On Deck with Student Affairs October 2023 Edition

From the Desk of Vice Chancellor Brandon Frye

Greetings Pirates:

Is it me or are things moving fast this semester? Fall break is over and we are only about 60 calendar days to the end of the fall final exams! But, before we get ready to move into thanksgiving mode and the winter break in a few months, I want to highlight some of the student-centered work that has recently occurred and/or will soon occur in the Division of Student Affairs.

We are transitioning on the Student Success Continuum from Connect to Invest. This is a time when students must become purposefully invested both academically and socially. Connecting and then investing builds academic and social efficacy which are key tenets to overall student success.

Thus, I am excited to report that student engagement numbers are on the rise (post-pandemic) and we are seeing students interacting with and connecting on campus and in their community. Student Affairs held our most recent career fairs on September 27 with 1,464 students and 331 employers participating. These are our highest participation numbers since the pandemic! Please join me in congratulating the Career Services staff and all that assisted with these events for a job well done and their commitment to career readiness and student engagement.

Staying with the engagement theme, coming up this month are two great traditions: 1) Homecoming Week and 2) Halloween festivities (visit The Pirate Experience to view events). These events connect our students and can lead to feelings of increased belonging, which can support student persistence.

Again, many students are getting engaged and building positive connections and relationships. However, some students are also navigating complex issues and challenges. October is National Mental Health month and I want us to keep in mind, as noted in our ECU Strategic Plan: Future focused. Innovation driven., that we are building a Culture of Care. A focus of our division’s strategic plan is student well-being, and we are working collaboratively with partners to support wellness.

At the September ECU Board of Trustees meeting, Dr. LaNika Wright, Associate Vice Chancellor for Health and Well-Being, presented on the importance of “whole person care” and provided an update to the board on the programs and initiatives that have been developed to support a culture of care and student well-being. Some of the programs Dr. Wright discussed, Hazing Prevention Week and Fresh Check Day, support a culture of care and are included in this edition of On Deck below. Please check out these articles to learn more about the great work that supports our students and community.

Be well and enjoy the cooler temperature as we move through the fall semester. Thank you to my Student Affairs team and all our campus and community partners for supporting our students.

Go Pirates!

National Hazing Prevention Week

Submitted by Chris Cooper, Interim Associate Director for Fraternity and Sorority Life

The 2023 National Hazing Prevention Week observance at ECU was a resounding success with a series of impactful events aimed at raising awareness and promoting a hazing-free campus culture. We kicked off the week with the keynote address coming from Michelle Guobadia, the Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life at UNC Charlotte and a well-known national speaker and educator. She shared her inspiring insight and personal experiences related to hazing and why education surrounding hazing prevention is critical. Her message resonated with the audience and set a positive tone for the week.

On Tuesday, there was a Bystander Intervention 'Lunch and Learn' where participants had the opportunity to attend a valuable lunch and learn session focused on Bystander intervention. This interactive event equipped attendees with the practical skills to intervene and prevent hazing when they witness it. On Wednesday, there was a Hazing Prevention Resource Fair held on the student center lawn that educated students passing by about the resources available should a student experience or witness hazing.

The week concluded on Thursday, with a Hazing History Display set up in the bus corridor of the student center that displayed past cases of hazing and the outcome of those cases. That night, there was a thought-provoking Hazing Prevention Panel. The Panelists included campus partners such as Lynn Roeder from the Dean of Students Office, Greg Corack from Campus Recreation and Wellness, and others. This panel brought together experts and advocates to delve deeper into the complexities of hazing and discuss strategies for prevention.

Throughout the week, attendees engaged in meaningful conversations, gained a deeper understanding of hazing issues, and left with a stronger commitment to promote a safer and more inclusive environment on campus.

Financial Wellness Services Setting Sail in 2023!

Submitted by Kevin Sutton, Director of Financial Wellness

Financial Wellness Services, which is part of the Center for Student Success in the Division of Student Affairs, provides financial education, coaching, and resources that empower our students to make better decisions, foster better relationships, and to build better communities.

We are excited to welcome 10 new undergraduate interns of various majors including Finance, Electrical Engineering, Exercise Physiology, Marketing, and others. These students, along with graduate assistant Davis Whitfield, provide financial wellness services which include individual financial coaching appointments, access to online learning modules, and presentations on topics like budgeting/money management, credit, federal student loan repayment, and strategies to manage debt.

Additionally, recent campus collaborations include presentations to numerous COAD classes, Brody faculty through the Office of Faculty Leadership Development, Physical Therapy students, and Dental Orientation.

Financial coaching appointments are free and available to most ECU populations. To sign up for appointments, please click here.

The Financial Wellness Hub is located on the first floor in the Main Campus Student Center.

Please reach out if you would like to request a program or want more information on our services. Follow @eastcarolina_fwh on Instagram to stay up to date on our programs or check out our website here!

Family Weekend

Submitted by Carter Fenwick, Associate Director for Parent and Family Programs

Family Weekend, an annual tradition that brings students together with their families, was held on September 22-24. Hosted be the Office of Parent and Family Programs, this campus wide event brings together Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, Athletics, and the Greenville community to show off all that ECU has to offer. Although this year’s events were met with rain and wind, ECU families were undaunted in their excitement to be here and spend time with their students.

Events kicked off on Friday with the annual Family Weekend Service Project. The Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement helped families make fall garden flags for the residents at Macgregor Downs Assisted Living Facility, as well as collected donations for the Purple Pantry.

The weekend’s largest events included the Family Weekend Tailgate and Football game. Typically held outside, the Family Weekend Tailgate was moved into the Main Campus Student Center and was still able to offer music, games, food, and activities to the 1,000+ attendees. Then ECU Transit buses shuttled fans up to Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium where they cheered on the Pirates for their first win of the season! During the football game, the Blake Solomonson Family was recognized on the field as ECU’s 2023-2024 Family of the Year.

A few new events joined in on the fun this year. Joyner Library invited families to tee-up at their mini-golf course and enjoy a sweet treat between the stacks. The School of Theater and Dance showed off work done by their talented students, from costumes to set renderings to performances. The Pirate Academic Success Center and the Isley Innovation Hub both hosted open houses to educate visitors and students about their resources and offerings.

Other weekend events included:

• ECU Alumni Association’s Legacy pinning, where legacy students were pinned and celebrated by the alumni in their family
• Two themed brunches were held in West End and Todd Dining Halls
• Campus Recreation and Wellness hosted a family float down the Tar River, as well as opened its recreation center doors for free access for visiting families
• College of Fine Arts and Communication Brunch, where students and their families could meet and mingle with faculty and staff
• “No Quarter: The History of East Carolina Football and Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium” exhibit in Joyner Library
• First-generation students and their families enjoyed ice cream and resources and met other first-gen Pirates at the Get the Scoop on Your First-Generation Student's Success event
• College of Business’ Family Weekend Reception offered family photos with PeeDee as well as refreshments and mingling with COB faculty and staff
• A hospitality table where families could pick up swag and their pre-ordered Family Weekend t-shirts
• College of Education’s Family Social that offered food, fun, and giveaways before the football game

The weekend closed on Sunday with the Student Memorial Service. This annual service is a time for families, friends, and fellow Pirates to celebrate and honor the lives of students lost during the year. A brick is permanently placed for each student in the Student Memorial Garden, signifying that they will forever be a Pirate.

Sadly, two fan favorite events were canceled due to the weather. Families expressed sadness that they could not attend Campus Recreation and Wellness’ Beach Fest After Dark or Downtown Greenville Partnership’s Freeboot Friday this year.

Thank you to all of our campus partners who hosted an event, volunteered, and worked behind the scenes. Your willingness to collaborate and serve ECU students and their families is what makes Family Weekend successful!

If you or your area is interested in holding an event, social, or open house during Family Weekend 2024, please reach out to Carter Fenwick at morselle17@ecu.edu.

New Hires, Promotions and Separations

New Hires

Darin Brown - Housing Administrative Support Associate

Darin graduated from East Carolina University with a Bachelor’s in Interpersonal/Organizational Communication. While attending ECU, Darin was a resident advisor, orientation assistant and was part of the Adventure Leadership Program. He is excited to be the new Administrative Support Associate for Campus Living Housing Operations and will support Aaron Lucier, Director of Housing Operations, with day-to-day operations of the department.

In his free time, Darin enjoys producing music, playing and watching basketball, and anything to do with animals.

Nichole Maldonado - LWCC Program Coordinator

Nichole grew up in Portsmouth, VA and later moved to Elizabeth City, NC. She attended College of the Albemarle (COA) and obtained her associate degree in business administration and also discovered her true passion in anthropology. In Fall of 2019 she enrolled at ECU to finish her bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and graduated in Fall of 2021. She plans on starting her journey in obtaining a master’s degree in the Fall of 2024.

Outside of work, she enjoys visiting friends and family, taking trips out of town, and trying new food from different cultures. She resides in Winterville, NC with her 3-month-old tortoise.

Logan Drumm - Case Manager for the Dean of Students

Logan Drumm joined the Office of the Dean of Students on October 2, 2023, and is responsible for assisting in the coordination of East Carolina University's processes for addressing the needs of students who have academic, health, conduct, substance misuse, financial, and social challenges by providing a myriad of intervention/referral resources and follow-up services.

Logan is a two-time graduate of ECU, having earned both her Bachelors’ and Masters’ degrees in Special Education from the university. Prior to joining the Office of the Dean of Students, Logan was employed for five years as a Special Education teacher.

Logan is a Pitt County native and currently resides in Winterville, North Carolina, with her husband and her one-year old son.

Jan Veinot - Athletics Mental Health Specialist

Primary duties are to support athletics in the areas of mental health and mental performance.

Education is PhD. In Counselor Education, master's in clinical counseling, and education as a Certified Mental Performance Consultant through Applied Association of Sport Psychology.

Comes to ECU from University of South Carolina where she worked in Athletics as an LCP/CMPC. Has also been employed as a Psychology Instructor for the past 20 years in Maine where see attended college, coached Basketball and raised her son.

Christopher Morgan - Central Reservations Office Director

The CRO Director oversees 11 professional staff, and over 100 student workers, and helps to manage over 21,000 events per year. Most recently, he worked as the Associate Director of University Event & Production Services at Coastal Carolina University, where he earned a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies in 2014. In 2021, he completed a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Anderson University. Chirs is a Certified Student Affairs Educator who has earned both the core and specialized certifications in College Unions. Originally from Orangeburg, SC. Chris enjoys spending time with family and friends, going to the beach, and watching sports.

Promotions

• Aleshia Hunt – Assistant Director – SGA – October 1
• James Webb – Senior Associate Director – OSRR – October 1
• Nicholas Williams – Admin Support – OSRR – October 1

Separations

• Jennifer Cake – Student Health Services – October 1
• Tracie Atherton – Counseling Center – October 6
• Sammie Kunz – Central Reservations – October 6