Pirate Preview 2023

STAFF LIST

Kiarra Crayton Interim Editor-in-Chief

Eli Baine

News Editor

Nicklaus Bailey Sports Editor

Nia Cruz Creative Director

Sheridan Lycett Designer

Cherie Speller Director of Student Media

Annah Howell Production Advisor

Tim Davis Advertising & Marketing Advisor

Candy Griffin Administrative Associate

Ryder Barrett Advertising Associate

Serving ECU since 1925, The East Carolinian is an independent, student-run publication distributed Thursdays during the academic year and Wednesdays during the summer. The opinions expressed herein are those of the student writers, columnists and editors and do not necessarily reflect those of the faculty, staff or administration at East Carolina University or the Student Media Board. Columns and reviews are the opinions of the writers; “Our View” is the opinion of The East Carolinian Board of Opinions.

As a designated public forum for East Carolina University, The East Carolinian welcomes letters to the editor limited to 250 words. Letters may be rejected or edited for libelous content, decency and brevity. All letters must be signed and include a telephone number.

One copy of The East Carolinian is free. Each additional copy is $1. Unauthorized removal of additional copies from a distribution site constitutes theft under North Carolina law. Violators will mbe prosecuted.

Contact Info

The East Carolinian Mendenhall, G51, Greenville, NC, 27858-4353

Email: editor@theeastcarolinian.com

Newsroom: (252) 328-9238

Ads: (252) 328-9245

Fax: (252) 328-9143

Pirate Preview is produced by the staff of The East Carolinian and Creative Quarters, both of which fall under Pirate Media 1, ECU’s Student Media Organization.

The East Carolinian has been the East Carolina University campus news source since 1925 and will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2025. The entirely studentrun news organization offers a weekly paper during the fall and spring semesters as well as year-round online coverage of important events in the Greenville, North Carolina, area.

Creative Quarters was established in the fall of 2019 to bring the visual art efforts of Pirate Media 1 into one collective staff. Consisting of student designers and photographers, the Creative Quarters team creates high-impact visuals for Pirate

AboutPirate Media 1

Media 1’s magazines, newspapers and promotional materials.

As ECU’s Student Media Organization, Pirate Media 1 engages students in reallife, hands-on practical training in a learning laboratory while providing news, information, entertainment and literary expression to the campus community. Located on campus in Mendenhall, its student-led divisions —print, radio, design and visual arts and advertising and marketing — prepare staff members to compete and succeed in the global

economy. Pirate Media 1 provides students with experience in reporting, writing, editing, graphic design, production, management, photography, videography, radio programming, sales, marketing, social media and web production. It also prepares students for any career choice through the development of skills in areas such as communication, teamwork, time management, problem-solving and conflict resolution.

For more information, call 252-3289238 or email piratemedia1@ecu.edu.

As ECU’s Student Media Organization, Pirate Media 1 engages students in reallife, hands-on practical training.„

“

Former Managing Editor Jala Davis, Editor-in-Chief Emily Peek and Sports Chief Chris Long share the Print Division's best of show awards.

Dorm do's and don'ts

What to bring when moving into the residence halls

Necessities

Linens for an 80-inch mattress, including pillow and blanket

Towels and toiletries

Reusable cups or mugs and/or plates

Shower Shoes

Laundry basket or bag

High efficiency laundry detergent

School supplies

Optional

Snacks

Bicycle with lock

Coffee/beverage maker

Box or oscillating fan

Can opener

Command strips or removable tape

Iron

First aid kit

Electronic devices (television, laptop)

Fish tank (fresh water, 10 gallon max, one per room)

Chargers for devices

Clothes hangers

Varied weather clothing options (including rain gear)

Cleaning supplies

Safety-fused power strip or surge protector (dependent on building)

Not Allowed

Candles, candle warmers/wax melts, torch-style lighters or propane torches • Electric/kerosene heaters and/or air conditioners • Weights • Dartboards • Mattresses, waterbed • Oil lamps • Contact paper, wallpaper and non-removable stickers or “glow-in-the-dark" stars/stickers, self-adhering rope lights • Electric fry pan or deep fat or air fryers • Instant Pot or pressure cookers • Pets (except freshwater fish) • Incandescent light bulbs or torch-style halogen lamps or lava lamps • Cinder blocks and bricks • Weapons (including ammunition) and/or toy guns or weapons (water guns, nerf guns, cap guns, gel-shooter guns) • Extension cords • Hookahs, water pipes, illegal drugs or drug paraphernalia • Non-approved bed lofts and canopy-style bed frames • Refrigerators and microwaves (Campus Living will provide one per room) • Hot plates and any heating unit with exposed heating element (ex: toaster, toaster oven) • Ceiling fan • Lighter fluid exceeding quantity of one pint • Television mounts and/or other wall fixtures, nails, light dimmers

*E-cigarettes, cigars, and cigarettes may be possessed in the residence halls, but not used. Campus and residence hall policies require these to be used outside at least 100 feet from all campus buildings.

A sneak peak into ECU’s student orgs

East Carolina University offers a multitude of organizations and clubs for students to join, enhancing students’ involvement and engagement on campus. Below is a sneak peak into a few of ECU’s offered clubs, organizations and resources.

Information for all of the clubs and Greek Life organizations offered by ECU can be found on The Pirate Experience website, formerly known as Engage.

A Moment of Magic at East Carolina University

According to the Engage website, A Moment of Magic at ECU is a non-profit organization that allows college aged students to volunteer and dress up as storybook, movie, television and other characters. These volunteers produce different types of programs for children who are struggling mentally or socially.

Contact: amomentofmagicecu@gmail.com / (919) 215-3704

Beast Philanthropy Service Society

Beast Philanthropy is partnering with ECU to increase the positive impacts and awareness on food deserts, according to the Engage website. The group will meet once every two weeks to talk about upcoming events and to look at problems that could be relieved within the Eastern North Carolina community.

Contact: ECUBPSS@gmail.com / (252) 227-0189

Black Student Union

The Black Student Union, according to the Engage website is an organization that encourages union between all students while highlighting and engaging in black success. The club meets every Wednesday at 5:30 and participates in various events, community service and other programs that celebrate African American culture.

Contact: Bsu@ecu.edu

Body Positive Pirates

The Body Positive Pirates club that meets monthly, which is open to all ECU students, enhances a safe campus community and “redefines” beauty on campus, according to the Engage website.

Contact: bodypositivepirates@gmail.com

Dr. Jesse R. Peel LGBTQ Center

According to the Engage website, the Dr. Jesse R. Peel LGBTQ Center works to serve all parts of the ECU community. The center focuses on the support of all Pirates current and alumni of all gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation. The Peel center “offers a safe and welcoming environment” by promoting visibility, acceptance and understanding of the LGBTQ community with educational programs and other advocacy services.

Contact: lgbt@ecu.edu

ECU Ambassadors

The ECU Ambassadors club uses leadership, devotion and passion to serve and represent every past and present member of the ECU and Greenville community, according to the Engage website.

Contact: ecuambassadors@ecu.edu

ECU Magnolia Belles

The Magnolia Belles are a student-led music organization for ECU women to create music with their voices. According to the Engage website the a capella group meets to rehearse twice a week and they perform a variety of different music at many events throughout the year. The

goal of the organization is to empower women who are not only in their group but any women in the ECU community.

Contact: magnoliabelles@ecu.edu

ECU Rock Painting Club

According to the Engage website the ECU Rock Painting club is a club that’s main goal is to create a community through positivity and creativity. The club’s events don’t just include rock painting but include topics like campus engagement and beautification.

Contact: rockpaintingclub@gmail.com

G.O.L.D. Leader Series

According to the Engage website, the G.O.L.D. Leader Series is a program that promotes leadership and service amongst the leaders of student organizations on campus. Students are allowed to create their own ways of leading and must choose from a provided list of activities to attend in which they can earn credit. As a result, students have the opportunity to earn a leadership certificate and a chord for graduation.

Contact: studentorganizations@ecu.edu

JAYLIN ROBERTS I THE EAST CAROLINIAN

Director Mark Rasdorf speaks to students at the Dr. Jesse R. Peel LGBTQ Center during 2022's summer orientation.

Abbie Clavijo TEC STAFF

How students can benefit from academic advisors

Kiarra Crayton TEC STAFF

East Carolina University’s academic advisors are there for students to take advantage of, for academic help and are important for students to utilize throughout their time at the university.

Katie Butler, an ECU academic advisor for the College of Business, said the academic advisors at ECU will work with their students on achieving the students academic goals for the semester and help the student graduate on time. Butler said it’s sometimes easier for an advisor to help set and reach students' goals if they know them personally.

Butler said advisors are assigned to students once their major is established and based on the major, an advisor will contact them sometime around orientation if they haven’t reached out already.

“I think the one message that I really try and drive home to our students is to really establish that relationship with your advisor early,” Butler said. “I see a lot of success in the students that I have gotten to know over the years that make meeting with me at least once a semester a priority because I am really able to get to know what makes that student tick and what their passions are.”

Butler said she has around 500 students this semester. It would be beneficial to make the most out of the meetings with one’s advisor, Butler said, especially during peak times like class registration when many become busy and less available due to the other students.

ECU academic advisor for the College of Health and Human Performance Sharon McNair said if students have a question about anything university related, advisors can help guide them in the direction of the best answer. McNair said advisors may be trying to find the best person to provide a student with the most accurate information.

“It may feel like to advisees that we’re pushing them off to someone else,” McNair said. “We don’t have access to their financial aid information so we can't answer that question, so we have to send them to financial aid.”

McNair said she noticed there has been a generational shift in how much students rely on academic advisors. She said over her nine years of being an advisor, more and more students email her for validation rather than asking genuine questions. For example, McNair said a student met with her about classes, the student registered and still needed to follow-up with her despite already confirming those were the correct classes.

Students might be able to find answers to questions by looking at the ECU website. As a freshman, the Pirate Introduction to ECU Registration (PIER) website is a good starting point as it has information about registration, orientation, major exploration and other tools relevant to first years.

It typically takes advisors one to two business days to answer emails, McNair said. If it is an urgent but basic

question, she said it might be more beneficial to look online or on Degree Works for the answer.

“We have to take time to look through your situation,” McNair said. “I have 350 plus students, every student is completely different so to optimize the advisor, advisee experience communication is really key.”

McNair said the biggest difference from an academic advisor in college compared to a high school guidance counselor is that advisors give you more freedom in the choices a student wants to make regarding their schedule.

College advisors will give students more options so they can choose what classes they may want to take specific to their major and interests and guide students through the process rather than the hand holding highschool students are used to McNair said..

“I think that’s the hugest shift too, is coming from highschool where decisions are made for them to coming to college where I’m saying, ‘I am not making a decision for you,’” McNair said. “‘I am going to help you guide your thinking process through making a decision for yourself.’”

The best way to contact your advisor is to email them, McNair said. She said a student's banner identification number and name should be included in the email, as well as specific details regarding their question.

For example, McNair said if a student is having registration issues, they should include the error code, the class day, class time, the professor’s name and section number in their email. She said information like this will help speed the communication process along because it gives a student’s advisor everything they need to help them in the initial email.

“That type of communication is what makes an advisor-advisee communication best,” McNair said. “It becomes a back and forth, where I can answer it in one day, if you give me all the information, now it takes a week because I’m going back and forth.”

Another way to reach out to advisors is through Pirate Port. A simple step like clicking, “Schedule an Appointment” would take a student to the advisor’s open appointments for that week and other future openings. Advisors can meet on the phone, in-person, or through video.

Most advisor’s offices are located in the Old Cafeteria Complex located at 630 Faculty Way on main campus, with the exception that a student’s specific college has a separate office.

What advisors can do for you Setting up course schedules Answer questions about your major Helping you stay on track for graduation

Mental check-ins

Add or drop you from a class Guide you in the right direction Keep you updated with important reminders

Katie Butler

I think the one message that I really try and drive home to our students is to really establish that relationship with your advisor early.

-Katie Butler

Academic Calendar 23-24 23-24

Fall Semester

August 18: Faculty Convocation at 9 a.m.; Faculty Meetings, advising, registration and schedule adjustments

August 21: Classes begin; schedule adjustments.

August 25: Last day for registration and schedule adjustments, (drop / add) by 5 p.m.

September 1: Census Day (Official enrollment count taken at 5 p.m.)

September 4: State Holiday (no classes)

October 7-10: Fall Break -- Classes resume at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11.

October 23-27: Advising for Spring Semester 2024

October 30: Last day for undergraduate and graduate students to withdraw from term-length courses or withdraw from school without grades, by 5 p.m.; block courses may be dropped only during the first 60% of their regularly scheduled class meetings

November 3: Early registration for special populations begins at 1 p.m.

November 6: Registration for Spring Semester 2024 begins.

November 21: Survey of Student Opinion of Instruction (SSOI) becomes available. Last day for undergraduate students to submit work for removal of incompletes given during Spring or Summer Sessions 2023

November 22-26: Thanksgiving Break -- Classes resume at 8 a.m. Monday, Nov. 27.

December 4: Last day for graduate students to submit work for removal of incompletes given during Fall Semester; Classes end; last day for Survey of Student Opinion of Instruction (SSOI); last day for submission of grade replacement requests.

December 5: Reading Day

December 6: Final Examinations begin.

December 13: Exams for Fall Semester end.

December 15: Commencement; Grades due at 4:30 p.m.

01 04

Spring Semester

January 5: Advising, registration and schedule adjustments

January 8: Classes begin; schedule adjustments.

January 12: Last day for registration and schedule adjustments, (drop / add) by 5 p.m.

January 15: State Holiday (no classes)

January 22: Census Day (Official enrollment count taken at 5 p.m.)

April 10: Survey of Student Opinion of Instruction (SSOI) becomes available.

April 11: Last day for undergraduate students to submit work for removal of incompletes given during Fall 2023.

April 23: Last day for graduate students to submit work for removal of incompletes given during Spring Semester. Holiday makeup day; classes which would have met on Friday, March 29 will meet on this day so there will be effectively the same number of Fridays and Tuesdays as every other weekday during the semester. Tuesday classes will not meet.

April 24: Reading Day

April 25: Final Examinations begin.

03 05

March 3-10: Spring Break -- Classes resume at 8 a.m. Monday, March 11.

March 11-15: Advising for Summer Sessions and Fall Semester 2024

March 21: Last day for undergraduate and graduate students to withdraw from term-length courses or withdraw from school without grades, by 5 p.m.; block courses may be dropped only during the first 60% of their regularly scheduled class meetings.

March 22: Early registration for special populations begins at 1 p.m.

March 25: Registration for Summer Sessions and Fall Semester 2024 begins.

March 29-30: State Holiday (no classes)

May 2: Exams for Spring Semester end.

May 3: Commencement

May 6: Grades due at 8 a.m.

ECU traditions from past to present

Rachana Charla TEC STAFF

From as early as the East Carolina Teachers Training School in 1903, which transitioned into East Carolina University in 1967, ECU Pirates have continued to follow traditions, as well as establish new ones every year.

For ECU, traditions look like welcoming incoming Pirates through fall Convocation, dressing up for Halloween and taking to Uptown Greenville for Halloween Havoc, jumping into a freezing pool for the annual Polar Plunge, or singing along to popular artists on the campus mall during Barefoot on the Lawn.

Convocation

Convocation is a welcoming ceremony after the start of school for the university’s incoming class of students. Students hear from the current chancellor, vice chancellor of Student Affairs and Student Government Association president, according to the Office of Student Transitions website. The ECU Athletics Departments leads a pep rally, students sing the ECU fight song along with popular chants and cheers, and a class photo is taken by the Office

of Student Transitions.

Convocation fosters a sense of community, encourages student involvement and helps students feel like they belong, the website said, as well as celebrates new students’ entry into higher education and officially welcomes them to college.

Karen Smith, director of the Office of Student Transitions said the office is in charge of a lot of on campus events like convocation, commencement and orientation. Smith said convocation is a time to get all incoming students together and teach them about Pirate Nation.

“We do purple, gold, we do the fight song, we do the alma mater and we share a bunch of the names of the other events that they should know about, like Get a Clue, Barefoot on the Mall, Polar Plunge,” Smith said. “So I think that really helps create that sense of belonging that students are looking for when they come and help them to kind of find their place on campus.”

Halloween Havoc

For Halloween, ECU students dress up and celebrate

HALIE MILLER I THE EAST CAROLINIAN Students jumping into the pool at the Polar Bear Plunge 2023.

the holiday’s many traditions. Halloween Havoc and “Halloweek” include some of the week-long traditions ECU students participate in for a fun-filled celebration.

Halloween Havoc is hosted by ECU’s Student Activities Board as a safe alternative to going out and avoiding the crowds in Uptown Greenville. Halloween Havoc is a free event that offers students food, activities and music from a DJ.

“I do think that it really is important to offer a safe option for students. We know Halloween is a big tradition at ECU, so helping them to be able to celebrate that in a safe way, but still experience that tradition is really important.” Smith said.

McKenzie Dowdy, former ECU student, said Halloween Havoc was a lot of fun and it was cool to take pictures with all the people dressed up in costumes. She said the atmosphere was great and the student center was packed with people having a good time.

“Halloween is the best time on campus because everyone has fun with each other and it’s one day where everyone can just relax and interact with one another to have a blast! It was a really fun night!” Dowdy said.

Polar Plunge

Starting in 1996, Polar Plunge became a staple campus event to make the most of the cold January weather.

The event commemorates the day the Eakin Recreation Center opened and hosts Polar Plunge, Smith said. Hundreds of students line up outside the Eakin Student Recreation Center on main campus to jump into the freezing cold outdoor pool. Polar Plunge is a free event where students can get free T-shirts, food, certificates and have fun.

Kendall Norfleet, sophomore elementary education major, said participating in Polar Plunge was a great way to show her school spirit. She said she earned a registered time at the event and saw Chancellor Philip Rogers and SGA President Chandler Ward jump in the pool.

“So, I had to participate (in Polar Plunge) as a part of club sports, but the cool part about it was that we jumped the night we got the first snow in Greenville,” Norfleet said. “Like it was actually snowing when I jumped.”

Aurora Daivs, freshman public health major, said this was her first year participating in the Polar Plunge, and she was excited to experience the event for the first time. Davis said she and her friends planned to get there early so they can be one of the first groups to do the plunge.

“I was most looking forward to the shirt and deck of cards we would receive after the jump. I would absolutely do this again as I thought the whole experience was super fun and now something I could say I have done!” Davis said.

Barefoot on the Mall

On the last day of class for every spring semester since 1979, ECU has hosted Barefoot on the Mall, an event with booths from various student organization, outdoor activities like bungee jumping and inflatable bouncy houses, food trucks, free T-shirts, and of course, live music with well known artists of the time.

From the Beach Boys and Earth, Wind & Fire, to Jason Derulo, Future and most recently KCAMP, Barefoot on the Mall has brought big artists to Greenville and has helped to liven up finals week with a day for students to let loose.

Emily Shultz, associate director for freshman recruitment in University Admissions, said events like Barefoot on the Mall represent an active student life on ECU’s campus.

“Barefoot on the Mall is one (event) that we love to advertise in (university) admissions because it is so pretty and looks so cool. Having that happening today on campus on such a nice day, is such a cool way to show students, like this is what you could be doing as an ECU student. And it's free, which is really exciting,” Shultz said.

Emily Shultz

EAST CAROLINA

Sept. 2 at University of Michigan

Sept. 9 vs. Marshall University

Sept. 16 at Appalachian State University

Sept. 23 vs. Gardner-Webb University

Sept. 30 at Rice University

Oct. 12 vs. Southern Methodist University

Oct. 21 vs. UNC Charlotte

Oct. 28 at University of Texas

San Antonio

Nov. 4 vs. Tulane University

Nov. 11 at Florida Atlantic University

Nov. 18 at U.S. Naval Academy

Nov. 25 vs. University of Tulsa

Dec. 2

American Athletic Conference

Football Championship

FOOTBALL

CAROLINA FOOTBALL SCHEDULE 2023

As an incoming college student, dining options can feel especially limited. For those tired of the dining hall or eating at the same few options that are on campus, here are ten restaurants close to East Carolina University’s main campus to

Pirates Deli

810 East 10th St. | $

Pirates Deli is a New York Style Delicatessen located right across from the main campus. The menu gives students a wide variety of items to choose from such as breakfast sandwiches, burgers, salads, sandwiches and fresh squeezed juices. They also offer ready to go convenience items.

Hours of operation

Everyday: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Local, late night eats for students Local Eats

Angus Grill

201 South Jarvis St. | $

213 E. 5th St. | $

Known for its reputation in the Barstool Sports Best College Bar Competition, Sup Dogs is a casual American style restaurant that serves hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken and an array of appetizers. Alongside the American style dining, the restaurant provides a variety of alcoholic beverages, like

Serving a wide variety of custom style burgers alongside an array of other American classics, Angus Grill is the perfect place for food and fun. Located on the grid on South Jarvis St., Angus Grill is less than a five-minute drive from ECU’s main campus and is the closest location to campus.

Hours of operation

Everyday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Starlight Café and Farm

104 West 5th St. | $$

Hours of operation

10:30 to 2:30 a.m.

Tuesday-Wednesday:

Thursday-Saturday: 11 to 2:30 a.m.

In their quaint Uptown Greenville location, Starlight Café and Farm serves dishes with locally sourced ingredients from farms and fishermen in North Carolina. More on the pricy side of the dining options, Starlight Café and Farm aims to provide quality dishes for those who dine with them and is available for curbside or dine in services.

Hours of operation

Tuesday-Thursday: 5:30 to 9 p.m.

Friday and Saturday: 5:30 to 10p.m.

Sunday and Monday: Closed

HALIE MILLER I THE EAST CAROLINIAN

A grapefruit sup crush from Sup Dogs, located at 213 E. 5th St. in downtown Greenville, NC.

Late Night Eats

Insomnia Cookies

116 East 5th St. | $$

When in need for fixing a late-night sweet tooth, Insomnia Cookies is the place to be. Designed with late night cravings and college students in mind, Insomnia offers a variety of classic cookie flavors such as chocolate chunk, snickerdoodle, and sugar. They also have some unique flavors on their menu such as berries n’ cream, double mint chocolate chip, as well as vegan options.

Hours of operation

Everyday: 12 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Wings Over

1400 Charles Blvd. | $$

With a wide variety of flavors and combinations, Wings Over Greenville is the place to be when you have a late-night craving. Serving wings, tenders, sandwiches, wraps, salads and sides, Wings Over has something for everyone.

Hours of operation

Monday-Thursday: 4 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Friday: 4 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Saturday: 11 to 3 a.m.

Sunday: 12 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Jack Brown's Beer and Burger Joint

805 Dickinson Ave. | $$

If you’re in need of a burger, Jack Browns is the place to be. With a very simple menu of just burgers, sides, and alcoholic beverages, Jack Browns is a place for food, friends and fun.

Hours of operation

Sunday - Wednesday: 11 to 12 a.m.

Thursday - Saturday: 11 to 2 a.m.

The Blackened Kraken

123 East 5th St. | $$

If you’re looking for a vacation without actually traveling, visit The Blackened Kraken for a New Orleans style menu. Serving burgers, seafood, po boys and much more, there is surely something for you to indulge in. The Blackened Kraken also offers a brunch menu on the weekends.

Hours of operation

Monday-Thursday: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

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

Fall, winter athletes to keep an eye on

2022 season. In his two years as a Jayhawk, he has appeared in 46 games, including 32 during the 2022-23 season.

As the 2022-2023 athletic season begins to wind down for East Carolina University, there will be several key players to look for next year from several sports. These athletes have confirmed their return to Pirate athletics next year.

Football

Sophomore running back Marlon Gunn Jr. sits at the top of the watch list for ECU football (8-5, 4-4 American Athletic Conference). He played in 11 games this season behind sophomore running backs Keaton Mitchell and Rahjai Harris, proving to be a valuable asset to the team.

For his first season of collegiate football, he earned 344 yards on 68 rushing attempts.

In the fourth quarter against Old Dominion (3-9, 2-6 Sun Belt Conference) on Sept. 10, 2022, he played in his first minutes of college football and broke out for a 43-yard run.

Gunn set a career-high with 67 yards on only seven carries against the University of Tulane (12-2, 7-1 AAC) on Oct. 8. He had a 20-yard run in that game as well as two receptions for 12 yards. He also totaled 40 yards on five attempts against the University of Campbell (5-6, 2-3 Big South Conference) on Sept. 17, 2022.

Also on the offensive side of the ball, senior wide receiver Jaylen Johnson will be a name to look for next season as the Pirates prepare for a new quarterback to take over the reins as well as replacements for former wide receivers C.J. Johnson and Isaiah Winstead.

The 2022 season was Johnson’s first time with the Pirates. He played in 10 games with ECU after he previously played at the University of Georgia (15-0, 8-0 Southeastern Conference) from 2019-2021. Johnson finished this year with four touchdowns on 26 receptions for a total of 340 yards. His first career touchdown came against Campbell on Sept. 17, 2022, during ECU’s 49-10 victory.

On the defensive side, junior safety Teagan Wilk leads the watch list as he is set to start his fourth season with the Pirates. He played in 13 games this season and finished with 55 total tackles, ranking him second on the team in solo tackles with 36.

Wilk grabbed a career-high nine tackles against No. 13 North Carolina State University (8-5, 4-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) on Sept. 3, 2022. He then tied his career-high against Campbell. Both times he had five solo tackles to add to his total.

For the defensive line, sophomore lineman J.D.

Lampley will begin his second season with the Pirates after playing 10 games in his first season.

He finished this year with 11 total tackles, including six solo and five assisted tackles. He also recorded a fumble recovery against ODU. Lampley hit a career-high of five tackles against Campbell of five tackles in a single game. Against Tulane, he grabbed four tackles and a sack for a loss of four yards. Three of those tackles were solo.

Men’s Basketball

Sophomore point guard Bobby Pettiford Jr. from Durham, North Carolina, is a new addition to ECU basketball (16-17, 6-12 American Athletic Conference) coming from the transfer portal from The University of Kansas (28-8, 13-5 Big 12 Conference). He was the No. 5 player in North Carolina, following his senior high school season and committed to Kansas after being a four-star prospect, according to 247Sports.com.

Pettiford Jr. has championship experience, as he was a member of the Kansas squad that won it all in the 2021-

He finished the season with 71 points, 43 assists, and 38 rebounds, averaging 2.2 points and 1.8 assists per game. Pettiford Jr., who has averaged 53% from the field in his two college seasons, will be an efficient addition to second-year Head Coach Michael Schwartz's offense.

Freshman forward Ezra Ausar will return for his second year in Purple and Gold, playing a crucial role as the team's main big man. A previous unanimous American Athletic Conference (AAC) All-Freshman team member from Atlanta, Georgia, is expected to make a significant improvement in his sophomore season.

Ausar's minutes and production increased as he gained experience under Schwartz's coaching. He didn't play more than 24 minutes in a single game in his first twelve games of the season, and he didn't start until game eight. His scoring and rebounding output soared once he took over the starting center position. Ausar averaged 10 points and five rebounds per game during his rookie season. Those figures will climb when graduate student center Ludgy Debaut's slot on the team fills, and Ausar is expected to start all 32 games and flourish even more.

Ausar shined in ECU's biggest game of the season, the AAC tournament quarterfinals against The University of Houston (33-4, 17-1 AAC). He played all but one of the game's 40 minutes, scoring 18 points and a career-high 19 rebounds, 14 of which came on defense.

Brandon Johnson, the Pirates' sophomore forward, will enter his junior year after leading the team in rebounds and blocks per game as the team's starting power forward, starting every game this season.

Johnson has come a long way, from being named the 2019-20 Northern Athletic Conference 4A Player-ofthe-Year in high school to playing one year at Brunswick Community College; Johnson has now solidified himself as one of the main contributors on this Pirate squad.

His overall output from his freshman to sophomore season jumped tremendously, from averaging 4.7 points and 5.1 per game to now averaging 12.3 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.

Johnson’s ability to shoot the long ball will be important for ECU this upcoming season as they will be losing one of their best three-pointer shooters from this past season in sophomore guard Javon Small. Luckily, Johnson tied small for the best three-point shooting percentage on the team at 33% and was also second in three-pointers made this past season.

Nick Bailey

TEC STAFF

Brendan Cavazos

TEC STAFF

HALIE MILLER I THE EAST CAROLINIAN

Marlon Gunn Jr. was a running back during the 2022 season.

Women’s Basketball

For ECU women’s basketball, senior guard Danae McNeal was the offensive leader for the Pirates for the 2022-2023 season.

She led the team in scoring with 17.4 points per game and set a new career-high of 34 points against the University of Houston (15-16, 10-5 AAC) on Feb. 22. She broke her own previous career-high several times throughout the season. She also hit a mark of 30 points against the University of Cincinnati (9-21, 2-14 AAC) on Feb. 15.

McNeal started in all 33 games this season and led the team in minutes played with 31.7 per game. She joined ECU in 2021 after spending two years at the University of Clemson (19-16, 7-11 ACC). Her impact on the ECU Pirates team was heavily felt throughout the season.

Aside from being an offensive powerhouse, McNeal won AAC Player of the Week three times and AAC Honor Roll five times. She was also named First-Team All-Conference, AAC Defensive Player of the Year and AAC Most Improved Player.

Freshman forward Amiya Joyner held down the paint all season for the Pirates. She led the team in rebounds with 9.7 a game and added 10.5 points per game as well.

In her first year with the Pirates, she started in 23 games and played in 31 total. She had a total of 13 double-

doubles this season and averaged a double-double against conference opponents. Her presence earned her multiple awards throughout the season.

Joyner was named AAC Freshman of the Week eight times the 2022-2023 season and the conference named her to the AAC All-tournament team and AAC Third-Team All-Conference. She was also named AAC Freshman of the Year.

Junior guard Synia Johnson finished her third season with the Pirates this year, playing in all 33 games with 24 starts. During her time with ECU, she has played a total of 79 games.

Johnson shot a career-high of 16 points on two occasions against Houston on Feb. 22 and Tulane on March 7. In the AAC final against Houston, she scored 13 points and grabbed four steals with seven rebounds.

She was also locked in on the defensive end, stealing the ball several times this season and causing multiple turnovers. She recorded five steals against Virginia Commonwealth University (7-22, 4-12 Atlantic 10 Conference) on Dec. 4 and the University of Central Florida (14-15, 4-11 AAC) on Feb. 18. She nabbed four steals on several other occasions.

Freshman guard Jayla Herp hit several three-point jumpers this year and played valuable minutes for the team.

She played in 30 games with eight starts. Against High Point University (17-15, 13-5 Big South Conference), she scored 17 points and shot 5-6 from three. She added seven rebounds as well in that game. Herp also scored 18 points against North Carolina A&T (18-12, 12-6 Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference) on Dec. 19

COURTESY OF ECU PIRATES

Amiya Joyner was named AAC Freshman of the Year.

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

100 Years of ECU history LOOKING BACK AT THE FIRST

1901

Members of the City of Wilson traveled to Raleigh to petition for an Eastern North Carolina Normal College from the North Carolina General Assembly. Citizens wanted the school in Wilson, however, this request was denied because the general assembly did not want to take money away from the State Normal College.

Founding father of East Carolina University’s first incarnation, East Carolina Teachers Training School, Thomas Jordan Jarvis, established the original two year school

1907

After failed attempts from citizens of Wilson and later Elizabeth City to establish the school, State Senator James Leonidas Fleming urged the General Assembly to an act titled: "AN ACT TO STIMULATE HIGH SCHOOL INSTRUCTION IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF THE STATE AND TEACHER TRAINING.”

1908

Ground breaking ceremony is held for East Carolina Teachers Training School around midday on July 2. Governor Thomas J. Jarvis served as chair of the building committee. Other North Carolina legislatures attended as well.

Robert Herring Wright is named East Carolina Teachers Training School’s founding president and serves as the university’s longest sitting chancellor.

1909

1921

East Carolina Teachers Training School became the four-year liberal arts college East Carolina Teachers College. This change in name coincided with an expansion of curriculum and increased training of instructors.

Teco Echo, declared itself “the first newspaper published by the students of East Carolina Teachers College,” which was run by an all-female group and led by Editor-in-Chief Deanie Boone Haskett and Business Manager Frances Smith.

1925

Chloe Easton and George Martin TEC STAFF

1932

Teco Echo announced “East Carolina Teachers College’s First Football Squad.” The team’s first coach, C. Kenneth Beatty, did his job without compensation. The team, throughout their first season, would not be able to score a point.

1940

1951

Amid expansions of the university’s curriculum, the school’s name was changed to East Carolina College by the North Carolina General Assembly after it voted to make it a four-year college.

The Whichard Building, located on Wright Circle near the Trustees Fountain, opened as the original library at East Carolina.

WWWS Station Engineer Lawrence Behr works in the radio booth in 1958.

1958

East Carolina’s art and literary magazine, now known as REBEL, made its way off the press in 1958 and has been published continuously since, making it one of the oldest, most resilient publications on campus. After previously being prohibited by the Board of Trustees, social fraternities are established at East Carolina.

ECU became officially desegregated after the Supreme Court ruling on Brown v. Board of Education. Laura Marie Leary enrolled in the fall 1962 semester as the University’s first full-time Black undergraduate student.

1962

1963

1968

The compilation of Ficklen Stadium (later DowdyFicklen) where football games, graduation ceremonies, concerts, campus events and the 4th of July celebration took place.

North Carolina General Assembly approves legislation that revolutionized higher education by creating four new universities, one of which was East Carolina University.

1967

1971

The Austin Building on campus faces demolition due to students complaining of getting “sea sick” walking up its crooked building foundation. The original Cuploa is advocated to be saved and relocated, however, upon removal due to the unstable building structure it fell to shambles. Years later a gazebo-style replica made its way on the west end of the campus.

ECU’s first Black fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha is founded. This made ECU one of the only two predominantly white campuses in the south to have a Black fraternity. The initial Eta Nu chapter consisted of 10 members. By the 80s, Alpha Phi Alpha would lead on-campus protests against discrimination.

1973

Delta Sigma Theta’s Kappa Sigma chapter became the university’s first Black sorority. The sorority raised money for the JoAnne Little Defense Fund, worked with special needs adults and sought to increase voter registration.

1976

Accreditation for the ECU School of Medicine, later named Brody School of Medicine, was announced after dean Dr. William E. “Bill” Laupus pushed for a four-year medical program.

1975

Halloween is declared an official holiday celebration by students after the first ECU Halloween Riot took place in uptown with mass drinking crowds, car flips and police enforcement.

1979

1985

Expressions is born within another student publication, Ebony Herald, which ran from 1975-1984 as an alternative newspaper seeking to provide campus news, events and social developments related to the African American student body and minority groups at large.

“East Carolina Gay Community” founded on campus as its purpose was to “promote self-awareness and positive self-image among gays as well as to encourage understanding among all people of different sexual orientations.”

The organization, despite campus opposistion, went on to sponsor counseling services, campus speakers, and partipicapted in the Southeastern Conference of Lesbians and Gay Men at Chapel Hill.

1998

Joyner Library experiences the architectural expansion of the Sonic Plaza, its iconic clock tower, which included a Sonic Gates, Percussion Water Wall, Media Glockenspiel and Ground Cloud.

ECU SHS offers student health, wellness services

Markayla McInnis TEC STAFF

Students are encouraged to visit Student Health Services (SHS), an East Carolina University clinic that offers many services to the ECU community, for check-ups, pharmacy pick-ups, X-rays, ultrasounds and more.

Associate Director for Clinical Operations Ellen Goldberg said making appointments for SHS is easy and there are two ways to do it. She said calling the phone number (252) 328-6841 is easiest from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. everyday or by going in person to make one. Student also have the ability to make an appointment through their ECU Pirate Chart she said.

Goldberg said that while COVID-19 are not as high as they have been in the past, appointments for testing and vaccines are still available as the SHS is still responsible for tracking students that test positive. Goldberg said the SHS is still required to stay in contact with them until their isolation is complete. SHS offers the Johnson and Johnson and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.

“Students can still make an appointment if they need either their second (vaccine) to finish their initial series or if they’re due for a booster dose,” Goldberg said. “We are still doing some contact tracing and doing class release notes and things like that, monitoring of students that are sick with COVID(-19).”

As for the SHS over the summer, both locations will remain open Goldberg said. The only slight change for the summer is that there are no weekend hours offered like during the fall and spring semesters.

SHS Staff physician Leanna Thorn said there are seven full-time practitioners, multiple nurse practitioners and physician assistants at the Main Campus location. Services there include LGBTQ+ health, mental health care, nutrition, personal safety and sexual assault assistance, reproductive and sexual health care and triage care. General medicine, immunizations lab, a pharmacy and an allergy clinic are also included in the SHS services.

“We are a full-service clinic. Anyone who is an ECU student we serve,” Thorn said. “Our goal, of course, is to improve the health of ECU patients.”

Some of the more advanced services the SHS provides are X-rays. Thorn says inside the Main Student Center side of the main campus location there are machines that can do scans from as small as a toe, an ankle, and even chests in scenarios like pneumonia.

Thorn said there is also a radiology technician that comes in once a week to do ultrasounds for cases like pregnancy and gallstones, as well as breast, testicular and kidney ultrasounds.

ECU is part of the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) that the UNC Board of Governors approved and

implemented in all 16 four-year campuses in North Carolina. ECU requires health insurance for each student, so if students come to school without health insurance, SHIP is automatically added to tuition costs.

Non-ECU insurances accepted at SHS are Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Coventry, First Health Network, MEdCost, TRICARE East and UnitedHealthcare. Students are able to waive out of SHIP with proof of coverage through one of these providers.

“As far as providers go, we can see anything, there’s nothing that you shouldn’t walk in for,” Thorn said. “Nobody should be scared to come in, we do a lot.”

Jordan Cooper, senior exercise physiology major wrote that she has used SHS abut six to seven times throughout her three years at ECU for various reasons and all of her needs were met each time.

Cooper wrote that she would recommend their medical services there to anyone in need. Before going to the physical location, Cooper wrote that even their website and help over the phone was beneficial for her.

“I don't quite remember how I heard about SHS.

Most likely through word of mouth,” Cooper wrote. “I would use their website for information and would call for specific questions.”

Her thoughts on the medical staff there are “superb” and that they made her feel like they were interested in her and her needs Cooper wrote. She wrote that she felt like a person there not just a patient as they asked about her personally despite the reasons she was there.

While Cooper wrote that she would 10 out of 10 recommend going to the SHS as her needs were met with haste and kindness, Cooper also wrote that the front desk staff were not as nice as the other medical staff there.

“The front desk staff however were not that pleasant, just were not nice, didn't smile,” Cooper wrote. “They clearly did not want to be there and definitely did not want to be helping me.”

According to the SHS website, its mission is to provide accessible quality health care services to eligible members of the university community. The SHS has two clinics, one on ECU’s Main Campus and the other on the Health Sciences Campus located off of Fifth Street. Both campuses are open to all students.

HALIE MILLER I THE EAST CAROLINIAN Students can receive a variety of health services at ECU's main campus clinic and health sciences campus clinic.

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

Leanna Thorn

The rundown on the recreation centers

contact CRW directly.

The Eakin Student Recreation Center (ESRC) and Campus Recreation & Wellness (CRW) at Health Sciences Campuses (HSC) are some of the facilities provided by East Carolina University to stay active on campus during the upcoming semester.

Facilities

The ESRC, located on the main campus, has a variety of recreational activities, equipment and services. The ESRC has equipment rentals, locker rooms, an indoor and outdoor pool, weight and fitness areas and equipment, three fitness studios, racquetball courts, an indoor running track and a climbing wall. The facility also has basketball and volleyball courts.

The CRW facility, located on the HSC, is a two-floor facility that consists of a first floor with a multipurpose gym among different sized courts as well as a second floor with exercise equipment. The Well-Being Center offers meditation space as well as massage chairs.

Reservations and Classes

Both campuses also serve as venue spaces for individual classes. According to the CRW website, group classes are available for yoga and cycling amongst various other classes instructed both live and in-person. Groups are limited to 10-25 people.

To join classes, a student can download the ECU Campus Recreation and Wellness app and find the “Join Classes” tab or visit the ECU CRW website. There are a variety of times and classes that are all open and available. To become an instructor for one of these classes, one can

Students and members can make reservations for individual rooms on the ESRC website or via the app.

Guest Policy

Guests are welcome into the facilities with a member. Members are allowed to bring up to two guests with them at a coverage charge of $5 per day. Guests then have the same access to all equipment and facilities as members for that day.

Hours of Operation

ESRC

Monday - Thursday: 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Friday: 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Saturday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sunday: 1 p.m. to 11 p.m.

HSC

Monday - Friday: 5 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Saturday: 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Sunday: 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Chris Long TEC STAFF

JAYLYN GORE I THE EAST CAROLINIAN

Students enjoy a cycling class at ECU's recreation center.

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