Spring 2009 - East Carolina University

from the editorspring 2009EastThe Magazine of East Carolina Universityfrom our readersFall graduationWe had reached my favorite part of commencement ceremonies, where thegraduates walk across the stage as their names are read aloud. I enjoy hearingthe shout-outs from parents and friends in the audience, and tonight WrightAuditorium is ringing with laughter as the 140 School of Communication’sgraduates cross the stage. The loudest come when Pierre Bell, a popularstudent who’s a star linebacker on the football team, walks across. He flashesa dazzling smile, then hugs the lady department head as she hands him hisdiploma. She practically disappears in his beefy embrace.Seven departmental graduation exercises are going on across campus tonight butI’m at this one for two reasons. First, my wife is the commencement speaker, and,second, I’m just one course shy of completing a B.S. degree in communicationand would be walking myself tonight if I’d managed my time better.I’ve been taking a couple courses each semester for the past two and a halfyears. Once you get used to being older than everyone in the room, includingthe professor, attending classes is fun. I didn’t originally go to ECU, so beinga student here now helps me understand the East Carolina experience that wereflect in this magazine.As the commencement speaker, Gayle McCracken Tuttle ’75 seems to reallyconnect with the Comm School graduates. She’s a corporate PR executivenow but previously she was a White House correspondent, and before that agreat beat reporter; she tracked down racist serial sniper Joseph Paul Franklin.She sympathizes with the graduates, who are walking into the highestunemployment rate since 1975—the year she sat where they sit now. Shestruggled to land her first job and they probably will, too. But you’ll do fine,she assures them, because you’ve acquired that special ECU spirit. She leansinto the microphone, her voice rising: “You know what I’m talking about. SkipHoltz knows what I’m talking about. They don’t have it at Syracuse and theydon’t have it at Auburn. It’s what lets us get things done when the chips aredown.” The kids break into the “ECU, ECU, ECU” chant.At the university’s main fall graduation ceremony the next night, Phil Dixon ’71tosses off a statistic that put things into perspective for East Carolina’s 100thcommencement class. Recent statistics show, he says, that out of 100 ninthgradersonly 58 finish high school. Of those 58, only 38 will begin college, 28will return for a second year and only 18 will earn a degree in six years.“This puts you in very unique company,” he says. Plus, “You know youattended the best university in the state and you’re not snotty about it.”Volume 7, Number 2East is published four times a year byEast Carolina UniversityDivision of University Advancement2200 South Charles Blvd.Greenville, NC 27858hEDITORSteve Tuttle252-328-2068 / tuttles@ecu.eduART DIRECTOR/DESIGNERBrent BurchPHOTOGRAPHERForrest CroceCOPY EDITORJimmy Rostar ’94CONTRIBUTING WRITERSMarion Blackburn, Bethany Bradsher,Kellen Holtzman, Erica Plouffe Lazure,Christine Neff, Jimmy Rostar,Steve Row, Leanne SmithCONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERSDavid Butler, Brian Christiansen,Jay Clark, Crackerfarm, Rob Goldberg,Cliff Hollis, Kelsey SuttonCLASS NOTES EDITORLeanne Elizabeth Smith ’04 ’06ecuclassnotes@ecu.eduADMINISTRATIONMichelle SloanhAssistant Vice Chancellorfor University MarketingClint BaileyEast Carolina University is a constituent institution ofThe University of North Carolina. It is a public doctoral/research intensive university offering baccalaureate, master’s,specialist and doctoral degrees in the liberal arts, sciencesand professional fields, including medicine. Dedicated to theachievement of excellence, responsible stewardship of thepublic trust and academic freedom, ECU values thecontributions of a diverse community, supports sharedgovernance and guarantees equality of opportunity.©2009 by East Carolina UniversityPrinted by Progress PrintingU.P. 09-328 74,000 copies of this public document wereprinted at a cost of $42,539 or $.57 per copy.Miss North Carolina No. 7In the most recent editionof East, in the sectionentitled “East CarolinaTimeline,” there wasmention of six ECUstudents who have beencrowned Miss NorthCarolina. I know of at least one other. LynnWilliford was crowned Miss North Carolina1981, representing Wilmington. She alsocompeted in 1979, representing anothercommunity.—Margaret Daniel Gafford ’79, Vista, Calif.Editor’s note: We overlooked Willifordbecause she had already graduated whenshe was crowned Miss North Carolinaand thus was not on the ECU records weresearched. A theatre arts major, Lynnheaded to Broadway after graduation andhad a small role in a 1980 production ofSnow White. Today she’s director of nationalfield sales for Murad Inc., a global providerof professional skin care products, and livingin Nashville, Tenn. “I still have wonderfulmemories of ECU,” she told us.That was my sister!I could not help but smile to see the articleon page 56 of the Winter 2009 issue titled“Meeting Eleanor Roosevelt” by studentreporter Clarissa Humphrey—my sister!She worked part time free of charge forthe newspaper in Greenville so as to learnsomething about newspapers and journalism.She taught English and journalism at JenkinsHigh School in Savannah, Ga., for manyyears and died in 1994.—Richard Crotwell ’87, Metter, Ga.Another Ira Baker protegeLoved the story on ECU students who havegone on to become journalists. I had bothIra Baker and Larry O’Keefe as my teachers.During a 33-year career in journalism, I’vewon two Associated Press awards and severalstate awards for editorials and sports stories.I am currently editor of the Caroline CountyTimes-Record and the Caroline County editorfor the Easton Star-Democrat (both on theeastern shore of Maryland), as well as astringer for the AP. Tom Tozer and I workedtogether on the student newspaper, whereI was first reviews editor and then sportseditor. I worked in Rocky Mount, Durham,for the Washington Post Co., then theSalisbury Times, the Annapolis Capital and nowmy current job. In between, there was a 12-year career as senior communications officerfor the Riggs National Bank.—John Evans ’76, Denton, Md.Time to replace the natatorium?After reading the article related to thestadium expansion in the fall issue of EastI believe that the vision of our AthleticDirector Terry Holland, his staff andthe Pirate Club should be commended.The range of projects would benefit notonly football but also basketball, softball,volleyball, tennis and other sports andactivities utilizing these new facilities.However, I did notice that there was nomention of a new competitive swimmingfacility. Swimming has been one of themost successful sports in the history of EastCarolina University. The swimming facility,though kept in great condition, is over 40years old and is scheduled throughout theday and night.—Professor Emeritus Ray Scharf,swim coach 1967-82, Harker’s IslandEditor’s note: Holland said he stretched thebudget as far as he could to devise a plan thatwill significantly improve the facilities used by13 of the school’s 19 teams. Building a newswimming facility for the men’s and women’steams would cost about as much as all theother Olympic Sports facility improvementscombined, Holland added. That does notinclude expansion of the football stadium,which will be funded by the sale of theadditional seats and the additional PirateClub donations of the new seat holders.Bring back the old Pee DeeI’m a very proud alum who loves comingback to visit Greenville and ECU. I attendedHomecoming weekend and had a wonderfultime. As always, the campus, the weather,the activities, the cleanliness, the Greenvillesouthern charm were all perfect. I evenproposed to my girlfriend of four years(also an ECU alum) on the beautiful, grassycampus mall late Friday afternoon. I couldn’thave asked for a better weekend. My onlyconcern is the “new face” of Pee Dee, whichI noticed during the football game. Mygirlfriend and I were very upset with themascot’s “new look” and I heard commentsfrom other fans sitting around us. Pleasehelp bring the traditional Pee Dee back!—Heath Courtright ’03 ’05, CharlotteEditor’s note: Turn back a page to see the newPee Dee.Pirates around the worldI was reading my wife’s most recent Clemsonalumni magazine. In it, they dedicate asection (similar to what East does withthe Class Notes) showing alumni wearingClemson attire in various locations of theworld, anywhere from the Great Wall ofChina to Afghanistan to South Africa. Ithought it was really neat and would be agreat way to show how our ECU alumni arespreading the word about ECU throughoutthe world. I say that because I immediatelystart conversations with others, regardlessof where we may be, if I see them wearingsomething relating to ECU. Just as the casewith the Class Notes, I am confident ouralumni would take great interest in not onlylearning about how others are prospering,but also “where” they are spreading thepirate message.—Drew Walker ’89, Greer, S.C.Editor’s note: You can already see many photoslike that at the Alumni Association’s web site,PirateAlumni.com.23

the ecU ReportCliff Hollis20,000 jobs arrive via Highway 17The huge investment the state has madein four-laning U.S. Highway 17 is payingbig dividends for eastern North Carolina,according to an ECU study showing thatevery dollar the state spent on the roadwayhas generated nearly three dollars in directoutput and earnings and created more than20,000 jobs.Since 1989 the state Departmentof Transportation has spent $2.43billion upgrading Highway 17, easternNorth Carolina’s major north-southtransportation artery that stretches300 miles from the Virginia border toWilmington. In that time, more than$5.5 billion in output was producedby the region’s construction sector,resulting in more than $1 billion inearnings, said Mulatu Wubneh, chairof ECU’s Urban and RegionalPlanning Department, who ledthe study. Construction workersearned $600 million duringthe period studied.“We were asked to find out whatdid the state get back in returnfor its investment,” Wubneh said.“This study shows that theinvestment in infrastructurehas a multiplier effect thatcontinues to grow over timeand generates additionalbenefits to the region.”ECU conducted thestudy at request ofthe Highway 17Association,an alliance ofbusinesses inthe region.While the costs for materials,labor and expenditures can bequantified, Wubneh said, otherbenefits from the highwayimprovements can’t bequantified, includingimproved safety,reducedtraveltime and lowertransportation costs.“These benefits arepresent but we cannot assignthem dollar values,” he said.Fifty miles of Highway 17 stillare only two lanes and othersections of the road remain inneed of upgrading.—Erica Plouffe LazureShaping leadersBrad Congleton is vice presidentof the student body, an officehe feels sure he never wouldhave sought successfully if hehadn’t spent a week at ECU’sLeadership Institute.“Attending LeaderShape was thedifference maker in my life,” saysCongleton, a senior from Wendell.“Before going, I thought I knew who Iwas, and what I wanted to do. I learnedquickly that becoming a successful leaderyou must stay committed. I was searchingfor an easy road, but the program taughtme that being a leader is a daily job andsometimes it’s very challenging.”Each year, up to 60 students likeCongleton have the opportunityto attend LeaderShape, a weeklongintensive leadership camp that teachesa “healthy disregard for the impossible.” TheECU office that supervises LeaderShape ismaking plans for a third annual retreat inAugust, either on campus or at an outsidesite. The previous two sessions were held overspring break at Camp Carraway in Asheville.Any ECU student with at least a 2.5 GPAcan apply for the program, which uses aninteractive approach with an emphasis onsmall groups, problem solving and communitybuilding exercises. Halfway through the week,each participant develops a “LeadershipBreakthrough Blueprint” in which theydefine a specific leadership goal they hope toachieve within the ECU campus community.Camp participants explore topics arounda theme like “The Value of One, ThePower of All” and “Living and Leadingwith Integrity.” It’s not a week of leisureby any stretch, said Krista Wilhelm,assistant director of the Center for StudentLeadership and Civic Engagement and thecoordinator for ECU LeaderShape. “It’sintensive,” Wilhelm says. “It’s almost likeleadership boot camp.”“I enjoyed how you moved around a goodamount,” says Tiffany Mills, a senior fromHertford who attended in 2007 along withCongleton; both returned to the campas program assistants last spring. Afterthey complete the program, LeaderShapegraduates receive continuing encouragementfrom the ECU LeaderShape Society, whichmeets throughout the school year andreinforces the principles taught at the retreat.Students who are accepted to the Augustsession of LeaderShape will be asked tomake a nonrefundable deposit of $100, butcampus organizations and local businessesare encouraged to sponsor a student whomight not otherwise be able to attend.Anyone interested in sponsoring a studentor donating to LeaderShape can contactWilhelm at wilhelmk@ecu.edu.—Bethany BradsherCampaign at $121 millionHalfway through its eight-year SecondCentury Campaign, East CarolinaUniversity has raised more than $121million, or 60 percent of its $200million goal. Launched in 2008, theSecond Century Campaign is providingresources for student scholarships,faculty, program, and athletic support,and campus facility construction andimprovement.“East Carolina is being called uponto enhance its service to students,the region and the state,” said ViceChancellor for University AdvancementMickey Dowdy. “The Second CenturyCampaign is vital to the university’sability to continue that service, nowand in the years to come.”The Second Century Campaign isone of the major steps necessary toaccomplish the ambitious goals ofECU Tomorrow: A Vision for Leadershipand Service, the university’s strategic planadopted in 2007. To fully implementthis strategic plan will require in excessof $1 billion in new resources fromstate, federal and private sources overthe next 10–15 years.“Even during these challengingeconomic times, when they have chosenwhere to spend their philanthropicdollar, alumni, friends and supportershave chosen East Carolina in recordnumbers,” said Dowdy. “Thatremarkable support is truly makinga difference at our university and weare heartened by the dedication of thePirate Nation.”Please use the envelope inserted in themagazine to make a donation. For moreinformation about the Second CenturyCampaign, please visit www.ecu.edu/devtor call 252-328-9550.Closer to curing monkeypoxBrody School of Medicine microbiologist Dr. Rachel Roper is attracting nationalattention, and a major grant, for research that brings doctors a step closer tostopping the spread of monkeypox, a coronavirus that’s a cousin of smallpox.Once found only in Africa, monkeypox recently turned up in prairie dogs in theU.S. and spread to humans.Her technique involves removing a specific gene from the pox virus that affectsimmunity. Her research also may lead to better treatments for other viruses,particularly the human severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) virus. “Theemergence of SARS [and other viruses, including monkeypox] may well be thebiggest infectious disease event since HIV,” Roper says.Roper, former program director for the British Columbia SARS Accelerated VaccineInitiative, was one of the scientists who sequenced and analyzed the SARS genome,proving that the virus belongs to a previously unrecognized group of coronaviruses.Now she’s working on a vaccine created by removing a gene from the virus thatseems to inhibit immune responses in mammals. She’s using a grant from the N.C.Biotechnology Center to produce a vaccine that’s safer and more effective againstsuch threats as monkeypox.Add two cups of scienceThe National Center for Research Resources, a part of the National Institutes ofHealth, awarded a $504,000 grant to East Carolina researchers to study how K–12students can use food to learn concepts in science, math and nutrition. The 2008Science Education Partnership Award will fund the second phase of an earlierECU study that showed that such common items as measuring cups and spoonscan become valuable learning tools. “Children love anything to do with food andfood preparation,” said Melani Duffrin, professor of nutrition and dietetics. “We’vebeen watching enthusiastic, young students engage in scientific processes such asmeasurement, data collection, critical thinking and comparative analysis in verynatural self-directed ways, and it’s exciting.”45

the ecu reportMarilynSheerer wasappointedprovost andsenior vicechancellor foracademic andstudentaffairs, a postshe had heldon an interimbasis. Sheerer came to ECU in 1996 as aprofessor and chair of the Department ofElementary and Middle Grades Education.She served as dean of the College ofEducation from 1998 to 2006 and also ledthe university’s fund-raising operation andthe Division of Student Life. In making theappointment, Chancellor Steve Ballard saidthat Sheerer “is exactly the right person tofill this critical role at the university.”John Given, an assistant professor in theDepartment of Foreign Languages andU n i v e r s i t y L i f eLiteratures, is the new director of the programin Classical Studies within the College of Artsand Sciences. He replaces John Stevens, whodirected the Classical Studies program forthe past five years. Stevens will return to theclassroom. Given has worked to create a fullcurriculum in Greek.Mary A. Farwell was appointed directorof undergraduate research in the Divisionof Research and Graduate Studies. She hadworked for 14 years as associate professorand director of undergraduate studies inthe Department of Biology. Farwell will beresponsible for helping to organize and fundundergraduate research projects.David Weismiller was named associateprovost for the Office of InstitutionalPlanning, Assessment and Research. Hewas vice chair for academic affairs in theDepartment of Family Medicine. A facultymember since 1996, he was recognizedin 2004 with the School of Medicine’scoveted Master Educator Award.Beth Velde, a professor of occupationaltherapy and assistant dean in the College ofAllied Health Sciences, was named directorof East Carolina’s new Outreach ScholarsAcademy. The academy will develop engagedscholars who are leaders in their professions,working with communities to improve thequality of life and foster economic prosperityfor North Carolinians. The academy willprovide professional development for facultyand enable them to pursue sponsoredscholarship related to curricular engagement,outreach and partnerships.Patrick Pellicane, dean of the GraduateSchool, has resigned to become vice provostfor research and dean of the University ofArkansas at Little Rock Graduate School.Paul Gemperline, associate vice chancellorfor research, will serve acting dean for theGraduate School while a search continues fora permanent replacement.Photo courtesy Western Carolina UniversityDr. Lessie Louise Bass, 62, diedJan. 18, weeks after receiving the2008 Board of Governors Award forExcellence in Public Service (above).Dr. Bass joined the ECU College ofHuman Ecology School of SocialWork faculty in 1993. She alsotaught at the University of Maryland,Fayetteville State University andBarton College. She also was ExecutiveDirector of the Lucille W. GorhamIntergenerational CommunityCenter of West Greenville. She wasa founding member of the Wilson,Omicron lota Zeta Chapter of ZetaPhi Beta Sorority and a life memberof Norwayne Alumni.Kelsey SuttonThe Green Grass Cloggers, founded at ECU in 1971, received the 2008 Mountain HeritageAward at the 34th annual Mountain Heritage Day at Western Carolina University. In theyears since the group was started by Dudley Culp ’71 and Toni Jordan Williams ’77, helpedby recreation professor Ralph Steele and geology professor Stan Riggs, a third of its nearly160 members have been ECU graduates or faculty. Green Grass Cloggers now has a teambased in Asheville, and a Home Team based in Greenville that performs regionally. The twoteams perform together at least once a year. A 40th anniversary reunion of all former andcurrent members is being planned for 2011 in Greenville.East Carolina timelineYEARS AGO100The first faculty arrivesIn the spring and summer of1909, President Robert Wright(far right) hires 10 teachers toinstruct the inaugural class of174 East Carolina students, whowill arrive in the fall. Today,several buildings on campus arenamed for those first facultymembers. From left to right, toprow, are Kate W. Lewis, WilliamHenry Ragsdale (residence hall),Birdie McKinney, Sallie JoynerDavis (library), Maria D. Graham(classroom building), Mamie E.Jenkins (originally the infirmary,now an office building), Claude W. Wilson (residence hall), Jennie M.Ogden, Fannie Bishop and Herbert E. Austin (classroom building).YEARS AGO75Robert Wright diesAmid enthusiasticpreparations for the25th anniversaryof the school’sfounding, and RobertWright’s 25th yearas president, the64-year-old leadersuffers a heartattack while workingat his desk in theSpilman Buildingand dies two dayslater, April 25, 1934.He lay in state inthe auditorium laternamed for him.YEARS AGO40President Messick’s last yearThe rigors of leading a collegeundergoing constant growthand change begins wearing onPresident John Messick. In his 12years at the helm, the studentbody triples in size to 4,000, 11new buildings are constructedand 13 others on campus areenlarged or remodeled. In early1959 he tells friends, “I’m justgetting tired of the pressuresinvolved, mostly the pressureof obtaining sufficient funds tooperate a college like ours.” Heannounces his resignation inOctober. Leo Jenkins, Messick’slongtime right-hand man, isnamed to lead the college.YEARS AGO25Computerizedregistration beginsAs student complaints soarover long lines at registrationand drop-add, East Carolinabuys 50 IBM computers in thespring of 1984 and becomesthe first college in the state tomove toward a computerized,decentralized system ofregistering students for classes.The system requires studentsto go to their advisors’ officesand make out class schedules.The schedules are then givento computer operators who feed the data into the campus mainframe. Observers areawed that the mainframe is able to crunch the data and confirm the requested classes“within minutes.” After a year of testing, the system is first used in March 1985.Images courtesy University Archives

2009 Spring Arts CalendarJazz singer Nnenna Freelon will be the principal guest artistfor the Billy Taylor Jazz Festival April 16–18, with most eventsheld at the Greenville Convention Center and adjacent HiltonHotel. Freelon lives in Durham and is married to Phil Freelon, thearchitect who is designing ECU’s new student center. Nnenna wasdiscovered in 1990 by jazz pianist Ellis Marsalis and signed byColumbia Records, which has released 11 of her albums. Five ofthem garnered Grammy nominations. She has received the BillieHoliday Award from the Academie du Jazz in France and theEubie Blake Award from the National Jazz Institute. She touredwith the Monterey Jazz Festival’s 50th Anniversary Band in 2008.Freelon’s April 18 performance at 8 p.m. closes the festival, which willrun under the direction of Carroll V. Dashiell Jr., director of jazz studiesin the School of Music. Over three days the festival will include a free“Jazz Bones” program April 16 at the Hilton, a ticketed performance bythe ECU Jazz Ensemble April 17 at the convention center, and critiquesof visiting high school and middle school jazz ensembles April 18 at theconvention center.The ECU Opera Theatre’s springproduction will be Puccini’sMadama Butterfly March 4, 5 and6 in Fletcher Recital Hall. JohnKramar will direct three eveningperformances and one afternoonperformance, which will be sungin Italian and accompanied by theECU Symphony Orchestra.The Four Seasons ChamberMusic Festival closes its seasonwith trios, quartets and quintets.The March 19–20 program willfeature Haydn’s Piano Trio inC, Schumann’s Piano Quartetin E-flat major and Faure’sPiano Quartet No. 1 in C-minor.Performers will be ECU’s AraGregorian, violin; Shai Wosner,piano; Hsin-Yun Huang, viola;and Zvi Plesser, cello. The finaleApril 30 and May 1 will consistof Bloch’s Piano Quintet No. 1and Dvorak’s Piano Quintet inA. Joining Gregorian will beguests Thomas Sauer, piano;Soovin Kim, violin; Elina Vahala,violin; and Amit Peled, cello.The programs will be played inFletcher Recital Hall.ECU Theatre and Dance. TheECU-Loessin Playouse seriespresents Shakespeare’s All’sWell That Ends Well April 2–7,and the season concludesApril 23–28 with Dance2009, the annual programfeaturing ECU dancers inballet, modern, jazz andtap. The Family Fare serieswinds up April 17 with anECU Storybook Theatreproduction of Willy Wonka,based on the book by RoaldDahl. The ECU production will bethe musical version, with musicand lyrics by Leslie Bricusse andAnthony Newley.The ninth annual NewMusic@ECU Festival takes place Feb.25–March 1, with the DaedalusQuartet and Pulsoptional amongthe featured guest performers.Festival director Edward Jacobsplanned seven concerts, alongwith master classes with visitingcomposers, performers andconductors, and reading sessionsof student composers’ works.New this year is an orchestracomposition competition. Amongthe ECU performers will bethe Chamber Singers, Feb. 26at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church;NewMusic Camerata, Feb. 27 andFeb. 28 at Fletcher Recital Hall;and Symphony Orchestra, March1 at Wright Auditorium. ClarinetistChristopher Grymes of the musicfaculty will lead off the festivalFeb. 25 with a program at theStarlight Café.ECU Symphony programs inlate winter and early spring willinclude an unusual range ofmusical selections and also willhighlight winners of orchestralcomposition and concertocompetitions. A March 1 concertin Wright Auditorium at 3 p.m.that is part of the NewMusicFestival will include Folksongsof the Vikings, a work by DavidDahlgren for tuba and stringorchestra, which will featuretuba soloist Tom McCaslin, anda world premiere piece by MarcFaris of the Music School’scomposition program. Faris alsois a co-founder of Pulsoptional,the ensemble scheduled to play inthe NewMusic Festival. The April26 concert (Wright Auditorium,3 p.m.) will include Borodin’soverture to Prince Igor andStravinsky’s Symphony in ThreeMovements.The ECU Jazz Studies Program’sJazz at Night series at the HiltonGreenville Hotel ends Feb. 20and March 27. Jazz students,as well as faculty members andguest musicians, perform, and thehotel donates a portion of ticketholders’ restaurant purchasesto the university’s Jazz Studiesprogram. Performances begin at8 p.m.The School of Art and Design’sannual exhibition of art andcraft work by undergraduatestudents will be on displayMarch 4–April 8, with anawards ceremony scheduledMarch 4. The annualexhibition of thesis worksby graduate students isscheduled April 17–May 22.The S. Rudolph Alexander Performing Arts Series concludes its seasonwith internationally known piano accompanist John Wustman andMetropolitan Opera baritone Nathan Gunn, who will perform FranzSchubert’s Die schone Mullerin Feb. 20, and the Russian NationalBallet’s production of Giselle April 2. Wustman, the Robert L. JonesDistinguished Visiting Professor in the ECU School of Music, willaccompany members of the ECU Vocal Studies Department in the firstand second parts of Wolf’s Spanisches Liederbuch March 22 and 23.Jennifer Licko Shelton ’98 will present a special St. Patrick’s Dayconcert March 17 at 8 p.m. in Wright Auditorium as a fund-raiser for theS. Rudolph Alexander Performing Arts Series. Licko sings Celtic musicand plays piano, guitar and bodhrán—the Irish drum. The Swansboronative started performing as a Highland dancer before she was ateenager. She has recorded several CDs since graduating from ECUwith a music degree. She’s also studied in Scotland and Ireland. Hearsongs from her new album at www.jenniferlicko.com.Who’s in town?Uzee Brown Jr., president of theNational Association of NegroMusicians, former chair of themusic department of ClarkAtlanta University, and choirdirector at Martin Luther King’shome congregation, EbenezerBaptist Church, will be the specialguest of the School of Musicfor a program, “The Art of theSpiritual,” in A.J. Fletcher MusicCenter Recital Hall March 17 at 8p.m. Brown recorded a CD of hisown solo spiritual arrangements,Great Day, in 2006.Rebecca Penneys will present apiano recital March 21 at 7 p.m.at Fletcher Recital Hall. She hasbeen a resident artist at theChautauqua Festival since 1978and was appointed visiting artistat St. Petersburg College inFlorida in 2001.Sole Nero, a piano and percussionduo, will perform in FletcherRecital Hall April 5 at 7 p.m.Percussionist Anthony Di Sanzaisand pianist Jessica Johnsonexplore new and existing worksfor piano and percussion.Gary Smart, Yessin Professorof Music at the University ofNorth Florida in Jacksonville, willpresent a piano recital in FletcherRecital Hall April 9 at 7 p.m. Smartis a composer and improviserwhose music has been performedat Lincoln Center, Carnegie Halland Kennedy Center.—Steve RowFor ticketing andother information, goto www.ecu.edu/arts1213

Portraitof theArtistWhether he’s holding a banjo ora paintbrush, Scott Avett ’99 ’00puts family ahead of fame.1415

By Jimmy RostarEach week Time magazine asksa notable person what they’rereading, watching or listeningto. In the Jan. 8 issue, JohnGrogan, author of the best-sellerMarley & Me, said he’s listeningto Emotionalism by the AvettBrothers: “I discovered the AvettBrothers while browsing in one ofthose iconic hippie shops in SanFrancisco’s Haight-Ashbury district.The album was playing on thestore’s sound system, and I wasinstantly smitten. It is impossiblenot to grin while listening to thisinfectiously upbeat blend of folk,rock and bluegrass, all played onacoustic instruments and withwhimsical, witty lyrics to boot.”It’s the last week of December, andthe Avett Brothers are playing the thirdof five back-to-back, sold-out concerts.Sweat flies, strings break and fists pumpinside Asheville’s Orange Peel club asthe band performs a string of their ownsongs and covers of tunes made famousby Townes Van Zandt and Bob Wills.The audience cheers for an encore and theband complies, first with the ballad “If It’sthe Beaches,” a song from their 2006 albumThe Gleam that’s been featured on the NBCdrama Friday Night Lights. Then the concertends with the anthemic “Salvation Song,”from the band’s 2004 album, Mignonette. Asthe song reaches the final chorus, band andaudience become one as they sing together:“We came for salvationWe came for familyWe came for all that’s goodThat’s how we’ll walk awayWe came to break the badWe came to cheer the sadWe came to leave behindthe world a better way.”The lights dim with the band right wherethey spent many nights in 2008—on stage,performing for enthusiastic fans who lovethe music and seemingly know all the lyricsby heart. And with a new album coming outproduced by the legendary Rick Rubin—theman who revived Johnny Cash’s career—manybelieve 2009 will be the year the band emergesas the next big thing in American music.If that does happen, it’s unlikely theAvett Brothers—Scott Avett and youngerbrother Seth, a graduate of UNCCharlotte, with bandmates BobCrawford and Joe Kwon—willfollow the path of so many bandsbefore them, from discovery tosudden success, followed quicklyby burnout and oblivion. Theyaren’t performing for the fame,the money, the attention.“Salvation Song” tells youexactly why the Avetts came.‘Day by day—that’s the key’It’s difficult to define the type of musicthe Avett Brothers play. The San FranciscoChronicle describes it as “the heavy sadnessof Townes Van Zandt, the light popconcision of Buddy Holly, the tunefuljangle of the Beatles, the raw energy of theRamones [which] allows them to express afull range of emotions and opt for honestyand optimism over irony and cynicism.”Scott primarily plays the banjo, and he alsoplays the guitar, piano, harmonica, anddrums. Seth’s mainly a guitarist, while he tooThe Avett Brothers—Joe Kwon, Bob Crawford, Scott Avett and SethAvett, from left—perform at the sold-out Belk Theater in Charlotte onDec. 30. They are joined by Bonnie Avett Rini, Scott and Seth’s sister.CrackerfarmDavid Butlerplays piano and drums. The brothers sharemost of the singing and songwriting duties.Crawford is the bassist, and Kwon plays cello.However you categorize the tunes, 2008 wasa momentous year for the Avetts. The bandreleased its 10th album, The Second Gleam, andcontinued building an ever-growing fan basethrough a grueling tour schedule. A visualartist as well as a musician, Scott showedpaintings and other artwork at a gallery inNew York City. On personal notes, he alsobecame a father, and Seth got married.This year is shaping up as an even greaterseminal period, with the much-anticipatednew album and another heavy touringschedule on the way. The Avett Brotherswill play several shows with the DaveMatthews Band, including an April22 concert at Raleigh’s Time WarnerCable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creekand an April 24 show at Charlotte’sVerizon Wireless Amphitheatre.With all of that ahead, Scott says it’smore important than ever for himto keep focused on the family valueshe learned growing up in Concord,N.C., and the work ethic thatearned him two degrees fromEast Carolina.“I can’t think about the bigpicture too much and what’sahead because it’s way toooverwhelming,” he says duringan interview in his art studio inConcord, a suburb of Charlotte.“Day by day. That’s the key.”He credits his parents, Jim and Susie, fornurturing a love for family and the arts. Awelder by trade, Jim Avett played guitar andhad a collection of records and 8-tracks thathe shared with his family. As children, Scott,Seth and sister Bonnie all learned to playthe piano. Family sing-alongs were common,and the three siblings regularly sang withtheir father at church services. Some of thosesongs would make their way onto the 2008album Jim Avett and Family, a collection ofgospel tunes featuring the Avett patriarchalong with his children, as well as Crawfordand Kwon.“As far back as our memory goes, it’s there,”Scott recalls of his first exposure to music.“The earliest memories are of whatevermy parents were listening to and my dadwas playing. I always remember this sortof mid-’70s John Denver vibe, and Tom T.Hall. Those old country and country rockthings were really inspiring, and they reallyimpacted us as kids.”Interest in the visual arts also developedearly, Scott says, recalling a game in whichhis father encouraged his children to createimages out of simple shapes he would draw.“They had art around,” Seth Avett saysof his parents. “We weren’t a family ofmeans—there wasn’t a lot of money—butif we wanted to hear music, there wasa record player in the living room. Wecould hear Dad playing guitar and singingto us. There were some art books in thebookshelves, and there was a lotof good literature around.”The brothers agree that the familybond has been essential in shapingwho they are as people and asartists. “I’ve been very fortunateto grow up and realize how muchthat’s carried me,” Scott says. “Sethand I wouldn’t be able to do whatwe do if our parents hadn’t beenso generous and forthcoming withsupporting the music.”Now a father himself, Scott says heeven more deeply appreciates theimportance of family as he and his wife,Sarah, tend to their infant daughter.“Our family has stepped up,” he says.“We just do things for each other.There’s no talk about how anybody needsfavors returned or how anybody is onborrowed time or anything like that. As I getolder, I realize how important that is.”Coming to GreenvilleAt East Carolina, Scott found a home in theCollege of Fine Arts and Communication. In1999, he earned a BS degree in communication.A year later, he earned a BFA degree in16 17

In a recent post to the Ramseur Records blog(ramseurrecords.blogspot.com), Scott Avett talksabout his passion for printmaking:My introduction to printmaking was by professorof printmaking at East Carolina University, MichaelEhlbeck. While focusing on painting as a concentrationat the School of Art, I also found time and the goodfortune to learn multiple printmaking processes underEhlbeck’s instruction. Among these processes was reliefblock printing, which I initially learned on wood andthen later on linoleum.The process has proven very useful in the movingworld that I live in, where mobility is a must due to thechanging workspace. Over the past five years I haveused The Avett Brothers’ annual New Year’s shows as acommercial outlet to produce prints using this process.In between show posters I have also completed printsusing other subject matter as well.The process of relief block printing starts with adrawing, usually in one of my many sketch books andthen it is transferred, in parts, to a large piece of tracingpaper to make up a unified composition. The image isthen traced again on the opposite side of the tracingpaper and then burnished onto a piece of linoleum. Ithen redraw the image over the lines I have transferredand add touches and possibly more elements tothe image on the linoleum, sometimes changing itcompletely. Some images are drawn straight to linoleumwhen traveling with scrap pieces.After the image is completely drawn in black ink onthe linoleum, I began carving the unmarked areasaway. This creates the “negative” space that ink will nottouch, and will leave the paper exposed creating thelighter value of the image. The black areas that makeup the drawing become the surface in which the inkis carried and make up the dark value of the image.Once the linoleum block is entirely carved I began theprinting process.Printing has been done in the printmaking departmentat East Carolina University with the help and supportof Michael Ehlbeck and others. Without the facultywithin the printmaking department at the School ofArt at ECU, printmaking, for me, would not be possible.The prints are made in limited runs and are signed andnumbered accordingly. Some will not be reproduced.Some of Avett’s artwork can be viewed and purchasedat Envoy Gallery located in New York City’s LowerEast Side or at www.envoygallery.com. Prints are alsoavailable through Applewood Gallery of Charlotte, N.C.Scott Avett returned to campus in 2008 to create this print commemorating the band’s year-end concerts.art, focusing mainly on painting. “ECU wasabsolutely awesome,” he says.He says his college experience was especiallyfruitful once he opened himself to thesupport his professors gave in shaping hiscraft. “ECU was there to offer whateverdirection it was that I needed,” he adds. “Itwas there to guide me. There was nothingstopping me after I homed in on what Iwanted to do. For that, I have ECU to thank.”Leland Wallin, a professor emeritus ofpainting, recalls Scott Avett the art studentas “an individual with enormous potential,”and he encouraged the budding artist tocontinue in his studies. “The works he didwith me were quite beautiful—painterlyportraits, lush brushwork and color, withconsiderable amount of control,” he says.“Scott was one of my outstanding students.He’s a very talented guy in many ways, quitediversified in his abilities.”Scott also took an interest in printmakingand continues to keep in touch withprofessor Michael Ehlbeck. He regularlyreturns to campus to create elaboratelycrafted prints that commemorate the band’sannual New Year’s Eve and other big shows.“I have the highest opinion of Scott—thework he does, the work ethic that he hasset up for himself, things that he does onthe road, things that he does at home,”Ehlbeck says. “He wants to keep his handsin the printmaking and in the painting.He continues to make prints and paintingsbecause he feels it’s important.”Scott says his music and visual artworkare pursuits that parallel and complementone another, adding that his time at EastCarolina definitely shaped his dedication toboth as career and artistic options.“The same year that Leland Wallin said,‘You’ve got to stay in this [painting]; thisis what you’re obligated to do,’ I picked upthe banjo and started playing,” he says. “SoI committed myself to both of them at thesame time.”He sang in bands throughout his years atEast Carolina. One, a rock outfit calledNemo, eventually brought Scott and SethAvett together along with a few friends.In the late 1990s, a side project featuringacoustic instruments was born, and theAvetts began collaborating on songs over thephone. In 2000, Scott and Seth—along withNemo guitarist John Twomey—released aCD under the Avett Brothers name.Since that first album, the Avett Brothershave continued a period of intensivesongwriting, performing and recording.Their songs focus on many aspects of theexamined life—love, loss, regret, resolve,truth and honesty among them.David Butler, who hosts an Americana musicradio program on Guilford College’s WQFSin Greensboro, first heard the Avett Brothers’music on a box set of Charlotte-areamusicians. Later he saw the band performat MerleFest, the perennial music festival inWilkesboro. He says he knew he had seenand heard something special.“They impressed me more than anybodyI saw at MerleFest that year,” Butler says ofthat 2004 performance. Since then he hasbeen to nearly 70 of their shows and playsthe band’s music regularly on his program.He says the artistry of their songs keeps hisinterest engaged.“I love them live, and I like the fact thatyou can see them several nights in a rowand it’s radically different each night,” hesays. “But to me, it’s their basic songwritingskills. They’ve got the ability to write great,amazing songs. Whether I’m listening to thestudio things or listening to them live, it’s thesongs that stick with me.”‘They want to make great art’In 2003, the Avett Brothers connectedwith Dolph Ramseur, a former tennis profrom Concord who owned an independentlabel called Ramseur Records. The Avettshave been with him ever since. “They wantto make great art,” Ramseur says. “Theirartwork is pretty much an extension of howthey really live. They’re doing it the right way.”Even as they achieved early success withDiscography2000The Avett Bros.2002Country Was2002Live at the Double Door Inn2003A Carolina Jubilee2004Mignonette2005Live, Vol. 22006Four Thieves Gone:The Robbinsville Sessions2006The Gleam2007Emotionalism2008The Second Gleam1819

Town and Gown = Hand in GloveRamseur, the Avetts remained a small, do-ityourselfoperation consisting of the band,the label, a road manager, a sound engineer,a booking agent and a distributor. Marketinghas largely been by word of mouth and thesupport of fans who volunteer to hang upJacqueta Thomasvolunteersconcert posters.asa tutor at theBuilding HopeCommunity LifeCenterTo date, they’ve sold more than 150,000albums. They’ve performed in all but ahandful of the continental United States,and they’ve done a string of shows in theUnited Kingdom. They’ve built a successfulbusiness model based on good will and ahandshake—the band and Ramseur neversigned any contracts with one another.“I want the whole world to hear them,”Ramseur says. “I think they’ve got somethingthat touches everybody. We started out justwinning over a fan at a time and selling onerecord at a time. I feel we’ve grown at a greatpace, and it’s just a good situation.”Megan Westbrook ’08 was won over as afreshman at East Carolina when she sawthe band perform in Greenville. She’s seenthem perform about 25 times since then.“It’s real music and honest lyrics, andthey’re such great songwriters,” Westbrooksays. “There’s a wide range of emotion youcan feel in their songs. They write whatthey feel.”Their last two albums, Emotionalism andThe Second Gleam, made it to the BillboardTop 200 chart. When Emotionalism debuted,it was No. 1 on the Billboard Heatseekerschart as well. The band has appeared on LateNight with Conan O’Brien and won awardsfrom the Americana Music Association.Scott Avett continues to immerse himselfin visual work as well as his music. A selfportraitstill in process is among a variety ofpaintings in various stages of life at his artstudio. He recently began selling sketchesthrough Envoy Gallery in New York, wherehe has shown his works on several occasions.And he still regularly visits Ehlbeck’s shop oncampus to make prints, often accompaniedby his brother.“You watch Scott and Seth printing together,and it’s like they’re good friends who haven’tseen each other in a couple of years—andthey’ve been on the road for 200 daystogether,” Ehlbeck says. “It’s a pretty uniquecombination for all of them, and I think itfeeds Scott’s work.”Working with a luminaryThe music world sat up and took notice lastJuly when the band announced that its nextalbum would be produced by Rick Rubinand released on his American Recordingslabel. Ramseur will stay on as manager.The Grammy-winning Rubin, co-founderof Def Jam Records, has produced albumsby Johnny Cash, Metallica, the DixieChicks, Neil Diamond, the Beastie Boysand the Red Hot Chili Peppers. “It’s reallyamazing,” Scott says of working with Rubin.“Surreal at first, absolutely. The more we’vegrown, the more serious we’ve become asmusicians and the more serious we’ve gottenas songwriters. The songs aren’t as lightas they once were, and [Rubin] gravitatedtoward that. He gravitated toward the bigger,serious-topic songs.”The band was prepared to surrender a certainlevel of creative control to Rubin as theymade the record, but Scott says 95 percent ofthe decisions made were the band’s own.Ramseur says the core organization that isthe Avett Brothers remains intact. “It’s stilla day-to-day operation,” he says. “There’sgoing to be a lot more hard work ahead, andwe’re prepared for it. We could continue toput records out on Ramseur Records, and wecould have done really well. But sometimesyou’ve got to see the big picture and realizethat if we partner with someone, maybe wecan take this to a wider audience.”Scott recalls that it wasn’t too long ago thathe and his brother were performing songs infront of 10 people on a Charlotte sidewalk.Last summer, the band played to 7,000people at the Koka Booth Amphitheatre inCary, near Raleigh. Whether the audienceincludes 10 or 7,000 people, the connectionwith them continues to be vital to him, Scottsays. As he meets fans and hears their stories,he says he is nourished by their energy andfeels a strong sense of obligation to continueproducing art.“There’s a real goodness to this that has kindof blindsided me,” he says. “Where I’m at inmy life, I want to grab at that obligation, andif we can make it into positives, then weought to.”He pauses to consider his future in musicand art. “I’m going to see to it that my skilland my craft are as well-refined in whateverway refined means,” he says. “I am going toeducate myself and learn. But everythinglearned and established and achieved amountsto nothing if there’s not some type of goodcoming from it. That takes a while to get to.“You can’t own enough to make yourselffeel good. You can’t make enough to makeyourself feel good. You can’t know enough tomake yourself feel good. You’ve just got todo the best at what you do and try to returnthe favor by being positive.” East2021

University ArchivesInvisible no moreOne spring night 40 years ago, about 150 studentscame knocking on President Leo Jenkins’ front doorasking tough questions about campus desegregation.They wanted to know why Dixie persisted at footballgames, why there were no black faculty members, andwhy the only other blacks on campus were janitorsand housekeepers. The moment was tense but lines ofcommunications were opened, and although the studentscontinued pressing for answers that spring, the path tocampus equality continued peacefully.The iconic photograph captures amoment when minds and historywere changed: On the evening ofMarch 26, 1969, a group of angry studentssurround President Leo Jenkins on the frontporch of Dail House, their arms crossed,their faces intent.It was not a social call. Frustrated bylingering prejudice on campus, the studentsrose from a meeting and strode across FifthStreet to ask why, nearly seven years after thefirst black student enrolled at East Carolina,they still endured the playing of Dixie atfootball games. Why the Confederate battleflag appeared at sponsored events. Why therestill were no black professors.by marion blackburnThe visitors felt campus desegregation hadstalled, and they wanted Jenkins to take action.Because of Jenkins’ natural empathy fortheir cause, and the students’ own maturity,the face-off ended peacefully that night.The students went home with a promise theuniversity would continue addressing theirconcerns, and Jenkins kept his word.That night marked an especially rockystretch on East Carolina’s road todesegregation, which began in 1962 andperhaps culminated when the first group ofAfrican American faculty arrived in 1974.They were critical years for the university,marking its departure from provincialisminto the ways and values of a modern,multicultural university. Behind thetransformation were leaders like Jenkins andthe late Dr. Andrew A. Best, Greenville’s firstAfrican American physician. Together, theycrafted a thoughtful path to desegregation—avoiding the courts, the National Guard andfederal intervention.In the weeks after the front porch summit,Jenkins held several high-profile meetingswith students. By the next year, no oneheard Dixie at games and the battle flag wasunwelcome. Though it would be years beforeAfrican American faculty were hired insignificant numbers, the university was on itsway toward full desegregation.23

First stepsIn 1962, a single African American studentarrived on campus, Laura Marie Leary Elliot’66. Two years later, a hopeful class of 16other black students arrived with a sense thatthey weren’t just going to learn history, theywere going to write it.“We stepped out on faith,” says Ray Rogers’72 of Greenville. “If you live in a dormwith only four blacks and you walk acrosscampus and you’re always in class by yourself,it takes a lot of inward peace and feelinggood about yourself. Everywhere you went,there was a culture of 16 versus 10,000.”He later met and married another dynamicAfrican American student, Eve (Everlena)Clark ’69, who arrived on campus in 1967.Rogers, a financial administrator, todayworks as a consultant, and his wife, a retiredjuvenile justice administrator, has beenrecognized with the Order of the Long LeafPine award.“We had a sense that there was a movementafoot concerning civil rights,” Eve Rogers says.Though without a lot of money, she says,her parents were keenly aware of the value ofa good education for their daughter. She feltinspired by Dr. Martin Luther King to takepart of the change happening around her.“We felt that however small, we were part ofit,” she says.Meanwhile, out of the public eye, Jenkins andDr. Best worked to accelerate desegregation.They knew strong forces beyond theuniversity opposed them. They also knewwhat happened further south, where armedintervention ushered desegregation ontocampuses in Mississippi and Georgia in theearly 1960s.The two men held deep personal commitmentsto racial equality. Dr. Best befriendedthe trailblazing African American students, andtirelessly advocated for them. Jenkins instructedstaff and faculty to welcome and support blackstudents, seeing to it they received financial aid.That assistance was critical, because thoughthey were high achievers, they likely could nothave afforded college.For campus pioneers like Ray Rogers, anordinary walk across campus took enormousinner strength. It was common to hear racialslurs whispered and sometimes shouted athim. He recalls a rally by the Ku Klux Klanat the site of today’s Minges Coliseum,and says his classmates were aware of theirunspoken boundaries. “Downtown was not aplace you were welcomed,” he says.When Rogers returned to ECU from overseasmilitary service in 1970, he noticed quitea few changes. He no longer heard Dixie atsporting events; he didn’t feel so alone. By thattime, about 200 black students were enrolled.Second waveIn 1969, however, the mood was grim. Dr.Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedywere assassinated the year before and racialtensions were high throughout the nation.Black students numbered about 90 on acampus they felt was still largely segregated.Student William Lowe was quoted as sayingin 1969, “When you see your race beingcast in the role of invisible people, it givesyou a feeling of inferiority.” There was workto be done.To unify their calls for progress, the studentscreated SOULS, or Society of UnitedLiberal Students. They developed a list ofrequests and in a dramatic move, presentedthem to Jenkins on his front porch on March26, 1969. While by the late 1960s mostuniversities had successfully desegregated,memories of the beatings, high-pressure waterhoses and imprisonments could not have beenfar from the students’ minds that night.For them, Jenkins was a lightning rod. “Ifwe were to be a true part of the campus, weneeded to have our ideas heard,” says LutherMoore ’72, who was among the 150 or sostudents facing Jenkins that night. “One ofthe first concerns was with playing Dixie atfootball games…and displaying Confederateflags at school sponsored events.“Our job was to try to make the studentbody understand how we felt, why we didn’tlike the playing of that song and what itstood for. It brings thoughts of slavery andJim Crowism, those kinds of things thatoccurred after slavery was abolished.”Today, Moore works as a guidance counselorat Clinton High School and, as the county’sonly African American male counselor, isstill something of a pathfinder. He vividlyremembers those heady days.“We were a small group of AfricanAmericans and bonded,” he says. “Webecame a group I could socialize with, andfeel part of something. I am humble, but Iknew we were pioneers, because there werevery few of us. I felt like I had to be my best.Academically, I didn’t set the world on fire,but I was successful.”The students weren’t alone that night onthe front porch of Dail House. Watchingfrom the shadows were campus police, statetroopers and an agent of the State Bureau ofInvestigation, who took the historic image.In the original photograph stored in theUniversity Archives, you can see numberswritten on several faces, an apparent attemptby the SBI agent to identify those involved.“We were aware of the fact that we wereinvolved in events where there were peopletaking photographs,” says Roosevelt Morton’84 of Raleigh, who works with the stateDepartment of Public Instruction. “Wedidn’t know who the people were, but itwouldn’t have been a stretch to imagine thatit was an official arm of the government.”As a result of that meeting, Jenkins initiateda series of roundtable discussions andeventually held a special convocation.Morton remembers those meetings. “He gaveus the opportunity to sit down and talk aboutwhat was on our minds,” he says. “I thinkthat was an initial step. But we also weren’tsure of the changes that would result, afterour meeting. We didn’t see immediate change.”In his convocation, Jenkins asked studentsfor patience during those turbulent times.“We will settle what we can here, but onmatters requiring a broader consensus,we must be patient and we must take intoconsideration that we do not get everythingRay and Eve Rogers,at home withdaughter Adeea24

from the classroomGood ChemistryIt isn’t easy explaining organic chemistry in terms students understand. But that’s apiece of cake for Brian Love, a fun-loving professor with an unique sense of humor. “If wewere making cars instead of molecules,” he says, “we’d be building the drill presses and lathes tomake the parts.” It’s not surprising that Love uses cars in his analogy because his hobby ismaintaining his classic ’74 Camaro that’s often parked near the Sci-Tech building.By Leanne E. SmithBrian Love says most of the problems hisstudents confront involve mixing materials,identifying variables and predicting whatwill happen in the ensuing chemical reaction.“We don’t have to study that sugar makestea sweet,” he explains. Students just need toknow that A+B=C. “We learn by doing andremembering.” However he explains it, Lovesays he knows he’s reached students whentheir facial expressions change from “What?”to “Now I get it!” Then he knows “they cansolve a problem they couldn’t before.”Even some colleagues don’t fully understandLove’s specialty: organic synthesis andsynthetic methodology. To those who say“all you’re doing is cooking” in his field ofstudy, Love responds with the ever-presenttwinkle in his eye: “So? How do you eat?Someone has to make the molecules, so it’snot an insult to be accused of cooking.”As for culinary preferences, he loves desserts.That’s why there’s a Periodic Table ofDesserts poster in his office peeking throughhanging storage for his molecular models. It’sstylish efficiency: suspend the models fromthe ceiling and they don’t get tangled in abox. He says, “It’s quirky. It’s chemical.I just pluck them down when I need themfor class.”Love has taught at East Carolina since 1994.He received his undergraduate degree fromTexas Christian University in 1980. Hereceived his doctorate from Princeton in1986, completed his postdoctoral fellowshipat UCLA the following year, and taughtat Auburn University before settling inGreenville.He chose teaching as a career almost asan afterthought. “There was no big ahamoment,” he says. In college he had manygood teachers and some bad ones. Heobserved his professors’ lifestyles andthought, “I could do this.” Besides, teachingsounded better than company lab work, plushe likes “explaining stuff to people, nothaving to wear a suit to work, and pickingmy own projects.”Andrew Morehead, director of graduatestudies, says Love is “a wonderful colleagueand mentor to the young faculty. Hetirelessly serves the department and students,but what I enjoy most about him is hissneaky sense of humor. As his many luckystudents can attest, Brian’s dry wit and punscan enliven the driest of subjects—andfortunately for his colleagues, meetings.”Students don’t forget his influence. Love’sfirst thesis advisee, James Wynne ’94 ’96, nowis senior research chemist at the U.S. NavalResearch Laboratory in Washington, D.C.,and a professor at George Mason University.As a professor Wynne says he tries to passon Love’s “immense passion for organicchemistry and immeasurable patience withnew researchers.” He recalls a time when Lovecaptured the imagination of the class byletting students create esters, or fragrances,and try to identify the starting ingredients.He says, “I still practice Dr. Love’s perfectedtechnique of glassware cleaning—no bubblesallowed in the base bath!”2829

Books by ECU FacultyIf you think politics was hot andvoters were demanding change in lastfall’s presidential election,you should have beenaround in 1888, whenan issues-dominatedcampaignproduced an80 percentvoter turnout.That heatedrace betweenDemocraticincumbentGrover Clevelandand the GOP’sBenjamin Harrisonforeshadowed boththe modern politicalcampaign and themodern presidency,or so ECU historyprofessor Charles W.Calhoun argues in his newbook, Minority Victory.Americans had money in the GildedAge and spent a lot of it on importedgoods. Tariffs on those goods piledup as surpluses in the federal budget.Most Democrats, Cleveland amongthem, took the small-world view ofgovernment and supported slashingduties on imports, thereby cuttingprices for consumers. Harrison stoodon his front porch daily to rail against“Cleveland’s pinched sense of whatthe government could and should do.”Cleveland won the popular vote butHarrison took the Electoral College,becoming one of only four presidents(Bush is another) to lose the popularvote but win the White House.Harrison told Americans “Yes we can,”an outlook that kept his party inpower for a generation.—Steve TuttleMinority VictoryBy Charles W. CalhounUniversity Press of Kansas,243 pages, $29.9530from the classroomLove teaches both undergraduateand graduate classes. He saysthe latter are fun for himbecause they are more like hislab work, and he can integratecurrent research. He has greaterexpectations for independenceand gives take-home problem setsto be completed on the honorsystem, for which his analogy is:if two paratroopers jump outof a plane, one who studied andone who cheated, the one whostudied is more likely to landsafely. At the graduate stage, heassumes, “There’s a drive to learninstead of just get by.”One of his most vivid teachingmemories challenged hispreconceptions but showed hewas doing something right. Astudent, unhappy with an examgrade, complained that thetest wasn’t fair because somequestions weren’t straight outof the book. He asked thestudent, “Do you think it’sunfair to expect students to thinkon exams?” Love says he wasblown away when the studentresponded, “Yes.” He laughsabout it now, calls it a “slap-myforeheadmoment,” but his testsstill have at least one questionrequiring students to explainsomething.“I try, anytime we’re talking aboutsomething we’ve done, to showconnections,” he says. Sometimesstudents ask, “Do we need toremember that?” To which heresponds: “Yes, we’re now usingwhat seemed useless.”One of his biggest surprisesabout teaching is the fact thatprofessors must keep updatingtheir lectures and teachingstrategies. But he’s philosophicalabout that and likens it to thenear constant work he must doto keep his Camaro running. It’sthe first car he ever drove; he sayshe keeps it around because “itseems silly to sell it now.”Keeping things running alsois what he enjoys about beingdirector of Organic Labs, aposition he’s held for eight years.In that capacity he’s responsiblefor revising the lab course pack,scheduling classrooms, restockingsupplies and many routine taskssuch as repairing drawer locks.“His ability to organize labs hashelped our students have the bestlearning experience possible in thelab classes,” says Morehead, thegraduate studies director. “Thejob needs someone who can keepit together, so I’ll do it till it’sset so the next person won’t havetrouble,” says Love, who admitshe’s an “organization freak.”In research, too, he looks forwardto a sense of accomplishment.He’s won numerous grants andpublished a dozen articles butsays it’s a “way bigger thrill[when] something we didis getting used. When Loveread in a journal article thatsomeone was finally able tosolve a problem using one of hismethods, he thought, “Woohoo!Circle that!” Most of thoserevelations happen accidentallyfrom working on projects wherehe found published researchmethods impractical. bent,” hesays. “Like my students, I wantsomething to be easy.”But his sense of humor shinesthrough in the serious subject ofresearch. “How can there be thismany chemists, and we haven’tdone everything already?”arrrrghThe Voice of thePirate Nationlisten free onlinewww.pirateradio1250.com

Equity,Jay ClarkFinallyBy Bethany BradsherWomen’s sports become ‘fully funded,’meaning their teams offer the maximumnumber of scholarships allowed.Tracey Kee and Charina Sumner wore thesame uniform and played the same sport. But20 years have passed since Kee representedthe Pirates on the softball diamond whereSumner stars today. And there’s a world ofdifference in how the two women athleteswere treated.Kee, who is Sumner’s coach, came toEast Carolina from Virginia on a partialscholarship and many of her teammatesreceived only textbook money. Sumner wasrecruited all the way from Hawaii and wasoffered a full scholarship.When Kee was a player, the women’s softballteam stayed in budget hotels, sometimes fiveto a room, and ate on $12 a day. For theiraway games this season, the Lady Pirateswill stay in Marriotts and Hiltons, two toa room, and receive $30 a day for meals.Kee remembers walking along the railroadtracks in downtown Greenville to get totheir weightlifting facility in a warehouseon 14th Street. Today’s teams lift in theMurphy Center, considered one of the finestcollegiate fitness centers in the country.“I share lots and lots of stories from backin the day when I played,” says Kee, who isstarting her 12th season as the women’s softballcoach. “I want them to appreciate what theyhave, and appreciate those that helped buildour program by playing with less.”32 33

It’s a new day for the female athlete at EastCarolina in terms of scholarships, amenities,facilities and victories. “It’s hard to comparewhere we were,” says Tom Morris, thewomen’s tennis coach and a 10-year veteranof the athletics staff. “Women’s sports arereally on the rise here. And I think that’sgoing to continue to improve.”It’s been an uphill climb and no one can seethe summit yet. That may come when newplaying facilities for sports like softball,tennis and volleyball, now on the drawingboard, actually become reality. Still, in thegauge that means the most to the coaches—scholarship numbers—East Carolina isfinally right where it should be.In coach talk, the magic word is “fullyfunded,” which means that a sport is able tooffer the maximum number of scholarshipsallotted to it by the NCAA. In 2001, atthe urging of the NCAA, East Carolinadrafted a gender equity plan and appointeda task force to make sure it was followed.That year basketball and golf were the onlyfully funded women’s teams. At the time,the women had a total of 63.5 scholarshipsoverall out of a maximum allowed 99.“We just made sure we stayed on trackand improved on the schedule as morefunding became available,” athletic directorTerry Holland says of the gender equityplan. “Having the maximum number ofscholarships allowed by the NCAA isnormally viewed as essential to having anequal opportunity to be competitive.”Today all sports teams are fully funded,which allows coaches to recruit superiorplayers, compete with tougher opponentsand amass more wins. “I don’t think it’s anymistake that we’re very close to being fullyfunded now, and you start to see some successin women’s programs with that,” says women’ssoccer coach Rob Donnenwirth, who will useall 14 scholarships—the maximum—for thefirst time this fall. “That’s a big piece of thepuzzle that is now there for us.”In the past, most women’s teams were led bythe coach who also headed up the men’s team.Now, the swim team and track and field arethe only teams that still have just one coachand one training program for both teams.It shouldn’t come as a surprise that as thenumber of scholarships available to womenathletes rose, and coaching improved,there has been a corresponding increase invictories and other successes. Over the pastthree years:n Both the basketball and softball teamsearned bids to the NCAA tournament.The basketball team stunned ConferenceUSA by winning the tournament andmaking the field of 64 in 2007, and thesoftball team earned its first-ever NCAAat-large bid last spring after reaching thesemifinals of the C-USA tournament.n The soccer team made a national name foritself last fall, becoming the first women’steam to clinch a C-USA regular seasontitle after going 12 games without a lossin the heart of conference competition.Rob GoldbergThey made it to the championship gameof the C-USA tournament, where they fellto Memphis and narrowly missed an atlargebid for the NCAA field.n The golf team has finished second in theconference for the past two seasons. JuniorAbby Bools—the reigning C-USA Golferof the Year—finished in the top four in allbut one of the fall tournaments the teamplayed this season. And the competitionfor the golf team keeps getting steeper—their first tournament of the spring seasonis hosted by Ohio State and features 15 ofthe nation’s top Division I teams, includingFlorida, Notre Dame, Stanford and theUniversity of Southern California.n The women’s swimmers finished the 2007–08 season 7-1 in dual meets. The tennisteam has compiled four consecutive winningseasons, including a 17-6 mark in 2008.More success, more pressureWhen the administration throws its supportbehind women’s sports with full funding, thecoaches feel the need to set higher goals, Keesays. “When someone is putting that muchmoney and care into your student athletes,then with that comes a lot of responsibilityand a lot of pressure. You want to win.”And more victories by the women’s teamsis translating into greater fan support ofthe rabid kind usually reserved for the“big three” of football, baseball and men’sbasketball. “When we’re getting closer tothese postseason invites and that kind ofthing,” Kee says, “I think that’s when theregular fan notices us.”When the women’s soccer team startedto climb the C-USA ladder last fall, themessage boards on several Pirate fan siteswere heavy with positive comments from fanswho normally only follow football. Bodiesin the bleachers are also a tangible gauge.“Every year that I’ve been here attendancehas been up,” said basketball coach SharonBaldwin-Tener. “The year before I got herewe averaged 191 [fans per game in Minges],and this season it was 2,500. I think peopleare realizing that it’s a pretty good game.”The softball team benefits from closeproximity to the baseball stadium. At timesduring the season, men’s baseball fans willstick around after that game ends to watchthe women play. Kee remembers one of thefirst times that happened, in 2006, when theLady Pirates were in extra innings againstUNC Chapel Hill. “I bet they were 25people deep along our sideline, just heckling[the Tar Heels]. You see a little bit morerowdy crowds, and I think that’s a goodthing. People are getting a little bit morepassionate about it.”Junior tennis player Brooke Walter says she’sseen public awareness and fan support—aswell as the team’s expectations of itself—riseevery year. “Last year we were nationallyranked for the first time in years, so that gotsome people’s attention.”Smart players, smart studentsFemale athletes at ECU historically haveexcelled in the classroom, and that traditionis continuing even as the teams win moregames. The volleyball, golf, soccer andsoftball teams all were honored by theircoaching associations in the past year fortheir high cumulative team GPAs. In Aprilthe tennis team was the only sports programat ECU to receive a special NCAA honor forcompiling a team GPA in the top 10 percentnationally. The softball team was recognizedby C-USA in July for having the highestGPA of its sport among conference membersThe men’s basketball, men’s golf and men’stennis programs also were at the top of theirsports academically.While most women’s teams have achievedparity with the men in scholarships, coachingand equipment, they still largely lag behindin one major area—facilities. But thatis changing with a plan adopted by theuniversity that will see major enhancementsto women’s sports facilities over the next twoor three years: East Carolina has committedto a new women’s softball stadium; a newtrack and field facility; and a new auxiliarygym at Minges Coliseum that will housepractice courts for the men’s and women’sbasketball teams and the volleyball team.Also on the list are 12 new tennis courts,a women’s soccer field and practice facility,a women’s sports field house and a sportsmedicine facility. Funding for the newfacilities is coming out of the studentactivity fee.When Rick Kobe started coaching the swimteam in 1982, he had exactly one-half of ascholarship for a female swimmer. Today heis fully funded at 14, but his swimmers—both male and female—are still using thenatatorium that was built in 1968. Kobe canpromote an array of benefits to recruits whoare considering ECU—decades of winningrecords, the team’s camaraderie, dedicatedcoaches—but he still occasionally losesswimmers to schools with superior facilities.Baldwin-Tener is competing in recruitingagainst schools that have three differentdedicated gyms—one each for men’sbasketball, women’s basketball and volleyball.ECU has one gym for all three sports, afacility that’s used by physical educationclasses in the mornings. The volleyballcoaching staff can schedule up to 20 hoursof practice a week according to the NCAA,but the team never comes close to thatnumber because they have to share the gymwith so many others.“We need a practice facility, and I thinkeveryone knows that,” Baldwin-Tener said.“It’s a huge factor right now in recruiting.”No one denies that women’s sports havecome a long way since 1932, when PresidentRobert H. Wright refused a request for anorganized girls’ basketball on the groundsthat such “boisterous activity” would beunladylike for the young women whoattended ECTC.Funding is up, success in many seasonsis surpassing that in the men’s arenas,and talented recruits are choosing to bePirates by the dozen. Once the physicalaccommodations catch up to the talent andmotivation among the Lady Pirates, ECU’sevolution to a friendly place for femaleathletes will be complete. East35

pirate nationCLASS NOTESApril is service monthThe university’s motto, Servire, meaning ToServe, is dear to the hearts of many EastCarolina alumni and friends. To capture thatspirit, the Alumni Association celebratesservice month every April. Hundreds ofalumni and friends will be volunteeringtheir time helping theircommunities throughservice projects, helpingothers in need. Theleaders of many regionalAlumni Associationgroups are planningservice projects in theircorners of the PirateNation. We hope you willvolunteer wherever helpis needed. Have fun and be creative—thereare plenty of ways to serve the environment,Save the Date!children, senior citizens, four-legged friends,nonprofit organizations, local hospitals andschools, and even those in your family.The Alumni Association is glad to assistyou in promoting your planned serviceprojects by spreading the word to fellowalumni in your area. Be sure to take plentyof photos, and remember to wear purpleand gold to show your Pirate spirit!We’ll put all service project photos on ourweb site at PirateAlumni.com. ContactKendra Alexander at 800-ECU-GRADor Kendra.Alexander@PirateAlumni.com.Pirate Career CallsApril 4—Alumni AssociationScholarship LuncheonApril 16–19—26th AnnualPirate Purple/Gold PigskinPig-Out PartyApril 18—Pirate Alumni RoadRace and Fun RunApril 18—PirateFest 2009The Alumni Association has teamed upwith the Career Center and ECU’s HumanResources office to offer monthly trainingsessions via teleconference. Pirate CareerCalls offer career advice, tips and tools tohelp you get ahead in yourprofession. Offered the firstThursday of each month fromnoon to 1:00 p.m., CareerCalls are free to alumni andfriends. Topics that will becovered this spring include:Salary Negotiations (March5), Career Changers (April2) and Taking Advantage ofDevelopment Opportunitiesin Your Workplace (May 7). VisitPirateAlumni.com/careercalls to register.Call for nominationsVacancies will soon occur on the AlumniAssociation board, and Chair Sabrina Bengelis asking for nominations to fill the seats.Nominees must be dues-paying membersof the association but do not have to begraduates. Members of the board serve threeyearterms and can be reappointed for anadditional term, including a term as an officer.A slate of candidates will be presented to theboard in April. New directors will assumeoffice July 1. Nominate someone today atPirateAlumni.com/boardnomination.Come out to run for funLace up your running shoes for a goodcause—student scholarships. The AlumniAssociation will host its second annualPirate Alumni 5K Road Race and 1 MileFun Run on Saturday, April 18, as part ofPirateFest. All proceeds will benefit AlumniAssociation scholarships that are awarded toundergraduates who excel in the classroom,on campus and in the community. Our 5Krace travels down historic 5th Street andis a USATF certified course. Awards arepresented to the first three male finishersoverall, the first three female finishers overall,and the top three male and female finishersin each of six age categories. Registrationis $15 and includes a race packet andcomplimentary T-shirt. Visit PirateAlumni.com/roadrace or call the Alumni Center at800-ECU-GRAD to register.Buy a Painted PirateLast spring 16 “Painted Pirate” statues wereunveiled during Greenville’s 2nd annualPirateFest. After spending a year on displayat each sponsor’s business, 15 statues willbe auctioned off during PirateFest 2009.Proceeds will benefit the Historic FlemingHouse Renovation Fund and the AlumniAssociation Scholarship Fund. The ECUOffice of Centennial Events, the Greenville-Pitt Chamber of Commerce, and the AlumniAssociation sponsor this public arts project.The Alumni Association recognized its 2008 Alumni Award recipients during halftime of the Homecoming football game. Standing leftto right are Chancellor Steve Ballard, Distinguished Service Award recipient Steve Showfety ’70, Alumni Association Board Chair SabrinaBengel, Honorary Alumni Award recipients Charles Rogers, Mrs. JoAnn Eakin and Dr. Richard Eakin, Outstanding Alumni Award recipientsCapt. (Ret.) David Fitzgerald ’66, Rev. Ken Hammond ’73, ’83, ’85, Dr. Jerry McGee ’66, and Lt. Gen. Gary North ’76.2008Maggie O’Neill is the new executive director atWake Forest Downtown Revitalization Corp. FromRaleigh, she previously was deputy town clerk inGarner; town clerk and finance director in Bethel; anda management intern in Ayden, which was named aSmall Town Main Street Town during her time there.2007Amanda Faye Hall of Fayetteville and JohnDelanion Fisher II of Stedman were married May24 in Fayetteville and live in Buies Creek. She teachesbusiness at West Johnston High School in Benson.Leslie Ann Hart and Jason Scott Mozingo weremarried July 12 at Yankee Hall Plantation in Pactolusand live in Winterville. She works at Golden LivingCenter of Greenville. Emery Derek Smith andSonya Nichole Edens of Grifton were married June 28in Winterville. He works at West Greene ElementarySchool in Snow Hill. Laci Lee Stanley ofFuquay-Varina and Justin Keith McDonald ofWinston-Salem were married Oct. 11 at the Cape FearRiver Deck in Wilmington and live in Morrisville. Sheteaches at the Ballet School of Chapel Hill and CaryBallet Conservatory.2006APRIL PAUL BAER, originally of Benson, is theproject coordinator for university wellness at FrostburgState University in Maryland. His latest project isCreating Healthy Informed Lasting Lifestyles, where hewill manage modeling a biomedical and health initiativethat may be used at universities across the county.Nick D. Kistler is the new corporate sponsorshipsales executive with ISP Sports’ University of SouthernMississippi property in Hattiesburg. Kistler was assistantgeneral manager with a collegiate summer league baseballclub in Edenton. Clayton McCullough isthe youngest inductee for the J.H. Rose Walk of Fameat J.H. Rose High School in Greenville. After playingbaseball and football at Rose and baseball at ECU,he was drafted by the Cleveland Indians, made AAABuffalo, worked as a hitting coach and manager forminor league baseball operations in the Gulf CoastLeague for the Toronto Blue Jays, and now manages therookie league Lansing Lugnuts in Michigan. JoanneMorace is a nurse practitioner at Eastern Psychiatric& Behavioral Specialists. An RN for 15 years, sheworked with critical care patients at PCMH.2005Celeste Amstutz and David Leich ’06were married July 26 at Airlie Gardens in Wilmington.At ECU, she was in Alpha Xi Delta, he was in KappaAlpha, and both are in the MBA program.Alumni SpotlightIn a ceremony in the Old House Chamber in the State Capitalbuilding, James R. Gorham ’81 of Kernersville (at podium)was promoted to brigadier general in the N.C. Army NationalGuard. State and Army officials congratulated Gorham onbecoming the first African American to attain that rank inthe state Guard. A vice president of First Citizens Bank,Gorham enlisted in the Army after high school and used theGI bill to earn a history degree from ECU. He’s been in theGuard for 34 years. In 2004, his unit was deployed to Iraq for15 months, where he was promoted to colonel. He told theWinston-Salem Journal that his latest promotion is as muchabout opportunity as race. He said it “gives soldiers theknowledge that they can go from private to general.”Roger W. Newsom ’86 made a lotof birdies as a member of the ECUgolf team from 1982-85, and he’sstill sinking long putts, as evidencedby his win at the 2008 SunTrustState Open golf tournament. HisJuly victory was followed by golferof the year honors from the VirginiaState Golf Association.Newsome, 44, is an ophthalmologistwho practices in the HamptonRoads area. After ECU, Newsomstudied at the Eastern VirginiaMedical School, then did hisresidency at the Wake ForestUniversity Eye Center, where hewon a fellowship to study plasticand reconstructive surgery of theeye at the University of Toronto. He is especially skilled incataract and implant treatment techniques and the treatmentof other ocular problems. Dr. Newsom also serves as adiplomat on the National Board of Medical Examiners.Brian E. Christiansen37

class notesChalk (center) withWilliamson (left) and KingAlumni SpotlightAfter a 33-year career, W. Kendall Chalk ’68 MBA ’71retired from BB&T in September and the bank honoredhis 33 years of service, most recently as CFO, bydonating $250,000 to East Carolina to endow twoscholarships in the Access Scholarship program. Thecontribution creates the first two endowed AccessScholarships, which are given to students with the bestacademic potential and the least financial resources.The grant is the latest in a long list of gifts to EastCarolina from BB&T. Three of the five executives whohelped transform a regional farm lender in Wilson intothe nation’s 14th largest bank are graduates of ECU’sbusiness school and the MBA program.Of the three, only President and CEO Kelly King ’70‘71 still goes to the office every day. Henry Williamson’69 ‘72, Chalk’s predecessor as CFO, retired earlier.All three are active supporters of the university. KenChalk is a former chair of the ECU Foundation boardand currently is co-chair, with King, of the board of theBB&T Center for Leadership Development within theCollege of Business.“I am very grateful to my associates at BB&T, theexecutive management team, and the board ofdirectors for this recognition,” Chalk said about thegrant. “The Access Scholarship program is essential tohelp students who could not otherwise afford highereducation to attend ECU and become successfulleaders in their communities.”Amy Britt Askew and Stephen DouglasCraft III were married Sept. 20 in Kinston and livein Greenville. She is office manager of HometownPharmacy of Greenville. Nichole Dunn ’05’08 is a student counselor at Edgecombe CommunityCollege. She was a rehabilitation counselor atVocational Rehabilitation in Rocky Mount. JeffGaddis is a maintenance sales consultant at theGreenville office of Piedmont Air Conditioning.He previously worked with a property managementcompany. Erin Marie Sowell and DavidCharles Davis of Greenville were married Nov. 1 inWilmington. She is an advertising executive withInner Banks Media.2004Jason Matthew Eldridge and KendraNicole Clement ’06 were married Oct. 18 at theVillage Inn Golf and Conference Center in Clemmons,and they live in Mount Airy. He is a graphic artistwith Encore Group in Winston-Salem, and she is acourt counselor with the N.C. Department of JuvenileJustice and Delinquency Prevention in Stokes County.Michael Holt is a vice president and commercialbanker in the Greenville office of The Little Bank. Heworked for First Citizens Bank and Albemarle Bank &Trust. Marian Ione Lowe ’04 ’06 of Raleighand Darryl Ross Kennedy ’05 of Goldsborowere married Oct. 25 in Winston-Salem. A 2001debutante and member of Phi Kappa Phi and KappaOmicron Nu honor societies, she is an early interventionservice coordinator for the N.C. Department of Healthand Human Services in Smithfield. He is a projectmanager for Hine Sitework in Goldsboro, where theylive. Kristie Michelle Petterson ofPfafftown and Jonathan Bruce Comer ofYadkinville were married Dec. 6 in Winston-Salemand live in King. In Winston-Salem, she is an R.N. atForsyth Medical Center, and he is a quality engineer forBE Aerospace. William Lee Percise II of SnowHill is an attorney with White & Allen, a regional firmbased in Kinston. He received his law license on Sept. 8.Erica Lynn Stocks and Christopher Brian Evanswere married Aug. 2 at Yankee Hall Plantation and livein Greenville. She is self-employed.2002Dr. John Howard Brooks, a cardiologist atScotland Memorial Hospital and a Pembroke native,opened Lumber River Cardiology in Laurinburg.At BSOM, where he completed a three-yearcardiovascular-disease fellowship, he received thePCMH Presidential Service Award. Steve Setserof Belhaven was promoted to vice president andauditor for The East Carolina Bank. He was a staffauditor for four years, completed his third year at theN.C. Bankers Association School of Banking, and is inECU’s MBA program.2001Patrick F. Abrams of Mount Olive waspromoted to banking officer in the Warsaw officeof Southern Bank. He previously was a repairmanat Buddy’s Jewelry in Mount Olive. JenniferDiane Angevine and James William Gentry ofWinterville were married July 19 in Wilmington. Sheworks at the N.C. Biotechnology Center in Greenvilleand is in Pitt Community College’s nursing program.Melissa Dawn Barrington and MatthewDouglas McClelland of Raleigh were married Aug. 23in the Preston Woodall House gardens in Benson. Sheis a realtor for Keller-Williams in Raleigh. MelissaDawn Casper ’01 ’04 and Christopher AaronReaves were married Sept. 17. She is a financial analystfor Time Warner Cable in Wilmington. LaurinLeonard Deaton and Zachary NorrisDeaton ’04 ’07 had a son, Luke Zachary, on Nov.6. Todd Alston Hales ’01 ’05 and EmilyKelly Fleming of Greenville were married Aug. 9 andlive in Durham. He is a project analyst with PRAInternational. April Nicole Herring ’01 ’02and John Patrick Garver ’03 of Goldsborowere married Nov. 8. She is marketing director atSouthco Distributing Co. in Goldsboro. He is asales representative with Eastern Turf Equipment inFayetteville. Bryan Holley ’01 ’07 of Wilson, afourth-grade teacher at Corinth-Holders ElementarySchool in Zebulon, received the Milken FamilyFoundation National Educator award, which includes$25,000 and a free trip to the Milken NationalEducation Conference in Los Angeles. The award goesto no more than 80 teachers each year, and since theprogram’s start in 1985, 43 N.C. teachers have receivedthe award. Joseph Hoover was promoted toassistant vice president with BB&T in Raleigh. FromGreensboro, he joined the bank in 2005 and is aninvestment counselor. Donna Weller Stallswas promoted to vice president at BB&T. Since 2001,she was process and quality manager in BB&T’s branchoperations department in Wilson. Chad Tracy,the Arizona Diamondbacks’ third baseman, visitedClark-LeClair Stadium for the first time duringHomecoming 2008 and talked with the ECU baseballplayers. He is married to Katie Martin Tracy’03. Ashley Wright of Newport News, Va.,and Morgan Ryan Terry of Dallas, Tex., were marriedin Williamsburg, Va., on Nov. 1 and live in Charlotte.She is a transportation planner with PBS&J, a nationalplanning and engineering consulting firm.2000Donna Dees Aldredge, a Chi Omega sister,had a son, William Beecher Aldredge, on Jan. 23, 2008.Richardson Cowles Tally of Oakland,Calif., and Elise Marie Kopesky of Camden, Maine,were married July 27 outdoors at Garre Vineyard inLivermore, Calif., and live in Oakland. He is patronservices manager for the Berkeley Symphony.1999Tamika “Meek” Jackson and Onjeinika“Polly” Brooks, sisters originally from Wilmington,founded Polly & Meek Partnership, a book writingcompany. Their first book, Sisters Are from Heaven,includes Meek’s photos and Polly’s lessons for children.BB&T has contributed more than $1.6 million to date insupport of ECU’s efforts to become the best leadershipuniversity in the state.2003Christina Lynn Crawford ’03 ’08 andFrederick Casey Edwards of Ayden were marriedOct. 4. She works for Pitt County Schools. DenaMarshall and Jeremy Konkel of Apex had a son,Nolan Adam, on May 2. She is assistant director ofpublic affairs at the N.C. Medical Board. Leigh AnnPotter and Kelly Christopher Hodges’04 of Wilmington were married Oct. 11 in Greenville.She works at Cape Fear Academy, and he is a projectsuperintendent with Harold K. Jordan Construction.Benjamin Taylor Williams and JeanneNicole Horne Williams ’04 of Pinehurst hada daughter, Kenley Nicole, on Sept. 6.38

class notesEducators Hall of FameJackson works in biotechnology in Washington, D.C.,and owns Portraits by Tamika, a company specializingin affordable location and small wedding shoots.1998Debra Ann Bard and Gregory Thomas FowlerJr. of Raleigh were married Oct. 4 at Haywood Hallin Raleigh. She is a pharmaceutical representativewith Merck & Co. Ian Andrew Cary andJennifer Joy Prevatt Cary ’99 ofStatesville had their first child, Callum Andrew, onJune 12. Joy Eubanks started the Marley Fundin 2001 to memorialize her cat who died of felineleukemia, and the Greenville-based program hasexpanded to the Triangle with a foster program calledMarley’s Cat Tales for cats with feline AIDS. TedLockamon is recreation services supervisor forHenderson, Nev. There since 1998, he is marriedto Elizabeth Brussock ’95. EdwardWilliam Turcotte III and Meghann RaeStubbs were married July 12 on the promenade deckof the Henrietta III in Wilmington. He is a salesassociate with Carolina Jewelry in Wilmington, wherethey live. Russell Vernon of Wentworth wasnamed Rockingham County Schools 2008–2009Assistant Principal of the Year. He taught science, andsince receiving his master’s from Appalachian Statein 2006, has been assistant principal at WentworthElementary School. CHRIS WALKER of Greensborolaunched Produce-A-Pic, a company that sells filmpromo packs to help finance independent films in preproductionstages. Walker also owns 5Rings Design, abranded content development company, and Ve-Shan, adocumentary and feature film company.1997Matthew Cave was promoted to senior projectmanager for the Target store construction teamwith John S. Clark Co., where he has worked at thecorporate office in Mount Airy since 2003. He andhis wife, Emily Cave ’05, live in Dobson, managea family farm, and have three daughters. JennyGay and Jason Everett of Huntersville were marriedSept. 13 in Clinton. She works with Stone Propertiesof Huntersville. Amanda Ross Mazey andher husband, Randy, had a daughter, Sierra MarandaMazey, on Aug. 24. A WITN news/sports anchor/reporter for eight years, Mazey is now a freelancebroadcaster in Fort Worth, Texas, and also works forThe Mountain Network. Janie Sowers Tayloris a licensed marriage and family therapist and anapproved clinical supervisor at CareNet CounselingEast in Greenville, and she is working on her doctoratein medical family therapy.1996Debra DAVis Bailey ’96 ’00 became directorof student loans at ECU in July after eight yearsas the financial administrator at Philippi Churchof Christ. Kathy Flick ’96 ’97 of Atlantafounded It’s Her Team, a women’s line of sportswear.Jennifer Hemink is the new owner of AProper Setting in Greenville’s Arlington Village afterteaching middle school for nine years. Dr. ScottAlan Kendrick ’96 ’02 is a nephrologist at theGreenville office of Eastern Nephrology Associatesafter completing his residency in Maine andfellowships in Alabama.1995Lisa Wright Cartwright and ClayCartwright ’96 expanded their 10-year-oldHalloween Express franchise to two locations inGreenville for the fall 2008 season. Lisa also ownsDebu Cafe and Catering. Claire Culbreathof Winston-Salem started a new career as a singersongwriter.A music therapy major, she went blindfrom juvenile diabetes in 1998 at age 28, andunderwent years of rehabilitation that includedlearning to play piano by ear with the help of Michael“Zoo” Zeoli of the band Joe Next Door. She playsjazz, sacred and popular songs in a band calledShadowbox Two. William Hunter Lloyd Jr.and Kathryn Elizabeth Lennox ’01 ofGreenville were married Nov. 22.1994Matt Holder returned to Greenville, reopenedhis hair salon and expanded his Matt HolderHairstyling products to 14 shampoos, conditioners,sprays, mists, foams and smoothers. A stylist for20 years, he was a product formulation educatorfor Joico in California, but left for lack of sweet teaand barbecue. He plans to start an apprenticeshipstyleeducation alternative to community collegebeauty school programs. Brian Johnson andJamie Rothman of Raleigh and Jacksonville, Fla.,were married Oct. 25 at Old St. Andrew’s EpiscopalChurch in Jacksonville. They work for a local televisionstation. Charlie Lee Meeks Jr. of Newportand Erin Ruth Bradley of Garner were married Oct.18 at Jones Chapel at Meredith College in Raleighand live in Morehead City. He is a probation officer inJacksonville. Jean M. Sugg ’94 ’06 of Grifton is alegal administrator with White & Allen, a regional lawfirm based in Kinston.1993Kim Hampton ’93 ’05 is the new student supportspecialist at Edgecombe Community College. She was acounselor and taught French and Spanish at SouthwestEdgecombe High School. Lisa SpiridopoulosHerman and her husband, Josh, of La Quinta,Calif., had their first child, Mackenzie Barbara, on June17. Michael Pollard ’93 ’06, assistant principalat Greenville’s Hope Middle School, was named PittCounty’s assistant principal of the year. In educationfor 16 years, he was president of the N.C. BandmastersAssociation Eastern District and helps coordinate the“Stang Power” mentoring program.The 2008 class of inductees into the ECUEducators Hall of Fame includes:Tony Robertson Banks ’72 of Winterville,Gina Prescott Beaman ’88 ’96 of Greenville,Dorothy Brannan ’50 of Greenville,Sylvian K. Brooks ’35 ’37 ’58 of HollySprings, Mary Elizabeth McKim Corbin’07 of Greenville, Anthony “Tony” Y.Gray ’73 of Vilas, Lennon Hooper ’57 ofGreenville, Gwen Goodson Jeffreys ’43of Greensboro, Paul Jones ’55 of Kinston,Charles E. Long ’69 ’71 of Farmville,Dorothy Pruitt ‘56 of Oxford,Rita Reaves ’73 ’75 ’80 of Greenville,Pamela Bass Strickland ’70 of Dunn,Wheatley Martin Strickland ‘36 of Dunn,Sarah Carver Williams ’90 of Grimeslandand Ted Williams ‘62 of Durham.1992CHRISTIAN KEIBER of Los Angeles gueststarred as Boston wise-guy Paul Reilly on TNT’sRaising the Bar, as ex-mobster Paulie on ABC’s GeneralHospital, and federal marshal Panicali on NBC’s ER inSeptember. Kenny Strickland of Fayettevillewas appointed to the ECU Board of Visitors.Kendrick Whitehurst was promoted tosenior vice president with BB&T in Greenville. FromWilson, he joined the bank in 2001 and is a groupdirector in the private financial services department.He is president of Literacy Volunteers of Pitt Countyand treasurer of the United Way of Pitt County.1991David Crumpler of Greenville was promotedto assistant vice president for East Carolina Bankmarketing, which works with all 24 ECB locationsand ECB Bancorp. He previously was a marketing andpublic relations consultant in Wake County. MARKA. MOORE of Raleigh co-produced a surf-rockalbum, Encomium In Memoriam Vol. 1: Jan Berry ofJan & Dean, with Cameron Michael Parkes of Box o’Clox. The album includes more than 20 guest artists,five of whom played or sang for original Jan & Deanmaterial in the 1960s. It was also featured in The News& Observer.1990Susan Lanehart Rhodes of Fuquay-Varinareceived her National Board Certification in schoolcounseling. She has 16 years of experience as a teacherand counselor in Wake County Public Schools. She andher husband, Michael Rhodes ’04, have threesons. Doug Walker, a Miami, Fla.-based steeldrum artist, released a 17-track CD titled CaribbeanChristmas: Holiday Songs in a Steel Band Style.1989Mark Klaich is the new manager of theReStore at Habitat for Humanity of Pitt County.He previously worked with design and installationof commercial security systems. He is married toKaren Klaich ’83. Nancy McNeillPeterson ’89 ’93 and Jeff Peterson of Wilmingtonhad a son, Chase McNeill Peterson, on Aug. 5.1987Charles Pilkey of Mint Hill exhibited hissculpture The Sound of Waves at the Mint Hill ArtsNovember show “Three in One.” After growing upin Hillsborough, working for an oil company, sailingthe East Coast, bartending in Wrightsville Beach,living in Japan for 15 years and teaching at KyushuSangyo University in Fujuoka, he paints and sculptsat his home studio. He teaches part time at CentralPiedmont Community College and SpartanburgCommunity College; he has exhibited pieces in Japan,China, Korea, Turkey and Italy.1986Karen J. Renz was a finalist for Cincy Magazine’sATHENA Award for women professionals andcommunity leaders in the Greater Cincinnati Area.A partner in Graydon Head & Ritchey law firm, sheco-chairs the firm’s communications and informationindustry and women’s professional developmentgroups. She is involved in the Cincinnati Area SeniorServices Board, Leadership Cincinnati Class XXVIII,Executive Women’s Golf Association, and volunteers inpet therapy at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital MedicalCenter and with VITAS. The West Chester ChamberAlliance named her a Woman of Excellence. OliviaScott founded a promotional products company,Promotional Partners, in 2007. Based in Cary, itsupports two high school intern programs, PTA schoolimprovement teams, and business alliance committees.As an Apex Chamber ambassador, she is on aneducation committee that develops opportunities foryouth and business leaders to interact.1985Kathee Brown Staton ’85 ’88 and BoydIngram of Nashville, Tenn., are married and live inLebanon, Tenn. They were regulars on the RenfroValley Barndance show in Kentucky, where he was alead singer for The Casinos and she recently hosted theannual Alumni Day performance.1984Tom Hales of Greenville received the RegionalService Award from the N.C. Association of Realtors.He was president of his local association in 1994,director and chair of the Legislative Committee andProfessional Standards, and for 20 years has been amember of the Greenville-Pitt Association of Realtors.BETH A. WOOD of Raleigh, a Durham CPA,was elected North Carolina state auditor. It was herfirst run for office. When not crunching numbers,she enjoys shag dancing, snow and water skiing, andreading bestsellers.Alumni SpotlightGrover J. “Russ” Whitehurst ’66,director of the Institute of EducationSciences in the U.S. Department ofEducation, won the prestigious Peter H.Rossi Award for contributions to thetheory or practice of programevaluation. The Association for PublicPolicy and Management presents theaward annually. Whitehurst has led IESsince it was established in 2002. Hepreviously was assistant secretary forthe Office of Educational Research andImprovement. Before that he was chairman of theDepartment of Psychology at the State University of NewYork at Stony Brook. He is the author or editor of five booksand has published more than 100 scholarly papers.Whitehurst was born and reared in Washington, N.C. Aftermajoring in psychology at ECU, he obtained a Ph.D. inexperimental child psychology from the University of Illinois,Urbana-Champaign. He is married and has two children.Professor Emeritus and former swimcoach Ray Scharf won five goldmedals at the N.C. Senior GamesState Championships in Septemberand qualified for the National SeniorGames to be held at StanfordUniversity in San Francisco inAugust. Competing in the 70-74 agegroup, Scharf placed first in the 50-and 100-yard freestyle and in the50-, 100- and 200-yard breaststroke.He coached the ECU swim teamfrom 1967 to 1981, winning 11 consecutive SouthernConference titles. He trained more than 30 All Americansand sent more than 40 swimmers to NCAA championshipmeets. He was inducted into the ECU Athletics Hall ofFame in 2002, the same year he retired from teachingafter a 35-year career here. He returned to competitiveswimming in 2007 for the first time since graduatingfrom college in 1961. Over the past two years he has won10 gold medals in local competitions and three gold andtwo silver medals at the state level. Scharf and his wifenow live on Harkers Island.Breast cancer survivor ValerieWeathington Kolkjen ’80 haslaunched an online business sellingfine soaps and other skin careproducts, many of which shediscovered while undergoingradiation treatment. Her business,www.finegiftsoaps.com, also offers ablog and a newsletter with tips andencouragement for women sufferingfrom breast cancer. Kolkjen also hasa day job as vice president ofAtlanta-based Sales Performance Group.4041

class notes1982Jamye Borchert Cooper is a major giftsofficer for UNC Asheville. She previously was executivedirector of the international festival Folkmoot USAand chief financial officer for the Daniel Boone BoyScout Council in Asheville. Susan FreelandPaparazo of Morehead City got her master’s atOld Dominion University, has two daughters aged 23and 25, and is a nurse practitioner at Western CarteretMedical Center in Cedar Point.1981Dawn Singleton ’81 ’93, principal atWintergreen Primary and Intermediate schools, wasnamed Pitt County’s principal of the year. She was onthe State Department of Public Instruction’s Testing andAccountability Compliance Commission for four years.1980WALLACE “BUTCH” DAVIS was inducted into theECU Athletics Hall of Fame. He lettered in baseballfor three years, leading the team his senior year inbatting average (.362), home runs (12), and RBIs (27).Ruffin McNeill Jr., originally of Lumbertonand now of Lubbock, Texas, is defensive coordinatorfor the Texas Tech football team. At Tech since 2000, hewas linebackers coach before his promotion to assistanthead coach in 2003. He is married to ErleneMcNeill ’79. James M. Rankins receivedthe Amy Carroll-Sherry Little Award for excellencein physical education in Pitt County Schools andwas selected to coach the East team in the N.C. HighSchool Athletic Association East-West All Star Game.He and his wife, Doris Kornegay Rankins’79 ’88, have a teenage son, Tyler. Thomas CraigWilliams ’80 ’83, formerly of Jacksonville, Fla., isvice president for global organizational effectivenesswith Wal-Mart and is based at the company’s homeoffice in Bentonville, Ark.1978William Joseph Etheridge ’78 ’86 ’03,principal of Phillips Middle School in Battleboro,was named 2008–2009 Edgecombe County PublicSchools Principal of the Year. He has more than 30years experience as a teacher, counselor, instructionalsupport specialist, and administrator.1977Jack D. Lail, news director of innovation for theKnoxville News Sentinel, was elected to a one-year termon the Associated Press Managing Editors boardduring the group’s annual conference in Las Vegas.REGGIE PINKNEY was inducted into the ECUAthletics Hall of Fame. A defensive back who playedin the NFL for five years, he set the school record of197 yards in interception returns his senior year. Hisson Patrick is an ECU quarterback.1976MIKE RADFORD and Maureen Ryczak of Wilsoncelebrated their 30th anniversary on Dec. 29. A diabetescare specialist with Novo Nordisk, he has 25 years ofexperience in the pharmaceutical industry. They havetwo sons, Brian and CHRIS RADFORD ’07.1975Robert Barefoot retired as Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks and Recreation director after30 years in parks management. He was parks andrecreation director for Harnett County and WakeForest before becoming the Fayetteville-Cumberlandsuperintendent of parks in 1983 and director in1988. GLENN EURE, the Nags Head artist whocreated the original design for Greenville’s Piratestatues unveiled in 2008, was featured on WRAL TV’s“Tar Heel Traveler” news segment in October. Ira“Glenn” Cutrell Jr. retired from Pitt Countygovernment after 30 years with the tax assessor’s office,the last nine years as tax assessor. He works part-timeMake a NoteOF YOUR NEWS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTSComplete this form (please print or type) and mail to: Class Notes Editor, Building 198, East Carolina University, Greenville,NC 27858-4353; or fax to 252-328-4269. Please use additional paper as necessary when sending your news. You also cane-mail your news to ecuclassnotes@ecu.edu. While East happily prints wedding announcements, it is our policy not to printengagement announcements. Also, when listing fellow alumni in your news, please include their class year.Please send address changes or corrections to: Kay Murphy, Office of University Development, Greenville Center, East CarolinaUniversity, Greenville, NC 27858-4353, fax: 252-328-4904, or e-mail: murphyk@ecu.edu.NAME First Middle last MaidenCLASS YEAR E-MAIL DAY Phone evening PHONEADDRESS CITy sTATE ZIPYOUR NEWS42 43

class notesin memoriamAlumni Spotlightin marketing with Tax Management Associates ofCharlotte. H. Gerald Pittman of Kenly retiredNov. 1 after 30 years as an accounting manager withthe City of Wilson.Four Pirates are being groomed for greater roles in publicservice to the state as students in this year’s class of LeadershipNorth Carolina. They are (from left) Robert S. Parker ’72 ’78of Winston-Salem, vice president of special operations andcommunity health at North Carolina Baptist Hospital; JerryBeckman ’84 of Raleigh, South Atlantic Operations managerfor Arcadis; Gayle McCracken Tuttle ’75 of Raleigh, directorof strategic communications for Blue Cross and Blue Shield ofNorth Carolina; and John Cantrell ’92 of Charlotte, president ofH.B. Cantrell & Co. insurance firm.All four have deep ECU roots. The son of an alumna, Parkerhas a daughter who earned her nursing degree here in 1998.In recognition of ECU’s service to their family, the Parker MeritScholarship was established several years ago and is nowawarding a scholarship to a deserving student each year.Beckman, a School of Technology graduate, started working forArcadis while a junior at ECU and is still with the internationalconsulting and engineering company. He’s a past president ofthe Pitt County Alumni Chapter and is active in the Pirate Club.He is married to Ingrid Lutman Bechman ’93.Tuttle was the fall graduation speaker for the School ofCommunication. After serving as White House correspondentfor the Pittsburgh Press, Tuttle became an entrepreneur. Shestarted two businesses providing quality assurance and publicrelations consultation and services to insurers and health careprovider organizations. Married to East magazine editor SteveTuttle, she joined Blue Cross in 2004. They have a son who is asophomore at ECU.Cantrell, president of H.B. Cantrell & Co., a family insurancebusiness started by his father, Henry B. Cantrell ’65, was tappedfor LNC after achieving another life goal: becoming an ironman.He completed the Ford Ironman Wisconsin competition lastfall in 13 hours and 45 minutes, finishing in the middle of some2,100 men and women competitors. After swimming 2.5 milesin Lake Monona, Cantrell pedaled 112 more on his bike, thenhe ran 26.2 miles. Training for and then being in the ironmancompetition “taught me the importance of being present,of living in the moment,” Cantrell says. “Truly, it was a lifechangingexperience.”The four will complete their LNC training in April.1972Tony Robertson Banks of Wintervillepledged $100,000 to the ECU College of Education.Edward V. English retired as director ofchildren’s outpatient services at Edgecombe-NashMental Health Center in Rocky Mount. He also rana private psychology practice. Michael “Mike”David Jarrell retired to Southern Pines after 35years in the brick industry, the last 13 as director ofnational sales for Triangle Brick Co.David L. Best, owner of David L. Best andAssociates since 1990 in Clinton, received hiscertification as a Social Security Disability Lawspecialist from the N.C. State Bar.19711965Dr. Maria H. Koonce of Cocoa, Fla., publisheda book, Loving the Gringo: A Bicultural Life, aboutmulticultural issues in her and her husband’s lives. Sheand Bill Koonce ’68 met at the 1962 orientationdance behind Flanagan after he left the Navy and shearrived as a Fulbright Exchange student from Uruguay,and they pursued education careers. Jerry Tolley’65 ’66 was named to the 2008–2009 class of theNational Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.1961Barbara Kelly of Keswick, Va., retired after 38years as assistant athletics director at the Universityof Virginia. She also helped create the ACC women’sbasketball tournament and co-founded U.Va.’s Women’sFaculty and Professional Association. She was the firstwoman on the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame board andwas named one of ECU’s 100 Incredible Women.1960Dave Thomas was inducted into the WingateUniversity Sports Hall of Fame in October after beinginducted into the N.C. Athletic Directors Hall ofFame in 2005 and the ECU Athletics Hall of Fame in1998. He retired in 2003 after 42 years in educationand is now on the Wayne County Board of Education.1953William “Bill” H. Rowland received theWillie Parker Peace History Book Award from theN.C. Society of Historians for Through the Eyes ofSoldiers: The Battle of Wyse Fork, Kinston, North Carolina,March 7–10, 1865, a book that documents Unionand Confederate troop movements and battle lines anddescribes the largest mass capture of Union troops inNorth Carolina during the Civil War.1920sGretta Mae Little Neely ’29 of Pinevilledied Feb. 24, 2001. Originally from Marshville, shetaught in Mecklenburg County for more than 40 years,beginning her career at Steele Creek and retiring fromBerryhill elementary schools. She was active in SteeleCreek Presbyterian Church.1930sMattie Lucile Allen ’30 of Raleigh died Nov.22 at 100. For 39 years, she taught elementary schoolin Johnston, Wayne, Harnett and Wake counties.She was active in Trinity United Methodist Church,and after retirement, traveled the U.S. Christine“Tena” Alford Benton ’38 of Raleigh diedOct. 8 at 93. She gave the first classical piano recitalat ECTC and retired from teaching at GovernorMorehead School for the Blind. Hilda BlairBarnhill Carson ’34 of Bethel died Sept.23 at 95. She retired from Pitt County Schools afterteaching at Bethel and North Pitt High schools andwas active in Bethel Baptist Church. Rosa JonesLittle Cook ’34 of Brandon, Fla., died Nov.24 at 100. She taught music and was chorus directorat Tyrone Junior High School in St. Petersburg andwas active in Palm Lake Christian Church. NinaWalston Fountain ’32 ’69 of Tarboro diedNov. 27 at 95. She retired in 1978 after 17 yearswith Edgecombe County Schools; was president ofthe Edgecombe Community College Foundation for22 years, a Democratic Party and Nursing HomesAdvisory Committee chair, charter member of theTarboro Pilot Club, Red Cross volunteer; and receivedthree Governor’s Volunteer Awards, the last in 2000.Emma Gladys Gray Harrison ’39, ofWilliamston and later Cypress Glen in Greenville,died Sept. 11. She taught school in several EasternN.C. counties, played golf and bridge, and was activein Williamston’s First Christian Church. MaryHelen Hammond Hill ’38 died Oct. 2 at 91.She taught school in Cary from 1955 until her 1977retirement and was a Glenaire resident for nine years.Mary Craven Lowe ’39 of Charlotte diedOct. 13 at 90. She was active in Myers Park UnitedMethodist Church, played golf at Carmel CountryClub, and enjoyed Duke sports and playing cards.Ruth Belch McDaniel ’39 of Woodlanddied Nov. 25 at 90 in Ahoskie. She taught for31 years in Northampton County until her 1979retirement. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma,Halifax-Northampton Retired School Personnel,and Woodland Baptist Church. Selma OdellPritchard ’36 ’39 of Williston died Nov. 25at 97. She taught in Weldon and Rocky Mount andwas Craven County supervisor of schools for manyyears. Ida Ophelia Roberts Robertson’39 of Shawboro died Sept. 29 at 90. A retired homeeconomist, she was a life member of the AmericanAssociation of Family and Consumer Sciences andwas active in Providence Baptist Church. LucyMcLawhorn Smith ’36 of Ayden died Sept.19 at 91. She retired from Pitt County Schoolsand PCMH, owned Smith Lumber Co. with herhusband, and was active in Ayden Christian Churchand the Keen-Agers group. Lillian MitchinerStephenson ’32 of Raleigh died Nov. 12 at 98.She taught school in Roanoke Rapids before travelingcross-country with her salesman husband. In Charlottefor 40 years until 1984, she was active in her churchand the Salvation Army and Professional Engineerswomen’s auxiliaries. She was also an N.C. CenturyFarmer with land in Northampton County. FloraA. Yeargan ’36 of Garner died Oct. 13 at 93. Sheworked for Carolina Power and Light Co.1940sElizabeth Thigpen Braxton ’40 diedOct. 23. Traveling with her Army husband of 66years, Col. Joseph C. Braxton ’38, she taught inNorth Carolina, Maryland, Germany, and Japanbefore their 1972 retirement. She visited more than50 countries. Pinear Mae “Pat” WindleyEpps ’45 of Edenton died Nov. 23. She started her40-year education career at Brogden High Schoolin Dudley and continued it in several Eastern N.C.locations teaching gifted education, social studies, andhome economics. She and her Methodist ministerhusband of 60 years were known as “Preacher &Pat.” Christine Gray Smith ’48 of WinterPark, Fla., died Oct. 4. At ECTC, she was juniorclass vice president, Y.W.C.A. president and regionaldelegate, Emerson Society treasurer, and a member ofthe Science Club, Women’s Athletic Association, andvarsity softball, basketball, and gymnastics teams. Shetaught chemistry and biology in Lenoir County andlater at the Lankenau School for Girls in Pennsylvania.She and her dentist husband, Dr. Grover W. Smith’49, returned to Kinston in 1953 when he opened hisdental practice. She was involved in fund-raisers andscouting activities at Northwest Christian Church. J.B.Spilman Jr. ’44 of Greenville died Oct. 1. In theArmy during WWII, he served in North Africa, Sicilyand Italy. He was a traveling sales representative untilhis 2004 retirement, chaired the Pitt County Board ofElections and the Pitt County Democratic Party, andwas active in The Memorial Baptist Church.1950sGene P. Baker ’58 died Sept. 14. He worked ineducation for 32 years and then at Greenville Marineand Sports Center for 16 years. He was a memberof the N.C. Teachers Association and PrincipalsAssociation; Civitan, Pitt County Wildlife, and EasternPines Men’s Fellowship clubs. He was a member ofthe Chancellors’ Society with his wife, retired ECUinstructor Judy B. Baker ’63 ’82. He was the brotherof Patsy Baker O’Leary ’59. Memorials may be madeto ECU’s Volunteer and Service Learning Center.Wilbur I. Bennett Jr. ’58 ’69 of Greenvilledied Oct. 16. He was in the Air Force during theKorean Conflict, worked in finance in Charlotte,returned to ECU to study geography while teachingevening classes, and taught in Pitt County Schools for19 years. He was active in Covenant United MethodistChurch, ECU’s Pirate Club and Alumni Association,and the Greenville Recreation and Parks committee.Memorials may be made to the ECU EducationalFoundation or Greenville Recreation and Parks ExtremePark. Mary P. Edwards ’51 of Brown Summitdied Sept. 15. She was a home demonstrator for countyextension services. Dr. Kenneth D. Hall ’56 ’61of Punta Gorda, Fla., and formerly of Brick, N.J., diedNov. 5. He taught, coached, and was an administratorin five districts. After his 1995 retirement, he directedthe Futures American School in Cairo, Egypt. Helater was president of the N.J. Association of SchoolAdministrators. Laura Horton Hamlet ’55of Burlington died Feb. 16, 2002. She retired fromteaching elementary school. Sarah BowlandMcLawhorn ’54 of Greenville died Oct. 13.She taught home economics at Chocowinity HighSchool, and after 30 years with Wachovia, retired asan operations officer. Martin Rabunsky ’52of Silver Spring, Md., died Aug. 26. He taught publicschool in several states and retired as assistant principaland history department head at Wheaton, Md.Shelby Eugene “Gene” Russ Sr. ’54 diedSept. 19. He worked in Wilmington for the RemingtonRand Co., with which he held executive positions inNew York and Ohio. In 1976, he started AssociatedOffice Systems. A. Louis Singleton ’56 ofGreenville died Sept. 17. From 1961 to 1995, he wasa lawyer with Gaylord and Singleton in Greenville.A past president of the Pitt County Bar Associationand Third Judicial District Bar and member of theAmerican Bar Association and Greenville PlanningCommission, he was Greenville’s city attorney and anattorney for Greenville Utilities Commission. He was atrustee for ECU and PCMH, a charter member of theGreenville Noon Rotary Club, and board member andSunday school teacher at St. James United MethodistChurch. Patricia Gray Sutton Speight ’51of Kinston died Oct. 23. She retired from teaching atKinston High School and was the New Hope BaptistChurch pianist for 50 years.1960sCarolyn Sumrell Bright ’69 of Roanoke,Va., died Oct. 7. A Simpson native, she taught4445

in memoriamelementary school and was a reading tutor in DanvilleCity Schools until her retirement. She was married toDanny Lee Bright ’68, had four children and eightgrandchildren, was sister of Chris A. Sumrell ’78,and battled multiple sclerosis. John G. “Sonny”Gillikin ’60 of Minnesott Beach died Dec. 4. Heworked for the Social Security Administration for27 years until his 1986 retirement. He was mayor ofMinnesott Beach from 1993 to 2001, and a towncommissioner. Walter Perry Harrell Sr.’60 of Suffolk, Va., died Nov. 12. He retired as a salessupervisor with Union Camp Corp. in 1997, andenjoyed genealogy, traveling, and fishing. CharlesTayloe Hoyt Jr. ’66 ’81 of Jacksonville diedOct. 8. He became director of education and mediaservices for Onslow County Schools in 1964. Heworked with the school system in several capacities,including assistant superintendent, for more than 38years, during which time he oversaw the constructionof 17 schools and renovations at 17 others before his2002 retirement. He was in the vestry and choir at St.Anne’s Episcopal Church, trained American Saddlebredshow horses, and was an official for Coastal PlainsHorse Show Association. Robert Lee “Pops”Huffman Jr. ’68 of Birmingham, Ala., died Sept.21. He worked for R.J. Reynolds. Iris NewtonKendrick ’65 of Jamestown died Nov. 15. FromBayboro, she taught English and reading in Florida,Virginia, and several N.C. school systems. She alsoworked for the Greensboro News and Record and sangin the choir at Hickory Chapel Wesleyan Churchin High Point. Melvin T. “Tom” Ray ’61 ofWhiteville died Nov. 4. He taught in Southport, andfrom 1964 to 1992 worked for the N.C. Division ofMotor Vehicles. He was president of the WhitevilleLions Club. Ernestine Nichols REEDER’59 of Murfreesboro, Tenn., died Nov. 7. She taughthigh school in Elizabeth City and classes at ECUbefore teaching for 22 years at Middle Tennessee StateUniversity, where she chaired the human sciencesdepartment before retiring. Judy Whitley Rose’67 ’68 of Princeton died Oct. 17. A Delta SigmaPhi member, she was named an outstanding teacher atSouthern Nash Elementary and South Johnston HighSchool, where she headed the vocational academy.She was active in the Princeton Lions and Women’sclubs and the local chapter of the American BusinessWomen’s Association. Haywood Spruill Jr.’68 of Winter Haven, Fla., died Nov. 27. A native ofRoper, he was a retired financial advisor. WillardGarland “Gary” Stephenson ’69 ofRaleigh died Sept. 22. A Sigma Phi Epsilon brother,he retired as a software engineer with Alcatel-Lucent in2007, volunteered with the Alliance of AIDS Services-Carolina, and enjoyed raising Dobermans. LarryRoger Taylor ’67 of St. James died Sept. 7. Hewas a Lamba Chi Alpha brother at ECU, owned RealtyWorld Taylor and Associates in Winston-Salem andTaylor Family Appraisals in Southport, played bridgeand golf, and was a St. James Bowling Team member.Gail Franklin “Frank” Vernon, Jr. ’69,an 18-year resident of Edmond, Okla., died Sept. 30.He was a geologist, quarry manager, science teacher,and most recently a project environmental analystfor the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. Hevolunteered at the Oklahoma City Zoo for 10 years.Ina Sue Cannon Williams ’66 of VirginiaBeach died Oct. 7. She was a librarian at Princess AnneHigh School for 19 years. Sandra Kay Yow’64, who won more than 600 games as coach of thewomen’s basketball team at N.C. State University,and more than 700 overall, died Jan. 24. She was 66.She coached the U.S. Olympic team to a gold medalin 1988, won four ACC tournament championships,earned 20 NCAA tournament bids and reached theFinal Four in 1998.1970sWalter J. Arseneau Jr. ’75 of Niceville, Fla.,died Nov. 29. He was a businessman, internationalindustrial union electrician/supervisor, retired N.C.public school teacher, and Washington, N.C., real estateagent. Thomas G. “Tommy” Little Jr. ’74of Winterville died Nov. 20. Since 1978, he workedfor NACCO Materials Handling Group, most recentlyas divisional DFT manager. He was a deacon at TheMemorial Baptist Church, a Gideon, and memberof the Delta Waterfowl Foundation. William C.Smith Jr. ’76 died Feb. 28 in Purcellville, Va. Hemajored in business. Bradford Lee Sneeden’75 ’77 ’81 of Pine Knoll Shores and Cary died Oct.23. He was superintendent of Carteret County schoolsand was working on his doctorate in educationalleadership at ECU. He taught elementary school,community college, and from 1996 to 1998, he wasan adjunct professor in educational leadership at ECU,where he also directed the Office of School Servicesand was named a James Batten Outstanding Educator.He received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine in 2003.He was married to Carolyn Mayo Sneeden ’75 ’77.1980sMitchell “Mitch” Lyle Byrd ’83 ofConcord died Nov. 5. He was vice president ofbusiness development at Technology Partners Inc.He was past president of the Risk and InsuranceManagement Society. James Bradley Eure ’84of Chilhowie, Va., died Nov. 8 in Nashville, Tenn. Fornearly 20 years he was a Meineke manager. SandraZaremski Graham ’82 of Fayetteville diedNov. 6. She was a trustee for Camp Ground UnitedMethodist Church. BRUCE rivers Hall ofTallahassee, Fla., died Aug. 30. He was an illustratorand graphic designer with Cliett Creative Group.He was a member of several bands, including 911,Del Suggs, and Contents Under Pressure. KathyLaMarr Munday ’80 of Tarboro died Oct.1 in Statesville. She retired as an administrator atEdgecombe Community College and was activein Monticello Baptist Church. MargaretDorothea “Maggie” Noss ’82 of TakomaPark, Md., died Nov. 20. She was a ceramic sculptor,artist, and printmaker and was executive director ofthe Washington Studio School, and for the last 10years was associate director of the School of Art& Design at Montgomery College. VictoriaLynn O’Neal Pittman ’84 of Elizabeth Citydied Nov. 11. She was an animal nurse and fosterparent, and participated in the Huntington’s ResearchCenter. David Marshall Robertson’83 of Ahoskie died Oct. 11. He was president ofBoyette & Robertson Insurance Agency and sangin the choir at First Baptist Church in Ahoskie. Hewas president of the Ahoskie Jaycees. GingerStodard Thomas ’86 died Oct. 20. A behavioranalyst for 20 years in Florida, she worked at LibertyICF, Northeast Florida State Hospital, BehaviorManagement Consultants, and Pace Secondary School.Nathan Alexander White ’89 of Elon diedDec. 9. He made Phi Beta Kappa at UNC, studiedmath at ECU, was active in Oakmont Baptist Church,and enjoyed art, butterflies, and playing piano. LeeWilliam Waszak ’84 of Wendell died Sept. 22.He worked with This End Up Furniture and laterwith Kioti Tractors. He was an elder in CovenantPresbyterian Church and was married to DonnaHolliday Waszak ’83 for 22 years. Darlene HallWyrick ’86 of Sophia died Sept. 16. She workedin Infant Bereavement Services and coordinated theannual Walk to Remember at Randolph Hospital,taught nursing at Davidson Community College, andwas a member of Neighbors Grove Wesleyan Church.1990sErika S. Hornsleth ’98 of Scottsdale, Ariz.,formerly of West Chester, Pa., died Nov. 5. Sheworked with Vanguard, most recently as a relationshipmanager. She was a swim instructor at Malvern PrepSwim School and Pennypacker Country Club, whereshe was assistant manager. Donna LaurenMatthews Nunnally ’94 of Warfield, Va.,died Nov. 2. She was social services director at GoldenLiving Center-Petersburg and a board member forBrunswick Crime Solvers. Xiaoyu Weng ’92, ofNanJing, China, and Raleigh, died Oct. 2. He was afinancial analyst with GlaxoSmithKline in ResearchTriangle Park and was active in Chinese Baptist Churchin Raleigh.2000sCorey Chapman Haddon ’05 of Cary diedOct. 26. She studied communication arts and taughtart. Michael Edward Peele ’00 of Baltimoreand formerly of Hatteras died Oct. 8. He was amassage therapist and enjoyed cooking and bowling.Faculty DeathsEvelyn Lawrence Boyette ’62 ’65of Greenville died Oct. 4. A Falkland native, shegraduated Phi Beta Kappa at Women’s College inGreensboro and taught history at Ayden High School,PCC, and then at ECU from 1964 to 1982. She wasactive in the Mayflower and Pitt County Historicalsocieties, Friends of Sheppard Memorial Library,and First Presbyterian Church. She was married toDr. Joseph G. Boyette ’55 ’57, who taught biologyat ECU from 1957 to 1989 and died in 2001.Memorials may be made to ECU’s Evelyn and JosephBoyette Fellowship.David W. King of Williamsburg, Va., died Dec.7. He taught at Valdosta State University, LaValle,and at ECU from 1967 to 1971, before retiring fromChristopher Newport University. He co-authored acollege French textbook and played piano and organ.Dr. David John “Jack” Middleton Jr.of Gloucester died Nov. 12 in Raleigh. Originallyfrom Warsaw, he graduated from Duke and UNCChapel Hill and was director of continuing educationat Appalachian State before serving as ECU’s deanof continuing education from 1962 to 1980. Inretirement, he moved to Gloucester and served onseveral boards and commissions in addition to his 40HELPUSRAISETHEBAR!University Archivesyears with the N.C. Rural Fund for Development.Mavis Ray, one of the founding members ofwhat is today the School of Theatre and Dance, diedJan. 11 at her Florida home. Born in England, shewas an accomplished ballet dancer and actress whowas persuaded to come to ECU in 1965 by EdgarLoessin, who had been charged with creating a theatredepartment for the school. Together they staged over75 musicals and several operas on campus. She tooka leave of absence to return to Broadway and was inthe cast of Ballroom, which won the 1979 Tony Awardfor Best Musical. She returned to campus in 1983 andremained here through her retirement in 1989.Vila Rosenfeld with Ralph Nader at a 1982campus panel sessionDr. Vila Mayberry Rosenfeld died Nov. 8in Greenville. She taught in ECU’s Education programForever PirateECU - 4,715East CarolinaALUMNI ASSOCIATIONPee DeeID: #1907Your East Carolina University ConnectionVisit PirateAlumni.comor call 800-ECU-GRADto make yourtax-deductiblemembershipcontribution today!Member Since 2006from 1965 to 1994. She served in several roles nottraditionally held by women, including president ofthe N.C. Vocational State Association and the NorthCarolina Milk Commission. She helped develop the TaxAid program and served on the Greenville AffordableHousing Loan Committee, and in 2005 was honoredby the National Campaign for Tolerance. She wasmarried to Dr. Norman Rosenfeld, who taught inECU’s English department from 1965 to 1995.Dr. Maurice Dean Schnell of Davenport,Iowa, died Nov. 15. He played football at IowaState and after serving in the Army during theKorean Conflict, bypassed a pro football career formedical school. Certified in physical medicine andrehabilitation and orthopedics, he taught at severaluniversities, including ECU from 1979 to 1981,before becoming medical director of rehabilitation atGenesis Medical Center in Davenport, Iowa.Dr. James A. “Jim” Van Fleet of Naples, Fla.,died Sept. 26. He taught political science at ECU from1998 to 2001. He worked with the Peace Corps inthe Dominican Republic and taught at the Universityof the Pacific before he was appointed to the U.S.AID mission in Bolivia. He taught at Wichita StateUniversity and was dean of foreign students at theuniversities of Louisville and Toledo.NC STATEOver 20,000Association membersUNCOver 70,000Association members46 47

upon THE PAST“We are not here to destroy the old and accept only the new, but to build upon the past…”—Robert H. Wright, Nov. 12, 1909From his inaugural address and installation as East Carolina’s first presidentApril 2April 6April 7April 9 April 10 April 12Cafeteria fire closes schoolWhat’s now called the Old Cafeteria Building was known as theRefectory when the three-year-old building burns on the evening ofApril 1, 1915. The roof is destroyed but the walls are left standingand nearly all the dining room furniture is saved. Before the fire isout, President Robert Wright summons students to the auditorium atmidnight. He tells them they should leave for home immediately andto stay home for a week—the school’s first spring break. The studentsreturn to their dorms and pack; townspeople prepare breakfast for themlater that morning. By noon the campus is empty. It requires a Herculeaneffort, but Wright makes good on his promise to reopen the cafeteriawithin 10 days when faculty and students dine together on April 12.All images courtesy University Archives48

ecu galleryA snowstorm in January transformed Greenville into its more aptly named neighbors, Winterville and Snow Hill.Photo by Jay ClarkEastUniversity Advancement2200 South Charles Blvd.East Carolina UniversityGreenville, NC 27858-4353NonprofitOrganizationU.S. PostagePAIDPPCOchange service requested