On Deck with Student Affairs- Special Edition Year in Review 2024-2025

From the Desk of Vice Chancellor Brandon Frye

Colleagues and Friends of Student Affairs:

For this edition of the On Deck with Student Affairs newsletter we will be sharing our “divisional year in review.” Producing this publication is important, as memorializing our past successes and challenges creates a document that we can reflect on and utilize to help us better plan for and navigate the future.

The 2024-2025 academic year was a busy, robust, and successful one for our division. I note a few highlights below to set the stage for the broader report that follows:

• Student Health Services launched ECU’s first Campus EMS program, where students are serving as first responders to assist our campus population in emergency situations.

• Following the devastation left in the western part of North Carolina by Hurricane Helene, ECU Dining Services sent staff and food trucks across the state to provide meals and support to heavily impacted areas.
• Immediate past Student Government Association (SGA) President Anderson Ward and the SGA leadership installed and dedicated the SGA Bell outside of the Main Campus Student Center and started the tradition of graduating students ringing the bell to commemorate their degree completion at ECU.

• The East Carolinian, ECU’s student newspaper, celebrated its 100th anniversary.

• Multiple departments within Student Affairs participated in the first ARRRGH™ U OK? Day, which was a part of You Matter Week, focused on student well-being and mental health.

• Dr. Lynn Roeder retired after nearly 34 years of service to ECU, including two decades as the Dean of Students. We are grateful for her service to our students and the broader ECU community. We welcome Dr. LaNika Wright, our new Dean of Students, and look forward to her building upon Dr. Roeder’s remarkable legacy.

I encourage you to read this special edition to learn more about how the Division of Student Affairs played a critical role in advancing student success over the past year at ECU.

In closing, I want to thank the Student Affairs team for all the work you completed this past year. I also want to thank our campus and community collaborators for being great partners and supporting our division and our students.

Purple and Gold

Enhancing the BASICS Program for Timely Intervention

The Center for Counseling and Student Development (CCSD) successfully overhauled the “BASICS” alcohol and other drug education and assessment program, enhancing how we support students referred by the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities for conduct violations. In collaboration with Student Health Services, the redesigned pilot introduced a two-tiered psychoeducational group model, while CCSD staff provided timely assessment and intervention services. This innovative approach significantly reduced wait times for clinical care, ensuring students received support when they needed it most. The impact was clear - during the 2024–2025 academic year, 103 students completed their assessments - a testament to the program’s effectiveness and our commitment to student well-being.

First Year Cares Three-Tiered Approach

Throughout the spring semester, First Year Cares retention specialists developed a three-tiered approach to acknowledge their students’ accomplishments and ways to stay motivated for the academic year:

1. “1 Down”: Celebrating Your First Semester at ECU and introducing First Year Cares Students to the Retention Specialists assigned to them.
2. “Rite of Success Event & Pledge”: First year students were invited to boldly declare their academic determination in a supportive community setting. At this premier event, students signed a pledge to themselves to commit to their education.
3. “Returning to Port”: A culminating event, designed to facilitate students internalizing the positive narratives associated with the completion of their first year of college.

Hurricane Helene Relief

Following the devastation of Hurricane Helene, ECU launched a comprehensive relief initiative to support affected communities, particularly at UNC-Asheville. Within 48 hours, food trucks were deployed, fraternities and sororities collected supplies, and the Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement organized statewide support efforts in partnership with ECU Athletics. ECU’s Center for Counseling and Student Development staff also provided emergency mental health services to UNC-Asheville students when their own counseling center was unavailable.

Survivor Resource Symposium

The inaugural Survivor Resource Symposium provided vital support and resources for individuals affected by abuse. The symposium was created to connect Faculty and Staff with resources for students in crisis and/or who have experienced sexual violence.

Skin Smart Campus

The National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention presented the platinum level Skin Smart Campus Award to East Carolina University. This award recognizes ECU’s commitment to ensuring the well-being of the campus community, and to providing a safe, healthy learning and living environment on and off campus. ECU pledges to keep indoor tanning devices off the campus and out of all affiliated buildings. In addition, ECU promotes skin cancer prevention and UV safety education. Numerous studies have found that skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States, and melanoma—the deadliest form of skin cancer—is one of the most common cancers diagnosed among young adults.

Katie Lovell, a fourth-year student at Brody School of Medicine (BSOM), spearheaded the introduction of the Skin Smart Campus initiative at ECU and presented the idea of seeking the award to Student Health Services (SHS). As part of the award criteria, Katie created content for the SHS web page with important information about skin cancer prevention.

ECU was awarded two free sunscreen dispensers and a year’s worth of sunscreen as part of the platinum designation. Due to the popularity of athletics among students and other fans, Katie, the SHS team, and ECU athletics installed sunscreen dispensers at football and baseball games this past year. Additionally, free sunscreen packets were made available at multiple concession stands at home football games due to generous funding from the Student Government Association (SGA). SHS hopes the dispensers will serve as a tangible reminder to the campus community to take steps to protect their skin while enjoying the outdoors and sporting events.

Campus EMS

The launch of our first-ever campus EMS exemplifies transformational change, marking a major step forward in enhancing campus safety and student-led healthcare initiatives.

Serving all populations within the East Carolina community, Campus EMS provides first responder response to on-campus emergencies, standby for on-campus events, and provide emergency education to students, faculty, staff, and other members of the university community. In addition, Campus EMS collaborates with community first response agencies to promote and enhance the safety, health, and well-being of the entire campus.

Operating out of Student Health Services, Campus EMS is comprised of student leaders who hold their EMT-Basic certification. The program started in Fall 2024 aiding Greenville Fire/Rescue at ECU home football games, assisting with patient care at Student Health Services, holding educational demos and workshops on CPR/AED use, and providing first aid assistance at Campus Rec and Wellness Club Sports events. Spring 2025 has included the addition of more Campus EMS student staff as well as providing nighttime response to 911 emergency calls on campus Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.

Boneyard Bell

The installation of the SGA Bell is a symbol of belonging for students. Ringing the bell signifies a transition in a Pirate's life, freshmen entering ECU, a student graduating, or an employee retiring.

Click here to learn more about the Boneyard Bell.

Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting

East Carolina University was recognized by the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) as a 2024 ALL IN Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting.

The ALL IN Most Engaged Campuses for College Student Voting recognizes college and universities for outstanding efforts to increase nonpartisan student voter participation. ECU joins a group of 471 college and universities recognized by ALL IN for completing four core actions:

• Participating in the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge
• Sharing 2022 NSLVE Reports with campus voting data with ALL IN
• Developing and submitting a 2024 democratic engagement action plan with ALL IN
• Having a current signatory to ALL IN’s Higher Education Presidents’ Commitment to Full Student Voter Participation.

Campuses that join the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge complete a set of action items, with the support of ALL IN staff, to institutionalize nonpartisan civic learning and voter participation on their campus. The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge currently engages 10.8 million students from more than 1,075 institutions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Giving to Student Affairs Continues to Grow

For the 2024-2025 fiscal year, the Division of Student Affairs successfully raised a total of $721,188.36. This sum was comprised of 1,489 individual gifts, encompassing sponsorships, life gifts, annual giving contributions, and pledges. Notably, this represents a 21.9% increase in the number of gifts received compared to the 1,221 gifts in 2023-2024.

Dining Services

Total number of Sustainable Take-Out Containers used in the dining hall this academic year = 2,464 containers saved from the landfill.

Good Neighbor Initiative

SGA collaborated with the Tar River University Neighborhood Association and members of the City of Greenville to promote the “Good Neighbor” initiative. This initiative aims to promote responsible living and community engagement among students, especially those living off campus.

In addition, SGA partnered with Sound Rivers Cleanup to remove trash and debris from the Tar River.

ARRRGH™ U OK? Day

In March, ECU in partnership with local businesses and organizations, held #YouMatterECU Week, culminating in ARRRGH™ U OK? Day. Led by ECU Student Affairs and the Health & Well-Being Unit, the event emphasized the university's dedication to fostering a culture of wellness while collaborating with various partners from across campus.

Held on both the Main and Health Sciences campuses, the day featured Health and Well-Being Fairs with interactive activities, wellness resources, and health tips. The event engaged 122 volunteers and drew over 550 attendees.

Recognized for its impact, ARRRGH™ U OK? Day was named Student Affairs Program of the Year at ECU’s annual awards ceremony in May.

ARRRGH™ U OK? Videos

Veterans Mental Health Initiative

A partnership with the Center for Counseling and Student Development (CCSD) – partially funded by a generous donation from Bill & Nancy Miller – will support additional training for CCSD counselors to better serve military-affiliated students and fund programs that connect them to the Military and Veterans Resource Center and CCSD resources.

Lil Pirate Pantry

The Lil’ Pirate Pantry creates a welcoming environment for parenting students while providing access to essential resources tailored to their unique needs. By offering dedicated support in an inclusive space, the Pantry helps foster a sense of belonging and connection to the ECU community.

Click here to learn more about the Lil' Pirate Pantry.

Kindness Initiative

The Kindness Initiative—a collaborative effort between students and staff—fosters a culture of respect, inclusion, and empathy across campus. Rooted in the belief that everyone thrives in an environment grounded in kindness, the initiative has brought forward several creative and meaningful projects. Student Government Association (SGA) and Residence Hall Association (RHA) developed kindness cards and resource magnets featuring QR codes that connect students to a wide range of campus services. These were distributed to off-campus students and placed on micro-fridges in every residence hall room to ensure broad access.

In partnership with Campus Living and Facilities Services – Grounds, colorful “kindness rocks” were placed in high-traffic locations including the Main Campus Student Center, Minges Athletic Coliseum, and the Health Sciences Campus Student Center—serving as visual reminders of compassion and community. Additionally, every residence hall student received a Kindness Kit, which included a lip balm, stress ball, smiley pen, and smiley fruit snacks—thoughtfully packaged to brighten their day. Kits were also made available in the SGA office.

Looking ahead, even more kindness-driven efforts are in the works for Fall 2025, as the initiative continues to grow and strengthen connections across our campus community.

Center for Student Success Introduces New Programming

Two exciting initiatives took place at the Health and Well-Being Hub this academic year, each aimed at fostering connection and academic exploration.

First, a new partnership with the Graduate School introduced the “Graduate Explorations” program. Occurring in the fall semester, this initiative offered drop-in sessions for students to learn more about ten different graduate and professional programs. It was a great opportunity for students to explore their future academic paths in a relaxed, informative setting.

Additionally, “Out of Office Hours”, hosted by the Center for Student Success, invited selected faculty and staff to hold their office hours within the Hub, creating a more approachable and informal environment for student engagement. The event received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with all participating faculty and staff expressing interest in returning for the 2025–2026 academic year.

Together, these events highlight the Hub’s growing role as a dynamic space for academic support, professional exploration, and community connection.

Food for Fines

The Student Government Association (SGA), Williams-Ross Purple Pantry (CLCE), and Parking and Transportation offered a new initiative called Food for Fines to support the Williams-Ross Purple Pantry and address food insecurity on campus. Individuals with parking citations could donate non-perishable food or hygiene items for payment, and each item donated was worth $5 towards the citation.

This inaugural campaign collected 632 items, equivalent to $3,160 in waived citations and over 800 pounds of food. This initiative supported both student needs and community well-being.

Click here to learn more about Food for Fines.

Residence Hall Energy Challenge

In Fall 2024, the Office of Sustainability led a month-long energy challenge across all residence halls, tracking energy use to see which hall could reduce consumption the most. Legacy Hall emerged as the winner and celebrated with a succulent planting party. To support the effort, the Office of Sustainability attended every RHA general body meeting, and RHA launched a sustainability committee focused on education, support, and programming around sustainable practices in the residence halls.

Financial Wellness Mentorship Program

The Financial Wellness Hub co-led the North Carolina System Financial Wellness Mentorship Program providing support to campuses across the UNC system on campus-specific financial wellness initiatives and programs. ECU mentors NC State, UNC Wilmington, Fayetteville State University, UNC Pembroke, and Elizabeth City State University in support of this initiative from the NC System Office.

Iris Photo Booth

The Student Government Association announced the launch of Iris, a new, self-service, studio-quality photo booth now available on campus.

Iris is free for all East Carolina University students, alumni, faculty, and staff. This resource provides high-resolution portraits perfect for LinkedIn profiles, online portfolios, professional websites, and more - helping users present a polished, professional image during job searches and networking.

This innovative booth represents a significant advancement in campus resources. As the first of its kind at ECU, Iris offers 3 professional-grade headshots with ease and convenience. Users can control the booth via a touchscreen monitor or scan a QR code to operate it from their mobile device. Each session takes less than five minutes and includes options for retakes and AI-enhanced editing. Final images are delivered directly to the user's email in real-time. No apps or complicated sign-ups, simply choose a password to access your photos.

Anchored in Support

A key accomplishment this year was the launch of Anchored in Support, a campus-wide initiative focused on improving awareness and support for pregnant and parenting students at ECU. What began as informal referrals has grown into a more intentional, equity-centered framework emphasizing access, care, and belonging.

Although still in development, the initiative has sparked vital conversations and collaboration across campus units to identify service gaps, enhance basic needs support, and advocate for more inclusive academic policies and spaces. By amplifying the voices of parenting students and addressing systemic barriers, Anchored in Support is laying the groundwork for lasting institutional change. It has already been shared with major campus partners—including the Provost’s Office, Academic Advising, and the Registrar’s Office—to further advance coordinated support efforts.

Do It Yourself (FYC)

The Do It for Yourself! non-curricular canvas course teaches students how to take life head-on and become the captain of their own ship. This self-guided program was developed throughout the year to help students build personal accountability skills, featuring 15+ activities and presentations. Launching Fall 2025.

Electric Transit Bus

A major step toward a more sustainable campus took shape when two electric buses were delivered to ECU in Fall 2024, marking the beginning of a cleaner, greener chapter in campus transportation. Funded through grant support from the North Carolina Department of Air Quality, the buses represent a significant investment in reducing emissions and promoting environmental responsibility.

Throughout Spring 2025, preparations were in full swing—including the installation of charging infrastructure, as well as maintenance and operator training—to ensure the successful integration of the new vehicles into ECU’s transit system. With these essential steps now complete, the electric buses are set to officially hit the road in Fall 2025, signaling ECU’s commitment to sustainable innovation and cleaner air for the campus community.