renaissance man - East Carolina Alumni Association

Transcription

alumni honored
Six individuals and one
group have received
honors from the Black
Alumni Chapter of the
Alumni Association.
A PIRATE REMEMBERS
Known as an exemplary
college football coach,
there’s more to Jerry
Tolley ’65, ’66 than just
a playbook.
Renaissance Man
TLC’s Patrick Brown ’87 is helping
homeowners across America.
the artist’s palette
Making children smile
comes naturally to
New York Times
Bestselling Illustrator
Mike Litwin ’01.
ation that
I want to thank you for the delightful 50th anniversary celebr
ed and
plann
well
so
you planned for our class of 1961. Everything was
be wearing
we felt so honored. I had no idea 50 years ago that I would
Leading
a gold robe and cap and be a part of the 2011 year graduation.
me.
the 2011 graduates into the ceremony was aweso
ates who
I felt that the events which you planned helped all ’61 gradu
n
Golde
the
into
ion
attended to bond together as a group. The induct
Being
us.
Alumni Society was so special. The meal before it was delicio
been made
shown around the campus to see the developments that have
on Friday
Hilton
the
at
dinner
through the years was so interesting. The
ries. It
memo
many
night was also delicious and special. We shared so
ntos that
was fun to autograph each other’s memory books. The meme
.
were given us are treasured. We all parted as a special group
e years.
Four of us at the event had been best friends during our colleg
our
We had been in each other’s wedding. Two of us will celebrate
50th
their
ate
celebr
will
50th wedding anniversaries this year. Two
had
we
since
anniversaries next year. It had been many, many years
was as if
seen each other although we had kept up with each other. It
we were young ladies again!
tic job
The young folks who served as our guides/assistants did a fantas
feel that
and they, too, made us all feel so special. They truly made us
great.
were
too,
s,
we were honored guest at all times. The bus driver
was
In short, I had an absolute ball, and that was a statement that
attend
didn’t
who
i
alumn
made by others at the reunion, too! Those ’61
missed a very special event.
Sincerely,
Charlotte Purifoy Whitford ’61
GOLDEN GRADS
Members of the Class of 1961 celebrated
their Golden Alumni Reunion by
ushering in the graduating Class of 2011
at spring commencement. Reunion
participants enjoyed two days of
activities designed specifically around
their 50th class reunion, including
campus tours, a special reunion dinner,
the annual Candlelight Ceremony, and
an archival presentation.
BLACK ALUMNI CHAPTER
Recognition
of Exceptional
Contributions
13
features
16
20
24
13 recognizing exceptional contributions
The Black Alumni Chapter of the East Carolina Alumni Association
has extended honors to six alumni and one group, the first recipients
of this new tradition.
16 renaissance man With drill and nail gun in hand, Patrick
Brown ’87 of TLC’s Home Made Simple is living his dream life and
helping homeowners, one show at a time.
20 the artist’s palette Mike Litwin’s ’01 colorful, exuberant
illustrations have earned recognition from The New York Times Best
Seller List and children throughout the country.
24 a pirate remembers
Legendary college football
coach Jerry Tolley ’65, ’66 reflects on his storied career, his time at
East Carolina, and life after retirement.
departments
on the cover
Patrick Brown ’87 of TLC smiles
as cameras roll for filming of an
episode of Home Made Simple.
Photo by Corey Lowenstein of the
News & Observer.
2
3
7
8
27
28
32
dear pirate nation
pirate connections
legislative matters
advancement update
career corner
around campus
a look back
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.
DEAR PIRATE NATION
Do you believe in magic? I am not talking about the
David Copperfield illusions or smoke and mirrors, but
true magic. You know, that spark, that instant when
something changes right in front of your eyes that you
did not expect. Those of us that love East Carolina
have all experienced it before…a last second Hail Mary
touchdown pass against Tulsa, life changing medical
devices like the SpeechEasy stuttering management device,
or the impact that our teachers have on young lives. When
these magical moments occur, they take your breath away,
leave you speechless, and at times, move you to emotion.
We recently experienced that magic again on campus during Commencement
Weekend. Your Alumni Association sponsored the Senior Salute Dinner on the
Mall, followed by the Senior Candlelight Ceremony, and for the first time we
honored our 50th Reunion Class at both of these events. The magic occurred
at the Candlelight Ceremony when we sang the praises of the Class of 1961
reunion participants and they received an enthusiastic ovation from the hundreds
of graduating seniors that had gathered. The reunion participants were moved by
the warmth of their fellow Pirates. As the ceremony progressed, the Class of 1961
lit their candles first and then passed the torch to the graduating class of 2011.
You could see the Class of 2011 members suddenly realize that they were part of
something much bigger than their specific class, they realized that they are now
connected to generations of graduates that share the common bond of walking
these hallowed grounds, studying in the same buildings, and living in the same halls.
The Pirate Nation became more than just a cool moniker to define our spirit, it
became real.
Pirates of all generations are connected; those of us that are here today are here
because of the accomplishments and sacrifices of those that came before us. As
we celebrate with the Class of 2011 on their great accomplishment, let us also
remember that our Pirate heritage of service, hard work, and loyalty has been
forged by 100 years of proud graduates. Do you believe in magic? The Classes of
1961 and 2011 do.
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. Clifford
PRESIDENT AND CEO
Monique Best
ACCOUNTING TECHNICIAN
Stephanie Bunn
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ALUMNI PROGRAMS
Emily Adkins ’08
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ALUMNI PROGRAMS
Candi High ’97
ACCOUNTANT
Tanya Kern ’02
DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI PROGRAMS
Betsy Rabon ’86
ALUMNI CENTER COORDINATOR
Doug Smith ’00, ’07
DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI
COMMUNICATIONS & MEMBERSHIP
Jennifer Watson
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR
ALUMNI COMMUNICATIONS
Chris Williams ’01
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ALUMNI MEMBERSHIP
GO PIRATES!!!
ALUMNI
Paul J. Clifford
President & CEO
East Carolina Alumni Association
In
Memoriam
Vol. 4, No. 3
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.
©2011 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]
Alumni Association Board Member Emeritus Yvonne
Pearce ’82 passed away on April 16, 2011 at the age
of 59. A long-time member of the Board of Directors,
Yvonne was a dedicated volunteer and loyal alumna.
She will be greatly missed.
2 EC ALUMNI SUMMER 2011
Send change of address to:
Taylor-Slaughter Alumni Center
901 East Fifth Street
Greenville, NC 27858
EC Alumni is paid for with non-state funds.
Every summer the Alumni Association
hosts Freshmen Sendoffs, summer outings
held in local parks, popular restaurants, or
alumni homes, to “send” incoming ECU
freshmen on their way and wish them well.
These events are terrific opportunities for
alumni in the area to make a connection
with students and new Pirate families
and share about their ECU experience.
Freshmen Sendoffs will take place in the
following locations:
• June 26 – Tidewater VA region
• June 27 – Richmond, VA
• June 30 – Beaufort, NC
• July 8 – Fayetteville, NC
• July 9 – Raleigh, NC
• July 11 – Wilmington, NC
• July 14 – Triad NC region
• July 15 – Charlotte, NC
• July 23 – NY Metro
• July 24 – Cherry Hill, NJ
• July 27 – Raleigh, NC
• July 30 – Nags Head, NC
• August 6 – Washington, D.C. Metro
The Robert H. Wright Alumni Leadership
Award is the most prestigious award
given to graduating seniors, recognizing
academic achievement, service, and
leadership qualities. The 2011 recipients
exemplify those special characteristics that
cause them to be recognized as those who
will make a difference in their respective
professions and communities. In addition
to many other accomplishments, this
year’s recipients had an overall academic
average of 4.0. The 2011 Robert H.
Wright Alumni Leadership recipients are:
• Brittany Leigh Carr, a double major
in biology and Asian studies from
Mount Olive, NC
• Deepak Ravindranathan, a double
major in biochemistry and chemistry
from Calabash, NC
• Parteek Singla, a biology major and
international studies minor from
Greenville, NC
• Anna Elizabeth Smith, a biomedical
engineering major from Oakboro, NC
Freshmen Sendoffs are free for incoming
freshmen and children 10 and under, and To read more about these accomplished
$15.00 per person for other attendees. students and their future plans, visit
For more details and to register, visit PirateAlumni.com/wrightaward.
PirateAlumni.com/freshmensendoffs or call the
Alumni Association at 800-ECU-GRAD.
Alumni Tailgate
presented by dowdy student stores
Football season is just around the corner
and that means it’s time to tailgate!
Join the Alumni Association’s familyfriendly tailgate for great food, Pirate
beverages, entertainment, children’s
activities, and fantastic ECU door prizes.
Alumni Tailgate is $10.00 per person
for Alumni Association members
and $25.00 for non-members.
Children 12 and under are
free of charge. Alumni
Tailgate begins twoand-a-half
hours
prior to kickoff and is
held outside Gate 1 of Minges Coliseum
at ECU’s Athletic Complex.
Tickets go on sale to Alumni Association
members on Monday, July 11. If
Home Tailgates
September 10
Virginia Tech
September 24
UAB
October 1
UNC-Chapel Hill
October 29
Tulane
pirate CONNECTIONS
Welcome Class of 2015 at Four graduates receive
a summer outing
Robert H. Wright
Leadership Award
November 5
Southern Miss
November 19
UCF
PIRATEALUMNI.COM 3
PIRATE CONNECTIONS
VIEWING
PARTIES
tickets are still available, non-members can
purchase tickets beginning Monday, August
1. If you are not a member of the Alumni
Association, join today to take advantage
of member pricing for this season. Visit
PirateAlumni.com/jointoday or call the Alumni Watch the Gridiron Pirates
Association at 800-ECU-GRAD.
on the big screen
Thank you to our generous Alumni
Tailgate sponsors: Dowdy Student Stores,
Liberty Mutual, Coca-Cola Bottling Corp.,
Mutual Distributing, Occasions Party and
Tent Rentals, RA Jeffreys Distributing, and
WITN.
Can’t make it to Greenville for the big game?
Then join fellow alumni and Pirate fans
this fall at your favorite watering hole for a
viewing party. When the Pirates’ games are
televised, enthusiastic fans love to gather
to cheer the team to victory. Watch for
details about viewing parties in your area
through e-mail and on regional Facebook
Away Game Tailgates
pages. If you are interested in planning a
Join the Alumni Association and the Pirate viewing party in your area, contact Director
Club when the Gridiron Pirates go on of Alumni Programs Tanya L. Kern ’02 at
the road. Away game tailgates are $25.00 [email protected].
per person and include great food, Pirate
beverages, and terrific door prizes. Children Support the Alumni
12 and under are free.
Association’s scholarship
program
• September 3 – vs. South Carolina
[in Charlotte, N.C.]
• October 8 – vs. Houston
• October 22 – vs. Navy
There are many ways you can support the
Alumni Association’s scholarship program.
Thanks to the generosity of alumni
and friends, as well as area and regional
businesses, the Alumni Association has
awarded 134 scholarships over the past six
years. Here are a few ways you can support
the scholarship program:
• Do you have a service or item that
would do well at an auction? Items
are currently being collected for the
Pirate’s Bounty Scholarship Auction,
which will be held at the Hilton
Greenville on Thursday, September
29. Those who contribute an auction
item will receive two complimentary
auction tickets and listing in the
program.
• Spend the day on the links with fellow
Pirates on Friday, September 30 at the
ECU Scholarship Classic at Ironwood
Golf and Country Club. Gather a
team of four and play for student
scholarships.
• Sponsorship opportunities are
available for the auction and golf
tournament. Get your business name
in front of ECU alumni and friends.
ALuMNI ASSOCIATION Board of Directors
Carl Davis ’73, Chair
Diane Davis Ashe ’83, ’85
Michael McShane ’66
Celebration, FL
Alexandria, VA
Sabrina Bengel
Doug Morgan ’88
New Bern, NC
South Riding, VA
William Burnette ’96
Steve Morrisette ’69
Virginia Beach, VA
Richmond, VA
Rick Conaway ’68
Angela Moss ’97, ’98
Chesapeake, VA
Raleigh, NC
Justin Conrad ’96
Glenda Palmer-Moultrie ’79
Greensboro, NC
Derwood, MD
Raleigh, NC
Tarrick Cox ’96, ’07
Brenda Myrick ’92
Greenville, NC
Arlington, VA
Garry Dudley ’92
Greenville, NC
Jim Newman Jr. ’68, ’74
Chesterfield, VA
Charlotte, NC
Melanie Holden ’79
Raleigh, NC
Linda Lynn Tripp ’80, ’81
Raleigh, NC
Elon, NC
Wesley Johnson ’85
Greenville, NC
Emeritus Members:
Winston-Salem, NC
Powder Springs, GA
Pat Lane ’67
Virgil Clark ’50
Chocowinity, NC
Greenville, NC
Harry Stubbs ’74, ’77, Vice Chair
Adrian Cullin ’04, Treasurer
Joanie Tolley ’65, Secretary
Ernest Logemann ’68, Past Chair
Paul J. Clifford, President and CEO
Greenville, NC
Charlie Martin Jr. ’68
Dave Englert ’75
Greenville, NC
Norfolk, VA
Marian McLawhorn ’67, ’88, ’97
Yvonne Pearce ’82 (deceased)
Grifton, NC
Greenville, NC
PIRATE CONNECTIONS
These scholarship events take place the Thursday and Friday before Fall Events
ECU’s game against UNC-Chapel Hill. Come to Greenville early Save the Dates for exciting fall events at ECU and in Greenville
to participate and make a difference in a student’s life! Contact
Tanya L. Kern at [email protected] or 800-ECUPirate’s Bounty Scholarship Auction
GRAD by July 29 to donate to the auction, play in the golf
September 29 • Hilton Greenville
tournament, or become a sponsor.
September 30
The Alumni Association is proud to offer Alumni Networking
Events for alumni and friends of East Carolina who are interested
in networking, exceling in their careers, and renewing their
connection with ECU. Alumni Networking Events will be offered
in a number of cities, and formats will include speed networking
in a facilitated environment, featured alumni speakers, and casual
networking receptions, among others. Join alumni and friends in
Wilmington, Raleigh, Greenville, and other locations throughout
the summer and fall. Attendees will have an opportunity to
distribute business cards and Alumni Association members could
win an ECU door prize. Registration costs vary based on location
but typically include refreshments.
ECU Alumni Scholarship Classic
golf tournament
Ironwood Golf and Country Club
October 28
Alumni Awards Ceremony and Dinner
Hilton Greenville
October 28-29
Homecoming 2011: Pee Dee Goes to Hollywood
Look for complete details in the fall issues of EC Alumni and East
magazines.
Visit PirateAlumni.com/networkingevents or call 800-ECU-GRAD for
specific location details and to register. Want to suggest a location
for alumni networking? E-mail Assistant Director of Alumni
Programs Stephanie Bunn at [email protected].
Pirate Voyages
Like a jewel box fashioned by Fabergé, St.
Petersburg is a masterpiece of design and
ingenuity, a magical tapestry of vibrant colors
framed by sparkling water. The days of the
czars may be long over, but a vivid record of
their glory and aesthetic influence lives on in
this fabled city. It was the vision of Peter the
Great to build a Russian capital that would
rival the great cities of Europe. Through
three centuries of strife, St. Petersburg has
reigned like a charming, flamboyant monarch—defiantly opulent,
extravagantly colorful, and altogether irresistible. This cruise sets sail
on October 16 and returns to port on October 24.
Pirate Voyages provide opportunities for alumni to cultivate their
passion for learning through travel. The Alumni Association has
partnered with AHI Travel and Go Next to offer you these special
opportunities to travel the world with fellow Pirates at affordable
rates. Visit PirateAlumni.com/piratevoyages for specific trip information
or call 800-842-9023 and ask about the East Carolina Alumni
Association St. Petersburg: The Cultural Season trip.
Registered National Historic Places
Located directly across From the
campus of East Carolina University
Proud to be the Official Inn of the
Offering Special Rates for Alumni Association Members
1105 East 5th St.
Greenville
355-0699
the5thstreetinn.com
PIRATEALUMNI.COM 5
East Carolina alumni are making a difference for North Carolina
Larry Bell ’85 (Dem.)
NC House of Representatives
300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 606
Raleigh, NC 27603-5925
919-733-5863
[email protected]
District 21 – Sampson, Wayne
Rayne Brown ’75 (Rep.)
919-733-0873
[email protected]
District 81 – Davidson
Stephen LaRoque ’85, ’93 (Rep.)
919-715-3017
[email protected]
District 10 – Greene, Lenoir, Wayne
Marian McLawhorn ’67, ’88, ’97 (Dem.)
16 W. Jones Street, Room 1217
919-733-5757
[email protected]
District 9 – Pitt
Jean Preston ’57 (Rep.)
NC Senate
919-733-5706
[email protected]
District 2 – Carteret, Craven, Pamlico
Edith Warren ’60, ’73 (Dem.)
16 W. Jones Street, Room 1323
919-715-3023
[email protected]
District 8 – Martin, Pitt
LEGISLATIVE MATTERS
Every East Carolina alumnus/na can be an advocate for East Carolina University. Those
who serve in the North Carolina General Assembly are particularly poised to champion the
University among their constituents and fellow legislators. As elected officials, these East
Carolina graduates have a special interest in seeing the University excel and positioning
its legislative initiatives to the forefront of Senate and House f loors. Help East Carolina
University prosper by letting your voice be heard to elected officials.
PIRATEALUMNI.COM 7
ADVANCEMENT UPDATE
Second Century Campaign
continues through December 31
New scholarships and professorships,
updated facilities, more research and
outreach projects, and increased resources
for the University’s centers and institutes.
Since its beginning in 2004, East Carolina
University’s Second Century Campaign $202,090,986
(as of May 17, 2011)
has supported nearly every aspect of the
University. After reaching its initial $200
million goal in May, ECU will push forward
through December 31 to meet additional
program needs.
“This represents another important
milestone in the history of East Carolina
University,” said Vice Chancellor for
University Advancement Mickey Dowdy.
“Your generous support of ECU and the
Second Century Campaign have already
touched thousands of students and reached
most every area of the University. However,
this is only the beginning of our goal to harness the University’s full philanthropic potential
to meet the many additional priorities that have surfaced since the campaign began.”
Private contributions to ECU are extremely important in this era of declining state support.
“Gifts to the Second Century Campaign and ECU 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 truly make a difference at ECU.”
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.
Support of colleges, schools,
departments, centers, and institutes
$54,032,293
Distinguished professorships and lectureships
$14,761,230
Scholarships
$24,720,463
Research, education, and outreach
(Corporate / Foundation grants)
$37,223,000
Capital projects
$5,200,000
Total academic program support
Athletics (scholarships, endowments, facilities)
$135,936,986
$66,154,000
CAMPAIGN TOTAL $202,090,986
(as of 3/31/2011) 101.1% of GOAL!
Deferred gifts (included in total above)
$26,337,000
ADVANCEMENT UPDATE
Women’s Roundtable Spotlight:
Mary Plybon ’71
With a love for her native Pitt County and a
drive to give back to the area that means so
much to her, Mary Plybon’s dedication to
eastern North Carolina and her alma mater
East Carolina University is contagious.
After spending part of her childhood and
graduating from high school in Raleigh,
Plybon ’71 had no doubt that she would
return to her Greenville roots to attend
East Carolina University. She attributes her
family’s love of eastern North Carolina to
the strong bonds they have with the people
in the area and the legacy of Pirates in her
family—both of Plybon’s parents attended
East Carolina.
“My dad attended [ECU] when it was
known as East Carolina Teachers College,”
said Plybon. “He grew up near Tarboro on
a tobacco farm and was the first boy in his
family to attend college.”
Plybon studied social work as an
undergraduate and said she was attracted to
this field of work because of her childhood
during the 1960s.
“I grew up with John F. Kennedy and the
mentality of, ‘ask what you can do for your
country,’” she said, “I’m drawn to people
who need a hand up not a hand out, and
when you’ve been given a lot, you should
give back.”
Plybon watched a monumental event in
ECU’s history play out during her freshman
year. In 1967, ECU was still known as East
Carolina College and was seeking university
status, and there was a tense debate about
whether East Carolina College would
become East Carolina University. Plybon
remembers the commotion surrounding
the issue.
“I was one of the students at Chancellor
Jenkins’ house, just watching and waiting
for the approval from the N.C. Legislature.”
she said.
Plybon witnessed that historic approval
and has since marveled at ECU’s impressive
growth over her lifetime. She is excited about
the new medical, dental, and engineering
schools that ECU boasts, but most of all,
she admires ECU’s commitment to provide
opportunities to all.
“I like that ECU has continued to give
people a chance. ECU offers access and
honor scholarships, and I hope it always
keeps that in balance,” she said. “ECU
wants the best of the best, but it also
gives people the opportunity to reach that
potential.”
After graduating in 1971, Plybon’s
first job was a position with Carteret
County Department of Social Services.
Her job focused on helping older adults
“keep afloat” so they did not have to be
institutionalized.
“It was a hard job emotionally, and I had
to learn to leave it at work,” Plybon said.
“I had to try to find a balance in life, like
anything else.”
Plybon was also part of a group who
pioneered an adult day-care program. It was
a novel program for its time and it was a
hard concept for many to accept, but her
team pushed through.
Plybon and her husband have become
involved with many areas across ECU,
from athletics to academics. She has served
on the Board of Visitors and her husband
Bob serves on the ECU Foundation Board
of Directors. The Plybons are passionate
about philanthropy and are grateful they
have the opportunity to give back. Mary
Plybon is now beginning her duties in her
new position as the Women’s Roundtable
chair.
The Women’s Roundtable was founded
in 2003 and is a group of women dedicated
to acknowledging the contributions of
women to ECU’s legacy. The organization
encourages new levels of leadership,
philanthropy, and commitment by women
to the University’s future.
Since its inception, the Women’s
Roundtable has hosted several events
that have raised thousands of dollars for
prospective ECU students. Plybon has
loved her experience as a member and said
it has been a way for many of her friends
to reconnect with the Pirate community.
She is also grateful that she has been able to
witness the evolution of the organization
firsthand.
“We didn’t foresee what the Women’s
Roundtable was going to evolve into, but
we recognized the talent and commitment
of ECU women graduates; we knew they
wanted and deserved to have an active role
in the University. The Women’s Roundtable
was an excellent way to get the process
started,” Plybon said.
She is excited about her new role and is
ready to continue the Women’s Roundtable
mission and wants to help “identify women
in a variety of fields that are doing really
good work.”
She wants to reconnect with more ECU
graduates in all walks of life, emphasizing
young graduates that have recently entered
the working world. “We want them to
know that there is a place for them at the
table and in the Pirate community.”
Plybon also strongly believes that
taking the time to ask people is the key to
creating authentic involvement. “Everyone
gets caught up in their day-to-day lives,”
she said. “Unless someone gives you a call,
you’re not as likely to join something until
there is personal involvement.”
Plybon encourages Pirates to never lose
sight of what they learned at East Carolina
and to always remember the sense of
community they feel when they walk onto
campus. “Obviously, all ECU graduates
do not stay in eastern North Carolina or
even in North Carolina,” Plybon said, “but
I guarantee you they take what they learned
at ECU and make wherever they land a
better place.”
For more information about how you can
become a part of the Women’s Roundtable
at East Carolina University, contact
Marcy Romary, senior major gifts officer
and director of women’s philanthropy, at
252-328-9580 or [email protected].
Visit the Women’s Roundtable on the
Web at www.ecu.edu/womensroundtable or on
Facebook!
PIRATEALUMNI.COM 9
ADVANCEMENT UPDATE
Louise Burevitch
supports “adopted”
alma mater
Louise Burevitch is not quite an alumna of ECU, but she is one of
its strongest supporters.
Often, the biggest supporters of East Carolina University are
not alumni, but people who see the impact ECU has on eastern
North Carolina, its citizens and beyond, and want to be a part
of it. Often, these people realize that ECU will be made better
with the support of alumni and friends alike, for scholarships for
students, professorships for faculty support, college, school, and
program support, contributions to help improve facilities, and a
myriad of other things.
Burevitch, the second largest donor to ECU’s College of Allied
Health Sciences, is a prime example of how friends of ECU can
have a tremendous impact on the University.
Born in Badin, North Carolina, Burevitch and her family moved
to Wilmington, North Carolina, where she grew up. When she
started attending East Carolina in 1935, Burevitch was doing so
because her mother, a teacher, attended East Carolina and wanted
Burevitch to follow in her footsteps. But Burevitch had other plans.
“I always wanted to be at home,” she said.
She spent a few months at ECU, but quickly realized she was
too homesick to stay. Instead, she met Arthur Oriole, corresponded
with him for one year, and got married. Soon after, they moved to
New York, where they lived for ten years.
Oriole was in the Army during World War II, but never had to
go overseas. After the war was over, they saw Europe, traveling to
Switzerland, France, and Italy, among other places, and traveled all
over the U.S.
Later, they moved back to Wilmington, where Oriole worked
as a stockbroker. “The stock market was good in those days,”
Burevitch said. Then tragedy struck and Oriole died of a massive
heart attack at the young age of 49. “We had a happy, good
marriage,” said Burevitch. “We were together most of the time.”
After Oriole’s death, Burevitch decided to contribute to the
charities and organizations that meant something to her, and
ECU’s College of Allied Health Sciences has been one beneficiary
of her incredible generosity.
“She thought about what charities had an impact on her,” said
Rosalind Cooper, a friend of Burevitch and her investment adviser. “She
always remembered going to ECU, and she chose healthcare because
nurses and health care providers are an important part of her life.”
Through her generosity, Burevitch has created three scholarship
programs in the College—the Louise O. Burevitch Endowed
Scholarship in Health Services Management, the Louise O.
Burevitch Scholarship in Occupational Therapy, and the Louise O.
Burevitch Scholarship in Physician Assistant Studies.
At 94 years old, Burevitch still lives alone with no help, still
drives, and is still very active in her community. “She’s a wonderful
lady and people adore her,” Cooper said. Now, the love of her life
is her dog Jake, a shih-tzu that is her constant companion. “Boy do
I love him,” Burevitch said. “We have a good life together.”
Contributions such as Burevitch’s are vital to ECU and the
College of Allied Health Sciences. In this era of declining state
support, private support means more than ever for students,
faculty, staff, and programs in each and every one of ECU’s
colleges, schools, and programs.
“As we reach the initial dollar target of the $200 million
Second Century Campaign,” said Mickey Dowdy, vice chancellor
for university advancement, “we cannot lose our focus or
determination to accomplish our strategic goals. We are extremely
grateful for Louise Burevitch’s support of the College of Allied
Health Sciences and encourage everyone connected to ECU in
any way to consider supporting the University and its impact on
eastern North Carolina and the state as a whole.”
One of many colleges and schools at ECU that need your
support, the College of Allied Health Sciences was established in
1967 in response to the growing need for healthcare professionals
and services in eastern North Carolina and the state. The College
offers an array of bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs
in biostatistics, clinical laboratory science, communication sciences
and disorders, health services and information, management/
community health, occupational therapy, physical therapy,
physician assistant studies, and rehabilitation studies.
“In 2011, we can meet and surpass our goal for the Second
Century Campaign,” said Dowdy. “It is only through the staunch
support of donors like Louise Burevitch that we have gotten this
far, and we will only accomplish our immediate and future goals
with the support of everyone who loves ECU.”
For more information about how you can contribute to the
Second Century Campaign, visit www.ecu.edu/devt or call University
Advancement at 252-328-9550.
ADVANCEMENT UPDATE
Inside ECU with the Women’s Roundtable
Thanks to everyone that participated in the first Inside ECU in April 2011. It was a great two days for the Women’s Roundtable.
Attendees visited the Colleges of Allied Health Sciences and Nursing, Joyner Library, and Hospitality Management, got an insider’s
look at Athletics and had breakfast at the Chancellor’s residence.
Breakfast at the Chancellor’s Residence (top left),
Hospitality Management (top right), Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium
(bottom left), and Health Sciences (bottom right).
It’s our time!
Each alumnus has the opportunity to leave
their legacy and shape the future of East
Carolina University.
Planned gifts are among the most convenient and tax advantageous
ways to leave your legacy and shape the future of ECU. These gifts,
which can reduce estate, capital gains and income taxes include:
Testamentary gifts (relinquish no assets during the donor’s lifetime):
•
Bequest provisions in your will
•
Beneficiary designation in your 401(k), 403(b), and IRA
retirement accounts
•
Gifts of life insurance
•
Gifts of real estate
Revenue producing gifts:
•
Charitable Gift Annuities—funded by appreciated assets
•
Charitable Remainder Trusts—funded by appreciated assets
For more information about your planned giving options and how
you can leave your legacy at East Carolina University, contact
Greg Abeyounis, assistant vice chancellor for development, at
(252) 328-9573 or [email protected].
Tomorrow starts here.
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BLACK ALUMNI CHAPTER
Recognition of Exceptional Contributions
For the first time, the East Carolina Alumni Association’s Black Alumni Chapter recognized six individuals and one group with
honors. This distinction pays tribute to alumni who have made exceptional contributions to East Carolina University and their local
communities. Eligibility for acclaim is limited to those who have received a degree from the University, are currently enrolled at
the University, or for a charted student club or organization. Honorees should have noted volunteer work and community service,
accomplishments in their career field, and should adhere to conduct that would cause the University to be proud to present recipients
as role models for students and other alumni.
Eta Nu Chapter of Alpha Phi
Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. was
founded in 1906 at Cornell University.
Locally, the Eta Nu Chapter was founded
at East Carolina in 1971 and was the first
African American fraternity established
at ECU. Members of the group are
known as “Alphas” and their motto is
“First of All, Servants of All, We Shall
Transcend All.” Their colors are black and
old gold, and famous alumni members
include Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Jackie
Robinson, Lionel Richie, Kennan Ivory
Wayans, and Duke Ellington. Fraternity
brothers volunteer with Big Brothers Big
Sisters of America, March of Dimes, and
Boy Scouts of America. The fraternity
develops leaders, promotes brotherhood
and academic excellence, while providing
service and advocacy for its communities.
As the director of ECU’s School of
Social Work in the College of Human
Ecology, Dr. Shelia G. Bunch ’76 ensures
that BSW and MSW faculty are providing
top-notch education for social work majors.
Bunch also works directly with students as a
professor in the school. Personal knowledge
and experience in the field give Bunch an
edge as a teacher and administrator. She
has career experience as a social worker and
case manager, having worked with pediatric
and newborn patients, persons with mental
handicaps, and elderly patients. Bunch
has been an adjunct professor, lecturer,
instructor, assistant professor, and associate
professor at East Carolina before taking
her current post. Bunch is a published
researcher, with articles having appeared in
nearly 20 journals and books. Throughout
her career, Bunch has also given numerous
presentations on varied topics, including
domestic violence, child abuse, racism,
and diversity. In 2007, Bunch was named
an ECU Woman of Distinction. She is a
member of the Council of Social Work
Education, Bachelors Program Directors,
and the National Association of Social
Workers.
James D.
Corbett ’85 is the
founder and pastor
of Community
Christian Church
in Greenville,
North Carolina.
After many years
of service in the
United States Army
and a new spiritual beginning, Corbett felt
the call of ministry. He and wife Delores
established Community Christian Church
in 1982. Corbett believes in ministering to
the whole person: spirit, soul, and body. He
ministers practical teachings of the Word
of God, through men, women, singles
fellowships, seminars, crusades, newsletters,
daily television and radio broadcasts,
teaching tapes, and supplementary books.
Community Christian Church is also
home to Community Christian Academy,
a kindergarten through 12th grade private
Christian school that emphasizes academic
and spiritual excellence. Established in
1995 for students in Greenville and eastern
North Carolina, CCA is a fully accredited,
non-denominational, non-profit school. The
church also offers the Community Christian
Child Development Center, which assists
parents in the growth and development of
their children in a Christian environment.
Before receiving a degree in accounting
from East Carolina, Corbett was a two-time
honor graduate at Pitt Community College.
He received his divinity degree from World
Christian Council in Fresno, California.
PIRATEALUMNI.COM 13
Derval Hamilton is a junior exercise
physiology major from Hickory, North
Carolina. Hamilton is making the most
of his East Carolina student experience
through involvement with a number of
organizations. He is president of Circle
K International and also served as its
secretary. Hamilton has been active in
Student Government, Phi Theta Kappa
Honor Society, the Campus Tobacco
Cessation Committee, and was a mentor
for the First Year Student program. He
is also a member of Omicron Delta Kappa. Hamilton has
received a number of awards for his volunteer service, including
a Community Service Volunteer Award, Outstanding Circle K
President Award, Campus Compact Impact Award, and Volunteer
Appreciation Award. He is currently a server at the Greenville
Country Club and maintains a 3.57 GPA. Hamilton will graduate
in May 2012.
Mike Moseley ’80 spent his
career helping North Carolinians
with mental and developmental
disabilities. Since 1975, he has
worked in mental health care, having
served as a recreation specialist,
resident advocate, administrator,
consultant, director, and chief
operating officer, among others.
From 2004-2008, Moseley was
division director of the North
Carolina Division of Mental
Health, Developmental Disabilities
and Substance Abuse Services in charge of more than 12,000
employees and responsible for service oversight of more than
350,000 North Carolina citizens. In 2008, just prior to
retirement, Moseley served a three-month term for the State
of North Carolina as a policy adviser on mental health to the
secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and
Human Services. He was a member of the Board of Directors
of the National Association of State Mental Health Program
Directors, the first director in history from North Carolina
to serve in that capacity. Moseley is currently a member of
ECU’s Board of Visitors, the NC Diabetes Advisory Council,
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, the Kinston Noon Rotary Club,
Kinston/Lenoir County Chamber of Commerce, Lenoir County
Community Foundation Board, and St. Augustus A.M.E. Zion
Church. Moseley has received several notable awards and honors
during his career, including Who’s Who Among Executives and
Professionals, Outstanding Young Men of America, KinstonLenoir County Citizen of the Year, and Community Leader of
the Year. Although retired, Moseley continues to practice as a
mental health consultant and trainer.
Best known for his significant
contributions as a Gridiron
Pirate and now as a fullback
for the Houston Texans in the
National Football League,
Vonta Leach ’10 continues to
live a Pirate’s life of service. In
his hometown area of Robeson
County, North Carolina, Leach
sponsors the annual Vonta Leach
Football Camp, a shopping trip
for underprivileged children
known as “Shop with a Jock,”
a community Thanksgiving
giveaway that fed more than
2,000 families in 2010, and a
six-week summer program for 50
children. Leach also sponsors local youth baseball teams, provided
new football uniforms for his former high school team, and
donated new weight room equipment to his former high school.
In Houston, Leach also participates in the Texans All Community
Team as sponsor of Vonta’s Victories, which provides 20 children
with free tickets to every Texans home game. He also works with
The Fifth Ward Enrichment Program, a school-based project that
provides a holistic approach to male youth development, focusing
on abstinence and substance abuse education. Leach was selected
to the 2011 Pro Bowl, named a member of All Pro 2011, and
the 2010 All-AFC South Team.
A former chair of the East
Carolina Alumni Association
Board of Directors and the first
African American to hold the
position, Brenda Myrick ’92
gives East Carolina University
her time and talent. Her
arduous efforts have impacted
many facets of the University,
including the reinstatement of
the Ledonia Wright Scholarship;
connecting black alumni with
the University through activities
such as Homecoming, reunions, socials, jazz events, societies,
and interest groups; serving on the ECU Women’s Roundtable,
the Board of Visitors, and Foundation Board; and supporting
Access Scholarships. She is a member of the Chancellor’s Society
and is a Centennial Pirate member of the Alumni Association.
In her professional life, Myrick has worked at Pitt County
Memorial Hospital since 1985. She started as a nurse in the
operating room, then served as a systems analyst where she was
the lead analyst of the Surgical Management Project for PCMH
and SurgiCenter Services of Pitt County, and is currently an
administrator of Operative Services. In this position, Myrick
assures the integration of patient care for the Operating Room of
a level I trauma center. She is also pursuing a master’s of nursing
at ECU.
Recognition of Exceptional Contributions
WITN
News
at Six
Dave Jordan
Lynnette Taylor
PIRATEALUMNI.COM 15
P
about getting into
atrick Brown ’87 loves helping
acting…that he
others. As a licensed general
could hook me
contractor, Brown shares his
up with a local
talents on The Learning Channel’s
agent and tell me
(TLC) Home Made Simple by giving
where to have
homeowners creative ideas for easy
head shots made.
home improvements, making their
At this juncture, I
dwellings homes they love to live
thought ‘Why not?’
in. He and the other “mavens” help
homeowners with renovations, interior and jumped off
the diving board,”
design, and cooking techniques—
recalled Brown. He
everything they need to simply make
just happened to be
their house a home. Despite his fame
in the right place
and constant travel, Brown will always
at the right time to
call North Carolina home and a part
of him will always be at East Carolina make a connection.
Brown started
University.
working with an
“I became a North Carolinian by
agent who helped
virtue of the United States Marine
him secure a
Corps who transferred my father to
few commercial
Camp Lejeune,” said Brown. He was
spots and some
born in Hawaii but moved with his family to Jacksonville, North
independent films,
Carolina, where he spent his formative years and heard the calling
of East Carolina University. “At some point early on, music became the most notable
of which was the
a really important part of my life. All I wanted to do was play the
ESPN movie 3:
drums and surf. I really thought I was going to make a career as
The Dale Earnhardt
a drummer. Now when I watch something like VH1’s Where Are
Story, in which
They Now? I’m really glad I didn’t follow that path. I knew a lot of
he played famed
people that talked about going to Carolina or NC State, but I had
NASCAR legend
my arrows pointed at Greenville and ECU. My dad Jerry Brown
Richard Petty.
’82 got his master’s from there and my brother Ivan and sister
“It was like being
Catherine ’84 are also Pirates.” His original intention was music,
Mickey Mouse in
but he switched his major to sociology. “Right after I graduated,
Disney. We filmed
I like to say it was divine inspiration, I just knew that I should do
in western North
something in media—it was a feeling I couldn’t shake. I did some
independent film work in Greenville and Raleigh, but at the time, I Carolina, where, of
course, NASCAR
wasn’t willing to do whatever it took to ‘make it’ so I started living
is so popular. I didn’t really grow up with that vibe—I was more
life normally and ended up getting into general contracting. I was
into football—so it was really exciting for me to come out of
working in Raleigh and living in Greenville—I just loved it so
the makeup trailer looking just like Richard Petty and have all of
much there, I had a hard time leaving.”
the people ask for photographs! They thought I was really him,”
Brown excelled at general contracting and eventually started
his own Raleigh-based company in the mid-90s called Integrated recalled Brown. It was the casting director from the movie that
saw something more in Brown. “About six months after filming
Contracting Services, which he still runs today. But the longing
3, she called me and said she
to be involved with media still
had this great gig that I’d be
lingered in his heart. “I was
perfect for. She wanted me
having one of those days on
...there’s something about finding
to be in Charleston, South
the job where everything that
that thing you were made to do in
Carolina, the next morning to
could go wrong did go wrong. I
life and when you’re doing it you
audition for a new show on
went to lunch with my foreman
feel like, ‘Why did it take this long?’
TLC called Town Haul. It was a
Bob and said to him, ‘Bob, I
spin off from Trading Spaces that
hate this. This is not what I’m
one of the designers Genevieve Gorder was hosting. I really had
supposed to be doing. This is not what I was made for.’ He said,
my sights set on film, so I turned it down! Of course I told my
‘Really? What are you supposed to be doing?’ I told him that I
girlfriend (now wife) about the opportunity and she encouraged
should be doing something with media, but that I never really
pursued it because it was kind of silly and I thought other people me to go for it. Once I knew I had her support, it was like I lit up
would think it was silly. It turned out that the waitress had heard inside. Within a week I was filming my first real TV show—I was
talking on camera and the focus was directly on me, it wasn’t just
part of our conversation. She came back with a guy who worked
a bit part. It was an amazing feeling for me…there’s something
at the restaurant part-time, who had been on Dawson’s Creek
about finding that thing that you were made to do in life and
and done some commercial work. He asked me if I was serious
Renaiss
An actor, TV host, cont
spokesperson, Patrick Br
homeowners across Ame
“
”
Corey Lowenstein/News & Observer
sance Man
tractor, speaker, and
rown ’87 is helping
erica
when you’re doing it you feel like, ‘Why
did it take this long?’”
Since that time, Brown has made
the most of every opportunity that has
come his way. He served as the lead
contractor on Town Haul for the 2005
and 2006 seasons. TLC liked his oncamera persona and offered him a role on
their newly developed show Home Made
Simple. “This show is the first of it’s kind.
It’s actually a spin off of a website, not
another TV show,” Brown said. Procter &
Gamble has a website of the same name
that offers advice on food and recipes,
home organization, crafts, home décor,
holiday and party, and garden. It has
hundreds of do-it-yourself projects that
homeowners can tackle without hiring a
professional. Things like creative framing,
space planning, centerpieces, jewelry
making, easy dinners, and green thumb
rules are staples of the site. With the site’s
popularity, Procter & Gamble and TLC
created a television show to incorporate
these home ideas and show homeowners
the tricks of the trade. Since 2006, Brown
has been Home Made Simple’s resident
construction/home improvement maven
and has the longest tenure of any of the
cast and crew. For him, it’s a dream come
true. Brown was also the spokesperson for
Swiffer® and was a speaker at nationwide
home shows from 2008-2009.
Brown is a natural in front of the
camera. With his spiky hair, edgy attire,
and classic good looks, he fits the
rugged, works-with-his-hands type that
the show’s mostly 20-45 age, female
demographic appreciates. But it’s his
affectionate smile and warm eyes that
draw in the viewer. The show focuses on
“attainable aspirations”— projects that the
homeowner can truly handle with a little
help from an expert. Brown’s contributions
for each episode begin with project ideas
that must be approved by the shows
executives and by Procter & Gamble, the
show’s primary sponsor, three of which
will be used during filming. Brown has
to consider things like budget, project
complexity, and ease of reproduction for
viewers at home. “I try to marry people’s
expectations with their budgets. I develop
a game plan that fits. Not just to meet the
needs of the homeowner but to engage our
audience as well,” commented Brown.
When it comes to filming, things
move quickly. Before cameras roll, the
mavens scout the house to come up with
project ideas. Once they are approved,
“swaps” (projects at different stages of
completion) are made to make filming
scenes with homeowners go smoothly.
“When the camera is rolling we have to
be on our game. We have to know the
steps of the project, know the script,
PIRATEALUMNI.COM 17
Home Made Simple on location at the home of Mark Froning, right, in Fuquay-Varina, NC. Photo by Corey Lowenstein of the News & Observer.
and know whom it is that we’re working
with. Depending on who the producer
is that season, we may focus more on
the project or we may focus more on the
homeowner and their story. And we have
to be engaging while using power tools,”
laughed Brown. “Sometimes it takes many,
many takes to get it right. The show is
supposed to look organic, but after you’ve
shown someone how to use a drill gun for
the fifth time, that look of excitement is
not there anymore. For the homeowners,
being on camera is usually a big deal and
a first for them. Nerves are just part of
it and we work with them to make each
take look good. My goal at the end of
the show is that you [the viewer] know
how to do plenty of stuff and that it’s not
intimidating anymore.”
A typical day on set starts early
with makeup, then filming his various
components of the show—the walk up,
the construction or home improvement
work, and the reveal. Each show is filmed
over three days, so Brown does a lot
of laundry to make it look like it all
happened in just one. He spends time with
the homeowners, getting to know them
and helping them through the projects.
Sometimes scenes are reshot later in the
day if editors find they need a different
angle or an additional clip. The final
outcome is a cohesive, 60-minute episode
that showcases the cast’s hands-on talent.
Home Made Simple takes Brown across
“I love visiting other cities and living in
that culture for a while, but I love coming
home to North Carolina, too. We [Denise
and I] both have family here, so it makes
• Know when to call a
sense that Raleigh is our home base,”
professional—most homeowners Brown said.
need a licensed tradesman
During his free time, Brown is with
for electrical, plumbing, and
his family and keeps his business running.
structural projects
He loves music and continues to play
jazz, rock and roll, and a little country
• Be discriminatory when
on his drums. “My kids are my future
choosing a contractor—ask to
and making sure they are completely and
have the numbers of the last
utterly fulfilled in life is what I have my
three people they completed
compass pointed towards. I love doing
projects for and call them
film, I love doing television, and I’ll ride
• Trust is more important than
that out as long as I can. After that, I’d
price—make sure you have a
like to get behind the camera more and
comfort level with who is going
do some directing and producing, and
to be working on the largest
even some writing. I’m one of those guys
investment you’ll make
that believe you need to squeeze every bit
of potential out of the life that God has
given you. I have really big dreams and
the country. A true family man, his wife
Denise and children Aaron (4) and Bri’Elle they don’t stop with Home Made Simple. I
can honestly say that a lot of that started
(2) go on the road with him. “We film
twenty-six episodes at a time, which is two at ECU—my soul is in Greenville. One of
the greatest compliments I ever received
seasons back to back. We spend at least
is that I’m a Renaissance man, and I guess
half the year on location, two months in
that’s pretty true. But at the end of the
each city. I just couldn’t be away from my
family for that long. It would be the worst day, I want my wife to know that she is
thing if they couldn’t come with me.” The absolutely adored and my kids to know
they are more important than any of these
show has taken Brown to Washington,
D.C.; Charleston, South Carolina; Miami; other things that I’ve done.”
Watch Patrick Brown on TLC’s Home
Savannah; Chicago; Austin, Texas; Raleigh;
Made Simple Saturdays at 9:00 a.m.
Los Angeles; Seattle; Dallas; and San
Diego—some locations more than once.
Making Successful
Home Improvements
10-0898 ecualumniad 6.indd 1
PIRATEALUMNI.COM 19
11/3/10 4:13 PM
The Artist’s Palette
New York Times Bestselling Illustrator Mike Litwin ’01 is
creating a world of whimsical mischief in vibrant color
L
ike a crayon box filled with blues, purples, pinks, and greens, Mike Litwin’s ’01 colorful creations explode with
imagination, whimsy, and lively scenes of endearingly roly-poly children. The world this illustrator is sharing with
young minds is filled with fanciful characters of playful innocence and devilish mischief. A two-time New York Times
bestselling children’s picture book illustrator, Litwin has taken his love of drawing and immense talent to the national stage.
“I have an incurable obsession with achievement,” said Litwin, who knew from a very young age that he wanted to be an
artist. “Or an author, or some combination of the two.” He was nine when his mother, who worked in a bookstore, gave him
his first journal, which subsequently became filled with his interpretive drawings of Bill Watterson’s Calvin and Hobbes comic
strip. “Pretty early on I made the connection that comic-like drawings in books, magazines, or newspapers
equaled millions of viewers. That was something that excited me and fueled my passion for drawing,”
Litwin said. “I was inspired when I went into the bookstore where my mom worked. Seeing
all of those covers—it’s like an art gallery for graphic designers and illustrators.” Litwin
spent time studying works by Lane Smith, Tim Burton, Norman Rockwell, and Shel
Silverstein. He put pencil to paper and practiced—over and over again. “I just
wanted to emulate what I loved,” he added. But it wasn’t until he began taking
art classes in ECU’s School of Art and Design that Litwin received the basic
training every artist needs to be successful.
Mastering the Fundamentals
“ECU was the only school I applied to because it was the only one
in North Carolina with an accredited art program,” recalled Litwin.
“I was very intimidated when I first visited ECU. I didn’t quite fit
the ‘artist’ stereotype. Here I was, this clean-cut guy from the Outer
Banks with neatly-combed hair and a collared golf shirt. All of the
other kids were talking about what their concentrations were going to
be—painting, sculpture, C.A.—I didn’t even know what ‘C.A.’ meant!
But that’s what I said when I had to introduce myself. Of course, I
found out that C.A. means communication arts, which actually turned
out to be the right fit for me since I had only a very sketchy idea of
where I was going with this artist thing. ECU gave me a lot of room to
grow and I learned the practical devices of art in my classes. You have to
have a strong foundation and study the basics. Most people need discipline
and encouragement, and I thrived on those. Discipline makes your work
PIRATEALUMNI.COM 21
better, and encouragement is what lets
you persevere to believe that your work is
going to get better. Those two things are
what I got out of the program at ECU.”
Litwin fondly remembers Craig Malmrose
and Joan Mansfield as the professors who
provided him with the most discipline,
encouragement, and the most pushing to
experiment outside of his comfort zone.
Litwin got his first taste of being
published when he was hired by The East
Carolinian newspaper to do a weekly comic
strip. “I was paid $12.00 a week, but I got
to see my work in print! That was a great
feeling and something that drove me,” said
Litwin. “I had an epiphany while I was in
college—when it came to what I wanted
to do for a career, that is. My illustration
professor Joan Mansfield showed us a
book by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by
Lane Smith called The Stinky Cheese Man and
Other Fairly Stupid Tales. That book was so
fun! It wasn’t over the top cutesy, but fun
in a cute, combined with Tim Burton kind
of way. I identified with those illustrations
more than any other I had ever seen.
To me, his work is the pinnacle and it’s
become the bar against which I measure
my work. That book is the reason I want
to illustrate children’s books.”
Wake Up Call
“I didn’t expect to stay in Greenville
after graduation,” said Litwin, who longs
to travel and experience new things. But
despite my incessant pursuit of illustration
and design jobs across the country, I just
wasn’t getting hired anywhere. So I stayed
in Greenville and worked in the frame
shop for U.B.E., and eventually I was
hired at ECU working as a graphic artist
for Housing and Dining. I worked
there for three years and then took
a job at McRae & Associates, a
restaurateur company in Kinston. My
wife Glynis ’01 and I were married
and had our first daughter at that
point, so staying around eastern North
Carolina seemed like a good idea. I was
able to get back on with the University in
2005 as a graphic designer for University
Publications and that’s where I’ve been ever
since.”
In his
current role,
Litwin shares
his artistic
talents with
readers of East magazine, a publication
in which many of his drawings have been
featured. He also does traditional graphic
design work for the Alumni Association,
for the University’s many colleges and
schools, and for campus departments.
Pieces range from simple postcards to
multi-page reports and large-scale posters.
“I like my 8:00-5:00 job,” said Litwin.
“I get a lot of freedom to be creative
while getting direction from people who
know what they’re doing.” His work
tools include the Adobe Creative Suite,
particularly Photoshop and InDesign.
But he also relies on his traditional art
training to meet clients’ needs and often
incorporates hands on media into projects.
Litwin works
closely with
clients and
University
Publications’
Senior Art
Director
Brent Burch
to produce
high-quality,
eye-catching
pieces, one
“Family Feud” East, 2006.
of which
won him a Gold Addy® Award for his
illustrations in East magazine’s fall 2006
“Heard it Through the Grapevine” series.
Litwin has a strong work ethic that he
learned from his parents. “My dad taught
me a lot of things, but the one thing that
I really remember him saying was, ‘If you
can find something that you’re good at and
you spend your life doing it, yes, you’ll
work, but you won’t hate your life.’ That’s
something I feel very fortunate to have…I
don’t know what I would do if I got up
every day and had to do something I hate,”
said Litwin. “I hope I never get to be the
best at what I do, and I don’t think I ever
will. There is always something new to
learn, and I like challenging myself. The
world disappears when I draw—my best
work comes when everything around me
ceases to exist.” A good sign that he’s in
the right line of work.
His Big Break
Like many artists that embody innate
talent, Litwin is a sought-after freelancer
and has been for many years. “I started
freelancing when I was in college with
occasional logo designs for friends of
the family and spot illustrations for former
employers who produced books about
lighthouses. Not much money—$50 here,
$20 there—but I didn’t really care. It
gave me experience, a little bit of pocket
money, and got my stuff into print.
Once I was in my final year of college
and beyond, I had a lot more bills to
take care of, so freelancing became more
of a frequent and serious thing along
with some entrepreneurial projects in the
form of eastern NC-related prints, even
while I was working a full-time day job,”
remarked Litwin. “Illustrating children’s
books was always the dream, and when a
few years had gone by without seeing any
real progress in that direction, I took out
a loan from a family member and bought
space on some online portfolio sites. That
led to a few more spot illustrations, but
nothing in the way of a whole book.”
It was in 2007 that Litwin received
an opportunity that would put him on
a fast track to becoming a New York Times
bestselling illustrator. Fellow Pirate Ralph
Finch ’67 was interested in publishing a
children’s book based on ECU’s mascot
Pee Dee the Pirate, with proceeds from
sales of the book to be given to the
College of Business. Litwin’s former
professor Joan Mansfield gave his name to
Finch as a possible book illustrator. Litwin
submitted sketches based on Finch’s story
and was a frontrunner for the job. It was
when Litwin offered to do the project pro
bono that he secured the work and began
his children’s book illustration career. “For
one thing, I figured if Ralph (the author)
was putting up his own money for printing
and sacrificing all profit as a way to serve
our alma mater, I should do no less. Also,
I really wanted to have my first published
children’s book, and I wasn’t going to
miss that opportunity over a question of
Illustrations from My Name is Not Alexander (left) and My Name is Not Isabella (right).
money,” recalled Litwin. The Adventures of Pee
Dee the Pirate made its debut at ECU’s first
home football game in 2007 and was very
well received by Pirate fans and the ECU
family.
Before the mascot book’s official
release, aspiring author Jennifer Fosberry
from San Francisco, who had seen his
work online, contacted Litwin about
illustrating her first self-published
children’s book. “She had a really great
manuscript about a little girl imagining
herself in the roles of her favorite female
historical heroes. It was simple, cute, and
very ‘girl-empowering.’ The result was My
Name is Not Isabella, and it is arguably the
project that has been most instrumental
in launching my book illustration career,”
Litwin said. Now an official talent with
an agent, Litwin’s freelance work has
increased to include well known clients
such as Highlights magazine. My Name
is Not Isabella caught the attention of
Sourcebooks Inc., a publisher outside of
Chicago who bought the rights to the
book for reprint and marketing under
their Sourcebooks Jabberwocky children’s
imprint. The publishing house also funded
a boy-themed sequel called My Name is Not
Alexander.
“My Name is Not Isabella was re-released
in September 2010, and by January 2011
it made #10 on The Times bestseller list,”
said Litwin. “The sequel My Name is Not
Alexander was released shortly afterwards
in March 2011, and after one month it
also made #10 on The New York Times April
10th bestseller list, accompanying Isabella,
which reappeared simultaneously on the
list at #9.” In just over three years, Litwin
has gone from sharing his work for free to
being a two-time
bestseller.
Same Old Mike
Litwin takes his newfound fame in
stride. “I’m surprised that I’ve actually
been able to make a career in the arts.
Sometimes I wonder if it’s all been by
luck, because on the surface I appear to
be fairly left-brained: logical thinker,
good at math, follows directions—I
probably could have made a great career
in engineering or law. But that’s not where
my heart was, and I’m a very ‘follow your
heart’ kind of guy,” Litwin commented.
“So maybe I’m not as left-brained as I
thought—or maybe I am, and I’m just
rebelling against adulthood robbing me
of my right-brainedness!” A big kid at
heart, Litwin is humble, has a great sense
of humor, and although he takes his work
very seriously, he’s the first to laugh at
himself. His work is an extension of his
soul and his personality, and his everyday
experiences are his muse.
“Inspiration comes from everywhere,
which is why I always try to have a notepad
on me at the very least, if not a whole
sketchbook. God forbid I should be
without something to record an idea,
because you never know when a fleeting
inspiration is going to hit you and then
leave before you can catch it,” he said. “It
comes from obvious sources, like looking
at the work of other artists I admire or
seeing a compelling image in a book, an
ad, or a store display. Sometimes it comes
from less obvious sources, like overhearing
a snippet of someone’s conversation
or my kids making some off-the-wall
observation…sometimes I close my eyes
while listening to classical music or an
instrumental score and
let the music generate a
story in my mind. And
sometimes, if I stare at a
stucco wall or a textured
surface long enough,
I’ll start
to see images and faces emerge from the
patterns. No, I’m not on drugs.”
The father of three girls, Litwin stays
busy with family. On the rare occasion that
he has free time, he enjoys Pirate football,
photography, playing old Nintendo games,
and visiting the ocean. He likes the month
of October, the color blue, sandwiches
with kettle cooked potato chips, New York
style pizza, sweet tea, listening to music,
laughing, and watching movies—often the
same ones over and over again. He has a big
heart and an amazing gift that he is proud
to share with the world. “I’ve been told that
things are now poised in my favor to make
some big advances in this field. I’m really
looking forward to seeing where things go
from here.” And so are we.
Hear Mike in his own words by listening to
his October 6, 2007 A Pirate’s Life for Me!
interview at
PirateAlumni.com/apirateslifeforme
“House at Corner” Highlights for Children, 2009.
PIRATEALUMNI.COM 23
Most interceptions in a single game (3) | highest career kickoff return average (32.1 yards/return)
Jerry
Tolley
W
A PIRATE REMEMBERS
’65’66
hen it comes to coaching, Jerry Tolley ’65, ’66 is
one of the greats. A recent inductee of the North
Carolina Sports Hall of Fame, Tolley is best known
for his Elon back-to-back National Football Titles in 1980
and 1981. Although the town of Elon and Elon University has
been his home since 1967, Tolley is an ECU Pirate through and
through.
Tolley has always been an athlete. At John A. Holmes
High School in Edenton, North Carolina, where he grew up, he
lettered in track, baseball, basketball, and football. Surprisingly,
he was also president of the school choir. “My senior year, it
was upon the encouragement of the principal that I join the
choir. There was one other football player in the group, and just
for fun the class thought that we should be president and vice
president,” recalled Tolley. There were six children in his family,
and their mother primarily raised them. “My mother worked
at Belk Tyler’s. My older brother went to East Carolina for a
while, after he got out of the Army. I always thought I was going
to go into the military as well, but then I was recruited by Jack
Boone to play football,” said Tolley, “and fortunately I received a
scholarship. My two younger brothers also graduated from East
Carolina, so we’ve been a Pirate family for a long time.”
While at ECC, Tolley was a star on the football field under
Coach Clarence Stasavich and also excelled in track. As a threeyear starter in football, the team garnered a 23-6-0 record with
a winning percentage of (.793), claiming two bowl victories,
including the 1964 Tangerine Bowl. Tolley set nine all-time
ECU gridiron records, five of which remain today. In track, he
led the 1963 team in scoring and established a school record
for the triple jump and was a member of an ECC record-setting
440-relay team.
Tolley was also active in myriad student organizations and
clubs. He was a representative for the Student Government
Association, a judge on the University Student Honor Court,
highest season kickoff return average (31.9 yards/return) | longest non-scoring kickoff return (92 yards)
president of the Inter-Dormitory Council, and a representative
on the Dean’s Advisory Council. He was also a member of Kappa
Alpha Order Fraternity, Phi Delta Kappa Honorary Education
Fraternity, Sigma Delta Psi National Athletics Fraternity, and
a charter member of East Carolina’s chapter of Fellowship of
Christian Athletes. Tolley was also selected as a Who’s Who
Among Students in American Universities and Colleges.
“Joanie ’65 [my wife] and I met at East Carolina. She tells the
story that because I was a football player I got special treatment.
She says the first day she saw me that I waltzed my way into
the front of the line at the dining hall while she and the other
students waited in the heat and humidity. Apparently she thought
to herself, ‘get in the back of the line, hayseed!’ I don’t quite
remember it that way, but I don’t think she liked me very much at
first,” recalled Tolley. “It was Homecoming weekend and Joanie
was about to end her shift at the Soda Shop. Now at the time, she
was dating another football player, but I liked her blue eyes and I
wanted to date her. According to Joanie, I said, ‘I’m going to give
you fifteen minutes to accept the opportunity of your life.’ Again,
I don’t quite remember it that way, but whatever I said it worked
and we’ve been together ever since.” The couple will celebrate
their 45th anniversary in June.
While earning his master’s degree, Tolley was a graduate
assistant coach for Coach Stas. Upon graduation, he took a
position at Fayetteville Senior High School. After six months
he headed to then Elon College with the FSHS head coach Red
Wilson, who accepted the Elon head football coaching position.
Tolley served as an assistant coach for ten years and concurrently
coached track for three years, then tennis for seven. In 1977, he
accepted the head football coach position—a job that brought
him much success and admiration. “It was a hard job,” said
Tolley, “but I made a lot of great friends. You’re really a part of
the faculty when you’re on a small campus. I was also an assistant
professor while I was coaching.” It was his winning record that
made him so well known on the campus and among his peers.
As head football coach, Tolley earned a 49-11-2 record with an
unprecedented winning percentage of (.806). It is believed that
his winning percentage is the highest in the history of North
Carolina collegiate football.
Tolley’s teams were known for their ability to win close
games. In contests decided by nine or fewer points, his teams
won an amazing twenty-two of twenty-four games for a winning
percentage of (.917). Also, as head coach, his teams never had a
losing season and were never held scoreless. In an article by Ron
Cherubini in an issue of Pirate’s Chest magazine, Tolley was noted
as perhaps the “greatest football coach to emerge from the ranks
of East Carolina players.”
In leading the Elon football program, Tolley coached
fifty-three All-Conference performers of which four received
conference Most Valuable Player honors, thirty of his players
were named All-District, and fourteen were North Carolina
All-State selections. Eighteen of his players gained All-American
recognition, and eighteen have been enshrined in Elon’s Sports
Hall of Fame, as has Tolley himself.
A change came in Tolley’s career in 1982 when he made the
difficult decision to step down as head football coach. “I loved
coaching and I loved working with those kids, but after two
national championships, I wanted to go out on a high note.”
PIRATEALUMNI.COM 25
highest season kick return average (punt and kickoff returns combined, 24.4 yards/return)
Tolley turned his attention and focus to
fundraising. He held many director and
administrative positions over a five-year
period and led the $9 million dollar Pride
II capital campaign. Once again it was
time for a change and Tolley left higher
education for the corporate world.
LabCorp, the second largest clinical
laboratory in the world, recruited Tolley
to serve as their associate vice president
of training; later he was associate vice
president of community and public affairs.
In the latter position, Tolley established
LabCorps’ matching gift and volunteer
programs, and under his guidance in
conjunction with the North Carolina
Governor’s office, he also helped institute
the statewide Drug Free School Zone
program. He stayed with the company for
twelve years before returning to Elon—
where his heart was.
Upon returning to Elon, Tolley jumped
right back into fundraising as a major
gifts officer and helped lead the College’s
$15 million campaign for their new
football stadium. With the completion
of the campaign, Tolley moved into other
fundraising positions where over a six-year
period he increased the Elon Fund by
198% and bolstered the Elon Society (the
University’s most premier giving society)
membership from 678 to an impressive
904 members. Tolley officially retired
from Elon in May 2010, upon which the
University bestowed upon him the title of
Head Football Coach Emeritus, the first in
the school’s 120-year history to carry the
name Coach Emeritus.
The Tolley’s favorite place in their backyard.
Although retirement is supposed to be
a time of leisure and often for enjoying
travel and grandchildren, Tolley finds
time to continue to serve his community.
As the Town of Elon’s Mayor, he is the
longest to serve in the position, now in his
fourth term. He is a passionate volunteer
and community leader, always taking
time to listen to citizen’s concerns and do
what he can to make the lives of those in
his community better. Tolley’s volunteer
services extend to various foundations and
boards, including founding trustee of Be
Active North Carolina, former president
and founding director of the Alamance
County Community Foundation, and on
two occasions chairperson of Citizens for
Schools.
Tolley has been recognized for his
arduous work and contributions to
athletics, education, his community, the
state, and region—by national, regional,
and state organizations, as well as by East
Carolina University. He has received the
National Football Foundation and Hall
of Fame Dwight D. Eisenhower Award,
the Eastman Kodak National Collegiate
Football Championship Award, American
Football Coaches Assocation Lifetime
Membership Award, and is a member of
several Halls of Fame including the ECU
Athletics Hall of Fame and the National
Assocation of Intercollegiate Athletics
Football Hall of Fame.
Tolley is a nationally renowned author
and has published six books about
football, including The American Football
Coaches Guidebook to Championship Football Drills
and 101 Winning
Football Drills from the
Legends of the Game.
“I enjoy writing,”
said Tolley. “I credit
Dr. Gail Hennis,
who directed my
doctoral studies at
UNC-G, for my
love of research
and writing. She
was always most
encouraging.”
Tolley’s books
have sold in all
fifty states as well
as in twenty-five
countries. Grant
Teaff, executive
director of the
11,000 member
Tolley running Relay for ECC.
American Football Coaches Association
said of Tolley’s authorship, “Coach Tolley
is unquestionably one of the foremost
authors of technical and instructional
books in the history of football.” His
story “The Legend of the East Carolina
Pirates” is a permanent fixture on the
ECU Athletics web page. Tolley’s love
for sports influences many aspects of his
life, and no surprise, was the topic of his
doctoral dissertation, which was about the
history of men’s athletics at Elon.
A proud family man, Tolley says his
fondest memory of East Carolina is
meeting his bride. The couple has two
sons Jay and Justin, two grandchildren, and
another on the way. His wife says he’s a very
happy person who is giving, has integrity,
and cares about others. That includes his
deep love for East Carolina. The Tolleys are
Centennial Pirate members of the Alumni
Association, members of the Chancellor’s
Society and Pirate Club, endowed the
Dr. Ray Martinez Teaching Excellence
Award, and were major contributors to the
Clarence Stasavich Football Suite in the
Ward Sport Medicine Building and to the
Henry Van Sant Athletics Scholarship. They
also established the Jerry and Joanie Tolley
Scholarship in honor of their East Carolina
teacher and mentor Dr. William B. Martin.
What’s next for this man who wears so
many hats? “I think that the next thing I’ll
do is write the history of Elon football,”
Tolley said. If the many accolades
legendary football coaches like Joe Paterno
and Bobby Bowden have given his previous
books are any sign of how good his next
publication will be, Tolley’s Elon football
history book will be one for the ages—just
as he is.
Most people enjoy talking about
their personal experiences that led them to
their current career position. You can tap
into this useful knowledge by conducting
Informational Interviews to gain valuable
information about your area(s) of
employment and career interest. The
goal of an Informational Interview is not
necessarily to secure a job but rather to gain
invaluable knowledge, as well as develop
potential network contacts.
Informational Interviews can be
conducted in person, by phone, or by
e-mail. The best approach is to schedule
a face-to-face session to gain exposure to
the work environment; however, telephone
and e-mail contacts are also highly effective
methods. Telephone and e-mail contacts
will also allow you to conduct interviews
out of your local area.
How do you prepare for an Informational
Interview? GET ORGANIZED!
•Develop a written list of questions you
plan to ask.
•Ask your contact relevant questions
about the career field, the organization,
the mission, beginning salaries, and
potential personal growth opportunities.
Suggested Informational
Interview Questions
About the Career Field
• How did you get into this career?
• What advice do you have for
someone preparing for a
career in this field?
About the Organization/Industry
• What is unique to your industry,
organization, or office?
• How does your organization fill
job openings?
• Is this typical of other
organizations in your field?
About Future Growth/Salary
Information
• What is the growth and
promotional potential in your
field?
• What is the typical starting
salary in this field?
Follow-Up Questions
• May I contact you again if I
have further questions?
• Can you recommend other
professionals in this field with
whom I should speak?
•Schedule a time and place to meet.
•If you are conducting a telephone
interview, use a land-line phone, if one
is available, to avoid a dropped cell
phone call.
CAREER CORNER
Expanding Your Network Via
Informational Interviews
•Expand your networking opportunities
by asking for referrals to other
professionals in your field.
•Send thank you letters and notify your For more information and
contacts when information and/or assistance with networking,
referrals lead to a job opportunity.
visit www.ecu.edu/career and
view our Career Success Guide.
Knowledge gained during Informational
Interviews is extremely valuable for
developing résumés, cover letters, and to
use during employment interviews. It shows
you have conducted diligent research and
that you are willing to put additional effort
into your personal career development.
PIRATEALUMNI.COM 27
AROUND CAMPUS
ARTS &
SCIENCES
Beloved biology professors
honored, remembered
On March 18, a large crowd of friends
and colleagues gathered for the ceremonial
dedication of the newly christened BrinsonChristian Ecology Laboratory located
in the Howell Science Complex, room
S309. To facilitate the naming, a diverse
group of donors, led by the ECU Biology
Advancement Council, raised more than
$27,000 for biology
scholarships.
The laboratory
dedication
was
held in honor
of ECU biology
professors
Drs.
Mark Brinson and
Robert
Christian
for their many years
of service to ECU,
Dr. Mark Brinson
both of whom
retired in August
2010. In an unfortunate turn of events,
the dedication also served as a memorial to
Brinson, who passed away unexpectedly on
January 3, 2011.
Both Brinson and Christian served the
ECU community, its students, and faculty
for many years.
Brinson came to ECU in 1973 after
completing his doctoral degree from the
University of Florida. He taught courses
in ecology and biology, and throughout
his career, Brinson authored numerous
publications in his field of research and
served as a technical consultant to the US
Environmental Protection Agency, US Fish
and Wildlife Service, and the Smithsonian
Institute. Brinson also was honored with
awards ranging from a National Wetlands
Award for Science Research, ECU’s Board
of Trustees Lifetime achievement Award,
and the Thomas Harriot College of Arts
Dr. Robert Christian
and Sciences Distinguished Professorship.
Christian came to ECU in 1981 after
serving as an assistant professor at Drexel
University in Philadelphia. During his
career at ECU, Christian taught courses in
biology, microbiology, and ecology. His
areas of research include coastal ecosystems
and headwater streams within the
coastal plain. He has authored numerous
publications and received grants that total
more than $3 million in funding. Of his
many awards, Christian also has received
the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and
Sciences Distinguished Professor Award,
an ECU Lifetime Achievement Award in
Research and Creativity, and a Fellowship of
the American Academy of Microbiology.
Harriot College announces
Moldin Scholarship,
Advancement Council
scholarship recipients
The Thomas Harriot College of Arts and
Sciences recently announced the 201112 recipients of the Moldin Scholarship
and the newly established Harriot College
Advancement Council Scholarship.
The
Moldin
Scholars
are
Greenville
native
and senior chemistry
major
Sarah
Howell
Kinsley,
and Los Angeles,
California, native
and junior dualmajor in biology
and chemistry Quan
Nguyen.
Recipients
of
the Harriot College
Advancement
Council Scholarship
are Stephen Canady,
Caitlin Spivey Hale,
Amanda Huffman, Moldin Scholarship
recipients Sarah
Danielle
Jessen, Howell Kinsley
Courtney
Koch, (top) and Quan
Andrew
Norris, Nguyen (bottom).
Ashlee Perkinson, Sierra Plato, Justin
Salisbury, and Chadwick Spence.
The Moldin Scholarship, established in
2006 by ECU alumni Richard ’70, ’73, ’76
and Nancy Moldin ’73, provides a $2,000
annual scholarship to two rising juniors
enrolled full-time in the Department of
Chemistry or the Department of Biology,
AROUND CAMPUS
with a minimum 2.5 GPA and demonstrated
financial need. The $2,000 monetary
award is available for one academic year—
$1,000 each semester— and is renewable
through the recipient’s senior year, upon
maintenance of the scholarship eligibility
criteria.
Established this spring by the College’s
Advancement Council, The Harriot
College Advancement Council Scholarship
provides a $2,000 annual scholarship to
rising juniors or seniors enrolled full-time
at ECU, who have declared a major within
the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and
Sciences and have a minimum 2.5 GPA.
The $2,000 annual scholarship award is for
one academic year—$1,000 each semester.
FINE ARTS &
COMMUNICATION
Collier ’02, ’04 receives
Distinguished Alumni Award
Olivia Anne Hill Collier received the ECU
School of Communication’s Distinguished
Alumni Award at the CommCrew’s Spring
Reception held at Emerge Gallery April 2.
The Distinguished Alumni Award
recognizes East Carolina University
alumni with a minimum of four years of
work history, outstanding and uncommon
achievement in one’s profession, in civic
affairs, and/or politics. It is awarded by
the ECU School of Communication
CommCrew Board.
“Olivia is an incredibly talented and
dedicated individual,” said Dr. Linda Kean,
Director of the School of Communication.
“She is dedicated to the state, the region,
and her alma mater. She expresses this
dedication not only through words but
deeds. She is someone who walks the walk
as well as talking the talk. She is someone
of whom we can all be proud.”
CORRECTION
In the winter 2011 issue
of EC Alumni, a photo
was incorrectly identified
as Bob Ebendorf. The
person pictured was
Gil Leebrick, the retired
director of the ECU
School of Art and Design
Gallery. Mr. Ebendorf is
pictured to the left.
This dedication to
her community and
University both stem
from a desire to give
back.
“They have given
so much to me,”
Collier said. “I am a
firm believer that my
time at ECU is what
shaped me to be the Olivia Collier
person I am today. I
work in the public sector not for the money,
but for the joy I receive knowing that the
work I am doing helps others.” She added
that, while at ECU, she herself received
much-valued guidance. “I am consistently
reminded of the alumni who mentored me
as a student, which has helped me to this
day.”
Collier earned a Bachelor of Arts in
Communication in May 2002 and Master
of Public Administration in May 2004. She
said that in her line of work she has been
able to effectively use the communication
skills she developed at ECU.
While an ECU student, Collier learned
to communicate not only in the classroom
but also from her experiences as a Public
Affairs Intern for the NC Department
of Commerce. Collier was hired full-time
by that department in January 2004 as a
public information officer. In 2006, she
became the chief of Local and Regional
Affairs, with primary responsibility for the
NC Appalachian Regional Commission
(ARC) Program for the NC Department
of Commerce in Raleigh.
In addition, Collier is a member
of The American Society for Public
Administration, as well as a member of the
East Carolina University Board of Visitors.
“My proudest accomplishment since
graduating was being asked to serve on the
Board of Visitors,” she related. “At the time
that I was nominated to the Board, I was
the youngest person to serve.”
She stated that serving on this Board has
given her an opportunity to stay engaged
in campus life, and numerous chances
to promote the University to potential
students, community members, state law
makers, and others.
“I am proud to live the University’s
motto ‘to serve’ daily,” she said.
Collier also served as the CommCrew
president from 2006–2007 and is an East
Carolina Alumni Association member.
Being the second recipient of the
Distinguished Alumni Award is described
as “an honor” by Collier. “To have been
selected from all of the highly qualified
nominees is humbling. I am very fortunate
in that I love my job, which affords me the
opportunity to give back to the citizens of
North Carolina daily.”
Recipients of the Distinguished Alumni
Award adhere to standards of moral and
ethical conduct that cause the University
to be proud to present the honorees as role
models for students and other alumni, and
are recognized by their professional peers
as being truly outstanding within their
professions. For more information about the
Distinguished Alumni Award, visit:
www.ecu.edu/cs-cfac/comm/alumnifriends/
alumniaward.cfm
HEALTH &
HUMAN PERFORMANCE
Air Force ROTC alumni help
HHP reach new heights
ECU Air Force ROTC alumni have
joined forces to sponsor an undergraduate
scholarship. Vince Smith ’84, and Tom ’74
and Kathy ’74 Shubert have generously
pledged $20,000 to establish the Chief
Master Sergeant Robert L. Smith
Scholarship in honor of Smith’s father. The
scholarship will support a junior or senior
Health and Human Performance student in
the Air Force ROTC program.
Smith and Tom first met when Smith
was assigned to serve as Tom’s deputy in the
Air Force’s Congressional Inquiry Division.
Smith recalls his first conversation with
Tom. “So, I understand you are a fellow
Pirate and Detachment 600 alum,” said
Tom. The conversation continued and a
firm friendship followed.
PIRATEALUMNI.COM 29
AROUND CAMPUS
Smith retired from the U.S. Air Force
in 2007 with nearly 23 years of service. He
currently serves as adjudicator for the Physical
Disability Board of Review, a Department
of Defense agency charged with reviewing
disability claims of all active, Reserve, and
Guard Military members who were required to
leave the service of the nation due to physical
and/or mental issues caused by their service
in defense of the United States. Previously,
he commanded the 620th Expeditionary
Air Base Group in Kosovo and Macedonia
and he traveled extensively for the Air Force
Legislative Liaison from 2005 to 2007
escorting numerous members of Congress to
Iraq, Afghanistan, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine,
and Pakistan.
As a student in the ROTC program,
Smith recalls Lieutenant Colonel James
Thomas as his inspiration from the first
day he arrived at ECU and walked into
Detachment 600. Some may remember
Colonel Thomas as one of our great ECU
athletes who is a member of the ECU
Sports Hall of Fame.
Smith graduated from ECU in 1984
with a bachelor of science degree in history.
A native of La Grange, North Carolina,
Smith said, “I want young people coming
after me to realize how valuable a career
in the Air Force can be in making you a
quality person, not because of the benefits,
but because of the value in getting up every
day knowing you are fortunate enough to
be an officer in the finest Air Force ever for
the greatest nation time has ever seen.”
After Tom and Kathy Shubert graduated
from ECU and received their commission
in 1974, Kathy went on to attend Aircraft
Maintenance Officer training and then
served as a Maintenance Officer in Texas
and Georgia before leaving active duty. Tom
LTC Vince Smith, Cadet Thomas Jennings, CMSgt
Robert Smith, Dean Glen Gilbert, Col. Tom
Shubert
attended the Air Force’s undergraduate
pilot training program and then went on
to operational assignments piloting B-52
strategic bombers and airlift aircraft in the
United States and Asia.
In 2005, after 30 years of active
service, Tom retired from the Air Force as
a Colonel and entered Civil Service with
his first position being in the Office of the
Secretary of Defense as the country director
for Poland and the Baltic states, followed by
work as the country director for Southeast
Asia. He first worked in the Office of
the Secretary of Defense as the country
director for Poland, Latvia, Estonia, and
Lithuania. He prepared and advised, as
well as traveled, with the Secretary of
Defense and other senior Department of
Defense officials for meetings with their
foreign counterparts to discuss the United
States’ defense relationships in Europe
and Asia. Currently, he serves as chief of
the Air Operations Division, Office of
Legislative Liaison, Office of the Secretary
of the Air Force in Washington, D.C. He
is responsible for executing more than 250
foreign and domestic trips annually by
hundreds of members of Congress and
congressional staff, as well as personally
escorting Congressional Delegations
throughout the world.
Kathy currently serves as an
admissions coordinator with George
Mason University and is responsible for
reviewing undergraduate transfer student
applications. In addition to her degree from
ECU, she also holds a master of science
degree in education from the University
of Southern California and is pursuing a
bachelor of arts in anthropology at George
Mason University.
“Participating in Cadet activities such
as drill team, collecting for the March of
Dimes, military balls, and field trips to
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and Fort
Bragg developed an esprit de corps that
has followed us from Detachment 600 to
today. The Air Force assisted us, especially
as out-of-state students, to continue our
education at ECU. We want to provide a
similar opportunity to serve in the Air
Force to a current Air Force Cadet,” said
Tom and Kathy.
HONORS
COLLEGE
Honors College completes
inaugural year
Matthew Edwards was thrilled when he
learned he was a member of the ECU
Honors College’s inaugural class last year.
Since then, the first-year junior biology and
chemistry major has grown as a student
and leader—while watching the Honors
College develop and prosper as well. “I
was excited that I would have the chance
to be a part of the program as it emerged,”
Edwards says.
East Carolina’s newest college
provides the best and brightest students
scholarships, rigorous academic courses,
research
opportunities,
internships,
leadership and service projects, and studyabroad experiences. The Honors College
offers a multidisciplinary approach to
learning, giving students a strong, wellrounded academic base. They work with
top faculty, who interact with Honors
students through seminars, colloquia,
specially designated sections of courses,
research assistantships, mentoring, and
advising support. The college also houses
the EC Scholars program, ECU’s most
prestigious scholarship, and the Early
Assurance program through the Brody
School of Medicine, which provides four
students each year provisional acceptance to
the medical school as they graduate from
high school.
Edwards and Shayna Mooney, an
incoming EC Scholar and neuroscience and
biology major, are both Early Assurance
students. That opportunity, paired with
the benefits of the Honors College, have
the students excited about their futures. “I
feel that the Honors College will stretch my
mind to its absolute limits,” says Mooney.
“I will be able to integrate creative activity,
research, and international experience that
will definitely enhance my undergraduate
tenure at ECU.”
That is one tenet of the Honors
College: to nurture the talents and abilities
of the most promising students on campus,
handing them the tools they need to
excel in their areas of study, stand out as
community leaders, and think from a global
perspective. “That’s what the Honors
College is all about,” says Distinguished
Honors Professor Dr. Michael Bassman.
AROUND CAMPUS
used Japanese-style puppetry to teach local
school children about healthy eating and
diabetes.
With such far-reaching possibilities,
Honors College students are encouraged
to study abroad. EC Scholars are awarded a
study-abroad stipend, and Honors College
students have already traveled all over the
world. “I am lucky to be enrolled in a
health-related, study-abroad program this
summer in Switzerland,” Edwards says. “It
was only in association with the Honors
College that a first-year student like me was
accepted for the program.” Mooney plans
to eventually travel to both Africa and a
Spanish-speaking country.
With literally a world of opportunity
open
to students in the Honors College,
Above: Mamie Jenkins Building, the new home of
the Honors College.
Mooney is eager to begin her ECU journey
Below: Honors students served as puppeteers
this fall. She is looking forward to “working
in local schools during their spring seminar
in a research lab, engaging in meaningful
“Puppet Shows That Make a Difference.”
community service, pursuing internships, or
“The students have it inside of them, and studying at a foreign university,” she says. “I
have always admired the accomplishments
it’s up to us to bring it out.”
The Honors College includes students of ECU Honors students.”
from a diverse range of academic disciplines,
and provides a unique living-learning
community on campus for first-year LIBRARY
students. Students live together, making
it easier to study, collaborate, and form Joyner Library’s latest exhibit
lasting relationships with each other. “It’s on Native Carolinians circa 1585
a spectacular opportunity,” says Edwards,
who is also an Honors Ambassador. “Many Engravings more than 400 years old were
of my closest friends at ECU this year are the focus of a new exhibit this spring
fellow members of the Honors College, at J.Y. Joyner Library at East Carolina
and I know this would not have been University. “Native Carolinians, 1585:
possible without the unique living-learning The Theodor de Bry Engravings of John
community.”
White Watercolors” was on display in the
The Honors College itself has a Verona Joyner Langford North Carolina
new home. The newly renovated Mamie Collection through May 2011.
Jenkins Building—one of ECU’s original
The Native Collections exhibit featured
buildings—near the heart of campus twenty-two engravings created by Theodor
provides access to college administrators de Bry and that appeared in the English,
and staff in a central location. “It’s Latin, and German 1590 editions of
important when a student knows you Thomas Harriot’s A Briefe and True Report of
care about them,” Bassman says. “That the New Found Land of Virginia. The engravings
individual attention is always key to having were based on watercolor paintings, created
a successful Honors program.”
around 1585, by John White, who later
With almost 450 students in the became governor of the 1587 colony on
Honors College, administrators and Roanoke Island.
professors are finding innovative ways to
Harriot’s A Briefe and True Report of the New
ensure that each student reaches his or her Found Land of Virginia was the first published
potential, in every facet of his or her mind. account of native North Carolinians and
Unique seminars and colloquia stimulate the plant and animal life in the coastal area
thinking in new ways and even benefit the of North Carolina. It is still considered the
larger community. Edwards participated in cornerstone of North American natural
“Puppet Shows That Make a Difference,” history.
through which Honors College students
White worked with Harriot throughout
JOYNER
the region to make a visual record that
complemented Harriot’s written account of
the environment and its inhabitants. ECU’s
College of Arts and Sciences is named for
Harriot, a scientist who accompanied Sir
Walter Raleigh’s 1585 colony to Roanoke
Island to conduct experiments.
“We are grateful to Michael Joyner
for sharing his prints and books for this
exhibit,” said Maury York, assistant director
for Special Collections at Joyner Library.
“Through his exceptional generosity, the
students at ECU and the people of eastern
North Carolina had a rare opportunity to
view important images of Native Americans
as they were seen by Europeans during the
lifetime of Sir Walter Raleigh.”
Also on display was a large print of
The Invincible Armada Defeated of the English
defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 and
prints depicting Sir Walter Raleigh and
Queen Elizabeth I of England. In addition,
the exhibit included Raleigh’s Historie of the
World and an early biography of him.
Joyner said he hopes that by making
these images of native Algonquian Indians
from coastal North Carolina available
through this exhibit, it will inspire a new
generation of Americans to rediscover
the early history of the state and English
exploration and interaction with the native
people of the Outer Banks and surrounding
coastal communities.
For more information about exhibits
or Library collections, contact Dawn
Wainwright at 252-328-4090.
Title page of the 1590 edition of Thomas Harriot’s
A Briefe and True Report of the New Found Land
of Virginia
PIRATEALUMNI.COM 31
A LOOK BACK
College radio outlet utilized, WWWS
This article describes how the ECC radio station began. This and other articles may be found in the University
Archives. Citation for this article is: “College Radio Outlet Utilized,” The Daily Reflector, May 14, 1958.
On the upper floors of the Joyner Library at
East Carolina College, complete radio studios
are maintained. These are not just empty
studios. They are the home of WWWS, the
FM voice of East Carolina College.
Actually, when the library was
constructed, there was no such station
operated by the College. However, plans
were made for including a specially designed
studio, control room, and other facilities on
the upper floor of the big new building.
For some time the studio was used
for taping broadcasts to be mailed to
commercial stations for remote programs
fed to the local station.
Then, about two years ago, the idea of
an FM educational station was born when
Dr. J.D. Messick, president of the college, A.
Hartwell Campbell, president of television
station WNCT, and Wendell Smiley,
college librarian, were discussing radio and
television. It was Campbell who suggested
that the college purchase an FM station and
develop it into an educational station.
Dr. Messick liked the idea and a sum of
money was set aside to purchase the station.
It became Smiley’s job to find a transmitter
and he began the search. He finally located the
needed equipment in Norton, Virginia. Station
WNVA was discontinuing its FM operation
and wished to sell its three KW transmitter.
The transmitter had been operated
about 27,000 hours and was obtained
at a low cost. New, the equipment would
have cost the college about $18,000. The
equipment was dismantled and moved the
Greenville where it was installed in the
control room of the studios.
Its tower was installed on the roof of the
building and, after an additional section was
added to place the station on 91.3 megacycles,
WWWS was born. The top of the tower was
135 feet above ground and the station can be
heard within a radius of 50 miles.
The station is student operated
under the supervisions of Miss Rosalind
Roulston, director of radio and television
for the college. It can carry baseball,
football, and basketball games plus other
special events, which might be scheduled
for the auditoriums on the college campus.
There are lines to the auditoriums and
athletic fields for remote broadcast.
Along with educational programs, the
station will carry programs of recorded
music. A record library has been built up
and it includes classical, semi-classical, and
popular music.
The station is on the air from 7 to 9:30
p.m. Monday through Friday and from 2 to
9:30 p.m. on Sundays.
Soon the college station will expand its
services on the campus.
Recently, the Phi Kappa Alpha
fraternity, through its president Thomas
A. Farlow and faculty advisor Dr. Orval
L. Phillips, presented a check for $238 to
the radio station. The funds will be used
for installation of carrier AM transmitters
in the basements of ECC residence halls,
allowing dormitory residents to pick up the
stations programs with any type of radio.
Librarian Smiley, who was station
director, said the new limited range facilities
will enable persons within 268 feet of any
one of the new transmitters to pick up the
station. It will operate on 760 kilocycles
on the AM band and will retain its FM
operating band of 91.3 megacycles.
The Phi Kappa Alpha raised its
donation by means of a variety show.
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who join by July 31 will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win great prizes!
Prize Pack #1:
UNC-Chapel Hill vs. ECU Weekend
Receive 2 complimentary tickets to the
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complimentary Alumni Tailgate tickets.
September 29 – Pirate’s Bounty Scholarship Auction
September 30 – ECU Alumni Scholarship Classic
October 1 – Alumni Tailgate before UNC-Chapel
Hill vs. ECU football
Prize Pack #2: Alumni Tailgate
Receive 2 complimentary season Alumni
Tailgate tickets for all home football games
(children 12 and under are free).
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Receive 2 complimentary tickets to the S. Rudolph Alexander Performing Arts Series
production of your choice during the 2011-2012 season.
Make your tax-deductible membership contribution today!
Join online at
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Call the Alumni Center
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For as little as $35 you can have a chance to win one of these great prize packs!
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renaissance man - East Carolina Alumni Association

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