of-state alumni each week on Pirate Radio 1250 & 930 AM are current full-time students who become is a major and ever-increasing role of the and streams online. We’re working to enliven lifetime members of the Association. Alumni Association. In the 2012 survey our social media presence and welcome your Along with qualifying for a discount on results, out-of-state alumni cited geographic suggestions for increased interactivity! Please lifetime membership dues and not having distance as the number one factor preventing visit PirateAlumni.com to see a listing of to pay until after graduation, Forever participation in events, but we are working all our social media profiles. Be sure to like, Pirates enjoy benefits while on campus like on more ways to bring Pirate Nation to follow, and connect! networking opportunities with alumni, you wherever you are! Regional offerings career advice, special events, and prizes. In such as professional and social networking Continuing Feedback addition to Forever Pirates, we have other events, career development opportunities, Opportunities Association-sponsored student groups like and football and basketball viewing parties the ECU Ambassadors and the Magnolia are just a few of the many activities we Having a voice within the Alumni Association Belles that all serve to enhance the student coordinate to engage alumni across the and the University is very important to our experience and further the University. We nation. Our Pirate Contact program trains alumni. Gathering feedback is an ongoing also host several annual tradition-building alumni volunteers to plan activities and process and your opinion always matters. celebrations like Walk the Plank freshmen facilitate communication for alumni in their Surveys are not the only way to tell us what welcome event in the fall and the Senior area. We understand the need to increase you think. At the Alumni Association, we are Salute dinner for the graduating class in the out-of-state events, and we are exploring committed to giving alumni a voice and this spring. Through these groups and events, new ideas to implement in the coming years. survey is just one method. Send us an e-mail we hope to bridge the gap between student at alumni@PirateAlumni.com or call us at and young alumni status and increase the Communications 800-ECU-GRAD to share your opinions involvement of our recent graduates. Our and suggestions. Of course our door is 2012 survey results indicate that we should One of the major responses we saw from this always open at the Taylor-Slaughter Alumni continue and expand this focus on Pirates in survey was a desire for more communication! Center at 901 East Fifth Street in Greenville. their last two years on campus and their first While most respondents said that our You are welcome to stop by anytime Monday three years out of college, and we welcome frequency of general e-mails was about right, through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. your input on the best ways to do so! many indicated a desire for more invitations We want to serve you, and your feedback is to events relevant to them and more presence vital to shaping our programs, services, and on social media. The Alumni Association communications.

Reaching Out-of-State offers many ways to stay connected, from Alumni traditional mailings and phone calls to This survey was commissioned by the East Carolina Pirate Nation spans all fifty states and e-mails and several social media platforms. If Alumni Association and conducted by Performance more than twenty countries. Seventy-five you prefer one over the other, you are always Enhancement Group, Ltd. of Houston, TX. PIRATEALUMNI.COM 7

ADVANCEMENT UPDATE 8 EC ALUMNI SPRING 2013

Friends Establish WellonsEdwards Nursing Scholarship in Honor of Their Mothers It has been said that children are the sum of what mothers contribute to their lives. For cousins Nancy Windes and Mary Plybon ’71, that statement definitely rings true.

“As cousins growing up in North Carolina and Virginia, we thought it was very special that our mothers, Grace Edwards and Eula Mary Plybon ’71 and Nancy Windes at their “Cousins” Reunion Sawrey, were nurses.

Their friendship and nursing careers, as lifelong friendship that later became a well as the many examples they set for family connection as well when Eula fell in us by reaching out in service to others, love with, and eventually married, Grace’s inspired Mary and me. And, like them, brother, Charles. Both girls were born the two of us cherish the friendship and and raised in eastern North Carolina, and family ties that we share with each other.” grew up during hard times in families that Nancy says. valued education and strong work ethic.

That friendship, and those family ties, So, after high school graduation, Grace began more than seventy years ago when and Nancy both attended college for one two girls in their late teens, Grace Edwards year prior to enrolling in nursing school and Eula Sawrey, met as roommates at at Carolina General. Grace attended East Carolina General School of Nursing in Carolina Teachers College (now East Wilson. It was there the girls began a Carolina University), and Eula attended Atlantic Christian College (now Barton College). After three years of nursing school, they graduated as registered nurses on September 4, 1943, which happened to be Grace’s twenty-first birthday as well.

Grace then cared for her ill father and worked as a private duty nurse in North Carolina and Virginia, and Eula joined the Women’s Army Corps serving as a field hospital nurse in France during World War II. When asked why she chose to join the service, Eula replied simply, “They needed nurses, and I was a nurse!”

Both women had long and fulfilling careers in nursing. Grace worked as an OB-Gyn. nurse in Richmond, VA for more than thirty years until retiring at the age of sixty-five. Afterwards, she volunteered in the same hospital for several more years.

Eula Sawry and Grace Edwards at their Nursing Eula worked in North Carolina hospitals School Graduation and doctors’ offices for twenty-five years.

ADVANCEMENT UPDATE Following retirement, she helped people in her community by checking their blood pressure, giving allergy shots, and pulling baby teeth, all free of charge.

Because of their mothers’ selfless contributions to others during their long careers in nursing, Nancy Windes and Mary Plybon decided that establishing a nursing scholarship at East Carolina University in their mothers’ names would be a great way of honoring them.

When asked why they specifically chose ECU as the recipient of their scholarship Nancy replied, “When I first thought about suggesting to Mary that we do something in honor of our mothers…it was important to me that several criteria be met: there should be a NC connection, an education connection, and a way to help others.

Mary readily agreed: “After much thought, research and discussion, we settled on a nursing scholarship at ECU.” Mary adds, “It (ECU) seemed like a good fit for the goals Nancy and I wanted to accomplish.

Aunt Grace, Nancy’s mother, attended ECU prior to nursing school, my husband, Bob,

and I both graduated from ECU, as did my father along with many other family members and friends of ours. Bob and I have been very active ECU alums; Bob currently serves on the ECU Foundation Board and I am the immediate past chair of the ECU Women’s Roundtable. I often say that, certainly, all people who attend ECU do not come from NC, nor do they all stay in NC after graduation. But I am convinced that wherever they land, they will make it a better place due, in large part, to the education they receive at ECU. It is not only an honor, but an obligation to give back.”

Letters Nancy and Mary receive from the scholarship recipients mean a great deal to them. “It’s a pleasure to learn about their lives growing up in North Carolina, their excitement about their studies, and their future goals and hopes as nurses,” Nancy says. Mary attended the ECU School of Nursing Banquet last fall and had the opportunity to meet the 2012 Wellons Edwards scholarship recipient and her family. “It was a delightful evening and I was humbled to see and hear firsthand how important the scholarship was to her

SAV E TH E DAT E! Incredible ECU Women Series

Women Empowered: Service and Leadership Thursday, October 10, 2013 Greenville Convention Center Greenville, NC

and her family.”

Nancy and Mary encourage others to take the step and do something to help ensure that qualified students, regardless of their economic situation, have the opportunity to continue their education at ECU. “Our mothers had to work hard in order to help pay for their education.

Nancy and I did not. Now, it’s our turn to help someone else, and I know our mothers would be honored and delighted!” says Mary.

Nancy Windes resides in Denver, CO and is a longtime weekly volunteer with Meals on Wheels. She volunteers at St. Anne’s Episcopal School in Denver, where she taught for many years, giving presentations about the history of the school and community service.

Mary Plybon resides in Greensboro and, outside of her and her husband Bob’s ECU involvement, is active with the non-profit, Triad Golfers Against Cancer and her church, St. Francis Episcopal Church. “And of course, Mary adds, our four darling grandchildren who all wear PURPLE and GOLD!”

This event will feature keynote speaker Erin Brockovich (top), consumer advocate and the subject of the 2000 biographical film titled “Erin Brockovich,” in which she was portrayed by actress Julia Roberts. Bonnie St. John (bottom), author, speaker, and first African-American woman to win an Olympic medal in downhill skiing, will join us as the luncheon speaker, and we will recognize ten ECU alumnae as Incredible ECU Women.

Please make plans to join us for this entertaining, educational, and inspirational day as we celebrate phenomenal ECU women past, present, and future.

For more information on these and other events, or to find out how you can become involved, visit the Women’s Roundtable at East Carolina University on our website at www.ecu.edu/ womensroundtable or Like us on Facebook.

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 9

ADVANCEMENT UPDATE

Opportunities for Impact Giving The 1:2 Punch of Endowed Professorships With higher education costs skyrocketing, recruiting and retaining top professors can be a real challenge, and an expensive one at that. The extra expense to hire the best faculty is not only due to salary expectations but more so due to the extra costs associated with the faculty members technology needs, research projects, and support staff needed to involve students in research, among other things.

That’s where Endowed Professorships come in. Created by a philanthropic gift from generous donors, these highly prized academic positions are supported by earnings from invested funds. The faculty member’s salary is still paid by state dollars, but the proceeds from the endowment provide financial support above and beyond salary for use in research, publication, service activities, and to make continued advances in their own portfolios of scholarly work.

Endowed professorships are a coveted and widely recognized accolade, signaling a colleague at the top of his or her field.

Faculty members who hold endowed professorships carry prestige and honor for themselves as well as the persons for whom they are named. Endowments empower those professors who can best respond to student initiative and who innovate with their teaching and research, and they allow East Carolina University to effectively compete with other universities for outstanding faculty.

Having endowed faculty means our students get to work and interact with the most talented scholars in the world. Students have the opportunity to learn, not just from textbooks, but also from the real world of innovation and discovery.

Over the past eight years, donors contributed $11.4 million to establish twenty-four distinguished professorships at East Carolina University. Thanks to matching funds from the State of North Carolina’s Distinguished Professor’s Endowment Trust Fund, and from the C.D. Spangler Foundation, ECU has received an additional $4.252 million. The match for the NC Distinguished Professorships Endowment Trust Fund is a 1:2 match. A gift of $333,000 gains a match of $167,000, and a gift of $666,000 gains a match of $334,000. A donor has up to five years to accumulate the professorship total, and then it is submitted for the match. This matching process gives ECU a unique opportunity to leverage state dollars to enhance our professorship programs.

We invite individuals, corporations, and foundations to invest in East Carolina University by providing resources to establish named endowed professorships. We welcome professorship support at all levels. Donors who generously endow professorships are not only ensuring excellence in higher education today, but are also contributing to the university’s future growth innovation, and success.

For additional information or to make a gift or pledge towards endowing a Professorship at ECU, please contact Greg Abeyounis at 252-328-9573 or via email at abeyounisg@ecu.edu.

To the right are the current East Carolina University professorships and where they are housed.

10 EC ALUMNI SPRING 2013

East Carolina Heart Institute/Brody School of Medicine

East Carolina Heart Institute Distinguished Professorship in Research Eddie & Jo Allison Smith Endowed Chair Mark Williams Distinguished Professorship* Brody School of Medicine

D.E. Darnell Jones, MD Endowed Professorship for Residency in Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology ECU Distinguished Professorship of Emergency Medicine James & Connie Maynard Distinguished Professorship in Pediatrics Paul & Kathryn M. Hettinger Walker Distinguished Professor of Clinical Oncology Robert & Frances Monk Distinguished Professorship in Family Medicine Verneda & Clifford Kiehn Distinguished Professorship in Pediatric Surgery Brody School of Medicine/Leo W. Jenkins Cancer Center

Drs. Mary & Spencer Raab Distinguished Professorship in Medical Oncology College of Allied Health Sciences

Barbara W. Bremer Distinguished Professorship in Language, Learning, and Literacy Disorders College of Business

Robert F. Bird Distinguished Professorship in Risk and Insurance Thomas D. Arthur Distinguished Professorship in Leadership Vincent K. McMahon Distinguished Professorship in Business College of Education

Harold H. Bate Distinguished Professorship for Project STEPP* Tom & Liz Taft Distinguished Professorship for Science Education College of Fine Arts and Communication

Four Seasons Chamber Music Professorship College of Health and Human Performance

Jerry E. McGee Distinguished Professorship College of Human Ecology

Nancy Whitfield Darden Distinguished Professorship in Child Development and Family Relations College of Nursing

Richard R. Eakin Distinguished Professorship Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences

Harold C. Troxler Distinguished Professorship* J. Woolard & Helen Peel Distinguished Professorship in Religious Studies Linda E. McMahon Distinguished Professorship in Foreign Languages Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences Advancement Council Distinguished Professorship in the Natural Sciences and Mathematics *Funding

in progress

Where Pirate Memories Continue...

“It’s wonderful how Cypress Glen partners with ECU to share the school’s diverse talents and magnificent programs to enhance the quality of life in our community. Many Cypress Glen residents are Pirate supporters and I thoroughly enjoy the fellowship of so many who also love East Carolina.”

Virgil Clark’s interests during his years at ECTC were very diverse. He was a cheerleader, a member of the student government, an actor in the Teacher’s Playhouse. Virgil was in the school’s first ROTC class and was recognized as a distinguished military student. He graduated in 1950 with a degree in Finance.

After 23 years of service in the Air Force, Virgil returned to Greenville. He became involved with the ECTC Club, helping restructure and formalize the group to be a recognized university organization. He served as the club’s president and, along with his wife, formed the Virgil S. and Frances D. Clark Alumni Scholarship.

Virgil has been a proud member of the ECU Alumni Association, actively serving on the Board of Directors from 1984-2007, and currently is a member emeritus. He received the Alumni Association’s Distinguished Service Award in recognition for his devotion to his beloved alma mater.

Virgil Clark ’50 Cypress Glen Resident since 2011

Official Partner

www.cypressglen.org

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 11

12 EC ALUMNI SPRING 2013

From COLLEGE HILL

to The passion for learning Michael McShane ’66 gained at East Carolina took him to the highest levels of government

When

Michael McShane ’66 came to East Carolina College, a spark was lit that fueled his career in politics from the U.S. Capitol to around the world.

The first in his family to go to college, McShane took the passion for knowledge instilled in him at East Carolina and worked his way up from a congressional staffer to a presidential advisor helping to shape international policies.

Now retired, McShane’s love of learning gained on campus led his career in government to all fifty states and fifty countries. In addition, he has met six U.S. presidents, seven Nobel Peace Prize winners, and ten leaders of foreign countries. He has run presidential campaigns and served on national and international councils. And it all started here at East Carolina, where McShane studied history and political science.

“I don’t think in my heart that this would have happened had I not gone to East Carolina,” McShane says.

Originally from New York City, McShane went to high school in Alexandria, VA. “I knew very little about East Carolina, but there was a group of friends I went to high school with who just kept talking about what a terrific place East Carolina was,” he recalled. “The more I looked into it, the more I thought this is what I’m looking for.”

Two main things attracted McShane to ECU: even then it was known as an upand-coming school, and it had Air Force ROTC, “which was absolutely mandatory for me, since I knew I wanted to go into the Air Force,” McShane said. “It was the perfect school for me.”

McShane earned his bachelor’s degree

in history, a subject he had always loved.

His father, a New York City policeman, also liked history, and his mother followed current events.

“The news was always on in my household, and if you wanted to talk about anything at dinner time, it revolved around history and world events,” he said.

“I just took to history and politics like a duck to water.”

The faculty at ECU was “absolutely extraordinary,” he said. His favorite professor was also his advisor and chair of the history department, Dr. Frank Price.

Unlike big state universities with lecture hall classes taught by grad students, McShane thrived on having a direct relationship with his professors at ECU. “That kind of small-classroom relationship with full professors was such an incredibly rich and exhilarating

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 13

experience,” he said. “What it did was put a fire in me for lifelong learning and reading and exploring, and has made my life so much richer.”

McShane’s first day on campus was for registration, as touring multiple colleges was unknown at the time, he said.

“I remember it distinctly. I was in line at Christenbury, and I had just walked across campus. I thought I was on the set of a Hollywood movie, it was such a beautiful campus,” he said, recalling the Old Austin building and the fountain.

I remember thinking, “I’m home; this is where I belong.”

His two favorite memories at ECU are his first and last days on campus – registration and graduation. He also enjoyed being in ROTC; working toward a clearly defined goal helped him complete his courses. He was on the drill team all four years, serving as commander during his senior year. He also lettered in track and made the Dean’s List.

After graduation, McShane left college commissioned as second lieutenant in the Air Force. He spent six years in Strategic Air Command, as a missile launch officer for several programs around the country.

He then went to flight school, flying B52s with 97th bomb wing in Vietnam.

After leaving the military in 1972, McShane set about achieving his longtime goals: to work on Capitol Hill as a congressional staffer, work in the state department as a foreign service officer, and work in the White House.

“I was incredibly lucky to be able to accomplish all those goals by the time I was thirty-two,” he said.

He started his career as press secretary for U.S. Congressman John Rooney, Representative of New York. He then progressed to the Department of State, where he worked for Henry Kissinger, who was Secretary of State from 1973 to 1977. He was part of Kissinger’s staff in Jerusalem during his “shuttle diplomacy” trips to disengage hostilities between Egypt and Israel.

McShane resigned that post in August

In 1979, McShane left the Carter administration and went into the private sector, managing government relations for Fortune 500 companies.

When Carter was defeated, McShane and some colleagues formed the of 1976, when Sen. Walter Mondale was Democratic Leadership Council to move selected to run for vice president under the Democratic Party back to the center.

Jimmy Carter. Mondale offered McShane Through those efforts, he came to know a position on the campaign in the ’76 Bill Clinton before he became president. election, where he helped the CarterMcShane eventually helped form and Mondale ticket to victory. served on an informal “kitchen cabinet” of McShane then went to the White advisors for President Clinton.

House as a special assistant to Vice “When you are sitting in the Roosevelt President Mondale.

There he got involved in energy policy, Room in the West Wing and the president turns to you and says ‘Michael, what do and President Carter assigned him to you think?’ Let me tell you, the air gets a be part of a team that was creating the little thin. It takes a little while to get used Department of Energy. After that, he to that,” he said. served as a Congressional Liaison for the McShane worked on both Clinton White House, and then went back to work at the Department of Energy to help inaugurations in 1993 and 1997. He also helped organize the 1996 and 2000 states develop energy policies.

Democratic Conventions. He advised “Working at the White House is an the Gore-Lieberman campaign in 2000 extraordinary experience,” McShane said, and served as vice chair of the 2004 adding that it’s not exactly like it is on Lieberman campaign for president. movies and TV. While the Oval Office is Working in politics brought McShane generally depicted correctly, the rooms shown outside it are not as accurate on film. in contact with graduates of universities “The White House is actually very small on like Harvard and Yale. “At first I’m the inside. But it’s also amazingly quiet and thinking to myself, ‘I went to East efficient. You don’t have this running around Carolina, what am I doing here?’ And after a while it started to dawn on me with papers and screaming.” that the education I got at East Carolina Unlike an hour-long TV episode, was as good and in some cases better than solving a policy question can take a long time, particularly in the area of foreign affairs. As vice chair of the U.S. delegation working with the European Union, McShane helped negotiate a compromise on how consumer credit information should be used across international borders, which took over a year and a half and is McShane (top right) with Vice President Walter Mondale (right) aboard Air Force One in 1977 landing in Manila for an official visit. still in place today.

I was in line at Christenbury, and I had just walked across campus.

I thought I was on the set of a Hollywood movie, it was such a beautiful campus.” “

14 EC ALUMNI SPRING 2013

the education at the ‘big name’ schools.

The education that the faculty at ECU had given me was equal to the education of anybody I have ever met, domestic or overseas.”

The passion for learning that Dr. Price and the other faculty instilled in McShane prepared him intellectually to pursue virtually any career, he said. “I learned to think, to study, to prepare, and how to approach a problem.”

His favorite part of his career is the extraordinary people that he has been able to meet in all kinds of professions around the nation and world, he says. “The romantic in me thinks that perhaps somewhere along the line I may have been able to nudge the course of history a bit in favor of the United States, the bad part being that I didn’t get to nudge it nearly enough.”

McShane has put his tremendous experience to work in nudging the course of his alma mater on a key expansion. It is one of his proudest accomplishments (along with helping a couple presidents get elected), though he hasn’t told the story publicly before now.

In the mid-nineties, McShane helped the university acquire the land that is now West Research Campus. The government

was planning to declare the Voice of America site as access property. University administrators approached McShane, seeking his expertise in government affairs.

It took over a year for McShane to get the land declared public, then transferred to the state and then to the university. At the time, it was worth about $15 million, but McShane says its value to the university is nearly incalculable today.

McShane received the Outstanding Alumni Award in 1998. He has served on the ECU Board of Visitors and currently serves on the Alumni Association Board of Directors. McShane founded The McShane Group International in 2000 and then became the founder, president and CEO of The Policy Institute in 2001.

As a member of the faculty of the Bryce Harlow Foundation, McShane has taught politics and government at Stanford, Notre Dame, Villanova, Georgetown, and American universities and was Visiting University Lecturer in American Political History at Boston University.

He finished his career with a return to public service under the Obama administration at the Agency for International Development, running the government relations program for the Asia

Bureau, including Afghanistan and Iraq.

Wherever McShane goes, East Carolina will always be home, the place where his passion for learning was lit and where his career began.

“No matter where I’ve gone around the world, I always run into somebody who either went to East Carolina or has known someone who went to East Carolina or has heard about this school,” McShane said. “What is so cool about it is that everybody who has heard of the university has heard it in the context of doing something good. The reputation of the school has far expanded outside of North Carolina and the United States. It is a tribute to all the University has done.”

McShane now lives in Charlottesville, VA, with his wife Susan.

Leave a perpetual legacy at ECU: Avoid two types of taxation with a gift from your IRA, 401(k), and other qualified retirement plans When you gift a percentage or specific dollar total from your retirement plan to East Carolina University through the East Carolina University Foundation Inc., East Carolina University Medical & Health Sciences Foundation Inc., or the East Carolina University Educational Foundation Inc. (Pirate Club), you can help future students while gaining multiple tax advantages.

By utilizing this specific asset, where often the greatest amount of your wealth resides, you can avoid/reduce both income and estate taxation. This asset is among the most difficult to pass to heirs/ beneficiaries based on the fact that it is a deferred tax asset. For these reasons gifting this asset may enable your heirs to avoid income and estate tax while leaving a perpetual legacy at ECU. Best of all this easy process can be done through one simple piece of paperwork (Beneficiary Designation Form) provided by your retirement plan provider.

For more information about this planned gift or joining the Leo W. Jenkins Society, please contact Greg Abeyounis, assistant vice chancellor for development, at 252-328-9573 or e-mail at abeyounisg@ecu.edu. For examples and more information on planned giving mechanisms, visit our Web site at www.ecu.edu/plannedgiving.

Tomorrow starts here.

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 15

The Next Great

Artist T

Today’s pervasive reality television shows give many people their “fifteen minutes of fame,” but most contestants never get more than that. Transitioning from a contained televised competition to a career in the real world is a rare feat.

But that feat is one that Kymia Nawabi ’03 has been able to accomplish with flying colors. Nawabi has been making the most of her success since winning the second season of Bravo’s “Work of Art: the Next Great Artist” in 2011.

A graduate of ECU’s College of Fine Arts and Communication, Nawabi continues to live and create art professionally in New York City since a panel of judges chose her over thirteen other aspiring artists.

16 EC ALUMNI SPRING 2013

“It is very hard to put into words how dreamlike everything felt those last couple of days up until the words ‘Congratulations Kymia’ were said,” Nawabi recalls. “Having made art for twentyfive years of my life, I feel like everything I have ever made led up to that moment where I was awarded a solo show. It was like I was being awarded for my life’s work, not just the competition’s work.”

Her prizes included $100,000 and a solo exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum from the show’s end in December 2011 to February 2012. Her exhibit entitled “Not For Long, My Forlorn” included eleven paintings, one sculpture, and one installation displaying themes of life, death, and the afterlife.

Since then, this mixed media artist has exhibited pieces at One

After winning Bravo’s TV show “Work of Art,” artist Kymia Nawabi ’03 is thriving in New York City

Mile Gallery in Kingston, NY, and at the Melbourne Art Fair in the World Heritage Royal Exhibition Building in Australia. She is also completing a year-long Keyholder Residency at the Lower East Side Print Shop, a nonprofit studio that offers independent work space to only eight emerging artists per year.

“One of my proudest accomplishments is, of course, my experience with Work of Art and having my work shown as a solo exhibition at The Brooklyn Museum,” Nawabi said. “I am also extremely proud that I challenged myself to go through college and graduate school to receive my BFA and MFA in drawing and painting. Lastly, living and surviving in New York City is not exactly small potatoes! I am very proud to say that I

have made a happy and productive life here for my fiancé Devin Yalkin and myself.”

A first-generation Iranian-American, Nawabi was born in San Diego, CA, and grew up in Durham. She originally considered going to a private college to study comic book design, but came to the nearby world-class School of Art and Design at East Carolina.

“I always knew from a very young age that I wanted to study art and be an artist,” Nawabi said. “It was already in my plans from early on in my life.”

She says coming to ECU “was meant to be, really…. those were four out of the seven best years of my life; the other three were being at the University of Florida for graduate school. ECU PIRATEALUMNI.COM 17

was not easy, and I appreciate the fact that it was as challenging and serious as it was. I feel so privileged to have been able to attend ECU for fine art.”

Nawabi says her experience at ECU prepared her well for both graduate school and working as a professional artist.

“Looking back on the amount of art I was able to make is astonishing; I remember having so many deadlines for works to be completed and ready for criticism,” she said. “This fast-paced, dedicated production is what it is like to be in graduate school and as a working, professional artist.”

Her favorite memory of her time in the art program at ECU was the studio time. “The amount of uninterrupted studio time was priceless and unforgettable!” she says, adding that working artists must pay for their studio space, and find time to get there.

“I was very, very shy, so I was not involved in group activities,” Nawabi recalled. “But I did do a couple of murals around

campus: one for the Mendenhall Student Center and the other at the Backdoor Skate Shop.”

Another favorite memory for Nawabi was joining a band called “Art Lord and the Self Portraits.”

“That was one of the most scary and exciting chances I took in college, and it ended up being so rewarding and so much fun!” she says.

She slowly came out of her shell, but still had many obstacles to overcome in college, thankfully supported by her classmates and mentors on campus.

“My closest mentor was Mr. Paul Hartley, who sadly passed away three years ago,” she said. “Mr. Hartley was there for my work and myself through very hard times after my father’s death, through my social anxiety disorder and depression during college.

All of this was very personal and I integrated it into my work, which Mr. Hartley guided me through.”

“ ECU was not easy, and I appreciate the fact that it

was as challenging and serious as it was. I feel so privileged to have been able to attend ECU for fine art .”

18 EC ALUMNI SPRING 2013

She also learned a lot from her peers. “The art students always challenged each other and just by observing and listening to each other, you could always learn about new materials and ways of working.”

After finishing at ECU in 2003 and UF in 2006, Nawabi moved to New York City to make her dream a reality.

She says living in New York is “expensive, tiring, sad, scary, and downright hard. But, it is also somehow do-able, fun, interesting, and a great place to be as an artist.”

She decided to enter Bravo’s “Work of Art” competition as a way to test her talent.

“The competition reiterated how much I love being challenged. It tested my processes and my abilities to make art,” she said. “Of course competing was absolutely nerve-wracking, tiring and scary; there was so much on the line! Above all else it was invigorating. I felt so alive! I learned so much about my capabilities, and I loved proving to myself through a new facility just how much I love making art!”

Though it was not easy, she thrived on the challenge of time and material restrictions – and got through the lack of sleep on adrenaline.

“With limitations on your process, I believe that your work can reach new levels and that was one of my reasons for wanting to participate in the competition to begin with,” she said. “When you are tested in such a way where there are not only restrictions on your concepts, processes, materials, and time, but your lifestyle as well, unbelievable growth occurs. I not only believe my work reached new levels both formally and conceptually, but I learned a lot about myself and what I never knew I was capable of.”

After the show, Nawabi’s approach to art remains the same; it is an intensely personal journey.

“I take an issue or event that is meaningful to me, investigate it through introspection, reading, writing and conversation, create a mythology containing a world of characters and environments that symbolize the issue metaphorically, and lastly, experiment with color, texture, line, scale, etc. to further push my concept.”

Nawabi’s mixed media drawings, paintings and sculptures are filled with metaphors for her internal struggles with identity and mortality. “I feel as though if I name, materialize and own the phantoms of my inner landscapes, then I can master these personal phenomena I have concerning who and what I am in this world.”

She doesn’t shy away from somber themes. “My darkness is an inherent part of me from ever since I was very young. I do not mention this part of myself expecting any pity or discomfort

“You Will Do It Again and Better. We Live Forever," from Nawabi's "Not For Long, My Forlorn" exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum of Art (2011).

from anyone, but hopefully empathy. I think it is a given we all have varying levels in us concerning our basic human emotions.”

In one of the pieces entitled “You Will Do It Again and Better. We Live Forever,” the repeatedly splatted paint texture is made to look like dirt, but can also be read as atoms or particles.

“The dirt is referencing our relationship to the earth, burial, as well as growth,” Nawabi says. “The subtle sparkle that flickers as one walks by is to suggest if one were to lift off the dirt-like texture, there would be a divine-like light that remains.”

This piece is featured in her “Not For Long, My Forlorn” exhibit, which will come to the Greenville Museum of Art in 2014.

As an alumna, Nawabi has come back to the ECU School of Art and Design to talk with current art students.

“It is a risky profession with a lot of hard work, and plenty of uncertainties, especially concerning money, but if it is what you love, what you believe in, and what you want to do- do it.”

She advises aspiring artists to stay connected with the art community by attending shows and participating in programs.

“I think the more we experience as an artist in the art world, the better our work and our selves become.”

Nawabi’s varied experiences are sure to take her far beyond her “fifteen minutes of fame” in her career as an artist, but she will always be proud to have begun her artistic journey on a campus as rich in the arts as East Carolina University.

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 19

Creating Opportunities Trustee Deborah Davis ’79, ’83 works to create opportunities for students at ECU just as she had as a student here

East Carolina University opened a world of opportunity for Deborah Davis ’79, ’83, and now she works to make sure that the University continues to offer those same opportunities and more to today’s students.

As the Chief Operating Officer of Medical College of Virginia Hospitals (Virginia Commonwealth University Health System), Davis remains active with ECU as a member of the Board of Trustees and several other boards that carry out the University’s mission of service and leadership.

Before accepting her current position in July 2007, she was the vice president of corporate business development and innovation for University Health Systems, now named Vidant Health.

Prior to that, she was the president of Pitt County Memorial Hospital, now Vidant Medical Center, for five years. She started working at the hospital when she was in college at ECU, and worked her way up for over thirty years.

Davis initially went to N.C. State as a computer science major. After a semester, she realized that was not what she wanted to do and transferred to East Carolina as a business major. Having grown up in Jacksonville, ECU was much more familiar and welcoming for Davis.

“ECU was a much better fit,” she said. “I found it to be a very supportive and friendly environment.

The University has always stayed true to its mission of supporting students from eastern North Carolina from all types of backgrounds.”

Davis is the first in her family to have gone to college, as is her husband, Randy ’82. They both came from humble backgrounds and knew from the time they met in junior high that they wanted more from life.

“When we were young, we said to one another, ‘we love our families, but this is not the way we’re going to live our lives.’ And we knew the only way to break that cycle was to get an education,” she said.

Davis worked full-time through her entire undergraduate and graduate career to pay for college. She chose a job at the hospital because it was one of the few places where she could work evenings while going to school during the day.

“Both the University and the hospital worked with me to adapt my schedule to allow me to continue to work and go to school full-time,” she said. “To this day, I am very thankful that East Carolina was there and allowed me to do that. I could not have afforded it otherwise, and I think that’s still true for many today.”

20 EC ALUMNI SPRING 2013

“Anything we can do to help students, from opening up the learning centers, to tutoring, to other support mechanisms, we as board members need to figure out ways to do that, because we all remember how difficult it was.”

Growing up, Davis’ mother suffered from several chronic illnesses and was disabled by her late thirties. Davis remembers all the trips her family had to make to Duke because there were no tertiary providers here at the time. This experience drove Davis’ efforts to advance University Health Systems to be the premier healthcare system for the region, the state and beyond.

“To be part of that, even a small part, is a pretty phenomenal accomplishment in which I will always feel a great deal of pride, and East Carolina University clearly played a role in that,” she said. “The skill set that East Carolina gave me allowed me to contribute and make decisions. East Carolina prepared me very well in terms of leadership and taking appropriate actions to provide positive outcomes.”

Davis says the Medical College of Virginia was one of the very few places for which she would have considered leaving eastern North Carolina. While that system is larger and more urban than the one here in Greenville, both face similar challenges.

“After the Affordable Care Act, we’ll have more people with healthcare, and we’re still trying to analyze how that will impact our volume,” she said. “We’re still dealing with budget cuts, looming shortages of nurses and other providers, rising debt for students, an aging population with more needs, and getting people to live more healthy lifestyles.

These are all issues every healthcare system has to face.”

In the face of such challenges, the relationship between healthcare systems, universities, and their communities is even more important.

“That relationship is important everywhere, but especially in Greenville,” Davis Davis takes notes at an ECU Board of Trustees meeting says.

While she doesn’t recommend it for everyone since it didn’t leave a lot of free time, Davis saw being able to work to pay for college as an opportunity made possible

by ECU. Many of the University’s current leaders came to the campus from similar situations, Davis says, and thus work even more diligently to make sure ECU stays affordable and accessible for all students.

“The good thing is I fell into a career that I don’t think I otherwise would have chosen,” said Davis of working at the hospital. “At that time, it was rare to see someone with a business degree in healthcare.”

Davis had always been interested in leadership and running a corporation, “so business was just a very good fit,” she said.

At that time, healthcare was not thought of as a business, even though it is the important business of taking care of people, Davis says.

“I happened to be fortunate that I was able to start bringing to the table business principles at a time when we had a health system in Greenville that was starting to grow very rapidly.”

Davis is very proud and appreciative for the experience she gained at Pitt County Memorial Hospital.

“I had the opportunity to be a part of taking a health system from a 200-bed county hospital, through the founding of the medical school, and on to the creation of one of the largest healthcare systems in the country, focused on taking care of the people of eastern North Carolina.”

In a community the size of Greenville, having a major university and medical center as economic and educational engines creates a fairly unique bond that’s not always true in larger cities, Davis says.

“These entities make a concerted effort to be a part of the community and make it a better place to live because they have their families there,” she said. “I think there’s a closer allegiance to making sure that everybody is healthy and successful. You’re going to be next to them in church or at the grocery store, so it creates a different bond.”

Davis remains part of that bond between the university, the hospital and the community. She is a longtime member of BB&T Leadership Board, which molds leaders for the future through grants to schools that integrate leadership in their curriculum.

Davis is also a founding member of the ECU Women’s Roundtable, which works to encourage and inspire women to contribute to the University and take on leadership roles.

“As a member of the Board of Trustees, I can’t think of a more rewarding way to give back to the University. I love my time on the board. I can hopefully bring a little expertise in healthcare to a very dedicated group of people who spend many hours supporting the University in any way they can.”

“There are still so many students struggling to get their education,” Davis says, “and anything we can do to help students, from opening up the learning centers, to tutoring, to other support mechanisms, we as board members need to figure out ways to do that, because we all remember how difficult it was.”

“I think that East Carolina has a unique draw on people because of all the opportunities here,” Davis says. “East Carolina University has played a vital role in making eastern North Carolina and its people better.”

From her humble beginnings to her position as an industry leader, Davis is an alumna who is changing the face of healthcare thanks to the opportunities afforded her at East Carolina University.

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 21

Living the Dream

Jeremy Woodard ’01 rocks his role as a Broadway actor in “Rock of Ages.”

22 EC ALUMNI SPRING 2013

M

Many kids grow up dreaming of being a rock star or a star athlete. And in a way, Jeremy Woodard ’01 is living out both dreams.

Woodard plays rocker Stacee Jaxx in the Broadway musical “Rock of Ages.”

“It’s awesome. Who didn’t want to be a rock star at some point in their life?” says Woodard, who graduated with a bachelor of fine arts in theater.

Also a sports fan, Woodard says, “Broadway is the NFL of what we do; this is my Super Bowl. The competition is hard, so you feel very lucky to get to do this.”

Both athletes and actors need great training, and Woodard found his training ground at East Carolina’s famed School of Theater and Dance. Originally from Garner, Woodard has two older sisters who also went to ECU. “I’ve been going down to that campus ever since I was a kid,” he said. “Once I got there, I was like, this place is amazing! There was never really any other choice.”

Woodard considered attending a conservatory specifically for theater, but he felt like getting a well-rounded college experience was more important.

“There was no question I was going to go to East Carolina,” he said.

Woodard started doing theatre in high school. “At first it seemed like an easy elective to take, and I took chorus because that’s where all the girls were!” he joked. “But I immediately knew it was something I felt like I was decent at and enjoyed doing.”

However, when it came time for orientation at ECU, Woodard still wasn’t sure if he wanted to make his career in theater. But the professor giving him the tour convinced him to go for it.

“I have so many great memories of ECU,” Woodard says. He was involved in several productions, but still found time to make it to most football games. In fact, he and some other students convinced the theater director to move rehearsals from Saturday to Sunday so they could make it to the games. He still comes back for about one game a year.

“I felt like the East Carolina theatre department trains you not only to be better actors and performers, but they prep you really well for what it’s like to actually live here and be in New York,” he said. “And understanding the business more than just coming up here to be a superstar. They get you prepared for life as an actor.”

After graduating in May of 2001, he came home to Garner for the summer and did a couple shows for the North Carolina Theatre in Raleigh. He saved his money and moved to New York in January 2002. To get by, he got a job working a front desk at a gym.

His first acting job was actually outside New York, at a small theater in New Hampshire.

“One of my professors told me ‘your first job is going to be outside New York, just watch,’ and he was right,” Woodard laughed.

“I was fortunate, I didn’t have to wait too long to get my first big job,” he said. He landed a role in “Miss Saigon” and was on tour for two years, followed by another two years on the road with “Hairspray.”

“I felt like I didn’t really live here in New York until 2006 or 2007, because I was on the road so much,” he said.

Wanting to stay in New York, he got a job as a bartender and “auditioned and auditioned and auditioned,” he said. He got some parts, but as so often happens in the world of theater,

things were off to a rough start.

His first job on Broadway was a play called “Glory Days,” and it closed the night after it opened. The next musical he was in closed the day before rehearsals even started.

“I used to say, if I could get even one night on Broadway, that would be my dream, and then it happened,” he laughed.

And then Rock of Ages began, starting off Broadway. Woodard and the rest of the cast never thought it would make it to Broadway, “but it just goes to show that you never know! You go for several months to a year with no work and then boom, big job!”

“Rock of Ages” is a five-time Tony Award nominated musical about a young girl who comes from a small town in the Midwest to find fame and love in Los Angeles, meeting stars of the Sunset Strip along the way. At the close of 2012, the show had been running four years for over 1,500 performances with more than a million viewers.

A movie version of “Rock of Ages” came out last year, with Woodard’s character Stacee Jaxx played by Tom Cruise. While the movie follows the general plot of the original musical, the film version focuses on different characters and presents a different tone, Woodard explained.

Stacee Jaxx is Woodard’s favorite role that he’s played so far.

“This is so not who I am and that’s why it’s so much fun,” he says. “I like playing the bad guy as opposed to the heroic male lead. It’s good to get a role like this because you usually get cast in roles that your personality fits.”

While “Rock of Ages” will continue showing, a different actor will take on the role of Stacee Jaxx, since Woodard gained a part in another upcoming musical. But shortly after he informed the “Rock of Ages” staff that he was leaving, his next project got pushed back, another common occurrence in theater.

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 23

“So I can’t go back to Rock of Ages and say ‘Oops can I have my job back?’ That’s one of those things you learn.”

Woodard is used to the ups and downs of the theater world, however. “I’m lucky enough to do this; you do get told no a lot,” he says. “You don’t see the 50 other jobs we didn’t get.”

Woodard is a seasoned performer, but still feels nervous before big performances and auditions. “I don’t think that ever goes away,” he said. “It’s not like TV and film where they get your best take out of a whole bunch, we have to be right on the money every night.”

While he’s headlining in New York City, Woodard does miss North Carolina. In fact, the bar where he works is a southern bar, complete with sweet tea and eastern North Carolina style barbecue.

“There’s a huge East Carolina contingent up here, and if I see someone with an ECU T-shirt it’s all I can do to not run up to them.”

The one thing he doesn’t like about New York? They don’t always carry all the ECU games on television. Woodard loves cheering for his alma mater.

“I’ve yet to go to another school where even if they have 100,000 students that has as much pride as ECU,” he says. “I was proud while I was there, but once you leave, you get even more proud for some reason, it’s hard to explain.”

His proudest accomplishment is not one particular role or production, but coming to New York and making his way using the lessons he learned at ECU. “The more life experiences you can have, that will only help you as an actor,” he said. “And East Carolina is good about giving you that, giving you a real college experience and a real life experience with amazing training, and I don’t think you can top that.”

24 EC ALUMNI SPRING 2013

Once upon a time not so very long ago, recruiters relied solely upon face-to-face and telephone interactions to interview their candidate pool. While most continue to use these methods, many have found ways to integrate technology into the mix.

With maximum convenience and minimal expense, employers can easily connect with applicants anywhere in the world-thanks to the ready availability of laptops with webcams, tablets and free software such as Skype. Not surprisingly, hundreds of international and national companies have adopted the technology of webbased virtual interviewing to identify and prescreen candidates, and the trend seems to be growing.

Web-based virtual interviewing typically refers to two platforms of video interviews—live video conferencing and recorded video interviews. In the former, interviews take place in real time and provide participants the opportunity for back and forth interaction. In the latter, candidates record their interviews via webcam as they respond to pre-recorded questions.

Virtual interviewing offers advantages to recruiters and candidates. Both benefit from the convenience, the immediacy, and the elimination of travel time and expenses.

Recorded interviews offer additional benefits. Rather than depend only on notes and memory, interviewers can watch interviews repeatedly, can compare candidates, and can share interviews with stakeholders anywhere in the world. From the applicant’s vantage point, pre-recorded

interviews eliminate inconsistency and assure that all interviews are administered in precisely the same way. Additionally, candidates can review their interviews and determine areas that may need improvement or additional practice.

Although many people use online video to connect with family and friends, it is important they recognize the differences between casual communication and virtual interviews. Virtual interviews require specific new skills and close attention to details. Candidates must learn how to utilize the technology to its fullest potential, learn to “stage” the environment, and learn how to interact with the camera and microphone.

The virtues of informed preparation and intentional practice cannot be overstated. Candidates should familiarize themselves with the basics and take the time to master the required skills. The Career Center at ECU has recently expanded its signature practice interview program, HIRED (Helping Individuals Reach Employment Destinations), to include virtual interview practice. Customized and general interviews are available to practice for jobs, internships, and graduate schools.

Individuals may practice at the Career Center or at their computers at home.

Upon completion, the interview link can be sent to Career Counselors or others for review and feedback. Candidates must develop the skills to interview in person, by phone, and online today and be prepared to develop new ones tomorrow.

CAREER CORNER

Recruiters Turning to Technology to Tap Talent

Top Ten Tips for Video Interviews 1. To approximate direct eye contact, look directly into the webcam.

2. Position a diffused light source about six feet in front of you.

3. Frame your face and upper shoulders in the shot. You may need to sit further back than normal. Be sure to sit up straight.

4. Raise the computer to capture your face straight on; otherwise you will appear to be looking down.

5. Dress entirely in a suit or other professional attire. You never know when you may need to move or stand up!

6. Avoid wearing white, hot colors, and patterns. Solids in shades of blue are a good choice.

7. Close other computer programs to eliminate interrupting beeps and alerts.

8. Use the highest-speed Internet connection possible, as slow connections can cause lags between audio and video.

9. Count on technical glitches and be prepared.

10. Practice with a friend a few days before and test equipment to make sure it works.

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 25

AROUND CAMPUS 26 EC ALUMNI SPRING 2013

ARTS & SCIENCES Chemistry Department Hosts Successful Homecoming 2012 Event

After a one-year hiatus, the Department of Chemistry hosted a spectacular event for nearly 150 alumni, faculty, staff, and students during Homecoming 2012. The newly rekindled Chemistry Club, an American Chemical Society Student Affiliate Chapter, was given the opportunity to work closely with faculty to plan and host the event.

The Chemistry Club and research faculty hosted a poster event during Homecoming, presenting current research projects and goals within the Department of Chemistry.

Graduate and undergraduate researchers gained valuable experience presenting their research to a scientific audience. Current research projects include work on derivatives for cancer drugs, Cystic Fibrosis and HIV/AIDS, and the preservation of the Queen Anne’s Revenge.

Chemical entertainment during the event included several demonstrations by The Chemistry Club; “the levitating board,” “the shake me bottle,” and “how to burn a dollar.”

Also, the club was responsible for preparing a special dessert treat of liquid nitrogen ice cream.

This spring the Chemistry Club has more exciting events planned with the Department of Chemistry. They hope to tour local pharmaceutical companies and bring representatives from the industrial workforce to campus to speak about job opportunities.

“The faculty of the Department of Chemistry are helping students succeed, not only in the classroom or lab, but by helping them build relationships within industry and the academic community that will last a lifetime,” said Hicks.

German Undergrad Studying Abroad through Scholarship

Michael Veale, a double major in German and theatre arts, was selected for an undergraduate scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service, and he is spending the academic year at the Freie Universität in Berlin. ECU’s program is one of only five in the nation to have had an undergraduate selected for the award in each of the previous four years, representing $45,000 in external funding.

ALLIED HEALTH

Michael Veale

Ninth Annual Jean Mills Health Symposium

The College of Allied Health Sciences in collaboration with ECU Medical & Health Sciences Foundation and the ECU Office of Continuing Studies presented the ninth annual Jean Mills Health Symposium on Friday, March 1, 2013.

The purpose of the symposiums is to bring attention to critical health care issues facing minority populations and to seek solutions.

The 2013 theme of Enhancing Minority Health in the Millennium included: • the application of social media in health and health care • the use of “apps” to enhance the health of citizens of NC and/or the practice of health professionals • the impact of the environment on health and health care • healthcare reform post the 2012 election • community/campus partnerships as a vehicle to reduce health disparities.

Jean Mills earned her bachelor’s degree from UNC-CH in 1977 and a master’s in public administration with a concentration in community health from ECU in 1984. She died from breast cancer in October 2000.

Amos T. Mills III, Jean’s brother, hopes to keep her spirit of discovery and community outreach alive through an inspirational tribute to one of her former graduate school instructors: Dr. Donald Ensley, former chairman of the Department of Community Health.

Through a $25,000 donation to the Medical Foundation Inc. of ECU, the Jean Elaine Mills Health Symposium was established.

AROUND CAMPUS CLSC student nominated to Phi Kappa Phi

DENTAL MEDICINE

Congratulations to Kristie Barrick, a first year clinical laboratory science student, who has been nominated for membership in the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. Kristie ranks in the top ten percent of upperclassmen at East Carolina University.

Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest, largest, and most selective all-disciplinary honor society. The ECU chapter, the 114th approved by the national organization, was Kristie Barrick formally installed in 1970, and celebrates the academic achievements of nearly 3,000 initiates.

The Department of Clinical Laboratory Science is very proud to count Kristie as one of its students and a future laboratory professional!

Dental students and faculty help spread smiles

BUSINESS Krispy Kreme CEO Speaks at ECU

James Morgan, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, visited campus on February 19, 2013 as part of the Cunanan Leadership Speaker Series hosted by the College of Business. More than 1,000 students, faculty, staff, alumni and other community members attended Morgan’s speech in Wright Auditorium, titled “Pursuing a Passion.”

Morgan was named president James Morgan and CEO of Krispy Kreme in January 2008. He has been a member of their board of directors since 2000 and was elected chairman in 2005. Prior to joining Krispy Kreme, Morgan was chairman and CEO of Wachovia Securities following the acquisition of Interstate/Johnson Lane Inc.

by Wachovia Corporation. He has more than thirty-seven years of business experience and is a 1969 graduate of Vanderbilt University.

He also served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy.

Dr. Stan Eakins, dean of the College of Business, said, “Mr. Morgan brings deep institutional knowledge and perspective regarding Krispy Kreme’s strengths, challenges, and opportunities.

We are delighted to host such a notable business leader and learn from his unique insights and experiences.”

The Cunanan Leadership Speaker Series is made possible by a gift from alumni Steve ’87, ’91 and Ellen ’88 Cunanan of Richboro, PA. The series brings distinguished leaders to campus, representing for-profit and non-profit firms, entrepreneurial activities, government, and public affairs. Topics highlight leadership, professional development, ethics, and the role of business in modern society.

On February 1, a dozen ECU dental students and several faculty members volunteered their services at the eleventh annual Annual Give a Kid a Smile Day in Greenville sponsored by the East Central Dental Society and geared to improving children’s overall health.

Nearly 120 children from qualifying families received free dental treatment, including sealants, fillings, extractions, and stainless steel crowns from area dental professionals.

Amanda Stroud, a second year dental student and registered dental hygienist, focused on cleaning children’s teeth during her shift at Give a Kid a Smile. One of her patients, fourth grader Katelyn Jones of Greenville, reclined restfully in the dental chair as her mother, Tomijo Jones, sat nearby.

Tomijo said, “Last year at this event Katelyn had baby teeth pulled, so she was nervous about coming this year, but since she is only having her teeth cleaned this time, she is more relaxed. I’m amazed by what’s happening here. I don’t think we would be able to see a dentists at all if not for this chance.”

Amanda, like all ECU dental students, was admitted to the predoctoral (DMD) program not only for her academic record but also for her passion for service and for the school’s mission to establish more dentists in rural and underserved areas of North Carolina.

“There is no negative part of volunteering with a free clinic,” said Amanda, “but I especially love interacting with children. To see a child go from tears to excitement about a dental visit and to see a mom or dad go from concern for their child to relief and happiness is the best feeling in the world.”

The ECU School of Dental Medicine’s Community Service Learning Center (CSLC) in Ahoskie, which opened in June 2012, also participated in Give a Kid a Smile. Second year dental students Christin Carter and Bridgette Jones joined Dr. Ford Grant, associate professor and clinical director, and residents, hygienists, and dental assistants in providing forty Ahoskie first graders with free services, including screening, cleaning, fluoride treatments, and lessons on oral hygiene. ECU is building ten CSLCs across the state.

EDUCATION College of Education in Top Ten in Nationally Board Certified Teachers

Not only does North Carolina continue to lead the nation in National Board Certified teachers, but once again East Carolina University’s College of Education ranks in the top ten. Out of PIRATEALUMNI.COM 27

AROUND CAMPUS One student from each program within the School of Art and fifty public and private universities and colleges from across the nation with the highest number of alumni who are newly-certified Design met with a museum educator on campus and at the museum National Board teachers, ECU came in at number ten with forty- to learn about the work behind the Still-Life Masterpieces exhibition.

These twelve students were asked to apply their findings to create four certified teachers for the 2012-2013 academic year. their own exhibition. The development of “A Life, Still” included large- and small-scale projects, from deciding on the exhibition College of Education Honors Eastern North theme and marketing the call for submissions to selecting the final Carolina Educators works and arranging them in a thoughtful visual narrative.

Senior Abigail Jones notes the importance of their cumulative decisions: “Everything from writing the wall texts to judging the works of art to understanding the layout of the show affects how well and smoothly the exhibition process will run.”

For senior Kendall Temotio, the best part of the experience was On December 6, 2012, eighteen Teachers of the Year from eastern “being on the other side of the table. Usually I’m the one submitting North Carolina were honored at an event sponsored by East my work and waiting to hear the results. It was interesting to see Carolina University’s College of Education. The event, titled Each how decisions are ultimately made. Now I can look at my own work One-Reach One, served as a celebration of outstanding educators when it is declined or accepted and better understand why or how and their positive impact within the region. Joining the Teachers of the selections may have occurred.”

Art and Design the Year were first- and second-year educators. student curators were BFA candidates Elementary Education Student Receives Award Alisha Beard, (Visual from Nickelodeon Culture), Joshua Taylor Waters, an elementary education major, Teaching Fellow, Craig and Kendall (Metal and Junior Advisory Board member, is one of four young adults Temotio Ariana to be honored at this year’s TeenNick HALO (Helping and Design), Leading Others) award that aired on Nickelodeon on November Davis-Tewksbury 19. Nickelodeon sent actor and TV personality Nick Cannon to (Photography), Ervin ECU’s campus on October 19, to surprise and film Waters as he Kathryn announced she is a recipient of the award along with a check for and Abigail Jones and $10,000. Waters is the founder and president of the Red Cross at (Painting Drawing), Anna the ECU student organization.

Hajjar, Daniel Kennington and Two Faculty Members Earn Presidential Award Dr. Abbie Brown and Dr. Bill Sugar each received an Association Kelsey Mintz (Art ECU student Paul Nissenbaum’s digital Fuji Brie film transfer “Duality” was among many works of Educational Communications (AECT) Presidential Service Education), Award this year at the AECT annual conference in Louisville, KY. Warrington (Graphic selected as a part of “A Life, Still” student exhibit at the North Carolina Museum of Art. The artist Dr. Sugar’s award is for his exemplary service as Awards Committee Design) and MFA develops characters in his work to embody an Tina unrealized self, which may involve his image or Chair and Dr. Brown’s award is for his service as editor-in-chief of candidate (Metal abstracted creations that serve as surrogates.

TechTrends. Dr. Brown presented “Augmented Reality and Mobile Lazzarine Design).

Devices: QR Codes and AR Apps” at the conference also.

ECU students selected to exhibit were Danielle James, Katie Murray, Paul Nissenbaum (BFA ‘12) and Allison Patton.

FINE ARTS &

COMMUNICATION Pirates Curate NC Museum of Art Exhibition

The result of a recent collaboration between the North Carolina Museum of Art and East Carolina University School of Art and Design debuted alongside the museum’s fall exhibition of still-life masterpieces. A student exhibition called “A Life, Still” features photography, video, printmaking, drawing, ceramics, textiles and painting from college students responding to a set theme: reimagining still life.

North Carolina Museum of Art educators collaborated with faculty and students over ten months through “Under the Iceberg,” a program designed to give students a hands-on experience of planning and curating an art museum exhibition.

28 EC ALUMNI SPRING 2013

HEALTH &

HUMAN PERFORMANCE D.J. Gregory Featured Speaker for Ralph Steele Lecture Series

A crowd of 300 welcomed D.J. Gregory, author and lecturer, as the speaker for the second annual Ralph Steele Visiting Lecture at East Carolina University’s Mendenhall Student Center. Gregory presented the lecture “Chasing a Dream” on November 15, 2012.

Gregory spoke about his journey of setting and accomplishing an improbable goal. “He encouraged everyone to have dreams to reach and not to let others hold you back,” said Dr. David Loy, associate professor in the department of Recreation and Leisure Studies.

AROUND CAMPUS Born with cerebral palsy, doctors told Gregory’s parents that he would probably use a wheelchair for his entire life. He defeated the odds and learned to walk.

A longtime golf fan, Gregory made D.J. Gregory presents at the Ralph Steele Lecture. a commitment to walk every hole of every round of every PGA golf tournament during 2007-2008.

Walking 900 miles with a cane, he accomplished this goal. Since then, he has continued to walk the PGA tour with a different golfer each week.

He created a foundation called “Walking with Kids” to support a variety of children’s charities. Gregory authored, “Walking with Friends,” which details his challenges, successes, and the friendships he developed with professional golfers.

The event was in honor of Dr. Ralph H. Steele (19302009), who taught at East Carolina from 1960-1990. Steele is considered the “founding father” of what became the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies. In 1972, he established the baccalaureate degree in Parks, Recreation, and Conservation at ECU. Steele served as a teacher, mentor, visionary, and leader to many students, faculty, alumni and friends.

HONORS COLLEGE Grady-White Boats and Metrics—Excellence in Business and Products

Honors College students experienced an opportunity to explore two of Greenville’s business gems: Grady-White Boats, Inc. and Metrics, Inc. Through the Living and Learning program, students were provided a behind-the-scenes tour of Grady-White Boats, an exceptional recreational boat maker. Founder Eddie Smith extended an invitation and VP Shelley Tubaugh ’85, ’91 held nothing back in giving students the answers to questions about what success at this level requires. Metrics, Inc. CEO Phil Hodges ’79, ’84 led a tour of the facility for ECU Honors College students.

Metrics performs at the highest level in a very competitive market that demands understanding in science, government policy, and marketing. Both visits revealed Greenville as an incubator for entrepreneurs who create jobs and opportunities. The motto for success was excellence in products and services, a good lesson for Honors College students who themselves are pledged to Honors College students at Metrics, Inc. excellence.

ECU Professor Named Fellow of the North American Society for Sport Management Research Naming Opportunity for Chancellor Emeritus Eakin

Dr. Melanie Sartore-Baldwin, associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology at East Carolina University, was named a Fellow of the North American Society for Sport Management Research. She is one of five scholars who received this honor Dr. Melanie Sartore-Baldwin at the 2012 NASSM conference in Seattle, WA. “We are proud of Dr. Sartore-Baldwin’s international recognition and her commitment to our students,” said Dr. Glen Gilbert, dean of the College of Health and Human Performance.

Her areas of study are diversity-related issues and social justice within sport. A native of Macomb, IL, Sartore-Baldwin began teaching at ECU in 2007.

Richard R. Eakin, former chancellor and current interim dean of the Honors College, announced that he will retire on June 30, 2013. In recognition of his extraordinary service, a campaign is underway to name the Honors College Dean’s Suite in his honor.

Contributions should be made payable to the East Carolina University Foundation, Inc. with the memo line indicating the Richard R. and JoAnn Eakin Dean’s Priority Fund. Contributions can be mailed to Major Gifts Officer Kathy Brown, East Carolina University, Office of University Development, 2200 South Charles Boulevard, Mail Stop 301, Greenville, NC 27858-4353. Contact her at brownka@ecu.edu or by phone at 252-328-9552.

HUMAN ECOLOGY Protecting the Public

ECU criminal justice alumna Cassandra Deck-Brown ‘87 was recently named Chief of Police for Raleigh. Deck-Brown is the first African-American woman to head the department and the first chief chosen from within the department in nearly twenty years.

Deck-Brown, a North Carolina native, has been with the Raleigh Police Department for over twenty-five years. Dr.

Cassandra Deck-Brown

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 29

AROUND CAMPUS William Bloss, criminal justice department chair, was not surprised

by Deck-Brown’s selection as chief.

“Cassandra exemplifies our mission to educate the next generation of criminal justice leaders. She has distinguished herself as a law enforcement administrator and we congratulate her on the well-deserved appointment. We at ECU are very proud of Chief Deck-Brown’s achievements and appreciate the stellar example she has set for our graduates to emulate,” Bloss said.

ReStoring a Retail Environment

Punam Madhok, PhD, Associate Professor of Art; and Amy McIntyre, MFA. Edible Books

The second annual Joyner Library Edible Book Festival is April 6, 2013. Join the festival celebrating books and food and the people who love them.

Participants will create a piece of edible art related to a book: It can be a pun on a title, refer to a scene or character, look like a book (or paper, scroll, etc) or just have something to do with books.

A silent auction will be held with the proceeds going to the library’s Preservation and Conservation Fund.

Registration deadline is April 1, 2013 for those submitting entries. No registration is required for audience members.

Contact Eleanor Cook at 252-328-2598 or cooke@ecu.edu.

If you have seen HGTV’s “Design on a Dime” then you know that what you need to reinvigorate your living room is often already there – in your attic or garage. Take that concept, throw in thousands of donated household items and fifty-four merchandising students and you’ll have the College of Human Ecology’s latest student project.

Habitat for Humanity ReStore, located at 210 E. 14th Street in Greenville, recently invited Dr. Marina Alexander and her visual merchandising classes (MRCH 3401) to rearrange the store.

Neil Klinedinst, customer care manager, admits they needed the help.

“We strive to provide our customers with a Surgeon Wins National Recognition welcoming store, so we are always searching for new and creative ways to display our Dr. Walter Pories, a merchandise,” he said. pioneering surgeon Each class of students was given an area of the store to redesign. and researcher at Students were divided into teams with thirty minutes to plan and the Brody School one hour to execute. “Our students understand the concepts of of Medicine at East visual merchandising. They know that items sell best when grouped Carolina University, together and that you need to draw people to the back of the store is the recipient of to aid in overall sales,” said Alexander. “It was amazing to watch the 2013 John P. them put their knowledge into practice.”

McGovern Compleat While the students cannot take full credit, ReStore has seen a Physician Award. significant increase in sales since the redesign. “The response from Pories accepted the customers has been overwhelming. Everyone really enjoys seeing award January 18 in the new focus areas (office, living room, bedroom, etc.). The overall Houston. feel and functionality of the store is incredible,” said Klinedinst.

Pories is a Dr. Walter Pories (center) with award pioneer in bariatric, or weight-loss, surgery, and his team at ECU discovered patients who had diabetes before the surgery showed no signs of it afterward. The surgical procedure Pories developed, called the Art Exhibition Greenville gastric-bypass, excludes part of the large intestine from Joyner Library presents the 2013 Faculty Art Show. Four ECU the digestive process. Researchers worldwide are now working to faculty artists will display their works through May 15 in the Joyner discover how the intestine causes the disease and how to stop the Library Exhibit Gallery as part of a collaborative community responsible molecules.

Pories came to ECU in 1977 to start the surgery department at exhibition on the theme of love.

On campus this spring? Art lover seeking a new venue? Stop the new medical school. He is also a military veteran, having served

by Joyner Library and view the exhibit at the second floor gallery in the Air Force and Army.

The John P. McGovern Compleat Physician Award, established during regular operating hours.

ECU faculty members displaying their work include Catherine in 1993, is presented annually by the Houston Academy of C. Walker-Bailey, MFA (collaborating with Mamie Dixon, Medicine in collaboration with the Harris County Medical Society. instructor in the Athletics Dept); Susan Carol Luddeke, MFA;

MEDICINE

JOYNER LIBRARY

30 EC ALUMNI SPRING 2013

AROUND CAMPUS New Chair for Department of Radiation Oncology

Dr. Eleanor Elizabeth Harris is the new chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at ECU. She came to Greenville from Tampa, FL, where she was an associate professor at the University of South Florida College of Medicine.

“There’s so much opportunity here,” she said. “The department is really on a growth trajectory.” She cited figures that put cancer Dr. Harris as the number one cause of death in eastern North Carolina and said she looks forward building a regional network of state-of-the-art cancer services as well as increasing cancer screening and prevention efforts.

Harris is a top board-certified physician with a medical degree from the University of Louisville School of Medicine. Her clinical and research interests are breast and gynecological cancers.

“Dr. Libby Harris’ background and experience speak for themselves,” said Dr. Paul Cunningham, dean of the Brody School of Medicine. “But even in the short time that she has been here, we are impressed by how much she has improved the morale within the Department of Radiation Oncology. To a person, the faculty and staff have had nothing but positive things to say about Dr. Harris.”

NURSING ECU Nursing Ranked Tenth Nationally in Graduate Programs in Online Education

The College of Nursing ranks among the best nationally in online education in a listing released January 15, 2013 by U.S. News & World Report.

The ECU College of Nursing ranked tenth out of seventytwo master’s or doctorate of nursing practice programs in the country using criteria that included student engagement, faculty credentials and training, admissions selectivity and student services and technology.

Online degrees have been growing in popularity the past ten years driven in part by a competitive job market and stagnant economy, according to U.S. News.

The College of Nursing has been consistently named by U.S. News as one of the largest distance education programs in the country since 2004. The current rankings assess quality categories over size.

“Our investment in distance education allows us to connect our students to campus using virtual clinics and to nursing scholars around the world through streaming video and conferencing technology,” said Dr. Sylvia Brown, dean of the College of Nursing. “The beauty of our graduate distance education strategy is that students, who are all registered nurses, can fill vital nursing positions while pursuing their graduate degrees.”

Nursing offers seven online options in the master’s of science nursing program: adult-gerontology nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, family nurse practitioner, neonatal nurse practitioner, nursing education, nursing leadership and nurse midwifery. Of 704 total students enrolled in the MSN program, 606 - or 86 percent - are distance education students.

TECHNOLOGY

& COMPUTER SCIENCE Students Win Second Prize in National Robotics Competition

Students from the College of Technology and Computer Science at East Carolina University won second prize at the robotics competition held at the annual conference of the Association for Technology, Management and Applied Engineering (ATMAE) held on Friday, November 17 in Nashville, TN. ATMAE is a national accreditation agency through which most programs in the Technology Systems Department are accredited.

Eight teams participated in this year’s competitive event, where students are given a specific task that has to be completed by their robot in seven minutes. The robot is manually driven close to the task area, after which it has to perform the task using its own program in an autonomous manner. This year’s task was to collect thirty-six balls in four colors from a central table, sort them, and deposit them in bins. ECU had the second lowest time in performing this task.

The robot was built by students as a requirement for passing the Electromechanical Systems Integration class, which is offered as a senior level class for the Industrial Engineering Technology (IET) program at ECU. Students in this program learn electromechanical systems integration using electronics, pneumatics, hydraulics, computer control and instrumentation, and tools to improve productivity and profitability of processes in manufacturing and service businesses.

Through this class and competition, students learn teamwork and technology tools, skills which are eagerly sought by local manufacturing companies. Students from the Computer Science Department in the college also participated in the event by helping to program the robot.

Students in the industrial engineering technology program with robot

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 31

A LOOK BACK 32 EC ALUMNI SPRING 2013

Kennedy’s Visit to Campus Someone must have given Senator John F. Kennedy a lesson in North Carolina history prior to his campaign blitz of the state on September 17, 1960. When speaking at College Stadium on the campus of East Carolina College that sunny Saturday morning to a crowd of approximately 10,000 eastern North Carolinians, Senator Kennedy remarked, “I come here today from a section of the United States which claims to be the oldest section of the United States, to North Carolina, which is the oldest section of the United States.”

With that single statement, Kennedy won the appreciation of the entire crowd. Before them stood a wealthy New Englander, known in part for his education at an elite Ivy League school, Harvard, who had come to little Greenville and its growing college, looking for political support. Instead of arrogance and intellectual preaching, Kennedy proved he could connect with the rural South: applause and cheers followed from all corners of College Stadium as he next praised North Carolina’s proud tradition of Democratic politics, including one of the great presidents of American history, Andrew Jackson, “a great citizen of this state,” as Kennedy described him.

Kennedy praised the eastern region for its leadership role in America’s historical and political development.

Most fittingly, Senator Kennedy came to the eastern part of the state first.

After Greenville, Senator Kennedy flew by private plane, winningly named the Caroline, to Greensboro, then Asheville, Charlotte, and finally Raleigh for a grand finale at Reynolds Coliseum. While the day was packed with enthusiastic crowds and rousing speeches, the best event – according to the state’s leading newspaper, the News and Observer – was Greenville’s College Stadium rally.

Good weather blessed that stop, but as the day unfolded cloudy remnants of Hurricane Donna, which had struck the East hard less than a week before, began to collect over Greensboro. In Asheville, inclement weather kept Kennedy from landing. The Charlotte rally turnout was slightly less than capacity due to a darkening horizon. Once the whirlwind tour was done, there was no question

that the golden moment occurred first, in Greenville, with the campus rally at East Carolina.

Excitement in the East partly resulted from the historical moment made that day. Kennedy’s planned stop in Greenville was the first that a twentieth century presidential candidate had made in eastern North Carolina. At last, The Daily Reflector proclaimed, the East was getting “the recognition it deserved.” Kennedy had spoken in Charlotte, Greensboro, Chapel Hill, and Durham before. But in the rural East, the rally made history on a grand scale even as it won for the Massachusetts Senator the crucial popular support he needed to carry the state and win the White House.

Sharing in the victory were two other ascendant Democrats: Terry Sanford, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, and Dr. Leo Jenkins, the newly installed president of East Carolina College. For the next few years, until Kennedy’s tragic death in 1963, the political solidarity that crystalized first in Greenville on September 17, 1960, brought substantial returns to the eastern region, and especially East Carolina College, as well as to the state with its new Research Triangle development. Had this triumvirate not been cut short by tragedy, the educational growth of East Carolina, and along with it the economic and intellectual growth of the state and region, might well have been a far more phenomenal legacy of Kennedy’s College Stadium visit than it actually was to be.

Stretch your fitness dollars, spring for the latest Smartphone, or pay down your student loans…whatever moves you most.

As an East Carolina University alumni, you could save up to $343.90* on your auto insurance with Liberty Mutual. You could also enjoy valuable discounts tailored to the way you live today and save even more by insuring your home as well.

Responsibility. What’s your policy?

CONTACT US TODAY TO START SAVING CALL

800-867-5517

CLICK

libertymutual.com/ecualumni

Client # 7814

COME IN to your local office

This organization receives financial support for allowing Liberty Mutual to offer this auto and home insurance program. *Discounts are available where state laws and regulations allow, and may vary by state. To the extent permitted by law, applicants are individually underwritten; not all applicants may qualify.

Savings figure based on a February 2011 sample of auto policyholder savings when comparing their former premium with those of Liberty Mutual’s group auto and home program. Individual premiums and savings will vary. Coverage provided and underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance and its affiliates, 175 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA. © 2012 Liberty Mutual Insurance.

PRESORTED STANDARD US Postage PAID Permit No. 2172 Raleigh, NC Taylor-Slaughter Alumni Center Mail Stop 305 | East Carolina University Greenville, NC 27858-4353

WITN

News at Six Dave Jordan

Lynnette Taylor