ECU04/19

Carolinian

Greenville, NC looks to celebrate Earth Week 2023

Eli Baine TEC STAFF

East Carolina University clubs and organizations are celebrating Earth Week from Monday to Sunday with several events leading up to the Earth Day festival at the end of the week.

Vice President of Pirates on Water and junior biology major Charlotte Grimes said her club is centered around issues relating to water resources at ECU.

ECU graduation approaches

As May 2023 approaches, another class of East Carolina University students prepare for their commencement ceremony that will be taking place on May 5 at 10 a.m. at the Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.

ECU Chancellor, Philip Rogers, said he will be speaking at the commencement ceremony to the graduates and their families in attendance.

“One of the best days of the year for me is to stand on the stage at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium in front of thousands of students in their purple caps and gowns,” Rogers said.

The opportunity to speak to students and be a part of one of the greatest achievements of their lives, Rogers said, is a joy and a privilege.

Rogers said he is confident graduates are prepared for the next chapter of their lives beyond ECU.

“Stay connected to East Carolina University, we want them (graduates) to keep a lifelong connection with the university,” Rogers said.

For students returning next fall, Rogers said they should also remain in contact with their family, classmates and faculty at ECU while they enjoy their summer.

Rogers said there are many resources on campus and online to

help students properly plan for their next semester and the steps they plan to take post-graduation.

Christopher Stansbury, associate vice chancellor for student affairs, said he is the co-chair for planning of the commencement ceremony.

“What we (the planning committee) do for our tasks is plan the university commencement ceremony which is the one ceremony for all graduates which is the only time during each semester where all graduates of all degrees are together at one time,” Stansbury said.

The planning committee Stansbury co-chairs focuses on the large ceremony, he said, and there are sub-committees which concentrate on the smaller graduation ceremonies for each college on campus.

Stansbury said the university commencement ceremony is free, welcome to all and no tickets are required for guests to attend since it is being held at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium the capacity will only be reached if the whole stadium were to be filled.For each college and department ceremony.

Stansbury said at the main ceremony, Chancellor Rogers will speak to the graduates, do the official conferral of degrees, graduates will stand together, sing the alma mater and turn their tassels.

Aggie Hughes, senior marketing major, said she is graduating this May and has been a student at ECU for the last four years.

Hughes said she had an abnormal experience at ECU because her freshman year is when COVID-19 hit, so she was doing online classes out of state for her first year and was considered a part-time student.

“Overall, I have really enjoyed my professors and the classes that I have been taking,” Hughes said. “I chose ECU because it felt like home, my mom and aunt used to bring me to football games when I was really young, and I always knew I wanted to be a pirate.”

Hughes said the idea of graduating is both exciting and scary because she has loved her experience at ECU.

After graduation, Hughes said she is taking a gap year to travel and experience life before she settles down and begins focusing on her career.

“We are impacted so much by the water resources in our area, and we impact the water resources in return,” Grimes said. “We want to educate students about that and to encourage people to do their part and keep our environment clean.”

Since students are generally very busy, Pirates on Water focuses on small, low-commitment actions that any student can participate in to help the environment in any way, Grimes said. Recycling is the easiest thing students can do in their everyday lives to support sustainability, Grimes said.

Pirates on Water and all of the other sustainability clubs will be present at the Earth Day festival tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in front of the Main Campus Student Center to share information about sustainability and their individual clubs, Grimes said.

“Pirates on Water will have a table out there just talking to people about our organization, trying to recruit members and talking about the importance of our water resources and keeping them clean,” Grimes said. “There will also be some information out about our coastal environment in Greenville as well as the Outer Banks.”

President of Planet ECU and senior geology major Giuliana Roccisano said her club will be part of six Earth Week events. Several other sustainability clubs have joined together to co-host these events, Roccisano said.

Planet ECU mainly focuses on geology around the year, but preserving the environment is essential to the careers of students studying geology, Roccisano said.

“Inherently, we support sustainability because we (geology students) need job security,” Roccisano said. “It was really easy for us to slip into that culture here on campus.”

On Tuesday, Planet ECU held a textile recycling and repair workshop, Roccisano said. Repurposing and reusing old clothes is a fun way for students to express themselves without putting more money into the environmentally

> EARTH page A2

Pirates baseball to bring the fight to Wichita State

The East Carolina Pirates (28-8, 7-2 American Athletic Conference) head to Wichita, Kansas to play the Wichita State Shockers (20-15, 5-4 AAC) in conference series play beginning tomorrow and ends on Sunday.

The series is critical for both teams, as ECU and Wichita State find themselves at the top of the conference standings at first and third, respectively. The Pirates have had success in conference play, with a record of 7-2 in AAC games so far this season. The same thing can be said for the Shockers, turning out a 5-4 record in AAC games so far this season.

East Carolina is coming off a series sweep over the Cincinnati Bearcats (15-22, 3-6 AAC). The bats ran rampant in that series, as the Pirates brought in over 32 runs in the three games played against Cincinnati. The Pirates also held the Bearcats at bay, giving up a total of seven runs throughout the series.

For Wichita State, they’ll be coming off a thrilling series victory over the University of Tulane (10-26, 4-5 AAC). The most impressive victory came in the second game played, highlighted by the Shockers storming back from a 3-7 deficit to ultimately win the game in the eighth inning 10-9. Wichita State drove in 24 total runs in this series.

The history between the two programs is not a lengthy one. Both teams have only met 15 times ever, with the first matchup taking place on March 29, 2018, in a dominant win for Wichita State. The Pirates have a slight lead ahead of the Shockers all-time in those 15 matchups, with an

8-7 record against them.

East Carolina has fared well on the road in Wichita, winning four of their seven games at Eck Stadium. They split their latest road series against the Shockers in 2021, going 2-2.

The Shockers are a team that can rack up

runs, averaging over 7.3 runs per game. This will be needed against a solid defensive Pirate team that has only given up 135 unearned runs and 125 earned runs this season. Both of those numbers are the least given up in the AAC.

For the Pirates, they aren’t just reliant on their defense. East Carolina averages 7.8 runs per game and has a batting average of .304 as a team. This was put on display in their last two games played in the series against Cincinnati, as the Pirates ruled the Bearcats in both, winning 10-0 and 13-3.

Eerily enough, the Pirates and Shockers average almost the same amount of runs in their matchups against each other. ECU having 5.6 runs averages only 0.2 runs more than Wichita’s 5.4 runs.

Following this road series against Wichita State, the Pirates will head over to play in-state rival North Carolina State University (24-11, 8-9 Atlantic Coast Conference) on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Doak Field at Dail Stadium. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN U and can be heard on the radio on 94.3 The Game.

For Wichita State, the Shockers will move to Stillwater, Oklahoma to face off against the Oklahoma State Cowboys (24-13, 8-7 Big 12 Conference) on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at O’Brate Stadium.

This writer can be contacted at sports@theeastcarolinian.com.

Trevon McGlone FOR THE EAST CAROLINIAN

Julia Lawson TEC STAFF

HALIE MILLER THE EAST CAROLINIAN

In December 2022, East Carolina University graduates were able to celebrate their commencement at the Minges Coliesum.

JAYLIN ROBERTS THE EAST CAROLINIAN

Junior first baseman Josh Moylan loads up to swing for the pitch from the opposing pitcher.

Charlotte Grimes

BRIEFS

GUC to hold meeting today

Today, the Greenville Utilities Commission will host their monthly meeting. The meeting will take place from noon to 2 p.m. at the Greenville Utilities Commission on South Greene St.

I’m The First to host graduation celebration

Today, I’m The First and the Office of Student Transitions will host a celebration for all spring 2023 graduates who are the first in their family to graduate. The event will take place from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in the ballrooms of the Main Campus Student Center

Umstead Hall to host resume building workshop

Tomorrow, Umstead Residence hall will be hosting a resume building workshop for its residents. The workshop will take place in the second floor lobby from 6 to 7 p.m.

READ program to hold in person test prep session

Saturday the Department of Literacy Studies, English Education, and History Education, will host a study session to help those preparing to take the Foundations of Reading test. The study session will take place from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS

If you feel there are any factual errors in this newspaper, please contact Emily Peek at editor@theeastcarolinian.com.

CRIME LOGS

Editor’s Note: The East Carolinian Crime Logs are derived from East Carolina University Police Department’s (ECU PD) public crime logs accessible to all individuals. Crime Logs are done within the partnership of ECU PD and The East Carolinian, as this publication is meant to act as an additional resource for Pirate Nation. Below are listings of criminal activity that has occured on or within proximity of main campus.

April 13, 2023

Resist, Delay, or Obstruct an Officer, Underage Consumption of Alcohol, Possession of a Fraudulent ID, Possession of Marijuana < 1/2 oz. and Possession of Marijuana Paraphernalia (x2) were all found April 12 at 1:05 a.m. and charged April 13 at 1:05 a.m. on The Greenway-College Hill Drive and were all cleared by arrest and citation.

At Ballard West Residence Hall, a charge of Molesting a Fire Extinguisher was found at 11:34 p.m. and there is an open investigation following it.

April 14, 2023

A charge of Injury to Real Property was made at 8:09 a.m. at Ballard East Residence Hall and has an open investigation on it.

At the Laupus Library PVA, a Hit & Run-Failure to Stop charge was made at 10:15 a.m. and was cleared by citation. Larceny was found at Garrett Residence Hall between 1 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. and has an open investigation following it.

At 11:42 p.m., on Fourth Street and Summit Street, a Warrant Service for Other Agency (x2) was cleared by arrest.

Official wish Pirates good luck on exams

Kim Kassner TEC STAFF

As the spring semester comes to an end, student resources on East Carolina University’s campus wish Pirates good luck on their final exams and offer last minute study support.

Chancellor Philip Rogers said he encourages students to do three things before the spring semester comes to an end. The first thing is for Pirates to connect with their faculty as they try to navigate all their assignments to close out the semester successfully, he said.

By connecting with faculty, Rogers said students can make sure there are no loose ends or missing pieces before the final exam period to pass their classes.

“The second advice I would like to share is to connect with academic advisors,” Rogers said. “They can ensure that a student has registered for next year and that their pace to meet their academic goals they've set for themselves and the standards that the university has for them are fulfilled.”

Lastly, Rogers said he encourages everybody to look around and make sure their peers around them are in good shape.

It is important to see if someone is in need of help, especially when wrapping up the end of the semester, Rogers said.

“Be a good classmate, pull others along with you in the right direction as you're trying to finish this semester too,” Rogers said.

Rebecca Johnson, assistant director for the University Writing Center (UWC), said the UWC offers various ways of writing consultations

EARTH continued from A1 unfriendly textile industry, Roccisano said.

Earth Week events on campus can inspire students to join the sustainability movement, Roccisano said. Informing people of what they can do to help the environment can alleviate the anxiety brought upon by climate change, Roccisano said.

“Constantly telling people that the world is dying and not giving them not any specifics of why or what it means gives people a lot of climate anxiety and makes them end up not wanting to do anything because they feel helpless,” Roccisano said. “

Co-President of ReLeaf @ ECU and freshman neuroscience and psychology major Dhwani Hada said her organization will be joining other clubs in sustainability events throughout the week, including litter cleanups, a honeybee release and a sustainability trivia match.

Earth Week and Earth Day have been an effective way of getting young people invested in preserving the environment for future generations, Hada said.

“We only have one earth, so we have to take care of it,” Hada said. “Events like these bring awareness to sustainability efforts around campus, and I think Earth Day is one of the most important days of the year.”

Vice President of ReLeaf @ ECU and freshman biology major Alexia Vachhani said there will be a variety of activities at the Earth Day festival. Students attending can decorate flower pots, taste fresh honey and even get registered to vote, Vachhani said.

Special occasions like Earth Week are universal and inclusive to everyone because no matter what, every human shares the same planet, Vachhani said.

“Earth Week is not only for sustainability,” Vachhani said. “It’s also a week to just recognize how important it is to keep the Earth clean. We should really take care of Earth because it’s our home. It doesn’t matter what state you live in or what country you live in.”

Today at 11 a.m., ReLeaf will be joining SustainabiliBEES and Tree Campus USA to plant a new tree in the Joyner Library Woods, Vachhani said.

ReLeaf will also be at Greenville Town Commons Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the city’s Earth Day fair, Vachhani said. The fair will have local food and live music, Vachhani said.

during exam week, but also throughout the year.

“We have one on one appointments where students can come and talk with us about their writing assignments,” Johnson said. “We can help with everything from research papers for finals to assistance with resumes for students who are looking for a job. We welcome all majors and provide support at any and all stages of the writing process.”

With students starting their exams soon, Johnson said some people might not know how to get started on their writing assignments. The UWC can help with brainstorming and outlining a draft for papers, even if nothing has been written yet, she said. Students can also receive help with grammar and spelling, she said.

Students wanting to come to the UWC need to make an appointment through their website, Johnson said. During finals, she said, appointments get filled quickly so students should plan ahead and secure a spot for advising early.

“The students drive our consultations,” Johnson said. “We start by getting to know the student, the teacher's expectations, the assignment, common concerns, how the class has been, so that we can work our way up to provide the best possible advice and help.”

For the summer semester the UWC will remain open, Johnson said, and while opening hours are not decided yet, they will be posted and shared with ECU faculty, staff and students soon.

Instead of face-to-face appointments, only online assistance will be provided until the fall semester starts, she said. However, Johnson said, students can seek help through uploading their documents online or live chatting with an employee of the UWC.

ECU Communications Specialist, Ronnie Woodward, said the Joyner Library, Music Library and Laupus Health Sciences Library want to create a welcoming atmosphere for students to help them succeed on their exams. Because of that, he said, various events will be held in the libraries that students can take advantage of.

“You can expect to see library staff members engaging in tabling opportunities featuring snacks and other items for students throughout the exam period,” Woodward said. “We are united in ECU libraries being a major resource to benefit students. At Joyner Library, we plan to have many of the same events and programming that have been enjoyable to students in recent years.”

Such events include coloring books and participating in pet therapy for a quick break from studying while in the library, Woodward said. During the exam period, he said the Joyner Library will operate on regular hours which include 24 hour days Monday through Thursday.

“There is extra security present for the final few weeks of the semester at Joyner Library,” Woodward said. “A reminder for students is after 11 p.m. when the library is open, like during 24-hour days, students should scan their OneCard to enter the building.”

April recognized as Sexual Assault Awareness Month

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and college campuses like East Carolina University use this month to remind students of ways to stay safe, remain vigilant and practice active bystander intervention.

Chris Sutton, operations captain at ECU’s Police Department (ECUPD), said it is important to recognize Sexual Assault Awareness Month with lectures and activities to acknowledge the prevalence of sexual assault and give victims support.

“In the past we (ECUPD) have used social media posts, participated in forums and presentations, participated in awareness walks and activities, attending community meetings where sexual assault is highlighted are just a few things we have been a part of,” Sutton said.

The goal of participating in these events and activities is to spread awareness, Sutton said, as well as ideally end sexual assault throughout ECU’s campus.

Sutton said if a student has been sexually assaulted the most important thing they can do is report the crime as soon as possible.

“Timely reporting is critical in helping hold individuals, who are responsible for committing this crime, accountable,” Sutton said. “It also expedites the opportunity to provide support and resources to victims of sexual assault.”

Caroline Sartain, senior psychology major, said she’s the co-founder and president of Pirates

for Change, a social activism club on campus.

Sartain said the organization will be hosting Standing with Survivors event to commemorate Sexual Assault Awareness Month today at 6 p.m. in Main Campus Student Center room 206.

“There will be a few Kahoots that everyone that goes will be able to do and then the winners will get free stuff and we’ll have like cupcakes and little prizes and stuff around,” Sartain said.

The event’s purpose is to inform attendees about sexual assault on college campuses, Sartain said, as well as teach bystander intervention techniques and have open discussions about sexual assault on campus.

Avery Gall, a freshman art major, said she is the social media chair for Pirates for Change and in her position, she advertises events like Standing with Survivors. Gall said sexual assault is a problem across all college campuses and she read a statistic saying 13% of all college students will experience rape or sexual assault at some point in their college career.

“I hope that it (the event) will help people feel more comfortable talking about this issue and understanding that there are things that you can do to help reduce rape risk and help those who are affected, I just hope that it makes people more willing to talk about things and willing to make a change,” Gall said.

April is a month dedicated to educating individuals about sexual assault awareness, Gall said.

Philip Rogers

OUR VIEW

Making sports betting legal is necessary

Recently, the North Carolina House of Representatives brought up a bill, HB347, that would legalize sports betting throughout the state for all individuals.

Sports betting is where two or more individuals wage money on an athlete, a certain game, series or event. Sports betting can range from $5 to $5 million and could turn $1 into much more.

Bill HB347 had many state representatives backing it up from both the Democratic and Republican parties. North Carolinians are now waiting for the bipartisan bill to be voted on by the Senate which would then move on to Governor Roy Cooper who would have the final say. In recent interviews, Roy Cooper said he would support the bill if it were to make it to him.

We, the editorial staff of The East Carolinian, hope HB347 for sports betting is passed so sports enthusiasts are able to add another level of excitement to the game.

Sports betting brings a whole different level of anticipation and fun to fans as they become emotionally invested. Bets can be made on certain aspects of sporting events or the outcome as a whole.

Sports bets can be made on small minor league games to international sporting events and as the season progresses, the odds can change.

Points of focus against the bill are the possible use of credit cards to gamble online as well as the fact that wages could be made on young college athletes bringing another level of pressure onto student-athletes.

Other naysayers of the bill say that legalization of the bill would just encourage gambling which could in turn become an addiction for many.

Bill HB347 was passed on March 29, 2023. As to when the second stage of the legalization process would begin is currently unknown.

PIRATE RANTS

The East Carolinian does not endorse the statements made in Pirate Rants.

The culture fest event last week was too small. Where was everyone?! We need more promo for POC student orgs from ECU themselves.

Greenville weather stays a constant 72 degrees challenge (IMPOSSIBLE)

What does me deciding to attend a PWI have to do with accepting or being okay with cultural appropriation? I can choose to go anywhere I want. Your comment does not make any sense. Racist people rarely make sense though. I am free to express any view I have.

FIFTEEN DAYS! PUSH THROUGH CO

‘23!

ECU baseball will be making the NCAA top five I’m calling it now. Tow truck people are the scum of the earth.

Someone post something interesting on Instagram please. My whole feed is just cap and gown or frat formal pictures.

I hate this school.

Why are kids still slapping down exit signs like their mothers abandoned them??

Okay, this whole graduation thing is starting to make me emotional :( No way my last day of college classes is with the same professor I had on my first day of college. Full circle.

Questions regarding Pirate Rants can be directed to Emily Peek at editor@theeastcarolinian.com.

Submit your Pirate Rants on our website under the opinion tab or scan the QR code.

I truly cannot believe the day has come for me to write this column. Having to reflect on my past three years spent at Pirate Media 1 has been so incredibly bittersweet, so where do I begin?

Being your editor-inchief for the past year has been such a proud and rewarding experience for me, one that I would have never imagined getting when I stumbled upon The East Carolinain’s tryouts three years ago and ended up writing for sports.

I’ve had the absolute pleasure of being the first ever EIC of the PM1 Print Division, meaning I got the opportunity to work with magazines for the first time. While it wasn’t a path I anticipated, I can’t lie, magazines are fun. However, I’ll always be a newspaper girl at heart.

It goes without saying that we gain a lot of experience working in our student newsroom, but I really can’t stress it enough. I’ve had the experience to cover multiple well-known artists visiting town, main-

tain relationships with campus and local officials, serve our community with a large variety of coverage, and even be invited to student journalism conferences at Harvard University and UNC Charlotte.

I want to say a huge thank you to my family for supporting me throughout my college career. If I ever questioned who was reading my articles, I at least knew for sure that my parents were. Mom, Dad and Maddy, thank you so much for being my biggest cheerleaders, and for rooting me on with the same enthusiasm when I was named EIC, as you did when I wrote my first little byline.

And to throw it all the way back to high school, I wouldn’t even be in this position if it wasn’t for my dad, who has truly inspired my love for writing since day one. Dad, you’ve been the most amazing role model I could ever ask for and I will forever aspire to be as great of a writer as you are.

To Annah, Cherie, Tim and Candy, we couldn’t do it without you. Thank you so much for your continuous attention to us, we could not make such great publications without each of you working so hard for us behind the scenes. Your support, love and patience does not go unnoticed.

Lastly, to my best friend and managing editor Jala, I truly could not have survived this last year without you. We went from meeting in a random gen-ed class four years ago to managing an entire newsroom together (slay) and I could not be more proud of us. We’re attached at the hip no matter what, but being able to share so many work experiences with you has been so special for me (especially creating our passion project that is the spring 2023 edition of The Hook). I’m sure the rest of the newsroom would agree that we’re a slightly chaotic duo and even more chaotic bosses, but at least we get each other. I love you <3.

My heart is so full as I prepare to graduate from ECU in a few weeks. I cannot wait to begin the next journey of my life pursuing a masters degree in journalism at UNC Chapel-Hill, but I will always be a Pirate at heart.

You’ve been good to me, ECU, but PM1, you’ve been even better.

Miss EIC <333

When I first stepped on East Carolina University’s campus four seemingly short years ago, I was 18 years old and had no idea what I was doing.

All I knew was that for the next four years of my life, I would be working towards getting my degree in communication and that was it.

I had no idea what I would go through in four years and just how much I would grow and mature and that has seriously amazed me. I’ve been through good times and bad, lost friends and gained them and I’ve learned more about myself than ever before. Growing so much in four years only makes me more excited for the growth that’ll come with the rest of my life.

Through all of it, PM1 came along and aided in my growth and maturity. Things don’t always go your way the first time and that’s what happened to me when I didn’t make the cut for The East Carolinian but I dusted myself off and tried again. I tried out for the magazine division soon after and was accepted with open arms.

I started as a writer, which is what I wanted to do at first. I love writing and it was such a big opportunity for me to

be able to write and creatively at that. I worked my way up to multimedia manager and used my talents and passion for social media in that way.

What I never expected was just a semester after being the multimedia manager that I would get to work side by side with my best friend as the managing editor for the print division. This was the path I never knew or thought I would or could take.

Being the managing editor of the print division has not been easy, but I can for sure say this job has taught me a lot about myself, my ability to manage a team and my passion for creativity.

This position made everything come full circle for me. I ended being an editor for the newspaper I tried out for and didn’t get into. I went from writing for our magazine publications to coming up with stories, concepts and designs for everyone to see.

These past two years have been full of roller coasters and I never knew what was coming next. As I said before, I’ve been able to express myself through my favorite medium, through the words and the talents I was blessed with.

I’ve been able to talk about trivial things like why Sharpay and Galleria were the best and most misunderstood Disney divas, personal things such as why being Black and especially being a Black woman will also be important to me above all else and even

how to make vegan chicken.

With that being said I would like to say to everyone at PM1 who has encouraged me to let my creativity shine and be able to make content I’ll always be proud of. I wouldn’t have been able to do it with you.

I want to thank our very own EIC, Emily, for being my best friend in the entire world and standing beside me through it all. Thank you for teaching me what I know and for being down to do any of everything together. There’s way too much to say in such a few words, but love you lots and can’t wait to see what our future holds.

I also want to thank my parents and my brothers for being my rocks throughout these last four years. I want to thank you for cheering me on and being there whenever I needed you guys, no matter good or bad. I want to thank my parents especially for encouraging me to even get here and being right by my side all the way to the end.

Lastly, I would like to thank myself. I would like to thank myself for not giving up, even in all those times I was so close to. I would like to thank myself for seeing it through and not letting up on myself. No, it wasn’t easy. But, we did it.

And that’s that on that.

Classifieds & Puzzles

THE TV CROSSWORD

by Jacqueline E. Mathews

Aries (March 21-April 19)

HORO-

— Today is a 9 — This month has profit potential under the Taurus Sun. Find creative ways to increase income. Don’t fund a flimsy scheme. Avoid risk or speculation.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) —Today is a 9 — You’re in your own element, with the Sun in your sign. Enjoy a natural advantage. Use your power and confidence for good. Shine on.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is a 7 — Savor a private retreat month to catch up, plan and organize. Reconnect with your fertile imagination. Complete old business. Enjoy your favorite rituals.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

— Today is an 8 — Teamwork gets results, especially over the next month under the Taurus Sun. Get social!

Enjoy parties, gatherings and events. Have fun with friends.

COMICS

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 9 — Settle into Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is an 8 — Career matters move to the front burner. Advance your professional agenda for the next month, with the Sun in Taurus. Go for what you want.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) —

Today is an 8 — Practice basic moves for mastery. Prioritize your work, health and fitness. Take advantage of lovely conditions. Get feedback from trusted experts to grow stronger.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 9 — The Taurus Sun encourages exploration, investigation and research. Travel and adventure beckons over the next four weeks. Dig for clues. Expand your own boundaries.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is a 9 — Collaboration flowers over the next month, with the Sun in Taurus. Share support and resources. Lend your hand, ear and heart. Entwine your endeavors.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is an 8 — Practice your moves. You’re growing physically stronger over the next month, with the Taurus Sun. Put your heart into your work and it flourishes.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is an 8 — Creativity abounds. Love, beauty and inspiration recharge you. Romance flowers, with the Sun in Taurus for a month. Share your heart with someone special.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is an 8 — Invest time, energy and creativity into home and family this month. The Taurus Sun favors domestic harmony. Make upgrades for lasting value. Enjoy your nest.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)

— Today is an 8 — An intriguing story draws you in. Dig into a fascinating puzzle this month under the Taurus Sun. Edit carefully before publishing. Generate a buzz.

Created by Jacqueline E. Mathews

Arts & Entertainment

TOMORROW

Afreyed Knot Rocks

AJ McMurphys

1914 Turnbury Dr. 8 to 11 p.m. (252) 355-5795

Justin Howl Live

Christy’s Euro Pub 301 S. Jarvis St. 8 to 11 p.m. (252) 758-2774

Plant Swap

Pitt Street Brewing Company

630 S. Pitt St. 5 to 8 p.m. (252) 227-4151

SOTD to present Pride and Prejudice

The East Carolina University School of Theater and Dance (SOTD) is presenting Kate Hamill’s rendition of Pride and Prejudice from yesterday through Sunday.

Amanda Hudson, business services coordinator for ECU’s Playhouse series, said the play has showtimes at 7:30 p.m. yesterday through Saturday and 2 p.m. matinees available Saturday and Sunday. Hudson said tickets can be found online or at the ECU box office and there will be a livestream available for purchase for tomorrow and Sunday. Hudson said the decision to choose Pride and Prejudice for the spring play came from analyzing the talent within the university and public interest. Hudson said this rendition of Pride and Prejudice was written by prolific playwright Kate Hamill and is a re-telling of the Jane Austen classic.

“It’s got a lot more comedy. She’s (Kate Hamill) really known for her boldness and kind of breaking the rules a little bit and making fun of the manners and relationships that were during this time,” Hudson said. “It’s not your grandmother’s Jane Austen.”

The play is classic in its title and its themes, Hudson said, but more humorous than other shows performed during the season. The play is going to be fun, Hudson said, but is also about love and relationships.

The productions in the SOTD are very student-driven, Hudson said. She said both the cast and technical crew have put a lot of work into this performance and hopes that all people within the community can see how a story can be reimagined.

“The performing arts is something we want to keep alive, especially here in eastern North Carolina and it’s something I hope that people will continue to support,” Hudson said.

Sophie Brotemarkle, junior theater arts major, said she will be playing the role of Mr. Bennet, the

patriarch of the Bennet household, of which the plays drama is centered around. Mr. Bennet has four daughters, his favorite being the lead role, Elizabeth Bennet, who is the play’s protagonist.

Brotemarkle said when she received a callback for the audition, she was asked if she would be comfortable playing a male-idenetifying character. She said yes, and read Mr. Bennet’s part. Brotemarkle said the playwright Kate Hamill notes if one is playing the opposite gender, to play at the character’s attributes. Brotemarkle said she can relate to many of Mr. Bennet’s sarcastic, whitty, but supportive attributes.

“I’m thinking about his attributes, many of which I see in myself and it’s just a matter of bringing them to life every night in rehearsal.” Brotemarkle said.

This is the first SOTD production for Brotemarkle, she said, and first time playing a male-identifying character. She said the experience has made her more open to playing opposite gender roles now more than ever.

There is a lot of physical humor and farce elements within the play, Brotemarkle said, making the bond between cast members very comedic and light-hearted. Love was very much on display during that time period, Brotemarkle said. She said what’s great about Pride and Prejudice, is the male roles were written by a woman, so there is positive character development emphasizing true, authentic, and healthy love between all of the characters.

“Something I hope people takeaway is that you truly can’t assume anything about anyone,” Brotemarkle said, “that it’s okay to be wrong.That it’s okay to have misconceptions. And alsoto have fun. To have fun with yourself, have fun with life, not take yourself too seriously because life’s too short for that.”

Bobby Moreno, theater arts major, who goes by he/they pronouns, said they will be playing the role of Mr. Cullens, a clergyman during the regency period in England. Moreno said the character comes from a sheltered, scholarly back-

SOM to recognize Opera History with Theater Scenes show

Candaisha Johnson FOR THE EAST CAROLINIAN

The East Carolina University Opera Theater of the School of Music (SOM) will be presenting the ECU Theater Opera Scenes free to the public on Friday at 4 p.m. and Saturday at 7 p.m at AJ Fletcher Recital Hall featuring multiple familiar operatic classical pieces.

Nathan Jasper, senior double major in composition and vocal performance, said the scenes are composed of pieces in opera history by various composers such as Giuseppe Verdi, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Gioachino Rossini. He said the opera scenes are meant to be a broad representation of the different styles of opera.

“The first proper scene we have is actually the scene that I am in from the Magic Flute. The next scene is taken from Don Giovanni. All of the first scenes that we see are taken from Mozart,” Jasper said.

During the performances, Jasper said he believes there are about nine scenes that are all pulled from different operas. He said as for the audience, he hopes they enjoy themselves, walk out with a smile and feel involved after each of the performances.

Jasper said he hopes the performances will open the eyes of the audience and show that opera isn’t rigid and can be flexible. He said he wants people to know that opera can come from a lot of different people and places. He said in one of the scenes, “The Moon in My Window,” there’s a lot

of jazz and blues elements that aren’t regularly associated with opera, but it’s still on the program. “I believe that it’ll (the opera scenes) actually show people that opera isn’t just Mozart and Verdi. It can come from a lot of people and places,” Jasper said.

Jenna Isley, junior vocal performance major, said opera is important because it’s the forefront of cultural theater. She said opera extends from the 16th century to present time. We wouldn’t have music artists, such as Adele or Brittany Spears, without opera since that’s where it all started, she said.

Isely said the performance is all about opera culture and embracing the different arts because it can have therapeutic and educational purposes. She said she wants to grow in the aspects of thinking she is not good enough to perform and in the future, be able to say she sang and performed amazingly.

“Everybody just needs to come, rather they come to the friday afternoon show or the saturday night show, it’s going to be awesome. Lots of great singing, lots of talent on the show, lots of really cool fun costumes, like mine,” Isley said.

Anna Perrin, senior vocal performance major said opera is somewhat an outdated artform that

ground in the church. They said this makes Mr. Cullens very disconnected from the aristocratic norms in that time period.

One of the most difficult parts of the play, Moreno said, has been studying the roles and expectations of people during the regency period. They said status and wealth played a big role in how you were meant to act during that time period. Moreno said the great part about this rendition of Pride and Prejudice, is that it’s being told through more of a modern lens.

“There are a lot of moments where you can kind of take a look at the events that are happening and some of the emotions that are being expressed, and you kind of see how a lot of those attitudes that seem pretty foreign and old to us, have kind of stuck around in ways that are not expected,” Moreno said.

A big motif in this retelling is shame, and how shame shapes interactions with others, Moreno said. They said in this story, there are very rigid societal structures. There was a need to confirm your role in society during that time period, Moreno said, whether that was getting married, having a family, or establishing wealth.

The style of acting in this play is what will set this show apart from other productions, Moreno said. They said it is going to be a very different and interesting experience in comparison to other shows and musicals done this year. Moreno said they hope that people will take away what truly defines a person.

“I hope that people takeaway a person’s background and family origin and everything like that aren’t what defines them. It’s what makes you, you, and the choices that you make that really show who you are as a person,” Moreno said.

This writer can be contacted at arts@theeastcarolinian.com.

people aren’t really aware of. She said keeping opera relevant within the SOM will allow other people who aren’t familiar with the genre of music to experience what an opera show is like and witness an artform that is rarely performed in Greenville, NC.

Perrin said her biggest challenge has been putting herself in the mindset of her character she is performing as. She said as for the audience, she hopes they’ll be able to understand that opera is something they can go and enjoy.

“I really hope they (the audience) love it as much as we do. I think we really put so much work into it. It’s really just this amazing art form that we love that a lot of people don’t know about,” Perrin said.

All students, faculty and other Greenville residence are welcome and encouraged to attend the shows on Friday or Saturday to expand their knowledge of opera.

Alayna Boyer FOR THE EAST CAROLINIAN

CONTRIBUTED BY BOBBY MORENO

East Carolina University’s School of Theater and Dance students stand in place as their fellow cast member stands in the center while rehearsing a scene.

HALIE MILLER I THE EAST CAROLINIAN

Many aspects of opera’s history will be highlighted in the theater scenes.

Bobby Moreno

Thursday, 04.20.23 A6 Sports

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The East Carolinian Sports experts predict this week’s events

Brendan Cavazos

Sports Editor

ECU baseball vs Wichita State Score Prediction?

ECU 3-0

Why? The Pirates will assert their dominance in the American Athletic Conference by a series sweep against an AAC opponent. While Wichita State may be dangerous, ECU will be prepared for the worst.

Chris Long Sports Chief

ECU baseball vs Wichita State Score Prediction?

ECU 2-1

Why? While I have no doubts that the Pirates can do magic in continuing to sweep the American, I have a feeling that the nation’s 7thranked team won’t escape an away series unscathed. Keep an eye on the Saturday game in Wichita. Despite my reservations, if the bats continue to heat up, the Pirates are unstoppable.

Markayla McInnis News Editor

ECU baseball vs Wichita State Score Prediction?

Why? Going in to face another AAC opponent after an undefeated week and a half, I believe the Pirates are going to be riding high and looking to keep up that streak going into NC State next week on a high note. Although they will take the series, I don’t think they’ll be able to sweep #3 in the conference.

East Carolina University women’s basketball team (23-10, 11-5 American Athletic Conference) made it to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) on March 18 but lost 79-40 to the University of Texas at Austin (26-10, 14-4 Big 12 Conference).

This was the first since 2007 the Pirates made it to the tournament and only the third time in program history.

ECU senior guard Micah Dennis played a big part in the team’s success this season and is often overlooked by the media because of other outstanding teammates although in her first year as a Pirate, Dennis was third on the team in minutes per game with 27.1, a team high of 90 total assists and the highest three-point percentage of 27.3%.

The women’s basketball team’s Instagram page released an official statement on March 24 from Dennis saying she was staying at ECU for the upcoming 2023-2024 season.

Dennis has only been at East Carolina for a year, but wrote in the statement

she feels welcomed and hopes to bring another championship to Greenville. Dennis said the statement captured everything she wanted to convey.

“Just grateful for what I have right now, the girls that I have, the coaching staff that I have, support system just around me,” Dennis said. “Just grateful for everybody being included in my life. I feel like that (Instagram post) kinda just took all the words right out my mouth.”

Alongside Dennis, senior guard Danae McNeal was a close second in three-point shots with a season percentage of 27.1%. The second best number of assists was 67 total from junior guard Synia Johnson.

Dennis said winning the conference tournament was a part of her decision to stay because of how successful the season was. She said the celebration was short lived for her as she focused on what was next for the team as she knew others would look to them as a threat.

“Definitely exceeded my expectation, it was a good way to end it,” Dennis said. “There’s so much potential in this team and obviously the people we have coming back in, it’s great.”

Despite the ups and downs that occurred during the season, Dennis’

favorite moment was following the last win of the American tournament against the University of Houston (1516, 10-5 AAC) for the AAC Championship title.

With only one game played in the NCAA tournament Dennis said the team would want to advance further in their next appearance. In the final game of the season for ECU, Dennis scored nine points, grabbed two rebounds and went 5-6 in free throws.

“I think that was one of the biggest things ending our season, was now okay well we gotta mature now cause obviously freshmen aren’t freshmen next season.” Dennis said. “It’s like people kinda have to step up a little bit more. I’m excited and I think we can take that on pretty hard.”

The team gave the conference a run for their money after winning the championship after being picked last in the preseason polls by coaches. With the conference switching up for the 2023-2024 season, Dennis said the team is hitting off-season training hard because they don’t know what to expect next season.

Softball looks to series at Wichita State

Nick Bailey TEC STAFF

East Carolina University’s softball team (25-20, 3-9 American Athletic Conference) will take on Wichita State University (36-8, 10-2 AAC) in a conference weekend series at Wilkins Stadium in Wichita, Kansas, starting tomorrow to Sunday.

Before facing the Shockers, the Pirates faced North Carolina Central University (13-25, 11-2 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) on Wednesday for ECU’s Club Sports Day.

The Pirates will be looking for their first inner conference weekend series sweep of the season, as they have yet to do so since conference play began on March 24. The softball team is also playing their second-to-last AAC conference weekend series of the season.

ECU has already surpassed their amount of conference wins from last season, as they went a subpar 2-16 last season in AAC play but have gained three conference wins this season.

The Shockers, who are now the top seed in the AAC, might provide a difficult opponent this weekend. They have four more conference victories than their nearest competitor, the University of South Florida (27-18, 6-3 AAC), and nine more overall victories on the season. Wichita State is also ranked No. 23 in the country right now.

In their most recent weekend series, ECU defeated the University of Memphis (8-34, 2-10 AAC) 2-1 at Max R. Joyner Family Stadium. They won the first two games by scores of 4-2 before falling to the Tigers 6-3 in the series final game.

Wichita State was previously on a 12 game winning streak until they ran into the University of Houston (19-21, 6-3 AAC) in the final game of their weekend series. The Cougars pulled away with a win scoring four runs and keeping the Shockers scoreless for just the third time this season. ECU has a losing record all-time versus Wichita State, with the Shockers

winning 10 of the 13 overall meetings. Their first meeting was in April 2018, and the Pirates lost 1-5.

When both of these teams met last season, the Shockers pulled out their brooms to sweep the Pirates on their home field. Wichita State scored an extensive amount of runs in the first game of the series, winning by a score of 24-1. The Shockers then went on to win the next two games by scores of 4-6 and 1-8.

Wichita State is on a four-game winning run against the Pirates and has won seven of the last eight meetings, with ECU winning their last game against them in March 2021. Fortunately for the Pirates, they have won two games on the road against the Shockers, compared to just one at home.

The Shockers have scored 106 runs against the Pirates in their four years of play, compared to their 36. When the teams meet, Wichita State averages 8.15 runs per game, while ECU averages 2.77.

Following this weekend’s series, the ECU softball team will return to North Carolina but will make a pit stop in Raleigh to take on North Carolina State University (16-28, 6-12 Atlantic Coast Conference) in a series that begins with a double header next Saturday and concludes next Sunday.

This writer can be contacted at sports@theeastcarolinian.com. This writer can be contacted at sports@theeastcarolinian.com.

ECU 2-1

Why Dennis will return to ECU

JAYLIN ROBERTS I THE EAST CAROLINIAN

East Carolina Univerisity women’s basketball senior guard Micah Dennis dribbles past the defender from the University of Cininatti.

Micah Dennis

Men’s basketball sees transfer portal action

East Carolina University has been an active member in the transfer portal and recruitment ahead of the 2023-2024 collegiate seasons.

The transfer portal is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tool and database to manage and facilitate the process for student athletes seeking to transfer between member institutions. The transfer portal permits student athletes to enter their name into the database which declares their desire to transfer.

Once an athlete’s name is entered in the portal, coaches and staff from other schools are permitted to contact the athlete with interest in visiting the campus or offering a scholarship. The transfer portal was created with the intent to bring greater transparency to the transfer process and enable student athletes to publicize their desire to transfer.

Students today transfer for different reasons than in years past. Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) is one of the biggest strides in college athletics, enabling student athletes to make money while under scholarship. NIL has changed the landscape of college athletics and has made the transfer portal a more utilized resource. With that, there are many faces in and out of ECU. Here’s who is coming and who is going for the Pirates in 2023.

Who’s out:

Forward Elijah Jones

(Going to the University of Texas at El Paso)

Guard Wynston Tabb (Going to Morgan State University)

Guard Saxby Sunderland (Going to Longwood University)

Guard Javon Small (Undecided)

Jones entered the transfer portal midseason after failing to find a role within the rotation. Jones averaged 14.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game with Mount Zion Preparatory Academy during the 20212022 season before his time with the Pirates. Similarly, Tabbs and Sunderland entered the transfer portal after failing to find a role.

Tabbs played in 13 games throughout the season, starting one, and averaged three points and a rebound on 11 minutes per game played. Tabbs joined the Pirates after transferring from Boston College in 2021. Sunderland played in 11 games for the Pirates and only

started in one. Throughout the season, he averaged half a point, assist, and rebound on four minutes per game.

Small is moving on for different reasons. Coming off an 18 game season averaging 15.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game on 39.7% from the field, Small will be seeking opportunity under brighter lights, similar to guard Tristan Newton who transferred to the University of Connecticut (UConn) following the 2021-2022 season. Newton became a national champion in 2023 with UConn.

Who’s in:

Point Guard Bobby Pettiford

(From the University of Kansas)

Pettiford was a three star recruit coming out of high school and was top 100 in his class. The Durham, North Carolina native is a 6 ‘1 point guard that spent his first

two seasons of eligibility under Head Coach Bill Self.

During the 2022-23 season, Pettiford played a key role in Kansas’ guard rotation, competing in 32 games and shooting 53% from the field as the Jayhawks won the Big 12 regular season title. Pettiford was also a key contributor to Kansas’ 2021 title run, where the No. 1 Jayhawks defeated the No. 8 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in a 72-69 contest.

Pettiford had an unofficial visit to ECU out of highschool in 2020, but later signed a letter of intent to Louisville before de-committing and signing with Kansas after the Jayhawks offered him a scholarship.

The guard enters the program in a different era then the one he visited three years prior. ECU’s head coach Mike Schwartz enters year two with Pettiford as a key transfer portal signing.

This writer can be contacted at sports@theeastcarolinian.com.

Chris

COURTESY OF ECUPIRATES

Former East Carolina University freshman guard Javon Small dribbles by the defender from the University of Memphis.