SUMMER 2015
HELPING OTHERS Whether she’s in a hospital or a courtroom, nurse attorney Karen Dye Evans ’80 loves helping people
GAME DAY EVERY DAY
U.B.E.
PirateWear.com
516 S. Cotanche St. Uptown Greenville 27858 . 252-758-2616
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FEATURES
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14 on watch Brent Herron ‘77 is the associate vice president of campus safety and security for the UNC system.
16 pirates in the pit and beyond Many ECU alumni work at NASCAR and have become part of the NASCAR family.
20 helping others
Karen Dye Evans ‘80 shows a Pirate hook in front of The Cochran Firm’s Washington, DC offices, where she works as partner.
DEPARTMENTS
ON THE COVER Karen Dye Evans ’80 shows a Pirate hook in front of The Cochran Firm’s Washington, DC offices, where she works as partner. Photo by Brian M. Hogan.
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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 EC Alumni to merge with East magazine Over the past ten years, the East Carolina Alumni Association has mailed a publication that started as an eightpage newsletter and has grown into a 36-page magazine full of features that highlight alumni accomplishments, news from around campus, career advice, information about the programs and services of the alumni association, and more. EC Alumni has become a popular benefit of alumni association membership and we hope it has helped you stay connected with East Carolina University and other Pirates. EC Alumni is not the only publication that links alumni with ECU; East has been published as the university’s magazine for many years. Beginning with the fall 2015 issue, EC Alumni and East magazines will merge, creating a unified, comprehensive magazine that will better serve all of ECU’s constituencies, including alumni, students, faculty, staff, supporters, and the communities impacted by the work and reach of the university. The merged East will be the magazine of East Carolina University, published as a partnership between the university and the East Carolina Alumni Association, and will remain an important benefit of alumni association membership. East will tell stories that connect the university’s impact and daily life with all constituencies and will showcase the university’s values of scholarship, leadership, service, and discovery. It will provide the East Carolina community — including current students and alumni — opportunities to strengthen their relationship with the university and its threefold mission of student success, regional transformation and public service. Although this is the last issue of EC Alumni, what you enjoy and have come to expect from this magazine will be included in the new publication. East will now include “Pirate Connections,” a section of alumni profiles, upcoming association events and programs, photos from recent events, advice from Career Services, class notes, and much more. ECU Pirates are accomplishing great things across the Pirate Nation, and articles about their work and impact on their communities will be featured throughout each issue of the magazine. We hope you enjoy this last issue of EC Alumni. Feel free to share your thoughts with us about the merger by utilizing the Alumni Feedback Form at PirateAlumni.com/Feedback. We’re excited about the future of this partnership and are looking forward to hearing what you think after receiving the first copy of the new East in August. Go Pirates!
Inspiring Healer Dr. Sharon alliSon-ottey ’95
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. King of CaliBration Pharmaceuticals rely on the services of Andy Ferrell’s ’90, ’93 PCI for their success.
“farmer freD”
a looK BaCK
Fred Miller ’81 is making a healthy difference for many North Carolinians.
Pirates go rowing thanks to the efforts of Leo Jenkins and help from noted New England universities.
Marcy Romary from college hill to capitol hill An East Carolina education took Michael McShane ’66 all the way to Washington, D.C.
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
INTERIM ASSOCIATE VICE CHANCELLOR FOR ALUMNI RELATIONS
Christy Angle ’95 ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ALUMNI PROGRAMS
Monique Best Kymia Nawabi ’03 is
ACCOUNTING TECHNICIAN
The NextGreat
Scott H. Duke ’06, ’08
artist
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ALUMNI MEMBERSHIP
Jackie Drake ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ALUMNI COMMUNICATIONS
homecoming Return to “the greatest place on earth” for Homecoming 2012, October 12-13.
alumni awards Eight individuals will receive awards from the Alumni Association this fall.
legislative matters ECU focuses on efficiency and adjusts to a “new normal” after a year-long study.
Candi High ’97 ACCOUNTANT
Megan Howard ’07 ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ALUMNI PROGRAMS
Shawn Moore ’91, ’98 DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI PROGRAMS
Doug Smith ’00, ’07 VICE PRESIDENT FOR ALUMNI MEMBERSHIP & MARKETING
On the Rise
Chelsea Ward ’13 Tremayne Smith ’11 is on an upward path to greatness
ALUMNI CENTER COORDINATOR
ALUMNI
VOL. 8, NO. 3
SUMMER 2014
healing heroEs
Brigadier General Jeffrey Clark ’84 leads the nation’s top military hospital
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 is a 501(c)3 nonprofit 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. ©2015 East Carolina Alumni Association
WINTER 2014
Read EC Alumni online at: PirateAlumni.com/ECAlumni ISSN: 2152-5668 To contact us or comment on this magazine: 252-328-4723 | 800-ECU-GRAD ecualumni@ecu.edu
Marcy Romary Interim Associate Vice Chancellor for Alumni Relations A Tradition of Legacies
2 EC ALUMNI SUMMER 2015
Send change of address to: East Carolina Alumni Association Taylor-Slaughter Alumni Center Mail Stop 305 East Carolina University Greenville, NC 27858-4353 EC Alumni is paid for with non-state funds.
The East Carolina Alumni Association is proud to announce the 2015-2016 Alumni Scholarship recipients. This year, 27 recipients were awarded a total of $46,500. These Alumni Scholars were honored at the Scholarship Luncheon on April 25, 2015. Since 2005, the alumni association has awarded 224 scholarships totaling more than $302,000. Alumni Scholarships are given to full-time undergraduates at East Carolina University who demonstrate leadership, volunteer service, and academic excellence. Each spring, the alumni association awards approximately 25 scholarships in amounts of $1,000 or $2,500 for the following academic year. East Carolina Alumni Association Scholarship ($2,500) Keith Winston Dunbar of Greenville, NC; exercise physiology major Darcy Harrington-Brown Dupree of Raleigh, NC; nursing major Zachary Hammer Evans of Arden, NC; psychology major Marisa Michele Giglio of Marlborough, MA; criminal justice major Annaliese Sutton Gillette of Winterville, NC; hospitality management major Lucas Thade Hopkins of Greenville, NC; biology major Madison Shea Parsons of Charlotte, NC; marketing major Kirsti Holthe Robertson of Charlotte, NC; nutrition and dietetics major Emma Nicole Shirley of Cary, NC; exercise physiology and Hispanic studies double-major Kathryn “Katie” Elizabeth Stanley of Greenville, NC; political science major Maya Lawann Williams of Greensboro, NC; social work and English double-major East Carolina Alumni Association Scholarship in memory of Yvonne Pearce ’82 ($2,500) Najee Jalice Brown of Charlotte, NC; communication and entrepreneurship double-major East Carolina Teachers College (ECTC) Scholarship ($1,000) Emery Elizabeth Bulla of Asheboro, NC; speech and hearing sciences major Jessica Nicole Buss of Fayetteville, NC; applied sociology major Amber Madison Heere-MacLeod of Douglassville, PA; elementary education major Mackenzie Elise McNamara of Pineville, NC; family community services major Stephanie Maria Morales of Rocky Mount, NC; exercise physiology major Jordan Bethany Thomas of Boone, NC; art major Matthew G. Vogel of Morganville, NJ; management major Donald Y. Leggett ’58, ’62 Alumni Scholarship ($1,000) Amanda L. Blakley of White Plains, MD; birth-kindergarten teacher education major Danielle T. Holdner of Holly Springs, NC; child life major Mary Jo Outland Baugh ’55 Alumni Scholarship ($2,500) Erika M. Dietrick of Greenville, NC; biology major Megan Grace Lavinder Memorial Scholarship ($1,000) Aenia Saad Amin of Greensboro, NC; multidisciplinary studies and Hispanic studies double-major
PIRATE CONNECTIONS
2015-16 Alumni Scholarship Recipients
New York Metro Alumni Chapter Scholarship ($1,000) Michelle K. Gianvito of North Brunswick, NJ; business and marketing education major continued... PIRATEALUMNI.COM 3
PIRATE CONNECTIONS
Tidewater Virginia Alumni Chapter Scholarship ($1,000) Brianna Blaise Ingram of Virginia Beach, VA; elementary education major Washington/Metro Alumni Scholarship ($1,000) Keira Rachelle Harris of Bowie, MD; finance major Italics indicate a second-time Alumni Scholarship recipient.
Buccaneer Buffet The East Carolina Alumni Association is proud to host Buccaneer Buffet! Join fellow alumni and fans for some family-friendly tailgating fun before each home football game at ECU. Enjoy a variety of food from local restaurants, beverages, live music and entertainment, door prizes, and more. Our tailgates often get visits from the ECU Cheerleaders and Pee Dee the Pirate! Located at the ECU Soccer Stadium, Buccaneer Buffet begins three hours prior to kick-off and runs for two hours. As always, our tailgates are open to any friends and fans of East Carolina. Members of the alumni association get priority registration and reduced ticket prices. Registration opens for members on Tuesday, July 7 and for non-members on Monday, August 3. Tickets purchased prior to August 26 will be mailed. After that, tickets can be picked up at the Alumni Center or at Buccaneer Buffet.
New Home? New Job? Quickly update your ECU record online
PirateAlumni.com/UpdateInfo 4 EC ALUMNI SUMMER 2015
Tickets for members are $12 for ages 13 and up, $6 for ages 8-12, and free for 7 and under. Tickets for non-members are $30 for ages 13 and up, $15 for ages 8-12, and free for 7 and under. Price includes food, beverages, and entertainment. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Some tailgates do sell out quickly, so plan to register well in advance. Tickets are only sold at the door if space is available. Many thanks to our Buccaneer Buffet season sponsors: Aramark, Carolina Ice Company, Coca Cola, Dowdy Student Stores, Liberty Mutual, RA Jeffreys, and WITN. Food sponsors for each game are listed below. September 5 vs. Towson: Aramark, GK Cafe September 26 vs. Virginia Tech: Aramark, Abrams, Mama’s Sweet Baby Cakes October 17 vs. Tulsa: Aramark, Queen St. Deli and Bakery October 22 vs. Temple: Aramark, Brown’s Sweet Desserts November 7 vs. USF: Aramark, Sandi’s Creative Cakes November 28 vs. Cincinnati: Aramark, Sweet Memories
Away Game Tailgates Planning to travel with the Pirates as they take on Florida on September 12 or Navy on September 19? Tailgate with the East Carolina Alumni Association and Pirate Club! September 12 University of Florida (Gainesville, FL) PirateAlumni.com/UF2015 September 19 Navy (Annapolis, MD) PirateAlumni.com/Navy2015
BY THE #s
Pitt County Chapter Scholarship ($1,000) Lauren Elizabeth Frye of Greenville, NC; finance major
159,043 TOTA L A LU M NI 1,984 Life Members 5,643 Annual Members 8,771 ‘Like’ us
Facebook.com/ECAAFanPage 22,454 Event Photos
Flickr.com/photos/PirateAlumni 10,582 Connections
PirateAlumni.com/Linkedin 6,102 Followers
Twitter.com/PirateAlumni
PIRATE CONNECTIONS Alumni Awards Every year, the East Carolina Alumni Association honors the achievements and service of East Carolina alumni and supporters with our Alumni Awards. The 2015 recipients will be honored at the Alumni Awards Ceremony and Dinner, the alumni association’s signature event, on Friday, October 16 as part of homecoming festivities. Everyone is welcome to help celebrate the contributions of these alumni and friends. Registration will open in August. Event and table sponsorships will be available. For more information, contact Director of Alumni Programs Shawn Moore ’91, ’98 at 252-328-5775 or mooresh@ecu.edu.
of
BOARD DIRECTORS
Virgil Clark ’50 Distinguished Service Award Beverly Cox ’67, charter member of the Women’s Roundtable Board of Directors Max Joyner Sr. ‘55 past president of the East Carolina Alumni Association, and wife Kitty Joyner ’59 (posthumously), charter member of the Women’s Roundtable Honorary Alumni Award Jeff Charles, “the Voice of the Pirates” David Brody, past chair of the ECU Board of Trustees Dr. Ray Martinez, past head swimming and diving coach Mary Raab, M.D., retired physician and professor of medicine
Neal Crawford ’85, Chair Norfolk, VA Glenda Palmer-Moultrie ’79, Vice Chair
Derwood, MD
Dean Browder ’77, Treasurer
Outstanding Alumni Michael Aho ’02, political officer, U.S. Department of State Ken Chalk ’68, ’71, retired senior executive vice president of BB&T Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Clark ’84, director of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Jeremy Woodard ’01, Broadway actor The Alumni Awards program is part of the alumni association’s mission to advance the reputation of East Carolina University. By promoting the accomplishments of our graduates, we increase the value of every East Carolina degree. The alumni association accepts award nominations year-round. Nominations for the 2016 Alumni Awards are due November 1, 2015. The success of this program and the caliber of our award winners hinges on the letters and nominations that alumni like you send recommending fellow Pirates and supporters for our awards. For more information, visit PirateAlumni.com/ AwardsProcess.
Bring the Whole Crew! Our new series of family and social events continues this summer and fall! All alumni, students, parents, friends, and family members are invited to these events. Bring your whole crew to sporting events, amusement parks, outdoor activities, social mixers, and more! BRING These events provide opportunities for Pirates and their families to get together outside of professional networking events and football tailgates. For more information, visit PirateAlumni.com/BringtheWholeCrew.
Winston-Salem, NC
John Israel ’82, Secretary Norfolk, VA Angela Moss ’97, ’98, Past Chair Raleigh, NC Marcy Romary, Interim Associate Vice Chancellor for Alumni Relations
Greenville, NC
William Burnette ’96 Virginia Beach, VA Adrian Cullin ’04 Charlotte, NC Jim Dill ’79 Richmond, VA
Neil Dorsey ’65, ’66 Winterville, NC Ralph Finch ’67 Midlothian, VA Jeff Foster ’83 Winterville, NC Keith Frazier ’94 Raleigh, NC
Mark Garner ’77 Greenville, NC Robin Good ’80 Katy, TX
Duane Grooms ’80, ’82 Columbia, SC James Hammond ’66 Poughkeepsie, NY Melanie Holden ’79 Raleigh, NC
Wesley Johnson ’85 Powder Springs, GA
THE WHOLE
Saturday, July 18: US National Whitewater Center in Charlotte Saturday, August 15: Scavenger Hunt in Charleston, SC Saturday, August 29: Carolina Mudcats in Zebulon Saturday, October 10: Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA
CREW
Charlie Martin Jr. ’68 Greenville, NC
Michael McShane ’66 Alexandria, VA Joy Ruhmann ’81 Raleigh, NC
Tyna Sloate ’90 New York, NY
Dan Spuller ’06, ’07 Raleigh, NC
Harry Stubbs ’74, ’77 Greenville, NC
Ainee Lynnette Taylor ’97 Winterville, NC Allen Thomas ’92 Winterville, NC
Jason Tomasula ’00, ’03, ’10 Greenville, NC Oliver “Tim” Willis ’12 Durham, NC
PIRATEALUMNI.COM 5
PIRATE CONNECTIONS Pirate Sendoffs The East Carolina Alumni Association, in partnership with the Office of Parent and Family Programs, will host 10 Pirate Sendoffs this summer to welcome freshmen and transfer students coming to ECU. Incoming students and their families can meet fellow students, parents, and alumni from their hometown before coming to campus this fall. Greensboro: Friday, July 17 Charlotte: Sunday, July 19 Raleigh: Thursday, July 23 Hillsborough: Saturday, July 25 Hickory: Sunday, July 26 Fayetteville: Friday, July 31 Wilmington: Saturday, August 1 Washington, DC: Thursday, August 6 Norfolk, VA: Friday, August 7 Nags Head: Saturday, August 8 Alumni are encouraged to attend to give advice and share favorite memories of ECU. Help us welcome incoming students and send them on their voyage to campus in true Pirate style! For details and registration information, visit PirateAlumni.com/2015SendoffsForAlumni. If you know a freshman or transfer student coming to ECU this fall, encourage them to attend a Pirate Sendoff if there’s one in their area. Pirate Sendoffs are free for incoming students; the cost for guests and family members varies depending on the venue. Refreshments are included. For more information or to register, visit PirateAlumni.com/PirateSendoffs.
6 EC ALUMNI SUMMER 2015
Wright Award Recipients Honored Five graduating seniors were presented with the Robert H. Wright Alumni Leadership Award during spring commencement ceremonies on Friday, May 8. The most prestigious award presented to undergraduates at East Carolina University, the Wright ward recognizes academic achievement, service to both the university and community, and demonstrated leadership. To read more about these recipients, visit PirateAlumni.com/2015RHW. Ajay Ajmera of Greenville, NC; biology and chemistry Matthew Ryan Baucom of Marshville, NC; chemistry and biochemistry Jessica Katlyn Jewell of Clayton, NC; communication Shayna Nitin Mooney of Winterville, NC; neuroscience and international studies Kristi Noelle Wilkerson of Mastic, NY; nutrition
ALWAYS IN SEARCH OF THE BRIGHTEST STARS
A career with ARAMARK provides an opportunity for alumni to be a part of a Higher Education team that has the ability to positively impact the student experience. Visit www.aramark.com to explore career opportunities at your alma mater.
SURVEY RESULTS 8 EC ALUMNI SUMMER 2015
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 spring of 2015, this 25-question Alumni Attitude Study was designed by an impartial party to help us gauge your perception of the university, your experience as a student and now as an alumnus, and what you’d like to see in the future. We received more than 1,400 responses this year, more than 300 more than when we did the survey in 2012. We are very pleased with the results, which are comparable to previous years. A key figure is the alumni satisfaction index, which averages the results of several questions to represent general satisfaction of alumni. This year’s alumni satisfaction index is 83.75%, up slightly from 83.38% in 2012. When it comes to the performance of the East Carolina Alumni Association, 56% of responses were “good” and 25% of responses were excellent. 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 and Gold Pride
experience was good or excellent. In the 2012 survey, that figure increased to 75%, Pride in East Carolina keeps our university and increased again to 77% in 2015. thriving, and it’s easy to see from the survey results that loyalty continues to Increasing the Value of reign true at ECU. Among the 1,400 Your Degree responses, graduates of every decade are represented from the 1960s to the 2010s. According to our respondents, the number Respondents also included donors and one factor that determines their overall non-donors, members and non-members, opinion of the university is the value and graduate and undergraduate degrees, in- respect accorded to their degree, more so and out-of-state. When it comes to their than national rankings, media visibility, current overall opinion of East Carolina, and athletic team wins. The university’s 92% of respondents said it was good or quality and variety of academic programs, excellent, which is comparable to 95% in preparedness of our graduates to enter the 2012. Experience as an alumnus has shown workforce, success of our alumni in their an increase through all three surveys. In professions, and the ongoing promotion of the 2007 survey, 72% said their alumni these factors all ultimately increase the value Please indicate how much each of the following impacts your overall opinion of East Carolina.
SURVEY RESULTS of every degree from East Carolina and the prestige of the university as a whole. The value of a degree does not remain static as of the year it was awarded; it rises and falls with the life of the university. The alumni association contributes to the life of the university and propagates the value of all East Carolina degrees by celebrating the accomplishments of our alumni. We do this through several outlets, including blog entries, magazine articles, newsletters, press releases, and social media.
How important is it for you and alumni in general to do the following and how well does East Carolina do at supporting alumni in doing them?
summer of 2014 due to several leadership changes, we are planning a re-launch in the fall of 2015. Several input sessions were held with students on campus over the past Current Students and year to ensure the program suits their needs Young Alumni and interests. We welcome student and A key trend we noticed this year was an alumni feedback as we revamp this program. increase in the willingness of young alumni to participate financially. Among those Reaching Out of-State Alumni who indicated that they have never given to ECU but plan to do so in the future, While the majority (roughly 75%) of East 47% were young alumni. These are recent Carolina alumni live in North Carolina, graduates who graduated in or after the Pirate Nation spans all 50 states and several Great Recession. They may not be able countries. Engaging out-of-state alumni to donate now, but there is a great deal is a major and ever-increasing role of the of potential for the future. In addition, alumni association. In the 2012 results, young alumni are highly likely to advance geographic distance was the most cited the university though non-financial means barrier of participation in alumni activities like word of mouth and on social media. for out-of-state alumni. In the 2015 results, More than 50% of young alumni who the data shifted more toward time and other responded to the survey said they promote commitments as more common barriers. This East Carolina all the time. In addition to could be indicative of our increased presence encouraging alumni to share their treasure, throughout the Pirate Nation. Over the past we should also encourage alumni to share three years, we have increased out-of-state their tales and give their time and talents. events like professional networking events, In the 2007 survey, we noted the viewing parties, and social events. If you’d like importance of engaging current students to get together with alumni in your area or see while they are on campus; after all, today’s a networking event in your city, let us know! students are tomorrow’s alumni! To this end, a student membership program called Communicating Effectively Forever Pirates was created in 2010. By 2012, it had 1,300 members. While this One of the major responses we saw program has been on hiatus since the from this survey was a desire for more
communication, particularly invitations to alumni association and university events. Respondents said e-mail was the most important method of communication, followed by the alumni magazine and the university website. Interestingly, social media was rated as only somewhat important. Respondents also wanted more clear communications regarding benefits and services. We know people are busy and not always able to attend events, but we’ll continue to send invitations and updates. To ensure that you are receiving our printed invitations and e-mails, be sure to update your information at PirateAlumni.com/UpdateInfo.
Continuing Opportunities for Feedback Having a voice at ECU is important to our alumni, and the East Carolina Alumni Association is proud to serve in this role. We are always open to feedback. You can contact us at 252-ECU-GRAD (252-328-4723) or ecualumni@ecu.edu. We want to serve you, and your feedback is vital to shaping our programs, services, and communications. This survey was commissioned by the East Carolina Alumni Association using non-state funds.
PIRATEALUMNI.COM 9
ADVANCEMENT UPDATE 10 EC ALUMNI SUMMER 2015
Charles Saunders ’83, ’89: Honoring His Family History While Strengthening ECU Charles Saunders ’83, ’89, a history instructor at Pitt Community College for more than 30 years, has established an outstanding comprehensive gift that will touch multiple facets of East Carolina University. Charles was greatly influenced by his mother and father, who helped send him to ECU. Charles received his undergraduate and master’s degrees in history. Now retired, he still teaches some at Pitt Community College and at the Lifelong Learning Center at ECU. “I came to ECU and just fell in love Edward eventually acquired one of his with it,” Charles said. “I’ve been keeping uncle’s franchises, which became the bulk up with all the developments from the of his life’s work, finally retiring in the late medical school to the new dental school. Supporting ECU is my passion, and since 1980s. He and Miriam adopted their only child, Charles, in 1960. They resided in I retired I knew I wanted to get more Williamston, where Charles grew up. This involved. I wanted to go ahead and set something up so I could see how it would scholarship will support a transfer student from Pitt Community College with the impact ECU.” highest incoming GPA who matriculates When Charles started to think about within the College of Business. the legacy he wanted to leave, it was clear Charles also has set up the Miriam that his top priorities were honoring his Perry Saunders Education Scholarship family, securing his love for history, and Endowment. This award is in honor of helping with Pirate athletics. Charles has his mother, who was born in Colerain. made a substantial bequest provision that She was a graduate of East Carolina will set up multiple endowed funds to Teachers College and married Edward strengthen ECU. just before he left to serve in World War Charles established the Edward II. She began her career as a first grade Rudolph Saunders Business Scholarship teacher and continued until the late 1960s. Endowment in honor of his father. After retiring, Mrs. Saunders remained Edward Saunders was born and raised a dedicated housewife and mother. The in Aulander. He was a graduate of Wake Forest University and married Miriam Perry in 1942, just before leaving to serve in the US Army 82nd Airborne Division in World War II. Edward received the Bronze Star from General Gavin for his military service. He returned home from the war to work with his uncle Charles H. Jenkins, in the Edward Rudolph Saunders and Miriam Perry Saunders GM car business.
ADVANCEMENT UPDATE award in her name will support the top transfer student from Pitt Community College who desires to pursue a degree in education. The third fund established is the Charles Edward Saunders History Scholarship Endowment. This fund will be used to provide support for a transfer student from Pitt Community College with the highest incoming GPA majoring in history. This fund honors the outstanding career Charles has had teaching at Pitt Community College and his love for history. The fourth fund that Charles has created is to support men’s basketball. The Charles Edward Saunders Student
Athlete Endowment will significantly support the basketball program by offering student athlete scholarships for the ECU Men’s Basketball team. Charles has been a dedicated fan of men’s and women’s basketball, as well as football, for many years. He has been thrilled at the possibility of helping the program grow in the future with his planned gift support. The final component of Charles’s gift to ECU is a collection of 17th to 19th century Islamic armaments, with an endowment to support the collection in the future. This collection will be used as an aid to teach history students and others within the social sciences. It will bring national prestige and interest to the
Department of History in the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences. Charles has selected a perfect way to acknowledge his past, help students at ECU for the future, and honor his parents. We all like to think of the legacy we will leave behind for future generations. Charles has ensured that his family story, his career dedication, passion for athletics, and love for history will be perpetually linked with our great university. “I’m very pleased with how everything turned out,” Charles said. “I hope this gift inspires more people to do the same thing and give whatever they can. It’s not about the amount, it’s about deciding to give back and taking that first step.”
Women’s Roundtable to Endow New Scholarships The Women’s Roundtable at East Carolina University plans to endow two new undergraduate scholarships through a twoyear, $300,000 fundraising campaign. The endowments will provide annual financial support for an ECU Access Scholar and an ECU Honors College Scholarship beginning in fall 2017. “It is a bold and ambitious goal that we hope will provide an occasion for East Carolina’s alumnae and dedicated women advocates to demonstrate the collective power of women’s philanthropy,” said Chair Gail Herring ’79, following a unanimous vote by the board during its spring meeting on April 16. Board members also heard from a panel of student leaders and approved a two-year strategic plan at the meeting. The Access Scholarship Program at ECU provides $5,000 per year ($2,500 per semester) to full-time North Carolina
students with demonstrated financial need and proven academic potential. Recipients must complete at least 20 hours of volunteer service each year through ECU’s Volunteer and Service-Learning Center and must continue to meet financial and academic eligibility requirements. The ECU Honors College is the only institution in the state that guarantees significant scholarship support to every admitted student, which is equivalent to the cost of in-state tuition for up to eight semesters (approximately $4,000 per year). The Honors College is a four-year merit scholarship program that enrolls 110 college freshmen each fall semester. Recipients must complete additional coursework, engage in volunteer and community activities and present a research thesis or creative endeavor project before graduation. Honors College students are held to the highest standards
of scholarship, success and character. Both Access Scholarships and Honors College Scholarships may be awarded to students in any undergraduate major. Created in 2003, the Women’s Roundtable promotes the educational mission of ECU by funding student scholarships and building leadership and service capacity among women. The organization aims to increase awareness of philanthropy, strengthen ECU’s culture of giving and develop a strong alumnae and friend volunteer base. The Women’s Roundtable has contributed more than $220,000 to ECU scholarships and created awareness through special events. For more information or to make a gift to the Women’s Roundtable, visit www.ecu.edu/womensroundtable, call 252-3289597 or e-mail Stephanie Bunn, director of women’s philanthropy, at bunns@ecu.edu. PIRATEALUMNI.COM 11
ADVANCEMENT UPDATE
ECU hematology/oncology professor Dr. Myon-Hee Lee will apply private funding to acquire new data for his research on cancerous tumors and how they develop.
Brody Brothers Grant Renewed The renewal of a private funding source for research at East Carolina University’s Brody School of Medicine will support work related to diseases that most impact the lives of eastern North Carolinians. Established in 2005, the Brody Brothers funding for research was given annually through 2008. But the endowment lost money during the economic recession, and so the awards were put on hold until 2014 when the investment fully recovered. “The availability of these funds affords ECU doctors and researchers an opportunity to further study innovative ideas and launch new research,” said Hyman Brody, who reviews the proposals with cousin David Brody and a team of researchers from the medical school. The Brody Brothers Stewardship Committee approved approximately $265,000 this academic year to be divided among seven grant proposals. Research topics to earn funding include cancer, diabetes and cardiac and sickle cell disease. “There is a lot of quality research going on at the school,” remarked David Brody. “There have been many important contributions to the science and 12 EC ALUMNI SUMMER 2015
improvement of health generated by our faculty.” The awards range from $32,000 to $45,000. But in an increasingly competitive funding environment, seed grants like these have become essential to attracting larger awards from agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation. “With many of the major funding mechanisms out there, you get two tries – a submission and a resubmission,” said Dr. Bob Lust, interim associate dean for research and graduate studies at Brody. “There’s more pressure than ever before to be as competitive as possible on the first attempt.” Lust said the Brody Brothers grants enable researchers to gather preliminary data, or to explore a new idea in their field. Dr. Myon-Hee Lee, associate professor of in the Department of Internal Medicine's Hematology/Oncology Division, knows firsthand how seed funding can aid research. Lee applied last year for an NIH grant to support his investigation into how tumors develop and associated therapeutic targets for cancer patients.
By studying systems in the C. elegans worm, Lee’s research team identified a key regulator, PUF-8, that suppresses tumor formation. He wants to learn more about how it relates to the organism’s regulatory system. The reviewers gave Lee high marks on his proposal, but it wasn’t funded. “I have to generate new data to resubmit,” he said. “And it takes funding to do that.” Lee is hopeful that his resubmission will be successful, and he credits the Brody Brothers grant with enabling him to make a stronger case this time. Brett Keiper, a professor in biochemistry, is a collaborator on the grant. (Lee learned in February that the grant would be funded at $367,275.) Another recipient of Brody Brothers funding is Dr. David Tulis, associate professor in the Department of Physiology. His work explores how cyclic nucleotide signaling might control some of the mechanisms that cause damage to blood vessels during diabetes. “Diabetes is a disease in and of itself, but it’s also a risk factor for other major cardiovascular disorders, as well as cancer,” Tulis said. “(This research) holds a lot of promise for our understanding of the
ADVANCEMENT UPDATE
ESTABL ISH YOU R L E G ACY: S UPPO RT EAST C ARO LI N A A gift from your retirement plan (IRA, 401(k), and other qualified retirement plans) can enable you to leave a perpetual legacy at ECU while capturing multiple tax benefits. 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 a tax advantage. By utilizing this specific asset, where often the greatest amount of your wealth resides, you can avoid/ reduce income and estate taxation. This asset is among the most difficult to pass to heirs/ beneficiaries because it is a deferred tax asset. For these reasons, gifting this asset versus others with less tax burden allows you to take better care of your heirs while leaving a perpetual legacy at ECU. This easy process can be done through one simple piece of paperwork (Beneficiary Designation Form) provided by your plan provider. For
ECU physiology professor Dr. David Tulis, standing, is assisted in his research by doctoral candidate Andrew Holt. Tulis will apply private funding toward his investigation of how blood vessels are damaged by diabetes.
more information about this planned gift or joining the Leo W. Jenkins Society, please call 252-328-9573 or e-mail abeyounisg@ecu.edu. You may also find more information online at www.ecu.edu/devt. Greg Abeyounis, CFRE Associate Vice Chancellor for Development Office of University Development 2200 S. Charles Boulevard Mail Stop 301 East Carolina University Greenville, NC 27858-4353
vascular complications of diabetes.” It’s also a topic that resonates with the Brody family because of the high rates of diabetes in eastern North Carolina. Tulis is collaborating with Dr. Li Yang, associate professor of hematology/oncology in the Department of Internal Medicine, and Dr. Dean Yamaguchi, vascular surgeon in the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences. Together, the team plans to translate its basic science findings to the clinical setting using tissues from rodents as well as healthy and diabetic individuals. “If we want to continue to attract these top doctors and researchers, we need to be competitive with funding for this work, and open our pocketbooks and give back,” said Hyman Brody. “The current dollars from this fund are great, but every time we do the grant review many fabulous proposals do not receive funding as there is only so much to go around.” Beginning with a generous gift to East Carolina University to help establish the medical school, the Brody family of Kinston and Greenville has had a long-standing commitment to educating new physicians and improving health care for eastern North Carolina. J. S. “Sammy” Brody and his brother Leo were among the earliest supporters of medical education in eastern North Carolina. If you’re interested in supporting research at the Brody School of Medicine, contact Kathy Brown at 252-744-6265 or brownka@ecu.edu.
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ON WATCH Brent Herron ’77 helps keep UNC system campuses safe and secure
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fter more than 20 years in the US Secret Service, Brent Herron ’77 learned a lot about protecting important people and places. Now, as the associate vice president of campus safety and emergency operations for the University of North Carolina system, Herron puts that expertise toward the protection of our state’s students, staff, and campuses. “ECU provided a good education; it shaped me,” Herron says. “The classes were small and the instructors took time to work with the students. One of the biggest things I came out with was an ability to write in a concise, organized, and professional manner. Good communication skills have been critical for my career.” 14 EC ALUMNI SUMMER 2015
Herron spent most of his formative years in Durham, but his father was in the military, so he lived on bases in South Carolina and Georgia as well as in Germany for a time. He graduated from Northern High School in Durham in 1972. He had some friends who went to East Carolina and liked it, so he decided to check it out on a campus visit. “It was really an easy decision,” he said. “I liked the school a lot and felt really comfortable with it. I made up my mind that’s where I wanted to go to school and that’s where I ended up.” During his first two years on campus, he lived in Jones and Belk dorms. He also played on a club football team that was full-contact at the time.
“WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM ALL THE UNC SCHOOLS, AND I’M PROUD TO REPRESENT ECU. NOTHING MAKES ME SMILE BIGGER THAN WHEN THE PIRATES ARE VICTORIOUS ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD. IN ADDITION, I HAVE THE UTMOST RESPECT FOR CHANCELLOR BALLARD AND ALL THE STAFF AT ECU.” Durham public safety department, which at the time provided both police and fire services. From there, he got a spot in the academy, where he began his career. Herron spent 11 years as a police officer and firefighter in Durham. In 1987, he joined the Secret Service, where he worked for 21 years. He started in the San Francisco office, and in 1995 transferred to Washington, DC. The next time Herron came to Greenville, it was as part of President George W. Bush’s security detail. Bush came to Greenville in April 2001 in the early days of his presidency to talk about taxes and the national budget. It was the first visit to ECU by a sitting president. The crowd in Minges Coliseum exceeded 8,000. Herron retired from the Secret Service in August of 2008 and in September of that year he came to work for the UNC system. Herron’s primary job is to help keep all 17 of the UNC campuses safe and secure. He works with all the campus emergency services and police chiefs as well as local law enforcement. He serves as the liaison between the campus Herron talks with ECU Chancellor Steve Ballard during a recent Board of police departments Governors meeting at ECU. and UNC General Administration. law in a way that you understood, and he He says, “I think one of the biggest made it interesting. Because he was a judge, challenges, from a big picture standpoint, he could explain the law in detail and he is making sure all our campuses are moving could use a lot of case examples. It was a in the same direction as a system within really enjoyable class. It helped me along federal regulations that institutions of most of my professional career. I carried higher education must now follow. How what I learned along with me for many are our campuses dealing with sexual years.” assaults, how are we addressing alcohol and During Herron’s last term at ECU, he substance abuse, how are we enforcing Title completed a required internship at the “I had a lot of good friends and good times,” he said. “The club football team was a lot of fun. We went and played some of the other campuses and junior college teams. It allowed me to still play sports and have that camaraderie.” Herron earned his degree in correctional services since East Carolina didn’t have a criminal justice program at the time. “I had a sense that I wanted to go into some type of law enforcement,” he said. His favorite class was a constitutional law class taught by a professor who was a judge. “That was probably one of the best classes I ever took,” Herron said. “The professor did a great job of teaching the
IX? That’s what we deal with each day.” His favorite part of the job is encountering something new every day. “This is probably one of the most interesting jobs I’ve ever had quite frankly. The university system is so large and diverse. When you’re talking about UNC, that’s a large city: 220,000 students and 50,000 employees. That’s a lot of moving parts, a lot of things going on all the time.” “One of the things we’ve done really well is that we have a really strong communications network with all the campus police departments and emergency management folks,” he continued. “Last spring we had some tornadoes that impacted some of our campuses, like Elizabeth City State University. Because we have such a good working relationship between all the campuses, we were able to move resources up to Elizabeth City State to help them deal with everything from debris removal to extra personnel. For me, that’s been a nice thing to be able to do, help other campuses if they need it.” Herron stays closely connected to ECU mainly through his job, but he also has a daughter who graduated from ECU’s College of Nursing. Several other members of Herron’s family have also attended ECU. “There’s been a Herron at East Carolina since 1972,” he says proudly. “I am absolutely proud that I graduated from ECU,” he said. “Ask anybody here. I work with a lot of people here at UNC General Administration. We have representatives from all the UNC schools, and I’m proud to represent ECU. Nothing makes me smile bigger than when the Pirates are victorious on the football field. In addition, I have the utmost respect for Chancellor Ballard and all the staff at ECU.” Herron continued, “The ECU Police Department is one of six accredited departments we have in the system, and they do a fantastic job. So does emergency management, environmental health and safety, everybody. ECU is very fortunate to have such great people making the campus safe.” PIRATEALUMNI.COM 15
PIRATES IN THE
ECU ALUMNI ARE A DRIV
F
rom the green flag to the checkered flag, from pit road to victory lane, from the garage to the TV studio, NASCAR racing is full of excitement. And alumni of East Carolina University are a big part of making that excitement happen. When a driver comes in for a pit stop in a NASCAR race, the pit crew has only seconds to get the racecar back onto the track. “There is zero room for error,” says Dustin Lineback ’11, the front-tire carrier for the #88 Chevrolet of Hendrick
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Motorsports. “When I first started, pit stops were about 13.5 seconds. Now they’re down to about 10.” Like many pit crew members, Lineback played football during college, holding the position of outside linebacker for ECU. Being on a pit crew team has many similarities to being on a football team, according to Lineback. “My favorite part of working in the pit crew is the group of guys we have,” he said. “I love the team atmosphere. Only six guys go over the wall. We’re like brothers. I love that I can continue to compete on a high level.”
Dustin Lineback played outside linebacker for ECU from 2007-11.
Photo by Scott Hunter/NASCAR
PIT AND BEYOND
VING FORCE AT NASCAR Many of the pit crew members who go “over the wall” for a pit stop are using the athleticism and smarts they developed at ECU. Things like time management, preparation, and teamwork take on new meaning in the pit. “The competition among the athletes on pit road is just incredible,” says Ed Watkins ’98, gas man for the #42 Target Chevrolet. “If you can maneuver around the car faster, it’s a major advantage over the competition.” Watkins, fondly referred to as ‘Big Ed,’ would know; he’s coming up on 20 years
on pit road. “The competition is so strong now,” he says. “The key is to be consistent. One thing I learned being a student athlete at ECU was dealing with pressure and change. You’re always learning new plays and playing new opponents. A lot of that parallels my profession now in terms of dealing with constant pressure and change. You’ve got to have a strategy. You’ve got to have good planning and you need to prepare. Those are vital to success and those are qualities I learned at ECU.” Watkins decided he wanted to come to ECU after watching the Pirates beat
NC State in the Peach Bowl following the 1991 season. He started at a smaller school before transferring to ECU. He played offensive line from 1994 to 1996 while earning a degree in industrial technology. “My favorite professor was of my accounting class,” Watkins recalled. “We had to learn to plan and organize and prioritize. That becomes very important in the pit. The biggest thing I learned was time management.” Lessons learned on the gridiron certainly come in handy in the garage. PIRATEALUMNI.COM 17
“The biggest lesson I learned at ECU was work ethic, both in football and in the classroom,” said Jeff Kerr ’99, gas man for the #55 Aaron’s Dream Machine. “Football at ECU was a great opportunity and it helped me become Ed Watkins filling up the #42 Kyle Larson Target Chevrolet a better person. It instilled a work ethic NFL as a freelance editor for a few years. in me.” Before that, he worked in television and Kerr played inside linebacker for the movies in Los Angeles for 15 years. At Pirates while earning a degree in exercise his current job, Wallace is in charge of and sports science. “At NASCAR, I maintaining all the video footage from absolutely still use what I learned at races throughout the season for media and ECU,” Kerr said. “Everything from body archival purposes. He’s seen a variety of mechanics to hard work. I can still be Pirates, many of them athletes, make their active and still use my degree.” way into racing. With so much athletic ability required While athletes often carry their in the pit, it’s no wonder that NASCAR competitive spirit to the track, at has strong ties with collegiate and NASCAR, it’s all about family. professional athletics. “It’s a very fun atmosphere to work “There are a lot of close ties between in,” says Wallace. “People think NASCAR NASCAR and the NFL and athletes in general,” says Jeremy Wallace ’91, director is a big corporation but it’s a family-run business started by Bill France Sr. back of post-production for NASCAR Media in 1948. Having been at major television Group. Wallace started working for networks in Los Angeles, I know what NASCAR six years ago after covering the
corporate structure looks like, but that’s not how it is here. That’s what I enjoy about NASCAR; it has a family vibe. I feel like I found a home at NASCAR, much like I found a home at ECU. It’s the same down-home family mentality and community that makes it exciting to get to work, on campus or on the track.” NASCAR is known not only for its community among crews and staff, but also for its accessibility to fans. “No sport is what it is without the fans,” says Jeff Hammond, television personality and NASCAR analyst for Fox Sports and Fox Sports 1. He joined Fox in 2000 after a long and award-winning career at NASCAR, trading in his wrench for a microphone. “It’s the people and fans that make a sport great,” Hammond says. “Whether it’s a football team like at East Carolina or racing at NASCAR, it’s no different. It’s the same way with television. We have a great crew of cameramen and techs that
MICHAELINA ANTAHADES
JEFF HAMMOND
JEFF KERR
Year graduated: 2008 Degree: communication Originally from: Charlotte, NC Current job: group sales manager for NASCAR Hall of Fame Years at NASCAR Hall of Fame: 1.5
Years attended: 1974-1975 Subject studied: business and construction Originally from: Charlotte, NC Current job: analyst for Fox Sports Years at NASCAR: 24
Year graduated: 1999 Degree: exercise and sports science Originally from: Salisbury, NC Current job: gas man for #55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Years in NASCAR: 14
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put these races on television every week. And it’s the people watching in the stands or at home that make it special.” Hammond started playing a walk-on position for the Pirates’ scout team in the 1974-75 season but hurt his knee the following spring. He went home to Charlotte to take community college classes and resumed working on racecars at local tracks. “That was my adrenaline rush, my way to stay competitive,” he said. In the fall of 1976, he got his first fulltime job at NASCAR working for Junior Johnson. He eventually worked his way up to be crew chief and then team manager. He won 43 races as crew chief, one of the highest numbers of wins in the sport, including the 1989 Daytona 500 and two Winston Cup Championships. He was a crew member on four other Winston Cup Championship teams. “What I learned at ECU was a pretty natural fit,” Hammond said. “When you’re a crew chief, you have to be like a coach, you have to motivate your team. You learn to deal with the personalities of the drivers. I really enjoyed my psychology class at ECU. I got some great insights. The professor made it very interesting and very informative. That and the management skills I learned proved to be very beneficial.” ECU alumni form a family within a family at NASCAR. Lineback heard
Watkins speak to the football team when he returned for a visit. “Big Ed is awesome,” Lineback said. “I look up to him big time. And Jeff Kerr is a big inspiration to me as well. He basically showed me the way.” Watkins continues to be involved with ECU Athletics, serving as a mentor in an NCAA-approved program to help students succeed in college and in their careers. He says it’s his way of giving back to the university. “Being a Pirate is just awesome,” says Watkins. “I’m very fortunate and honored to be a graduate of East Carolina. Football was a great opportunity. Being able to play in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium was amazing. I never got tired as long as I looked up at the stands to feed off their energy. I grew up loving racing and I get that at NASCAR. Both are highly competitive and they’re both awesome.” “My time at ECU shaped me into who I am today,” says Kerr. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It was one of the highlights of my life.” “I love hiring Pirates for NASCAR Media Group,” says Wallace, who still maintains ties to the communication program at ECU. “Anytime I hear about a new Pirate looking for a job in communications, I say to send them my way.”
The family atmosphere extends beyond the track to the city of Charlotte as well. Michaelina Antahades ’08 is the group sales manager for the NASCAR Hall of Fame, which is owned by the City of Charlotte with content licensed by NASCAR. The Hall of Fame is a popular central location for locals, visiting fans, and race teams. If NASCAR were a campus, the Hall of Fame would be the student center, according to Antahades. “By virtue of the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s center city location and dual role as both museum and event venue, the iconic building is reminiscent of East Carolina’s Mendenhall Student Center,” she says. “Just as students utilize Mendenhall for club meetings, a hangout spot between classes, or a social outlet with friends at the bowling alley or game room, proponents of the NASCAR Hall of Fame see the museum as their Mendenhall. No two days are the same in Mendenhall, as it’s the dynamic hub for special on campus programming, film screenings, guest lectures, etc. In the same way, the NASCAR Hall of Fame is ever changing as new exhibits are installed so that visiting groups, fans, and tourists can enjoy them.” Many ECU alumni, beyond those mentioned here, have ties to NASCAR. The relationship to NASCAR will surely grow as the East Carolina community grows.
DUSTIN LINEBACK
JEREMY WALLACE
ED WATKINS
Year graduated: 2011 Degree: communication Originally from: Greensboro, NC Current job: front-tire carrier for #88 Nationwide Chevrolet Years in NASCAR: 4
Year graduated: 1991 Degree: communication Originally from: Plymouth, NC Current job: director of postproduction, NASCAR Media Group Years at NASCAR: 6
Year graduated: 1998 Degree: industrial technology Originally from: Richmond, VA area Current job: gas man for #42 Target Chevrolet Years in NASCAR: 20 PIRATEALUMNI.COM 19
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HELPING OTHERS Whether she’s in a hospital or a courtroom, nurse attorney Karen Dye Evans ’80 loves helping people
B
efore she became a renowned nurse attorney, Karen Dye Evans ’80 played clarinet in high school and participated in all state concert and symphonic band events at East Carolina University. Though she did not end up majoring in music, the program was instrumental in bringing her to East Carolina. After earning her nursing degree at ECU, Evans went on to become one of the top lawyers in the country. She is now a partner with The Cochran Firm, one of the nation’s largest and most respected personal injury law firms. Evans is based in the Washington, DC office, where she represents patients who have undergone catastrophic injuries as a result of medical malpractice. “I had so much fun in those days with the band. I thought about majoring in music,” Evans said. But she realized music was not her forte. Growing up in
Wilmington, Karen saw how much her mother enjoyed being a nursing assistant. “I wanted a job where my career would be dedicated to helping people,” she said. “I came to campus and saw East Carolina’s nursing program has such a strong reputation. I met some ladies who were part of the program and I decided that’s what I wanted to do.” No one in Evans’ immediate family had gone to college. “The whole college experience was new to me,” she said. “I remember struggling my first year. My grades were okay, but I didn’t know anything about being a nurse except what you see on TV. I didn’t know about the science behind it and how much writing is involved with describing care. For one class, I had to write a nursing care plan. I had no idea what I was doing, but I wrote something down. The professor explained with great kindness how off base I was. She gave me a sample one and then it
was doable.” It was this type of personal attention that gave me confidence. In addition to supportive faculty, Evans had the support of her fellow students. “All the nursing students bonded PIRATEALUMNI.COM 21
of a family. I met so many good friends there. I have so many good memories.” Evans says her experience at ECU prepared her for her career and life after college in general. “I didn’t know very much about the world or anything until I got to East Carolina,” Evans said. “I met a lot of people and I was exposed to different things. I saw there were different opportunities for me.” After college, Evans knew she didn’t want to go home and be a nurse in a local hospital; she wanted to do something different. During her nursing classes at ECU, she learned about other career opportunities for nurses outside of hospitals. She decided to join the military. While in the process of joining, she did work at Pitt County Memorial Hospital, now Vidant Medical Center, for a few months. She entered the Air Force as a second lieutenant and served as a nurse for just over six years, reaching the rank of captain. She earned an achievement medal and a commendation medal during her service. “I never would have been able to do this had I not gained confidence in myself and in my abilities through the nursing Evans with her partners at the Cochran Law Firm outside their office in program at ECU,” Washington, DC. she said. While a nurse in American students on the weekends. That’s the Air Force, Evans developed a desire to do something different professionally. The where she and her husband first met. She military required continuing education also has fond memories of disco dancing on 5th Street and frequent trips to Parker’s for its nurses, and during one of these programs, she attended a presentation Barbecue. “My whole four-and-a-half years there about nursing and the law. “I said to myself, ‘I can do that,’” she were great,” she said. “I really enjoyed being a student there. I felt like I was part recalled. together as we went through the rigors of becoming a nurse,” she said. During her time on campus, Evans was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. She also met her husband, Charlie “Carter” who roomed with Ruffin McNeill ’80, who is now the head football coach. She and her friends enjoyed going to football games. They also enjoyed going to the Crow's Nest, a popular hangout near campus, where she and her husband had their first date. "It was a very popular place to go," she recalled. "Video games were just starting to come out and we went there to play Pac Man. We’d get fries and chicken tenders and just hang out." She and her friends also went to parties at the Ledonia Wright Culture Center, which was a popular spot for African-
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Since she was living in Lubbock, TX at the time, she began law school at Texas Tech. Shortly after that, her husband changed jobs and came back to North Carolina. She transferred to UNC Chapel Hill, where she received her law degree in 1990. She worked for a private law firm in DC for five years, representing doctors and hospitals against claims of medical malpractice. She then worked for an insurance company, which was the largest medical malpractice coverage carrier in the country at the time, for five years. But eventually, she needed a change. “I was starting to represent a lot of bad doctors. I realized patients needed good representation too. So I switched sides,” she said. “I started representing patients in 2000 and that was truly my calling. I get so much joy out of helping people. I make change in the lives of families that can last for generations. When we get a good recovery, it doesn’t just change the injured person’s life, it changes the lives of the whole family by making sure the injured person is taken care of and allows family members to once again be husbands/ wives, students, children and not stressed out care takers.” Evans’ greatest challenge is that she can’t help everybody, she says. “I am in the firm’s TV commercials and so we receive a fair number of calls from people wanting me to represent them. And I can’t represent everybody, because I want to do good work on the cases I select. That’s the hardest thing, to tell folks I can’t help them. So I try to choose cases that will not only provide the greatest good for one family, but will also have an impact on the delivery of healthcare services. I try to make changes to the system. We not only try to get compensation for the one family, but we try to make changes in healthcare delivery that will impact the lives not just of our clients but for everyone.” She says her favorite part of the job is the people. “I meet so many people who become heroes and ‘she-roes’ to me because of how they keep living their lives in the face of such adversity.”
Evans talking with students in the College of Nursing.
Evans is currently serving as the President of the Washington Bar Association, a group of more than 400 African-American lawyers in the District of Columbia. She is also a member of the American Association of Nurse Attorneys. She is listed in Super Lawyers, The Best Lawyers in America, the Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers and is a member of the Melvin M. Belli Society. She recently became a lifetime member of the East Carolina Alumni Association, and was a featured alumna at an ECU networking event in DC in December 2014.
Evans says her greatest accomplishments are her family, including her husband of 32 years and her son, as well as being able to help people. “I’ve been able to combine my nursing experience with my legal background to give superior representation to injured patients. I’ll do this for the rest of my life, as long as someone will employ me.” Evans recently reconnected with ECU after losing touch in the years after college. Once Ruffin McNeill ’80 became head football coach, she and her husband wanted to support him and his wife
Earlene ’79, ’80, and take a second look at ECU. “I’m so glad I did take that second look,” she said. “East Carolina is still the same in terms of the sense of community, but there’s something new and fresh happening. There’s an energy that I don’t remember that I see now. The growth has been amazing. That makes me want to be part of what’s happening on campus. I’m so proud of our university. The only thing we don’t have is a law school, but maybe we’ll have that one day.”
“East Carolina is still the same in terms of the sense of community, but there’s something new and fresh happening. There’s an energy that I don’t remember that I see now. The growth has been amazing. That makes me want to be part of what’s happening on campus. I’m so proud of our university.”
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Where Pirate Memories Continue... “Cypress Glen is the perfect combination of good people and good food. I don’t know how you can beat it!” Frank Saunders grew up in Reidsville, NC, a small town near Greensboro. He earned his BA and Master’s degrees from UNC-Chapel Hill and began his teaching career at Coker College in Hartsville, SC. Frank wanted to return to NC to be closer to family and in 1961 he accepted a position at East Carolina University and moved to Greenville. While at ECU, he served until 1994 as a professor in the mathematics department and also served as a chair of the Department of Math. Upon his retirement, he was recognized with emeritus status. Anyone who knows Frank, knows one of his greatest enjoyments is playing bridge. He frequently plays bridge with friends at Cypress Glen but also goes every week to the Pitt County Senior Center to play against his peers. Frank enjoys many of the diverse activities available to all Cypress Glen residents. He does not drive anymore but finds scheduled transportation allows him the freedom to enjoy ECU concerts and events on campus without the worry of driving.
Frank Saunders Cypress Glen Resident since 2009
Official Partner
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www.cypressglen.org
We’re changing names to keep up with the times. The Career Center recently changed its name to Career Services to better reflect the broad array of services available to alumni and students. Along with a change of names is an enhanced partnership between Career Services and the East Carolina Alumni Association. Marcy Romary, interim associate vice chancellor for alumni relations, said, “I clearly see the need, the opportunities, and benefits of collaborating with Career Services. We look forward to the many benefits this enhanced partnership will offer our constituents. Plans are now underway to make connecting with Career Services even easier for ECU alumni.” Many partnership activities include:
For job seekers, ECU CareerNET provides students and alumni free access to an exclusive database of jobs, internships, and co-ops posted by employers and by Career Services staff. For employers, ECU CareerNET is an opportunity to reach out to the almost 28,000 current students and 155,000 active alumni with employment opportunities. The best part of this is that these job postings, resources, and assistance of Career Services is free to all employers! Networking Events
Recently Career Services staff have accompanied the alumni association on networking events held in various states. Curtis Street, assistant director for employer relations at Career Services, noted, “There always seem to be alumni at these events who are considering a career change or who are seeking employment. It is exciting to see the optimism in their eyes when I tell them about the resources that are available to them through Career Services.” Career Fairs
Career Fairs offer a purple-and-golden opportunity for alumni who are employers and alumni who are job seekers to easily connect with other alumni, recent graduates, and current students to fill their needs for full-time, part-time, internships, and co-ops. Alumni association representatives are now being active contributors during Career Services’ annual Career Fairs in an effort to reach out to alumni that return as employers and as active participants in the fair. This is just another way that the alumni association shows their appreciation to alumni that give back to the university and support Pirates that hire Pirates!
CAREER CORNER
The Career Center is Now Career Services
Who’s Hiring is a weekly wrap-up of selected postings along with information about upcoming career fairs, networking events, information sessions, and on-campus interview schedules. Once website updates are complete, Career Services will be accessible with a quick click in the section entitled Career Corner. If you would like to schedule a meeting to discuss how your company can connect with alumni and students at Information Sessions, Career Fairs, ECU CareerNET and more, contact Curtis Street at Career Services. Career Services is available at www.ecu.edu/career or you can call (252) 328-6050. PIRATEALUMNI.COM 25
AROUND CAMPUS
ALLIED HEALTH Allied Health Scholarship Honors Wife of ECU Trustee
A member of East Carolina University’s Board of Trustees has established a scholarship that will aid students in the College of Allied Health Sciences’ Department of Health Services and Information Management. Kieran J. Shanahan ’79 wanted to honor his wife and U.S. Navy Reservist Rear Admiral Christina “Tina” Alvarado in a way that would support his alma mater. So he enlisted the help of Pat Frede, ECU’s gift officer for allied health, to establish the Rear Admiral Christina M. Alvarado Scholarship. The scholarship is available to students in the Health Services Management program within the Health Services and Information Management department. Though Alvarado’s background is in nursing, she is primarily an administrator of programs. So the scholarship was a good fit. Also a Navy Reservist herself, Frede had asked Alvarado to be her re-enlisting officer – a ceremony they intended to Kieran J. Shanahan ’79 and his wife, US Navy conduct via live video chat. Instead, Frede Reservist Rear Admiral Christina “Tina” Alvarado, Deputy Commander, Navy Medicine and Shanahan surprised Alvarado by East introducing her during that call to the very first recipients of her scholarship, Shelly White and Brittany Linkous, who explained how the scholarship will help them achieve their academic and career goals. Shanahan, of Raleigh, is the founder of the Shanahan Law Group. He was appointed to the ECU Board of Trustees by the UNC Board of Governors in 2011. Alvarado began her Navy Reserve career as a direct commissioned officer and attended school at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. She was called to active duty from 1990 to 1991 in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. In January 2002, she again served in support of Operations Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom. Additionally, in the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Alvarado joined a medical team that operated a clinic in a remote part of the island outside of Port Au Prince, providing medical care and treatment. Anyone interested in supporting student success, research or regional transformation at the College of Allied Health Sciences can contact Pat Frede at 252-744-3523 or fredep@ecu.edu.
ARTS & SCIENCES Department of Chemistry to Receive $1.1 Million Award from Golden LEAF Foundation
Harriot College and the Department of Chemistry are pleased to announce that Golden LEAF Foundation will award $1.1 million to support the creation of a Biopharmaceutical Work Force Development and Manufacturing Center of Excellence. The grant was announced on March 2. The grant proposal, facilitated through ECU’s Office of Innovation and Economic Development, was competitive ® thanks to a fantastic team at ECU and strong letters of support from Patheon, Hospira and MaynePharma. 26 EC ALUMNI SUMMER 2015
AROUND CAMPUS “The partnership we have developed between the Department of Chemistry and ECU’s Office of Innovation and Economic Development is such an effective way to meet the needs of industry,” said Allison Danell, project director and interim chair of chemistry. “We are excited to have such significant support from the Golden LEAF Foundation, which will benefit so many ECU students and workers in the region.” Danell says she is very excited to move forward with grant administrator Ted Morris, project manager Keith Holmes and other faculty who will join them on this team. With the assistance of the grant, ECU will ensure the development of technically skilled and creative students to support the region’s employment goals. “ECU’s Department of Chemistry has partnered with industry scientists for many years to offer our graduates a leg up when looking for jobs in the pharmaceutical industry,” said Holmes, chemistry teaching instructor and retired pharmaceutical executive. “We are proud that our work has culminated in this exciting grant and partnership, which will expand our laboratory and personnel to develop a true capstone course for scientists from many disciplines.” The current laboratory space within the department is housed in the Science and Technology Building, room 348. Expansion of the laboratory into room 347 will double the square footage by approximately 1,000 square feet. Golden LEAF’s mission is to promote the social welfare of North Carolina’s citizens and to receive and distribute funds for economic impact assistance to economically affected or tobaccodependent regions of North Carolina. The Foundation awards grants to 501(c)(3) nonprofits and governmental entities across North Carolina. Golden LEAF’s grants making focuses on three priorities: agriculture, job creation and retention, and workforce preparedness.
BUSINESS
Students in Hendrix Theater at the Business Leadership Conference.
Students chose from breakout sessions including “Lessons in Survival, Life, and Leadership,” “The Grandma Rule and the Importance of People,” “Challenges of Entrepreneurship,” and “Women in Business: How to Jumpstart your Career and Leapfrog the Competition.” Stan Eakins, dean of the College of Business, said, “This was a tremendous event that helped to inspire and inform our students, and the presenters touched lives in ways they can’t imagine. ECU is known as the leadership university, and this event showed that the College of Business is determined to lead from the front in the development of tomorrow’s business leaders.” The Business Leadership Conference was free for juniors, seniors, and graduate students in the College of Business. The conference was made possible by the generosity of sponsors Harry Moser ’75, ’78, Phil Tetterton ’79 and Keith Harris of Cox Industries, Jim Ward ’74 of Ward Holdings LLC, Van Isley ’85 of Professional Builders Supply, and Wanda Burgamy ’80 of Dell. Professors to Retire after 55 Combined Years at ECU
Inaugural Leadership Conference Held
Veteran College of Business professors Dr. Judith Hunt and Dr. Fred Schadler will retire at the beginning of the fall semester, The College of Business held its first-ever Business Leadership marking more than 55 years of combined teaching at East Carolina Conference from March 31 to April 1, bringing in titans of University. The 2014-2015 academic year is Hunt’s 27th year in the Department of Management and Schadler’s 28th year in the industry to speak to more than 1,000 business students. Held in Mendenhall Student Center, the conference helped Department of Finance. to prepare students for the realities of the business world in a professional conference environment while providing opportunities to interact with ECU’s Business Advisory Council members, esteemed alumni, employers, and community members. The twoday event complemented the intensive leadership preparation that students get throughout their years in the business program. Presenters came from Dallas, Florida, Atlanta, Charlotte, Washington, D.C. and across the state, traveling at their own cost to speak about their leadership experiences and lessons learned. The conference began with a with a keynote address by ECU Head Football Coach Ruffin McNeill ’80, followed by 35 breakout sessions. McNeill opened the conference by laying out his leadership vision and encouraging students to learn, saying, “There is knowledge everywhere in this room. In every session, there will be Dr. Judith Hunt Dr. Fred Schadler something you can use. Grab it, and put it in your toolbox.” PIRATEALUMNI.COM 27
AROUND CAMPUS
DENTAL MEDICINE Marking a Milestone: Inaugural Class Graduates
Friday, May 8 was a milestone day for a group of students who have seen many firsts over their four years at East Carolina University. The inaugural class of Pirate dentists celebrated together on Friday during commencement at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, and again at a more intimate hooding ceremony in Wright Auditorium on Saturday. Students receiving a doctoral degree wore hoods in addition to caps and gowns to mark their academic achievement. “As the inaugural class, you have helped build and shape the school,” said Dr. Greg Chadwick, dean of the School of Dental Medicine. “And we are incredibly proud of every one of you. Always remember who you are, what you stand for and where you’re from.” New traditions were also established with the first class’ commencement: a ceremonial mace for the school, lilac and Dr. Nisha Ganesh and Dr. Kentaro Ikeda hood new doctor of dental medicine Alisha Huria black robes, and the at the School of Dental Medicine’s inaugural recitation of class graduation convocation in Wright Auditorium pledge. on May 9. “My voice will comfort, my hands will heal and my heart will be open to all,” they said in unison, led by Dr. Michael Scholtz. Scholtz is the dental school’s assistant dean for extramural clinical practices, and he coordinated the establishment and operation of eight community service learning centers across the state. ECU dental students spent their fourth year of school at those centers in Elizabeth City, Ahoskie, Lillington, Robeson County, Davidson County, Sylva, Spruce Pine, and Brunswick County – caring for patients and exploring life in rural communities. Many of the 2015 grads have already pledged to return to those areas. Among them is Kyle Duncan, who will return home to Mitchell County to practice, and Christin Carter, who plans to work at a public health center in Surry County. At least 15 others are entering residency programs or private practice in the East. “You’re from North Carolina – you represent its wonderful history and spirit,” said Dr. Richard Valachovic, president and CEO of the American Dental Education Association and keynote speaker at the dental ceremony. “You’re entering an incredibly vibrant and wonderful profession. The possibilities before you are endless.” The class also left a parting gift to the patients served by ECU. Each graduate donated to an endowment to fund patient care, which currently stands at more than $32,000. 28 EC ALUMNI SUMMER 2015
“Our dedication to following our school’s mission extends beyond our years here,” said Kelly Walsh, vice president of the class of 2015. The class also presented an inaugural faculty award to Dr. Nisha Ganesh, division director of predoctoral clinical education, and Dr. Kentaro Ikeda, oral medicine section chief. “You’re welcome to come back home anytime,” Chadwick concluded. “And come back often. Whether it’s to Ross Hall (in Greenville) or to a community service learning center in your area.”
EDUCATION Department of Educational Leadership Examines “Community as Text”
Educating students requires schools, families, and communities. Today, community partnerships are idiosyncratic and often regulated to specific projects such as career days. Effective engagement will require a community-based approach where the expertise and wisdom of community members is honored. Dr. Matthew Militello, the new Wells Fargo distinguished professor in educational leadership, has focused much of his work to create “community as text” for students training to be school and district leaders. This spring, Militello hosted an event for master of school administration students. More than 100 ECU faculty, students, and Greenville community members gathered at the Eppes Recreational Center. Five Eppes Wells Fargo Distinguished High School alumni began the event with Professor in stories of schooling in Greenville prior to Educational Leadership Dr. desegregation. The participants then went Matthew Militello on a learning walk in and around the center. Participants learned from local leaders and elders about the history of education in Greenville. This interactive session invited participants to experience the power of place and the wisdom of people as a guide, a text, for school leadership practices. This summer, Dr. Militello is hosting the first annual ECU Summer Learning Exchange. The intent of the exchange is to bring teams of school and community leaders from across the nation together for a week of learning. Participants will be staying in the ECU dorms and engaging in community practices. Militello has forged partnerships with a number of Greenville organizations including: Pitt County Schools, Boys and Girls Club, Lucille W. Gorham Intergenerational Community Center, Third Street Center, and Building Hope Community Life Center. Participants will be led by expert national facilitators including faculty from ECU, Texas State University, Duquesne University, University of North Florida, and the Institute for Educational Leadership. The faculty will be using learning experiences from the upcoming book Militello and colleagues have published, “Reframing community partnerships in education: Uniting the power of place and wisdom of people.” The Wells Fargo Endowment will offset the Summer Learning Exchange costs for all local participants. More information can be found at: www.ecu.edu/cs-acad/dcs/LearningExchange.cfm
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ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
FINE ARTS &
COMMUNICATION
Multiplying Effect: Bachelor’s Degree Helps Alumnus, Family
Allen Scott ’13 knows full well the difference that a four-year degree can make. A Morehead City native, Scott attended Craven Community College, graduated in 1985, and then transferred to UNC-Charlotte to finish an engineering degree. He worked at night in a grocery store to help pay for college. “Classes were hard and money was short,” Scott remembers. He left school and decided to work his way up in the retail chain. After an 18-year career as a butcher, he was promoted to meat manager, and relocated to New Bern with the new Harris Teeter in 1996. The grocery store hours became increasingly more difficult with a young family, so Scott decided to make a career change and began working at B/S/H/ in New Bern. In 2008, a competitive market forced B/S/H/ to downsize. It was then that Scott noticed something that changed his future. “All 100 employees were laid off, except those with a four year college degree,” Scott adds. That was the tipping point for Scott going back to college himself. He enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology (BSIT) program in 2011. The BSIT is a degree completion program that is offered through the department of Technology Systems in the College of Engineering and Technology. The program allows students to complete their four year degree online after completing an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) at a community college. Scott graduated in 2013 with a concentration in manufacturing, and was then able to obtain a job as a quality manager. Scott’s wife, Laura, and his children were very supportive of his return to college. “My education and positive outcome has produced a multiplying effect on my family,” he said. Scott’s daughter, Brittany, graduated in May from ECU and will start on a graduate degree this summer. His son, Tyler, will enter ECU in the fall of 2016 as a transfer student from an early college program. “The BSIT program played a huge role in preparing me for the workforce. I’m much more viable and certainly less vulnerable to layoffs. My children have seen me work hard for an education, which has encouraged them to do the same.”
Chamber Singers Win International Competition
The East Carolina University School of Music Chamber Singers won the 13th International Maribor Choral Competition Gallus, held in Maribor, Slovenia, on April 10-12, 2015. The Maribor Choral Competition Gallus is part of the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing, an annual choral competition between the winners of six European choral competitions of very high artistic quality. Despite its name, the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing is not limited to European choirs; choirs from any country can join the choral competitions in any of the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing member-cities. The ECU Chamber Singers were the only choral group from the United States invited to the competition, which included participants from Latvia, Ireland, Sweden, Germany, Indonesia and Slovenia. As a result of the win at Maribor, the ECU Chamber Singers are invited to participate in the finals of prix Europe competition in Varna, Bulgaria in 2016. The ECU Chamber Singers were extended an invitation to take part in this year’s competition in Slovenia, a small country in south-central Europe near Italy, as a result of their outstanding performance at the Tolosa International Choral Contest in Spain last year. Owing to the high profile of the competition and the honor of being invited to compete, the competition funds the cost of all accommodation and food for the singers while in Maribor. The ECU Chamber Singers consists of auditioned undergraduate and graduate students, and is the select choral ensemble at ECU. They maintain a rigorous rehearsal and performance schedule, and focus predominantly on unaccompanied choral literature suitable for advanced chamber choir. The chamber singers received a 2500 euro cash prize in addition to a cast-bronze statuette.
HEALTH &
HUMAN PERFORMANCE Pecheles Automotive Group Sponsors Scholarship Breakfast
Tyler, Allen, Laura, and Brittany Scott
The College of Health and Human Performance presented approximately $115,000 in scholarship awards to 108 students during the Pecheles Automotive Group scholarship breakfast April 10 at the ECU Murphy Center. PIRATEALUMNI.COM 29
AROUND CAMPUS technology, policy, management, and education activities. Awards also include travel expenses to attend a mandatory NOAA Scholarship Program orientation, conferences where students present a paper or poster, and a housing subsidy for scholars who do not reside at home during the summer internship. EC Scholar Chris Thaxton, a junior majoring in conservation biology, was a 2014 recipient and Thomas Vaughan, a senior graduating with a degree in atmospheric science, was a 2013 recipient.
MEDICINE Primary Care Tops Again at ECU Match Day
Dean Gilbert, Kayla Maness, recipient of the Bunting Scholarship and Mr. Mike Bunting
“We are proud to sponsor this event that recognizes a growing number of scholarship recipients,” said Brian Pecheles, president of the Pecheles Automotive Group. The scholarships ranged from $1,000 to $2,000 each and were granted to students enrolled in the College of Health and Human Performance for the 2015-2016 academic year. Private donations fund the scholarships, created to honor outstanding faculty and friends of the college. “It has been wonderful to see the growth of the event over the years due to our many donors but especially the Pecheles Automotive Group that has supported the event for eleven years now, said Dr. Glen Gilbert, dean of the College of Health and Human Performance. “We simply could not hold such a large event without this direct support from the Pecheles Automotive Group. It is with great pleasure that I am able to say no tax dollars where used to support this event.” Nearly 375 people attended the breakfast, including scholarship recipients, their guests, scholarship donors, advancement council members, faculty, and staff.
HONORS COLLEGE Third consecutive Honors College student wins NOAA scholarship
For the third consecutive year, an East Carolina University Honors College student has won a prestigious scholarship and internship with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Andrew Reid, a sophomore chemistry major, has received the Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship, which provides up to $17,000 over the course of Reid’s junior and senior years and a 10-week paid internship at a NOAA facility Andrew Reid in 2016. He is one of 150 recipients from across the country to earn this scholarship and internship. The internship experience provides Reid with practical educational training experience in NOAA-related science, research, 30 EC ALUMNI SUMMER 2015
All 80 students in the Brody School of Medicine’s class of 2015 celebrated together this spring as they learned where they will train as resident physicians. Brody Dean Dr. Paul Cunningham announced at the annual Match Day event that 100 percent of the class was accepted to a residency program – where they will spend the next three- to seven-years as doctors-in-training. Of those, 41, or 51.25 percent, will enter residency in a primary care field: family medicine, internal medicine, internal medicine/ pediatrics, pediatrics, or OB/GYN. “We are excited that every member of the class matched in a residency training program,” said Dr. Elizabeth Baxley, senior associate dean for academic affairs. “We are pleased that the Brody tradition Brittany Carr ’11, ’15 with her Match Day letter. of providing primary care physicians continues with this class. And we’re excited about their future contributions to the health of the citizens of North Carolina.” Baxley was delighted that 15 students, or 22 percent of the class, matched to a program at Vidant Medical Center. “Historical data suggests that 75 percent of those physicians will stay in the region (after completing residency).” Pat McGee was one of those students who matched to Vidant. “I really like the breadth and scope of family medicine,” he said. “There are so many things you can do as a family medicine doctor. From caring for pregnant patients to delivering babies, all the way to end-of-life care, I’ve always been drawn to that.” This year’s medical graduates will attend residencies in 24 states, from California to Maine, plus Washington, D.C. Thirtyone students matched to a residency program in North Carolina. Among those leaving the state is Jack Delaney, who will train in the lone neurosurgery residency slot offered at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. “Brody has done an excellent job in preparing my class for difficult residencies, as evidenced by the exceptional match today,” Delaney said. “We’ve got students going into a wide variety of disciplines, which I think is due to both the excellent students here and the mentorship and direction received at Brody.”
AROUND CAMPUS
NURSING
STUDENT LIFE
Nursing Student Group Receives National Chapter Award
Leadership and Corporate Awards Banquet
The East Carolina Association of Nursing Students has been named a Stellar School Chapter by the National Student Nurses Association. The award, given to just five schools nationwide in 2015, recognizes chapters that demonstrate strong commitment to shared governance, professional development and ongoing involvement in NSNA. Eight ECU nursing students traveled to Phoenix to receive the award at the 63rd annual National Student Nurses Association Convention this spring. “This student organization exemplifies the excellence and commitment that is worthy of national recognition,” said Gina Woody, professor of nursing and the group’s faculty advisor. With more than 230 members, ECANS is the largest constituent member of NCNA in North Carolina. The group, which also earned accolades in 2014, promotes leadership and career development through ongoing membership meetings and a host of community service activities. Organizations served this year include the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge, Habitat for Humanity, Operation Sunshine and the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. One of ECANS’ keys to success is reaching out to students even before they officially join the College of Nursing. ECANS board members participate in pre-nursing “RX for Success” workshops, which share academic tips for intended nursing majors. The group holds two on-campus meetings each semester for prenursing students to learn about the organization. Its members also help intended nursing majors move into the Future Pirate Nurse Living and Learning Village each fall. Jamie Williams, who was ECANS president for 2014-2015 and graduated this spring with her bachelor of science in nursing, said that networking with fellow students, faculty and nurse leaders from all across the country has been a memorable part of her education. “It has been a pleasure to work with an enthusiastic, hardworking board of directors,” she said. “I am proud to have been a part of an amazing pre-professional organization, and to be a part of the Pirate Nurse family.” Stellar schools are recognized on the NSNA website. Stellar School status is awarded for five years and is renewable with resubmission of an application and supporting documents that demonstrate the chapter continues to meet program criteria.
ECANS members at the NSNA convention in Phoenix to receive the Stellar School Chapter Award. From left: Luis Flores, Ava Maritato, Morgan Pullium, Jamie Williams, Leah Shannon, Corrie Hansen, Sydney Howard and Charles Moseley.
The Division of Student Affairs hosted the inaugural Leadership and Corporate Awards Banquet on April 11 at the Greenville Hilton. The event provided an opportunity L-R: M. Cole Jones, chair of the 40 Under 40 committee, to recognize Vonta Leach, former NFL football player and 40 Under ECU alumni 40 recipient, and Dr. Virginia Hardy, vice chancellor for student affairs. under the age of 40 and their success after leaving ECU’s campus. WITN TV news anchor Lynnette Taylor ’97 emceed the Leadership and Corporate Awards Banquet, which also honored successful emerging leaders, outstanding former student leaders, and corporate supporters for making significant impacts to ECU. Following a wonderful dinner, which included musical entertainment by the ECU Jazz Ensemble, Career Services opened the awards portion of the evening by presenting two Career IMPACT Awards to companies who have been heavily involved with recruiting, educating, and interacting with ECU students over the last several years. The Outstanding Employer Engagement Award went to Enterprise Holding Inc. and the award for Employer Innovation was presented to Cisco Systems. David Lloyd was honored with the Robert Wright Society Leadership Award, given to a former leader of SGA who is making a significant impact in the community and is engaged in social or governmental issues of their community/region/state. Lloyd, the 1968-69 SGA president, is still actively engaged with student government and continues to engage ECU through his own service and leadership. The final awards of the night were the first ever 40 Under 40 Leadership Awards. These ECU alumni are all 40 years old and younger and have used their education to pursue their passion and lead positive change in career achievements as well as social responsibility through leadership and service. Among the 40 Under 40 recipients were local/state law enforcement and politicians, as well as leaders actively serving in the military, educational systems, and major corporations. An ECU review committee selected the 40 honorees from a pool of more 120 nominees. The 2015 inaugural class of 40 Under 40 honorees can be seen on the ECU website at www.ecu.edu/sadevelopment/40under40/ 2015Class. PIRATEALUMNI.COM 31
A LOOK BACK 32 EC ALUMNI SUMMER 2015
Barefoot on the Mall 1989
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