COGER'S CORNER
Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
It is December already and all that this means for the people of the Pirate Nation: The end to Fall 2022 classes, deadlines to meet, submission and grading of final assignments, projects, and exams; determination of course grades, end-of-semester committee meetings, delivery of presentations, submission of proposals, Fall Commencement, and the approaching holidays – to name just a few of the activities requiring attention this month. As we continue to move through this busy month, I wanted to thank you for helping me acclimate to my first semester at East Carolina University. While there were many things that we are navigating this semester, there are 3 items that I want to mention today:
a. As you know, Dr. Virginia Hardy is officially retiring from ECU this month. In addition to her leadership and partnership as the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs – I have found her to be someone who has helped to welcome and transition so many to our University, including me. Please join me in wishing her the very best in the next phase of her journey. I thank her for her thoughtfulness, for the way she consistently demonstrates her care for our students; and for her willingness to share both context and humor. Congratulations on your retirement, Dr. Hardy!
b. We also launched 3 Deans searches this semester (i.e., College of Education, Graduate School, Honors College). There is quite a lot of work to complete before the committees progress to the point in which the campus community will interact with candidate finalists. I sincerely thank the chairs/co-chairs and the members of the 3 search committees – which include a broad cross-section of stakeholders including faculty – for your service. Each committee is led by a dean as summarized below:
c. All universities of the UNC System are adjusting to changes in the state funding model this year. In every case, 50% of the funding formula is based on enrollment changes, and the other 50% is based on weighted performance metrics. Vice Chancellor Stephanie Coleman and I will explain the funding model in more detail during the Faculty Senate meeting tomorrow, Dec. 6 – yet a very brief summary is provided below:
where for every UNC System university, the weighted performance portion during the 2023-2024 academic year will be based on the following metrics:
- 4 Year Graduation Rate
- Undergraduate Degree Efficiency
- Average Cumulative Debt at Graduation of First Time Freshmen
- Average Cumulative Debt at Graduation of Transfer Students
- Education and Related Expenses per Degree
It is also important to mention that beginning with the 2024-2025 academic year, each university’s funding appropriation will also include one campus-selected performance metric chosen from a list provided by the UNC System Office (SO). After careful deliberations over definitions, data, and trends (thank you to the IPAR team for your critical assistance) within a very short SO-determined timeline; and with a focus on engaging as broad a spectrum of Pirates as possible in positively contributing to ECU’s future funding appropriations – “Research Productivity” was chosen as our campus-selected performance metric.
As you are aware, East Carolina University relies heavily on the portions of the annual budget provided by the state of North Carolina. Fortunately, success in achieving enrollment and performance goals depends on us all, and based on what I’ve learned about the people of ECU over the last few months, I am confident that when the Pirate Nation works together in rowing in the same direction to achieve goals, we win.
As I close, I thank everyone for all you do to shape and strengthen ECU. May you have a successful conclusion to your fall semester and to this calendar year, and a very safe and joyous holiday season. I am also grateful to everyone who made this December First Monday possible, with a special thanks to Jules Norwood for his help in pulling together the many sections of this issue.
- Robin Coger
__________________________________________________________________________
BY THE NUMBERS
__________________________________________________________________________
AROUND ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
PIRATE ACADEMIC SUCCESS CENTER
ACCUDEMIA improves student access to PASC academic success services
Staying current with the needs of ECU students is the foundation of the Pirate Academic Success Center’s commitment to student success. Since April, a collaborative team of PASC and IT staff have worked to implement ACCUDEMIA, a new center management system that puts students in the driver seat. Piloted in 2022 summer sessions, implementation team members have tailored the new system to best meet the needs of ECU student users.
ACCUDEMIA is a game changer for student success services and widens engagement options for students. ACCUDEMIA streamlines student access to a comprehensive array of PASC success services including tutoring, academic coaching, Connect for Success Call Center, Starfish early alert response, special populations support that includes Greek life, residence halls, COAD 1000 attendance, major-specific supports and the UNC system grants Gear UP NC and TrACE.
ECU.ACCUDEMIA.NET provides students the option to schedule appointments themselves and assists PASC staff with managing appointments, walk-in services, workshop attendance, student service usage and data reporting.
Fostering a holistic approach to academic success, ACCUDEMIA facilitates the way students engage with PASC services:
- Students make their own appointments from a phone or laptop and decide which service delivery platform (in-person or online) best meets their needs.
- Students establish personalized engagement preferences and receive individualized academic assistance needed to meet their academic goals.
- Students review, download and share their success services usage history. In fact, PASC staff encourage students to share academic engagement records with faculty at the end of the semester. By sharing personal services usage history, students can showcase the efforts they applied to specific courses.
The collaborative partnership between PASC and IT made the ACCUDEMIA system implementation possible. Special thanks go to PASC staff Amber Arnold (project lead), Sarah Cooley, Morgan Everett, Monique Barrett, and Davis Searcy and to the IT system installation team Kristen Byrum (project lead), Brian Russell, Matt Powell, Whiting Toler, and Patty Peebles. For more information about the ACCUDEMIA system, contact Dr. Elizabeth Coghill at coghill@ecu.edu.
OFFICE OF GLOBAL AFFAIRS
ECU’s sixth annual International Award Ceremony was held at the Murphy Center Nov. 9. At the ceremony, four faculty and staff members received awards for their contributions to campus internationalization.
- Dr. Susanne Jones, from the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures in the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences, received the Award for Achievement in International Teaching. In addition to spearheading several international initiatives at the college and department level focusing on xenophobia and migration, Jones has led a popular study abroad program to Berlin for several years centered around literature and the Holocaust.
- Dr. Yu “Frank” Yang, from the Department of Chemistry in the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences, received the Award for Achievement in International Research and Creative Activity for his contributions in the field of ‘green chemistry’ and subcritical water research, which has led to 15 publications with international collaborators from Turkey and China.
- Dr. Jin-Ae Kang from the School of Communication in the College of Fine Arts and Communication received the Award for Achievement in International Service and Engagement for her contributions to numerous local and national organizations, including president of the Korean American Communication Association, coordinator of the ECU Korean faculty interest group, and president of the Korean Association of the Greater Greenville Area.
- Jeff Evans, Assistant Director of Financial Aid, received the Staff Award for Achievement in International Service for his work assisting students wishing to study abroad to navigate the financial aid process. Evans' dedication for international education is demonstrated by his passionate service to students.
At the award ceremony, which kicked off International Education Week, thirteen 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 Jan 15. Contributions to the Rivers Foreign Exchange Scholarship Fund can be made through the Global Affairs Advancement portal.
Two international students received scholarships for their academic accomplishments and their commitment to serve the eastern North Carolina region. Konstantinos Raptis Jr. from Greece is a first-year graduate student in the Maritime Studies program in the Harriot College of Arts and Sciences. Raptis is a Fulbright Fellow with wide ranging experience in the Mediterranean and an impressive academic and service resume. Gefryde Bikomba, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, is a senior Public Health major in the College of Health and Human Performance. Bikomba has worked to build intercultural skills around campus as a global technologies specialist in the Office of Global Affairs and has volunteered on various public health initiatives in Pitt County. Contributions to the International Student Scholarship Fund can be made through the Global Affairs Advancement portal.
OFFICE FOR FACULTY EXCELLENCE
Fall 2022 Active Learning & Leadership Program
During the fall 2022 semester, 10 faculty completed the Active Learning and Leadership program. This program is made possible by the Truist Center for Leadership Development and was led by Laura Mangum (COE). Participants each spent the semester exploring opportunities for embedding leadership capacity building into a selected course. Courses addressed this fall will reach students ranging from first-year students to graduate-level learners.
2022/2023 Fellow for Mentoring and Inclusion
Jenn Sisk (THCAS) is serving as the 2022-2023 OFE/OED Fellow for Mentoring and Inclusion. This fall, Sisk has been researching models and best-practices for faculty support across different faculty roles and career stages, and in the spring, will be coordinating with college representatives to build a more comprehensive understanding of the various supports available to faculty across campus at ECU. Her work builds upon that of previous fellows Eboni Baugh and Yolanda Holt in an ongoing effort to learn about existing models of mentoring and support utilized at ECU and enhance our model where needed. Be on the lookout for new mentor workshop opportunities coming this spring.
OFFICE OF ONLINE LEARNING, ACADEMIC OUTREACH, AND ACADEMIC INNOVATION
Military Outreach
Jeff Netznik, Director of Military Outreach, and Anyah Born (ECU Graduate Admissions) recently attended the Seymour Johnson AFB Annual Job/Education Fair. ECU was among the 25 higher education tables participating at the Eagles Nest aboard Seymour Johnson. Airmen who attended the event were provided information about the university’s wide range of online undergraduate and graduate programs. Netznik also worked with Gerren Jones from the College of Engineering and Technology to greet Marines and their families at the Welcome Aboard event at MCAS Cherry Point and promote the many educational opportunities available at ECU.
Members of the OLAOAI staff welcomed Sherrita Ried to the campus Nov. 8. Ried is an Education Service Specialist with the North Carolina Army and National Guard. This was an education briefing where she offered training, insight, and wisdom into both federal and state tuition assistance for our military. Topics covered included federal tuition assistance (FTA), credentialing assistance (CA), North Carolina tuition assistance program (NCTAP), and the GI Bill. This event was in the Main Student Center and streamed online. Campus colleagues were in attendance, as well as our military students and area college liaisons, such as Pitt Community College. This was an excellent opportunity to bridge the gap as we continue to thrive as a military friendly campus and community.
SARA/State Authorization Compliance
East Carolina University has received approval to continue as an approved participating institution in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) for 2022-2023. The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) was established to help expand students’ access to educational opportunities and ensure more efficient, consistent, and effective regulation of distance learning programs. East Carolina University has been a NC-SARA approved participating institution since 2016. For any questions, please contact Charlene Lee.
OFFICE OF RESEARCH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & ENGAGEMENT
Office of Engaged Research
Public Fellows Internship Program
You may see some familiar faces in the new promotional video for the Public Fellows Internship program. This past August, current and former interns along with site supervisors and REDE leaders took part in a video created to promote the beneficial program funded by the State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU).
The SECU Public Fellows Internship Program connects the university and regional communities through projects that address community-identified priorities. Undergraduate student placements provide opportunities for fellows to develop leadership, analytical, problem solving, communication and project management skills, as well as allowing them to network in professional settings.
Applications for the upcoming summer internship opportunity will be available in January. For eligibility requirements, click here.
Know of an organization interested in partnering with ECU to host an intern? To be considered as a site for the SECU Public Fellows Program, your place of business must be located in eastern N.C. and must be a unit of local government, nonprofit, public or private economic development fund, or education. More info and site applications are also available at go.ecu.edu/pfi. Site applications are due by Dec. 22.
Office of Continuing and Professional Education
Upcoming Opportunities:
- North Carolina Certified Economic Developers: Legal Framework for Economic Development in North Carolina - Dec. 14-15
- Greenville Coral Society Holiday Dinner Concert - Dec. 17
Lifelong Learning Program participants recently attended a Houses of Worship tour where they visited a local Hindu Temple, the Islamic Center of Eastern North Carolina, and Congregation Bayt Shalom. Program participants also took part in a Lunch and Learn: Eating Right for Heart Health. ECU’s Dr. Brittany Smith and Dr. Kathy Kolasa presented to the group about foods, nutrition, and lifestyle choices and how it affects your heart health. A heart-healthy lunch was provided after the session.
If you would like to offer your expertise as an instructor or plan an experiential excursion, contact Annette Kariko with the Lifelong Learning Program to see what opportunities are available. The Lifelong Learning Program is now open to all adult learners, ages 18 and up. Know someone who could benefit from the LLP offerings? Find course and registration information at llp.ecu.edu.
Office of Licensing and Commercialization
This fall semester, I-Corps@ECU saw 5 projects through the concept, innovation, customer discovery and market research process. Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), I-Corps assists research teams that have discoveries, technologies, products and services that may have impact in the marketplace. I-Corps provides seed grants of up to $5,000 per team in support of customer discovery and proof-of-concept validation. To date, I-Corps@ECU has helped over 191 trainees, generated 28 startup companies and raised over $683,000 in fundraising.
The fall 2022 I-Corps projects included:
- ADAPT - A grief platform for young adults - Team: Dr. Nancy Dias, assistant professor in Nursing; Summer Warner, masters student in public health; Savannah Blablock, student in the College of Nursing
- The Basics of Teaching - Advancement of learning modules to improve adult education - Team: Dr. Steven Schmidt, professor in interdisciplinary professions; Dr. Jo Anne Murray, director of Faculty Development and Continuing Education; Mark Foley, licensing & commercialization
- Digital Mental Health and Behavior - Digital therapy approach for mental wellness - Team: Dr. Rich Lamb, professor in Special Education, Foundations and Research; Dr. Erin Roberts, clinical instructor and marriage and family therapy (MFT) clinic director
- In House Call - A telecommunications system for hospitals - Team: Grant Smith, student in the College of Business
- Luuup - A digital marketing platform for small businesses - Team: Grace Rains, ECU Alumni
Learn more or apply to be part of the next I-Corps@ECU session at icorps.ecu.edu. Applications are now open for the spring 2023 general cohort. Application deadline: Jan. 27, 2023
The Small Business & Technology Development Center (SBTDC) is helping drive ECU’s Regional Transformation mission through its counseling and guidance to the area’s small and growing businesses. Covering a 12-county region in ENC, the center serves over 600 client companies and facilitated almost $25M in start-up or expansion capital, allowing these businesses to create or retain over 400 local jobs.
While all its clients contribute to the local economy, three SBTDC clients recently received special recognition:
- Jenni’s Ugly Chocolates, a Greenville-based maker of chocolates and treats, was a featured finalist in the Garden & Gun 13th annual Made in the South Awards. Garden and Gun magazine celebrates the modern South and features the best in Southern food. Regarding Jenni's Ugly Chocolates, the publication wrote: “Jenni’s Sweet Potato Crunch is made with local sweet potatoes and butter as well as North Carolina-grown toasted pecans, plus a splash of regionally bottled Covington sweet potato vodka and a hint of bourbon, cinnamon, and brown sugar, these misshapen mounds live up to their name. But after one bite, you won’t care about appearances.”
- Susan Bucci of Painted Peacock and Cindy Taylor of Carolina Therapy Connection were named as two of the three finalists in the Pitt-Greenville Chamber of Commerce Small Business Leader for 2021 award. In order to win, the businesses were first nominated by the local community and then narrowed down to a top three selected by a board at the chamber with Susan ultimately taking the top honor.
“The creativity and tenacity of all our local business owners is something we see every day at the SBTDC,” said center director Rob Bower. “It’s great to see these three local businesses get this well-deserved wider recognition for all their hard work.”
FACULTY SENATE
2022 - 2023 Faculty Senate meeting dates are as follows:
- December 6, 2022
- January 24, 2023
- February 21, 2023
- March 28, 2023
- April 25, 2023
- May 2, 2023 (Organizational Meeting for 2023-2024)
For more about ECU Faculty Senate, click HERE.
ACADEMIC OPERATIONS
Academic Operations, in partnership with the Graduate School and Undergraduate Admissions, is pleased to announce that Paul Russell has been appointed as the new Director of Admissions Operations within the area of Academic Operations. This is an important new role as the university engages in a variety of strategic enrollment initiatives. As Director of Admissions Operations, Russell will lead collaborative teams from undergraduate, graduate and international admissions to ensure TargetX and its related processes run smoothly and efficiently and is leveraged to maximum effect to meet enrollment targets.
Russell is a lifelong Pirate. He earned his BSBA-Management Information Systems in 2002 and his MBA in 2004, both from ECU’s College of Business. He has served in various roles in the COB since 2005, most recently as Director of Graduate Programs in the Arthur Graduate School of Business. In that role, he was responsible for all aspects of the graduate student life cycle. Having worked at ECU for many years and served on committees and task forces across campus, he is aware of the challenges we have before us. Russell has extensive experience in using technologies to increase efficiency in the admissions processes and has been a thought leader in university-wide strategic enrollment work, specifically in the Graduate Marketing and Recruitment space. His past experiences with technology and admissions, along with his enthusiasm for Pirate Nation, make him the perfect fit for this important position. Russell has conveyed that he is excited to bring his passions for technology, innovation and student success to the role of Director of Admissions Operations to meet these challenges (and those yet to come). We are certainly excited to have him in this important strategic and operational role. Russell began his new role on Nov. 16.
__________________________________________________________________________
COLLEGE UPDATES
ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCES
The Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP) selected Rebecca Cole, a master's student in Communication Sciences and Disorders, to receive its Scholarship of Excellence. Rebecca is a distance education student with plans to complete her second graduate degree this semester. One of 12 allied health students recognized across the country, Rebecca will receive a $1,000 monetary award.
Cole's interest in voice started several years ago when she earned a bachelor's in music and vocal performance from High Point University. Cole also holds a master's in vocal performance and an undergraduate degree in music industry from Eastern Kentucky University in addition to a bachelor's in speech and hearing sciences from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire.
At ECU, Cole explored her interests in clinical practice and research. She provided therapy, completed evaluations, and collected data with children and veterans in both Fayetteville and Sanford. Cole traveled to Belize, participating in the Therapy Abroad program, and designed an independent research study on speech and hearing problems.
Cole is the third student from CAHS to receive the ASAHP Scholarship of Excellence, joining Fernando Chivela '22 - Health Informatics and Information Management - and Israel Mendez '21 - Physician Assistant Studies.
ECU PAs in the Class of 2022 recently passed their national in-training examination - the Physician Assistant Clinical Knowledge Rating and Assessment Tool (PACKRAT) II. They earned an average score more than one standard deviation greater than the national average for this year's administration.
Kym Jefferson is a 2022 Treasured Pirate - one of 28 staff members recognized this year for their excellent contributions to ECU. As Technology Support Analyst, Kym led the college's transition to Panopto for the largest group of daily lecture capture users at ECU. Kym received 72 course recording requests for this semester alone, resulting in a total of 1,804+ scheduled recordings that she continues to oversee this fall. Kym will receive a $250 monetary prize and be recognized during a formal ceremony on Nov. 30 with fellow recipients.
The Department of Addictions and Rehabilitation Studies (DARS) recognized Dr. Sherrá McMillan Watkins with its 2nd annual Alumni of the Year Award. Watkins currently serves the University of Utah as Associate Vice President for Health and Wellness. Prior to that, Watkins served as Director of Wellness Counseling and an assistant professor in the Department of Behavioral Sciences at American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine.
"Pride" is defined as "a feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated." To say we have pride in Dr. Watkins is insufficient; we are humbled by her achievements and blessed to be closely associated with her." - Dr. Paul Toriello, Chair of DARS
Watkins, wife and mom of two boys, graduated in 2013 with her Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Counseling and Administration - now known at ECU as Counselor Preparation and Research.
The Parents Fund Grant Program awarded the Student-Run Occupational Therapy Clinic $1,300 in grant money to purchase equipment for use within the clinic and by patients in their homes. Dr. Lauren Turbeville, Assistant Professor, submitted the application for funding with support from Dr. Denise Donica - Professor and Chair - and Professor Rachel Taylor - Teaching Instructor. The Student-Run Occupational Therapy Clinic is one of six recipients of this financial support, which comes from the donations of ECU parents and family members.
Four students in Health Services Management (HSM) attended the 2nd Undergraduate Case Competition for Health Administration Programs at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). The team of Bradly Boaz, HSM junior; Gwen Daniels, junior; Claire Kraft, senior; and Nina Thompson, senior, prepared their presentation under the direction of Dr. Bob Kulesher, Professor and HSM Program Director.
During the competition, Boaz, Daniels, Kraft and Thompson delivered a 15-minute presentation prepared on their case, followed by five minutes of questions from a panel of judges. Eleven universities with undergraduate programs certified by the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) sent teams to compete at this year's event.
Physical Therapy students and faculty attended the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) North Carolina Annual Conference at High Point University. PT students won first and third place for their research posters and were also recognized for the best fall prevention video announced earlier this year.
Dr. Anne Dickerson, Professor in Occupational Therapy, served as a contributing author on the World Alzheimer Report 2022, "Life after diagnosis: Navigating treatment, care and support." Dickerson, Director of Research for Older Adult Driver Initiative (ROADI), wrote the expert essay, "Transportation planning for dementia."
Students in Communication Sciences and Disorders hosted the 52nd annual Meta M. Downes Speech-Language & Hearing Symposium at Eastern AHEC focused on pediatric disorders. Practitioners from across North Carolina attended what is believed to be one of the longest running student-led symposiums.
CAHS hosted a Homecoming Tailgate for alumni, students, preceptors, faculty and staff on the track and field facilities. More than 80 guests enjoyed barbecue, beverages, conversation and games.
Students, faculty, staff, family and patients of the college enjoyed trick or treating around the building and a "Dress Like a Pirate" costume contest for Halloween.
ARTS & SCIENCES
Harriot College celebrated students and thanked its generous donors at the college’s seventh annual scholarship luncheon Oct. 28 in the Main Campus Student Center ballroom. This academic year, 178 students will benefit from nearly $303,000 in scholarship assistance from donors. Read more, and view a gallery of photos from the event taken by Rob Taylor Photography & Design.
On Nov. 7, Gera Miles, a senior teaching instructor in the Department of English, hosted the second GAME P.L.A.Y. (Police, Life, and Youth) event created for ECU students. GAME P.L.A.Y. is an award-winning, nonprofit outreach program designed to elicit positive change and understanding between young people and the police. More than 10 police officers and 60 students attended the event sponsored by the ECU Police Department, ECU student centers, Harriot College Department of English and the ethnic studies program. “We provide a place where local police and young people can come together, play non-violent video games and talk to one another about their relationship — where it is currently, and how it can be positively reinforced for the future,” Miles said. “It has changed the lives of youth in our community.”
Rosana Ferreira, professor in the Department of Geography, Planning and Environment, took her students in the applied synoptic meteorology: analysis and forecasting class to the National Weather Service in Newport/Morehead City in November. Students were able to see the forecasting process in action and learned more about how forecasters apply their knowledge and experience, as well as weather observations and computer model simulations, to produce the weather forecasts that keep us all safe and prosperous. Students watched the launch of the 00Z radiosonde and learned about the importance of these global launches to help improve local weather forecasts. Ryan Ellis, science operations officer at the NWS, and Erik Heden, warning coordination meteorologist, shared their forecasting expertise with the students and invited them for future job shadowing and job application assistance at the NWS.
Calvin Mercer, professor of philosophy and religious studies, has accepted an invitation to Fellow status in the International Society for Science and Religion. The ISSR was established in 2002 for the “promotion of education through inter-disciplinary learning and research in the fields of science and religion, conducted in an international and multi-faith context.” Fellows include many of the most prominent, leading scholars in the science and religion field.
Stanley R. Riggs, ECU and Harriot College professor emeritus and distinguished professor of geological sciences, was one of six individuals presented with the state’s top civilian honor, the North Carolina Award, by Governor Roy Cooper during a Nov. 15 ceremony at the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh. The award recognizes significant contributions to the state and nation in the fields of fine art, literature, public service and science. Read more.
BRODY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
Rural Health Day 2022
The Health Sciences Campus and the Brody School of Medicine marked Rural Health Day 2022 on Nov. 17, exploring the ways the colleges and schools meet their missions across eastern North Carolina.
At every minute of every day, representatives from ECU and ECU Health are caring for patients from rural and underserved communities, pioneering research to address the unique health challenges facing these populations and training the next generation of highly skilled health care professionals to do the same.
“Among the best things we do as a university is to uphold the promises made to the people of North Carolina. Part of that commitment is to transform health care in rural and underserved areas across our state,” ECU Chancellor Dr. Philip Rogers said. “East Carolina University and ECU Health are leading the way in addressing the complexities of rural health head on, through education, research, patient care, partnerships and innovation. We are not only educating health care professionals for North Carolina — we are preparing graduates who create solutions and put them into action.”
Four students at East Carolina University’s Brody School of Medicine have been awarded the university’s most prestigious medical scholarship. David Murray, Valentine Okafor, Arvind Mallikarjunan and Vaishnavi Siripurapu — all North Carolina residents — have been chosen for the Class of 2026 Brody Scholar and Brody Fellow award, valued at approximately $118,000.
Each student will receive four years of medical school tuition, living expenses and the opportunity to design a summer enrichment program that can include travel abroad. The award will also support community service projects the students may undertake while in medical school. Since the program began in 1983, 150 students have received scholarships. About 76% of Brody Scholars remain in North Carolina to practice, and the majority of those stay in eastern North Carolina.
“The Brody Scholarship is among the most distinguished in U.S. medical schools,” said Dr. Herb Garrison, interim president of ECU’s Medical & Health Sciences Foundation. “We are forever grateful to the Brody family for establishing and continuing to support the Brody Scholars program and appreciate the Brody Scholars who demonstrate constantly why they’re deserving of this tremendous support.”
Human gene expression research
A pair of Brody researchers at have received $280,000 in funding from Janssen Pharmaceuticals to study the way that genes are expressed in humans, and possibly gain a better understanding of how to engineer medicines to target diseases in novel ways without life-altering side effects.
Dr. Paul Cook, chief of Brody’s Division of Infectious Diseases, and Dr. Shaw Akula, associate professor of microbiology and immunology, have been working together so long that they have a created a shorthand, of sorts: Akula comes up with a research idea while Cook makes it clinically relevant and they move forward together to get a study proposal funded. The arrangement has led to several studies that the pair have partnered on including a recently awarded grant-funded study to tease out the secrets of microRNAs — tiny ribonucleic acid (RNA) strands regulating gene expression and function.
“Dr. Akula approached me two years ago when we started seeing a lot of COVID and said that we should look at these microRNAs,” Cook said. “I had heard of messenger RNAs, but when I went to medical school microRNAs weren’t known.”
MicroRNAs are small pieces of RNA material that are found in animals, plants and some viruses and control how the body’s genes are expressed.
BUSINESS
School of Hospitality Leadership (SHL) students enrolled in HMGT 4650 — Hospitality Financial Management — recently earned a Certification in Hotel Industry Analytics (CHIA). Ninety-two percent (92%) of the students (22 students) in the course earned the CHIA this semester. This globally recognized professional credential validates advanced knowledge in hotel industry analytics, including foundational metrics, definitions, formulas and methodologies.
The Risk Management and Insurance department held a fall etiquette dinner designed to introduce 20 students to a real-world business function. The function included a networking mixer and a sit-down dinner that featured a four-course meal and an opportunity to dine with representatives from the event sponsor, Atlantic Casualty of Goldsboro.
For the fourth year in a row, the Miller School of Entrepreneurship in East Carolina University’s College of Business (COB) made the Princeton Review and Entrepreneur magazine list of Top 50 Undergraduate Schools for Entrepreneurship. The Miller School, the only named school of entrepreneurship in North Carolina, moved up from 46 to 40 in the rankings. The Miller School also placed in the top 10 for undergraduate programs in the South. According to Dennis Barber III, acting director of the Miller School, the six-spot jump reflects how the Miller School has transitioned from program building to program growth. For more information, click here.
The School of Hospitality Leadership (SHL) Chapter of Eta Sigma Delta (ESD), the International Hospitality Honor Society, held its induction ceremony Nov. 10, 2022. The inductees, including both SHL graduate and undergraduate students, were Michael Barton, Shannon Brown, Leigh Comis, Noelle Edwards, Delaney House, Elizabeth Jordan, Emily Orr and Madison Pearson.
The ECU Emerging Scholars Symposium is a three-day program for scholars nearing the end of their terminal degree studies and recent graduates, including postdoctoral scholars. The program is designed to diversify ECU’s faculty pipeline with an emphasis on groups underrepresented in their field. Being a supporter of the program, the College of Business helped ECU welcome accounting Ph.D. candidate Tendai Masaya (Yale University) and management Ph.D. candidate Marla White (University of Texas – Arlington) to campus.
The Miller School of Entrepreneurship sponsored a trip to Atlanta that included faculty, staff, engagement officers, the COB dean, and, last but not least, students. Students had the opportunity to network with ECU alumni and attend multiple guest speaker sessions. For more information, click here.
The College of Business hosted three “Networking after Hours” events for local professionals and the students in the BUSI3200 sections. These events are a post-Covid addition to the course. Since so many students and local professionals were removed from actual person-to-person network gatherings COVID-19, the college recognized that the skills required to work a room and make small talk had suffered. Thanks to industry friends – Hyster Yale, NCSECU, the Chamber of Commerce young professionals and VICTRA – the leaders of tomorrow had opportunities to test their networking skills and forge connections for their careers.
The College of Business officially dedicated its second named school – Thomas D. Arthur Graduate School of Business – on Nov. 18. On hand were Tom Arthur ’71 and his family, Chancellor Philip Rogers, Provost Dr. Robin Coger, and current and past COB leadership. Thanks to a gift of $5 million from Arthur, the gift will strengthen current graduate programs and support student veterans and military personnel. A new military scholarship in Arthur’s name was also announced at the dedication. For more information, click here.
The School of Hospitality Leadership (SHL) was recently recognized for its efforts in the Global Understanding Classroom program for having the largest number of students participating in ECU's Virtual Exchange. SHL, through the efforts of Dr. Cynthia Deale, has offered HMGT 3200, Dimensions of Tourism, as a Global Understanding course for over seven years. The course is popular with SHL students and works with three international universities per semester. The course is framed by tourism as a topic, and there are multiple discussions about tourism in the USA and North Carolina compared to tourism efforts in the partner country. This semester, Dr. Deale and SHL students have linked with Malaysia and Poland and are now meeting with Chinese partners.
DENTAL MEDICINE
ECU Smiles for Veterans
The School of Dental Medicine’s ECU Smiles for Veterans event has provided oral health care for nearly 275 U.S. military veterans across the state since the program began in 2018. The event serves pre-screened veterans by providing a variety of dental procedures that faculty, residents and students complete. The program originated from a partnership between the ECU School of Dental Medicine, NC Serves-Western, and the Smoky Mountains Outreach Foundation — which has since shifted to the Veteran Smiles Foundation.
Justin Shimer, a fourth-year dental student at ECU, is completing a rotation at the school’s community service learning center (CSLC) in Sylva and had the opportunity to participate in the day set aside to provide free dental care to veterans from western North Carolina. Shimer said that while he has volunteered at events over the years, ECU Smiles for Veterans was a particularly poignant moment in his dental school experience.
“Being a dental student, I was able to physically perform the procedures for these veterans and listen to the different stories that they wanted to share,” he said. “This made the day so much more special, and I hope as a practicing dentist I will have more experiences like this to serve my community and honor those who have served.”
Delta Dental Foundation grants
Thanks to two generous grants from the Delta Dental Foundation, the ECU School of Dental Medicine will continue its efforts of providing transformational care to rural and underserved communities across the state. The combined $17,000 in grant funding supports a range of initiatives this year, including new programming to expand the school’s existing veteran care and outreach programs across eastern North Carolina. A portion of the funds supports the purchase of an X-ray scanner for the school’s CSLC in Sylva. The equipment will replace a machine that is critically needed and will allow the clinic to easily connect patients with expansive resources through a digital records system.
The remaining $10,000 is designated for two veteran care and outreach initiatives. Through the partnership with Veteran Smiles Foundation (VSF), the SoDM will hold two Smiles for Veterans’ events this fall — in Sylva and Bolivia — where qualifying and pre-screened veterans will receive free dental treatment. Funds from the grant also support the expansion of the Veteran Patient Care Fund, which allows the SoDM to provide preventative and emergency care to veterans across the state throughout the year.
“Delta Dental’s support of the ECU School of Dental Medicine and our mission across the state has helped meet critical needs in patient care, equipment and education,” said Dr. Greg Chadwick, dean of the School of Dental Medicine. “Our partnership with Delta Dental has enhanced care for veterans in need, emergency care for patients during the pandemic as well as technology and equipment needed to meet the demands of caring for rural communities.”
Rural dental innovation
When Dr. Laura Mercer, a native of Mount Airy, graduated from East Carolina University’s School of Dental Medicine in 2019, she headed back to her hometown to practice — a native daughter returning to care for the community that raised her.
“It’s such a humbling experience to be able to serve the community that helped shape me into who I am today,” said Mercer, a dentist at James H. Wells, DDS. “I love being able to connect instantly with my patients when I tell them I am from Mount Airy. It’s a great first step to building lifelong relationships with my patients.”
Mercer is a prime example of the dental school’s mission to develop leaders with a passion to care for the underserved and improve the health of rural North Carolina and the nation — which were celebrated as part of last month’s National Rural Health Day. In the past four years, the School of Dental Medicine has won two national awards for its innovative model of education and patient care — one for placing eight CSLCs in communities across the state, and the other for its commitment to advancing social mission and exploring ways to better serve rural parts of the state.
EDUCATION
The College of Education inducted 16 people into the Educators Hall of Fame. You can see photos from the event on our Flickr and you can view the list of new inductees on the 2022 EHOF Inductees page.
Dr. Christy Rhodes attended a conference this summer in Morocco where she was the only American representative and helped provide feedback on the Marrakech Framework for Action (MFA). The MFA will serve as the framework for countries to guide policies, incentives, regulatory frameworks, and institutional structures and mechanisms to support and develop adult education and lifelong learning.
Elementary education students recently had the chance to take a first look at new instructional technology tools in Joyner Library’s Teaching Resources Center. Learn more here.
ECU Community School principal Tracy Cole was invited to present to a cohort of teachers, school-level leaders, and district-level leaders by the National P-3 Center, which is housed at the University of Colorado-Denver. She discussed the topic of “Supporting Effective Teaching.”
ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
About 300 students learned about new technology in construction from industry representatives during the 2022 CONTECH Forum. Sponsored by the Department of Construction Management, the event drew speakers from national and international companies from as far as away Florida and Texas. Read more here.
Engineering student Ariel Lineberger has received the 2022 American Water Resources (AWRA) Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Scholarship. She is the only undergraduate student in the country to receive the scholarship. Read more here.
Dr. Amin Akhnoukh, associate professor in the Department of Construction Management, provided a keynote address during the International Road Federation (IRF) Global Asia-Pacific Regional Congress, and Malaysian Road Conference and Exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He also received an award in appreciation for his research from the head of the Road Authority in Malaysia. Read more here.
More than 30 students competed in the first Amazing Techno Race. Teams used coding, networking and circuitry to gather data and upload it to a network. The fastest teams won prizes. The Isley Innovation Hub, Center for IoT Engineering and Innovation in the Department of Technology Systems, and Virtual Integration Prototyping Lab hosted the event.
The Department of Computer Science was recognized by the Office of Global Affairs with a pair of International Awards. The department was honored for encouraging and supporting virtual exchange programs, and for attracting and retaining international students. Dr. Venkat Gudivada, chair of the department, credited faculty and staff for the hard work that went into the achievements.
FINE ARTS & COMMUNICATION
School of Art and Design
SoAD Cinema Guild, in partnership with the SoTD Professional Acting Program, hosted award-winning Los Angeles-based film director Dan Mirvish for a screening of his film 18 ½ (https://www.danmirvish.com/18-1-2) and for a daylong film directing workshop held on the ECU CFAC Joyner TV Sound Stage.
Erick Yates Green collaborated with Film and Video Production Alumni Film Writer/Director TJ Harper on a music video which featured 7 dancers from the SoTD Dance Program. Locations included the Nag’s Head Pier and beach as well as the ECU CFAC TV Sound Stage.
Robbie Quinn's new book, "In Art," is now available through Kendall Hunt Publishers. "In Art" adopts a web platform to provide non-art majors in college a sampling of styles, techniques, and artworks from a wide variety of cultures and time periods using a thematic approach. Prizing interactivity and student-centeredness for its framework, this book uses a choose-your-own-adventure approach that allows students to follow their interests as they weave through the modular presentation of material. Student understanding is accentuated through a plethora of thought-provoking and engaging activities, many of which are of a hands-on nature using artistic approaches to thinking through making. You can request a free desk copy through the link above.
School of Communication
A documentary Insha Pun (MA 2023) directed in Nepal was selected for an oral presentation category in the 150th American Public Health Association conference, 2022 in Boston for the session “Showcasing Student Filmmakers: The Future of Public Health.”
Cindy Elmore and Brian Massey produced their fourth version of the www.Voter411ENC.org candidate information website for the fall 2022 election.
School of Music
Dr. Christine Gustafson performed as principal flute of the Tar River Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Dr. Alfred Sturgis in October 2022, featuring "Taras Bulba Overture" by Ukrainian composer Mykola Lysenko, the "Gordeli Flute Concertino" and Dvořák‘s "Symphony No. 9," the “New World” symphony. Photo (above) with flute II Beth Kupsco, conductor and flute soloist, Tar River Young Artist Competition winner, Anya Frazer.
School of Music faculty, students, and alumni have represented ECU in a variety of ways at the state NCMEA conference and the national NAfME Music Research and Teacher Education Conference. The full list of practitioner and research presentations, performances, and service involving members from our incredible community can be found here.
The ECU Symphonic Wind Ensemble performed at the North Carolina Music Educators Association In-Service Conference in Winston-Salem in November. The group, under the direction of ECU Director of Bands Dr. William Staub, was selected as the only university ensemble to perform at this year’s conference. They performed a varied program including the North Carolina premiere of the work "Bridges" by Katahj Copley and were the lead commissioner in a consortium for a new work for band by Amanda Harberg. Her "Clarinet Concerto for Band" was given the world premiere by the Symphonic Wind Ensemble with ECU Associate Professor Dr. Douglas Moore-Monroe as soloist. Dr. Joe Busuito, Associate Director of Bands, also performed with the group as guest conductor on Samuel Barber’s cornerstone work, "Commando March."
School of Theatre and Dance
Jayme Host and Jessica Teague presented at the Dance Studies Association conference in Vancouver, B.C. in October, “Nairobi Dance Exchange - Virtual and in-person choreographic collaboration between East Carolina University and Dance Center Kenya.” ECU School of Theatre and Dance’s partnership with Dance Center Kenya (DCK) in Nairobi began with a sustained peer-to-peer virtual exchange between ECU dance students and students from DCK during Spring of 2020. Students met once a week over Zoom for two hours to share dance choreography and music with one another. Two programs alternated leadership of the sessions, to create space for mutual exchange of teaching traditional African dance technique, hip hop, and ballet while reserving time each session for students to share their own original dance choreography.
School of Theatre and Dance hosted Mike Friend’s full company-percussion and dancers workshop, Soul In Motion, in the Studio Theatre in November. Special thanks go out to Carroll Dashiell and Michael Crane for helping to set up this wonderful performance/presentation. In 1984, Michael Friend and his sister Khandi started performing as the Soul In Motion Players. The debut performance was at Michael’s alma mater, Howard University, during Black History Month. Original members included HU Fine Arts Department Grads Cheryl Butler Poole, Gregory H. Poole, Gisele Jackson, and Wanda Whiteside. SIMPINC performed famous works from highly acclaimed writers including the Last Poets, Maya Angelou, and James Baldwin.
GRADUATE SCHOOL
Research and Creative Activity Week 2023 will be held April 3-6 & April 10, 2023.
The Graduate School and Research, Economic Development, and Engagement are excited to announce that we are planning our annual Research and Creative Achievement Week (RCAW). It will include in-person podium presentations, performances, showcases, and poster sessions as well as virtual posters featuring the research and creative activities of our undergraduate and graduate students and post-doctoral scholars from across campus.
As the semester winds down, faculty may want to engage with their students and post-doctoral scholars to help them determine which research or creative project they will submit when the call for presentations opens. We will be accepting submissions from Jan. 3 through Feb. 15, 2023. All information will be available on the RCAW website. Any questions can be sent to the co-coordinators of the event. Graduate students should contact Faculty Fellow Dr. Michelle F. Eble. Undergraduate students should contact Director of Undergraduate Research Dr. Tuan Tran.
HEALTH & HUMAN PERFORMANCE
Department of Human Development and Family Science faculty members Ashley Norris, Susannah Berry and Dr. Archana Hegde attended the National Association for the Education of Young Children annual Conference in Washington, D.C. Hegde presented two posters and a session on mentor and evaluator perspectives with ECU’s Early Educator Support program. Berry and Norris presented “Mission Possible: Recruit, Retain, and Sustain the Early Childhood Educator.”
HHP was proud to have student and faculty representatives attend the American Public Health Association annual meeting and expo and 150th anniversary celebration in Boston. Read student insight about the great experience in this blog.
Gefryde Bikomba, a senior from the Democratic Republic of Congo majoring in public health, won an International Student Award by ECU for service to the community and academic achievement. The Department of Human Development and Family Science also was one of the departments recognized at the ECU Office of Global Affairs awards ceremony for work with virtual exchange programs.
The HHP Office of Research Development and Administration invites faculty to participate in the 2023 spring “Write an R03 with Dr. Joseph Lee” workshop. This is also open to faculty interested in an R15 AREA mechanism submission. Ideas should be related to human health and seek to answer a research question that will advance scientific understanding in ways that positively impact human health. This program is designed for researchers with a concrete idea for a small grant who are ready to make the leap into the world of NIH grants. Submit a request to participate. Space is limited to 12 participants. There is no cost to participate.
HONORS
EC Scholar Trek Thorne published his first board game, Jumping Mania, which he has been working on for 8 years. You can learn more on his website.
Several of our Honors College students completed the Chancellor’s Student Leadership Academy. During the celebration, Calli Jon Massengill received the Margaret Chase Smith Courage award.
Kasey Perkins was selected as one of two student representatives for the North Carolina Honors Association (NCHA) executive board. This is the first year that the board has invited students to be members, and Kasey was nominated due to her role as vice president of the Honors College Student Council.
A group of Honors College students created a sensory space in Joyner Library as part of an idea born of the first-year HNRS 2000/3000 colloquia classes. Learn more here.
Danielle Werts, a junior engineering major, presented at the International Forum on Research Excellence Conference, along with her faculty advisor and the graduate student involved in the project. Their presentation won two awards.
The Honors College was well represented at the National Collegiate Honors Council’s annual conference in Dallas. The staff presented on the community atmosphere that honors creates and the faculty who teach the first year colloquia series presented on their work and its impact. There were also student presentations by Peyton Thomas, Abigail Clavijo, and Madeleine Saucier.
The Honors College Student Council went on their first leadership retreat in November where they spent time with Dr. Steve Ballard and Dr. Todd Fraley to learn more about how to strengthen their leadership skills and had informative discussions.
Two of our Honors students, Makayla and Makyla McLeod, were honored by the Ledonia Wright Cultural Center for high academic achievement and maintaining GPAs of 3.7-3.8+.
Honors College students visited the Coastal Studies Institute to learn more about how to get involved at the coast and how to pursue a major or minor in coastal studies.
INTEGRATED COASTAL PROGRAMS
Dr. Rachel Gittman (Biology; Coastal Studies Institute) represented ECU on a recent panel, “Vulnerable Coastlines in an Era of Climate Emergencies,” hosted by the Committee on Environment, Geography and Urbanization, Division of Social Sciences, at the University of Chicago Nov. 17.
Coastal Resources Management Ph.D. student Dominic Bush recently published his first peer-reviewed, solo-authored paper in the journal, “Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites” on the implications of the U.S. Navy’s Trade and Exchange Program to Underwater Cultural Heritage. His work has also recently been featured in an EVNautilus video and by Hawaii News Now.
Dr. Mike Muglia’s (Coastal Studies) research group has received NASA funding for a new Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission that will launch a satellite in December. The lab is on an “Adopt a Crossover” team leading a field campaign with Harvey Seim (UNC-CH), Magdalena Andres and Robert Todd (WHOI), and Teresa Updyke at ODU. They will focus their efforts to use new high-resolution satellite altimetry to study the Gulf Stream at its separation point from the continental margin off Cape Hatteras and the stream’s influence on the complex current confluence, comparing the satellite altimetry with in-situ observations made by the team.
On Nov. 7, Drs. Mike O’Driscoll (Coastal Studies; Water Resources Center), B. Christian (Biology), Guy Iverson (Health Education and Promotion) Jacob Petersen-Perlman (Geography, Planning, and Environment) and Rebecca Asch (Biology) presented their research, “Developing Coastal Plain Ecological Flow Guidance in the Albemarle-Pamlico Basin: Examples from the Trent River,” at the North Carolina Coastal Conference (Raleigh). This work is assisting the Albemarle Pamlico National Estuary Partnership and the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality to develop ecological flow guidelines that can support adequate streamflow for the maintenance of ecological integrity in coastal rivers in North Carolina.
The Coastal Studies Institute’s monthly public lecture series Science on the Sound continues to be popular this fall. On Nov. 17, Dr. Mike Muglia (Coastal Studies) gave an update about the status of marine renewable energy research and reviewed recent device deployments in North Carolina. The next event will take place at 6 p.m. Dec. 8 when Dr. Chris Oakley (History) will visit the Outer Banks campus to present a talk entitled “Maritime Indians: The Coastal Algonquians of the Outer Banks.”
The students of the UNC Outer Banks Field Site, hosted by the Coastal Studies Institute, will present their capstone research to the public Dec. 5, 2022, at the Dare County Fessenden Center Annex in Buxton. Their presentation, “Vegetation Change and Community Perceptions of Buxton Woods,” which is a culmination of a semesterlong capstone project, will begin at 5:30 p.m. The program is expected to last approximately 90 minutes. It will also be live streamed on the CSI YouTube Channel.
JOYNER LIBRARY
ECU Libraries entered an agreement with the Center for Open Science to provide access to the Open Science Framework (OSF) for ECU researchers. Sign in using PirateID and passphrase, create a project workspace and get started! Collaborators from ECU or other institutions can contribute to projects, and integrations can be made with OneDrive, Zotero or ECU’s DataVerse. Use OSF to store, analyze and share research data. In July, the NIH determined OSF met its “Desirable Characteristics for Data Repositories.” Ready to get started? Log in at OSF.io or email scholarlycomm@ecu.edu or browderk@ecu.edu.
The main campus library had a successful return of Game Night, bringing students, student groups, faculty, staff and families together Nov. 11 to play various games while enjoying pizza and snacks in the library. Prizes also were earned and distributed as part of the event.
The latest issue of North Carolina Libraries, the official publication of the North Carolina Library Association, included articles by ECU representatives. An article by Amy Curtis, science librarian, was titled, “Making a Change Through Committee Service.” Joseph Thomas, assistant director for collections and scholarly communication, had a Lagniappe column on Literature in the Public Domain and was co-author for “Copyright: Policies, Resources, and Questions for School Librarians.” The North Carolina Libraries issue is available here: http://www.ncl.ecu.edu/index.php/NCL/issue/view/673.
LAUPUS HEALTH SCIENCES LIBRARY
Author Recognition Awards
More than 120 ECU health sciences authors were honored on Tuesday, Nov. 8, during Laupus Library’s 17th annual Health Sciences Author Recognition Awards. The ceremony was held in TowneBank Tower at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium and recognized the past year’s publications by health sciences authors. Check out the full list of 2022 honorees.
The Health Sciences Author Recognition Awards honors both ECU faculty and staff for their published research and scholarly contributions to their area of study. The awards program was created in 2005 to pay tribute to the many health sciences authors who have expanded and enriched the scholarly culture of the university and the reputation of ECU Health Sciences through publication of peer-reviewed works.
Ketterman represents ECU at AAMC
Laupus Library Director Elizabeth Ketterman served as a panelist during the Association of American Medical Colleges’ annual meeting in November on a session titled, “A Transforming Landscape: What’s Working & What’s Changing in Academic Medicine Scholarly Publishing.” Ketterman spoke about how academic health sciences libraries are faced with the challenge of funding both traditional journal subscriptions and now also Open Access article processing fees for campus authors at a time when budgets remain relatively flat. Ketterman’s talk suggested that libraries need to lead conversations with campus leadership, researchers and faculty on what is most important to their work so that libraries can invest strategically in those priorities.
NURSING
Future health careers
Seventy-five middle and high school students from communities in 15 eastern North Carolina counties spent their Saturday getting a first-hand understanding of what careers are available in the health care fields. The inaugural Future Health Professionals Conference, held Oct. 15, hosted jointly by ECU Health and ECU, offered the visiting students opportunities to interact, one-on-one, with faculty, students and staff from across the organizations.
Students listened to several guest speakers, including the dean of the Brody School of Medicine and CEO of ECU Health Dr. Michael Waldrum, before taking tours of ECU’s medical, dental and nursing schools. Tenth-grader Tel’Nashia Carney, who attends Ayden-Grifton High School in Pitt County, said she wants to be a nurse practitioner, in part due to the urging of her grandmother who worked in health care for more than 30 years.
Nursing honor society
Several Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) students were recently inducted into the Beta Nu Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau, the nursing honor society. Derese Barnes is graduating from the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner this month and is a veteran, works for the Veterans Administration and was accepted for a residency with the VA in New Hampshire. Program director Dr. Wanda Lancaster said that Barnes is “an exceptional human being.” First-year PMHNP student, Miriam Rodriquez, who was also inducted, is SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) certified. Lancaster added that, “Miriam is passionate about educating others regarding mental health and substance use services.”
Nursing student transforms experience into education
The summer going into her sophomore year at ECU, Abby Coderre was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic lymphoma, a form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. She underwent almost three years of treatment while continuing nursing school. Abby Coderre is working hard to graduate in December and begin working at ECU Health. When Coderre was nine, she had her first experiences with medical testing and at age 13 she was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. “Seeing what the nurses did for the patients really inspired me,” Coderre said. “Those were some of the first moments I wanted to do nursing.”
During her treatment, she changed to part-time online learning, taking two or three courses at a time. She continued part-time until she was accepted into the College of Nursing, where she began full-time, in-person learning, all while continuing her treatment. “For the first year of treatment I was getting chemo every week, then it switched to once a month and that is when I switched to being in-person,” Coderre said. “It wasn’t as hard to balance, but it certainly added another challenge not many college students have.”
__________________________________________________________________________