First Monday AN UPDATE FROM THE PROVOST | DECEMBER 2024

A Message from Interim Provost Chris Buddo

Interim Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

Colleagues, this is our final edition of First Monday for 2024. I hope you enjoy reading about the amazing work happening at ECU and are as impressed as I am with the impact we have every day on the lives of our students, the people of eastern North Carolina, and beyond.

As we finish up our work for the semester, please be reminded that - as directed by the Policy on Faculty Workload in the UNC Policy Manual (400.3.4), its implementing regulation (400.3.4[R]), and the ECU University Policy Manual (POL02.07.06) - each covered faculty member is required to submit a work plan for AY 2024-25. The work plan is designed to capture the many facets of the work you do as a faculty member, to include teaching, research/creative activity, and service. This is your opportunity to work with your unit administrator to fully document your work in a way that is designed to be comprehensive as well as flexible, fair, and equitable. I hope you will embrace this exercise in that spirit. On January 1, I will have to certify to the System Office that our faculty have recorded their work plans. If you have not already done so, please log in to Faculty 180 and complete that documentation before the Winter Break.

Also, if you are working to create work plan guidelines for your unit, please remember that these are due to your deans by January 31 so they can be presented to the Faculty Senate in their February meeting.

This has been a heavy lift for many on our campus and I want to extend my gratitude to all who have had a hand in bringing this together, including our Board of Trustees, the members of Faculty Senate leadership, the Faculty Governance Committee, the Workload Task Force, and faculty all around our campus who have worked to develop their unit guidelines. This has certainly been a team effort and now we simply need your help to get across the finish line.

Have a wonderful break and we will look forward to seeing everyone back in January!

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BY THE NUMBERS

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IPAR DATA BYTE

Did you know that there is also a “census day” for capturing the official count of university faculty and staff? On October 31 of each year, institutions across the UNC System take a snapshot of their personnel data for use in official reporting to federal and state agencies. The student enrollment “census day” for fall and spring terms is the tenth full day of class across the UNC System. Visit our Personnel dashboard to view the latest census data on ECU’s faculty and staff.

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AROUND ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

STUDENT ACADEMIC SUCCESS SERVICES

TrACE: Celebrating Transfer Student Success

Michael Brown and Dr. Elizabeth Coghill delivered a presentation to the PIE Education Network at the UNC System Office, highlighting the TrACE Success Program at East Carolina University. Michael is one of 65 program participants who were selected after transferring from a NC Community College. Michael, who is pursuing his degree in Construction Management, joined TrACE in August 2023. He is currently completing an internship with Thomas Construction and is on track to graduate in May. Before transferring to ECU, Michael studied Construction Management at Cape Fear Community College.

Pirate Academic Success Center (PASC)

This semester, nine peer educators at the Pirate Academic Success Center (PASC) enrolled in Adult Education 3500: Introduction to Peer Tutoring. This seminar-style course enhances PASC’s peer educator training and aligns with the College Reading and Learning Association's certification program. Upon completing the course, students earn CRLA Level 2 certification, further advancing their tutoring skills and professional development.

Class topics include student maturation, sense of belonging in college, cultural proficiency, and tutoring pedagogy. Participation in this course is voluntary, student’s opt-in to gain leadership and skill development benefits. Students in ADED 3500 also participated in the PASC's first peer observation training. Within the training, tutors learned how to conduct a formal tutoring observation and provide specific, constructive feedback for their fellow tutors.

The Pirate Academic Success Center (PASC) has been certified by the International College Reading and Learning Association since 2010, demonstrating a commitment to excellence in peer educator training. For more information about PASC peer educator training, please contact Julian Pinkham, Learning Specialist, at pinkhamj22@ecu.edu, or Monique Barrett, Assistant Director for Tutoring Services, at barrettk@ecu.edu.

OFFICE OF GLOBAL AFFAIRS

ECU’s Eighth Annual International Award Ceremony was held at the Murphy Center on November 19. At the ceremony, six faculty members received awards for their contributions to campus internationalization.

• Dr. Kim Larson, from the College of Nursing, received an Award for Achievement in International Teaching. Dr. Larson established ECU’s first study abroad program in Guatemala, impacting over 150 students in 15 years. She has supported colleagues to create similar programs in Belize, Finland, and Poland. Dr. Larson helped develop the Global Health international virtual exchange course with colleagues from Poland, The Gambia and Lebanon and later received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award to teach and conduct research on refugee health in Poland.
• Dr. Tammy Lee and Ms. Bonnie Glass, from the Department of Mathematics Education, Science Education and Instructional Technology in the College of Education, are distinguished recipients of an Award for Achievement in International Teaching. Dr. Lee and Ms. Glass have developed and led eight unique study abroad programs, focusing on global environmental issues like climate change, human impact, and sustainability. Their study abroad courses integrate field research, data collection, and conservation projects, such as coral reef restoration in the Dominican Republic and whale observation in Mexico.
• Dr. Tom Raedeke, from the Department of Kinesiology in the College of Health and Human Performance, is a distinguished recipient of an Award for Achievement in International Research and Creative Activity. Dr. Raedeke’s work centers on movement experiences in sports and exercise which enhance motivation and well-being. He has received global recognition for research on athlete burnout assessment and its consequences.
• Dr. Xi Lin, from the Department of Interdisciplinary Professions in the College of Education, was also a winner of an Award for Achievement in International Research and Creative Activity. Dr. Lin received the award for her stellar publication record, including 46 peer-reviewed articles and three books since 2018 on global higher education, international faculty and students and online learning. She collaborates with colleagues worldwide, with much of her work emphasizing supporting international women faculty.
• Dr. Loni Crumb, from the Department of Interdisciplinary Professions in the College of Education received the Award for Achievement in International Service and Engagement. Dr. Crumb has focused on improving access to mental health care and education, especially in underserved and rural communities in Nigeria, Belize, Turkey. Her work has enhanced mental health literacy and equipped communities with tools to address mental health concerns.

Fifteen students received $2,000 study abroad scholarships through the Thomas W. Rivers Foreign Exchange Scholarship Fund. Applications for a second round of funding for this year are due January 15. Contributions to the Rivers Foreign Exchange Scholarship Fund can be made through the Global Affairs Advancement portal.

Three international students received scholarships for their academic accomplishments and their commitment to serve the Eastern North Carolina region.

• Kyra Hagge is a PhD student in the Integrated Coastal Sciences program from Germany. Kyra is actively involved in initiatives that enhance environmental sustainability, support student life, and empower underrepresented groups.
• Martina Muzzolon, from Italy, is a senior Management Accounting major in the College of Business. A student-athlete on the ECU tennis team, Martina has mentored children at Elmhurst Elementary School, Eppes Middle School, and Aces for Autism events and co-founded ECU’s International Student-Athlete Committee.
• Alisha Hussain is a first-year graduate student from Denmark in the Communication Master’s program. Also a student-athlete on the tennis team, Alisha has found that ECU’s mantra, “to serve,” has deeply resonated with her values. One of her most rewarding contributions was mentoring young women at Eppes Middle School. Through this program, she advocated for women’s sports, encouraging confidence and self-empowerment.

Contributions to the International Student Scholarship Fund can be made through the Global Affairs Advancement portal.

Six additional faculty and staff members were presented with Campus Internationalization Champion Awards for their contributions to ECU’s efforts to build a more welcoming campus environment for international students and for their contributions to evaluating the impacts of international experiences on student outcomes. Awardees were:

• Mercedes Falquez, Coordinator, University Housing Services
• Annika Philippe-Auguste, Coordinator, University Housing Services
• Chase Wheaton, Assistant Director, University Housing Services
• Dr. Marrion Eppler, Department of Psychology (retired)
• Dr. Greg Howard, Department of Economics
• Dr. Jonathan Lee, Department of Economics

UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS

On November 9, 1,378 prospective students from 22 different states visited campus to learn about all the great educational programs and resources available on our campus. These students didn’t come alone! They brought 3,510 friends and family members with them. Total attendance at the event was up 31% over last year! Visiting campus increases a prospective student's likelihood of enrolling tremendously. When they see our beautiful campus and interact with our great faculty and staff, students can picture themselves being successful here.

This event would not have been possible without the help and support of our campus partners. Representatives from every college, Financial Aid, Campus Safety, Parking & Transportation, Campus Living, and many others time out of their weekend to welcome our guests. THANK YOU for your support in helping us bring the next class of Pirates to Greenville!

Two “Let’s Connect” events were held in November. Students from across Duplin and Wayne counties gathered to learn about how to apply to and pay for college. They heard presentations from CFNC as well as ECU’s Financial Aid Office. In addition, many of our academic programs were present and spoke with students about the majors they offer. Dr. Rich Klindworth spearheaded the events and created the video below to showcase them. Thank you to everyone who attended!

OFFICE OF RESEARCH

Join us Monday, January 27, 5-7PM at Kasturi Indian Cuisine (2205 W Arlington Blvd, Greenville, NC 27834) for the next STEM@Starlight event. There will be heavy hors d’oeuvres and time for networking. At 5:30PM, we’ll hear from Dr. Alexandre DaSilva, on the topic of The Inflammasome. Register to attend.

Recognizing the importance of highlighting faculty who are highly effective in their research and creative activity output, the Office of Research developed the Trendsetter Award to identify noteworthy scholars in three categories, with the goal of recognizing emerging, mid-career, and late career or “eminent” faculty. All faculty (including clinical) with at least two years of service at ECU, regardless of tenure status, department, school and/or college and field of study are welcome to submit their nomination application.

The deadline to apply is February 10. Find more details and the application link on our website.

We’re pleased to announce Dr. Karen Litwa as the new Faculty Fellow of Research Development. Litwa is currently an associate professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the Brody School of Medicine and holds adjunct positions in the departments of Biology and Psychology. She is also a member of the East Carolina Diabetes and Obesity Institute, as well as the NC State University Center for Human Health and the Environment.

In addition to her academic roles, Litwa directs the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology’s graduate studies committee and serves on the Brody Research Committee and the Faculty Advisory Committee for the Office of Faculty Excellence. She has held numerous leadership positions, including president of the Eastern Carolina Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience, president of the Brody Women Faculty Committee, and co-chair of the NC Biotechnology Center’s Intellectual Exchange Group, Laser TAG, where she launched the annual Capturing the Art of Science competition.

Litwa’s research on synapse formation in the developing brain has been supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF), including a prestigious NSF CAREER award.

In her new role as Faculty Fellow, Litwa will support research development activities across the university, promote professional development for researchers, enhance ECU’s sponsored activities portfolio, and help strengthen the university's reputation for innovation and research excellence. She will also lead efforts in grant writing, engage with external proposal development programs, and promote strategic growth in institutional research.

You're invited to attend SNCURCS 2024, which will be held virtually via ForagerOne, December 4 – 17. Visitors do not need to register. Tune in to support ECU undergrad presenters. ECU is a cohost for this event.

The Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (URCA) award application period opens today. URCA awards can provide funding up to $2,000 to support faculty-mentored research and creative projects in the areas of biomedical sciences, social sciences, STEM, as well as arts and humanities.

An informational session will be held December 11 via Teams for students and mentors who would like to learn more about the opportunity. This will be your chance to ask questions of the Undergraduate Research director and program admin.

Deadline to apply is January 24. The online application and more details are available on our website.

OFFICE OF INNOVATION & ENGAGEMENT

The application period is open for interested organizations to apply to host a summer intern through the SECU Public Fellows Internship (PFI) Program. PFI connects the university and regional communities with interns that can assist with projects that address community-identified priorities.

The program is supported with grant funding from the State Employees Credit Union Foundation. It provides rural communities with access to student interns at no cost to participating organizations.

To be eligible as a site for the program, an organization must be located in eastern North Carolina and be a local government unit, nonprofit, public or private economic development agency, or educational institution.

If you collaborate with such a community organization, encourage them to apply at go.ecu.edu/pfi.

Applications are due by December 10.

The following faculty members have been selected to participate in the 2025-2026 Engagement and Outreach Scholars Academy (EOSA) program:

• Madeline Fernandez, Nursing Science
• Mary Huffman, Elementary Education and Middle Grades Education
• Reeve Kennedy, Social Work
• Laura Merrell, Health Education and Promotion
• Morteza Nazari Harris, Engineering
• Mary Nyangweso, Philosophy and Religious Studies

Learn more about EOSA on our website.

The Innovator of the Month was established by the Office of Licensing and Commercialization to recognize faculty that have developed novel innovations that can have a major impact on eastern NC and beyond. Nominees are selected by members of the ECU Patent Committee, which chose Dr. Tom Herron (English) and Doug Barnum (ITCS) for this month’s spotlight.

To help individuals better engage with history, the team, which also included Laurie Godwin (Retired, Fine Arts) and Jonathan Valle (Alum), created a virtual reconstruction of Kilcolman Castle, the former Irish home of poet Edmund Spenser. Users can fully explore inside the castle and the grounds while learning about historical, biographical, and archeological research related to Spenser’s life and his writings in the physical and cultural landscapes of early modern Ireland. This innovation has been licensed to a streaming company that is developing a series on the great castles of Europe.

Do you have an idea or innovation that can have impact? Contact us.

During the Advance Health in ENC Pitch Competition on November 11, Dr. Patrick Briley with the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders in the College of Allied Health Sciences, took home first place and $5,000 in funding to help further his innovation. Briley has developed an all-in-one digital support system for speech language pathologists. It is currently being beta tested by over 40 speech language pathologists in the field.

Dr. Nancy Dias, associate professor in the College of Nursing received honorable mention and $1,000 towards her development of a novel platform that can provide assistance and support to individuals undergoing bereavement.

Judges for the evening were:

• Ramya Vijapurapu, Small Business and Technology Development Center
• Christiana Shoopman, Office of Research Integrity and Compliance
• Dr. Tracey du Laney, North Carolina Biotechnology Center

The Office of Licensing and Commercialization hosted its first Accessible, Adaptive, and Assistive Pitch Competition on November 19. All presenters previously participated in the I-Corps@ECU program and developed an innovation to help maintain or improve cognition, communication, hearing, mobility, self-care, learning, and/or vision.

Two teams were selected to receive funding to assist with further proof of concept and prototyping:

• First place and $2,500 went to MedEase, led by Drs. Meredith and Patrick Briley (Communication Sciences and Disorders). MedEase is a consumer product devoted to improving access to medications.
• For Rink Ramp, Dr. David Loy (Recreational Therapy) received honorable mention and $1,000. Rink Ramp is a novel apparatus to provide access to ice rinks.

In support of innovations at ECU, Dr. Heather Harris Wright, Associate Dean for Research in the College of Allied Health Sciences, offered additional funding of $2,500 to Team Mobility Collective which aims to create a centralized platform to house community mobility resources.

Judges for the competition were:

• Rachel Gavette Bridgers, Small Business and Technology Development Center
• Katy Johnson, Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations
• Derrick Welch, NCInnovation

On November 21, ECU graduated its first cohort from the Rural Community Capacity (RC2) program. RC2 is an initiative of the North Carolina Department of Commerce designed to provide leaders from some of the state's most economically distressed areas with tools to help strengthen their communities. The six-week program, held on ECU’s campus, provided representatives from nine rural communities with training that focused on strategic planning, grant writing, emergency management, economic development, asset mapping, and affordable housing.

Participating entities were:

• Town of East Arcadia
• Central Pines Council of Governments
• Greene County
• Town of Manteo
• Pamlico County
• Pitt County
• Town of Princeton
• City of Roanoke Rapids
• Town of Vandemere

ECU faculty and experts providing the training included Merrill Flood, Director of Research and Innovation Campus Development and Planner-in-Residence; Charles Hayes, Senior Fellow-in-Residence; Dr. Jason Pudlo, Assistant Professor of Political Science; Dr. Olga Smirnova, Professor of Political Science; and Dr. Emily Yeager, Assistant Professor of Recreation Sciences and Director of the Crisp Small Business Resource Center.

Continuing and Professional Education (CPE)

ECU’s Office of Continuing and Professional Education supports non-credit continuing education courses for university faculty and for industry partners. If you would like to offer non-credit continuing education courses, please contact our office to discuss options.

Upcoming CPE Offerings:

• ECU Economic Development Academy, Legal Framework for Economic Development in North Carolina - December 11 and 10
• Career and Technical Education Administration Program Supervision - January 6
• 21st Century Leadership Microcredential - Series begins January 17
• Material Topics Symposium - January 17-19

Lifelong Learning Program (LLP)

Open to those 18 and older, the Lifelong Learning Program offers adults affordable learning experiences in a relaxed atmosphere, without entrance requirements, exams, or grades. Our purpose is to connect, engage and inspire the eastern North Carolina community by providing stimulating presentations; enriching courses, workshops and lectures; special events; enjoyable trips; and more!

Featured LLP Offering:

Holiday Dinner and Greenville Choral Society Concert, December 14

FACULTY SENATE

2024 - 2025 Faculty Senate meeting dates are as follows:

• December 3, 2024
• January 28, 2025
• February 25, 2025
• March 25, 2025
• April 22, 2025
• April 29, 2025 (Organizational Meeting for 2025-2026)

For more about ECU Faculty Senate, click HERE.

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COLLEGE UPDATES

ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCES

In early November, students from the Departments of Physical Therapy and Addictions and Rehabilitation Studies joined with second year medical students from the Brody School of Medicine to practice patient evaluation skills in clinical spaces. The scenarios the students faced challenged them to recognize, and act on, potential cases of domestic abuse.

Interprofessional education events like these give students from across the spectrum of health sciences disciplines an opportunity to learn about the skills and competencies that each bring to the table and understand the roles they will all play as members of the health care team after graduation.

Speech Language Pathology graduate’s students Allie Curtis, Sarah Porter and Johanna Durham shared information about Communication Sciences and Disorders careers with high school students who participated in the NE Health Occupation Student Association Leadership Conference held in Greenville Nov. 26.

ARTS & SCIENCES

The atmosphere was palpable as an audience of nearly 900 community members, students, faculty and staff enthusiastically welcomed — with a standing ovation — actor, director and literacy advocate LeVar Burton to ECU on Nov. 14. The event, “An Evening with LeVar Burton,” was the first in the 18th season of Harriot College’s Voyages of Discovery Series. View, download or print photos from the reception gallery taken by Rob Taylor Photography & Design. Read more about Burton’s visit in this ECU article.

Dr. Michelle L. Malkin, Assistant Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology and Director of the Gambling Research & Policy Initiative (GRPI), said she is “here to save lives” during the initiative’s grand opening and ribbon cutting on Nov. 21 in the Brewster Building. The overall goal is to research gambling awareness, behavior, risk and gambling-related harms, aligning with ECU’s commitment to promoting wellness, public service and regional transformation through research and education. Funding for the GRPI is partly made possible by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Problem Gambling Program. Learn more about the initiative from a report by WNCT.

Dr. Erin A. Clark, Associate Professor in the Department of English, is a co-principal investigator on a new award. ECU, along with Missouri University of Science and Technology, is a 2024 Network Challenge Grantee awarded by the Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN). PIT-UN projects advance equitable innovation in technology across academia, government and civil society. Discover more about the project.

Carla Pastor, Senior Teaching Instructor in the Department of English, led her class in an activity to heal, inspire, show compassion and uplift communities affected by Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina. “I always encourage my students to contribute to the community in a positive way,” Pastor said. The students demonstrated how they and #HarriotCollegeWorks when they wrote heartfelt letters with inspirational quotes to hurricane survivors. In addition, they donated nearly 200 items to hurricane relief efforts. “I felt a sense of fulfillment and purpose, knowing that I made a positive impact on someone’s life,” said one of the students.

Dr. Nathan Hudson, Associate Professor in the Department of Physics, physics PhD student Aravind Elangovan and undergraduate major Dylan Miller, recently spent two weeks alongside a world-class team of scientists conducting experiments studying the structural properties of blood clots. The research was conducted at the Advanced Imaging Center (AIC) at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Janelia Research Campus. The AIC accepts proposals to conduct research at their campus only twice a year. Hudson’s team will continue data analysis at ECU.

Psychology graduate students (left to right: Seth Jones, Morgan Greene, Justin Ruiz and Kalvaince Dié) presented their Industrial-Organizational Psychology (I-O) research at the River Cities I-O (RCIO) Conference in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The RCIO conference is “designed to engage and empower current and future HR and talent-related professionals by bridging current science and best practices for talent and organization management.” Seth Jones and Kalvaince (Kal) Dié shared findings about how age-inclusive human resources practices, intergenerational climate, and age as it facilitates job crafting highlights how organizations can foster inclusive environments for all age groups. Justin Ruiz presented research on the impact of artificial intelligence in selection processes, specifically how it may affect age group representation, and Morgan Greene, explored implicit age cues and their influence on perceptions of applicant warmth and competence—both vital topics in today’s evolving workplace. These graduate students gained valuable professional skills by attending the conference, and out of more than 40 poster presentations, Jones and Dié received First Place in the poster competition, showing how #HarriotCollegeWorks!

Jermaine McNair, Teaching Instructor in the Department of Sociology, has been accepted as a Fellow in the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Professional Fellows Program. The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, American Councils for International Education will be sending him to Brunei in the spring of 2025.

BRODY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

ECU leaders broke ground last month on a planned seven-story, 195,000-square-foot Center for Medical Education Building financed by the state of North Carolina. The project promises to make space for much larger incoming classes by the end of the decade. It is financed with $265 million from the state of North Carolina. The groundbreaking took place during the two-day meeting of the ECU Board of Trustees. Remarks were made by ECU Chancellor Philip G. Rogers and Dr. Michael Waldrum, dean of the medical school and CEO of ECU Health, along with University of North Carolina System President Peter Hans and fourth-year medical school student Shantell McLaggan.

Research by Brody School of Medicine faculty, titled “Practice Facilitation and Peer Coaching for Uncontrolled Hypertension Among Black Individuals,” was published earlier this year in the Journal of the American Medical Association and was recently highlighted by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. The research emphasized that rural Black participants need effective intervention to achieve improved blood pressure. The ECU team was co-investigator on the project alongside researchers from the University of Alabama-Birmingham, Cornell University, and UNC-Chapel Hill.

ECU Health and ECU’s Health Sciences Campus observed National Rural Health Day on Nov. 21, emphasizing the role the university and health system play in elevating health outcomes and wellness in 29 eastern North Carolina counties. ECU Health CEO and Dean of the Brody School of Medicine Dr. Michael Waldrum appeared on the “Talk of the Town” on 103.7 WTIB and 96.3 WRHT to share his thoughts. Waldrum also shared a message to the community.

Dr. Skip Robey retired after a storied career that spanned more than 30 years of service at the Brody School of Medicine. His lasting legacy will be the medical simulation program he helped pioneer. The program has helped prepare thousands of Pirate doctors, nurses and physician assistants to positively impact North Carolina’s health care future.

Dr. Jacob Pierce, medical director of infection prevention at ECU Health and a clinical assistant professor at the Brody School, recently shared information on how to protect yourself, your family and your community this respiratory virus season with vaccines and treatments available.

Last month, second-year medical students teamed up with students from the ECU Department of Addictions and Rehabilitation Studies to practice patient evaluation skills in clinical spaces. The scenarios the students faced challenged them to recognize, and act on, potential cases of domestic abuse. Interprofessional education events like the one held last week give students from across health sciences an opportunity to learn about the skills and competencies that each bring to the table. They also help students understand the roles they will all play as members of the health care team after graduation.

BUSINESS

Six years ago, the Miller School of Entrepreneurship at East Carolina University cracked the Princeton Review® and Entrepreneur® magazine’s Top 50 undergraduate entrepreneurship programs for the first time at No. 47. In November, it moved up to No. 30 in the 2025 lists as the only ranked undergraduate entrepreneurial program in North Carolina and third highest in the South. The rankings for the lists are based on a survey The Princeton Review conducted in summer 2024 of administrators at nearly 300 schools in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Europe offering entrepreneurship studies. For more on how the Miller School climbed in the rankings and what's on the horizon, read Miller School’s climb in national rankings continue.

The contingent that ECU and the College of Business brought to the second annual OPEX University Day was fierce. Students from the COB, Elon and NC State were given access to entrepreneurs such as Fielding Miller (CAPTRUST) and Jim Segrave (flyExclusive), business leaders such as Tom Furr (PatientPay) and young alumni such as Christian Hill (Compass Financial Group). Panelists shared their stories and words of wisdom. Students had opportunities to ask questions and, afterward, network with the panelists with the hopes of establishing a professional relationship. Courtney Humphrey (Arthur MBA 1998), founder and CEO of OPEX Technologies, says OPEX University Day gave the students "real-world knowledge from how these leaders, entrepreneurs and young alumni made to where they are today."

The first annual FinCon (Financial Conference) was held Nov. 7 in the Main Campus Student Center and featured executives and alumni representing BBT/Truist, IBM, KPMG, Goldman Sachs, Paramount, Citizens Bank, Wells Fargo and other companies. The student-led, student-organized event featured alumni who shared their insights on navigating careers and spoke about their leadership style. Keynote featured Kelly King, former CEO of BB&T/Truist. Students Pierce Elwell, Greg Sharafinski and Cole Miller were the student organizers. More than 300 students attended the day-long event.

Mike Harris and Brenda Wells had the pleasure of hosting Aubie Knight, CEO of the Independent Insurance Agents of North Carolina, in late October. The purpose was to celebrate a $100,000 gift to the COB and Risk Management Insurance program. IIANC played an instrumental role in helping establish the RMI program. "IIANC has continued to support us with annual funding for various activities and purposes," said Wells. "Were it not for IIANC, there wouldn't even be a program, much less one that is as successful as our's has become. The other faculty, students and I are deeply grateful for IIANC's ongoing support. The great people at IIANC have been a joy to work with over the years, and our ongoing partnership continues to thrive."

In October, two COB supply chain management majors, Quinn DePina and Lizbeth Resendiz-Acevedo, attended the 2024 WISE (Women Impacting Supply Chain Excellence) Future Leaders Symposium in Fayetteville, Arkansas, with Supply Chain Management Associate Professor Dr. Ying Liao.

The symposium involved students and faculty from 30 universities in the country. Speakers represented prominent companies across various sectors, including the CEO of J.B. Hunt, the general manager of Finished Vehicle Logistics Management of Toyota, and the senior vice president of Walmart's supply chain business operations & planning. These leaders, among others from companies like Sysco, The Clorox Company and Ulta Beauty, contributed a wealth of industry knowledge, rich insights and experience in various roles in supply chain, including logistics, distribution, and supply chain management innovation. In addition, students gained valuable advice from top industry leaders and rising stars in supply chain management relating to leadership development, transitioning into the workforce after college, and career growth in supply chain management.

What did the students have to say about the symposium? Check out Supply chain students gain valuable experience at symposium.

College leadership hit the road recently to represent the COB in the best of light. At the recent AACSB Dean's Conference in Washington, DC, Lee Grubb was spotlighted for his volunteer efforts. Then, both he and Amy McMillan were on a panel discussing insights and experiences developing and executing school-level strategy! Mike Harris and Linda Quick attended the Southern Business Administration Association conference in New Orleans, where the College of Business sponsored the keynote speakers.

School of Hospitality Leadership (SHL) students recently attended The National Student Education Conference (NSEC) in Charlotte. Sponsored by the Club Management Association of America, the event allowed student members to enhance their CMAA experience. The curriculum focused on teaching valuable life skills and club industry-specific tips and tricks throughout the weekend.

The conference also allowed students to learn about club management from industry professionals, network with club managers and other students interested in the club industry, and tour wonderful club properties. Student participants include Hannah Billings (CMAA president), Megan McCabe (CMAA vice president), Maryanna Cooper (CMAA secretary/treasurer), and Calli Barlowe (CMAA member service director).

Cynthia S. Deale and Seung Hyun (Jenna) Lee, both from the School of Hospitality Leadership, explored how to develop and promote a strong, viable brand for wines from a specific place that can enhance opportunities for wine tourism. In this case, the location is the state of North Carolina. What are the practical implications of their research? Find out by reading ECU College of Business Research: developing wine brands to help with wine tourism.

Congratulations to accounting major Martina Muzzolon. During ECU's 8th Annual International Awards Ceremony, Muzzolon was awarded the International Student Award. On hand to present the award to Muzzolon was accounting professor Doug Schneider. Of the soon-to-be Arthur School MSA graduate student, Schneider said, "It is admirable that Martina has been able to achieve a high grade point average while balancing the time-consuming demands of varsity tennis team practices, home tennis meets, and the travel schedule for away meets ... Martina's accomplishments at ECU are also a predictor of successfully completing the graduate program in accounting and likely passing the CPA Exam. She has the skills and motivation to succeed professionally and, like many other international students, will be an accomplished alumnus of East Carolina University."

On October 19, 2024, students from the College of Business (COB) AIS Chapter in the Department of Management Information Systems (MIS) joined forces with the NC STeP Peds program and the COB Office of Expert Services to host a vibrant and impactful booth at the 20th Annual Greenville Youth Arts Festival. This unique initiative engaged local youth in creating artwork to support children in Western NC affected by the recent Hurricane Helene. The collaborative team aimed to create a calming and creative space for local youth. Utilizing both traditional art techniques and advanced AI technologies, the booth enabled approximately 150 young participants to create “healing artworks”. In total, 98 artwork pieces were collected from participating youth. Select pieces will soon be featured in the newly launched NC Kids Get Well virtual community house art gallery, with a virtual art tour video planned to broadcast the collection to affected children across Western NC. AIS Chapter students (and Arthur IMBA students) Fiona Freyholtz and Craig Geter, along with MIS professor Dr. Lucky Xue, led event engagement efforts, while COB students Seth Jones and Luke Rabey assisted with the initial booth setup.

Dr. John Kros, the Vincent K. McMahon Distinguished Professor in the College of Business’ Department of Marketing & Supply Chain Management, along with Thomas Newton and Walker Burdette, recently attended EDGE, a supply chain conference and exhibition. Newton and Burdette are majors in the supply chain management program at the College, and both participated in the conference, which was hosted by the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP). They were selected from a large pool of supply chain management majors based on GPA, involvement in the College’s Institute for Supply Chain Management student chapter, and overall engagement with the supply chain program. The students accessed special events where companies set up interviews. Both students spoke with a number of very high-profile companies.

DENTAL MEDICINE

ECU was honored with the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities’ Innovation and Economic Prosperity Award in the Talent category last month for using stakeholder engagement to assess, design and implement innovative talent strategies for key industry sectors across North Carolina. Programs highlighted as showcasing ECU’s successes in developing talent included the School of Dental Medicine’s network of eight community service learning centers across the state. The CSLCs bring dental expertise to North Carolina’s most rural communities and deliver services to some of the state’s most underserved areas while providing students and residents with vital clinical experiences.

Through the school’s CSLCs, the School of Dental Medicine has created and nurtured partnerships with local community colleges to provide experiences for students in dental-related fields, including dental assisting. Abra Brooks, center, allied dental programs director at Southwestern Community College, had some SCC dental assisting students on hand at the CSLC-Sylva's recent ECU Smiles for Veterans event. They joined Dr. Robert Manga, center right, faculty director of the CSLC-Sylva and his team as they cared for patients throughout the day. Through these partnerships and collaborations, the school is helping train the next generation of dental professionals — from dental assistants and hygienists to residents and dentists.

Dental student DaQuan Mebane had the opportunity earlier this month to present his research, “Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System on Cardiomyocyte and the Impact of AntiHypertensive Drug on Myocardial Excitability,” during the 29th Hinman Student Research Symposium in Memphis. He worked alongside S.V. Singh and dental faculty member Dr. Azeez Aileru, interim chair of foundational sciences. The symposium featured oral and poster presentations of research projects by dental students and graduate trainees from dental schools across North America and Canada. At this year’s symposium, 117 students represented 49 dental schools in 35 states, the District of Columbia, and two provinces of Canada.

Dr. Alex Gillone, Division Director of Periodontology and Clinical Associate Professor, was elected vice chair of the American Academy of Periodontology's Pre-doctoral Committee during the academy’s November Annual Meeting.

During last month’s Special Care Symposium, members of the dental community gathered to discuss topics on caring for patients with special needs. Close to 60 participants — including practicing dentists, dental faculty, students, residents, staff, other providers and leaders in the profession — attended from as far west as Lincolnton and from Southport in Brunswick County to the southeast. “We need to be very comfortable graduating dentists who feel very comfortable caring for patients with special health care needs,” said Dr. Greg Chadwick, dean of the ECU School of Dental Medicine, in his welcome to the group.

The school’s Nov. 15 ECU Smiles for Veterans event came full circle to its origin, CSLC–Sylva, where the program began in 2018. Since the initiative’s inception, the program has expanded to other CSLCs across the state and served 403 veterans, providing $215,000 in care. The first-ever ECU Smiles for Veterans event held in Ross Hall will be this month.

Family Day 2024 was held last month and was a resounding success. Forty students, 116 guests and nearly 30 volunteers from the school community turned out for the festivities. All came together to show parents, friends and families of D1s and D2s what the school is all about and what their student is studying. “This event serves as a reminder that at the School of Dental Medicine, we are all family, and we are all Pirates,” said Emily Schultz, SoDM Director of Student Services.

EDUCATION

We are delighted to announce and celebrate this year’s Office of Global Affairs International Awards recipients from the College of Education, each of whom has demonstrated remarkable commitment and excellence in their field on a global stage:

• Dr. Loni Crumb (IDP) - Achievement in International Service and Engagement Award: Dr. Crumb is recognized for her exceptional dedication to international public service and community engagement. She has engaged in impactful projects in the U.S., Africa, Belize, Turkey, and beyond. A key initiative, the I-CARE Project, enhanced mental health literacy in rural Nigeria and the U.S., involving over 400 participants. Dr. Crumb's work highlights her belief in global-local connections, aiming to provide rural communities with essential mental health resources and solutions.
• Mrs. Bonnie Glass & Dr. Tammy Lee (MSITE) - Achievement in International Teaching Award: This award honors Mrs. Glass and Dr. Lee for their excellence and dedication to teaching within various international educational contexts, fostering rich learning experiences and connections across the globe. Together, they have pioneered eight study abroad programs in Science Education. Through immersive, interdisciplinary experiences in locations such as Ireland, Belize, and Mexico, they inspire students to explore the intricate connections between people, nature, and global ecosystems.
• Dr. Xi Lin (IDP) - Achievement in International Research and Creative Activity Award: Dr. Lin receives this award for her outstanding contributions to research and creative activities that hold international significance, enriching the academic landscape. Dr. Xi Lin's work advances global education by exploring international faculty and student experiences. She integrates her findings into classroom practices, fostering a research-to-practice approach that encourages others to do the same.

The College of Education joined alongside the university community to recognize International Education Week with our inaugural COE International Education Week Showcase and Celebration. This event provided an opportunity for faculty to highlight their global research, teaching, and service while fostering a space for creativity and collaboration. We were pleased to celebrate this event with our COE community and guests from across campus.

We're excited to announce the creation of our #ECUCOE Leadership Development Program and our first three fellows: Dr. Crystal Chambers, Dr. Jennifer Gallagher, and Mrs. Tomegia Winston.

Elementary science concentration students held a Family Science Night at the ECU Community School last month with stations highlighting fun family science activities along with special guests such as the Pitt Pirates Robotics team and a petting zoo.

Eastern NC writers & publishers had the opportunity to attend a workshop covering the logistics of publishing as well as research into AI and creative commons attributions. Attendees from Dare, Craven, Pitt, Martin, Edgecombe, Beaufort, Washington and Hyde counties learned from East Carolina University College of Education (COE) faculty and others about books and the logistics of publishing them. They were provided information about COE programs in the Department of Interdisciplinary Professions like library science and adult education and the Department of Mathematics, Science, and Instructional Technology Education, as well as the Friends of Joyner Library (FOJL). The team shared who they are and how they serve students and the community.

Dr. Steven Schmidt received the 2024 AAACE Cyril Houle and 2024 Outstanding Service Medallion from the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education. The Cyril O. Houle Award for Outstanding Literature in Adult Education recognizes people who have made outstanding contributions to literature in adult education. The Outstanding Service Medallion recognizes people who have an outstanding record of service to the profession of adult and continuing education at the state, national, or international level. It also honors an individual who has distinguished themselves through meritorious service to adult and continuing education program participants; adult and continuing education institutions, organizations, and agencies; or the profession of adult and continuing education.

During the recent American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE) conference, Dr. Xi Lin was elected to a member-at-large position on AAACE’s Commission of Professors of Adult Education Executive Committee and Dr. Christy Rhodes was elected chair of AAACE’s Commission for International Adult Education (CIAE).

ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY

Researchers in the College of Engineering and Technology (CET) highlighted their work on military projects as part of the CET Research Showcase. The event was designed to show faculty throughout campus the opportunities for collaboration. Since 2022, CET faculty have secured nine grants totaling $4.1 million from the Civil Military Innovation Institute to work on projects that can save lives, save tax dollars, improve training and help base sustainability. Read more here.

Andrew Kelly, president and CEO of Project Kitty Hawk, visited the College of Engineering and Technology Nov. 21. He met with Dr. Harry Ploehn, dean of the college, and Dr. Tijjani (TJ) Mohammed, chair of the Department of Technology Systems. He toured various labs and facilities, discussed the college’s degree programs and enjoyed a potluck Thanksgiving lunch hosted by the Department of Technology Systems. Project Kitty Hawk is designed to help expand access to higher education for adult learners across UNC System universities.

A team of students placed second in the Association of Technology, Management and Applied Engineering national robotics competition. The team has placed no worse than third in the last five national competitions, including a first-place finish in 2019. Read more here.

Brian Dietrick, teaching assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science, received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Cincinnati School of Information Technology. Dietrick graduated from the school at the top of his class in 2001 and worked in various software development and leadership roles in global companies before coming to ECU. Read more here.

Four students put pen to paper and signed on to jobs at Barnhill Contracting Company as part of Signing Day in the Department of Construction Management. Similar to signing days when high school athletes commit to college, this event celebrated the first step toward a career in construction upon graduation. Read more here.

A new Peer Academic and Career Coaching program in the Department of Computer Science supports younger students through student-to-student mentorship. The program pairs new computer science students with juniors and seniors who can answer questions about classes, the program or even internships. Read more here.

FINE ARTS & COMMUNICATION

East Carolina University students merged artistic expression and environmental responsibility in a clean graffiti project at Jenkins Fine Arts Center.

Instead of painting on the sidewalk, Dan Elliott’s students laid down stencils they created and then used pressure washers to clean dirt off around their designs. Centered on the sidewalk was the message, “Consider everything an experiment,” from artist and educator Sister Corita Kent’s “Ten Rules for Students and Teachers.”

The result is temporary artwork and an eco-conscious alternative to traditional street art.

Elliott’s graphic design special topics class is built around experimentation, allowing students to test materials, processes and concepts before implementing their designs.

Read the full story, here or check out the video, below.

Dear Listener,

For the last 150 years cellists have learned and performed the cello sonatas of Johannes Brahms. These sonatas became part of the core cello repertoire along with Bach Cello Suites and Beethoven Sonatas and Variations. When recording became available, cellists, starting with Pablo Casals, recorded them and inspired us to follow in their steps.

It was my dream that one day I will also record them. I am happy that now I can join my teachers, Piatigorsky and Starker to present my interpretation of these masterfully written works.

These sonatas, E Minor and F Major, were written 20 years apart. They are different from one another while offering a wide range variety of emotional content. The Adagio from the Sonata Op 78 is dark in mood and expresses profound grief after death of Schumann’s son.

I love this music and hope that listening to my recording gives you artistic pleasure and inspires you to love Brahms as much as I do.

Sincerely,

Emanuel Gruber

Derek Myler, Assistant Professor of Music Theory, was invited to participate in the sesquicentennial festival “Charles Ives at 150: Music, Imagination, and American Culture,” held from September 30 to October 8 at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, and supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities. The festival was the largest such anniversary event celebrating Ives’s 150th year anywhere in the world, bringing together performances by internationally renowned artists and scholars in the disciplines of musicology, music theory, art history, comparative literature, American history, and English. Dr. Myler’s participation was made possible through the Music Theory Five Friends Master Class Series honoring Robert Samels. While in residency at the festival, he was invited to give two public lectures and one concert talk, participate in three interdisciplinary panels, and provide guest teaching in the undergraduate classroom.

Kate Wheeler (’22 MAEd) published her research, A Mixed Methods Critical Review of the A+ Schools in NC: Making a Case for Fidelity in Frameworks, through the online Journal for Learning Through the Arts.

Quantitative findings from NC school report cards comparing 37 arts-integration public K-8 schools in North Carolina (NC) called “A+ Schools” with 37 traditional public K-8 NC schools revealed that the majority of NC A+ schools averaged lower EOG scores than the schools in their district. In this data sample, both A+ Schools and traditional schools’ scores in NC had a downward trajectory since 2001. Additional findings included increased arts classes offered at A+ schools and slightly decreased chronic absenteeism compared to traditional public schools. This data was triangulated with a qualitative analysis of three interviews: with the NC A+ Schools program director, with an arts director at an A+ school, and with a principal at an A+ school. Challenges to implementation within the NC A+ program are discussed as well as methods of preparation and practice that link these two high-performing schools to four highly acclaimed arts-integrated school programs. A five-part framework for arts-integrated schools is recommended: (1) the use of data-driven planning, (2) garnering funds, (3) collaboration between arts educators, arts specialists and classroom teachers, (4) ongoing professional development (PD), and (5) showcases of student work.

Drew T. Ashby-King was part of a research team that won the Doug Newsom Award for Global Ethics and Diversity from the Public Relations Division of AEJMC. This was awarded for the paper titled, “Globalization and MNO prosocial communication in public relations: Perspectives from Bangladesh, Botswana, Indonesia, and Kenya” authored by Jeannette I. Iannacone, Drew T. Ashby-King, Teresia Nzau, Boitshepo M. Balozwi, Habib Mohammad Ali, and Irmawan Rahyadi.

Recovering the Visibility of Post-Deportation Experiences in El Salvador: A Family Communication Approach, research led by Drew T. Ashby-King received a $10,000 grant from the Waterhouse Family Institute in Villanova University.

CFAC hosted an inaugural US/Central European Academic Collaboration Symposium on November 11 and 12 at the Main Campus Student Center and academic units across campus. Scholars from Jagiellonian University, the State University of Applied Sciences in Krosno, Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków, the Academy of Arts and Culture in Osijek, the University of Kentucky, and East Carolina University participated in this symposium. Themed “Intersect: Culture, Art, and Science,” the symposium delved into the rich intersections of creative expression, scientific inquiry, and cultural development through a plenary panel discussion (recording below) and discipline-based breakout sessions. The symposium was accompanied by two exhibitions of artwork and historical documents from the Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts, Jagiellonian University, and the State University of Applied Sciences in Krosno.

GRADUATE SCHOOL

ECU’s Graduate School hosted the 11th Annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition on Monday, 4 November in the Main Campus Student Center. There were 16 contestants who competed (pictured above), and they were supported by 16 different mentors. 3MT is an international competition that requires students to present their research (does not have to be a thesis project) in three minutes or less, using non-technical language, and supported by only one static slide. These researchers competed in one of three heats, where they were judged on (1) comprehension and content and (2) engagement. Those with the top two scores from each heat presented again in the finals. Following are the finalists and those who won awards.

Finalists for Grand Champion (above: front left to right, 1-4; Back left to right 5, 6) -

1. Xanthia Saganis, Psychology
2. Abigahill Simon, Biology
3. Brittany Cherry, Nursing
4. Rachael Johnson, Biology
5. Jude Dilioha, Health Education and Promotion
6. Matthew Stengrim, Engineering

3MT Awards:

• Grand Champion: Xanthia Saganis, Psychology
• 2nd Place: Abigahill Simon, Biology
• People’s Choice Rachael Johnson, Biology
• Department Cup Department of Biology: Abigahill Simon, Rachael Johnson, and Caroline Johnston

The grand champion, Xanthia Saganis, qualified to compete in the regional competition at the Southern Council of Graduate Schools annual conference in Dallas TX in March 2025. The Department of Biology won the departmental competition for the second year in a row.

Hosting a successful 3MT competition requires the efforts of many, including nine judges, three timekeepers, and three moderators. We want to recognize the Office of Alumni Affairs for recruiting alumni judges and moderators, the Center for Communication Excellence and Joyner Library for providing 3MT workshops, Aramark for providing food, and the Student Center staff for set up and tech support. Finally, we appreciate the supporters watched their students, relatives, or friends present, and they also participated by voting on the People’s Choice Award. Thanks to all for your contributions!

On November 14 and 15, The Graduate School hosted the North Carolina Council of Graduate Schools Annual Conference in Greenville. Finishing up term as President of the organization, Kathy Cox, Associate Dean, greeted nearly 100 staff members from the various graduate schools around the state, both public and private reminding them that graduate education, through the various forms of research and creative activity, contributes to the new and novel information that keep disciplines strong and solving real-world challenges. With a welcome by Interim Provost Chris Buddo, the attendees had the opportunity to attend 13 different sessions on topics relevant to the various staff members within a graduate school from application processors to student support staff to deans and associate deans. The student-led School of Music Jazz Ensemble entertained the group for a Thursday night reception and was an outstanding kickoff to the conference. The Graduate School thanks the many campus partners that assisted in helping the Grad School to plan this important event.

HEALTH & HUMAN PERFORMANCE

Dr. Angela Lamson with the Department of Human Development and Family Science was instrumental, through the success of the longtime engaged collaboration with Contentnea Health, in ECU recognized nationally for extraordinary commitment to community engagement, innovation and economic prosperity includes winning the prestigious 2024 C. Peter Magrath Community Engagement Scholarship Award. This partnership ensures that all patients served in the system have access to mental and social health services at the same time as the patients’ primary care visits. It reaches and benefits widely in eastern North Carolina, delivering evidence-based treatments for reducing suicidal ideation and managing symptoms of anxiety, while also considering patients’ physical health when living with hypertension, asthma or diabetes.

Students in interior design and merchandising and associate professor Dr. Marina Alexander recently received a special guided tour at The Hammock Source, which is considered the largest manufacturer and seller of hammocks in the country. They were greeted by CEO Walter Perkins, who has served on the merchandising advisory board for more than 15 years.

For the first time since 2013, the ECU Army ROTC Pirate Battalion’s Ranger Challenge Team advanced to compete at the national Sandhurst Military Skills Competition at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point. ECU’s team qualified by finishing in second place among 40 teams at the Mid Atlantic Ranger Challenge Competition. Video highlights from the competition are available on social media. The Pirate Battalion team consists of 11 high-performing cadets, who began training daily in late August to prepare for the grueling 12-event competition that tested their physical endurance, technical proficiency, tactical knowledge and their ability to lead and perform under pressure. The team captains are students Josh Harrelson and Monique StCyr. Coach is Maj. Steve Cross, and the Army ROTC commander is Lt. Col. Scott Nusom.

HHP faculty members Drs. Eric Soule and Christine Habeeb were among the “Most Valuable Professors” selected by student-athletes and recognized at an ECU volleyball match.

Julie Cox, exercise physiology instructor in the Department of Kinesiology, was nominated by students and selected to serve as HHP flag-bearer for the University Commencement Ceremony on Dec. 13. One of the nominating students described Cox: “An absolutely brilliant person and teacher. Her passion for teaching and helping students makes her stand out. She tries so hard to grab, and keep, the attention of students, without losing sight of the curriculum. Her spirit and joy make going to class easier.”

Team Awareness Combatting Overdose in the Department of Health Education and Promotion helped secure a groundbreaking initiative to bring harm reduction into Greenville’s nightlife by equipping downtown partners with overdose safety kits, which includes naloxone (a life-saving medication used to reverse opioid overdoses). This collaboration aims to combat drug overdoses among young adults by promoting peer-to-peer support and access to neutral, scientific information about substance use. TACO’s mission is to empower young adults with access to critical harm reduction tools and knowledge, creating a community that prioritizes safety and informed choices.

A photo elicitation project was displayed Nov. 20 outside the Main Campus Student Center, using photographs and interview quotes to highlight and recap the impact of a College of Health and Human Performance sport for social change trip to Peru in partnership with Special Olympics Unified Sports and the U.S. Department of State Sports Diplomacy. Also during ECU’s International Education Week, Department of Kinesiology professor Dr. Tom Raedeke was formally honored as the 2024 recipient of the Achievement in International Research and Creative Activity Award.

A collaboration at ECU and beyond led to the article, “Internet Devices and Internet Access Among Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers, North Carolina, 2023,” published open access in Public Health Reports, an official journal of the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General and the U.S. Public Health Service. Authors from the College of Health and Human Performance include Dr. Leslie Cofie, Elisabeth Reed and Dr. Joseph Lee (now at Wake Forest University), and from Laupus Health Sciences Library: Mary Ruby, Jamie Bloss, Griffin Anderson, Beth Ketterman and Roger Russell.

The 19th annual Camp WholeHeart event, led by Dr. Priti Desai in the Department of Human Development and Family Science, was held at Camp Don Lee Center in Arapahoe. This is a weekend camp created to provide a positive life experience for children and teenagers, ages 7 to 17, living with complex heart defects. This year’s theme was: “On your mark, get set, go…the relay of our hearts.”

Dr. Stacy Warner and others led interest and attendance as more than 20 people with the College of Health and Human Performance — representing different units within HHP — attended a beginner pickleball clinic featuring instructors and held at Wimbledon Tennis and Recreation Center. An HHP and sport management pickleball tournament is scheduled for Dec. 3. Each team will be made up of one HHP students and one staff/faculty member.

Dr. Anthony Kulas was named as chair of the Department of Kinesiology. Kulas has been serving as interim chair since January. HHP dean Dr. Nicole Bromfield said: “Tony’s vision for the department emphasizes fostering innovative research, supporting faculty development and enhancing our academic programs to meet the evolving needs of students and in the field. Please join us in congratulating Dr. Kulas on his new role and in supporting him as he leads the Department of Kinesiology into an exciting future.”

HONORS

Dr. Todd Fraley, Dr. Katherine Ford, Margaret Turner, Dennis McCunney, Alex Fisher and Blair Beaulieu represented ECU at the National Collegiate Honors Council annual conference. They shared the amazing work being done by staff and students around community, alternative break experiences, and more.

Honors College Advancement Council member Rod Mallette was inducted into ECU’s Distinguished Military Service Society.

As part of the university’s spotlight on the Honors College, our associate dean and director of the Brinkley-Lane Scholars program Dr. Katie Ford and current Honors College student and communications student worker Ilaria Noonan were highlighted with Pirate Profiles.

Staff and students dedicated their Saturday to speaking to prospective students during the November Open House. In addition to our Honors Ambassadors tabling on the ECU Mall during the morning, Margaret Turner led two honors-specific information sessions in the Main Campus Student Center. New to this year’s Open House was an informal Q&A session with Margaret Turner, Dr. Katie Ford and ambassadors in the Mamie Jenkins building. This allowed prospective students and their families the opportunity to see the Honors College building and connect with students.

Several of our Brinkley-Lane Scholars have represented ECU at conferences across the nation. Raghav Yelamanchili and Thomas Remington attended Camp USPAA, an annual scholar summit for students in university scholarship programs that is filled with leadership-building, networking, and fun. This year’s conference took place at Marshall University in West Virginia. Christine Chan presented at the Western Society of Naturalists conference in Portland, Oregon. Zasha Griffin and Brooke Butler attended the Naval Academy Science and Engineering Conference in Annapolis, Maryland.

Many of our Honors College students in the College of Business are celebrating wins:

• Roz Burgess and Kathryn Adkins attended the 41st Annual Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization Global Conference in Tampa, Florida.
• Sarah Maisto took second place in the Speed Interview Challenge during the Business Leadership Conference.
• Roz Burgess organized and moderated the Blueprint to Success Panel after the Aman Pirate Challenge in the Isley Innovation Hub. The panel featured entrepreneurs and leaders such as Van Isley, Sharon Moore and Henrik Skalmerud.
• Diya Thaker participated in the Stevenson Hendrick Honda Sales Competition at Stevenson-Hendrick Honda Wilmington.

Zasha Griffin recruited 58 volunteers for November's Tar River Community Science Festival. Zasha has gotten involved with ECU's Water Resources Center and the Center for Sustainable Energy and Environmental Engineering. One of the other sustainable projects he was involved with was cleaning out excess aquatic vegetation in the campus fish pond to allow the fish to access the surface more easily.

Two of our Honors students, Holly Schlagel and Molly Thomas, are members of the ECU Women’s soccer team who won the 2024 American Athletic Conference, the team’s first ever NCAA Tournament win.

The first cohort of Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) scholars – which includes honors students Ellisa Fisher and Noah Sampson – are in their final year at ECU. This program has allowed them to gain professional development through mentoring and conduct paid research. In addition to this, students receive a two-year scholarship and travel funds for a summer research internship. In the recently announced cohort, honors student Robin Thomas has been selected as a 2024 MARC Scholar.

INTEGRATED COASTAL PROGRAMS

Dr. David Griffith (Coastal Studies) recently gave the keynote address to the North Carolina Maritime History Council. His speech was entitled "The Wrack Lines of Livelihoods along North Carolina's Coast." Griffith will soon have an article - "McGillis's Points: Commercial Fishing Narratives of Knowledge and Power in the Southern United States" - published in Human Organization.

Drs. Sean Charles (Coastal Studies), David Lagomasino (Coastal Studies), and collaborators from Old Dominion University, University of Maryland, and Florida International University co-authored a new scientific commentary focused on the importance of understanding the intermediate (or juvenile) stages of trees in coastal wetlands. This juvenile life stage is an important factor for predicting the environmental stress of the ecosystem and can be used to determine whether the forest will recover after a cyclone disturbance. Though usually difficult to measure to collect, the team highlights the role of long-term studies as well as remote sensing data to quantify these life stages in order to locate where forests may be more resilient into the future leading to better conservation efforts. Read "Challenges to and importance of considering early and intermediate ontogenetic stages in mangrove forest recovery and restoration" HERE.

Dr. Lindsay Dubbs (Coastal Studies Insitute) recently participated in the International WaTERS Consenting Workshop in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Dr. Dubbs collaborated with international partners on addressing challenges, gaps, and opportunities in advancing marine energy testing as part CSI’s role with the Atlantic Marine Energy Center’s expanded marine testing program.

Dr. David Lagomasino (Coastal Studies) was part of a National Geographic Explorers expedition to explore and collect data on the coastal wetlands and lagoons of southwest Nigeria. Led by Dr. Lola Fatoyinbo (NASA), Lagomasino and the team collected sediments and water samples around the Ologe, Lagos, and Lekki Lagoons. The team worked alongside students and professors from the University of Lagos (UNILAG) as well as the Erin Wildlife Conservation Trust, a group focused on forest elephant and forest protection and conservation. The goal of the expedition was to identify the separation between mangrove forest (salt-tolerant vegetation) from freshwater swamps (salt-intolerant vegetation) and to collect information on the historical changes in the environment over the last century using sediment cores. The team plans to return to Nigeria for a follow-up expedition in the coming months.

The Coastal Geoscience Graduate Course, led by Dr. David Lagomasino, explored coastal processes, and storm impacts during a two-day field trip to the ECU OBX Campus. Lagomasino has been taking classes to the Outer Banks for the past five years. The students collect water samples and marsh sediments cores to learn about the hydrology of estuaries and the geologic history of barrier islands systems. This year the class experienced a severe nor'easter with waves of nearly 10 feet at Jennette's Pier and overwash on NC HWY 12.

ICS PhD student Samantha Farquhar recently returned from a field school aboard a Canadian Coast Guard vessel. While at sea, she studied the Blue Economy in the Canadian Arctic. Additionally, The US Coast Guard Academy selected her to represent the US Coast Guard at an upcoming conference in Norway. She will be an Emerging Leader at the Arctic Frontiers Conference and will present some of her work on fisheries development and food security while there.

Postdoctoral Scholar Dr. Lucy Carruthers (Coastal Studies) has two recent publications regarding sea level rise and mangrove dieback in the Maldives. While the work featured in both is a result of her PhD study, she is building upon this research as a part of her post doc. The publications can be found HERE and HERE.

Drs. Siddharth Narayan (Coastal Studies) and Rachel Gittman (Coastal Studies Institute; Biology) were recently part of a new scientific manuscript, a systematic review of wave attenuation by living shorelines, led by two graduate students, Amy Bredes and ICS PhD student Georgette Tso, in a collaboration between Stevens Institute, ECU, US Naval Academy and University of Melbourne, in Australia. The paper appears in Ecological Engineering and is entitled “A 20-year systematic review of wave dissipation by soft and hybrid nature-based solutions (NbS).”

The Oceanography and Marine Hydrokinetic Energy Lab- led by Dr. Mike Muglia (Coastal Studies)- with assistance from Coastal Studies Institute staff members John Felter and Taz Lancaster, continued its successful collaborations with Bob Heitsenrether’s group in NOAA’s Ocean Systems Test and Evaluation Program in November when they deployed an observing buoy at the 11-meter-deep ocean energy test site off Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head. The buoy measures wind speed and direction, humidity, air and sea surface temperature, surface salinity, and ocean current measurements over most of the water column beneath the buoy. It will be deployed for at least one year and provide vital air/sea observations for the Atlantic Marine Energy Center’s marine renewable energy device testing site at the pier. The deployment was delayed a year because the buoy was sent to the Francis Scott Key Bridge following the bridge collapse, where it successfully provided these essential measurements for recovery operations.

2024 Coastal Studies Institute Summer Intern, Jazmyn Fuentes, recently shared her summer research for the NC Renewable Ocean Energy Program at the Clean Energy Education & Empowerment (C3E) Initiative Symposium at Stanford University in November. Jazmyn is a Goodnight Scholar at NCSU and developed interactive tools to improve literacy on Renewable Energy and Climate Education as part of her CSI summer internship.

NC Renewable Ocean Energy Program (NCROEP; led by the Coastal Studies Institute) Director, George Bonner, recently shared an update on marine energy research and testing programs at the 2024 NC Beach, Inlet and Waterways Association Conference in Wilmington, NC. Director Bonner is pictured with former CSI summer intern, Vega Sproul, who recently started new coastal engineering role with Moffatt & Nichol.

ECU had a strong showing this month at the 2024 NC Coastal Conference, Sea Grant’s biennial conference dedicated to the prosperity of our state’s coastal communities, environments, and economies. Faculty and students engaged with agency and business experts, community leaders, and scholars from around the state focused on coastal topics. Many from ECU presented their ongoing work and participated in different panels to share ideas and focus on NC’s growing efforts in coastal resilience.

Thi Tran and Andrew McMains (Coastal Studies Institute, OBX Campus) were recently recognized for their participation at the NC Coastal Conference held in New Bern last month. McMains received an honorable mention for his lightning talk, and Tran took home third place for her poster!

Tran presented research on the potential impacts of beach nourishment in the Outer Banks. With regulations limiting hard structures, beach nourishment has become a primary response to the region’s ongoing issue with chronic erosion. This research aims to assess ecological changes resulting from sand placement, comparing pre- and post-nourishment conditions over a 24-month period. By examining beach morphology, sand characteristics, and biological composition, the study seeks to understand the recovery trajectory of ecosystems after such disturbances.

McMains’ talk was titled “Diel movement behavior and residence time of juvenile Sheepshead associated with a commercial oyster lease.” In recent years oyster aquaculture has rapidly increased in number and acreage in North Carolina, and he and his colleagues were interested in the implications of this in relationship to establishing habitat for fish. Oyster leases are typically placed in areas with open bottoms (sand, mud etc.), essentially areas that lack a large amount of structure. Leases fundamentally change that landscape to include a wide range of structure (bags, cages, pilings, floats, etc.) thereby altering the type of habitat offered. They used acoustic telemetry to track the movement of juvenile Sheepshead (a structure affiliated species) in and around the lease at the sub-meter scale during the summer and fall. They saw that juvenile Sheepshead spend a disproportionate amount of time on the lease when compared to the surrounding bottom; and the fish also exhibit a distinct behavior where they remain stationary in and around structure during the nighttime, triggered by sunset and sunrise. They also observed increasing movement areas for larger individuals as well as movement areas increasing across all of their tagged fish during the fall. These results lead them to conclude that increasing lease abundance will provide more available habitat for structure affiliated juveniles, including but not limited to Sheepshead.

JOYNER LIBRARY

Student employees Jennifer Beatty, Autumn Gollick, Madison Howlett and Brennan Jenkins have roles in helping ensure overall success of the library’s archives, and they added their unique way of making archival materials more accessible for researchers. These students wrote about their experiences in a Special Collections blog.

The Friends of Joyner Library have historic maps of eastern North Carolina and prints available to purchase at $25 each, including of a landmark located in the heart of ECU main campus. This Wright Building print measures 21x17 and a limited number of these are available for sale. Proceeds go to the Friends of Joyner Library. Order online and see the other maps and prints available. The deadline for a mailing order is Dec. 13.

Circulation and Interlibrary Loan decorated their areas as part of ECU homecoming week. Circulation used Pirates and other details to focus on the homecoming theme of “ECUniverse,” while Interlibrary Loan’s display included that it has worked with 12 countries for patrons and loaned to more than 1,300 libraries.

The library hosted a Wampum Belt Exhibit Talk in the North Carolina Collection featuring guests and three event speakers. Discussion included about the Wampum Belt from the Tuscarora Nation of New York, and the importance of powwows to indigenous communities.

Academic Library Services and the Friends of Joyner Library are supporters of the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences 2024-25 Voyages of Discovery Series. Library representatives were present Nov. 14 and interacted with other guests at the “Evening with LeVar Burton” event, which was the first in the 18th season of the series.

LAUPUS HEALTH SCIENCES LIBRARY

The 18th Health Sciences Author Recognition Awards was held November 12th in the Health Sciences Student Center grand room and was a big success. We honored 136 authors who produced 398 journal articles, 32 book chapters and six books including Dr. Laura Matarese’s “The Health Professional's Guide to Gastrointestinal Nutrition, 2nd ed". Dr. Matarese is pictured with Director Beth Ketterman, and is holding the Laupus Medallion, which is given to book authors for their exceptional contribution to the scholarly record.

We will livestream a Medical History Interest Group lecture 4-6 p.m. on December 2 from the Evelyn Fike Laupus Gallery, 4th floor Laupus Library. The lecture will be presented by Dr. Sheena M. Eagan, associate professor of bioethics and interdisciplinary studies on the topic, “Medical Ethics on the Battlefield: The Misunderstood Case of Penicillin in WWII.” This is presented as part of the Ruth and John Moskop History of Medicine Lecture Series and refreshments will be available for our in-person attendees.

We celebrate Corey Harmon, head of our Access Services department, for being elected Chair-Elect for the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Medical Library Association. Corey has been a dedicated and engaged member of MAC for several years and his election is well earned.

Congratulations to Heidi Reis, Liaison Librarian to the Brody School of Medicine, for having a top research paper submitted by a MACMLA member at the joint MACMLA/ SCMLA conference in Charleston SC. Her paper topic was, "A Scoping Review on Entrustable Professional Activities (EPA) Assessment in US Undergraduate Medical Education".

Community health workers from ECU Health and ECU hired as part of a recent N.C. Department of Information Technology award received training on four different information and digital literacy modules. The four modules cover basic technology training, how to locate reputable information online, staying safe online and accessing telehealth appointments. Training consisted of an introduction to the four modules, developing an outreach plan and a mock teach-back demonstration of one of the modules. The community health workers can then go out into the community and hold trainings at libraries and other key locations to train community members on these topics.

NURSING

Dr. Kim Larson was recognized Nov. 19 as ECU’s 2024 recipient of the Achievement in International Teaching award. For many years she has lead student nurses on learning experiences in Latin America and she was a Fulbright U.S. Scholar from 2023-2024, working in Poland to design education programs to teach international nurses how best to care for refugees of the war in Ukraine.

Dr. Larson is a consummate example of ECU’s commitment to service and role model for all of Pirate Nurse Nation.

On November 14, the latest class of students was inducted into Beta Nu, ECU’s award-winning chapter of Sigma Theta Tai, the international nursing honors society. This was a special induction as it occurred during the chapter’s 50th anniversary year.

This year’s inductees join the 2,600 members since the chapter’s installation and are part of an active roster of over 400 members.

Dr. Michael Jones has been selected as a faculty subject matter expert, leading the development of a Community Health Open Educational Resource (OER) course for the UNC System.

He will be teamed with Dr. Lindsay Draper, a Pirate Nurse, who will lead a Fundamentals in Nursing Open Educational Resource (OER) course). Jones and Draper participated in developing textbooks, he wrote chapters for Population Health while she wrote chapters for Fundamentals, for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB).

Jones’ work will be part of phase 1 of the initiative and will begin January 2025 and run through Summer 2025.

Dr. Jones has also been selected to be a member of the Board of Trustees of Horizons of Pitt County, a year-round initiative for K-12 students specifically designed to bridge the achievement gap and combat the “learning slump” often experienced during the summer months. The program includes a focused six-week summer program.

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