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On Deck with Student Affairs May 2023 Edition

Table of Contents

  • Message from Vice Chancellor Frye
  • #YouMatterECU
  • Awards Ceremonies and Celebrations
  • IFC Supports Purple Pantry
  • Conference Presentations
  • Summer Safe Zone Trainings
  • New Hires and Separations

From the Desk of Vice Chancellor Brandon Frye

Brandon A. Frye, PhD

Pirates:

We’ve finished the spring, but summer school and new student orientation are right around the corner. There always seems to be some new challenge, project, or trend ahead of us in higher education. However, I do want all of us to pause and reflect on the wise words of the great philosopher, Ferris Bueller.

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

We’ve placed a spotlight on the mental health, well-being and self-care of our students and equipping them with the skills, abilities, and coping mechanisms to succeed. The same intentionality for personal care and preservation must be taken by our staff. I hope that you are able to find time this summer to recharge and rejuvenate. Our team members deserve the time to get some needed rest and enjoy a break, a vacation with family/friends or, if you prefer it, some isolated relaxation time. To be our best for our students, we must take occasional breaks and rest to prevent burnout.

Reflection is also important. I also want you to take a few minutes to review the year that was and enjoy all our successes, individually and as a division. Our staff presented at conferences at the local, state, and national levels as well as earning awards and special designations from organizations such as Association of College Unions International (ACUI) and NASPA-Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education.

As we look to the summer season, I think about refreshment. The ECU Strategic Plan Refresh was formally announced in April and Student Affairs will spend much of the summer months working on aligning our mission, vision and values to the ECU and UNC System plans. I look forward to working with the Student Affairs team and other stakeholders to develop our map that will chart our way forward for the next five years.

We had a wonderful Commencement ceremony on May 5th where 4,500 Pirates graduated. Thanks to all who assisted with and volunteered for serving at the Commencement ceremony. As the door closes for many students’ undergraduate careers, another door will soon open for others. We’re only four weeks away from orientation and, believe it or not, just 12 weeks away from the majority of our first-year students moving into the residence halls to start the fall semester. It will be here before we know it. So, go out and enjoy the summer season. I look forward to hearing about some of your trips to the beach or the mountains or maybe you’re finally taking that trip overseas. Take the time. Take a break. Get away and charge those batteries.

We owe it to ourselves, but we also owe it to our students to be at our best when the fall semester kicks off in August.

Go Pirates!!

YOU MATTER - ECU's well-being initiative builds mental health awareness

Written by ECU News Services

Everyone’s journey is different.

ECU offers a wide range of mental health and well-being resources, and now, Campus Recreation and Wellness (CRW) is raising awareness and connecting the campus community to those resources through the #YouMatterECU campaign.

“You matter, simply put,” said Steven Trotter, director of well-being at CRW and chair of the ECU Well-Being Collective. “Traditionally Generation Z is more open about talking about mental health than previous generations, and our goal is just to continue normalizing that conversation. There is hope and there’s help. The second objective is to make people aware of those resources for mental health specifically, but also overall well-being.”

Finally, there’s a call to action encouraging all Pirates to help themselves and others by using well-being resources and keeping an eye out for those around them who might benefit from them as well.

Click here to read the complete story.

Awards Ceremonies and Celebrations

Creed Awards

On April 11, 2023, the Office of the Dean Students held the 16th Annual East Carolina University Creed Recognition Ceremony. This year, 21 individuals (12 students, five faculty and four staff) were recognized for their extraordinary contributions to the ECU community by their embodying the values espoused in the East Carolina Creed.

The East Carolina Creed is a student-initiated statement defining the values to which our community aspires. In fostering the ECU Creed’s principles, we anchor ourselves to an enduring tradition of excellence, united by a set of common values.

The East Carolina Creed reflects concern for all members of the university community by providing a genuine sense of inclusion and belonging.

The ECU Creed is not something we have to do; the ECU Creed is what we aspire to.

Outstanding Staff Senate Awards

The award recognizes staff members who go above and beyond the call of duty regularly, those who work tirelessly to fulfill the mission of our institution and to serve the needs of our campus community. One staff member will be selected from each division. Recipients were recognized at the Staff Appreciation Ceremony on April 26, 2023.

Student Affairs – Jenny Gregory, Senior Associate Director of Communications and Promotions for Campus Recreation and Wellness, nominated by Dana Lopez

First-Gen Graduation Celebration

The Office of Student Transitions hosted the First-Gen Graduation Celebration to recognize graduates who are first-generation, meaning they are first in their family to achieve a four-year degree. Dr. Brandon Frye, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, and Kathy Cruz, Vice President of the “I’m the First” student organization offered words of congratulations. Over 240 graduates in attendance were presented with a first-gen stole by family members, friends, faculty, advisors, and staff. More than 600 guests were in attendance to help the graduates celebrate this achievement. Students commented that they enjoyed “the opportunity to have a loved one present to stole them” and the “positive and supporting atmosphere.”

Thanks to Dowdy Student Stores for donating the stoles.

Pirate Media 1 2022-2023 Banquet Recap

Purple Pantry and the Interfraternity Council Pack the Pantry

The ECU Interfraternity Council (IFC) working with the Purple Pantry held a Pack the Pantry drive in April that brought in over 1000 pounds of food and household items. Thirteen IFC fraternity chapters collected specific items including rice, potatoes, paper towels, dish detergent, and other critical items needed to restock the Purple Pantry. IFC Vice President for Community Service Matthew Blount and Chelsea Hewett, Graduate Assistant in the Center for Student Leadership & Civic Engagement (CLCE) began working on this project in March, which happened to be National Nutrition Month. According to Hewett, “Matt was very receptive to the recommendations our team had for this drive, and it was awesome to know that so many students would be involved in helping to support Purple Pantry through their individual and collective contributions.”

The Interfraternity Council is the student-led organizing council for 18 national fraternities at ECU. The IFC has long hosted food and supply drives for various agencies and recently has begun focusing their efforts on supporting the Purple Pantry. Blount stated, “one of our goals is to become a long-term, official partner with the Purple Pantry. We recognize the basic needs that the Pantry fills for so many of our fellow students, and this cause fits perfectly with the core value of service that is central to the mission of all our fraternities.”

The mission of the ECU Purple Pantry is to decrease food insecurity among the students at East Carolina University and increase access to other personal care items. Since opening in the late spring of 2018, students have been able to collect their most needed food and hygiene items. ECU’s Purple Pantry is housed in the Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement and is a collaborative effort between many entities of ECU’s Division of Student Affairs. While we have many organizations and departments we work with, some of our closest partners are the Department of Technology Systems (College of Engineering and Technology) and the Dean of Students Office. Any student organizations, departments, or other groups that want to hold a food/supply drive should contact the Purple Pantry at purplepantry@ecu.edu.

Conference Presentations

CEIA Conference in San Diego

Step by Step, Inch by Inch: Growing a Coordinated Campus Approach to Experiential Learning

Presenters: Daniel Stevens & Caitlin Giannetti, ECU Career Services

Over a 3-year span, the ECU Career Center’s Employer Relations Team expanded from a 2-person team to a 5-person team. This growth was the result of structural reorganization and the creation of new positions. The growth was sparked by the creation of a new position dedicated to experiential learning. By placing a strategic priority on internships and co-ops, the Employer Relations Team was able to increase its number of interactions with employers and the number of collaborations with key campus contacts.

ACUHO-I Mid-Level Leadership Institute

Aaron Lucier was selected to serve as a faculty member at the Association of College and University Housing Officers-International (ACUHO-I) Mid-Level Leadership Institute. The institute advances knowledge in the areas of supervision, leadership, facilities management, occupancy management, financial models, agency, assessment, campus politics, and current issues impacting higher education.

Aaron lead a cohort of professionals representing the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the University of Washington, the University of Puget Sound, Georgetown, University of Maryland- College Park, the University of Mississippi, Linfield University and John Hopkins University.

Upcoming Safe Zone Trainings

Registration for ECU faculty and staff is now open for the following sessions:

  • Thursday, May 18 from 1-4 pm in the Dr. Jesse R. Peel LGBTQ Center
  • Thursday, June 8 from 9 am to Noon in Laupus Library, Room 1506
  • Monday, July 10 from 1-4 pm in Laupus Library, Room 1506
  • Tuesday, August 15 from 10 am to 1 pm in the Dr. Jesse R. Peel LGBTQ Center

Safe Zone is an opportunity for ECU faculty and staff to talk, learn, and ask questions about sexuality and gender in a non-judgmental, safe, educational environment. The purpose of Safe Zone is to create a network of allies who are willing to talk to students about sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression, in addition to demonstrating their support of the LGBTQ community by displaying the Safe Zone symbol. Each session is three hours in length and includes a panel of students who share their experiences as members of the LGBTQ community on campus.

Once you have completed the training, you will receive a Safe Zone logo to display in your office. The Safe Zone program is a symbol of this University’s commitment to diversity and inclusiveness and your participation in the Safe Zone training helps to create an ever-expanding network within the ECU community to support our students.

Registration on Cornerstone is limited for each session.

For more information, contact Mark Rasdorf, Director of the Dr. Jesse R. Peel LGBTQ Center, at (252) 737-4451 or via email at rasdorfm@ecu.edu.

New Hires and Separations

New Hires

Ryder Barrett - Student Media Specialist

Ryder Barrett joins Pirate Media 1 as the Advertising and Marketing Associate. His primary duty is to sell advertising for Pirate Media 1, including the student newspaper and magazines, and to get sponsorship for the radio station. He also assists with student advertising and marketing representatives in the Agency.

Ryder graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a bachelor’s degree in communication studies. He was a Group Sales Associate for the Carolina Mudcats. A recent newlywed, his wife Morgan is an art teacher at Hope Middle School.

Dede Smalls - CRW Budget & Resource Coordinator

Dede Smalls is the new Budget & Resource Coordinator for Campus & Recreation Wellness. The Budget and Resource Coordinator tracks processes, monitors program budget activity, and initiates student employment hiring and onboarding processes. Dede has over 14 years of professional ECU experience. She is a an ECU alumni , loves plants and is actively engaged in the surrounding community.

Isis Williams - Student Health Services, Certified Medical Assistant

Isis Yolonda Williams was born in Paris, Texas and raised in Valliant Oklahoma. She moved to North Carolina along with her parents and sisters in 2003. A graduate from Plymouth High School with a concentration in Health Occupations, she attended Elizabeth City State University for Pre-Nursing, and graduated from Beaufort County Community College with her License in Practical Nursing. She is also a graduate from Pitt Community College with a Double Major degree in AAS Medical Assistant and degree in AGE.

She began her journey as a Certified Nursing Assistant I, Certified Nursing Assistant II, and now a Certified Medical Assistant. Over the years, she gained Cardiac, Vascular/ Thoracic Surgery experience which has helped her obtain multiple skills. As she takes on this new journey with ECU, she prays that God continues to strengthen and direct her to do all that she can to grow and become the amazing Nurse that he wants her to be.

Outside of her work life, Isis has a beautiful 9-month-old baby girl Iyana Denise Rogers who she loves dearly and goes strong for every day. They spend the majority of their time shopping, driving around sightseeing, and enjoying eating out whenever they can.

Kimberly Devito-Young - Campus Living Assignments Coordinator

Kim started at ECU in the summer of 2023 and serves on the housing assignments team assisting with the processing of on-campus student room assignments. Prior to coming to ECU, she worked at Florida SouthWestern State College for 14 years in various roles in Student Affairs and Auxiliary Services. A Florida native and University of Florida graduate, Kim enjoys traveling with her family, baking, and scrapbooking in her free time.

Steven Hollingsworth - Public Communications Specialist for Campus Living

Steven Hollingsworth is Campus Living’s new Public Communications Specialist. His main duties will be ensuring information and announcements for the department are communicated to students and parents effectively and efficiently.

Steven is a two-time ECU graduate, with a bachelor's in business administration with a concentration in Marketing and an MBA with a Marketing certificate. Steven was born in Greenville and was raised in the ENC area for all of his life and is excited to continue to engage with the ECU/Greenville community.

Kevin Sutton – Financial Wellness Hub Director

Kevin Sutton, Director of the Financial Wellness Hub, will directly supervise the student financial coaches that facilitate workshops and one-on-one appointments with the student population on the topics of budgeting, credit, debt management, student loans, and other topics related to personal finance. Additionally, he will be working collaboratively with the university at large to enhance the financial well-being of all Pirates. Kevin will also be able to meet with employees on the topics of budgeting, credit, and strategies on managing debt when he has the capacity in his schedule to do so.

Separations

  • Claire Martin – Nurse – Student Health Services – May 1
  • Donna LaMarche – Case Manager – Dean of Students – May 15
  • Scott Bye – Senior Associate Director – OSRR – May 15
  • Tomeka Jernigan – Admin Support Specialist – May 19
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