First Monday AN UPDATE FROM THE PROVOST | March 2025

A Message from Interim Provost Chris Buddo

J. Christopher Buddo

Interim Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

Welcome to another edition of First Monday. I know that this is a busy time for everyone on campus, but I do hope that you will take a few minutes to reflect on all the great work that goes on at ECU.

I am continually amazed by the creativity and innovation that infuses every aspect of the work on our campus. While there are plentiful examples of that great work, I would like to especially highlight the work of Dr. Angela Lamson. On Thursday, the UNC Board of Governors awarded Dr. Lamson the Governor James E. Holshouser, Jr. Award for Excellence in Public Service for her commitment to service and community engagement. I hope you will take a minute to view the article and video linked HERE. I am so proud of Dr. Lamson, but I am especially proud that her commitment to service and engagement is a reflection of the values we all hold dear at ECU. Please join me in congratulating Dr. Lamson!

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BY THE NUMBERS

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AROUND ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS

Admissions Has Moved!

Along with the Graduate School, Undergraduate Admissions has officially moved to newly renovated offices in Mendenhall. We are now located on the bottom floor, behind the stairs (where the bowling alley used to be). We are excited to have our entire on-campus staff in one suite for the first time in years. Please feel free to visit us and see our new space!

Undergraduate Admissions is pleased to announce the hiring of two new Admissions Counselors.

Jazmyn Powers (above, left) is a Greenville native and ECU alum. When she was a student, she was on the Student Activities Board and participated in F.A.M.E. She has spent years working directly with students in the property management industry. When she’s not recruiting future Pirates, she enjoys spending time with her dog and reading.

Alejandra Valle Garcia (above, right) is a native of Snow Hill. She earned a BA at Guilford College before beginning a career in admissions at Greensboro College. She went on to work at her alma-mater before coming to ECU. She has already embraced the Pirate Spirit and looks forward to connecting with colleagues across campus.

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STUDENT ACADEMIC SUCCESS SERVICES

ECU CONNECT

Please take a moment to complete the third ECU Connect survey, which is essential for providing timely grade feedback to your students. Once a student is identified, the student success team will reach out and establish success services connections. During any survey process, faculty are always able to provide manually raise feedback by logging into ECU CONNECT directly from PiratePort.

Faculty participation has a significant impact on student success. Each month, faculty are recognized who are consistently using ECU CONNECT to support student success. Thank you for your support! The February Super Pirates include:

THCAS – Elizabeth Jones, Paul Kornegay, Subodh Dutta
COB – Chip Galusha, Eric Reifschneider, James Zemanek
CFAC – Punam Madhok, Morgan Rich, Randy Risher
CON – Joyce Buck, Ariel Myers, Rebecca Greene
COE – Al Jones, Jennifer Williams, Will White
CET – Qin Ding, Moritz Dannhauer, David Carraway
HHP – TinaMarie Devlin, Lisa Fitzpatrick, Ashley Norris
CAHS – Emily Brewer, Jennifer McDougal, Jaquelin Dodge Evans

TrACE: Celebrating Transfer Student Success

Rachel Brewer, a TrACE Student, is an Art Education major who has always found joy and relaxation through creating art. She currently serves as the Vice President of the Art Education Guild, where she enjoys attending Art Education Association Conferences and engaging in community events like face painting at local schools. Rachel is also gaining hands-on experience through her internship at Coastal Elementary School in Holly Ridge, North Carolina.

Rachel entered ECU as a transfer student, having first attended Coastal Carolina Community College, where her passion for art deepened, inspiring her to share her love of art with others. Since beginning her studies at ECU in the fall of 2023, Rachel has enjoyed every moment, particularly the opportunities to travel with the Art Education Guild to Minneapolis and attend various TrACE Success Program events. After graduating in December 2025, Rachel looks forward to teaching elementary school art and sharing her passion with the next generation of young artists.

PASC: Pirate Academic Success Center

The Pirate Academic Success Center is thrilled to spotlight two of our outstanding student employees, both of whom have been nominated for the 2025 Student Employee of the Year Award, sponsored by ECU’s Student Employment Department.

Nhyira Amoah-Maclean (above, left) is a sophomore majoring in Biology with a double minor in Psychology and Public Health. She joined the PASC team in Fall 2023 as a front desk assistant and quickly became an essential part of our team. With her vibrant personality, infectious smile, and genuine warmth, Nhyira has welcomed and assisted hundreds of students seeking tutoring, coaching, and other academic services. She consistently offers words of encouragement, recommendations, and support to her peers. Nhyira has also contributed as a call center assistant and has represented PASC at various campus events.

Owen Newsome (above, right) is a sophomore Nursing Intended major who began working at the PASC in Spring 2024. As a Chemistry tutor and Lead Chemistry Canvas tutor, Owen takes immense pride in helping his fellow Pirates succeed. He has proactively explored innovative ways to leverage our center’s technology, thus improving learning outcomes for tutees. Additionally, Owen leads the Canvas tutor team, working to enhance PASC’s Canvas pages to better support student viewers. His commitment to going above and beyond for students is evident, as he consistently goes the extra mile without hesitation.

Both Nhyira and Owen are invaluable contributors to the day-to-day operations at PASC, both always willing to lend a hand and offer support. We are proud to have them as part of our team, and we look forward to the bright futures ahead of them.

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OFFICE OF GLOBAL AFFAIRS

Global Affairs has initiated a monthly International Happy Hour to serve as a regular networking event for faculty and staff that have an interest in education abroad, virtual exchange, internationally focused research and creative activity, and/or community engagement abroad. Upcoming events will be held at:

MPourium (814 Dickinson Avenue) at 5:00-6:30 PM on March 26
Coastal Fog (210 East 14th Street) at 5:00-6:30 PM on April 24

ECU students in Westmoreland, Jamaica. Photo by Blair Beaulieu.

We are pleased to announce the creation of the Global Affairs Advisory Council, ECU’s first external board dedicated exclusively to advancing the university's comprehensive internationalization strategy. Thanks go out to the University Advancement team who coordinated the creation of the Council: Kendra Alexander, Melissa Adamson and Meghan Taylor. Alumni with an interest in joining the Council are encouraged to contact Dr. Jon Rezek, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Global Affairs.

Dr. Patricia J. Slagter van Tryon, Professor of Instructional Technology in the College of Education, has been invited to be a Visiting Professor at Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Germany, during the fall semester 2025. While in Germany, Dr. Slagter van Tryon will be teaching and conducting research with PhD Candidate Berrin Cefa and Dr. Olaf Zawacki-Richter. Dr. Slagter van Tryon is a founding member of the Center for Open Education Research also at Carl von Ossietzky Universität and a Chief Editor of the Journal of Open, Distance, and Digital Education along with Dr. Zawacki-Richter.

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OFFICE FOR FACULTY EXCELLENCE

During the Fall 2024 semester, faculty across several different disciplines participated in the Active Learning & Leadership Program supported by the ECU Truist Center for Leadership Development. The program provides an opportunity for faculty to explore and experiment with embedding a leadership-related focus into existing course activities, assignments, discussions and materials. Through a cycle of exploring, piloting and reflecting faculty work alongside program colleagues to equip and empower our students – some of the current and future leaders of our campus, community and world.

The Fall 2024 cohort was facilitated by Emily Brewer (College of Allied Health Sciences). Participants include Andy Bowman (College of Business), Tina Devlin (College of Health & Human Performance), Monica Headen (College of Education), Joseph Hoft (College of Arts & Sciences), Mary Huffman (College of Education), Nanyoung Kim (College of Fine Arts & Communication), Katherine Klimchock (Student-Athlete Academic Services), Misti Phillips (College of Nursing), and LaToya Chevelle Waddell (College of Allied Health Sciences).

Summer 2025 CourseFit Institute

This summer a cohort of 10 faculty will participate in CourseFIT facilitated through a partnership between the ITCS Learning Technologies and Office for Faculty Excellence teams. CourseFIT is a program that starts in the Spring with initial preparatory work, includes a week-long intensive retreat in May 2025, and concludes with a course submission for Quality Matters (QM) certification. Participating faculty include Bege Dauda (Brody School of Medicine), Joseph Hoft (College of Arts & Sciences), Laura Mangum (College of Education), Kavita Mosalpuria (Brody School of Medicine), Ashley Norris (College of Health & Human Performance), Christopher Oakley (College of Arts & Sciences), Aloysius Ochasi (Brody School of Medicine), Heather Seibert (College of Education), Amy Shannon (College of Arts & Sciences), and Maximillian Stallkamp (College of Business). Marylaura Papalas (College of Arts & Sciences), Brian Cavanaugh (College of Health & Human Performance), and Steven Richter (College of Arts and Sciences) have agreed to serve as faculty mentors for participants during the summer months.

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ONLINE LEARNING, ACADEMIC OUTREACH AND ACADEMIC INNOVATION

The ECU Online Student Services Team hosted a Spring LIVE Q&A Distance Education Student Forum on February 26, 2025. The event featured a presentation by Brianna Webb, Coordinator for Human Development and Family Sciences. This virtual forum was specifically designed to support online students by offering valuable information and discussing the resources available through the COMPASS Program (Childcare On-campus: Maximizing Parents' Academic Support and Success). The program provides affordable childcare on campus and other specialized wrap-around resources to support student-parents in achieving their academic goals. Their mission is to offer high-quality, dependable drop-off childcare during both traditional and non-traditional hours.

Additionally, the forum included a Q&A session with our Online Learner Advocates, Ericka Faison and Millicent Thomas, who discussed the resources available and the ways in which they assist students throughout their academic journey.

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OFFICE FOR RESEARCH

Federal Funding – Executive Actions and Federal Agency Guidance

ECU’s Office of Research is monitoring the dynamic federal funding landscape. To aid our researchers in staying informed on the changes, our office has developed a web page that provides principal investigators, research administrators, and campus leadership with guidance, updates, and links to relevant resources. Information and resources are updated regularly.

Should you have any questions, please contact the Office of Research Administration at ora@ecu.edu or visit https://rede.ecu.edu/ora/federalfunding/.

Join us March 31-April 4 for Research and Creative Achievement Week (RCAW), where over 400 participants will showcase their research and creative work. All faculty and staff are encouraged to sign up as judges or mentors, helping to create an impactful experience for our students and postdocs. Simply visit GO.ECU.EDU/RCAW to get involved.

This year’s theme, Innovate - Create - Educate, will be brought to life through in-person podium presentations, poster sessions, performances, and showcases, highlighting the brilliant research and creative projects from our campus’s undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. For those who can't join in person, virtual poster presentations will be available.

For more information or any questions, reach out to Dr. Kathleen Cox or Dr. Tuan Tran.

The campus community will soon receive an invitation to a celebration event in honor of ECU’s achievement in securing Research 1 (R1) status. Mark your calendars for Wednesday, April 2, as we gather to celebrate this transformative milestone!

The event will begin at 10:00AM with a panel discussion, followed by lunch. Taking place during the week of RCAW, this event will also showcase the impactful work of our faculty and students.

We encourage you to attend this momentous occasion and invite your teams to do the same. More details, along with an official invitation, will be sent to you in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for further updates as we approach this exciting event!

SPARC Program Application Deadline Extended to March 10

Applications are available for the Sponsored Activities and Research Catalyst (SPARC) Program. The Office of Research launched the SPARC program in an effort to support scholarly activities that lead to submission of competitive extramural proposals. This program will provide seed funding for projects to build the capacity to enhance and support proposal development and submission.

Proposals are due by March 10, 2025. Applications must be submitted via Smartsheet. Submissions will be evaluated on the rubric by a panel of grant-experienced faculty from across the campus.

Additional program details can be found online at REDE.ECU.EDU/SPARC. Questions? Contact Dr. Mary Farwell, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research Development.

Don't miss out on the final sessions of the Grants: Proposals, Processes, and People workshop series. These sessions are designed to help you submit more competitive grant applications and master every step of the proposal writing process. Whether you're looking to improve your writing, navigate the complexities of grants, or build stronger proposals, this series will set you up for success.

Upcoming Workshops:

Critical Friends: Peer Review Workshop for Grant Writers from the Health Sciences, March 19
View from the Inside: Lessons from NIH Grant Reviewers, March 20
Leveraging Surveys for Grant Success: Best Practices and Key Considerations, April 7
Finding Funding Opportunities using Grant Databases, April 8

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OFFICE FOR INNOVATION AND ENGAGEMENT

Lamson Honored for Excellence and Impact in Public Service

Dr. Angela Lamson, a Nancy W. Darden Distinguished Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science and Senior Fellow for Innovation and Engagement with the Office of Innovation and Engagement, was honored with the prestigious 2024 Governor James E. Holshouser, Jr. Award for Excellence in Public Service at the University of North Carolina Board of Governors meeting. Lamson, who co-created the nation’s first medical family therapy doctoral program at ECU, was recognized for her profound impact on integrated care and mentorship. Her work, particularly the ECU partnership with Contentnea Health, has transformed rural health care by providing mental health services alongside primary care, benefiting thousands of uninsured and underinsured patients.

Lamson’s unwavering dedication to community engagement and public service has positively impacted the lives of countless North Carolinians. In her acceptance speech, she highlighted the critical role of students in saving lives, acknowledging the collaborative efforts of ECU and its students in advancing mental health care. This well-deserved award celebrates Lamson’s continued leadership and innovative contributions to public service.

FACULTY SENATE

2024 - 2025 Faculty Senate meeting dates are as follows:

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

Earlier this month, Physical Therapy students had fun learning how to conduct physical assessments of infants and toddlers, a first for many.

Through the generosity of the parents - many of them alumni - our students have a better sense of the developmental progress of some of the tiniest of patients, that they will use after graduation to help impact the lives of many more children and their families, for generations to come.

Nutrition students are using their education to help close a serious gap in food options on the Health Sciences Campus. In the Food Production in Dietetics Lab, students are acquiring skills in large-scale food production in a space designed to mimic settings such as hospitals, long-term care institutions, and schools. Students are trained to plan menus and manage the preparation of food in bulk while considering various factors, including the population they serve, the equipment at their disposal, the abilities of their classmates, nutritional content, cost, food safety, sanitation, and ingredient availability.

Join us at the Health Sciences Campus on Tuesdays from 11:00AM to 1:00PM. Both credit and debit cards are accepted. Stay updated with their menus on Instagram: @no.quarter.cafe.

In late September, nearly 400 students from across ECU’s health sciences and main campuses — from the Colleges of Allied Health Sciences, Nursing, School of Social Work, and the Brody School of Medicine and School of Dental Medicine — gathered to learn from one another how different health care teams work together to elicit the best outcomes for their patients.

The assembled students and faculty mentors watched the film “Keepers of the House” which gives voice to members of hospital housekeeping staffs who are often overlooked as critical members of the health care team. Dr. Neil Prose, a faculty member from the Duke University School of Medicine, spoke before students were broken into small groups to discuss the film’s message and how it might impact their future practice.

Dr. Chris Lysaght, a clinical professor of physical therapy and the director of interprofessional education for the College of Allied Health Sciences, said efforts to integrate the college’s diverse programs began in 2017 and continue to expand across the university.

“In our college, we have a foundational curriculum, where students in all the programs complete integrated IPE assignments within each of their respective coursework. These activities are embedded in all of the programs,” Lysaght said.

ARTS & SCIENCES

Harriot College Dean Allison S. Danell and Edgecombe Community College President Greg McLeod recently signed a bilateral agreement to amplify the learning and career opportunities in geospatial technology, geographic information science technology and geography between ECU and ECC. Faculty in Harriot College’s Department of Geography, Planning and Environment assisted in the collaboration. “I’m confident this partnership will #MakeAMajorDifference for so many ECU Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences students,” said Danell. Read more about the agreement in this Daily Reflector article.

Student research, faculty service, charitable giving, scholarship support and giving back to the community are a few of the major topics covered in Harriot College’s latest edition of Cornerstone, a bi-annual newsletter shared with alumni, donors and friends of Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences. Read the Winter 2024-25 issue of Cornerstone online.

The Department of Sociology is pleased to announce that their request to deliver online the Bachelor of Science degree in applied sociology has been approved by the University of North Carolina system. “Now more than ever, access to the enlightening, transformational discipline of sociology is simply crucial,” said Harriot College Dean Allison S. Danell. “By making the BS degree available online, the department will enrich the learning of even more ECU students and prepare them for a multitude of careers.”

ECU’s Dr. Juan Escourido, Associate Professor in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, recently collaborated with the University of Santiago de Compostela on a digital mapping project. The project to geolocates sites mentioned in 12th- to 14th-century pilgrimage poems, allowing users to explore the sanctuaries referenced in these historical texts through interactive maps and visual resources. Integrated with the existing databases, the platform provides comprehensive access to texts, biographies, bibliographies and manuscripts. The project bridges literature, history and technology in English, Spanish and Galician, showcasing the College of Arts and Sciences' commitment to global research and digital humanities innovation. The project was officially launched on December 17, 2024, at the Centre for Research in Humanities in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Learn more on the Cantigas de Romaría website.

Tristan Bench, a postdoctoral researcher working with Dr. Regina DeWitt, a Professor in the Department of Physics, recently returned from a trip to the McMurdo Station in Antarctica. He is applying his skills to record glacial melt fluctuations, evaluate current glacial melt events and help predict future scenarios under climate change conditions. Read more about Bench’s recording of glacial melt in Antarctica.

Xanthia Saganis, a doctoral student in the health psychology program pursuing a concentration in clinical health, is studying sports-related traumatic brain injuries and the factors that affect an athlete’s reluctance to or acceptance of reporting head injuries and concussion symptoms. Learn about her focus on neuropsychology.

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BRODY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

The North Carolina Agromedicine Institute aids farmworkers and other workers in the state in education and safety interventions, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The North Carolina Agromedicine Institute lent its expertise to Hurricane Helene recovery in western North Carolina, aiding farmers in handling damage to their farms and livelihoods. The crop losses from the storm could reach $7 billion in insurance payouts. The Agromedicine Institute, a partnership between ECU, N.C. A&T University and N.C. State University, address unique health and safety risks to farmers, farm workers, foresters, fishermen — and the families dependent upon them — in all 100 North Carolina counties and tribal lands, meeting them where they are for health screenings, education and safety interventions. During Helene recovery, the institute coordinated and delivered personal protective equipment and chain saw safety education, and used networks to address farmers’ mental health needs, among others.

Brody School of Medicine Executive Dean Dr. Jason Higginson shared advice in a U.S. News & World Report article on how to navigate medical school applications and exam preparation. Leading up to the MCAT, there may also be costs associated with any preparation, such as study materials or tutoring. "Those can become very pricey, but to be competitive, you have to have some sort of prep," Higginson said.

While the Association of American Medical Colleges projected that the United States will be up to 86,000 doctors short by 2036, the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University is set to expand its class size to 120 students by 2027 when the Center for Medical Education Building opens. “More than 50 percent (of our students) stay in the state,” said Dr. Jason Higginson, ECU Health chief health officer and Brody executive dean in a Triangle Business Journal article. “Not only that ... we're one of the top schools for producing primary care physicians, which is a big part of the (nationwide physician) shortage.”

Dr. Espen Spangenburg

Dr. Espen Spangenburg took over as chair of Brody’s Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology. Spangenburg joined the Department of Physiology and the East Carolina Diabetes and Obesity Institute at East Carolina University as an associate professor with tenure in 2015 and was promoted to full professor at in 2021. Spangenburg was appointed interim department chair of Anatomy and Cell Biology in 2022 and interim chair of Physiology in 2023. He has been extramurally funded by NIH and private foundations since 2006, and his lab has published more then 120 peer reviewed papers. During his time as a faculty member, he was the recipient of the APS New Investigator Award, Virginia Tech Outstanding Alumnus Award, Leda Amick Wilson Mentoring Award, and the Brody Women Advocacy Award at ECU.

Public health faculty hosted a community advisory meeting in February.

Brody’s Department of Public Health hosted a community advisory meeting in February. A group of leaders — public health directors, long-term care administrators, hospital presidents, foundation presidents and more — offered input to educate the next generation of health leaders. Ruth Little, chair of the advisory board, “Making sure we’re collaborating, guiding our practicums and the research needs for our region, and making sure we’re teaching students the unique aspects of rural health delivery and needs" in eastern North Carolina.

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BUSINESS

First, there were 75. Then, there were 12. Now, there are six. The final teams for the Aman Pirate Challenge are in place after a packed Feb. 4 night of prepared pitches and intensive Q&As.

The finalists include:

Kid Fit, a company that uses science-backed programming and a culture of encouragement to envision a future where every child can reach their full potential, one gym exercise at a time.
Grid Housing, a website that combines all the processes for off-campus college housing.
Pane Pirates, a trusted and reliable exterior cleaning company in eastern North Carolina.
Pirate 3D, a supplier of cheap, simple and accessible 3D anatomical models to support medical education.
Surf Stick Wax, a heat-resistant, sealable applicator for surf wax.
Thrive IT, a nonprofit focused on financial literacy education.

Almost $300,000 will be awarded during the April 15 finals, pushing the total dollars awarded since the Challenge's inception 8 years ago to over $1 million.

The College of Business (COB) has named Dr. Joshua R. Aaron the Miller School of Entrepreneurship's new director. He takes over for Dr. Michael Harris, who officially became dean of the COB in 2024.

Before being named Miller School director, Aaron was the Pam Wright Chair of Entrepreneurship and a professor of management at Middle Tennessee State University, where he led the Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship program to record-setting growth.

Chip Galusha has served as interim (or acting) director of the Miller School since 2023.

Preparing for the pre-eminent NASCAR racing event didn't stop Frank Kelleher from visiting the COB. Kelleher is the president of the Daytona International Speedway, and he recently spoke with two student organizations, met with the Twilley Academy of Sales Leadership and provided more inspiration to high school kids from Dunn, North Carolina.

What's the one thing he wants students to walk away with after meeting with him? "Bet on yourself. Let your hard work shine through."

Kelleher's visit was made possible by Todd Ervin (BSBA '94), who introduced Kelleher to Daniel Hackett, a marketing junior looking to bring a speaker to meet with the FBLA.

Six students and one faculty member from the Risk Management and Insurance (RMI) concentration in the College of Business traveled to Bermuda Jan. 18-22, to study property reinsurance.

The students, McKayla Knauss, Sara Scarborough, Ryan Carasiti, Chandler Walton, Aston Whaley, Jake Phlippeau and faculty member Kurt Fickling arrived in Bermuda Saturday evening, toured the Island with a guide the following day to learn the history and culture of Bermuda, then worked with five different reinsurance companies and their underwriters Monday and Tuesday, returning to Greenville on Wednesday, Jan. 22.

The Military Entrepreneurship through Acquisition program, sponsored by the Arthur Graduate School of Business, hosted a kickoff weekend to help the cohort take the next steps in their entrepreneurial journey. The five participants are all current or former military service members looking for opportunities in small business ownership. Through presentations by business brokers, attorneys and bankers, they gained valuable insights into business valuation and acquisition. Over the next five weeks, they'll continue learning about business operations and will present their business plans in March.

The second cohort of the 21st Century Leadership series of workshops kicked off on Jan. 17, 2025. Sixteen participants representing profit and nonprofit organizations from eastern North Carolina joined Dr. Andy Herdman to learn how to lead strategically. Drs. Patrick McKay and Kent Alipour will join Herdman in teaching future workshops.

The 21st Century Leadership micro-credentialing program is conducted in partnership with the COB's Office of Expert Services and ECU's Office of Continuing & Professional Education.

Associate Professor “Jenna” Seung Hyun Lee, alongside School of Hospitality Leadership Professor Cynthia Deale, has made significant contributions to academic research, publishing five peer-reviewed journal articles in late 2024. Her work focuses on strengthening regional identity, supporting local businesses, and fostering sustainable tourism through data-driven insights. One notable study, Consumers’ Perceptions of North Carolina Wines, explores the impact of a sense of place on branding and tourism, helping wineries enhance their appeal in the state’s $2 billion wine industry. Another study, Saying “I Do” to a Sustainable Wedding, examines how wedding planners can incorporate sustainability into events to support local economic, environmental, and cultural sustainability. Lee emphasizes the importance of translating research into real-world applications to bolster North Carolina’s industries.

In addition to academic research, School of Hospitality Leadership Director Bob O’Halloran is gaining traction with his applied literature contributions to Hotel Executive, a leading online publication for hospitality professionals. His columns, now published monthly, provide actionable insights on key industry topics, including hospitality metrics, employee training trends, and the role of artificial intelligence in service and efficiency. O’Halloran ensures that these insights are accessible to local businesses by sharing them on the School of Hospitality Leadership’s social media channels, helping Eastern North Carolina’s hospitality sector make informed, strategic decisions to thrive and sustain growth.

The College of Business is excited to announce the appointment of Dr. Danny Ellis (pictured above, far left) to the UNC Nash Hospital Foundation Board, where he will offer leadership in fundraising, fund allocation, and advocacy. Working alongside the hospital's CEO and executive team as part of the strategic planning committee, Dr. Ellis will help enhance hospital services and improve community health. He will also play a pivotal role in setting priorities and targets for the Foundation. This appointment highlights Dr. Ellis’s ongoing dedication to advancing healthcare and supporting community well-being.

The College of Business is excited to announce the selection of Christine Kowalczyk, Corey Pulido, and Tracy Ginn (above, left to right) as Faculty Innovators for the upcoming academic year! As part of the Faculty Innovator Fellowship, these faculty members will mentor and guide their colleagues in implementing innovative and best teaching practices in their classrooms that are aligned with the College’s strategic initiative for instructional innovation. This prestigious fellowship includes a stipend and provides a platform for advancing pedagogical excellence across our programs.

Students from the College of Business and the College of Engineering will host the second annual Technology Summit on March 4 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Main Campus Student Center. The event, designed for students exploring careers in technology, will feature industry leaders from top companies, including Lenovo, Microsoft, Wells Fargo, SAS, and Skyhigh Security.

This year’s keynote speaker, Robert Daigle, Global AI Business Leader at Lenovo, will provide insights into the evolving role of artificial intelligence in business and technology.

The summit will cover emerging roles in tech, early career strategies, and opportunities for students of all majors. Attendees will have the chance to network with industry experts, explore diverse career paths, and gain valuable advice from professionals.

Last year’s event was a resounding success, drawing hundreds of students eager to engage with tech professionals and gain career insights. Organizers expect this year’s summit to be even more impactful, providing students with direct access to recruiters and industry leaders shaping the future of technology.

For more information, follow @ecutechsummit on Instagram and LinkedIn.

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DENTAL MEDICINE

Jon Jones has been named Assistant Dean and Senior Director of Advancement and Alumni Affairs. He joined the School of Dental Medicine team in August 2019; in his new role, he will continue to network with friends and supporters who invest in the school as well as strengthening the school’s connections with its more than 500 alumni.

We are excited to announce the expansion of our ECU Smiles for Veterans initiative across the state. This year, events will be hosted in Greenville and at most of our community service learning centers, allowing this special program that provides care for North Carolina’s veterans to reach even more patients.

D4 Sydney Lewis pauses as she provides care to a patient in a stillshot from PBS’s “ncIMPACT” show. (Courtesy PBS/ncIMPACT Initiative)

The School of Dental Medicine was recently featured in an episode of PBS’s “ncIMPACT” show on health care. The show focused in part on our Hyde County Outreach Clinic in Swan Quarter, where our students, residents and faculty provide care for patients from surrounding communities. The clinic was featured as an innovative solution to health care provider shortages and obstacles to access to care for many North Carolinians.

Alumni Dr. Christian Penister ’23, Dr. Joshua Lovick ’18, Dr. Rudy Oxendine ’21/PED ’23 and Dr. Darian Askew ’22 caught up with each other during Give Kids a Smile in Ross Hall.

A Give Kids a Smile event was held in February on campus in Ross Hall for the first time, cosponsored by the East Central Dental Society. Students, residents, faculty, staff and community dentists cared for 24 children with Medicaid or no insurance from across eastern North Carolina. Several alumni returned to Ross Hall to provide care to the pediatric patients and visit old friends and colleagues.

The school held its annual Celebration of Research and Scholarship, “Oral Health Literacy,” earlier this year, with students, residents, faculty and researchers from across ECU presenting more than 50 posters during the event. ECU School of Dental Medicine students Noah Murray, Zach Featherstone and Blake Henkel were selected to present their projects at upcoming national research events. The event, led by Associate Dean for Research Dr. Alexandre Vieira, included participation from the CSLCs via teleconferencing. Dr. Mahmoud Al-Dajani, director of CSLC-Elizabeth City, presented “Our Research Story in Community Service Learning Center,” and Dr. Bruce Dye of the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine presented “Health Literacy and Health Education: A Dental Public Health Perspective.”

Krystal Jaimes, Dr. Acela Martinez Luna, Annette Echevarria and Dr. Alex Gillone helped lead the dental school’s 2025 Sonríe Clinic.

The school’s chapter of the Hispanic Student Dental Association (HSDA) hosted its largest-ever Sonríe Clinic for migrant farmworkers and the Hispanic community on Feb. 15. Nearly 50 patients received oral health care at no cost, provided by students, residents, faculty and staff. ECU undergraduate students helped translate and community volunteers assisted throughout the day. “Transitioning from explaining treatments to actually doing them has been incredibly special and rewarding. It’s an honor to care for this community, which is so appreciative of the services provided. That is what makes this clinic so meaningful to me,” said Krystal Jaimes, third-year dental student and HSDA volunteer coordinator.

Dr. Makani Peele ’16 became the president of the NCDS 5th District Dental Society during the group’s meeting in Greenville in February. Pictured with Peele, second from left, are Dr. Gibson McCall, Dr. Roslyn Crisp, and Dr. John Williams. Peele attended the N.C. School of Science and Math and UNC-Chapel Hill before completing dental school at ECU. She grew up in Avon on Hatteras Island and now runs Peele Family Dentistry in Wanchese.

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EDUCATION

Two College of Education alumna and two current students led a virtual panel discussion titled, “Women who Lead: Creating Positive Change in North Carolina Higher Education.” The alumna are Stacey Gerard, vice president of continuing education at Beaufort Community College, and Jordan Bullington-Miller, senior research associate in divisional initiatives and special projects at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Current EdD students Stacia Solomon, the director of the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture at Duke University, and Arcelle Taylor, director of college and career readiness at Rockingham Community College, present their dissertation and proposal defenses this semester.

Assistant professor of special education Danielle Dietz was highlighted by both a local news outlet and Special Olympics North Carolina for her work with the Special Olympics North Carolina, where she won the Volunteer of the Year Award.

History education major Isabelle Vernon was awarded the North Carolina Council for Social Studies Student Teacher of the Year Award. Isabelle is currently in her senior 2 internship and will graduate this May.

Counselor Education Associate Professor Dr. Loni Crumb was named the 2025 recipient of the National Board for Certified Counselor’s Research Innovations in Counseling Practice and Counselor Education award. Dr. Crumb’s work primarily focuses on rural mental health and school-community partnerships.

Pirate Leadership Academy Principal Fellows gathered earlier this semester for team building, networking, coaching sessions and revitalization during the mid-year celebration.

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ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY

The Department of Engineering celebrated national Engineers Week Feb. 17-24. Despite snowy weather that disrupted some events, students were able to participate in a spaghetti bridge building competition and enjoyed themselves with a game night that included a marshmallow catapult building contest as well as word games, chess, and a Connect 4 tournament.

The first in a series of professional development programs on artificial intelligence took place in the Science and Technology Building. Presenters included Dr. Raymond Smith, engineering, Dr. Tianjiao Zhao, construction management, and Dr. David Hart, computer science. Other sessions are scheduled throughout the spring semester.

Dr. Yilei Huang, associate professor in the Department of Construction Management, is revolutionizing construction with cutting-edge tech like drones, virtual reality and even robot dogs. For his work, he received the College of Engineering and Technology Scholar-Teacher Award. “In many people’s opinion, construction is old school, just hammers and nails, but we’re trying to change that,” he said.

Drs. Mostafa Namian and Dan Perrucci, both assistant professors in the Department of Construction Management, recently presented at national conferences. Namian’s presentation at the Transportation Research Board annual meeting in Washington focused on ethical considerations for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) deployment in construction. Perrucci presented his case study on the use of low-cost drones and image analysis to automate evaluation of disaster recovery processes at the Society for Risk Analysis in Austin, Texas.

Dr. Alex Vadati, associate professor in the Department of Engineering, is joining the National Science Foundation's Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships as a program director for the Division of Innovation and Technology Ecosystems. The directorate works with the entire agency to leverage ongoing research investments to drive research and innovation across all science and engineering fields, leading to U.S. competitiveness and economic growth.

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FINE ARTS & COMMUNICATION

The School of Theatre and Dance had the honor of hosting – for the first time – the North Carolina Dance Education Organization’s annual conference on Feb. 15. Faculty members Tommi Galaska, Sayward Grindley, Timothy Lynch, and Jessica Teague presented sessions that day, alongside other educators. Many ECU faculty, students, and alumni attended and/or volunteered to help make the conference a success.

In addition, Grindley, a teaching assistant professor of dance, was chosen as one of NCDEO’s 2025 Outstanding Dance Educator Award winners (pictured above, left). The other winner was Caroline Brady, an ECU dance education BFA alum, and current dance director at Apex High School.

Finally, Maddie Worsley, a rising dance education senior at UNC Charlotte, won the inaugural Ashley Cartledge Emerging Dance Educator’s Scholarship. Cartledge, an ECU dance education BFA alum, most recently taught in Pitt County Schools. She passed away last year, and Galaska paid tribute to her during the conference as a bright light who is sorely missed.

ECU’s Marching Pirates were selected as one of five feature bands to be presented at the College Band Directors National Association national conference at the end of March. A juried panel of college marching band directors from across the country chose the five bands. Among other performances and educational opportunities, the CBDNA event showcases the best college marching band performances in the two years between conferences.

The Marching Pirates were chosen for the submission of their second halftime show, “Elemental,” with music fitting the theme of earth, water, air, and fire:

Part 1: Mr. Blue Sky (ELO); Fly Away (Lenny Kravitz); Fly Like an Eagle (Steve Miller Band)
Part 2, featuring the ECU Dance Team: Disco Inferno (The Trammps)
Part 3: Fantasy (Earth, Wind & Fire); Water (Brad Paisley); Joy to the World (Three Dog Night)

Producing the show were Steve Alia (drill design), Lynda Kachman and Allison Schaefer (guard design), Ryan Adamsons (wind arrangement for parts 1 and 3), Austin Marcum (drum arrangements), and Connor MacRae (video/audio editing), under the direction of Dr. Joe Busuito (associate director of bands) and Professor Alvin Taylor (assistant director of athletic bands).

Busuito said the recognition is “an affirmation that the East Carolina band [is] developing into a leader in the collegiate pageantry arts. It represents an important checkpoint in the progression in reframing the discussion of what is possible at ECU.” While Busuito said he is proud, he said the accomplishment “belongs to the students who rose to meet the challenges of not only the demand of the production, but also the obstacles inherent to our rehearsal environment and physical resources.”

The College of Fine Arts and Communication celebrated incredible art students and their pieces at the 17th annual School of Art and Design Graduate Student Art Exhibition, with a reception on Feb. 24 at the Janice Hardison Faulkner Gallery at Joyner Library.

Student award winners this year are:

Autumn Standbridge – Friends of Joyner Library Art Purchase Award – weaving, “The Sisters”
Haley McElroy – CFAC Dean’s Merit Award – ceramic, “What the fuck/FUCK THIS!”
Paul Edwards – SOAD Director’s Award – cotton weaving, “Weight”
Tansy Obryant – SOAD Award – porcelain and China paint, “Who Are You Talking To?”

A Master of Fine Arts graduate student has received the Purchase Award since 2007. Recipient pieces are on display at Joyner for all to enjoy.

Standbridge, a first-year MFA student (pictured above, left), created her piece in honor of her sister. The two are about 18 months apart in age, and their bond strengthened over the grief of losing their father young. She compared her family to the deer they would often see at their home, which inspired her piece.

Special thanks to Jan S. Lewis, director of academic library services at Joyner, and Sarah Lazure, marketing and exhibits director for the Pitt County Arts Council. Lazure served as the juror for this year’s event.

This year’s artists are: Liam Aley, Katelyn Davis, Paul Edwards, Denton Fae, Heather Fraccalvieri, Sam Gorritz, Austin Irby, Rachael Lowman, Ryan McDowell, Haley McElroy, Tansy Obryant, Narges Sedaghat, Ada Smolen Morton, Autumn Standbridge, and Savannah Willis.

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GRADUATE SCHOOL

This spring, the Graduate School hit the road to connect with prospective students across North Carolina, spreading the word about our diverse graduate programs. Representatives from the Graduate School including our Assistant Director for Graduate Admissions, Recruiting, and Outreach, Dr. Tatum Taylor, pictured above, had the opportunity to meet with over 350 prospective students at a variety of career fairs and graduate school expos.

From UNC Asheville in the west to Elizabeth City State University in the east, including STEM-focused fairs and career expos for aspiring healthcare professionals, we had valuable conversations with students eager to explore ECU’s graduate opportunities. These recruitment efforts help strengthen our pipeline of talented applicants and reinforce the Graduate School’s presence both on and off campus.

Looking ahead, we’re excited to continue expanding our outreach and connecting with future ECU graduate students. If you know a student considering graduate school, encourage them to reach out—we’re here to help them take the next step in their academic journey!

Graduate School Launches its Wayfinder Program

The Wayfinder program is a special recognition for ECU alumni who are currently enrolled in an ECU graduate program. It has been designed to recognize these alumni and to provide opportunities to serve as a resource to other graduate students through engagement in outreach activities hosted by the Graduate School.

As a member of this group, students are provided a unique Wayfinder lapel pin so that other graduate students will know that you are someone who can help answer questions about ECU and life as a Pirate.

Wayfinder’s are invited to engage with the Graduate School in a variety of ways:

Delivering Graduate School social media content through takeovers, creating/sharing posts, or being featured in a Student Spotlight.
Assisting with program-specific campus tours
Staffing information tables around campus and at other recruitment events
Serving as panelists for Graduate Orientations or other Graduate School programs
Connecting with future pirates through phone or text message campaigns

As this program grows, the Graduate School hopes to host special events to recognize these participants and continue developing ways to integrate them into our graduate enrollment efforts.

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HEALTH & HUMAN PERFORMANCE

The Biomechanics Interest Group of the American College of Sports Medicine Southeast Chapter selected Brittany Trotter with the top doctorate-level biomechanics abstract. Trotter, a dual kinesiology master’s student and doctoral candidate in bioenergetics and exercise science who also is a graduate research assistant in the Visual Motor Lab, represented ECU and HHP at the ACSM Southeast annual meeting in Greenville, S.C. She presented her poster and delivered a 3-minute presentation. The abstract is titled “Altered Cortical Activity During Oculomotor Control Following COVID-19 Infection” to discuss significant differences in brain activity during the performance of an eye movement task in individuals who have experienced a COVID-19 infection, as compared to those who have not.

Dr. Joe Houmard, professor in the Department of Kinesiology, (above, right) was invited by Chancellor Dr. Philip Rogers and the ECU Board of Trustees to attend a reception to recognize and celebrate ECU substantial contributors to its research enterprise. Houmard was among the invitees awarded $1 million or more as a principal investigator between 2021-24.

Drs. Tiffany Blanchflower (interior design and merchandising) and Melanie Sartore-Baldwin (recreation sciences) were honored as Treasured Pirates. Treasured Pirate award winners were presented a trophy during a university ceremony and $500 for exemplary work and accomplishments that go beyond an employee’s job title or duties. Also during the ceremony, HHP representatives Annette Alligood with award grant management and social work teaching instructor Beth Osborne were presented service awards.

Kirandeep Khera

Design by Brittany Ott

Interior design student Kirandeep Khera was an invited presenter by the International Furnishings and Design Association - Carolinas Chapter at the Rising Star and Night of Luminaries Event in High Point. Also showcasing student success in the Department of Interior Design and Merchandising, Brittany Ott earned second place in the prestigious 2024 BEHR Student Design Competition. Ott’s concept in the design titled “Urban Sipology” was recognized for its creativity and execution.

The National Recreation and Parks Association named HHP alum Chandler Nobles as a 30 under 30 winner. Nobles, 27, a graduate of the Department of Recreation Sciences, was featured in Parks & Recreation, the official publication of NCRA.

The Preconception Educating Pirates (PEP) Squad in the Department of Health Education and Promotion led a drive to deliver 75 blankets to the Community Crossroads Center to serve those at risk of homelessness. PEP utilized dues from members to meet the needs of others.

Students, staff and faculty in the Department of Health Education and Promotion wore red on Feb. 7. This was to raise awareness for cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the United States.

There were numerous events in February, during national recreational therapy month, that celebrated 50 years of recreational therapy at ECU. The Belk Building was host to the North Carolina Recreational Therapy Association’s Student-Professionals Issues Forum, and the ECU recreational therapy program initiated a crowdfunding campaign. This campaign aims to continue the decades of work to engage students in classroom and clinical experiences, unique research and other opportunities at conferences, and community engaged service projects.

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HONORS

Dean Todd Fraley and Associate Dean Katherine Ford were appointed to National Collegiate Honors Council committees. Dr. Fraley will serve on the Advocacy Committee and the Assessment and Evaluation Committee, and Dr. Ford will serve on the International Education Committee and the Nationally Competitive Awards Committee.

The Honors College and Brinkley-Lane Scholars Program welcomed 49 finalists to interview for the 2029 cohort on Selection Sunday, February 16th. These finalists come from 16 counties across North Carolina, along with two out-of-state students — one from California and one from Arkansas. Additionally, four international students add to the program’s reach.

The Brinkley-Lane Scholars Program hosted its fifth annual Selection Sunday alumni social on Saturday, Feb. 15th to welcome alumni back to campus and connect with them prior to the next day’s events.

We would like to say thank you to all the faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of the Honors College and Brinkley-Lane Scholars Program who participated in Selection Sunday. They are an integral part of the day.

ECU and Brinkley-Lane Scholar alumna Laurel Currie shared how her study abroad experience completely changed her life, including introducing her to her now-husband, James Currie. Read the ECU News article on Laurel’s study abroad experience.

Four honors students — Kylie Kresho, Ilaria Noonan, Sarah Maisto and Maranda Byrd — shared their college experience during the ECU’s Got Talent event hosted by Career Services for employers to learn how to utilize Handshake, build impactful internships and effective engage ECU students.

Nineteen Honors students received URCA funding for the spring semester: Riley Allen, Charlotte Bickley, Tyler Bryant, Christine Chan, Aryn Cimmerer, Ariana Collins, Gabriela Curlings Gervasio, Sophie Davis, Dhanushi Dedakia, Kara DuBois, Trinity Lamb, Caramia Landis, Molly Lasure, Joanna Mathew, Lawrence Newkirk, Trisha Rangaraju, Alexis Thomas, Megan Wozniak, and Dhwani Hada.

Two student teams with honors students are advancing to the final round of the Pirate Entrepreneurship Challenge: Grid Housing and Pirate 3D.

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INTEGRATED COASTAL PROGRAMS

The Coastal Studies Institute will once again host summer day camps in 2025. These camps focus on STEAM concepts and utilize hands-on experiences and exploration of the great outdoor spaces of the Outer Banks. Each week of camp features a particular theme and runs Monday- Friday, 9:00AM - 3:30PM. We will accept up to 16 campers between the ages of 10-15 years old each week, June 9 - August 8, excluding the week of July 4. New in 2025, we will also have one camp for teens ages 13-17 the week of August 11 - 15. For more information about CSI Summer Camps, including dates, themes, and prices, please visit the CSI webpage.

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JOYNER LIBRARY

ECU Libraries have added two new open access agreements, enabling our researchers to reach more readers. We now support open access publishing agreements with 11 publishers. One of the new agreements is through the collaboration with Carolina Consortium to add Elsevier, permitting ECU authors to publish their works in a selected list of hybrid journals (XLSX) on ScienceDirect at no cost to them. Please note that the consortial account may be depleted before the end of the calendar year. The other addition is an agreement that covers ECU articles submitted and accepted during calendar year 2025 for all Mary Ann Liebert journals. The Sustainable Scholarship webpage has more information about the ways ECU Libraries support open access publishing. Email Joseph Thomas, assistant director for collection management and scholarly communication, at thomasw@ecu.edu with any questions.

Angela Whitehurst, an engineering and technology librarian, created an online tutorial for students about Generative AI as it relates to research. Videos are available in topics including how new data is created and AI strengths and weaknesses. Overall, this tutorial provides an overview of concepts related to AI tools such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini and others.

The Paraprofessional Committee is preparing for the next Academic Library Services Paraprofessional Conference, which is scheduled for May 16 in Joyner Library. Join us this year as we explore the themes of Technology & Digital Fluency. There will be more information as registration opens and is promoted to all guests, and a conference schedule and more details made available on the conference website.

A new Wayfinder application has been developed as a resource to help patrons navigate Joyner Library. The app uses animations and a destination view photo for a full guide from the library entrance to the desired location in the library.

Library employees helped celebrate Douglass Day on Feb. 14 by transcribing some letters for a transcribathon event. This event was led by the Academic Library Services stewardship committee.

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LAUPUS HEALTH SCIENCES LIBRARY

The Medical History Interest Group presents Dr. Jack Allison with his talk “The Convergence of Emergency Medicine and Public Health: To Brody via Africa and Beyond” at the Laupus Library on the fourth floor on March 5, 2025, from 3:30-5:00 p.m.

Congrats to Megan Inman, Collection Development and E-resources Librarian, who was an invited panelist for the Medical Library Association’s (MLA) Technical Services and Collection Development Caucuses in a national forum about remote access to library resources. In her presentation late last month, she shared about her experiences in ensuring seamless access to health information resources for remote ECU users, including benefits, challenges and takeaways.

The Country Doctor Museum has installed temporary, rotating displays at Wake Tech HSL since 2017. This semester, the museum’s display, “Nursing School Memories: Classic Caps” features some of the CDM’s historic nursing caps. The common practice of adding a black band to the cap in the mid-20th century served as a mark of seniority for the nursing student in hospital training programs, often added to a cap during her last year of the nursing program.

Love Data Week was a big success, in spite of the icy conditions of mid-February changing the delivery format of most sessions to online only. Pictured is Dr. Jessica Bailey from Brody’s Center for Health Disparities, who presented on diversity in the study of complex disease genetics from the Laupus Library’s Evelyn Fike Laupus Gallery.

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NURSING

Misti Phillips' undergraduate students organized a donation drive for the homeless shelter as part of their give-back project, which will be donating these items to the United Christian Ministries Homeless Shelter in Rocky Mount.

Phillips, a clinical associate professor of nursing, said of her students, “Their commitment to serving others reflects the very heart of nursing—caring for people beyond the bedside and making a meaningful impact in the community. Nursing is more than a profession; it is a calling to advocate for and support those in need. By actively engaging in this project, my students are demonstrating the importance of community involvement, empathy, and social responsibility. I could not be prouder of their initiative and the impact they are making on the lives of others.”

A contingent from the East Carolina Association of Nursing Students - Madeline Moore, Emilie Smith, Caroline Mott, Benita Patel and Dr. Candice Jenkins - attended the 25th annual North Carolina Association of Nursing Students’ convention in Wilmington. The theme this year was ‘Navigating the Shift from Classroom to Clinical Practice’ and included essential topics such as new graduate resilience, navigating burnout and building confidence in clinical practice.

A half-day NCLEX Review and Pharmacology Made Easy session was also offered, and members received the opportunity to network with fellow students, exhibitors and potential future employers.

Dr. Candice Jenkins said of the group: “These students are feeling ready to set sail as future Pirate Nurses. We could not partake in these learning opportunities without the unwavering support of our Student Government Association, the Truist Leadership Grant, ECANS fundraising activities – but especially support from the Priority Fund.”

ECU Health's Ashley Elks, a Pirate Nurse and chair of the Pirate Nurse Alumni Council, hosted and lead a young alumni panel discussion in Dr. Linda Hofler’s class this month. The discussion provided our current nursing students with valuable insights and guidance on navigating the transition from student to professional nurse while prioritizing well-being. Our panelists shared personal experiences and practical advice on work-life balance, utilizing benefits, maintaining wellness, and fostering supportive workplace relationships.

Panelists included:

Grace Lake, a May 2024 graduate with a BSN. After passing the NCLEX, she began her career in Chapel Hill, working at Duke University Hospital in the Pediatric Cardiac ICU. She is passionate about caring for critically ill children and supporting patients and families through the healing process. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, working out, and traveling.
Hayley Morris, a Registered Nurse at Duke University Hospital in the Emergency Department. Originally from Charlotte, she graduated from East Carolina University in May 2024 with a BSN and a minor in Public Health. She is passionate about community service and volunteers with the Durham Crisis Response Center and Durham County elementary schools. In her free time, she enjoys reading psychological thrillers and going to the gym.
Hannah Drake, a Registered Nurse in the Neuroscience ICU at ECU Health Medical Center. As an ENC RIBN graduate, she completed her Associate Degree in Nursing at Pitt Community College in May 2023 and earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from ECU in May 2024. She has worked in the Neuroscience ICU since July 2023 and could not imagine being anywhere else.

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Madeleine G.