EC Alumni - Winter 2011

FEEDING THE HUNGRY With the help of some alumni, the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina is fighting hunger one mouth at a time.

a LOOK BaCKFamed female flyer Amelia Earhart made ECTC one of her stops in 1937.

sHE TaKEs THE CaKE A degree in metal work helped Taylor Ross ‘99 transition her talent to cake decorating.

Repairing the World

Lee Holder ’83, ’87 receives internationalaward for inspiring students to stand upagainst intolerance and hate

sHOWIN’ THE pRIDE ON HIs RIDE Jim McCloe ’73, an avid antique car buff who owns a 1930 Model A Ford, had a dream to restore another old car to honor his alma mater East Carolina University. Rather than keep it original, he wanted a modified “street rod” that he could actually drive from his home in upstate New York to Greenville. This October, his dream was fulfilled: he drove his 1940 Nash Ambassador through the streets of Greenville after the amazing win against NC State and during the Homecoming parade the following weekend. Its metallic purple paint is set off by pictures of PeeDee on the hood and trunk, swashbuckling swords adorn both sides of the hood, and the interior and exterior are trimmed in gold and golden wood grain. Thirty-nine years ago, Jim and his fiancé Cindy ’74 made the move from their respective New York colleges after Jim won the Junior College National Wrestling Championship for SUNY at Delhi to attend East Carolina. He wrestled on an outstanding ECU wrestling team coached by John Welborn and continued his education in physical education and health. Cindy worked at the cafeteria and in the special education department office (which was her major) and planned their July 1972 wedding. Eventually they returned to their hometown of Waverly, NY and raised three wonderful daughters: Kristi (who attended ECU and married a man with Pirate parents), Tori (who also attended ECU), and Brandi. During all these years, the McCloe’s remained loyal ECU fans. So, it was with a true feeling of homecoming that Jim and Cindy drove their purple and gold “Pirate” car through the campus and the streets of Greenville on those sunny October days. The ECU fans were as excited as they were; waving, shouting out encouragement and taking pictures of the old Nash that has been lovingly restored in tribute to their alma mater.

If you live in Maryland, North Carolina, or Virginia you too can show your East Carolina pride on your vehicle. Visit PirateAlumni.com/licenseplates for details.

12 feeding the hungry Fighting hunger is priority #1 for

the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina and many ECU

alumni have joined the fight.

17 repairing the world For Lee Holder ’83, ’87, teaching

history is more than just facts and figures—it’s challenging students

to view the world from a different perspective.

21 she takes the cake Taylor Ross ’99 is an artist when

it comes to cake decorating. Food Network Challenge took her talent

to a national stage.

24 a pirate remembers Charlie Futrell ’42 is more

than just an athlete who has competed in hundreds of races—he’s an

Ironman!

departments

features

Lee Holder ’83, ’87 with Holocaust class students in his North Lenoir High School classroom.

on the cover

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dear pirate nation

pirate connections

legislative matters

advancement update career corner

around campus

a look back

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EC Alumni, the magazine of the East Carolina Alumni Association, takes a closer look at the accomplishments of our alumni, bringing you engaging feature articles highlighting their success. EC Alumni also features news from around campus, updates from University Advancement, career advice, how alumni and friends can support ECU’s legislative initiatives, and a look back at the University’s treasured history.

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2 EC aLUMNI WINTER 2011

The mission of the East Carolina Alumni Association is to inform, involve, and serve members of the ECU family throughout their lifelong relationship with the University.

paul J. CliffordPRESIDENT AND CEO

Monique BestACCOUNTING TECHNICIAN

stephanie BunnASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ALUMNI PROGRAMS

Emily adkins ’08ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ALUMNI PROGRAMS

Candi High ’97ACCOUNTANT

Tanya Kern ’02DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI PROGRAMS

Betsy Rabon ’86ALUMNI CENTER COORDINATOR

Doug smith ’00, ’07DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI

COMMUNICATIONS & MEMBERSHIP

Jennifer WatsonASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ALUMNI COMMUNICATIONS

Chris Williams ’01ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ALUMNI MEMBERSHIP

EC Alumni (ISSN: 2152-3886) is published quarterly by the East Carolina Alumni Association. The Alumni Association is a member of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and Council of Alumni Association Executives (CAAE) and is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that operates interdependently with East Carolina University. The views expressed in EC Alumni magazine do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of the Alumni Association or the University. Reproduction of EC Alumni in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

©2010 East Carolina Alumni Association

Read EC Alumni online at:PirateAlumni.com/ECAlumni

ISSN: 2152-5668

To contact us or comment on this magazine:252-328-6072 | 800-ECU-GRAD

[email protected]

Send change of address to:East Carolina Alumni Association Taylor-Slaughter Alumni Center

901 East Fifth StreetGreenville, NC 27858

EC Alumni is paid for with non-state funds.

I have the privilege to serve East Carolina and through my service I get the chance to spend time with some amazing people like Walter Williams ’51 ’55 and Michael Kowalczyk ’08, ’09. These two alumni represent different generations, graduated from different programs at ECU, and work in different professions, yet they have some striking similarities—similarities, I would argue, that are quintessential characteristics of our alumni. These include a commitment to service, an uncanny instinct to lead, a blue collar work ethic, and a love for East Carolina. Walter Williams is a name that will forever be linked to

East Carolina because of his volunteer service and philanthropic support across our campus. Earlier this fall Walter said to me, “I’ve always given what I could and have never wanted back anything I ever gave to ECU. I grew up on a farm just miles from campus and ECU opened a new world to me.” Walter and his wife Marie have opened up a world of opportunities through their philanthropic support of athletics and academics at ECU. Michael Kowalczyk ’08, ’09 started at his local community college, but always saw himself at East Carolina. Once he got here, he took advantage of the opportunity to work, learn, and grow. He paid for his education by working as a Resident Advisor and actually finished with an MBA in five years. Mike is innovative, creative, and selfless. At ECU, he created “The Council,” a small group of diverse students that he handpicked because of their diverse backgrounds, interests, and most importantly their passion to advance ECU through networking. This small networking group of students met regularly to share experiences, challenges, and progress they have made in networking to advance ECU. They also planned trips during Spring Break to meet with prominent alumni in New York City to learn from them. Who among us would not benefit from our own “Council”? These are the types of people and stories that inspire the work of the Alumni Association. Yes, we are facing tough times, but in my opinion the opportunities for our students to impact the world, for our alumni to change lives, and for our institution to impact the economy of eastern North Carolina is even greater. At East Carolina, the opportunities will always be greater than our challenges; there is nothing that the Pirate Nation cannot overcome together. Our University leadership is strong, our students are bright and eager, and our alumni are loyal and passionate; this is a formula for success and all things that we are thankful for. In this season of thanksgiving, I want to take this opportunity to say “thank you”—thank you for your participation and support of East Carolina, our students, faculty, and programs. I hope that all of you have an opportunity to spend time, reconnect, and give thanks with your families and friends.

GO PIRATES!!!

Paul J. Clifford President & CEOEast Carolina Alumni Association

dear pIRaTE NaTION

vol. 4, no. 1alumnI

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pirates go bowling in D.C.

Follow the ECU football team as they travel to Washington, D.C. to participate in the Military Bowl on December 29. The Pirates’ opponent will be a soon-to-be-announced representative from the Atlantic Coast Conference.

GAmE TIckETSTickets in the Pirates’ section for the Military Bowl are available by calling the ECU Athletics Ticket Office at 800-DIAL-ECU or online at ECUPirates.com.

Bowl tickets purchased through the EcU Athletics Ticket Office support our athletics department and football program with a direct financial benefit. EcU does not receive this benefit from bowl tickets ordered through other outlets.

The Military Bowl offers tickets at $55 and $90. Order yours at ECUPirates.com or by calling 800-DIAL-ECU. Tickets ordered by the priority deadline will be sent FedEx 2-Day on December 13 to arrive December 15.

PIRATE PARTyThe Alumni Association and Pirate Club will host the Official ECU Fan Party at Penn Quarter Sports Tavern on Tuesday, December 28 from 7:00-11:00 p.m. Tickets are $20 per person which includes light appetizers and two (2) Pirate beverage tickets. Pirate Party tickets can be ordered with Bowl Game tickets at ECUPirates.com or by calling the ECU Athletics Ticket Office at 800-DIAL-ECU.

mIlITARy BOwl TAIlGATE PARTyThe Military Bowl Tailgate Party for all fans is Wednesday, December 29 from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Tickets include all-you-can-eat food, $2 Pirate beverages, tailgate games, live music, and performances by both team spirit squads—all in a warm, indoor environment. Tailgate Party tickets are $20 and only available with the purchase of a game ticket.

april is service Month

Live the University’s motto Servire, meaning, “to serve” this April during Service Month. There are so many ways you can lend a helping hand in your community, from sprucing up a popular tourist attraction to grocery shopping for an elderly neighbor, serving others is good work and makes you feel good, too!

Service is at the heart of East Carolina University. From the students to the Board of Trustees, service to others and giving back to make a positive difference is what East Carolina what built on.

Many Alumni Association Pirate Contacts will plan Service Month projects for alumni and friends across the Pirate Nation, but individuals are invited to volunteer in their community wherever help is needed. Plan a service project for fellow alumni in your area this April. The Alumni Association will be glad to help you spread the word to alumni and friends in your community. To get started, simply contact the Alumni Association at 800-ECU-GRAD or e-mail [email protected].

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Carl Davis ’73, ChairRaleigh, NC

Harry Stubbs ’74, ’77, Vice ChairArlington, VA

Adrian Cullin ’04, TreasurerCharlotte, NC

Joanie Tolley ’65, SecretaryElon, NC

Ernest Logemann ’68, Past ChairWinston-Salem, NC

Paul J. Clifford, President and CEOGreenville, NC

Diane Davis Ashe ’83, ’85Celebration, FL

Sabrina BengelNew Bern, NC

William Burnette ’96Virginia Beach, VA

Rick Conaway ’68Chesapeake, VA

Justin Conrad ’96Greensboro, NC

Tarrick Cox ’96, ’07Greenville, NC

Garry Dudley ’92Chesterfield, VA

Melanie Holden ’79Raleigh, NC

Wesley Johnson ’85Powder Springs, GA

Pat Lane ’67Chocowinity, NC

Charlie Martin Jr. ’68Greenville, NC

Marian McLawhorn ’67, ’88, ’97Grifton, NC

Michael McShane ’66Alexandria, VA

Doug Morgan ’88South Riding, VA

Steve Morrisette ’69Richmond, VA

Angela Moss ’97, ’98Raleigh, NC

Glenda Palmer-Moultrie ’79Derwood, MD

Brenda Myrick ’92Greenville, NC

Jim Newman Jr. ’68, ’74Raleigh, NC

Linda Lynn Tripp ’80, ’81Greenville, NC

EmERITUS mEmBERS:Virgil Clark ’50

Greenville, NC

Dave Englert ’75Norfolk, VA

Yvonne Pearce ’82Greenville, NC

aLUMNI assOCIaTION BOaRD OF DIRECTORs

Popular Service Month projects include:• Donatingclothestoaconsignment

shop• Collectingcannedgoodsandnon-

perishables for the food bank• Volunteeringatanafterschool

program• Servingmealsatasoupkitchen• Participatinginacharitywalk/runBe sure to take photos at your service

project and send them to [email protected] and the Alumni Association will post them in the photo gallery on PirateAlumni.com. Be creative and have fun making our world a better place through service.

Black alumni Reunion

A Black Alumni Reunion is scheduled for the weekend of April 15-17, 2011. Participants will enjoy activities associated withtheGreatPiratePurple/GoldPigskin Pig-Out Party, an alumni mixer, campus tour, and a Saturday gala. Details for this reunion are still being finalized. Have an idea or suggestion to make this

reunion a hit? Contact Emily Adkins ’08 at [email protected] or call 800-ECU-GRAD. Look for more details soon.

Golden alumni Reunion

Members of the Class of 1961 will get together the weekend of May 5-6, 2011 for a special Golden Alumni Reunion. This reunion includes participation in the Senior Salute Dinner, which honors graduating seniors; recognition at the Candlelight Induction ceremony where members of the Class of 2011 light candles from the Golden Alumni Reunion candle; a campus tour, and reunion dinner. The highlight of the Golden Alumni Reunion will be leading the Class of 2011 into Friday’s Commencement Ceremony in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. All participants will adorn gold robes to signify their Golden Alumni status. Look for more details soon or contact Emily Adkins ’08 at [email protected] or 800-ECU-GRAD for more information.

pirate alumni Road Race and Fun Run

On Saturday, April 16 the Alumni Association will hold its annual Pirate Alumni Road Race and Fun Run for student scholarships. Include this road raceinyourGreatPiratePurple/GoldPigskin Pig-Out Party weekend. Returning to the Reade Circle start point, the Pirate Alumni Road Race and Fun Run travels down historic Fifth Street adjacent to ECU’s beautiful campus.

ParticipantswillenjoyaVictoryBreakfast immediately following the race with awards for the top overall finishers and for winners in eight age categories. Road Race T-shirts will be given with goody bags and all participants will be entered into the door prize drawing.

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 5

pIRaTE connectIons

Registration is $15.00 through March 31, 2011and$25.00throughraceday.VisitPirateAlumni.com/roadrace or call 800-ECU-GRAD for more information and to register.

pirate Contacts

What is a Pirate Contact? Pirate Contacts are volunteers who serve as a first point of contact for alumni in their region. Did you know that more than 50 alumni across the Pirate Nation help plan regional programs for alumni and friends, including service projects, viewing parties, regional networking events, and much more? These volunteers work closely with the Alumni Association to plan, promote, and execute programs and services for alumni in their area. To keep alumni connected, many regional areas have Facebook pages and all Pirate Contacts have e-mail accounts to correspond with those who want to stay in touch. Find the Pirate Contact in your area by visiting PirateAlumni.com and clicking on

“Pirate Contacts” under the “Connect” tab.Don’t see a Pirate Contact in your

region? Then become one today! As a Pirate Contact you will have the opportunity to reach out to your fellow alumni and plan exciting alumni events to connect Pirates near and far. To aid volunteers and help them feel comfortable serving the Pirate Nation, the East Carolina Alumni Association offers a number of tools, including an annual volunteer training weekend; quarterly volunteer conference calls; and The Privateer, a quarterly e-newsletter with helpful suggestions on growing regional chapters. Ready to become a Pirate Contact? Call the Alumni Center at 800-ECU-GRAD.

Networking Events

Networking events give East Carolina alumni and friends opportunities to get together to share memories of their time at ECU, connect with friends, make new friends, and build their personal and professional networks.

You never know when who you know might come in handy! Join the Alumni Association and fellow Pirates for these upcoming networking events:

Speed Networking BreakfastJanuary 26, 20117:30-9:00 a.m.Irregardless CaféRaleigh, NC

c-USA Alumni NetworkingMix and mingle with alumni from all 12 Conference USA schools February 2011Atlanta, GADetails TBD

Watch your inbox for details on these and future networking events or visit the

“Events” or “Connect” tab on PirateAlumni.com for more information and to register.


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Tomorrow starts here.

When making your estate plans, place East Carolina University among your loved ones.

We all hope to leave our legacy through family, friends, and loved ones. Ultimately, we hope to leave behind our precious gained lifetime assets to those who are most important to us. East Carolina University always encourages families to take care of themselves fi rst, but if there are other assets remaining after satisfying those goals, please think of leaving your perpetual legacy at East Carolina University.

A bequest provision is among the simplest yet most effective ways to make a long-lasting impact at ECU. By naming any of the three ECU foundations (East Carolina University Foundation Inc., East Carolina University Medical & Health Sciences Foundation Inc., and/or the East Carolina University Educational Foundation Inc. [Pirate Club]) as benefi ciary of a percentage or specifi c dollar amount from your estate, you are investing in the future of young people for generations to come. Thank you for considering how you can give students educational support and the opportunity for an outstanding future.

For more information about bequest provisions or any planned giving instruments, please call Greg Abeyounis, assistant vice chancellor for development, at 252-328-9573 or e-mail [email protected]. Visit us online at www.ecu.edu/devt.

spring pirate Career Casts

Pirate Career Casts are a great way to get free career advice. These Web casts are interactive and allow participants to gain insight on job hunting, ask questions of the career expert and fellow attendees, discover creative ways to promote yourself in today’s competitive market, and learn essential tools to advance in your career field. ECU alumni and friends can take part in a Pirate Career Cast via the Internet or participate in person in the Global Classroom on ECU’s campus. This spring’s Career Casts include:

Personal BrandingJanuary 6, 2011

How to Start the Job Search ProcessFebruary 3, 2011

Identity TheftMarch 3, 2011

Self-Employment/Starting your Own Business April 7, 2011

leadership SkillsMay 5, 2011

Find complete details and registration information for Pirate Career Casts at PirateAlumni.com/piratecareercasts.

pIrate CONNECTIONs

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 7

General Assembly. The members were effective at using their personal contacts and connections from around the state to educate elected officials on the many positive contributions ECU makes to the state of North Carolina. Additionally, theBoardof Visitorsadvocatedforkeyinitiatives such as the new School of Dental Medicine, indigent care funding, and a new Life Sciences and Biotechnology Building. East Carolina University’s legislative efforts are clearly enhanced with thesupportof theBoardof Visitors.

In addition to legislative advocacy, the board works diligently to raise the critical funds needed to support the University’s Access Scholarship Program. This scholarship program supports students with demonstrated financial need and proven academic potential. The board currently supports three Access Scholars with the goal of ultimately supporting four scholars next year. Generous support from board members during an economic downturn provides a clear of example of how support from alumni and friends is important for the success of ECU.

Finally,theBoardof Visitorsplaysakey role in representing the University in their home communities around our state and nation. This board is an engaged and active group of volunteers that shares the story of ECU outside of the immediate University area. Whether it is providing information to a prospective student or simply sharing the views of the University to a local rotary club, the Board of Visitorsservesastheeyesandearsof EastCarolina.

TheBoardof Visitorsisavitalcomponent in the life of this University. Their service during times like these provides the much-needed support we need to maintain the excellence and effectiveness of ECU. We are fortunate to have willing supporters like members of theECUBoardof VisitorstoserveourUniversity in this manner. Please visit their Web site at www.ecu.edu/bov to learn more about this important organization and its members.

Board of visitors plays critical role in university’s success l

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sIn the midst of a difficult economic crisis, the members of the East Carolina UniversityBoardof Visitorsaredoingtheir part to support the University and help maintain the excellence and quality of our academic institution.

Support from alumni and friends of the University is critical when navigating these difficult times and the ECU Board of Visitorsprovideaperfectexampleof how contributions can be made in a variety of areas to protect ECU during this financial downturn.

TheECUBoardof Visitorsisa60-member service organization of the University that is elected by the Board of Trustees on nomination by the Chancellor. The board exists to perform the following important functions:

To assist the Board of Trustees and the Chancellor in maintaining and improving the excellence and effectiveness of East Carolina University;

To advise and assist the Board of Trustees and the Chancellor in conveying to the people of North Carolina the mission, programs, accomplishments, and aspirations of East Carolina University;

To assist in informing the Board of Trustees and the Chancellor of the attitudes, beliefs, concerns, and expectations of the people of North Carolina with respect to East Carolina University; and

To advise and assist the Board of Trustees and the Chancellor with respect to the developmental activities of East Carolina University.

Themembersof theBoardof Visitorshave accomplished these goals and many more as the University has continued to battle the economic crisis. Three particular areas where this influential group has made a positive impact include legislative relations, scholarship support, and community engagement.

On May 25, 2010, this organization represented ECU in Raleigh during “UNC Day” at the North Carolina


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eAward-winning journalist and best-selling author Jean Chatzky was the keynote speaker at Investing for the Future: Strategies for Sound Financial Management, the third event in the Women’s Roundtable at East Carolina University’s Incredible ECU Women Series, held on October 14, 2010, at the Greenville Convention Center. More than 350 people attended the event honoring six new Incredible ECU Women. The six honorees were chosen for their achievements in the fields of public service, performing arts, fine arts, business and industry, sports, education, health sciences, media, professional and research. They join the 100 Incredible ECU Women recognized in 2007. The six new Incredible ECU Women are:

Women’s Roundtable names six new Incredible ECU Women

Dr. Sylvia T. Brown ’75, 78 Greenville, North Carolina

Dr. Sylvia T. Brown, dean of the ECU College of Nursing and a widely-published scholar, considers her greatest accomplishment to be her role in preparing future

nurses. She helped to develop the nursing education concentration in the ECU master’s program, an option that prepares future nurse educators. She was instrumental in the development of the ECU doctoral program in nursing. Dr. Brown has written or co-authored more than 75 peer-reviewed articles and proceedings and 27 funded research grants. She has served as president of the Dream Factory of North Carolina (an organization that grants dreams to chronically and critically ill children) and as a board member of The National Dream Factory. Dr. Brown also has been president of the Beta Nu Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International, an honor society for nurses.

Holly m. Garriott ’01, ’05Greenville, North Carolina

Holly M. Garriott, founder and executive director of Emerge Gallery, which became the Pitt Co. Arts Council at Emerge in 2009, is a ceramics artist

who was invited to create an ornament for the White House Christmas tree in 2008. Garriott developed an internship and professional development course

for the ECU School of Art and Design. She is secretary of Uptown Greenville, an organization dedicated to revitalizing downtown and has helped coordinate PirateFest, an arts and music festival that draws more than 20,000 people to Greenville.

Dr. mary Helen Hackney ’88 Richmond, VirginiaDr. Mary Helen Hackney, associate professor in the Division of Hematology Oncology in the Department of Internal Medicine attheVirginiaCommonwealth University Massey Cancer Center, specializes in the treatment of all stages of breast cancer. She received the Women in Science, Dentistry, and Medicine Professional Achievement Award from WISDM in 2009 and has been recognized as one of Richmond Magazine’s Top Doctors in medical oncologyandwomen’shealth/breastcancer care for several years. Dr. Hackney is director of the Rural Cancer Outreach Program sponsored by the cancer center, which provides oncology care in rural Virginia.ShealsoprovidessupportattheCrossover Ministries Clinic, which serves uninsured Richmond residents.

margie Johnson ’69 Virginia Beach, VirginiaMargie Johnson is president of Shop Talk, a retail and research consulting firm concentrating on the retail,

continued on page 10

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 9

aDVaNCEMENT update

New Honors College and EC scholars program help attract and retain bright, talented studentsEast Carolina University has never been stronger. The University’s academic quality, enrollment, resources, spirit, and ambition are unsurpassed since the University’s founding in 1907. As a doctoral institution, ECU has joined the ranks of universities that are doing truly important research that helps solve critical problems facing our state, nation, and world.

Nonetheless, ECU shares one challenge with the world’s finest institutions of higher learning: attracting truly gifted students. The ablest students “raise the bar” and challenge all of us. To compete successfully and attract the kinds of talent that can transform the fortunes of ECU and eastern North Carolina, ECU has transformed its Honors Program into an Honors College that enrolled its first freshmen in fall 2010. These 103 students will experience a learning model that will provide them with leadership skills, service activities, Honors seminars, research assistantships, support of mentors and advisers, study abroad trips, and internships that will play a key role in retaining this group of students. Students will leave the Honors College with a foundation of skills and experiences designed to make them competitive for graduate programs, scholarships, and careers following graduation.

“All Honor students need financial support for scholarship, research and leadership development, other program needs, and outstanding living-learning opportunities in order for our Honors College to be competitive,” said Dr. Patricia Fazzone, dean, ECU Honors College.

Within the classroom, Honors students are exposed to experienced faculty from our many schools and colleges at ECU. The Honors students also have access to talented and supportive Honors College staff to assist them in working toward completion of their Honors coursework and in securing special internship, research, and study abroad opportunities.

ECU’s EC Scholars Program also attracts high-ability students to ECU who have the promise and capability to become scholars and leaders in eastern North Carolina and beyond. The University’s most prestigious scholarship, the EC Scholars program was established in 1998 to attract

the most intellectually talented students. The scholarship offers challenging learning experiences to a highly academically gifted select group of ECU undergraduates. EC Scholars must first be accepted into the Honors College.

Both the EC Scholars Program and Honors College provide students with rigorous coursework and research opportunities with faculty members across campus. In addition, Honors College students are strongly encouraged to study abroad, and EC Scholars are required to

do so. These students live and learn in a collegial residence environment, and participate in leadership and community engagement opportunities in eastern North Carolina and beyond.

“Private donor support is changing lives, Pirate lives,” said Dr. Katherine A. O’Connor, interim director, EC Scholars and Honors College, and associate professor and gifted education coordinator in ECU College of Education’s Department of Curriculum and Instruction. “Honors College students are engaged leaders and most significantly, they know the value of service and the importance of making an impact.”

However, ECU’s endowment does not allow it to compete for the most talented students or fulfill a host of the University’s other academic needs. For example, more than one-third of the students offered EC Scholars awards decline because they are offered more attractive financial packages at other institutions. ECU is at a financial disadvantage in recruiting against other University of North Carolina systems schools with much larger scholarship endowments. Although third in terms of enrollment, ECU ranks fifth in terms of total endowment among North Carolina’s public universities.

”“Being in both the Honors College and the EC

Scholars program at ECU will provide me with the quality education that I need in pursuit of a medical career as well as eqiup me with the leadership skills

that will help my development as a whole person.

~Kofi a. monney

“We have been told repeatedly by prospective students and their parents, high school counselors, and colleagues from around the country that in order to attract the highest academic achievers to ECU, we must be able to provide them with the additional benefits of a full-ride scholarship and the financial support for study abroad,” said Fazzone.

“Without hesitation, we can say private donor support is, in fact, changing lives in the Honors College,” said O’Connor.

The Honors College application

process includes the opportunity to apply for the EC Scholars Award and the Early Assurance Program. Entrance requirements fortheHonorsCollegeareamath/verbalcombined SAT score of 1200 or minimum ACT score of 26 and a minimum un-weighted GPA of 3.5 or minimum weighted GPA of 4.0. The amount awarded to EC Scholar recipients is $40,000 ($5,000 per semester for eight continuous semesters). In addition, EC Scholars are provided with a $5,000 stipend to help support their study abroad experience. The Early Assurance Program awards four incoming freshmen who are North Carolina residents a reserved seat in the Brody School of Medicine upon graduation from ECU.

During the Second Century Campaign, East Carolina seeks funding to make ECU more competitive with the state’s best students. No task is more critical to the University and no goal has a higher priority. We challenge you to help write the next remarkable chapter in ECU’s history.

To contribute to ECU’s Honors College or the EC Scholars program through the Second Century Campaign, contact Kathy Brown at 252-328-9552 or [email protected]. For more information about the Second Century Campaign, visit www.ecu.edu/devt or call 252-328-9550.


advancement UpDaTE aDVaNCEMENT update

Support of colleges, schools, departments, centers, and institutes

$49,689,476

Distinguished professorships and lectureships $11,486,831

Scholarships $22,409,693

Research, education, and outreach (Corporate / Foundation grants)

$35,705,000

Capital projects $5,200,000

Total academic program support $124,491,000

Athletics (scholarships, endowments, facilities) $59,559,000

CaMpaIGN TOTaL (as of 9/30/2010)

$184,050,000 92% of GOAl!

Help put the second Century Campaign over the topHaving raised $184 million, East Carolina University’s Second Century Campaign has raised 92 percent of its original $200 million goal, nearly two years early. In 2011, East Carolina University hopes to meet and exceed its goal.

“The support of ECU’s alumni and friends has brought us within 8 percent of our original goal for the Second Century Campaign,”saidECUViceChancellorfor Advancement Mickey Dowdy. “I have every confidence that we can meet and surpass our $200 million goal in 2011. If you have not contributed to ECU and the Second Century Campaign, please consider how you can support this important campaign to help fund an ambitious future for our University.”

The Second Century Campaign helps provide funding for every aspect of

East Carolina University, and private contributions are extremely important in this era of declining state support.

“Gifts to the Second Century Campaign can be designated to the program, school, college, or area of your choice,” Dowdy said. “Your contributions, whether large or small, designated for a specific program or not, all make a difference at ECU, and will help put us over the top.”

Contribute online to the Second Century Campaign today by visiting www.giving.ecu.edu, or for more information about the campaign, visit www.ecu.edu/devt or call 252-328-9550.

$184,050,000(September 30, 2010)

hospitality, health care, and financial industries. As a speaker, trainer, author, and consultant, she equips entrepreneurs with the knowledge and skills that lead them to higher profitability and performance. Johnson was a partner and general manager of the Galleon Esplanade and secretary and treasurer of Cabana East, a corporation owning several businesses on the North Carolina coast. Her accolades include the Fred Lazarus National Retail Federation Award; the NC Employer of the Year Award; the Inside Business 2006 Women in Business Achievement Award; and the 1998 Outstanding Women of Hampton Roads Award. She received coverage in The Washington Post, WHRO Public Television, and NBC’s Today.

Dr. Dorothy G. Pruitt ’56 Oxford, North Carolina

Dr. Dorothy G. Pruitt, retired principal and educational consultant, was the first woman elected to the Granville County Board of Education, serving

as vice-chair and chair. She was principal of C.G. Credle Elementary School when it was recognized as a National School of Excellence and accepted a model school award from President George H.W. Bush, one of two public schools in the state to be recognized that year. Other honors include a two-time winner of the Granville County Wachovia Principal of the Year, the National Association of Elementary School Principals Award for Excellence, the Governor’s Award for OutstandingVolunteerService,andtheGranville County Chamber of Commerce DistinguishedAwardforEducation/Community Service.

lynn m. Schubert ’77 Washington, D.C.Lynn M. Schubert is president of the Surety and Fidelity Association of America, a trade association of insurance companies that write fidelity and surety insurance. The SFAA serves as a statistical organization for the states and represents its member companies in matters of common interest before government

agencies. She was the first woman and youngest chair of the Fidelity and Surety Law Committee of the Tort and Insurance practice Section of the American Bar Association. Schubert was the founding executive director of

the International Surety Association. She has presented educational programs on the industry for numerous organizations, including the International Chamber of Commerce. Recognitions include the Women Builders Council Champion Award and the Private Sector Leadership Award of the Jamaica Business Resource Center in 2008. Both were for leadership in assisting women and minority contractors to come bondable businesses.

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 11

aDVaNCEMENT update

TheirVirginialicenseplatesays“OFF2ECU” and they hold season tickets for baseball, basketball, and football. They have been members of the Pirate Club as long as they can remember, and their loyalty to East Carolina University is of the not-so-rare type that brings them back to Greenville and ECU sometimes once or twice a week.

As dedicated members of the Pirate Nation, John and Arminda Israel have made their commitment official by making a bequest provision for East Carolina University, leaving the entirety of their estate to the ECU Educational Foundation Inc., the East Carolina Alumni Association, the College of Health and Human Performance, and the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences.

“We love our University. It’s meant a lifetime commitment for us,” John Israel said. “We really have a good time and we love our friends and we enjoy the camaraderie with our fellow Pirates. We really, really love ECU.”

That love of ECU began in 1970 when John Israel came to visit a friend who played football at ECU under Coach Clarence Stasavich.

“Arriving on the ECU campus, I knew I was at home,” he said. “I knew ECU was the place I wanted to go.”

He entered ECU in 1971 as a freshman from Hendersonville, North Carolina. His college career was interrupted soon after a low draft number prompted him to enlist in the U.S. Navy. He served at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where he met his future wife, Arminda, a native of Cuba.

The Israels spent the first year of their

marriagestationedinNorfolk,Virginia,where Arminda began her education at Old Dominion University. They returned to Guantanamo Bay in 1976 for their last assignment with the Navy. In 1980, they returned to ECU to finish their education. John earned a bachelor’s degree from the College of Health and Human Performance in 1982 and Arminda graduated in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish with a secondary education concentration. After graduation, John got a job with the Air Force in their Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Program. Since then they have lived in Florida, England, Holland, and Maine. For the past 18 years,theyhavecalledNorfolk,Virginia,home. John works as a recreation specialist

with the U.S. Air Force in Hampton and Arminda is a faculty administrator at Old Dominion University in Norfolk. But their dedication to ECU continues.

“Even when we were stationed in England and Holland, we maintained some contact with ECU,” Arminda said.

Their involvement with ECU led them

to decide to leave their estate to benefit East Carolina University, creating the Recreation and Leisure Studies Alumni Scholarship Fund in the College of Health and Human Performance, the Raquel Manning and Marguerite Perry Honorary Scholarship in Foreign Language, and supporting the endowments for the Pirate Club and the East Carolina Alumni Association.

“John and Arminda’s commitment is a perfect example of how you can support all of your passions at ECU through a bequest or other planned gift mechanism,” said Greg Abeyounis, ECU assistant vice chancellor for development. “This special future commitment ensures that their giving continues perpetually to all of the areas of campus that are so special to them. These endowments will strengthen our comprehensive University forever.”

Bequests and planned gifts are wonderful vehicles to ensure your support for ECU continues beyond your lifetime. The Israel’s commitment to ECU is admirable and we are truly grateful for their support.”

For more information about how planned giving at East Carolina, visit www.ecu.edu/plannedgiving or contact Greg Abeyounis at 252-328-9573 or [email protected].

John ’82 and arminda ’83 Israel support second Century Campaign

”“We love our University. It’s meant a lifetime commitement for us. We really have a good time and

we love our friends and we enjoy the camaraderie with our fellow Pirates. We really, really love ECU.


Feeding the HungryEast Carolina alumni work together to fight hunger in central and eastern North Carolina

Hunger has no face, it has no name, and it does not discriminate against gender, age, or ethnicity. No one can predict when hunger might strike, but for one in eight Americans, it could be today. Feeding America, a national non-profit organization, reports that 37 million Americans, including 14 million children and 3 million seniors rely on after school programs, rescue missions, soup kitchens, and food pantries for nourishing, life-saving meals. The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina is one such agency that helps feed the hungry in our region.

The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina is a non-profit organization established in 1980 that solicits, collects, stores, and distributes food in 34 counties in central and eastern North Carolina through nearly 800 partner agencies that assist people at risk of hunger. The food is collected from grocery stores, growers, packers, food manufacturers, and members of the community who hold food drives on behalf of the Food Bank. As one of seven Feeding America affiliates in the state, the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina currently distributes through its main office in Raleigh and branch warehouses in Durham, Greenville, New Bern, Sandhills (Southern Pines), and Wilmington.

In 1999, when Hurricane Floyd devastated eastern North Carolina, the Food Bank responded with the largest distribution in its history. It was out of this response and immense need in the community, that the Greenville Branch began regular operations in December 1999 and now serves agencies in Carteret, Craven, Edgecombe, Greene, Jones,

Lenoir, Onslow, Pamlico, Pitt, and Wilson Counties. In the 10 counties served by the Greenville Branch, more than 105,552 individuals are at risk of hunger; 9,283 are 65 years of age or older, and 38,850 are children. In Pitt County alone, 52% of school age children receive free or reduced lunches. That statistic is 75% in Greene County, 61% in Lenoir County, and 53% in Craven County. The numbers are staggering.

ECU ConnectionIt’s this startling information that has

inspired many of those associated with ECU to lend their time and talent to help fight hunger in central and eastern North Carolina. Of the 14 Regional Council Members for the Greenville Branch and the Board of Directors of the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, 11 of them have ECU ties:

•will litchfield ’02 is the current chair and is an investment advisor with Raymond James Financial.

Food Bank Development Officer Mary Esther Baker (second from right) with regional council members (l-r) Will Litchfield ’02, Nick Crabtree’99, John Tipton, Steve Jones ’91, and Philip Rogers.

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 13

Regional Council member Nick Crabtree ’99


•Steve Jones ’91 is past chair of the Greenville Branch and is an ex-officio member of the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina’s Board of Directors. Jones is a member of ECU’s Board of TrusteesandBoardof Visitors,andexecutive vice president of First American Financial Management Company.

•Nick crabtree ’99 is owner of Crabworks and was a two-year letter winner for the ECU football team.

•Ann Harrison ’54, ’61, ’82 is a retired East Carolina professor who taught gifted and special education.

•Erlene mcNeill ’79 is wife of ECU Head Football Coach Ruffin McNeill and former director of advising for the College of Human Sciences at Texas Tech University.

•Philip Rogers is executive assistant to ECU’s Chancellor Steve Ballard.

•Ron Sessoms ’70, ’98 is a professor in ECU’s Department of Construction Management.

•Becky Stasavich ’67 is a retired educator and church administrator, and the daughter of legendary East Carolina Head Football Coach Clarence Stasavich ’10 (h).

•John Tipton is a third generation custom homebuilder with Tipton Builders.

•Greg weatherford is vice president of sales for Sysco. He is a member of ECU’s College of Human Ecology Advisory Board and his daughter attends ECU.

•Dusty Field ’94, is a member of the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina Board of Directors and is CEO of Boylan Companies

“I started working with the local Food Bank because I want to give back,” said

Litchfield, “I want to give of my time and my expertise, to help raise money, raise awareness, and help put food on the tables of those who need it. During my time with the Food Bank, I have really been educated on the number of people in our community who go hungry. It makes me think of that Sally Struthers commercial they used to air for Feed the Children. But the truth is, there are children right here in our own backyards who go without, who need the Food Bank and its partners just to eat a meal.”

Steve Jones feels the same. “I started volunteering with the Food Bank out of Raleigh five years ago and I enjoy knowing that my efforts and the collective efforts of our volunteers are really making a difference in our communities. It’s an unfortunate situation in this day and age when our citizens go hungry. It takes the efforts of many community organizations to fill that void,” said Jones.

The FacilitiesYou might

think of the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina as you would think of a food pantry that’s run out of a church or a shelter. But you’d be wrong. The Greenville Branch alone is a 22,900 square-foot facility that serves as a distribution center. It has the capacity

to store 274 pallets of dry goods and 100 pallets of refrigerated or frozen foods. In fiscal year 2008-2009, the Greenville Branch distributed 7,371,030 pounds of food to a network of 153 partner agencies. These include food pantries, shelters, soup kitchens, group homes, and more. Most of the food distributed has no cost to partner agencies. There is no fee on produce or on government commodities like cheese, honey, canned fruits and vegetables, evaporated milk, dry beans, and peanut butter. Partner agencies pay 18¢ per pound of food for certain items only, which is a maintenance fee that helps keep the Food Bank’s doors open. Partner agencies are given the freedom to determine their own eligibility requirements for who can take advantage of their food

Watch a brief video about the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina at YouTube.com/foodbankcenc and click on “Real People, Real Hunger.”

the food Bank of central & eastern north carolina distributes 37 million pounds of food annually.

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 15

services. Each of the five branches of the Food Bank are set up in the same manner as the Greenville Branch, with the Raleigh Branch serving as the primary headquarters. Essentially, the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina and its branch locations serve as the hub of food collection (from retailers, manufacturers, growers, etc.) and distribution for the counties they serve. Drivers make weekly trips to partner agencies to deliver food or agency representatives can visit the Food Bank for collection.

Specialized ProgramsEliminating child hunger is a priority

for the Food Bank. North Carolina holds the unfortunate distinction of ranking 2nd in the nation for child hunger among children below the age of 5 and 10th for child hunger for children under the age of 18. The link between child nutrition and mental and physical development is well established. Children who are hungry cannot learn. Lack of proper nourishment affects health and hampers growth, contributes to a lack of concentration and energy, and can result in irritability, poor performance, and disruptions in school. The Food Bank’s answer to this problem is the Kids Program Fund. Four specific programs are funded through the Kids Program Fund: Kids Café, Kids BackPack, Kids Summer Meals, and Kids Days.

Kids Café is an after-school program that provides hot meals, physical activities, academic enrichment, mentoring, nutrition education, and parental empowerment. Approximately 1,650 students in the Food Bank’s 34 county service area benefit from Kids Café.

The Kids BackPack program was created to provide nutritious food to eat over the weekend to children who are eligible for free and reduced meals at school. Through the program, kids get a backpack on Thursday

or Friday with enough food for six meals, including fresh fruit. In 2010-2011, students will take home 52,326 backpacks with enough food items for 757,000 meals.

Kids Summer Meals are for the 250,000 children in the Food Bank’s service area that are enrolled in free and reduced meal programs at school. The Food Bank works with its partners in rural and urban communities to establish sites that offer enrichment programs, like summer reading and activities, as well as breakfast and lunch, including fresh fruit.

Kids Days are monthly or bi-monthly hungereducationandvolunteer/communityservice opportunities offered at the Raleigh, Durham, and Greenville Branches. Kids Days present a unique opportunity for youth groups, faith communities, civic organizations, and corporations to educate children on hunger, providing child-friendly, hands-on projects like bagging rice or pasta, or sorting eggs. Approximately 2,000 children participate in Kids Days annually, many returning several times.

How You Can Make a DifferenceMary Esther Baker, Greenville Branch

development officer, works tirelessly to cultivate Food Bank donors and volunteers. She spends her days building relationships with those in the community that can donate food, donate time, and donate money. It is her tireless efforts, and those of the Regional Council Members and Board of Directors that keep bellies full in central and eastern North Carolina. “When I look around and I see what a rich community we live in…it’s hard for me to understand that there are people amongst us that go to bed hungry at night. I think by in large, the majority of people who are blessed not to have that experience are sensitive to and acknowledge that presence in our community and genuinely want to help,” said Baker.

Where your dollar goes...

“Serving the Food Bank provides an opportunity to reach out to the people in our community and help meet a basic need that so many of us take for granted each day,” said Philip Rogers. In this season of giving, consider making a gift of food, your time, or money to the Food Bank of Central &EasternNorthCarolina.Volunteeropportunities range from assisting at one of the warehouses, hosting a food drive, raising awareness about hunger as a speaker, assisting at a warehouse office, or as an agency site monitor. For more information and how you can make a difference in helping fight hunger, visit the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina’s Web site at foodbankcenc.org, call 919-875-0707, or contact the Food Bank in your area.

97% Food and Food Programs

3% Administration

and Fundraising

for every dollar donated, the food Bank of central & eastern north carolina is able to distribute generally

$8.00 worth of food, or provide four meals.

Repairing the WorldLee Holder ’83, ’87receives internationalaward for inspiring students to stand up against intolerance and hate

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 17

For North Lenoir High School history teacher lee Holder ’83, ’87, educating students on the past is his passion, but a chance meeting with Holocaust

survivor Gizelle Abramson in 1992 shifted his classroom focus. Rather than just educating students on the history of world events, he challenges students to live their lives in such a way that certain atrocities will never be repeated. As recipient of the 2010 Irena Sendler Award for “Repairing the World,” Holder is regarded as one of the world’s leading Holocaust educators—inspiring students to stand up against intolerance and hatred in all their forms.

A native of Kinston, North Carolina, Holder earned a bachelor’s in urban planning from ECU in 1983. “I started out completely lost as to what to major in,” recalled Holder. “Eventually, I realized it would be social studies or civic-related in one form or fashion and I thought about being a history teacher. Unfortunately, before I went to ECU, my high school guidance counselor talked me out of that—out of teaching all together. So, I ended up majoring in urban planning, but my drive to teach was so strong that after I graduated with one degree, I came back for a second dose.” Holder received his teacher certification for social studies in 1987.

“I think teachers are born and not made. I absolutely love working with students and seeing their enthusiasm when they learn something new…I know not everyone is going to be crazy about civics or history, but you hope that you can help them at least gain an appreciation for it,” said Holder. “I love what I do. When I can help my students be “upstanders” instead of bystanders and help them take charge of their own life and their own destiny, that’s my greatest reward.”

Holder’s approach to teaching is energetic and creative, as is he. His classroom at NLHS in LaGrange, North Carolina is filled with historic characters, maps, posters, artwork, movies, music, and any history book you can imagine. It’s a collection of treasures that he’s acquired over the years and uses to bring history to life. He teaches with vigor, walking back and forth from one side of the room to the other, using visual aids that leave indelible impressions. And he loves engaging students in conversations that intrigue them.

International travel is another way Holder gets high school students excited about the world we live in. “I really think they need to be exposed to different cultures and different ways of life. Don’t get me wrong, I love where I live, but we can sometimes be myopic in the way we look at the world and see it through eastern North Carolina lenses. The opportunity to see how things are done differently and learn different viewpoints and ideas…or even to see the other side—how other people view America—helps us shape the sort of people we want to be. Then when you come back, you love what you have more. I think you have a better appreciation for this country and what we have here.” Holder has taken students on international trips for 19 years. Although he wants students to enjoy themselves, he’s strict when it comes to what students are allowed to do when touring cities and historic places. “I’m one of those chaperones that doesn’t let students listen to iPods while we’re out. Hearing the environment in which we’re in is part of the experience.”

It was hearing a first-hand story about the horrors of the

Holder stands in Krakow’s Plac Bohaterow Getta square next to a bronze chair, one of 33 oversized and 37 regularly sized, that commemorates some 15,000 Krakow Jews who perished during the Holocaust.


Holocaust that truly turned the page in Holder’s teaching approach about historical genocide. “As a person that loves history [the Holocaust] was a natural draw for me. I went to a workshop on how to teach the Holocaust that the North Carolina Council on the Holocaust puts on. When we were there, I met Gizelle Abramson, who is a survivor of Majdanek death camp…I will never forget looking in her eyes as she talked about what she lived through. She woke up in a displaced person camp and for the first time in her life she saw an American uniform and somebody with black skin. He had walked over to her and picked her up. She had never seen an African-American before and she knew the uniform wasn’t German, so she felt a little safe. She was emaciated by then and he carried her over to the window and with his chin nodded to the American flag, which she sort of had seen before. He told her, ‘You’re free. You’re safe now,’” recalled Holder. “Hearing her story and knowing she felt safe because of America, I just knew I needed to be witness to her story.”

The Holocaust was always part of his curriculum for world history, U.S. history, World War II era, and European history classes, but teaching an entire class focused solely on the Holocaust was unheard of in North Carolina. In 2004, North Lenoir gave Holder permission to teach the Holocaust as an elective, one of the first, if not the first class of its kind in the state. He currently teaches two sections of the Holocaust and one section of Modern Genocide. Ten percent of the student body (approximately 100 students) is enrolled in the classes this academic year. Holder’s Holocaust class goes in-depth to the incremental steps of how the Holocaust happened and how easily it can happen again—even in America. “Genocide starts with someone being ‘the other,’ the one that’s excluded. Every day you see on the news horrible stories of bullying or name-calling or prejudice, and it’s a slippery slope from there to the point where you’re able to mistreat someone to the extreme. Look at our own country’s history of how Native Americans were treated, women, African Americans, handicapped people.

I’m not saying that every discrimination will lead to genocide, but it is one of the steps that gets you there. I incorporate all of these elements into the class.”

Holder’s dedication to educating students on the Holocaust is why he was awarded the 2010 Irena Sendler Award for “Repairing the World,” which is given to one American teacher and one Polish teacher annually. Sendler was a Polish gentile who was an administrator at the Warsaw Social Work Department during WWII. She made false documents for Jewish friends when the war started in 1939 and as the war escalated, Sendler and her network of helpers rescued people from the Warsaw Ghetto and placed them in hiding. Much of the rescue work took place in the summer of 1942 and Sendler used clandestine means to smuggle out children and some adults to safety. Sendler knew the value of family and buried the names of the rescued children along with their family names in glass jars around Warsaw—in the hope to reunite them after the war. Before her capture and torture by the Gestapo, Sendler rescued

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 19

2,500 Jews from being sent to death camps. Sadly, few of the children were ever reunited with their parents as the vast majority of the children’s families were exterminated at Treblinka. Sendler was to be executed for her crimes, but was released the night before after a member of her network bribed a guard. She stayed in hiding throughout the remainder of the war. The award that bears her name was created in 2006 and Sendler passed away at age 98 in 2008. A play called Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project documents Sendler’s heroic acts during WWII. “I still don’t quite believe it that I was given this award,” said Holder. “It’s a tremendous honor for me and great recognition for eastern North Carolina.”

Holder is just as much of a champion as Sendler was in his efforts to “repair the world.” Over the years he has been recognized with numerous teaching awards, including being named NLHS Teacher of the Year and Lenoir County Teacher of the Year, twice. He is a United States Holocaust Museum Fellow and Belfer Conference attendee and presenter; he is a member of the North Carolina Council on the Holocaust; and

an Appalachian State Symposium on the Holocaust scholarship attendee, as well as a teacher in residence for their summer symposium. Holder is also on the Leadership Team at NLHS and is the social studies department head. Through grants, donations, and gifts, Holder has created a lending library with 5,000 books,posters,DVDs,VHStapes,audiorecordings, artifacts, magazines, and teacher’s lesson resources that are available for students and teachers throughout North Carolina. ECU’s Dr. Michael Bassman, who is also a member of the North Carolina Council on the Holocaust, helped Holder secure funding to start the lending library. ECU’s Joyner Library also has extensive Holocaust resources for teachers and in 2007, Gizelle Abramson was a featured speaker during ECU’s Diversity Week.

Thanks to his East Carolina education, love of history, and passion for teaching topics that matter, North Carolina is home to an internationally recognized Holocaust educator. The students of North Lenoir High School are lucky to call him “Mr. Holder.”

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Holder with a group of North Lenoir High School students on a trip to England in 2007.

She Takes the Cake

PIRATEALUMNI.COM 21

“It was the ultimate ‘Hey, figure it out,’” said Taylor Ross ’99 of her appearance on Food Network’s Challenge. “Doing the challenge was a blast, but is was so much work,” recalled Ross, who recently competed with fellow Wilmington, North Carolina cake decorator Alison Meehan in the Walt Disney Beauty and the Beast cake Challenge. And what a challenge it was! This particular episode pitted four competitors and their assistants against each other to make delicious, elaborate cakes in the time allotted—only eight hours. Competitors were assigned a theme and had their proposed cake approved before the competition. “We were lucky to get our first choice, which was the candle Lumiére. He was the character I was most familiar with from the movie and I felt confident that I could recreate him.” It was only after many, many phone calls from Food Network and the encouragement of family and friends that Ross finally decided it was

time to showcase her talents on a national stage. But cake decorating wasn’t Ross’s first calling.

“I’ve always done art, so it was a no brainer that that’s was what I would go into. Looking at the in-state schools, there was no doubt ECU had the best art school so that was pretty much my reason for going to ECU—because of the phenomenal art department,” said Ross. “I’ve always painted, so that was my focus when I started taking art classes. Unfortunately, the painting classes filled up really quickly and I never seemed to be able to get into one. So I took my general college classes and the foundation art classes while still focused on painting. Then Linda Darty kind of intercepted me in my pursuit of painting and got me into metals. Basically, I got sidetracked with metal design and wound up with a metal degree.”

In her junior year, Ross was able to study abroad through direct exchange and

spent a year in Northern Ireland at the University of Ulster in Belfast, then went to the University of Leicester in Leicester, England for a semester. She took a semester off to travel and went to New Zealand, Australia, and other points of interest. Upon returning to North Carolina, Ross finished up her last classes at ECU, holed up in her studio, like many of her contemporaries. “I probably could have been on the moon and it wouldn’t have mattered because it seems like all I ever saw was the four walls of my studio,” laughed Ross.

After graduation, Ross was offered a job in Florida with a master goldsmith who had taught as a visiting professor at ECU. She served as an apprentice honing her jewelry-making craft, working with gold, silver, and copper, enameling, carving wax and casting metal, and setting stones. Ross stayed in Florida for two years, but soon found herself back in North

Taylor Ross ’99 takes her love for intricate design to make edible art

A sampling of Ross’s creative, beautiful cakes.


Carolina painting. “I painted anything and everything—hairbrushes, furniture, murals, canvases—anything that people would want to buy,” recalled Ross. “As an artist, you think ‘What can I make that people will buy?’”

It was this line of thinking that got her into wedding and theme cakes. “People are always getting married. It never goes out of style and they do it all over the country. People are always going to spend money

[on wedding cakes] whether they have it or not. The cake is the most creative part of the wedding industry, so that’s where the allure came from for me.” But how does one go from sculpting metal into meticulous, detailed works of art to creating edible art with flour, sugar, fondant, and

royal icing? “The idea of having something colorful and working on a design that is visually-friendly is just like any other art discipline, and building a sound structure that will hold the cake is actually very similar to metal work—where are the weak joints, where are the stressors—a lot of it is the same.”

Ross isn’t exactly sure where her interest in cakes sparked, but she was working in a restaurant at the time and asked the chef about wedding cakes and how someone could break into that business. He encouraged her to get into her kitchen and practice. So she did. Ross scoured the Internet for cake decorating tips and ideas, cake recipes, and tricks of the trade. She invested her money in supplies and recipe books, and her time in learning the basics. “In art school, they give you an assignment and don’t necessarily tell you how to complete it. They say, ‘we’ll see you next week.’ You’re left to figure out the steps to complete the project. I approached learning cake decorating that same way—I just

figured it out,” recalled Ross. For someone who didn’t really know

how to bake, determination was key to Ross becoming the sought after cake guru she is today. “When I told my family I was going to make wedding cakes, they asked me if I even knew how to bake. I knew how to cook, but I hadn’t had much experience with baking. I remember telling them, ‘I can read! How hard can it be to follow a recipe?’ Well, I ate my words. It was really hard. Baking is more like chemistry, but I just kept working at it.” Ross started out using recipes she found online or in cookbooks, but quickly learned to infuse her own taste to create sumptuous, delicious creations like wedding white cake with mixed berry butter cream, orange infused chocolate mud cake, almond marble cake with Kahlua (tastes just like tiramisu), and tart & tangy lemon head cake. Four years into her cake career, Ross’s signature selection is key lime pie cake. This cake is a spin on the old favorite and people love the flavor in the summer months because the citrus is so refreshing.

Sweet T’s Cakes, Ross’s business, is noted for intricate, detailed decorating. From elaborate piping to vibrant color to realistic figurines, Ross’s background in jewelry making makes her adept at creating cakes her clients will adore. “When brides come to me and say, ‘I’m not very creative, I don’t have a design in mind,’ I ask them to tell me about their wedding. I ask about their dress and usually they love their dress, so that’s a good starting point. They tell me about the details of their dress, like parts that sparkle, the drapes and the swags. I ask about their wedding stationery, about the china pattern they picked. There are so many design elements that go into a

Taylor’s Tips for

Cake Decorating

1. If you are going to cover a cake in fondant, stick the buttercream iced cake in the freezer for nine minutes first. This will set the buttercream so the fondant doesn’t crush it.

2. ALWAYS crumb coat your cake before you put any layer of buttercream on, even if you are going to then cover the cake in fondant. This step insures that no crumbs from the cake get into your buttercream coating.

3. If you are sculpting a cake, put the cake in the freezer first to firm it up and you will get a much cleaner cut line!

4. Run your metal spatula under hot water for a few moments before smoothing your buttercream cake for the last time. It will melt the butter and shortening just enough to make a super smooth finish.

5. Only put a very thin layer of buttercream under your fondant covering so you won’t get any sagging (picture saggy nylons at your ankles!). Always order good quality fondant and don’t settle for the product the sell at the craft store, you will turn all of your customers and friends off fondant for life! You don’t need to be a wholesaler or business owner to order good quality fondant over the Internet.

Ross holding her Food Network Challenge cake inspiration—Lumiére from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.

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PIRATEALUMNI.COM 23

wedding that can easily give a good direction for the cake.” Ross doesn’t limit her creativity to how others design wedding cakes. Yes, she finds inspiration in her colleagues’ work, but also looks at every day items like clothing, jewelry, and stationery patterns for ideas. “A lot of that has to do with my art school background. I was always looking for new ideas and ways to wow my professors. I think that was the whole idea that I got from art school—to think “out of the box” and be innovative. I don’t know if a lot of bakers do that. I mean, a lot of bakers try to be artistic, but when you’re artistic and you’re trying to be a baker, you come at it from a different direction,” said Ross.

It’s this creativity that caught Food Network’s attention. “I had a really good time competing. It was so much work, but it was well worth it,” said Ross. “I have never taken a cake class, so I felt really good when the Food Network contacted me for the show. It was such a nice pat on the back.” Ross and her assistant traveled to the High Noon Studios in Denver, Colorado in April to film the show, which aired in September. The team was allowed to bake their cakes in Wilmington and ship them to Denver. All other decorative pieces were made and cake assemblage took place during the taping, which lasted allday.Ross’scakewasbuiltaroundPVCpipe that stood five-and-a-half-feet-tall and featured the clock character Cogsworth and dancing dishware, along with Lumiére. As if filming in front of a live studio audience and competing for the $10,000 grand prize weren’t enough pressure, contestants were thrown a twist about halfway through the competition. They each had to answer a trivia question about Beauty and the Beast, then incorporate the answer into their design. Ross’s question was: What is Belle’s favorite pastime? Belle’s character loved to read, so adding a book to Ross’s design became another required element in the competition, along with the height requirement, matching the theme, and moving the cake in one piece to a presentation table.

No matter how well Ross felt she did in meeting the required elements, it was up to the judges to make the final decision on thewinner.Thefirstjudge,KerryVincentis an inductee in the International Cake Exploration Societé Hall of Fame and the Dessert Professional Hall of Fame. She commented to Ross during the judging, “The sugar god is smiling on you today because that thing should be on the ground.” Unfortunately, Ross’s cake was leaning. Judge Keegan Gerhard is former host of Challenge and is rated one of the nation’s top 10 pasty chefs of 2002 and 2004 by Chocolatier and Pastry Art & Design magazines. The final judge was Disney animator Dave Bossert. “I dreaded going in front of the judges,” recalled Ross. “It took me right back to being in school, having my artwork critiqued by my professors and classmates. They rip your work apart, but they also tell

you what’s great about it and that’s what you thrive on, that’s what makes you better.” Although the judges were tough on Ross, they were impressed with her ambitious design and her ability, despite not having any formal training.

Ross didn’t win the competition, but did well enough on the show for Food Network to invite her back. Ross and Meehan went back to Denver in November to compete in the pro wrestling cake challenge, which will likely air in March 2011. As a kick boxing instructor and Harley-Davidson rider, this

action-themed competition is right up Ross’s ally. “This is my comfort zone, it’s working with human figures and the human body, which is a lot of what I painted, so I’m feeling really good about this one.”

Best of luck to you, Taylor! Keep creating artistry through sugar.

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Ross with her Food Network Challenge assistant and fellow Wilmington baker Alison Meehan on the Challenge set.


It all started with a $3.00 pair of running shoes in 1978 and charlie futrell’s passion for running was born. he bought them from a bargain table at a discount warehouse and he hasn’t stopped running since. But futrell is more than just a runner, he’s a triathlete—he’s an Ironman!

a pIrate rememBers

Charlie Futrell ’42Now 90 years young, Futrell has been

passionate about athletics and physical fitness for most of his life. Born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama in 1920, Futrell was raised in Greenville, North Carolina, so it made sense for him to enroll at East Carolina Teachers College. (It helped that the ratio of girls to boys at ECTC at the time was 10:1.) He was captain of the baseball team and batted .404 during his senior year. He also played on the football team. Upon graduation, he received a degree in physical education and history. “I have so many memories of East Carolina. I grew up across the street and I think I was the first water boy the football team ever had,” said Futrell. “One of my fondest memories of attending ECTC is hitting my first homerun when we played Oak Ridge Military Academy.”

After graduating from East Carolina, Futrell enlisted in the United States Army Air Force (the precursor to today’s Air

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Force) and served 45 months active duty as a physical training instructor at the Bainbridge, Georgia Air Base. He was discharged in December 1945, and then attended UNC-Chapel Hill in 1946 where he played on the varsity baseball team. For his baseball talent, Futrell was recruited to the Coastal Plain League where he played for the Greenies.

By 1947, Futrell was back in touch with his Teachers College roots and was a high school coach in Laurel, Maryland. He coached all major sports, including soccer, which he had never played, and started the football program at Laurel High School in 1949. In 1955, his LHS football team was undefeated and ranked 7th among all high schools in the Washington, D.C. area. After more than a decade of coaching, Futrell headed back to the classroom where he taught U.S. History and physical education. His most famous student was an 8th grader named Sylvester Stallone. “He was a very aggressive fellow and could usually be found down in the weight room—even at age 13. Sylvester was the kind of guy that if there were 15 boys on the field and you threw a ball in the air and said ‘Whoever catches the ball will be the captain of the team,’ he’d come back with the ball,” recalled Futrell of the Rocky and Rambo star.

Futrell retired from teaching in 1976. Two years later he bought the running shoes—he was 58 years old. Always an athlete, Futrell was determined to be a successful runner. He entered his first road race, a 5K in Safety Harbor, Florida, in

1980. Futrell was pleased that he finished the race. Since that first race, Futrell has competed in more than 400 road races, varying in distance from 3.1 miles (5K) to 6.2 miles (10K) to 26.2 miles (marathon). “I’ve always been a competitive person. When I was in high school I think I was the slowest runner on the football team, but by my senior year at ECTC I couldn’t be outrun. I think that’s why I love running. I have a will to win. It’s great to be #1, it’s not so great to be #2.”

Training has been important to Futrell, not only for physical fitness, but also to excel in his sport. Lynn Edwards, a top senior female athlete, helped train Futrell in the mountains of western North Carolina. Jim Ward, another top senior athlete, trained Futrell in Florida. In 1985, at age 65, Futrell competed in his first triathlon, thanks to the encouragement of Jim Ward. One thing led to another, and by 1992, Futrell competed in his first Ironman World Championship event in Kailua Kona, Hawaii.

An Ironman Triathlon consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and 26.2-mile run. Competitors race the events in that specific order and must complete their attempt in 17 hours. Most Ironman Championships begin at 7:00 a.m. and allow 2 hours, 20 minutes for the swimming portion. Bike riding must be complete by 5:30 p.m. and the marathon finished by midnight. Competitors race without a break, as they have done since the competition’s inception in 1978. Intense heat, humidity, hills, and high

winds, as well as the distance—140.6 miles of continuous racing—characterize Ironman competitions. In the 1992 competition, Futrell placed 3rd in the world for his age group and 1st from the United States. From 1992-1997 he competed in six consecutive Ironman competitions, coming in 3rd in the world again in 1994. Futrell has competed in more than 100 triathlons and is a 17-time All-American Triathlete.

To train for each Ironman competition, Futrell dedicated 4-6 hours a day for six months prior to the event for preparation. “Competing in my first Ironman competition is my most memorable. I remember sprinting across the finish line and feeling such a thrill. It was a tremendous feeling to have raced 140.6 miles and to cross the finish line in 15 hours, 35 minutes, and 23 seconds,” said Futrell.

In 2005, USA Triathlon rated him the #1 senior triathlete for his age group in the country—an honor Futrell carried for the next two years. He was ranked #2 in 2008 and #3 in 2009. Futrell has been featured in a number of magazines and newspaper articles for his racing success, and in 1993 he was inducted into the East Carolina University Athletic Hall of Fame.

These days, Futrell competes in Olympic distance races (1-mile swim, 25-mile bike race, and 10K run, many of which he has won or placed as a top finisher) and Senior Games. Futrell’s biggest cheerleader was his wife of 62 years Peggy, who passed away in 2009. HelivesinTheVillages,Florida,andstillworks out six days a week for at least three hours a day. “I use fitness machines, I take a spinning class, I run on the treadmill, and I swim. On my days off, I always walk. It’s been a great life of sports for me.”

Some information for this article was taken from CharlieFutrell.com.

”“I have a will to win. It’s great to be #1, it’s not so great to be #2.

Listen to Charlie Futrell’s February 2008 A Pirate’s Life for Me! interview at PirateAlumni.com/apirateslifeforme

Futrell (bottom middle) and his teammates on the 1942 baseball team.


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er Most people are familiar with social

networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, but few people are fully aware of the benefits of using a professional networking site like LinkedIn to make connections with key people in their career field. LinkedIn sets itself apart from its larger competitors because rather than focusing on connecting socially through pictures and status updates, LinkedIn acts like an online resume with the intent to network with likeminded professionals. Additionally, unlike sites like Facebook or Myspace that encourages members to reach out to anyone, LinkedIn allows its members to be more selective on whom they allow into their network by requiring unknown contacts to be introduced by a mutual connection. Several additional features of LinkedIn that allow members to find hidden jobs, connect with key contacts, and conduct job research are highlighted below.

Promoting yourselfIt is common knowledge that many

employers will do a Google search on a prospective employee’s name as part of their screening process. The beauty about being a LinkedIn member is that the more you use LinkedIn, the higher your profile will show up when someone Googles your name (often even surpassing your Facebook profile), which gives a much better impression to potential employers rather than the possibility of seeing unflattering pictures. LinkedIn also has a space to highlight a personal Web site, Twitter page, and online portfolio. Additionally, LinkedIn has the capability to create a user-friendly Web address that can be posted on your resume and business cards in order to connect with potential employers and professionals you meet at conferences.

Ask and Answer QuestionsLinkedIn has a feature that allows its

members to ask job related questions and solicit answers from other professionals (similarly to Yahoo! Answers). By answering questions and sharing what you know, you are opening yourself up to making possible connections with key people in your field of interest.

Recommendations from Friends and Former EmployersIt is always a benefit to have people

speak on your behalf when searching for a job, and your LinkedIn profile will have a dedicated space for people to promote your excellent achievements!

company and Job Search Engine Often employers will post jobs to the

search engine on LinkedIn that will not be advertised in other places. Additionally, LinkedIn provides a service to search companies to gain invaluable information about the nature of the company and what it is like to work there. Researching the company and talking to employees can provide insight that can be very useful on the day of your interview.

Joining GroupsBy joining groups on LinkedIn you

not only expand your network but also add a bit of flair to your profile by showing what you are passionate about. Benefits of joining groups such as the East Carolina Alumni Association is a benefit to you because you are a member of a group that is dedicated to helping fellow Pirates, which will possibly help guide you to important connections and hidden positions.

The most important advice for someone who is just starting to use LinkedIn is to take full advantage of the services that it has to offer by completing your profile to 100% and making as many contacts with people you already know. By using LinkedIn to its full potential, it can help you leverage a new opportunity or new connections that may have been unknown otherwise. While sites like Facebook seem to be the gold standard in social networking sites, LinkedIn has created its own niche by providing a way for professionals to promote their business, keep in contact with others in their field, and find opportunities that may not always be advertised.

using linkedIn to tap into the hidden Job market

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ARTS &scIences

Dean White appoints three new department chairpersons

This fall, Dr. Alan R. White, dean of Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sci-ences, welcomed three department chairs to the college staff.

Dr. Jeffrey Johnson is the new chair of the Department of English. Dr. Gerry Pro-kopowicz was appointed full chair of the Department of History, and joining the College as the new chair of the Department of Mathematics is Dr. Johannes Hattingh.

“English, history, and mathematics are essential parts of the whole that comprise any college of arts and sciences,” said Dean White. “These core disciplines play a ma-jor role in supporting the basic foundations curriculum for every student at ECU, and therefore, I am extremely delighted and re-lieved that we have appointed three excel-lent candidates as chairs for these Harriot College departments. I think both the Col-lege and University will benefit from their contributions and expertise throughout the coming years.”

Johnson comes to ECU from North-ern Illinois Univer-sity where he spent the previous 10 years teaching English.

“The Department of English at ECU houses a wonderfully diverse and talented faculty and staff, and

as such, I am both delighted and humbled to be appointed as chair,” said Johnson. “I have every confidence that working in con-cert with my new colleagues, we can shape a bright future for the department and for our students.”

Prokopowicz, who came to ECU in 2003, is an associate professor of history and has held the posi-tion of Harriot Col-lege’s interim chair in the Department of History since 2007.

“It is a great honor to be asked to serve as chair of the History Department,” said Prokopowicz. “We have a very productive faculty, an en-

Dr. Jeffrey Johnson

thusiastic body of undergraduate majors, a growing master’s program, and the unique program in Maritime Studies. It’s an excit-ing time to be part of this department.”

Hattingh joins the College from Geor-gia State University, where he served as professor and gradu-ate director of math-ematics.

“I look forward to working with the dean’s office and the

department’s faculty,” said Hattingh. “The department already has excellent faculty, and with the necessary infusion of resources, I am confident that it will go from strong to stronger.”

professor, student receive award for excellence in U.s. army history writing

An East Carolina University history professor and a former graduate student have been honored by the Army Historical Foundation for outstanding achievements in writing on U.S. Army history.

Dr. Lawrence E. Babits, maritime and military history professor, and Joshua B. Howard ’04 received the book award in the categoryof Operational/BattleHistoryfortheir book Long, Obstinate, and Bloody: The Battle of Guilford Courthouse. This is the second book Babits and Howard have written together.

A nonprofit, tax-exempt organization, the Army Historical Foundation is dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of the American soldier. Its goal is to promote greater public appreciation for the contributions that America’s Army – Active, Reserve and National Guard – has made to the nation in 233 years of service. The Distinguished Writing Awards program was established in 1997 to recognize authors who make a significant contribution to the literature on U.S. Army history.

The foundation recognized Babits, Howard, and additional winners of the Distinguished Writing Awards at their 13th annual members’ meeting on June 13, held at the Army Navy Country Club inArlington,Virginia.BabitsandHowardreceived a plaque honoring the book and a $1,000 cash award to split.

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“This award really does mean something because it comes from military folk who happen to be historians, and I am very appreciative,” said Babits. “ It was a pleasure working with Josh, as we did when he was a student.”

FINE ARTS &communIcatIon

Ebendorf does it again

Robert Ebendorf, the Carol Grotnes Belk Distinguished Professor at East Carolina University’s School of Art and Design, has landed the state’s highest honor.

Governor Beverly Perdue and North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources Secretary Linda Carlisle presented the metals professor with the 2010 North Carolina Award in October, the highest civilian honor the state bestows.

“The North Carolina Award celebrates creativity and innovation, two values which sustain our economy, our culture, and our people,” said Perdue.

Created by the General Assembly in 1961, the North Carolina Awards have been presented annually since 1964. The award recognizes significant contributions to the state and nation in the fields of fine arts, literature, public service, and science.

The state recognized Ebendorf as a world-renowned artist and teacher. A leader in the studio jewelry movement since the early 1960s, his work can be found in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum in New York City, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Smithsonian Institution, the Mint Museum in Charlotte, and the Victoria Albert Museum in London.In addition to gold, silver, and bronze, unusual materials such as fossils, animal claws, or even soda pop pull tops find their way into his creations. Ebendorf was the recipient of a Fulbright Grant to study in Norway in 1963, and three years later, was awarded a Louis Comfort Tiffany Grant to work for Norway Silver Design. He holds a master’s degree in Fine Arts from the University of Kansas and was one of the founding members of the Society of North American Goldsmiths.

This award isn’t an isolated honor for the gentleman/scholar. Since 2004,Ebendorf has been inducted into the Metalsmiths Hall of Fame, named “master of the medium” by the Renwick Alliance

of the Smithsonian Institution, honored for leadership and achievement by New York City’s 92nd Street Y Art Center, and tapped to participate in the Smithsonian’s “Archives of American Art” oral history program.

A private collector gifted 25 examples of Ebendorf ’s work, including brooches, necklaces and a ring, to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. “I was pleasantly surprised to learn this,” said Ebendorf, whose works are held by 38 museums internationally.

His pieces include the rare—such as a 1972 necklace held by the Smithsonian American Art Museum, fabricated of silver, gold, ebony, amber, wood, ivory, bone and copper—as well as the whimsical—a mixed media necklace entitled Perfect Attendance featuring a headless doll adorned with found objects.

Recently, the Smithsonian, the Mint Museum of Craft + Design, and two other institutions have requested a bequest of his archives.

“After concluding the Oral History project (with the Smithsonian), I’m much more careful about correspondence and photographs,” Ebendorf explains. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the German jeweler Hermann Jünger sent Ebendorf black and white photos of reunited family members and pieces of the wall. “His son was living on the other side. Jünger said ‘Bob, as a Westerner I don’t think you’ve realized what’s taken place—loved ones are reunited and we’re heading toward happier times.’” Ebendorf made a piece of jewelry

with the wall shards. “These are the kinds of archives that become important in the decorative arts. How did the influence from the German jewelry movement collide with what was going on in American in the 1980s?”

When Ebendorf invited Jünger to exhibit in America, he estimated that 97 percent of the people who came to the opening lecture had never met the artist or seen a real piece. “They only knew him from a piece of paper, through a catalog. They would not have come without the archives,” Ebendorf said. “And all of a sudden these museums do care about my journey and how it fits within the American and global movement of body adornment.”

The Distinguished Professor is the youngest and founding member of the Society of American Goldsmiths. He curated and introduced the Lark Books project 1000 Rings.

When he’s not accepting awards, you can find him in a pair of overalls and a flannel shirt, surrounded by students in the metals studio at East Carolina University. In fact, that’s the first place you should seek him.

Robert Ebendorf

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HEAlTH &human performance

alumnus pledges $333,000 to establish first endowed distinguished professorship

The president of Wingate University pledged funding to establish the first endowed professorship at the College of Health and Human Performance at East Carolina University. Dr. Jerry E. McGee, who graduated from ECU in 1965, has pledged $333,000 to the University to establish the Jerry E. McGee Distinguished Professorship in the College of Health and Human Performance. This gift will qualify for state matching funds from the Distinguished Professors Endowment Trust Fund created by the N.C. General Assembly.

Dr. Glen Gilbert, dean of the College of Health and Human Performance, said of the donation, “We are deeply grateful to Jerry McGee for his generous commitment. This landmark donation will create a legacy that celebrates his inspiring history with the College and is especially promising in the current economic climate where competition to recruit exceptional faculty continues to increase. Like so many of ECU’s students, he embodies the American dream that determination and an education can make a bright future possible. He grew up with little or no financial resources and sometimes had to literally fight his way to and from school. A college education was only a distant dream.”

A first generation college student, McGee looked up to his East Carolina professors since they were some of the only people

he knew who had graduated from college. Among his fondest memories at ECU are the strong bonds he developed with faculty and peers. He was a member of the Phi Epsilon Kappa fraternity and affectionately recalls being a member of the successful 1963 varsity baseball team. Although he enjoyed sports, he also remembers spending many nights studying with fellow classmates such as Jimmie Grimsley, Charles Jenkins, and Jack Bobbitt who remained lifelong friends. As a student, McGee was especially close to Dr. Clint Strong and Coach Jack Boone. Strong demonstrated incredible patience and Boone hired McGee as the student director of intramural programs, the income from which allowed him to stay in school. “These two men inspired me to become a serious student and a better person,” McGee said.

McGee said he made the commitment to establish the professorship because the University changed the course of his life with the college degree he earned at ECU. “No matter how much money I contribute, I will never be able to repay ECU for what the institution did for my family,” McGee said. “All of our teachers were totally dedicated to giving us every opportunity to succeed at ECU and beyond.”

A native of Rockingham, McGee earned a bachelor’s degree from the College of Health and Human Performance in 1965 and holds a master’s degree from Appalachian State University and a doctorate from Nova University. In addition to his role at Wingate University, McGee also served in administrative roles at Gardner-Webb University, Meredith College, and Furman University.

He enjoyed officiating college football games for 36 years, working over 400 games, including three National Championship games. Also crediting his alma mater for developing this talent and skill, McGee said the first game he officiated was in the ECU intramural program. He joked that if you can successfully serve as an official in the fraternity championship game at ECU, you can handle the Rose Bowl.

In 2006, McGee received The Order of the Long Leaf Pine in recognition of his extraordinary service to the state of North Carolina and in 2008, ECU recognized him with the Outstanding Alumni Award. McGee has two sons who live in Charlotte, Ryan, a senior writer with ESPN The Magazine and Sam, who is a litigator and partner in

the firm of Jackson & McGee. McGee is married to Marcella McInnis of High Point.

JOyNERlIBrarY

The Robert L. Ghormley papers(Manuscript Collection #1153)The Special Collections Department at J.Y. Joyner Library is excited to note the acquisition of a large collection of research materials documenting the life of Vice Admiral Robert L. Ghormley.TheRobertL.GhormleyPapersdocumentViceAdmiral Ghormley’s life from his childhood and education in Tacoma, Washington and Moscow, Idaho, through his 40-year naval career, to his retirement, in Washington, D.C.

The collection contains very extensive documentation on both Ghormley’s naval career and his personal life, 1890-2008, including family correspondence, biographical and genealogical files, clippings and scrapbooks, writings, diaries and logs, dispatches, reports and orders, photographic prints and negatives, maps, printed forms, oversized materials including maps, posters and blueprints, and printed materials. The Ghormley Papers contain 5,757 items and include materials in English, Arabic, Danish, French, German, Swedish, and Turkish.

A member of the U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1906, Ghormley rose rapidly through naval ranks. As a lieutenant, he was in command of U.S. Naval Forces during the brief Nicaraguan Campaign of 1912. During World War I, he served as Flag Lieutenant toVice Admiral A.W.Grant,Commander of Battle Force One based in England. By 1929 he was Captain and in 1938 held the rank of Rear Admiral. From August 1939 to August 1940, Ghormley was Director of the War Plans Division in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations and later Assistant Chief of Naval Operations.

The most important parts of the collection relate to World War II. Promoted to Vice Admiral, Ghormleyserved as President Roosevelt’s Special Naval Observer to the American Embassy in London from August of 1940 to April of 1942. Ghormley’s secret reports helped convince FDR that Britain would maintain its independence and defeat the German

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“Blitz.” In April 1942, Roosevelt then named Ghormley Commander of all U.S. Forces in the South Pacific Area (SOPAC) where he planned and led the U.S. invasion of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands in August 1942.

In 1943-1944, Ghormley next served as Commander of the 14th Naval District and the Hawaiian Sea Frontier, where he maintained the flow of men and munitions to the fighting forces. From November 1944 through December 1945, Ghormley served as Commander of U.S. Naval Forces in Europe where he supervised the destruction of captured German naval forces and participated in the early stages of the military government of Germany. He participated in the Tripartite Conference of 1945. When he left Germany in December

1945, he had spent less than one month in the United States since August 1940.

Ghormley retired from the Navy in 1946 and returned to his home in Washington, D.C. He died in 1958 and lies buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Joyner Library acquired the papers of Vice Admiral Robert Lee Ghormleyfrom his son, Commander Robert Lee Ghormley, Jr. (USN-Ret.) on November 18, 2009. The Ghormley papers can be found in the East Carolina Manuscript Collection which contains nearly 1,800 collections of historical documentation including correspondence, diaries, business records, organizational records, church records, maps, genealogy notes, and photographs, plus some 210 original oral history memoirs.

Don’t Help the Enemy Number 51-9976 [ca. 1940, 1942]: woman surrounded by a sailor, ma-rine, and airman; text reads, “Keep mum she’s not so dumb! Careless talk costs lives.” Printed for H.M. Stationery Office by Greycaine, LTD., Watford and London. Number 51-9976. 10-1/2” x 15-1/2”. 1 item. 1 p. date: undated creator: Greycaine, LTD., Watford and London

at SixNewsWITN

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Mrs. Stuart P. Murphy, formerly lucy Stuart Parrish of the Class of 1937, shared the following memory regarding Amelia Earhart’s visit to ECTC in 1937:

Yes I was there. Yes, I remember!As a class assignment, I was to stand

at the head of the line and present Miss Earhart to those who came to hear her tell of her “Aviation Adventures.” I was quaking in my shoes to say the least. I knew only via a note given me ahead of time saying only that she would be wearing a brown taffeta formal which she had designed and made herself - (Yuck, I thought.) We’d have a boring evening. When I met her she was vivacious, charming, poised and beautiful!

She wore her evening gown, with grace and assurance! I was awestruck that she not only knew how to make a plane fly but she could also make a sewing machine fly,

and very successfully!She did not boast of her “Me Firsts,”

though she made many, but talked about the joy of flying, of piloting her own plane, of her devotion to her husband, of her joy of life and the possibility of service to all Mankind, offering that as a challenge to her audience.

She was well-received and was unforgettable. When she became lost, it was unconceivable that she could really have any problem -- just a matter of misreading a map, perhaps a dense fog -- anything but her really being lost. Even today, I often think she will just walk in with a smile and “What’s Up?”

myrtle Bass Hodges ’37 remembers that Amelia’s biggest fear was trying to balance a jello salad on her lap while flying.

Elizabeth Edwards cut hair at $.10 per person in order to raise the admission fee for the Amelia Earhart lecture and that she sat in the balcony.

Jewell cole Scott ’36 was a marshal in the Edgar Allan Poe Literary Society and remembers that Earhart encouraged all women to learn to fly.

Frances Belle Spainhour Hardee ’37 enjoyed seeing and hearing Amelia Earhart in January 1936 when I was a student there at East Carolina. I was inspired. We girls–women–were impressed by her.

Jimmy carr ’36 picked Amelia up at the Proctor Hotel and drove her to Wright Auditorium. “I was an honors student and served on the committee that chose entertainment. Amelia was very easy to talk to and was probably the biggest draw the school had up to that time.”

amelia Earhart Visits ECU

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PRESORTEDSTANDARDUS Postage

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Taylor-Slaughter Alumni Center901 East Fifth Street | East Carolina UniversityGreenville, NC 27858-4353

EVERY PIRATEIt takes EVERY PIRATE for East Carolina to reach new heights.

Your membership in the Alumni Association helps support

Alumni Scholarships, which help to retain deserving ECU

undergraduates who excel in the classroom and serve

the community. These students walk the same grounds

you did…sit in the same classrooms you once sat in…and

proudly proclaim their Pirate heritage as loudly as you do!

Become a member today. Impact students tomorrow.

800-ECU-GRAD PirateAlumni.com/jointoday

VIsIt PIratealumnI.com/eVeryPIrate to see why each of these students loVes ecu.

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the campus and the home environment.”Kenda Lewis ’12

Psychology majorKinston, NC

Documents

EC Alumni - Winter 2011