FALL 2009ServireThe Magazine of the East Carolina Alumni Association

10 Years After the Flood

ALso inside Homecoming 2009

100 years of treasured traditions

MILITARY PRESENCEAbove, Lt. Gen. Gary North ’76 (right) is pictured with Lt. Col. Frank Zane ’93 atop the Air Force house, their working headquarters in the Victory Base Complex. Behind them is the Al Faw Palace, one of Saddam Hussein’s key palaces that is now their headquarters for MNFI in Iraq.

At bottom right, former ECU soccer player and 1LT Leslie McCann ’07 receives aerial support during combat logistics patrols in Iraq from a colleague in this AH64D Apache. McCann noted that this support “greatly contributed to the safety of her soldier and success of her mission.”

9 Homecoming 2009 It’s that time of year when alumni and friends return to Greenville and East Carolina University to celebrate Homecoming: 100 Years of Treasured Traditions

26 10 Years After the Flood The flood that occurred after Hurricane Floyd in 1999 was a natural disaster unlike anything ever witnessed in eastern North Carolina. Ten years after the flood, ECU administrators and alumni recall some of their most memorable experiences and how the University, community, and Pirates fans came together to heal.

46 A Pirate Remembers Dr. Jack Britt ’53, ’54, ’73 has made educating young people his life’s work.

4 Dear Pirate Nation

5 Pirate Connections

33 Legislative Matters

35 Advancement Update

40 News & Notes from Schools & Colleges

44 Career Corner

50 A Look Back

I N T h I S I S S u E. . .

Welcome to Servire, the magazine of the East Carolina Alumni AssociationServire, meaning To Serve, takes a closer look at the accomplishments of our alumni, bringing you engaging feature articles highlighting their success. Stay up-to-date on news from ECU’s colleges and schools, The Career Center, University Advancement, upcoming alumni events, and ways you can stay connected with your alma mater.

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d

ON tHE COvERAs the water continued to rise, helicopters were dispatched across eastern North Carolina to rescue residents during the flood of 1999. Hurricane Floyd left billions of dollars worth of damage up and down the East Coast of the United States, with Greenville being one of the hardest-hit areas.

pg. 46

pg. 26

4 | Fall 2009

PiRATe nATionThe mission of the

East Carolina Alumni Association is to inform, involve, and serve members

of the ECU family throughout their lifelong relationship with the University.

Paul J. CliffordPRESiDENt AND CEO

Kendra AlexanderDiRECtOR OF ALUMNi PROgRAMS

Monique BestACCOUNtiNg tECHNiCiAN

Stephanie BunnASSiStANt DiRECtOR

FOR ALUMNi PROgRAMS

Candi High ’97ACCOUNtANt

Betsy Rabon ’86ALUMNi CENtER COORDiNAtOR

Doug Smith ’00, ’07DiRECtOR OF ALUMNi

COMMUNiCAtiONS & MEMBERSHiP

Jennifer WatsonASSiStANt DiRECtOR FOR ALUMNi COMMUNiCAtiONS

Chris Williams ’01ASSiStANt DiRECtOR FOR

ALUMNi MEMBERSHiP

Servire magazine is published quarterly by the East Carolina Alumni Association, 901 East Fifth Street, Greenville, NC 27858. Publication dates may vary according to the University’s calendar, events, and scheduling.

TO CONTACT US OR COMMENT ON THIS MAGAZINE:

252-328-6072 | 800-ECU-GRADalumni@PirateAlumni.com

POSTMASTER: Send change of address to:

East Carolina Alumni Association901 East Fifth Street

Greenville, NC 27858

Servire is paid for with non-state funds.

As the spring semester came to a close, I decided to try to get to know members of our Greek community better and at the same time introduce them to the Alumni Association. I visited several chapter houses, as I thought I would really get a good picture of these students by visiting them in their homes. I asked several questions, but mostly listened to their answers. I asked them about misconceptions they encounter when they tell others that they are in a fraternity or sorority. They revealed that they are still fighting the Animal House (1978) stereotype. Ironically, none of them were born in 1978. In fact, most of them were born 10 years after the movie was released and yet they are subjected to that stereotype. I asked them what they want people to know about them. They talked about their overall GPA and the fact that it is substantially higher than the campus average. They are also proud of their service to the community—more than 12,000 hours in 2008. Many of them spoke about the money they raise to help others in the community. In 2008, they raised more than $41,000 for their philanthropic initiatives. Sure, they are social, but how many 18-22-year-olds aren’t? In fact, I would argue that the social aspect of our Greek system makes them stronger, more effective teams. Teams, or in this case Greek chapters, that care about each other perform on a high level. Our Greek chapters also produce leaders. One only needs to look at the volunteers associated with East Carolina University, from the Trustees to the Foundations, to find that many of them were active in the Greek community as students. Our Greeks perform in the classroom, volunteer in their community, and are philanthropic. Instead of subjecting them to stereotypes, perhaps we should get to know them and thank them for the high standards they regularly set and achieve. They live our University’s motto Servire and are true East Carolina Pirates! With Pirate Pride,

Paul J. CliffordPresident and CEOEast Carolina Alumni Association

A visit with the members of Alpha Delta Pi.

Raleigh, NCWednesday, September 307:30–9:00 a.m.The Irregardless Café & Catering

Charlotte, NC Thursday, October 87:30–9:00 a.m.Byron’s South End

sePT

30start your day with a networking BreakfastJoin ECU alumni and friends at a restaurant in your community to start the day off right. Networking Breakfasts are a great way to stay connected with your University and make the business and social connections that are so important in today’s economy. Networking Breakfasts are $5 for Alumni Association members and $10 for non-members.

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Ernest Logemann ’68, ChairWinston-Salem, NC

Carl Davis ’73, vice ChairRaleigh, NC

Justin Conrad ’96, treasurerGreensboro, NC

Yvonne Pearce ’82, SecretaryGreenville, NC

Sabrina Bengel, Past ChairNew Bern, NC

Paul J. Clifford, President and CEOGreenville, NC

Diane Davis Ashe ’83, ’85Celebration, FL

Lori Brantley ’02Charlotte, NC

William Burnette ’96Virginia Beach, VA

virgil Clark ’50 (emeritus)Greenville, NC

Rick Conaway ’68Chesapeake, VA

Jennifer Congleton ’79, ’81Greenville, NC

tarrick Cox ’96, ’07Greenville, NC

Adrian Cullin ’04Charlotte, NC

garry Dudley ’92Chesterfield, VA

Dave Englert ’75Norfolk, VA

Pat Lane ’67Chocowinity, NC

PiRATe ConneCTions

Charlie Martin, Jr. ’68Greenville, NC

Marian McLawhorn ’67, ’88, ’97Grifton, NC

Michael McShane ’66Alexandria, VA

Doug Morgan ’88South Riding, VA

Steve Morrisette ’69Richmond, VA

Brenda Myrick ’92Greenville, NC

Jim Newman, Jr. ’68, ’74Raleigh, NC

Harry Stubbs ’74, ’77Arlington, VA

Joanie tolley ’65Elon, NC

Linda Lynn tripp ’80, ’81Greenville, NC

Greensboro, NCThursday, November 127:30–9:00 a.m.Kress Terrace (Venue Only)

...continued on page 6

ALuMni AssoCiATion BoARd oF diReCToRs

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29Talk with university experts at deans on deckEast Carolina University is privileged to have many experts on our faculty and staff. Deans on Deck is a series offered by the Alumni Association to foster communication and knowledge sharing between the University’s deans and alumni and friends of our colleges and schools. Deans on Deck is the perfect opportunity for professional development, career networking, and to learn more about current events facing our University and the country.

Winston-Salem, NCWednesday, September 306:00–8:00 p.m.The Piedmont Club

Featured Deans: Dr. Rick Niswander, College of BusinessDr. Paul Cunningham, Brody School of Medicine

Cary, NCWednesday, October 76:00–8:00 p.m.Bistro 64

Featured Deans: Dr. Jeffery Elwell, College of Fine Arts and CommunicationDr. Linda Patriarca, College of Education

New Bern, NCThursday, October 296:00–8:00 p.m. The Chelsea

Featured Deans: Dr. Alan White, Thomas Harriot College of Arts and SciencesDr. David White, College of Technology and Computer Science

6 | Fall 2009

PiRATe ConneCTions

Charlotte, NCWednesday, November 116:00–8:00 p.m.Upstream Restaurant

Featured Deans: Dr. Paul Cunningham, Brody School of MedicineDr. Glen Gilbert, College of Health and Human Performance

Richmond, VAWednesday, November 186:00–8:00 p.m.The Berkeley Hotel

Featured Deans: Dr. Rick Niswander, College of BusinessDr. Glen Gilbert, College of Health and Human Performance

Deans on Deck events are $10 each for Alumni Association members and $15 each for non-members, which include non-alcoholic beverages and heavy hors d’oeuvres. A cash bar will be available at each venue. Dress is business casual. Visit PirateAlumni.com/deansondeck for complete details.

Going to the sMu game?Each year the East Carolina Alumni Association is proud to team up with the

Pirate Club to offer Alumni Tailgate on the road. We’re heading to Dallas in October for the East Carolina vs.

Southern Methodist game on Saturday, October 10. Will you be in town for the game? Whether you’re a Dallas area resident or following the Pirates team, we hope you’ll join us for Alumni Tailgate prior to the game. And we’re even bringing eastern North Carolina barbecue with us! There will be plenty of other tailgate favorites, Pirate beverages, and lots of great door prizes. Don’t miss this opportunity to hang out with fellow alumni, friends, and die-hard Pirates fans before the game. Join us at Boulevard North/Dallas Hall off of Boaz Lane on the campus of Southern Methodist University at 4:00 p.m. Alumni Tailgate will last for two hours, and then

we’ll head to the stadium for the game. Alumni Tailgate tickets for this game are $25.00 per person. Children 12 and under are free. Parking is available in Campus Cash lots off of Daniel Avenue. Please call the Alumni Center at 800-ECU-GRAD to register for ECU vs. SMU Away Game Alumni Tailgate today.

Viewing PartiesIt’s football season once again and football viewing parties are terrific opportunities to gather with fellow

alumni and Pirates fans to cheer for East Carolina! Held in local restaurants and sports bars, viewing parties are fun, exciting, and full of Pirate pride. You can even walk away with some great raffle prizes. If you can’t make it to the game, attending a football viewing party is the next best thing! Catch one in the following cities this fall:

• Arlington, VA• Asheville, NC

• Atlanta, GA

• Burlington, NC

• Charlotte, NC

• Durham, NC

• Fayetteville, NC

• Frederick, MD

• Fredericksburg, VA

• Greenville, NC

• Lewisville, TX

visit PirateAlumni.com/upcomingevents for information on events and activities across the Pirate Nation.

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ALuMni diReCToRY PRoJeCT in PRoGRessOver the next couple of months, Publishing Concepts, Inc. (PCI) will be contacting alumni via mail, phone, and e-mail to request that you update your information. We understand that you might not want to provide your information to just anyone, so we want you to know that their request for your information is legitimate.

Offering Special Rates for Alumni Association Members

Registered National Historic Places

the5thstreetinn.com

Located directly across From the campus of East Carolina University

Proud to be the Official Inn of theEast Carolina Alumni Association

1105 East 5th St.Greenville

355-0699

• Norfolk, VA

• New York City

• Phoenix, AZ

• Raleigh, NC

• Richmond, VA

• Seaford, DE

• Tampa, FL

• Wilmington, NC

• Winter Park, FL

• Washington D.C.

If you live in one of these areas, be sure to check your inbox for details on location and time of each viewing party. Or visit us online at PirateAlumni.com/viewingparties for more details. Time to tune in—the game is on!

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Servire | 7

Jimmy and I met on November 4, 1965 as freshmen while traveling to

Charlotte to attend a Baptist Student Union State Convention. We had our first date on January 21, 1965. We went to the Pitt Theater in downtown Greenville to see That Darn Cat. We were inseparable after that and he asked me to “go steady” on February 23, 1966.

After dating for one year and four months we became engaged

on June 17, 1967. I was a nursing student attending summer school and he traveled over 200 miles to spend the weekend with me so he could propose. I said “yes” and we set our wedding date for July 13, 1968 after I finished my rotation at Oteen in the North Carolina mountains.

We were married the summer before our senior year. I’ll never forget getting a letter from Chancellor Leo Jenkins congratulating us. Jimmy and I were both very touched by the thoughtful gesture.

We moved into our first home together in Greenville on September 7, 1968, which was a basement apartment on East 10th Street. We could both walk to class.

I graduated with a BS degree in nursing on June 1, 1969. Jimmy had to attend the first session of summer school and I was preparing to take my state boards. I passed the boards in July and he completed his degree in industrial arts.

We moved to Greensboro, NC and found jobs in our related fields. We chose to travel back to Greenville in May of 1970 so Jimmy could go through his graduation ceremony. I was four months pregnant with our first child.

After living in Greensboro and Rocky Mount, NC, we decided to move back to Greenville in 1972. We had three daughters and were blessed with five wonderful grandchildren. We had so many happy memories of

34 | Summer 2009

“Stop Watch Urged on college KiSS”~Philadelphia, PA Inquirer, January 30, 1959

HOW long should college students hold a kiss?

Dr. John D. Messick, president of East Carolina College, says if students must kiss it should be an “instantaneous kiss -- rather than longevity.”

He conceded it is all right for a student to kiss his girl good night, but he said “this close association, this clinging kiss of a long nature will cause people to begin talking.”

Dr. Messick made his observations on kissing at a meeting attended by 400 of East Carolina’s 3600 students. He called the meeting to go over rules and regulations after police broke up a rollicking student party at an off-campus house. Forty-seven suspensions resulted from the party.

“hoW to regUlate KiSSeS”~Columbus, Ohio Evening Dispatch, February 4, 1959

WE FEAR the academic authorities at East Carolina College, Greenville N.C, are in for a lot of trouble.

Dr. John D. Messick, the institution’s president, thinks campus kisses should be shorter. From now on, he says, if students must kiss (and he seems to think a lot of the smooching is unnecessary) the salutes must be “instantaneous.”

He added darkly in a student meeting called to discuss campus regulations, “this close association, this clinging kiss of a long nature will cause people to begin talking.”We wonder how he proposes to enforce his edict. Using monitors with stop watches? Listening for “people to begin talking?”

How fast is “instantaneous?” And is it reasonable to expect a guy, kissing a girl goodnight, to restrict himself entirely to the kind of fleeting, perfunctory peck the office-bound husband gives his spouse at the front door?

Has the good Dr. Messick ever read Robert Burns, who wrote, “One fond kiss and aye we sever,” or Juliet’s immortal line about how “parting is such sweet sorrow”?

These and a thousand other precedents in the literature of romance indicate about how much chance the newest rule in East Carolina College’s book of regulations has of being made to stick.

A LOOK BACK...

KissingON CAMPUS

In 1959, newspapers across

the country reported on

President John Messick’s

edict regarding kissing. A

meeting with the student

body was attended by

400 of East Carolina’s

3,600 students to learn

the president’s rules on

appropriate public displays

of affection.

We Want to KnoW. . .

Did you meet your

sweetheart at East Carolina?

Write us and share your

love story.

alumni@PirateAlumni.com

or

East Carolina Alumni Association

901 East Fifth Street

Greenville, NC 27858-4353

our courtship and our years at East Carolina, and we didn’t want to live anywhere else.

I recently lost the love of my life on May 11, 2009, but I have so many memories to cherish of our special times while attending East Carolina University. We would have been married 41 years on July 13, 2009

Mary Russell Durham ’69

On October 17, 2009, Dave and I will celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. We met while students at East Carolina College, in the summer of 1955. Dave, a business

major from Williamston, NC and veteran of the Korean Conflict, was going to school on the GI Bill and was in summer school at ECC. I was majoring in home economics and home for the summer in Belvoir, NC, less than ten miles from the College.

I had met Ann Mayo and Ann Lassiter of Plymouth, NC the previous school year and they called me to come over and visit them while they were in summer school. They mentioned that there was someone they wanted me to meet, and soon after arriving at their dorm we all went over to Wright Auditorium where Dave was helping with decorations for an upcoming event. They introduced us and throughout the next school year we waved or spoke when we were in the dining hall or hurrying to class. Dave was elected senior class president and I joined “the Anns” in campaigning for him, but we didn’t see each other socially.

During our senior year we were both on the Student Government Council and he began walking me back to the nearby Home Management House after the Council meetings. One Friday I told him about the YWCA cook-out that was planned for the weekend and asked him if he would like to go. He indicated that he would, but evidently thought I was just telling him about it. I thought it was really a date, got dressed for the cookout, waited for him a while, then went on by myself. (I later teased him that he had “stood me up” on our first date!) When I saw him the next week, I inquired how he had spent the weekend. He said he had gotten a free ride to Williamston and had gone home. He was quite open and honest, and I knew it was just a case of misunderstanding the invitation. He then asked me to go to a movie and he did arrive for that date.

We were a “couple” the remainder of our senior year and he asked me to marry him the night before

Each issue Servire brings you stories of East Carolina’s alumni, updates from campus departments, colleges and schools, and a little University history. We encourage you to give us your thoughts by writing to us (you can find our contact information on page 4).

We received the following letters regarding “Kissing on Campus” from our summer 2009 issue.

ininBoXOU

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8 | Fall 2009

Walt and I met in the spring of 1957 while being inducted into the Pi Omega Pi Honorary Business Fraternity. It was done alphabetically and since we were both S’s

we were inducted together. Following that event, we had some classes together and were friendly, but the turning point took place on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 1958. We were sitting with some friends at the same booth at the Soda Shop located on the ground floor of Wright Auditorium. I playfully made a heart from a paper cup and used a straw for an arrow to make a valentine. I handed it to him and asked him to be my valentine.

Evidently Walt took me seriously as he came over to Fleming Hall dormitory that night and asked me for a date. Since I was a candidate for the Valentine’s Day Queen at the dance on the 15th, sponsored by Pi Omega Pi, and already had an escort, and Walt was going to be a winter coat valet at the dance, we agreed to wait until Sunday night the 16th. We became engaged at Christmas 1958 and were married on March 1, 1959 between the winter and spring quarters of our senior year. On March 1st of this year we celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary.

Harriet Loretta (Stone) Swing ’59 and Walter Murray Swing ’59

ininBoXOU

R

CONt.

we graduated in May 1957. I said “yes,” but we had accepted jobs in separate states and were not able to see each other as often as we had before. There were a lot of phone calls and letters! We became officially engaged the following Christmas and married almost two years after that on October 17, 1959. The two girls that introduced us were bridesmaids.

We lived in Virginia, moved briefly to North Carolina, then back to Virginia where we operated Carson Motor Co., a Ford-Mercury Dealership for many years. Upon retirement we moved to Greenville at the end of 1999. We have two children and six grandchildren. Dave plays tennis and is active in the Senior Games. I am a member of the Greenville Quilters Guild. We are both active in our church work at St. James United Methodist Church.

It’s been a wonderful marriage and we feel very blessed to be enjoying life together, our family, and good health! We have many fond memories of our years at East Carolina and plan to celebrate our 50th anniversary by attending Homecoming on October 17. It’s so appropriate! After all, that’s where our love story began.

Neel (Dupree) Carson ’57 and Dave Carson ’57

Servire | 9

Greenville and eCu’s campus are the places to be for Homecoming 2009. With plenty of activities planned for alumni and friends, you’ll be sure to stay busy during this annual event. Make plans now to bring your family and share your Pirate pride.

FRIdAY, OCTOBER 16

10 Years After the Flood: A Reflective Conversation10:00–11:30 a.m.Hendrix theatreFormer Chancellor and 2008 Honorary Alumni Award recipient Dr. Richard Eakin will lead a discussion about the challenging period of East Carolina’s history associated with the flood of 1999. Alumni, students, faculty, staff, and community members are invited to take this opportunity to commemorate Hurricane Floyd, the character and integrity that led the University through the episode, and reflect on ECU’s perseverance during a time of disaster.

Panelists:

Marvin Daugherty ‘72, ‘75, WITN-TV Meteorologist

Dr. Richard Eakin ’08 (h), Chancellor of ECU during Hurricane Floyd

Kevin Monroe ’99, ’05, member of the 1999 ECU football team

Dr. Garrie Moore ’85, 2009 Outstanding Alumni Award Recipient and Vice Chancellor for Student Life during Hurricane Floyd

Dr. Lynn Roeder, current ECU Dean of Students and Head of the Center for Counseling and Student Development during Hurricane Floyd

Homecoming Luncheon11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.Mendenhall Student Center, great Rooms

All alumni and friends are welcome to join the Alumni Association for our annual Homecoming Luncheon. University Leader in Residence Tommy Spaulding ’92 will address how East Carolina continues to excel as the leadership university, and plans to take this responsibility to the next level in the future. Parking is available in the Mendenhall parking lot.

10 | Fall 2009

sCHeduLe oF

eVenTsexplore eCu!

Bus Tour of Campus1:00–2:00 p.m.Bus will depart from the Joyner Library Clock towerECU Ambassador tour guides will lead a lively bus tour for ECTC and ECC graduates and members of the Golden Alumni 50th Reunion Class of 1959. This tour is the perfect opportunity to see your old residence hall and favorite hangouts.

Walking Tour of Campus1:00–2:00 p.m.tour will depart from the Joyner Library’s Sonic gates (sound columns)Bring your walking shoes to enjoy an ECU Ambassador-led walking tour of the University’s beautiful east campus. Join us for this walk down memory lane.

Spiders and taxonomy with ECU professor Dr. Jason Bond1:00-2:00 p.m.Free.

Art Letterpress Workshop2:15-4:00 p.m.$10. Limited availability (15 people). Please call 800-ECU-GRAD to register for this event.

golden Corral Culinary Center Cooking Class2:15-3:15 p.m.$10. Limited availability (25 people). Please call 800-ECU-GRAD to register for this event.

Major general William Holland ’75 Returns to Campus2:15-3:15 p.m.Free.

Walking Tour of Medical and Health sciences Campus2:15–4:00 p.m.Bus will depart from the Joyner Library Clock tower Please note, this is a walking tour. A bus will shuttle participants from east to west campus and back.Visit East Carolina’s Medical and Health Sciences Campus for a behind-the-scenes tour of the brand new East Carolina Heart Institute, the Allied Health Sciences Building, including the robotics lab, the nursing simulation labs, and Laupus Library.

Classroom experiencesGet out your Blue Books and backpacks—it’s time to go back to the classroom! These experiences take alumni back to college days and provide unique learning opportunities.

Painted Pottery Workshop2:15-4:00 p.m.$10. Limited availability (16 people). Please call 800-ECU-GRAD to register for this event.

Politics Behind-the-Scenes with 1998 Outstanding Alumni Award recipient and Washington D.C. insider Michael McShane ’66 3:30-4:30 p.m.Free.

BACK TO THE CLASSROOM

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SATuRdAY, OCTOBER 17

Alumni Breakfast 9:00 a.m.taylor-Slaughter Alumni CenterEnjoy a complimentary breakfast with the Alumni Association, sponsored by ARAMARK. Stay for the Homecoming Parade and enjoy a front-row seat.

Homecoming Parade10:00 a.m.Fifth StreetEveryone loves a parade! Listen for the Marching Pirates and see floats decorated with this year’s theme “100 Years of Treasured Traditions.”

Homecoming Alumni Tailgate1:00–3:00 p.m.Outside gate 1 of Minges ColiseumLeave your grill at home and join the Alumni Association for our family-friendly Alumni Tailgate. We’ll have plenty of food and Pirate beverages, games for children, live entertainment, door prizes, and a chance to see Pee Dee the Pirate and the ECU Cheerleaders.

Pirate Football: Rice vs. eCu3:30 p.m.Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium

Alumni Awards Dinner and Ceremony presented by tobacco Road Cellars6:00 p.m.Hilton greenvilleJoin us in recognizing alumni and friends of the University who have demonstrated outstanding merit and achievement, distinguished themselves as leaders for the University, and adopted East Carolina as their own.

This year’s recipients are:

Distinguished Service

dale W. Engelbert ’82, vice president and treasurer of the East Carolina Alumni Association’s New York Metropolitan alumni chapter

Julia “Jewelle” S. Rogers ’56, owner of Lifetime Houses, a Kick-Off to Victory member of the Pirate Club, and member of numerous University boards and committees

Honorary Alumni

Steve P. Keen, founder of Adam’s Auto Wash, founder and owner of Adair LLC and Atlantic Coast Deliveries, and a member of the ECU Educational Foundation’s Executive Committee

dr. Jesse R. Peel, retired psychiatrist who has established a number of ECU endowments and serves on myriad University councils

Outstanding Alumni

Bruce A. Biggs ’66, owner and president of Biggs Pontiac Buick Cadillac GMC Truck in Elizabeth City, NC

Major General William “dutch” L. holland ’75, Commander, 9th Air Force, Air Combat Command, Shaw Air Force Base, SC

dr. Garrie W. Moore ’85, vice chancellor for student affairs at City University of New York

dr. Jerry M. Wallace ’56, president of Campbell University in Buies Creek, NC

See pages 17-24 for complete bios.

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eCTC and eCC Alumni Reunion honoring the Golden Alumni Class of 1959

Return to dear ol’ East Carolina to reconnect with former classmates and share memories of days spent at East Carolina Teachers College and East Carolina College. Catch up on news since your last time together—whether it was last year’s reunion or when you said farewell at graduation. Plenty of activities are planned throughout the weekend including a Homecoming Luncheon, Classroom Experiences, a Walking Tour or Bus Tour of campus, a special photo opportunity, Alumni Breakfast, Homecoming Parade watching, Alumni Tailgate, and the Homecoming football game. End Saturday evening at the Hilton Greenville with the treasured ECTC and ECC Dinner Dance featuring musical favorites from talented members of The Collegians.

Visit PirateAlumni.com/classof1959 for complete details.

Class of 1984 25th Reunion

Calling all 1984 graduates! It’s time for your 25th reunion and the Alumni Association would like to welcome you back to campus to participate in the many events happening during Homecoming weekend. Enjoy a special celebration in your honor on Saturday, October 17, including a terrific photo op. We’ll also host an ’80s Flashback Party on Saturday night for you to enjoy hors d’oeuvres and Pirate beverages as DJ Jeff Diamond plays your favorite ’80s hits and beach music for dancing. It’s time to bring back the ’80s!

Visit PirateAlumni.com/classof1984 for complete details.

Black Alumni Reunion

East Carolina’s Black Alumni Chapter will host the Black Alumni Reunion during Homecoming weekend. On Friday, October 16 you can enjoy Classroom Experiences, time to mingle and leave notes for friends at the City Hotel’s Bistro, the Alumni Awards Dinner and Ceremony, the annual Step Show, and bowling at AMF Lanes. Saturday, October 17 will begin with the Alumni Breakfast, followed by parade watching, a reunion photo, Alumni Tailgate, Pirates Football, and a great party on Saturday night with music spun by DJ Kandid from artists like The Temptations, Beyoncé, Run DMC, Usher, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, Kanye West and many more with plenty of appetizers and beverages to enjoy. Don’t miss this great opportunity to reconnect with your alma mater and former classmates.

Visit PirateAlumni.com/bar2009 for complete details.

ALuMniReunions

CLASS OF

1984 25th

Reunion

BLACK ALuMNI

REuNION

honoring the Golden Alumni Class of 1959

ECTC and ECC Alumni Reunion

SPONSORED BY

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Find something new at the dowdy student stores open HouseThe ECU Dowdy Student Stores will host an Open House on Saturday, October 17 from 9:00 a.m.–12 noon to welcome back alumni and friends to campus. Visit the Wright Building store for Homecoming specials and enter a drawing for a chance to win a $50 gift card!

Alumni who show their ECU class ring will get a special discount on regular price gifts and apparel. Take 1% off the regular price for every year since you graduated (maximum 30% discount). Discount valid for in-store purchases only. No other discounts apply.

Metered parking is conveniently located just north of Wright Auditorium on Beckwith Drive. Visit www.studentstores.ecu.edu or contact us at 877-499-TEXT for ECU apparel and merchandise anytime.

Fit in a work out at the student Recreation CenterGet a great workout for FREE during Homecoming weekend. Mention that you are an ECU alumnus/na when you stop by the Customer Service desk and you and a guest will be admitted free of charge. Alumni may bring an additional two guests for $5.00 each. For more information please contact Dena Olo at olod@ecu.edu or 252-328-6387.

WHiLe onC A M P u s

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FRIdAY, OCTOBER 16

Brody school of MedicineClass reunions for the classes of 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, and 2004 with a cocktail hour hosted by Dr. Paul R.g. Cunningham, Dean of the Brody School of Medicine, and followed by dinnerCocktails at 6:00 p.m.Dinner at 7:00 p.m.

East Carolina Heart Institute at ECU115 Heart Drive. Cost: $30RSVP by October 2 to:

Karen Cobbcobbk@ecu.edu252-744-3231

College of Allied Health sciencesAlumni reunion and cookout5:30–8:00 p.m.

The home of Stas ’79 and Brenda ’79 Humienny on the Trent River5223 Trent Woods DriveNew Bern, NC 28562Attendance is $12 per personRSVP by October 14 to:

East Carolina Alumni Association800-ECU-GRAD

school of Music2nd annual Alumni Reunion and Recital with reception7:30 p.m.

A.J. Fletcher Recital HallContact:

Mary Jane Gaddisgaddism@ecu.edu252-328-1268

SATuRdAY, OCTOBER 17

Air Force RoTCAir Force ROtC Detachment Open House for former cadets9:00–11:00 a.m.

Wright Annex, 3rd floorContact:

Karen Rehm rehmk@ecu.edu 252-328-6597

Athletic Training2nd annual Homecoming Pre-game tent and tailgate for alumni and their families with light refreshments1:00-3:00 p.m.

Gatorade tent under the oak tree between the tennis courts and football practice facility. Please BYOB and lawn chairs.Contact:

Sharon Rogersrogerssh@ecu.edu252-737-2982

Brody school of MedicineBSOM Alumni Society Homecoming tailgate with traditional eastern North Carolina barbecue for alumni, resident alumni, residents, current

students, faculty, staff, and families

12:30 p.m.

Location TBD$10 for adults, $7.50 for children 10 and under. Football tickets may be purchased for $30 each.RSVP by October 2 to:

Karen Cobbcobbk@ecu.edu252-744-3231

College of BusinessHomecoming Social for alumni, friends, faculty, staff, and students with coffee, continental breakfast, and Pirate hospitality9:30–11:30 a.m.

Tent between Jenkins Fine Arts Building and Fifth Street, across from Chancellor’s residenceContact:

Anne Bogeybogeya@ecu.edu252-328-4396

College of educationHomecoming Parade watching for alumni, friends, faculty, staff, and their families with cider and doughnuts9:00 a.m.

Speight Building front porchRSVP by October 14 to:

Gayle McLawhornmclawhorng@ecu.edu252-328-6397

College of Human ecologyContinental breakfast and parade

watching for alumni and friends9:00–11:00 a.m.

Thomas W. Rivers Building north end patioContact:

Peggy Novotnynovotnym@ecu.edu252-328-2882

department of MathematicsMathematics Educators’ Homecoming social for alumni and friends of ECU Mathematics Education sponsored by the ECU chapter of the North Carolina Council of teachers of Mathematics9:00–9:30 a.m.

Flanagan Building, 3rd floorContacts:

Rose Sinicropesinicroper@ecu.edu

Lyndsay Burnslvb0324@ecu.edu

CoLLeGes& sCHooLs

Reconnect with former classmates at college, school, and departmental gatheringsIndividual college and school receptions will welcome alumni and friends throughout campus during Homecoming. The following activities are planned:

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Kick-off the 2009 football season

with ECU Pirate Wear available

exclusively at Coffman’s. We have

men’s khaki pants and shorts;

women’s skirts; Vineyard Vines knit

shirts, tote bags, belts and hats;

as well as accessories that include

ties, wallets, flasks and more.

Kick-off in Style

Lynndale Shoppes505 Red Banks Rd, Greenville

252.756.8237 | coffmansmenswear.com

Mon-Fri 8:00 am – 6:00 pm

Sat 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

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7th Football Season asTheVoice of the Pirate Nation!

arrrrgharrrrgh

listen online www.pirateradio1250.com

Est. 2003

Gameday coverage begins 4 hours before kickoff and postgame call-in

show begins immediately after game

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dale W. Engelbert ’82 lives a life of service in her community of Princeton, NJ and for her University. Despite her geographical distance from Greenville and ECU, Engelbert makes time to stay connected with East Carolina. She is active in the Alumni Association’s New York Metropolitan Chapter, in which she serves as vice president and treasurer. In this role, Engelbert has spearheaded a number of events in her area, including the annual Football Kick-off Party, the School of Business Networking Social and Tour, the New York Metro Community Service Project, the Yankee outing, the Centennial Celebration Scholarship Golf Tournament and Dinner, and hosts summer outings in her home. Engelbert also served as a member of the Alumni Association’s Board of Directors for four years.

In her community, Engelbert volunteers in the public school system, with the Arts Council of Princeton, HiTops (Health Resources for Teens), Health Care Ministry of Princeton, in her church, and for the Princeton Hospital. She is also co-author and co-designer of Sacred Spaces, Princeton Parties, Gatherings and Celebrations. Engelbert and her husband Kurt are avid supporters of the University, as Centennial Pirates of the Alumni Association, members of the Pirate Club, annually contributing to the College of Arts & Sciences, and having endowed a scholarship in the School of Business in memory of her late brother.

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Julia “Jewelle” S. Rogers ’56 epitomizes East Carolina’s motto of service. From her many years as a school teacher and realtor to her dedication to her alma mater, Rogers lives to serve. She is a member of the East Carolina University Educator’s Hall of Fame, one of the College of Human Ecology’s Centennial Legacy Leaders, and is past president of the Friends of Joyner Library Board. Along with husband Charles Rogers, a 2008 Honorary Alumni Award recipient, she is a Centennial Pirate in the Alumni Association, a member of the University’s Circle of Excellence, an event sponsor for ECU’s Women’s Roundtable, a board member of the Friends of Laupus Medical Library, a board member and season ticket holder of the S. Rudolph Alexander Performing Arts Series, a member and benefactor season ticket holder of the Friends of the School of Theatre and Dance, and serves on the College of Human Ecology Advisory Council. They are also Kick Off to Victory scholarship level members of the Pirate Club, season ticket

holders of football, men’s and ladies basketball, and baseball. The Rogers’ participate in the Skip & Lunch series and helped with the Lady Pirates Scrapbooking Project.

Throughout her career Rogers was active in the NEA (National Education Association), NCEA (North Carolina Education Association), NVA (National Vocational Association), NCVA (North Carolina Vocational Association), NCR (North Carolina Realtor), and the Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce. In her local community Rogers is a member and past president of the Washington Park Garden Club, member of the Beaufort County Committee of 100, the Beaufort County Pirate Club, Women for Women member, and is a New Horizon Leader for the United Methodist Church in Washington, NC.

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Steve P. Keen is founder of Adam’s Auto Wash, and founder and owner of Adair LLC, a real estate development venture, and Atlantic Coast Deliveries, a yacht delivery company. Keen is a master captain, having a license from the United States Coast Guard to captain vessels up to 100 tons anywhere in the world.

Since the opening of Adam’s Auto Wash flagship car wash in Goldsboro, NC in 1983 and the Greenville store in 1986, Keen has been dedicated to serving his community through his business, providing countless donations to schools, churches, fire departments, police stations, and giving ECU alumni discounted car washes.

A former Navy SEAL, Keen is a member of the Wayne County Military Affairs Committee. He is a York Right Mason with the Goldsboro Masonic Lodge and is a member of the Wayne County

Economic Development Commission, both the Wayne County and Greenville-Pitt County Chambers of Commerce, and avid supporter of the Pirate Club. He is also a member of the Board of Directors for The Little Bank, is vice chair of the Wayne County Planning Board, is a member of the ECU Educational Foundation’s Executive Committee, and season ticket holder for Pirates football, men’s basketball, and baseball. He has been a member of the Pirate Club for 23 years, is a member of the VanSant Society, and the Order of the Cupola. Adam’s Auto Wash is a partner in the Pirates Supporting Pirates program. Keen also volunteers for the Wayne County Guardian ad Litem Program, leads weekly worship services at the Brian Center and Sterling House in Goldsboro, and is a deacon and Sunday school teacher at Rosewood First Baptist Church.

Keen is the proud parent of two East Carolina graduates.

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In memory of his parents Helen and J. Woolard Peel, dr. Jesse R. Peel has adopted East Carolina University as his own through generous contributions—both monetarily and in service to advancing the University’s mission. A native of Everetts in Martin County, NC, Dr. Peel understands the necessity and benefit of a thriving institution of higher learning in eastern North Carolina.

In his effort to advance ECU, Dr. Peel established the J. Woolard Peel University Scholar Award, the J. Woolard and Helen Peel Distinguished Professorship in Religious Studies, the Dr. Jesse R. Peel Distinguished Professorship in Social Diversity in the College of Education, and The Institute for Social Diversity Fund. He helped the University establish the Chancellor’s Diversity Council,

Thomas Harriot College’s Center on Diversity and Inequality Research, and set up a Core Competencies Program in the Brody School of Medicine. Dr. Peel is a member of the Chancellor’s Diversity Council, is an honorary member of East Carolina’s chapter of Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society, and received the Thomas Harriot College medallion in recognition of service to the College.

Dr. Peel spent his career practicing psychiatry, including assisting the 3rd Marine Division during the American withdrawal from Viet Nam. He was in practice in Atlanta, GA from 1976 through his retirement in 1992 and played a significant role in how that city responded to the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s.

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Bruce A. Biggs ’66 is owner and president of Biggs Pontiac Buick Cadillac GMC Truck in Elizabeth City, NC. As a community leader, Biggs is an active member of Christ Episcopal Church, the United Way, the Lions Club, the North Carolina Citizens for Business and Industry, and the North Carolina Aquarium Society. He is involved with the College of the Albemarle, Elizabeth City State University, the Albemarle Food Bank, and the Elizabeth City Tourism Board.

As a prominent member of the North Carolina auto industry, Biggs has served the NCADA (North Carolina Automobile Dealers Association) for more than 25 years. In that time he has been chairman, vice chairman, a district board member, and a

member of the Association’s Worker’s Comp Board and Investment Committee. He also served on the DEAC (Dealers Election Action Committee) and is active in promoting pro-business candidates for the North Carolina Legislature and other state offices. Biggs has made several trips to Capitol Hill to visit with North Carolina’s congressional delegation.

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Major General William “dutch” L. holland ’75 is Commander, 9th Air Force, Air Combat Command, Shaw Air Force Base, SC. The 9th Air Force comprises six wings in the eastern United States and two direct reporting units with more than 350 aircraft, and 24,000 active-duty and civilian personnel. The command is also responsible for the operational readiness of 149th Air Force-gained National Guard and Air Force Reserve units.

Maj. Gen. Holland entered the Air Force in 1976 after receiving his commission through the ROTC program at East Carolina. He has commanded at the squadron, group and wing levels, and has served in several joint and Air Staff assignments. These include

Combined Forces Command/United Nation Command, South Korea; Headquarters U.S. Atlantic Command; Headquarters U.S. Central Command; and the NATO Balkans Combined Air Operations Center during the Operation Allied Force Kosovo air campaign and Joint Task Force 170, Haiti.

Prior to assuming his current position, Maj. Gen. Holland was the Vice Commander, 9th Air Force, and Deputy Commander, U.S. Air Forces Central at Shaw Air Force Base. He is a command pilot with 2,500 flying hours.

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dr. Garrie W. Moore ’85 is vice chancellor for student affairs at City University of New York (CUNY System) where he is responsible for a wide array of services and programs designed to empower and motivate students as they pursue their academic goals on all 19 campuses. At CUNY, Moore is actively involved with the CUNY United Way Campaign as its chairperson, the CUNY Campaign Against Diabetes Initiative, and the Committee on Student Affairs and Special Programs.

Prior to taking his current post at CUNY, Moore served East Carolina as associate provost/vice chancellor for student affairs, vice chancellor for student life, tenured assistant professor in allied

health sciences and community health, assistant to the chancellor and EEO officer, and an adjunct professor. He served on a variety of boards and committees, including the East Carolina’s Centennial Committee, the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Certification Committee, the SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools) Steering Committee, and the ECU Diversity Committee, among others.

Although he resides in New York, Moore remains actively involved with East Carolina as a current member of the Ledonia Wright Cultural Center Development Board & Executive Committee and is a member of the Parents Council.

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dr. Jerry M. Wallace ’56 is president of Campbell University in Buies Creek, NC. Dr. Wallace has enjoyed a long career at Campbell, beginning in 1970 as an adjunct professor of sociology. He then served as chairman of the department of religion and philosophy and Tyner Professor of Religion, was appointed dean of the University and director of graduate studies, was named vice president for academic affairs and provost, and then assumed the role of president in 2003. Dr. Wallace also holds a doctorate of education, master’s of theology, and bachelor of divinity.

During his years in senior administration at Campbell, Dr. Wallace has been instrumental in a number of the University’s accomplishments and accolades, including the establishment of three professional schools, physical growth of the campus, and improvements to international education programs.

As an ordained minister, Dr. Wallace has long been acknowledged as one of the leading Baptist figures in North Carolina. He served as pastor of the Elizabethtown Baptist Church from 1960-1975 as well as holding interim pastorate posts in central and eastern North Carolina prior to his career in academia.

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26 | Fall 2009

Ten Years Afterthe Flood

hurricane Floyd and its Aftermath Lessons Learned, Lives Saved

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During the week of September 12, 1999, eastern North Carolinians were bracing themselves for an impending

hurricane. As in preparation for any hurricane projected to make landfall on

our great state, many residents did the usual to prepare—food necessities like

bread and bottled water were purchased, windows on homes and businesses up

and down the coast were covered with plywood, boats were securely docked

at their harbor homes, flashlights and kerosene lamps were readied, pets were

brought indoors, and loose outdoor items were secured. Little did anyone know—or

suspect—that the storm itself and its aftermath would be the greatest natural disaster to hit

North Carolina in recent memory.

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sitting duck

In the days before Hurricane Floyd reached shore, Hurricane Dennis hit North Carolina. If the storm had simply swept through and dissolved, Hurricane Floyd might not have had such an impact. But, Hurricane Dennis was not through with North Carolina after its initial blow on August 30. Rather, it stalled off the coast of Cape Hatteras, building strength and power, only to return on September 5 as Tropical Storm Dennis with winds of 70 miles per hour and torrential rainfall—saturating the ground to the point of no return. Meanwhile, Hurricane Floyd was looming—just waiting its turn.

“The hurricanes that swept over eastern North Carolina that fall were devastating in their cumulative effect,” said Dr. Richard “Dick” Eakin, former chancellor of East Carolina University. “We all speak of Hurricane Floyd as the precipitating event, but the hurricane [that preceded] Floyd set the stage for the flooding that followed Floyd. We prepared for these hurricanes, but no one could have predicted the flooding that occurred.” It was as if the perfect storm was not actually one pinpointed occurrence, but rather several smaller occurrences that brewed over time, lingering to make the atmosphere, soil, and water table such that eastern North Carolina was a sitting duck.

“Floyd’s origin can be traced to a tropical wave that emerged from western Africa on

September 2, 1999. Tropical Depression Eight formed September 7 about 1,000 miles east of the Lesser Antilles. The system was upgraded to Tropical Storm Floyd on September 8. Floyd became a hurricane at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on September 10. Early on September 12, Floyd turned west and began a major strengthening episode. Hurricane Floyd reached its peak intensity on September 13 when sustained winds reached 156 miles per hour and the central pressure dropped to 27.20 inches of mercury. This was at the top end of Category 4 intensity on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale.” (Event Summary from the National Weather Service, Raleigh, NC http://www4.ncsu.edu/~nwsfo/storage/cases/19990915/)

storm of the Century

Hurricane Floyd was a monstrous storm, twice the size of the typical Atlantic hurricane; it stretched over more than 580 miles from Florida to Canada when it finally reached the East Coast. After building in the Atlantic, Floyd first hit the Bahamas at a top-level Category 4 intensity, the second highest categorization given to hurricanes. As the storm drew closer to the United States, it lost some strength and was categorized at a level two with maximum winds of 104 miles per hour. It was late afternoon on September 15 when Floyd’s outer bands reached Greenville and the University—and a

I was a freshman living in Greene Hall during the fall of 1999 and after MUCH nagging by my mother I decided to leave campus as Hurricane Floyd approached. Classes weren’t cancelled until after 2:00 that day, and since I had a 1:00 class, I had to stay until the very last minute. By the time I left campus the rain was coming down in sheets and the gridlock caused by evacuees caused my typical three hour trip to drag on for nearly nine hours! Having experienced hurricanes in the area before, I figured that I’d just be spending one night at home and returning to Greenville the next day. I was a member of the Marching Pirates and was certain that we’d have practice rain or shine and I’d have to be back for that. So I arrived at my parents’ house with some pajamas and one change of clothes. Well imagine my surprise the next morning when I awoke to discover that not only would I not be returning to Greenville that day—it was probably going to be two weeks!!! Perhaps my most bittersweet memory of the entire Hurricane Floyd experience was the day that the ECU vs. Miami football game took place in Raleigh because Greenville was still too flooded. Though most of us were still displaced from our homes-away-from-home, the option was given to all members of the Marching Pirates to meet in Raleigh with our instruments, wearing khakis and white polo shirts (because no one could get back to Greenville to get to their uniforms!) to help cheer on the Pirate football team. An astounding number of us showed up for what was to become our little moment of history. The Pirates went on to defeat the (then No. 9) Miami Hurricanes, which was quite the symbolic defeat—Hurricane

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long, rainy, windy night was in store for all who endured the storm’s wrath. It was around 3:00 a.m. on September 16 that Hurricane Floyd officially made landfall near Cape Fear, NC. (Some information from “Hurricane Floyd’s Lasting Legacy: Assessing the Storm’s Impact on the Carolina Coast” by David Herring. http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/FloydIntro/)

Layton Getsinger ’69, who was associate vice chancellor for Administration and Finance and executive director of Business Services during that time, knew the drill for his staff—they’d been through this before. Employees from Parking and Traffic to Risk Management and the University Police Department spent countless hours readying the campus for the hurricane, including securing buildings, evacuating low-level parking lots, and ensuring that remaining students were in the safest possible places. Getsinger was with his family when Hurricane Floyd actually hit. “I was at home watching the weather outside and realized that we were experiencing something different. I was watching television when it was announced that a man and his pickup truck had been swept off the bridge just outside the entrance to Brook Valley on Highway 33 (10th Street extension)…the man was the first victim [in North Carolina] claimed by Hurricane Floyd.” The flash flooding had begun, and he would be one of 35 residents, including East Carolina student Aaron Child, who lost his life because of Hurricane Floyd. The storm dumped 15-20 inches of rain in most parts of eastern North Carolina as it made its way north-northeast. This, after roughly six inches had been left by Dennis. Despite the storm’s intensity, many in eastern North Carolina ventured out to work and some to school once the sun shone through on September 16, unaware of the danger growing in the Tar, Neuse, Roanoke, and Pamlico Rivers and their tributaries. It wasn’t until that night that the rivers crested, having overrun their banks, and slowly crept into urban areas. (Some information from “Hurricane

Floyd’s Lasting Legacy: Assessing the Storm’s Impact on the Carolina Coast.”)

The 500-year Flood

Jane Stancil Walton ’00, ’04, former ECU cheerleader, lived at Tar River Estates on 1st Street just blocks from campus with another squad member and two other friends that year. “University officials instructed us to go home before Hurricane Floyd hit. My parents lived in Kinston, NC so it was easy for me to get home quickly. Before leaving Greenville, my roommates and I unplugged all electrical appliances and boxed up our personal items that were valuable to us, like pictures and jewelry, which we took home with us. We put other items in high places, such as on the beds and at the top of closets. My roommates and I thought that if our apartment flooded that it would only be a couple of inches at the most. Our

apartment was two stories and my bedroom was the only bedroom downstairs. Since we were located next to the Tar River, I assume our apartment complex was one of the first places to flood. A day after the hurricane a friend of mine called me to tell me how bad the Tar River apartments had flooded and asked me if he could go into my apartment and try to save anything for me. He told me the only way he could get to my apartment was by boat. He was able to find a canoe and paddled up to the back door. He told me everything in my room was floating and the water was waist deep at that time. Somehow, he got into my apartment and was able to save anything he could get his hands on—CDs, clothes, shoes, etc. The water eventually rose up to the second floor, level with my roommates’ beds. When I

Floyd couldn’t defeat us and neither could those Hurricanes from Miami!

When the water had finally receded enough for me to return, I was in no way prepared for the images that have stuck with me these past 10 years. As I crossed into Pitt County, the shoulders and medians of the highway were littered with dead livestock and debris that had just fallen to rest as the water receded. After arriving back into town, I drove around for a while to survey the damage. Water was still lapped at the tops of some of the street signs downtown and I could see lines on the houses where the water level had peaked some time a few days prior. The stench in the air was one I will never forget. I called several of my friends from the Marching Pirates who I knew had lived in the Tar River apartments, only to hear their horror stories of the water rising so high that only the items on the top closet shelf of the second floor were salvageable. Hearing those stories truly made me realize just how lucky I was to have been assigned to that 4th floor un-air conditioned dorm room in Greene Hall that I had cursed every humid August night! In the following days and weeks, it was truly amazing how the entire school and community pulled together to help each other out of such a mess. People who had already lost so much donated what little time, money, and energy they had left in order to help others who had lost even more. It is during times like these that one truly discovers what I forever came to think of as the “Pirate Spirit”.

Courtney Potts Congleton ’03

Tar River Estates apartments.

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I was the general manager of ECU Student Transit Authority at the time. We got a call that an evacuation was needed at one of the nursing homes near the Tar River. As a lot of students had already left, I only had a limited number of drivers in town. I scrambled to find a few volunteers, and we went over with several buses to help with the evacuation. I’ll never forget that some of the senior citizens had to be tied to the seats with sheets, as of course there are no seatbelts on transit buses. Also, shortly after that, I got another call that there were still a few students left in the dorms and had no way out. Since I had already sent all my drivers on another task, I took the stranded students to NC State, where they were housed for about a week. At this point, I hadn’t shaved or had a hot shower in days myself, so I was happy to spring for a night at a hotel in Raleigh. On the way back the next day, I remember feeling so helpless as I drove back in a convoy of MP’s that seemed to stretch all the way from Wilson to Greenville. Here I was in an empty bus that could have been loaded with water and other necessary supplies, but I had no idea where to even begin to coordinate something like that. I can remember choking back the tears throughout the entire experience.

Dean Brent Wheeler ‘00

was finally able to come back to Greenville and see my apartment, I was devastated. Everything was ruined, including my great grandmother’s bed, which was a family heirloom. But it wasn’t as bad for me as it was for many others. I remember feeling so badly for the families that lived around me. They had lost literally everything they owned—their cars, photo albums, furniture, clothing—it was horrible.”

The Tar River in Greenville reached an astonishing 24 feet above flood stage. “I remember being overwhelmed by the vastness of the flooding and how incredibly high the water rose, especially north of the river,” commented Getsinger. “It seemed like it would never end—seeing images on television of airplanes at [the Pitt-] Greenville Airport completely under water, seeing videos of people and livestock on the roofs of homes and barns, seeing dead livestock floating in the water, seeing motor boats plying throughout the area and watching the occupants duck to get underneath power lines…I vividly remember the feeling of helplessness and hopelessness, knowing that we were experiencing something catastrophic and of biblical proportions.”

Dr. Eakin kept constant watch on the University campus and surrounding areas, knowing that many students lived in the path of the rising flood waters. “I was shocked to see the magnitude of the flooding and how quickly the water rose in Green Mill Run across from the campus and in the Tar River. I was taken on a tour of the campus in a truck the next morning. Green Mill Run had overflowed its banks and had become a raging torrent of water that flowed into several campus buildings along 10th Street. It struck me as remarkable that many parts of Greenville seemed untouched by the storm and its aftermath, while the wailing of sirens and the sound of helicopters overhead signaled that many of our students and eastern North Carolina’s citizens were in desperate need.”

A university of Compassion

ECU acted quickly to aid its students, faculty, and staff—and even those

Greenville residents that lived close to campus. “The University offered immediate aid and comfort to students in the aftermath of the storm,” said Eakin. “Todd dining hall was opened to anyone who needed food and water. Emergency water supplies were brought to the campus for distribution. We knew that many students, especially those who lived close to the Tar River, had been displaced and had lost books and other belonging to the flood waters. [We knew] they would require assistance with both temporary housing and emergency financial assistance.”

As director of the Center for Counseling and Student Development at the time, Dr.

Lynn Roeder, who is now associate vice chancellor and dean of students, not only had to assist in all emergency efforts in response to the flood, but also direct an impromptu counseling program to assist more than just East Carolina’s affected students. “Many of the University’s staff lost a lot of things, too. The people that lived north of the Tar River completely lost everything. So we weren’t just dealing with students, we were dealing with employees too. We were quickly able to get a crisis center up and running in Sweetheart’s and the Red Cross came in, we had Financial Aid there, the Counseling Center was there, our Student Health was there, Housing, Dining—anything we could think of to

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help the University community,” Roeder recalled.

For Walton, one of the displaced students, the services provided by and the great care and concern ECU showed during the aftermath was a relief. “ECU gave me several hundred dollars. Classes were cancelled for several days or maybe even weeks. Many professors cancelled projects and really showed a lot of compassion and empathy. We were given vouchers to area businesses and I was able to replace the computer that was destroyed, clothes, furniture, and essentials like shampoo. FEMA came in to assess the damage to my apartment and we were allowed to enter then. I had to wear a facemask, rain boots, a rain coat, and gloves for protection. I remember touching the wall in my room and it being so wet and soggy that it almost caved in.”

The mess left after the flood waters finally receded was not only unbelievable and intimidating, but hazardous as well. “People were warned not to drink or bathe in water from taps for fear that it may harbor dangerously high levels of fecal coli form bacteria. Brown sediments clogged coastal estuaries a week after the storm…along with dirt swept away by the flood waters, the estuaries filled with human and animal waste, fertilizers, and pesticides.” (“Hurricane Floyd’s Lasting Legacy: Assessing the Storm’s Impact on the Carolina Coast”)

It wasn’t only material things that were damaged. In total, 57 deaths were directly

related to Hurricane Floyd—one in the Bahamas and 56 in the United States. Inland, freshwater flooding caused 48 deaths, including the ECU student’s. “There was a student that was missing,” recalled Roeder. “His brother was a junior, and this young man was a freshman. He was from Wilmington, and although Greenville was an island for part of the time while the flood waters were at their peak, his parents had managed to get to the brother’s apartment. At this point, their son Aaron had been missing for five days. The police had informed me that they had found a body at the bottom of College Hill, an area where fast current had swept through when the flooding began. I was taken to the brother’s apartment to meet with Aaron’s parents and we were able to identify him according to specific things the family told us about him and dental records they provided. Of all the things I’ve had to do in my career, and unfortunately I’ve had to tell parents that their student has died, that was my first and my worst. It was so traumatic.” A memorial service was held at the University shortly after classes resumed in Child’s honor for his family, friends, and fellow students to grieve and say goodbye.

Parts of eastern North Carolina were declared disaster zones by the United States government, and estimated damages statewide totaled more than $6 billion.

Hurricane Floyd has impacted me in a way I never expected—it’s given me a career. Even as a junior I was still “searching” for that major and life path that would lead me to graduation and beyond. In the spring semester of 2000 I took an elective: Emergency Management Planning. We analyzed hurricane Floyd, studied the anatomy of a natural disaster, and the specific impacts it had on Greenville on a social, economic, political, and environmental level. It was captivating, intriguing, and my “would be” career was born. I graduated in 2001 with a degree in Urban and Regional Planning. For the past eight years I have served various local municipalities in NC, SC, and VA and now work with a consulting company in Charlotte, NC. Whenever someone asks how I chose my major or got into this line of work I’m reminded of that life changing event ten years ago. Ashley Wright Terry ’01

Damage statistics in North Carolina included: 7,000 homes destroyed; 17,000 homes uninhabitable; 56,000 homes damaged; most roads east of I-95 flooded; more than 1,500 people rescued from flooded areas; more than 500,000 customers were without electricity at some point; 10,000 people were housed in temporary shelters; and there was severe agricultural damage throughout eastern North Carolina. (National Weather Service, Raleigh, NC)

Healing through Football

“The University matured in many respects as a result of this disaster. The genuine coming together of the University and the community in the face of hardship was a bonding experience whose legacy lives on,” commented Eakin. “The amazing contributions of faculty and staff volunteers to assist our students were heartwarming and incredibly helpful. I believe that those of us who witnessed that spirit of volunteerism were strengthened by it, and it helped us recommit ourselves to serving ECU and her students.”

The purple and gold spirit and unquestionable Pirate pride instilled in so many alumni and Pirates fans was evident in

Victory Bell

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It wasn’t just football that helped heal the University, community, and the Pirate Nation. A number of significant gifts were given from the University itself, individuals, and groups to assist flood victims in need. ECU Foundation committed $100,000, another $100,000 was given by an individual, and the ECU Parents Group contributed $33,500. “Overwhelming support came from outside the region by concerned fellow Americans. [There were] trailers full of food, water, and supplies, coupled with physical labor to get homes that could be reoccupied repaired and restored,” said Getsinger. “The local population reacted and pulled together to recover.”

Ten years after the flood, East Carolina is well equipped with not only emergency plans for hurricanes, but also for flooding. The University’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety Web site has instructions for everything from office preparations, residence hall safety preparations, and a University hurricane prep checklist to links to the National Weather Service, documents with advice on surviving the storm, and a disaster recovery plan. (Visit http://www.ecu.edu/cs-admin/oehs/emergency/severe-weather.cfm to review this information.)

With the 2009 hurricane season upon us, let’s hope Mother Nature’s fury does not affect East Carolina University and the residents of eastern North Carolina like Hurricane Floyd did. For those who lived through the experience, another 500 years before a flood of that magnitude will be a welcome relief.

I will never forget the flood of 1999. I was living off campus and remember hearing the news warning anyone living North of First Street to prepare to evacuate. This was shocking because the storm had already passed and the weather was typical Greenville—hot and sunny. Several of my friends were living in Tar River Estates and lost everything after the water finally crested. Greenville was spared as several surrounding communities were almost completely destroyed. It was a really dismal time in Greenville and the surrounding region for a month. I remember seeing the FEMA trailer communities in place for the better part of the next year and a half. The most rewarding moment of it all was traveling to Raleigh to perform with a small portion of the ECU Marching Pirates, helping to recharge the masses after that storm. As we were on the Carter-Finley turf performing EC Victory as the team took to the field, I could literally feel the Earth move from all of the energy of the crowd. “Hurricane Relief ” was the un-official title for the game. Amazingly, it was in fact a relief...the first true sense of normalcy in a region inundated with water just a week earlier, where many communities were still experiencing power loss and water contamination. People mobbed grocery store parking lots in hopes of water and batteries. The Pirates would hand it to the University of Miami on the field of our fiercest foe. Unforgettable, that’s the best way to describe everything about the time after the flood of ’99.

Greenville was changed forever as a result of Floyd’s fury. Eastern North Carolina was changed as well. Like always though, East Carolina rose above and proved to become stronger.

Eric Jefferson ’01

Carl davis ’73 talks about attending the Miami vs. eCu game in his september 24, 2005 A Pirate’s Life for Me! interview. Visit PirateAlumni.com/apirateslifeforme to listen.

the face of tragedy. Since Hurricane Floyd hit during football season, the Gridiron Pirates were hoping to keep to their game schedule. “When the hurricane and flood hit, the football team was away from the campus for a game in South Carolina. The next game was to be at home against [ironically] the University of Miami Hurricanes. Unable to return home to practice or play the game, the team stayed in South Carolina. We decided that the game should be played if only to take our minds off of the dreadful conditions in Greenville for a few hours,” remembered Eakin. “North Carolina State University graciously offered its stadium and the game was played.”

“Although most everyone was affected in some way by the flood, people actually turned out in record number for the game. Everyone was ready for some diversion

as well as relief from the flood recovery,” commented Getsinger. Eakin added, “After being well behind at halftime, the Pirates came back in the second half to win one of their most stirring victories ever.”

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The 2009 legislative session of the North Carolina General Assembly recently adjourned after many months of work driven by one of the most severe recessions in recent memory. While the economic conditions were dire, the state universities concluded the budget process remarkebly better than most people expected.

The number one legislative focus for the University of North Carolina (UNC) system this year was students. In order to increase student access to our state’s universities, the UNC system requested full funding for financial aid, so that every North Carolinian qualifying for financial aid would have the opportunty receive it. The approved budget provides an additional $23 million in 2009-10 for student financial aid and brings the total funding for the UNC Need-Based Financial Aid Program to $139.4 million. This funding will continue to benefit more than 55,000 UNC sytem students receiving need-based financial aid.

Perhaps one of the most critical legislative priorities each year for East Carolina University is enrollment growth funding. As ECU continues to grow, we must attain the necessary funds from the state to support the increased number of students each year. During this legislative session, the university system as a whole was fortunate to secure enrollment growth funding in both years of the biennium. The $44.1 million in 2009-10 and the additional $53.4 million in 2010-11 will allow the state of North Carolina to continue to preserve access for an additional 4,700 college students each year of the biennium across the entire UNC system.

In addition to system-wide priorities, the legislature appropriated funds to a number of specific campuses with special programs critical to the future of North Carolina. Legislative appropriations to ECU in this area included $3 million in recurring

funding to support the operations of the new School of Dentistry at ECU. The dental school will train new dentists to respond to the ongoing shortage of dentists across the state. The operating funds appropriated by the legislature will be used

to hire the essential faculty and staff needed to prepare the innovative curriculum we will use to qualify for national accreditation and to train dentists to practice in rural areas. These funds will also allow for the opening of the first few community service learning centers to begin providing dental care in severely underserved parts of our state.

The legislature also appropriated $2 million in recurring funding to reimburse The Brody School of Medicine for the millions of dollars they provide in free health care to citizens of North Carolina every year. Without state support to manage this annual cost, the ability to provide quality services to our patients would inevitably erode. Caring for those who cannot pay and providing these safety-net services are essential to the health and well-being of our region. We are particularly grateful for the legislature’s support for this priority, especially at a time when citizens are losing jobs and health insurance coverage. By supporting ECU in this area, the legislature is allowing the University to continue to grow as a leader in health care, research, and the education of health professionals.

ECU knows how to serve the underserved; it is our mission and our soul. We must continue to fund priorities like the dental school and indigent care so the state’s health needs do not continue to worsen.

LeGisLATiVe MATTeRs

As alumni of East Carolina University, we would like to encourage you to thank your legislators for demonstrating a continued commitment to the university system, even in the midst of the uncertain economic times. We encourage you to thank them for

their efforts in the past and for what they will do to support us in the future. We will certainly have another challenging legislative session beginning next May when the North Carolina General Assembly convenes for a short session. Legislators across the state need to know that we appreciate their hard work and are grateful for their dedication to higher education.

Personal phone calls and letters are critical in communicating to legislators that we appreciate their devotion to our cause. The best way to find contact information for your state representative is to visit www.ncleg.net. With dedicated legislators and alumni, ECU has the opportunity to consistently make a significant impact on our region and state.

If you have questions about how you can advocate for ECU, please contact Philip Rogers, Executive Assistant to the Chancellor, at 252-328-6105 or rogersp@ecu.edu.

north Carolina state budget includes eCu priorities

STATEBUDGET

34 | Fall 2009

When you set up a charitable gift annuity with East Carolina University through the East Carolina University Foundation Inc., East Carolina University Medical & Health Sciences Foundation Inc., or the East Carolina University Educational Foundation Inc. (Pirate Club), you are contributing to an organization dedicated to educating students and preparing them for the future. Your support through this partial charitable gift/partial annuitized income mechanism enables you to strengthen ECU for the future. A charitable gift annuity may be estab-lished for a minimum of $10,000 in the form of appreciated stocks and other securities as well as cash or certain types of real estate. For more information please call 252-328-9573, e-mail abeyounisg@ecu.edu, or visit www.ecu.edu/devt/.

The Charitable Gift Annuity:

Part Gift/ Part Income Stream

Single Life Payout % Two Life Payout %50: 4.4 50–50: 3.8

55: 4.8 55–55: 4.1

60: 5.0 60–60: 4.6

65: 5.3 65–65: 4.9

70: 5.7 70–70: 5.2

75: 6.3 75–75: 5.6

80: 7.1 80–80: 6.1

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Servire | 35

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

$38,196,500

Distinguished professorships and lectureships $10,056,500

Scholarships

$19,441,000

Research and outreach

$29,461,000

Capital projects

$5,200,000

Athletics•scholarships•endowment•facilities

$43,328,000

$146,041,000

AdVAnCeMenT uPdATe

seCond CenTuRY CAMPAiGn uPdATe

Having recorded back to back record-breaking years for fundraising, ECU’s Second Century Campaign now stands at $148.5 million as of July 31, 2009.

Grant funds clinical health psychology internship

Mental health resources in eastern North Carolina will increase thanks to a new grant-funded program at East Carolina University.

Dr. Kim Dixon, a clinical health psychologist and assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatric Medicine at the Brody School of Medicine at ECU, will lead the establishment of a community-based pre-doctoral psychology internship training program in clinical and health psychology funded by a $297,000 grant from the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust.

Goals of the project are to improve the quality of life and health status of low-income residents of eastern North Carolina as well as reduce racial health disparities by providing access to mental health services and behavioral specialists.

Clinical health psychology differs from traditional mental health care in its focus on how lifestyle and behavior impact health. Health psychologists apply scientific knowledge of the relationships among behavioral, emotional, cognitive, social, and biological components of health to the promotion and maintenance of health and disease management.

“Besides the prevalence of untreated mental illness, physical illnesses with strong ties to lifestyle and behavioral factors are increasing in our area, suggesting that there is much work to be done in promoting behavior change that can improve health care outcomes,” Dixon said. An example of a disease with strong associations to behavior and lifestyle is diabetes, which Dixon said has increased 119 percent in the past 26 years in eastern North Carolina.

...continued on page 37

Dr. Kim Dixon will lead a community-based pre-doctoral psychology internship training program to boost access of mental health services and behavioral specialists for low-income residents of eastern North Carolina.

36 | Fall 2009

AdVAnCeMenT uPdATe

@THe WoMen’s RoundTABLe

The Women’s Roundtable at East Carolina University is made up of alumnae, faculty, staff, supporters, and friends of the University. Founded in 2003, The Women’s Roundtable at East Carolina University acknowledges the contribution of women to East Carolina’s legacy and encourages new levels of commitment by women to the University’s future.

The Women’s Roundtable has renewed its mission to support ECU and, under the leadership of a board of directors, will focus its efforts on raising funds for ECU’s Access Scholarship program; building a strong volunteer base of women committed to advancing the University; and forming a deeper pool of women to be considered for other leadership roles at ECU.

Gifts to The Women’s Roundtable will support the Access Scholarship Endowment Fund and operating expenses for The Women’s Roundtable. The scholarships will be called The Women’s Roundtable Access Scholarships. The Access Scholarship program provides a unique opportunity to assist a historically underserved but greatly deserving group of ECU students who demonstrate both financial need and proven academic potential. A gift of $125,000 will fully endow one Access Scholarship that will be named after the person or group funding the endowment.

For more information, please visit The Women’s Roundtable Web site at www.ecu.edu/womensroundtable or contact:

Marcy RomaryDirector of Women’s PhilanthropyWomen’s Roundtable at East Carolina UniversityGreenville Centre2200 South Charles BoulevardGreenville, NC 27858252-328-9580romarym@ecu.edu

Levels of Affiliation with the Women’s Roundtable

GeneRAL AFFiLiATion

B E N E FA C T O RAnnual contribution of $1,000 and aboveBenefits include:

• Lapel pin• Newsletters and other publications• Invitations to regional and premier Women’s Roundtable events• Guaranteed admission, with the purchase of tickets, to premier Women’s Roundtable events

A dV O C AT EAnnual contribution of $350-$999 Benefits include:

• Lapel pin• Newsletters and other publications• Invitations to regional and premier Women’s Roundtable events • Guaranteed admission, with the purchase of tickets, to premier Women’s Roundtable events

C E N T u R I O NAnnual contribution of $100-$349Benefits include:

• Lapel pin• Newsletters and other publications• Invitations to regional and premier Women’s Roundtable events

d O N O RAnnual contribution of $50 (minimum contribution)Benefits include:

• Lapel pin• Invitations to regional and premier Women’s Roundtable events

YounG ALuMnAe AFFiLiATionYoung alumnae who have graduated from ECU within the past five years can become a part of The Women’s Roundtable at the following levels:

Y O u N G A L u M N A E A dV O C AT EAnnual contribution of $50 and aboveBenefits include:

• Lapel pin• Newsletters and other publications• Invitations to regional and premier Women’s Roundtable events

Y O u N G A L u M N A E d O N O RAnnual contribution of $25Benefits include:

• Newsletters and other publications• Invitations to regional and premier Women’s Roundtable events

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Grant funds clinical health psychology internshipcontinued from page 35

Internships will be one year, and participants will be clinical psychology doctoral graduate students from universities across the country.

Plans are for the interns to work throughout eastern North Carolina including clinical sites of the Brody School of Medicine and University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina and in community health centers in Beaufort and Lenoir counties. They will provide integrated behavioral health care as well as mental health counseling and education. The project should begin by this fall, according to Dixon.

The Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust was created in 1947 by the will of Mrs. William N. Reynolds of Winston-Salem. Three-fourths of the trust’s grants are designated for use for health-related programs and services across North Carolina and one-fourth for the poor and needy of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County.

eastern north Carolina Bank Pledges Funds for eCu’s Access scholarship Program

Eastern North Carolina-based the little bank pledged $50,000 to East Carolina University’s Second Century Campaign in support of student scholarships at ECU. On June 23 at a gathering of bank employees who are also East Carolina alumni, the little bank president announced its contribution that will establish at least two new scholarships for the University’s Access Scholarship program.

“East Carolina University and the little bank share the same vision of eastern North Carolina in terms of values, ideals, and potential for growth,” said Rob Jones ’78, president and CEO of the little bank and an ECU graduate. “East Carolina University has had a huge impact on the

little bank and upon my life, personally. Many of our associates graduated from ECU with undergraduate and master’s degrees and are leaders within our company as well as their respective communities.” Among all East Carolina graduates, approximately 80 percent have college loan debt to repay. On average, ECU students graduate with $19,000 of debt—one of the highest amounts in the UNC system. East Carolina’s Access Scholarship program provides financial support to students with proven academic potential and demonstrated financial need. The little bank’s contribution will create at least two additional four-year scholarships at East Carolina.

“We are proud to support the Access Scholarship program,” Jones said. “Helping students attend ECU and become successful leaders in eastern North Carolina is a great fit for us and makes good business sense. We are thankful to be able to invest in ECU and future leaders.”

East Carolina’s Second Century Campaign is providing resources for student scholarships, faculty, academic programs, athletic support, and campus facility construction and improvement. This campaign is one of the major steps necessary to accomplish the ambitious goals of ECU Tomorrow: A Vision for Leadership and Service, the University’s strategic plan adopted in 2007. To date, ECU has raised more than $146 million toward its $200 million goal.

“We are grateful for the little bank’s support of ECU and its students through the Second Century Campaign,” said ECU Vice Chancellor for Advancement Mickey Dowdy. “Contributions such as the little bank’s are especially important now, in these challenging economic times. Private support for scholarships is crucial for the University’s ability to attract and retain talented, hard working students.”

The little bank was founded in November 1998 and today has six branches in Kinston, LaGrange, Goldsboro, Jacksonville, Greenville, and New Bern.

ECU’s Access Scholarship program awards $5,000 scholarships to full-time North Carolina students with proven financial need and demonstrated academic potential. ECU will provide at least 76 Access Scholarships during the 2009-2010 academic year and has the long-term goal of providing 100 scholarships annually.For more information about how you can support East Carolina, the Second Century Campaign, and the Access Scholarship program, visit www.ecu.edu/devt or call 252-328-9550.

At the announcement of the little bank’s contribution on June 23, employees who are ECU alumni joined bank president Rob Jones ’78as he made the presentation to Chancellor Steve Ballard.

Hill, “he would not have been able to do a lot of those things.”

And because of those experiences, he witnessed a part of history firsthand. On Sept. 11, 2001, Robert was aboard his favorite ship, the USS Roosevelt, which was docked at the Norfolk Naval Base in Norfolk, Virginia. When the planes hit the World Trade Center and Pentagon, the ship’s crew was immediately ready for action.

“When the crew realized what was actually happening, they were ready to get under way to protect the US,” said Robert. “I felt very proud of them for being ready to go. I was impressed by their willingness to be on the front line of defense.”

While Robert was traveling, Betty went back to school at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, as their daughter, Paige, was starting kindergarten.

“She was doing homework and I was doing homework,” Betty said.

With Robert’s encouragement, Betty earned her bachelor’s degree in business education in 1971 and her master’s degree in 1975 at Old Dominion, and pursued a Ph.D. at Virginia Tech. She began working at Tidewater Community College Portsmouth Campus in Portsmouth, Virginia, in 1975, and was chair of the Business, Mathematics,

38 | Fall 2009

AdVAnCeMenT uPdATe

Robert ’62 and Betty Hill number among East Carolina University’s biggest fans. As holders of season tickets for football, basketball, and baseball, they often can be found in Greenville at athletic events. But it’s not just ECU athletics they support. Through a 2008 gift to the College of Technology and Computer Science and the Second Century Campaign, the Hills hope they are setting an example for all alumni and friends.

“We like to win,” Robert said, “but we also realize education is a necessity for kids.”

Robert Hill met Betty Smith at Trinity United Methodist Church in Kinston, North Carolina, when they were in high school. They dated throughout high school, even after Betty moved to Hampton, Virginia. Robert entered East Carolina in 1959 and took extra classes to graduate in three years so they could get married.

The Hills married in 1961 and Robert graduated with a Bachelor of Science in industrial technology in 1962. He planned to teach and was interviewing for teaching jobs, but a visit to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company during spring break of his senior year changed his plans. He interviewed for a job in their engineering division on the spot and was hired to start work immediately after graduation.

“I graduated on Sunday, went to work on Monday,” Robert said.

He spent the rest of his career working with ships traveling around the world, for the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company and then for the U.S. Naval Shipyard until he retired in 2005.

“Wherever the ships were, that’s where we went,” Robert said.

He’s been to Italy, France, Egypt, Israel, Hong Kong, Philippines, Washington, California, and Florida, among other places. “Without his degree from ECU,” said Betty

Natural Sciences, and Nursing division for 20 years until her retirement in 2001. But she’s a Pirate at heart.

“She’s worse than I am,” Robert said. “She goes to football games and calls the plays.”

Now, the Hills are expanding their long time support of ECU to include the College of Technology and Computer Science, from which Robert graduated.

“We had been doing a lot for the athletic programs, and we thought it was time to do something for academics,” Robert said.In 2008, they created the Robert E. & Betty S. Hill Endowment for the College of Technology and Computer Science. This endowment will fund the Robert and Betty Hill Recognition Breakfast, an annual awards ceremony to build community within the college, and recognize student scholarship recipients and outstanding students and faculty.

“Education is the key for people growing up today,” Robert said. “Manufacturing jobs aren’t there anymore…we see the world going more toward technology and service industries every day. People need a college education to be successful.”

Through donations from friends and alumni like the Hill’s, East Carolina University’s Second Century Campaign is making a difference in the lives of students today and tomorrow. Whether through student scholarships, faculty support, or support for the University’s student athletes and athletic programs, support for ECU and the Second Century campaign has a profound effect on the University and eastern North Carolina. Please consider how you can support the Second Century Campaign. Contributions may be designated for the program, college, school, scholarship, or endowment of your choice.

For more information or to give online, visit www.ecu.edu/devt or call 252-328-9550.

Robert ’62 and Betty Hill: inspirations for all Pirates fans

Servire | 39

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40 | Fall 2009

neWs & noTes FRoM sCHooLs & CoLLeGes

College of Business launches new undergraduate program

Beginning Fall 2009, all undergraduate business students will participate in a new Leadership and Professional Development Program. The program, novel in its inclusiveness and broad in its scope, will ensure that leadership development is a focus of the core program of study.

“For more than 50 years, the College of Business has done an excellent job of teaching the nuts-and-bolts of business,” Dr. Frederick Niswander, dean of the College of Business, said. “Time and again, employers tell us that our students know the technical material and how it is applied in business – and they work hard. Those abilities are important, but no longer sufficient.”

The new Leadership and Professional Development Program includes several new components, including new courses.

“Our new program involves teaching ‘the rest of the student’ – providing every student the strategic, leadership, professional, communications, and life skills they need to succeed in our global 21st century world. We are fundamentally redefining what it means to be a College of Business graduate,” College of Business Associate Dean Stanley Eakins said.

One of the first courses freshman business students will take, Strategy First, is designed to create enthusiasm for the study of business and instill a vision of a unified and integrated business structure. The course will be cross-disciplinary, using Business Week magazine as the primary text. Thanks to RBC Bank’s $500,000 endowment, students enrolled in Strategy First will pay nothing for textbooks or course materials.

A series of three leadership courses will also be required. BUSI 2200 - Leadership 1 will focus on applied leadership skills. Students will demonstrate their self-awareness

business

and interpersonal skills by being able to define and communicate a goal, organize and motivate a team, and lead a team to successful achievement of the goal.

In BUSI 3200 - Leadership 2, students will learn to conduct themselves appropriately in business settings, continuously upgrading their skills so that they can adapt to changing environments. They will learn to appreciate the value of diversity, how to address complex ethical dilemmas, and professional business norms.

BUSI 4200 - Leadership 3 will encourage students to reflect upon their own leadership experiences, as well as those from various organizations, to demonstrate their knowledge of applied leadership. They will study historic leaders to further broaden their leadership perspective.

In addition to the new coursework, all business graduates will complete a Leadership and Professional Development Portfolio. The elements in the portfolio will complement the content of the leadership courses and encourage students to stretch their own personal leadership development. The portfolio will contain examples and evidence of the activities and accomplishments directly related to the leadership training students experienced during their college career.

Finally, from beginning to end, students will be continuously supported by the Center for Student Success in the College of Business, which houses Academic Advising, the Business Communication Center, and Career Services. The Center for Student Success serves as a one-stop-shop,

assisting business students before they arrive on campus and also after they graduate.

In Academic Advising, advisors are responsible for recruiting students, providing new student orientation, offering guidance on concentration decisions, serving as a central resource for campus information, as well as providing academic advising.

The Business Communication Center offers students the opportunity to assess and refine their oral and written communication skills – helping them communicate in a business setting. Communication Center professionals work one-on-one with students to revise written assignments and strengthen presentation skills. They also work closely with faculty members to enhance the curriculum and student classroom experiences, helping develop meaningful assignments with constructive feedback.

The College of Business Career Services office will help students assess their strengths and weaknesses, provide career planning guidance, assist with resume building and preparation, conduct interviewing skills workshops, promote students to high quality employers, help match students with internship opportunities, and offer networking events.

“With the new Leadership and Professional Development Program, the College of Business is a fundamentally different place,” Eakins concluded. “We have an integrated curriculum and an interconnected support structure that fully prepares students for their careers and professional lives. We give students the tools to succeed from the moment they step into the business world.”

The College of Business web feature, pictured above, is available online at www.ecu.edu/cs-admin/mktg/college_of_business_feature.cfm.

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eCu responds to regional need for school counselors

In response to the critical need for school counselors in our public schools in southeastern North Carolina, ECU’s Department of Counselor and Adult Education (COAD) developed a cohort program to increase the accessibility of professional graduate training for potential school counselors. The COAD Southeastern Counseling Cohort offers students an opportunity to pursue their master’s degrees via Distance Education with classes meeting near their homes and workplaces. Following an initial information session in the fall of 2008 that drew nearly 200 participants, 25 students were selected for the inaugural class. These students are classroom teachers, behavioral health professionals, and other professionals who had long desired to use their talents to counsel students, but had been unable to pursue on-campus graduate degrees. The cohort was developed after discussions with superintendents, school personnel, counselor education graduates, and potential students that revealed that long distances and class schedules prohibited many good candidates from pursuing degrees in school counseling. These barriers meant that schools were struggling to identify qualified professionals to fill vacant school counseling positions, depriving students of critical mental health and psychosocial services. The Department of Counselor and Adult Education addressed this critical need through the Southeastern Counseling Cohort. COAD faculty offer hybrid courses with a balance of online and face-to-face courses offered at Craven Community College in association with ECU’s Wachovia Partnership East. The cohort officially began in January 2009. At the end of the second summer session 2009, students had completed 18 hours of coursework and were eligible for accepting positions as provisionally licensed school counselors. Students will complete their coursework and graduate in December

education2011. Congratulations to the inaugural cohort of the Southeastern Counseling Cohort!

Master of school Administration programre-visioned

The Department of Educational Leadership faculty has been involved in the year-long task of re-visioning our Master of School Administration (MSA) program. The re-visioning effort focused on the examination, investigation, and research of how we may better prepare individuals to assume leadership roles in the public school system. The culmination of the re-visioning effort leads to program approval from the North Carolina State Department of Public Instruction and program reauthorization from the University of North Carolina General Administration.

In order to accomplish this initiative and genuinely examine how we may improve the MSA program, a team of higher education faculty and public school personnel were formed to serve as a guiding body to discuss program improvement. This team of individuals (ECU Cross-Functional Team) met throughout the fall to participate in various visioning activities. Additionally, a team consisting of two individuals from ECU (one Department of Educational Leadership faculty member and one public school retired superintendent) visited each of the 32 superintendents in our service region to discuss how we may improve our leadership preparation. Throughout the process, Department of Educational Leadership faculty met to review and discuss the data gathered from the superintendent visits and the Cross-Functional Team activities to assist in the shaping of the revised MSA program. This re-visioning approach strengthened and confirmed ECU’s commitment to continuing the relationships and partnerships with our school districts. The new MSA program is scheduled to begin fall 2010.

Coretha Rushing ’79 is clearly successful at human resources

Coretha Rushing ‘79 can see downtown Atlanta with perfect clarity from her office in the Equifax building. Recently, she reflected with equal clarity upon her remarkable career, and she laid out seemingly simple truths about success in the workplace. As corporate vice president, chief human resources officer for Equifax Inc., and 30 years’ experience with some of the country’s most successful companies, Rushing speaks with authority.

While at ECU in the 1970’s, Rushing blended child development and family relations with industrial psychology courses and practical experience in occupational therapy to develop her passion for helping injured workers re-tool for new jobs. After finishing a master’s degree in human resources and counseling at George Washington University, she landed her first human resources management job with Macy’s Department Store in New York City

as coordinator of a management trainee program and corporate recruiter. From Macy’s, she became a training director for a small savings and loan bank on Wall Street.

While with the bank, IBM in Washington, D.C. tapped her for a position as an HR

human ecology

Coretha Rushing ’79, who calls Atlanta home, has thrived in human resources.

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neWs & noTes FRoM sCHooLs & CoLLeGes

heavily involved in the resolution of a race discrimination class-action lawsuit, resulting in Coca-Cola’s payment of $192.5 million. “After all of that, I was exhausted and needed to be still for awhile, so I stepped down from Coca-Cola and rested. Another company pursued me, but I listened to my inner voice and sat still. When I felt ready, I did some HR consulting and even developed my own import business and just had some fun collecting and selling art.”

In 2006, Equifax Inc., a leading global provider of credit, risk, and marketing information solutions with 7,000 employees in 14 countries, turned to Rushing for HR consultation. The CEO offered her a job, and she felt ready to take up the new challenge. At Equifax, she is responsible for strategic and operational leadership for human resources, corporate communication, and special events. “It’s crucial that we develop the talent of the future to lead with confidence and have the courage to innovate and make a big difference to our customers,” asserted Rushing.

emeritus & distinguished Faculty Wall dedication

Faculty with a combined 554 years of service gathered in the academic wing of Minges Coliseum last fall for the unveiling of the College of Health and Human Performance’s Emeritus & Distinguished Faculty Wall.

generalist. She remained at IBM for ten years, working in ten different aspects of HR, including recruiting, training, compensation, and employee relations. “I was lucky because at that time IBM had about 40,000 employees in Metro D.C., and I got marvelous experience with different divisions of IBM but never had to relocate my home,” said Rushing, speaking in her office at Equifax. “After ten years, IBM asked me to move to Austin, Texas, which I did and enjoyed. When they asked me to move again, however, I felt it was the right time for a change.”

The change came in the form of an offer from Pepsi-Cola’s Pizza Hut Division, where she assumed her first executive role in Wichita, Kansas, as vice president of human resources with responsibility for the Midwest Division’s company owned and franchise restaurants. “This was really a challenging job,” recalls Rushing. “Pizza Hut didn’t have infrastructure like IBM, and the job was very hands-on and taxing. Just about the time the Division decided to move its headquarters to Dallas, Texas, Coca-Cola made me an offer, and I moved to Atlanta.”

Rushing worked for Coca-Cola from 1996 to 2004, becoming senior vice president of human resources in 2001. Her duties included all aspects of human resources for the entire company. “The most wonderful experience I had at Coca-Cola was being the human resources director for Africa,” said Rushing. “Though I was based in Atlanta, I was able to travel all over the African continent. You want to talk about diversity! Africa is diverse. I gained a great appreciation and understanding of the diverse populations, cultures, and terrain of that continent. The people and places are so different from one region to the next. I don’t think most Americans understand Africa at all.”

During her tenure at Coca-Cola, the company went through a total restructuring. Then the World Trade Center was attacked, necessitating new strategies for security and tracking the location of the corporation’s global work force. Rushing was also

health & humanperformance

The purple-carpeted hallway was filled with faculty, family members, and staff who relived old memories and rekindled friendships. The afternoon event was also an opportunity to meet new faces and observe first-hand the tremendous growth in the College.

In his welcoming remarks, Dean Glen Gilbert thanked all honorees for their commitment and praised their exceptional dedication. Countless students have been inspired during the long and distinguished careers of these esteemed professors and their achievements have provided the foundation to build HHP programs and establish a legacy of excellent teaching, research, and service.

Dr. Jerry McGee ’66, president of Wingate University and HHP alumnus, unveiled the prominently displayed wall that showcases as a permanent tribute to the rich heritage of our College. Dr. McGee generously funded the Emeritus & Distinguished Faculty Wall to honor his professors as well as many of his peers in recognition of significant contributions to their disciplines, our students, and the College.

Brody school of Medicine holds traditional white coat ceremony

The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University officially welcomed the Class of 2013 on Friday, August 14 at the Brody Auditorium during the annual white coat ceremony. Carole Novick, president of the Medical & Health Sciences Foundation, welcomed the class. Dr. David Collier, 2001 Brody School of Medicine graduate, shared his unique perspective as an alumnus and now employee of the Brody School of Medicine. Dr. Collier is director of the Pediatric Healthy Weight Research and Treatment Center, an assistant professor and vice chair for research with the Department of Pediatrics, and adjunct assistant professor of Family Medicine and Exercise and Sport Science. Dr. Harry

Emeritus and distinguished faculty attend the unveiling of the wall dedicated in their honor.

medicine

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Adams, professor of Medicine and recipient of the Clinical Science Faculty Award from the Class of 2009, was the featured keynote speaker.

The Brody School of Medicine Alumni Society presented each incoming student with a white coat, along with a distinctive personalized nametag. The white coat is a widely recognized traditional symbol of professionalism in medicine. In addition, the Society sponsored a reception following the ceremony for students and their family members. 

The incoming class consists of 78 members, which is the largest class in the history of the Brody School of Medicine. These students were selected from nearly 900 applicants. The 39 men and 39 women in the class range in age from 21 to 43. All of the incoming students are North Carolina residents with 31 counties of residence listed.

Three distinguished students have earned the Brody Medical Scholarship this fall. These students were selected from a group of 13 nominees for this coveted award. The Brody Medical Scholarship is the School of Medicine’s highest honor. The award provides full tuition and stipends for summer research projects, which allow the scholars to explore their medical interests while helping others and make significant contributions to society.

eCu software engineering students gain global experience through partnership with india

East Carolina University students in an undergraduate software engineering class are preparing for a global work environment without having to leave campus.

For the fourth year, ECU professors and students will partner with MS University of Baroda in Vadodora, India to produce software for Unisys Global Services.

The project simulates a real-world software engineering experience. ECU students will be required to create complex software using state-of-the-art software engineering processes, practices, and tools. They will learn about the use of professional processes and tools, self-learning, teamwork, document and file sharing, and oral and written reporting.

But what is done on the Greenville campus is only half of the project. ECU students must collaborate with students in India to produce the final software product that will be evaluated by Unisys.

The goal of the program is simple, said Dr. N.M.H. Tabrizi, ECU’s software engineering program director. “We aim to broaden our students’ global and cultural horizons, enhance professional networking skills and, of course, teach them how to effectively produce complex software while achieving an overall team goal,” he said.

The students from ECU and MS University of Baroda participate in weekly formal meetings with faculty and Unisys officials. They also use free online chats, instant messaging and cell phones to communicate around the world.

“Graduates in software engineering are more and more likely to communicate with team members and managers solely via

electronic means such as teleconference, videoconference, e-mail or e-file sharing,” Tabrizi said. “We are teaching them the most effective ways to achieve this success, especially when dealing with companies, clients and team members all over the globe.”

eCu engineering launches new mechanical engineering concentration

The Department of Engineering, which was created in 2004, welcomes its fifth entering class to ECU for the fall 2009 semester and along with that launches a brand new mechanical engineering concentration.

Mechanical engineering is one of the broadest engineering disciplines. Mechanical engineers have the skills to support design and improvement of a wide range of products from supersonic aircraft to toasters and bicycles. Mechanical engineers may specialize in areas like combustion, thermal systems, machine design, and robotics, or crossover into advanced technologies such as artificial limbs and nanotechnology.

“We created the mechanical engineering concentration for a couple of reasons,” said Dr. Paul Kauffmann, Chair of the ECU Department of Engineering. “One primary reason meshes with the ECU strategic goal of enhancing economic development throughout the region and our industry partners, such as MCAS Cherry Point and others, have a growing demand for young people with this unique skill set. It will help our students get jobs immediately after graduation and boosts industry at the same time. It’s a win-win situation.”

technology & computer science

ECU engineering students stand proudly with their Baja Car.

The Brody School of Medicine held the annual Welcoming Convocation and White Coat Cer-emony on August 14 to welcome the Class of 2013, the largest in Brody history at 78 students. Ashley Mabina and Evan Lutz are shown reciting the medical student pledge.

44 | Fall 2009

CAReeR CoRneRA service of the ECU Career Center

Tools to Finding a Job

in a down economy

Five Networking Secrets in a Tough Market Do not rely on classified ads and internet

job databases as your only job search techniques. Only 10-20% of jobs are

ever published, which means that 80-90% of jobs are “hidden” in the job market. For this reason,

networking remains the number one job search strategy.

Be Targeted. Start by listing all your potential prospects: family members, friends, faculty,

neighbors, classmates, alumni, bosses, coworkers, and community associates.

Be Focused on Quality, not Quantity. In a large group setting, circulate and meet people, but don’t try to talk to everyone. It’s better to have a few meaningful conversations than 50 introductions.

Be Referral-Centered. The person you are networking with may not have a job opening, but he or she may know of someone who is hiring. The key to networking is obtaining new referrals each time you meet someone new.

Be dedicated to Networking. Networking should be ongoing. You want to keep in touch with contacts over a long period and not just when you need something. Make networking part of your long-term career plan.

Be Open to different Industries. In a troubled job market, if you’re in a field that’s declining, such as mortgage banking or real estate, identify your transferable skills and market them to hiring managers in growing industries, such as health care.

Turning Online Social Networking into a Job OfferUsing social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and LinkedIn allows you to expand your business contacts and increase your chance of getting a job referral.

Fill in Your Profile. Use industry-specific buzz words to describe your talents, experience, and accomplishments. Tailor your profile as opportunities change. Post a link to your online portfolio or professional blog that showcases your work.

Think “People,” Not Just “Jobs.” Connect with people inside companies of interest and network through friends to make new friends with people in your industry. An inside contact can help push your resume forward from the stacks of other online applicants.

Join Groups. Most networking sites have groups that focus on particular fields. Search a Facebook group for former colleagues and alumni at a particular company. Post professional comments and discussions related to your field. Online groups are a great way to stand out among others who share your professional interests.

When making your estate plans, place East Carolina university

among your loved ones

We all hope to leave our legacy through family, friends, and loved ones. Ultimately, we hope to leave behind our precious gained lifetime assets to those who are most important to us. East Carolina University always encourages families to take care of themselves first, but if there are other assets remaining after satisfying those goals, please think of leaving your perpetual legacy at East Carolina University. A bequest provision is among the simplest, yet most effective ways to make a long lasting impact at ECU. By naming the Alumni Association or any of the three ECU foundations (East Carolina University Foundation Inc., East Carolina University Medical & Health Sciences Foundation Inc., and/or the East Carolina University Educational Foundation Inc. [Pirate Club]) as beneficiary of a percentage or specific dollar amount from your estate, you are investing in the future of young people for generations to come. Thank you for considering how you can give students educational support and the opportunity for an outstanding future.

For more information about bequest provisions or any planned giving instruments, please call Greg Abeyounis ’06, assistant vice chancellor for development, at 252-328-9573 or e-mail abeyounisg@ecu.edu. Visit us online at www.ecu.edu/devt.

Servire | 45

It’s Football Time!Time to Vote for the Coach of the Year and

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You could save hundreds of dollars a year on your car and home insurance. Call

1-800-867-5517 for a free no-obligation rate quote, and find out about the special

group discount you could receive just for being an East Carolina University alum.*

While you’re scoring savings, cast your vote for the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year.

Last year nearly a million fans voted for the football coach they thought best demonstrated

responsibility, integrity and excellence, on and off the field.

Be part of this year’s action by visiting coachoftheyear.com/save.

This organization receives financial support for allowing Liberty Mutual to offer this auto and home insurance program. *Discounts and credits are available where state laws and regulations allow, and may vary by state. To the extent permitted by law, applicants are individually underwritten; not all applicants may qualify. Coverage provided and underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and its affiliates, 175 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA. In Texas, coverage provided and underwritten by Liberty County Mutual Insurance Company and its affiliates, 2100 Walnut Hill Lane, Irving, TX. A consumer report from a consumer reporting agency and/or motor vehicle report on all drivers listed on your policy may be obtained where state laws and regulations allow. © 2009 Liberty Mutual Insurance Company. All rights reserved.

46 | Fall 2009

A Pirate Remembers...

Dr. Jack Britt ’53, ’54, ’73 Truly Believes in the Power of Education

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Education is no simple matter for

Dr. Jack Britt ’53, ’54, ’73—after all, Jack Britt High School

in Fayetteville, NC is named in his honor. A man who has spent his entire

career (including a second career after retirement) in education is certainly deserving

of great recognition. From humble beginnings as one of eight children in Fairmont, NC to

superintendent of schools in Cumberland County to vice president of institutional Advancement at

one of North Carolina’s premier private universities, Britt is an educator through and through.

D

48 | Fall 2009

During the height of the Great Depression in 1935, Britt’s family suffered a tragic blow when his father Henry Forest Britt, passed away. Britt was only three-years-old. His mother, Anna Louise Barnes Britt was left to feed, clothe, and raise Britt and his seven siblings on a school cafeteria manager’s salary. “Things were tough back then and money was always tight. My mother made pound cakes to supplement our income, and folks used to say ‘you have not lived unless you’ve eaten a slice of Mrs. Britt’s pound cakes,’” commented Britt. Even in those early years, Britt understood the value of an education and his mother encouraged all of her children to find a way to attend college. “Thankfully, all eight of us went to college—we found a way!”

Britt was fortunate in that he had natural athletic ability. In high school he was a guard in basketball, a catcher in baseball, and a halfback in football. It was his talent on the gridiron that earned him a full scholarship to East Carolina, where he was a running back and became co-captain during his senior year. “Playing football

was everything to me because I wanted to be a coach. My knee was injured during my freshmen year, so I was able to play during

a fifth year of school. I earned an undergraduate degree in physical education, and then earned a master’s degree in education administration. Having a master’s degree made it much easier for me to find a job teaching,” said Britt. In 1955, he earned a certificate of advanced study in education from then East Carolina

College, and went on to earn a doctorate from Nova University.

“East Carolina was a wonderful experience. Thursday nights at East Carolina were special because Vesper services were held. A group of students would get together to lead a service with scripture and we’d sing hymns and just enjoy each other’s company.” Britt also met his wife Jane Eason Britt ’54 at East Carolina.

After graduating, Britt secured employment as a teacher and coach at Needham

Broughton High School in Raleigh, NC. But after just one year on the roster, he joined the United States Army. “Jane and I were married while in the Army. I thought I’d better marry her before I lost her to someone else, so we married after finishing basic training,” Britt recalled. After his tour of duty, Britt returned to teaching in Cumberland County in North Carolina. In his first position back, he taught at Seventy-First school, while Jane taught third grade. An offer in Winston-Salem nearly took the Britts out of the Fayetteville area, but when Fort Bragg asked the couple to teach on base during the summer, they stayed put.

It wasn’t long before Britt was asked to serve as a supervisor for the Cumberland County School System. His East Carolina degree was certainly a feather in his cap since he’d stayed for that master’s degree. Over the years Britt rose in the ranks of the school system, fulfilling positions as an assistant superintendent, deputy superintendent, and finally as superintendent from 1980-1989. During his tenure as superintendent, the Cumberland County and Fayetteville city school systems merged and Britt was elected as superintendent of the merged system—a testament to his dedication to education. Britt officially retired from public schools in 1989.

Busying himself at home and finding extracurricular activities to engage in seemed a bit of a task for Britt. “Jane would come home after teaching and ask, ‘Well what did you do today?’ One day I’d answer that I’d gone fishing. Another day I’d answer that I’d played golf. She thought I was having entirely too much fun and she threatened to retire so that she could join me!” he recalled. “She asked if there was something else that I really wanted to do. I thought I would aggravate her just a little and answered, ‘yes, there is—I’ve always wanted to be a missionary and go to China or maybe Africa.’ Her eyes got so big! And that was the end of my going back to work.”

It was as if that conversation foreshadowed the future. Shortly thereafter, Campbell University called and asked Britt to come for an interview with Drs. Norman A. Wiggins and Jerry M. Wallace. They offered him a position in their Advancement office as director of Corporate Relations. He took a little time to think it over, but ultimately accepted the position. “Knowing that my lifelong interests were in education, I was greatly pleased to accept a job in higher education at Campbell University,” said Britt. Twenty years later, Britt is firmly planted in Campbell University’s Institutional Advancement office as vice president. He is proud that Campbell’s mission is not just to teach students how to make a living, but how to make a life as well.

Britt is also extremely honored that one of Cumberland County’s newest high school

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was named in his honor—and that it shares his beloved East Carolina mascot. Although not “Pirates,” the “Buccaneers” of Jack Britt High School proudly wear purple and gold. One of 13 public high schools in Cumberland County, Jack Britt High School is a 2009 NCHSAA Exemplary

School—recognizing the school’s total program, including athletic opportunities and facilities, community interest and involvement, and academics. Their mission

“Playing football was everything to me because i wanted to be a coach. My knee was injured during my freshmen year, so i was able to play during a fifth year of school. i earned an undergraduate degree in physical education, and then earned a master’s degree in education administration. Having a master’s degree made it much easier for me to find a job teaching,” said Britt.

is “to provide our students with a vast array of educational opportunities essential for academic and social success. The skills we instill, with special emphasis on the ever-changing world of engineering and technology, will prepare them for the work force as well as the academic rigors

of a higher education.” (www.jbhs.ccs.k12.nc.us) Britt and his wife often attend school functions and athletic events to show their support of the students and school.

Jack Britt High School and Campbell University are not the only institutions to recognize Britt’s dedication to education—in 2001 he was inducted into the East Carolina University

Educators Hall of Fame—an honor bestowed upon those who are influential educators and lifelong facilitators of learning. Britt is also a Centennial Leader in the College of Health and Human Performance. But he’s not one to toot his own horn. Although extremely grateful for any recognition he receives, Britt epitomizes the Southern gentleman and his focus has always been on others rather than himself. “We are here for the students, and we never forget that,” commented Britt about his career in education. An apropos statement, coming from someone whose life of service in education started at the college for teachers in eastern North Carolina.

50 | Fall 2009

“BEAuTY QuEENS ABOuNd AT ECu”~Goldsboro News-Argus, September 5, 1971

A LooK BACK...

With the coronation of Patsy Gail Wood as Miss North Carolina, 1971, and Cheryl Sue Johnson as this year’s Rhododendron Queen, East Carolina University continues its tradition as a leader in the “beauty plus brains” category.

From Winston-Salem to Long Beach, ECU coeds consistently bring home the trophies designating winners. The following include some of the beauties who have won state and national titles.

Four Miss North Carolinas in recent years have been enrolled at East Carolina. Still active in state beauty pageant affairs, is Miss North Carolina of 1958, from Greenville the former Betty Lane Evans, now Mrs. Ted Lee Bissette of Spring Hope.

In 1969, Miss North Carolina was Elisa Annette Johnson of New Bern, an ECU student.

The 1971 Miss North Carolina, who will represent the Tar Heel state in the Miss America pageant soon forthcoming in Atlantic City, is Patsy Gail Wood, a 1969 graduate of ECU. The daughter Mr. and Mrs. John W. Wood, Rt. 2, Benson, taught primary education in Garner last year, the town she represented in the Miss N.C. pageant.

Mary Rudroff of Winston-Salem is another Miss North Carolina, 1971, and represented the state in the recent “Miss USA” contest held in Miami in May. Mary, a senior at ECU, is a commercial art major and will complete requirements for the degree during fall quarter. The “Miss USA” contest is preliminary to the “Miss Universe” competition.

ECU coeds have well represented the state in various contests representing industries of the state, especially agricultural.

Judy Brewer of Wilson, for example, who was “Miss Wilson” in the Miss N.C. pageant, is the reigning “North Carolina Apple Queen”. She is currently a primary education major at ECU and was a contestant in last year’s search for the National Tobacco Queen.

Bonita Sue George of Havelock is a sophomore at ECU and commuted to classes each day this past summer. She carried the title of Southeastern N.C. Tobacco Princess in the national contest

in Richmond last year. Bonnie Sue, as her friends call her, is also a former North Carolina Blueberry Queen. Debbie Falls of Vale is a former N.C. Apple Queen.

Cheryl Sue Johnson, this year’s Rhondodendron Queen, lives in Long Beach. She was also North Carolina’s 1970 “Watermelon Queen”, and represented the state’s melon producers in the national contest held during Mardi Gras in New Orleans in February. Cheryl placed second in that national competition.

Mary Dannehl of Goldsboro, who led the ECU Marching Pirates as majorette last year, was for three years “Miss Majorette” of North Carolina. In 1967 she was selected “America’s Most Beautiful Majorette” in national competition held at Myrtle Beach. Mary, a graduating senior, was married recently and now lives in Albemarle.

Susan Walton, an ECU graduate of 1971 with a BS degree, hails from Jacksonville. At ECU she held the titles of Homecoming Queen and Football Queen. She has also been “Miss N.C. Peach Queen”, “Miss Jacksonville”, “Miss Onslow County”, and was second runner-up in the Miss North Carolina pageant of 1969.

Susan became Mrs. David Stephen Sledge during the summer.

To read more about ECU’s bevy of beauties, please visit Joyner Library’s Archives online at: http://www.ecu.edu/cs-lib/archives/ecuhistory.cfm

ThE TRAdITION CONTINuES . . .

Kristen Dalton, a senior-level East Carolina student, is the reigning Miss USA. On August 23, she competed in the Miss Universe pageant and finished in the top 10.

Throughout her reign, Dalton will be a spokesperson for the official causes of MISS USA® which include breast and ovarian cancer education, research and legislation, a platform that is close to her heart. She looks forward to traveling nationwide as an advocate for organizations such as the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, the National Breast Cancer Coalition, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and Gilda’s Club, among others.

Listen as Kristen talks about her ECU experience and the Miss USA title on A Pirate’s Life for Me! at PirateAlumni.com/apirateslifeforme.

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