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On Deck with Student Affairs July 2023 Edition

Table of Contents

  • Message from Dr. Brandon A. Frye
  • Career Services Partners with CET
  • Move-In Volunteers Needed
  • Important SA Dates for August
  • New Hires, Promotions, and Separations
  • Assessment Update
  • Conference Presentation
  • Student Affairs Partner Feature Treasured Pirate Awards

From the Desk of Vice Chancellor Brandon Frye

Brandon A. Frye, PhD

“New Beginnings”

In December 2022, a “new beginning” started for me when I accepted the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs position at East Carolina University (ECU). I packed up a small trailer filled with some of my possessions and moved to Greenville in late January and that new beginning became more real, but not quite a full reality. That feeling of being “new” for me continued through the spring 2023 semester and into this summer. Though I have met many great folks, traveled to some great places in the eastern part of our state, and witnessed many great accomplishments during my tenure at ECU, my new beginning would not be fully realized without my family.

My family needed to finish the school year back in Nacogdoches, Texas during this past spring semester. This separation from my family has been difficult, and I appreciate all the support from so many of my colleagues during my transition to ECU.

I am very happy to report that I am traveling to Texas (leaving July 15) to bring the entire Frye family to Greenville. I am so excited to bring my wife, Jenny, our three children (Solomon, Lawsen, and Sebastian), and our two dogs (Abby and Sandy) home to North Carolina.

Family is one of my core pillars. Family guides me. Family supports me. Family makes me a better me. In turn, family also makes me better professionally. Everyone needs those guiding core pillars that ground them and make them the best versions of themselves and for me, that’s my family! I look forward to getting my family here to have Pirate Nation embrace them as it has done for me.

Last month Chancellor Rogers formally rolled out ECU’s new strategic plan, Future focused - Innovation driven. This too is a new beginning for ECU and must serve as our guide as we advance student success over the next five years. Student Affairs has also begun our strategic planning process and will work during the fall semester to identify our values, develop our mission and vision, and establish our goals divisionally.

Values development will occur in July and August, while mission and vision development will occur in August and September, and our goals will be developed in October and November. The final divisional plan draft will be completed by December 2023. I look forward to working with our team to develop this important plan.

Speaking of new beginnings, I have enjoyed my first summer in Greenville. One specific thing I enjoy about the summertime is new student orientation. I want to thank our student transitions team, orientation staff, orientation assistants (OA’s) and campus partners for all their hard work to make new student orientation 2023 a tremendous success. It makes me proud to see our campus welcome these new students and families as they are about to start a new beginning too. Our final orientation session wraps up on July 18th and we will only be three short weeks away from Drop Off and Move-In in early August.

I love seeing Pirate Nation open its arms and welcome the incoming first year class and transfer students. That connection and welcome is important, as it adds to student belonging, persistence, and success. Let’s finish strong this summer before we begin a new beginning together.

Career Services Partners with the College of Engineering and Techology

This summer the Career Services Employer Relations Team, in collaboration with Scott Snead from the College of Engineering and Technology, is visiting employers across eastern North Carolina. Caitlin Giannetti, Lynn Copeland, Daniel Stevens, and Scott Snead recently traveled to New Bern to tour BSH and International Paper. Site visits included connecting and building relationships with staff and touring facilities to view the engineering and production lines behind BSH and International Paper products.

Did you know the BSH facility manufactures 5,000 dishwashers per day? Did you know this International Paper facility can generate enough electricity onsite off-grid?

Both companies are industry leaders, and both companies are currently hosting ECU students in their summer experiential learning programs. Over the coming months, Career Services will conduct more site visits throughout the region, strengthening relationships and creating opportunities for students.

Daniel, Lynn, Caitlin, and Scott at BSH in New Bern

Volunteers Needed for Residence Hall Drop-Off and Move-In

Campus Living is actively seeking volunteers for both Drop-Off and Move-In.

Drop-Off Volunteers Needed

Drop-Off is where students will arrive in their assigned residence hall to “drop-off” their belongings and preliminarily get their rooms setup for the fall semester. The students then leave campus and return the week before classes start. Hosting drop-off dates eases the amount of traffic and people during the traditional move-in process. The Drop-off dates are August 3-5 with shifts available between 8:45am to 4:30pm. For Drop-Off volunteer inquiries, please contact Bailey Steckbauer, steckbauerb15@ecu.edu.

Move-In Volunteers Needed

This is a great opportunity for campus departments, groups, organizations and individuals to serve our incoming students during the move-in process. Move-in takes place from August 16-18 with two shifts each day from 8:45am-12pm and 12:45pm-4pm.

Volunteers assist our residents as they arrive at their new campus homes by carrying boxes, answering general ECU questions, and providing directions. We welcome groups of volunteers from ECU departments, as well as the local community. We can accommodate any size group.

Please email Steven Hollingsworth (hollingsworths23@ecu.edu) with your group's inquiry, and include the following:

  • Contact name and email address.
  • Roughly how many members you expect from your group.
  • The date or dates your group would like to volunteer.
  • Whether your group would like to work a morning shift (8:45 am to 12 pm), an afternoon shift (12:45 pm to 4 pm), or both.

Campus Living will host a virtual orientation on July 27th at 2pm to provide additional information about the volunteer process for move-in and drop-off.

Important Dates in Student Affairs for August 2023

Visit The Pirate Experience for all upcoming student events.

New Hires, Promotions, and Separations

New Hires

Steven Thompson – Housing Operations: Facilities Maintenance Technician

Effective June 26, 2023, Stephen Thompson was promoted to Facilities Maintenance Technician – Building Trades, in the Department of Housing Operations. Before joining Campus Living, Stephen worked in the Grounds Department for Facilities Services for the past 4 years. And prior to this, he was in the restoration business doing home improvements, painting, drywall repairs and installing light fixtures.

Stephen is originally from Rocky Mount, NC. He enjoys hunting, fishing, and watching sports. He is very outgoing and willing to jump in and lend a hand whenever needed.

Grant Hinson - CRW Coordinator of Aquatics and Risk Management

Grant is responsible for the successful development of aquatic programs, and management of aquatic facilities, which include the indoor and outdoor pools located at the Eakin Student Recreation Center. Grant is an ECU alumni earning a B. S. in Business Administration , Management and is currently working on his MBA.

In his free time, he likes to spend time with his wife and family . He enjoys going to the beach and fishing.

Marilynn Brimmage - Career Services Recruiting Specialist

Primary duties involve working with employers to help them engage with students at job fairs and other on-campus opportunities.

Marilynn comes to us from Pitt County Schools where she worked as a Career and Technical Education Teacher. She is an alum of ECU’s College of Business with a degree in Business and Information Technologies.

  • Hometown: Scranton, NC
  • One child: Enya Moore
  • Hobbies: reading, decorating, writing poetry, cooking

Promotions

Kelly Clare - Assistant Director of Facilities - Campus Recreation and Wellness - July 1

Separations

  • Katy Locke – CLCE Assistant Director – SIL – June 28
  • Isis Williams – Certified Medical Assistant – Student Health Services – June 29
  • Kendra Bailey – Admin Support – Student Health Services – July 14

Assessment Update

Nuventive Improve (our assessment report platform) completed an upgrade this spring. The system is open and available for entering report information. Institutional Assessment has created several resources to help with entering annual assessment report information on our Assessment Resources webpage.

To further assist you in writing and submitting your annual outcomes reports, Student Affairs Assessment, Research, and Planning (SAARP) is offering in-person help sessions (see graphic below). The institutional reporting deadline for our Division’s annual assessment cycle is August 1.

Conference Presentation

The NASPA Student Success in Higher Education conference was held on June 25-June 27, 2023, in Kansas City, Missouri, with three tracks of programming featuring data analytics and assessment, first generation college students, and dismantling systemic barriers. During this conference, Lauren Thorn, director of the Center for Student Success, presented “Addressing the Digital Divide: A Qualitative Inquiry for Solutions in Higher Education.” The presentation included preliminary results from her doctoral research study on the student impacts of remote instruction during the COVID19 pandemic, digital access and equity, as well as technological skills that contribute to student success.

Student Affairs Partner Feature 2023 Treasured Pirate Awards Program

The 2023 Treasured Pirate Awards Nominations are open for 1 more month! The Treasured Pirate program annually recognizes the exemplary efforts made by its most prominent faculty and staff employees whose distinguished contributions further ECU’s mission. The program invites any faculty or staff employee at East Carolina University to nominate any permanent ECU employee for the Treasured Pirate Award who works 20 or more hours a week.

Treasured Pirate Award recipients will receive a $500 award as well as a Treasured Pirate trophy to be presented at the annual awards ceremony in 2024.

Nomination Guidelines: Nominations should include details of the nominee’s efforts throughout the past calendar year (2022) or current academic year (2022-2023) that go above and beyond their normal duties in pursuit of excellence.

Nominations must be submitted by July 31, 2023.

To learn more about the program or to check out the 2022 winners, please visit the Treasured Pirate Awards website. Please contact the Learning & Organizational Development Team at hrdevelopment@ecu.edu for any additional questions about the Treasured Pirate Award Program.

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