SPRING
2016
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FIRST LADIES OF ECSU
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FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS
MUSEUM CELEBRATES ECSU
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ALUMNI HIGHLIGHTS
TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S
9 125 Years of ECSU FEATURES
14 Enrollment Strategy
125th Anniversary Founder's Day Weekend Celebration
15 Aviation Camp Program
12 Alumni Spotlight: Bevin Twins
6 Letter from the Chancellor
ECSU NEWS
Coast Guard Cmdr. Warren Judge’s military career could be characterized in one word: Exciting.
UNC President Margaret Spellings at home during first campus visit.
Contributions to the Arts
ECSU artists, musicians boosts the arts in Elizabeth City
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28 Morris-US Air Force STUDENT NEWS
Morris, a freshman, accepted into U.S. Air Force Academy.
29 Student Leadership
Aviation camp brings students from across the country to ECSU
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21 ECSU Graduate Warren Judge is Executive Officer of US Coast Guard Base 22 Spellings Visit
Joyce and Jean Bevins earned Bachelor of Science degrees in computer science in 2012 from ECSU, then entered Indiana University’s School of Informatics and Computing on full academic scholarships.
20 Veterans Center Veterans Center offers aid to campus vets & active duty military.
Enrollment strategy makes ECSU highly visible to potential students
Student Affairs announces Chancellor’s Student Leadership Awardees.
ECSU at the White House
Concert choir performs at The White House
31 Apple Scholars
The Elizabeth City Area Alumni Chapter installed its first 30 ECSU Graduate Legacy Class of 2015 graduates.
44 Dr. Stephanie Dance-Barnes 47 In Memoriam 48 Alumni Thank You 2
Elizabeth City State University Magazine Spring 2016
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Ways to Give 50 Gift Form
GO VIKINGS! SPORTS
ALUMNI NEWS
43 Elizabeth City Area Alumni Chapter
GIVING MATTERS
ECSU Students named Apple Scholars
51 Renaissance Man… Introducing Clayton Cowell
One may never truly comprehend how much student-athletes have to maintain balance between academics and their respective sport.
52 Former ECSU Lineman Participates in OTAs, Rookie Mini-Camp
Darren Wilson Earns NFL Invite
TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S
17 Museum Exhibit ECSU NEWS
Museum Exhibit Celebrates 125 Years of ECSU History
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162nd Commencement
May 14, was the long-awaited date for 193 ECSU graduates.
25 Viking Volunteer Corps
Viking Volunteer Corps Aims to Enhance Student Experience.
26 AT&T Initiative
AT&T Initiative brings computer literacy to area senior citizens
27 Kenya Project
ECSU’s Kenya project takes flight over African continent
32 Business School
Business internship program has big impact on ECSU students
33 Aviation Lab
New aviation science laboratory opens
34 Research
University cancer research makes important contributions to science
35 Letter from NAA President ALUMNI NEWS
36 Alumni Profile
ECSU alumnus enjoys cybersecurity career
38 Alumni Donor Spotlight: Alumna, Mary Albritton Alumna, Mary Albritton Douglas, humbled by doctorate of public service.
40 2015 Homecoming Recap 42 Wilmington Alumni Chapter
Wilmington Alumni Chapter is on the move in the Port City. Kamisha Graham was provided with a scholarship to attend Elizabeth City State University.
42 Class News + Notes
53 ECSU Alum Gaskins Inducted into CIAA’s Hall of Fame
60 2016 Football Schedule
54 1971’s Mike Gale
62 Fantastic Voyage
56 Athletic Award Ceremony
63 Roast and Toast Save The Date + Upcoming Events
58 2016-2017 ECSU All-CIAA Honorees
59 Down East Classic
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Elizabeth City State University Magazine Spring 2016
WE ARE … …RANKED #1 AMONG BACCALAUREATE COLLEGES by Washington Monthly (2012-2015)
…RANKED #1 MOST AFFORDABLE HBCU by AffordableSchools.net (2016)
…RANKED #2 AMONG TOP PUBLIC SCHOOLS by US News and World Report (2015 & 2016)
…RANKED #18 AMONG HBCUs by College Choice (2015)
WE ARE T H E
VI K I N GS !
E l i z a b e t h C ity S tate Univ er s i t y www.ecsu.edu Elizabeth City State University Magazine Spring 2016
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LETTER FROM THE CHANCELLOR
Letter from the Chancellor
ĂŠ
Chancellor and Mrs. Conway pictured with ECSU Men's Basketball team at the Chancellor's Welcome Reception
Dear friends of Elizabeth City State University, I am indeed pleased to welcome you to the Spring 2016 edition of the ECSU Magazine. The last few months have been extremely busy and I think you will find the reporting on many activities that have taken place since the beginning of the year interesting and exciting. I am convinced this edition qualifies as a collectors’ edition just based upon the photos and accounts from the 125th Convocation and Gala activities. It was truly a pleasure to host and honor five very classy former First Ladies of Elizabeth City State University, and it goes without saying that the opportunity to share an evening with three former ECSU Chancellors was truly unprecedented. In this edition you will also read about the work of our faculty and students in our on-campus classrooms and laboratories as well as their involvement in activities from the White House to the game reserves of Kenya. I consider the ECSU Magazine a major resource for keeping you abreast of the great things going on in the life of the University. It is my hope that you will both read and share it with pride. There is indeed much good news to share about our university and our alumni. We intend to make a dedicated effort to assure the regular publication of as much of that good news as possible in subsequent editions of this magazine and online. Stay tuned.
Thomas E. H. Conway, Jr. Chancellor
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Elizabeth City State University Magazine Spring 2016
ECSU MAGAZINE
The magazine of Elizabeth City State University. ADMINISTRATION Chancellor, Thomas E. H. Conway PROVOST AND VICE CHANCELLOR FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS Vann Newkirk VICE CHANCELLOR FOR BUSINESS AND FINANCE Joshua Lassiter INTERIM VICE CHANCELLOR FOR UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT Dennis Byron, Sr. CHIEF STUDENT AFFAIRS OFFICER Nolan Davis SECRETARY OF THE UNIVERSITY/ASSISTANT TO THE CHANCELLOR Gwendolyn Sanders ASSOC. VICE CHANCELLOR FOR ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT Jocelyn Foy CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER Rafael Bones GENERAL COUNSEL Alyn Goodson DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS Derrick Johnson CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER Suresh Murugen ECSU MAGAZINE STAFF Managing Editor Rhonda M. Hayes EDITORS Linita Shannon, Robert Kelly-Goss WRITERS Kesha Williams, Robert Kelly-Goss PHOTOGRAPHERS Kesha Williams, One 12 Images, Shadrick Addy CONTRIBUTING WRITERS April Emory, Russ Haddad, Barbara Sutton, Joy Smith, Cliff Vanterpool DESIGN AND LAYOUT The Sax Agency Vayakone Terry and Tamara Keller The ECSU Magazine is the official magazine of Elizabeth City State University designed to give alumni and friends an accurate view of the university’s people, programs, and initiatives. The ECSU Magazine is published by the ECSU Office of Communications and Marketing, 1704 Weeksville Road, Elizabeth City, NC 27909. Phone: 252.335.3594 E-mail: cam@ecsu. edu. Please send address changes to the Office of Alumni Relations, 1704 Weeksville Road, Elizabeth City, NC 27909. ECSU is a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina. © Copyright 2016, Elizabeth City State University
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F E AT U R E S
é Chancellor Conway hosts a meeting with former chancellors ç Chancellor Conway presenting an award to Mrs. Lula Thorpe, ECSU First Lady (1968-1983)
125th Anniversary Founder's Day Weekend Celebration The university’s 125th anniversary brought ECSU supporters together for a memorable series of events that were fitting for this marker in the institution’s history. Early in the week, a cast of students and staff presented a dramatic scene inspired by a session of the N.C. General Assembly that led to the creation of this institution.
Khaliq Satchell, an ECSU junior from Columbia, Md., portrayed Hugh Cale, the black representative from Pasquotank County, who sponsored N.C. House Bill 383. Once passed, that bill created a state-supported normal school to train new teachers of color. Those teachers worked in the state’s common schools and the institution also educated area black pupils. That normal school expanded its student roster and its list of academic programs over the years and evolved into Elizabeth City State
University. The supporting cast of that drama included students Kris Coffield of Kinston, N.C., ( a state legislator), Matthew Johnson of Hertford who played the role of speaker of the house, N.C, Mitch Meador, another state legislator and staff member Kenneth J. Tate, director/producer of the short drama who also played the role of a doubting state legislator. Tate said it was a real pleasure to present such an important scene before a live audience celebrating Founders Day.
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F E AT U R E S
We were delighted to welcome former First Ladies and to recognize them for their ambassadorship of ECSU. While here, they witnessed the development of new academic programs, achievements of our students, improvements in the campus landscape, and construction of buildings that are significant to the education and overall advancement of our students." On Friday, March 11, Chancellor Thomas Conway delivered the keynote address for the Founder’s Day Convocation. On Saturday, March 12, The Elizabeth City State University Foundation Board of Directors welcomed university supporters to the Kermit E. White Center for the institution’s ninth Founder’s Day Scholarship Gala. Their honored guests were five of the university’s former first ladies who served proudly beside their husbands, the university’s former chancellors. Mrs. Lula Thorpe, Dr. Faleese Moore Jenkins, Mrs. LaVera Levels Burnim, Mrs. Jacqueline Gilchrist, and Mrs. Brenda Becton received the Chancellor's Legacy Awards in recognition of their contributions and volunteer service. Chancellor Thomas Conway, and current first lady, Mychele Conway, presented the awards to the honorees who collectively could recall over 47 years of progress at the university. Victor Moody, Vice Chair of The Elizabeth City State University Foundation’s board of directors, said it was his pleasure again to greet the crowd of supporters who generously
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purchased tickets that support scholarships for deserving ECSU students. He was also appreciative of employees and other supporters who made donations especially for the occasion and those who support the institution at events year-round. “The Board of Directors for The ECSU Foundation collaborated with National Alumni Association (NAA) members to coordinate this event. The two student scholarship recipients who spoke at the gala explained just how important those scholarships are to deserving students.” Dr. Jeanette H. Evans, a 1963 graduate of the institution, current member of The ECSU Foundation Board of Directors and former president of the NAA, said the alumni were pleased to contribute to another gala and welcome back the honorees.
“We were delighted to welcome former First Ladies and to recognize them for their ambassadorship of ECSU. While here, they witnessed the development of new academic programs, achievements of our students, improvements in the campus landscape and construction of buildings that are significant to the education and overall advancement of our students,” Evans said. Mr. Antonio Knox, the 40th Grand Basileus of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., said it was his pleasure to
F E AT U R E S
ç Pictured left to right: Chancellor Thomas Conway, First Lady Mechelle Conway; former first ladies and chancellors, Mrs. Jacqueline Gilchrist, Dr. Willie J. Gilchrist, Mrs. Lula Thorpe, Mrs. LaVera Brothers, Dr. Mickey L. Burnim, Dr. Faleese Moore-Jenkins, and Dr. Jimmy R. Jenkins.
é Mr. and Miss ECSU 2015-16
serve as master of ceremonies for the event and pledged future fraternity support of the institution. That night, he presented two checks from the organization totaling $15,000. The Elizabeth City State University Foundation members said generous contributions over the last year were significant in not only supporting the institution’s 125th anniversary celebration, but creating a strong
wall of support for an institution that has well served its students. To donate to scholarship funds managed by the ECSU Foundation, visit www.ecsu.edu.
$15,000
Mr. Antonio Knox, the 40th Grand Basileus of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., presented two checks from the organization totaling $15,000.
é Founders Day Convocation
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F E AT U R E S
Alumni Spotlight
Bevin Twins Joyce and Jean Bevins earned Bachelor of Science degrees in Computer Science in 2012 from ECSU, then entered Indiana University’s School of Informatics and Computing on full academic scholarships. To the delight of their grandmother, who raised them from infancy in Philadelphia, Pa., the twins graduated with Master of Science degrees from Indiana University in 2015. It’s a
storyline that any family can be proud of, but this one isn’t limited to their academic success. The Bevins twins, also known as Eli and Lu, are awardwinning filmmakers. Some people might think their degrees earned in technical fields of study contrast with their passion for filmmaking. Yet, the two quickly assert you shouldn’t presume that filmmaking is reserved for people who excelled in language and the
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performing arts. They are confident that good filmmakers can come from any background. “We were always writers. We jumped into film. We put on two stage plays there at ECSU and realized we had no one to film our work,” Jean said. “That forced us to learn. Now we can say this is very rewarding.” The twins can also recall early efforts to write stories and scripts as early as elementary school and well through high school. During their days as graduate students at Indiana University, they continued writing and making films. With help from students in the theatre department who acted in their productions, the Bevins twins cranked out additional films. They decided to enter their films in contests to determine how well their work would be received. They started with Campus MovieFest, (CMF), which is the world’s largest student film festival. The challenge of this fest is for college student filmmakers to make a movie in one week. The Bevins sisters submitted their films at the appointed time in 2014 for review by CMF officials.
“We won first place in the Elfenworks Social Justice category of the 2014 festival for our film Systematic Living, which was also screened on Virgin American Airlines,” Joyce noted of the category that is reserved for a film that provides hope for its audience. Since 2001, CMF officials have reviewed films made at select universities then decided which films would then advance to Hollywood for further consideration and possible reward at the annual award ceremony held at the Globe Theatre at Universal Studios. Three other films created by the twins were contenders in Hollywood’s (2015) Campus MovieFest (CMF) competition: My Dear Arthur, The Exit, and ID. My Dear Arthur is a thriller, The Exit is a drama that tackles domestic violence, and ID is a social justice film. Both My Dear Arthur and The Exit won two of the four awards distributed among IU student filmmakers. The films were also entered into national competition in 2015. Joyce also won the Best Editor award for My Dear Arthur. Heather Owens, a student and member of the My Dear Arthur cast, won the Best Actress award. In May, My Dear Arthur debuted before an international audience in France at the Cannes Film Festival. The festival is an annual event that draws award-winning filmmakers to
F E AT U R E S
network with their peers and industry professionals. They also learn valuable lessons about what distinguishes studio and independent films. Joyce admits the challenge for students to create a film in one week was no easy task especially, when they are still completing assignments associated with a master’s degree program. They completed homework assignments first, then worked as a team to research, write, shoot, and produce their films. My Dear Arthur was edited in one day. Their dual role as filmmakers and graduate school students often required long days of work, limited sleep, and matchless determination. Their social justice films were often inspired by Philadelphia’s welldocumented chronicles of poverty, crime and unbalanced opportunities among the city’s diverse population. The Bevins sisters declare they approach topics that aren’t illuminated on commercial movie screens. “These topics are uncomfortable. If there is something that needs to be
said, or a story that needs to be told, we come out of our comfort zone and do that,” Joyce said. “We’ve tackled dramas, comedies, and documentaries.” “It is already different for us to be black women writers and directors. So we are already stepping out of the box and doing something different,” Jean said. The twins take pride in earning undergraduate degrees at an historically Black university (ECSU), then graduating with 3.8 grade point averages from Indiana University. Those experiences helped them create a social circle of friends from southern and northern U.S. cities, India, China, Africa, and the Middle East. They credit ECSU computer science professor Dr. Linda Hayden with running a strenuous undergraduate research program that propelled them and at least nine of their undergraduate peers to Indiana University for summer internships.
Their hard work eventually helped them earn full scholarships from Indiana University. While there, the twins completed film projects that could be used for their academic department’s promotional purposes. It was the kind of work that helped them earn skills beyond those associated with their original film scripts. The Bevins continue researching and learning about prospective plots for their next film and grants that can finance their production work. “Our grandmother is proud of us for earning master’s degrees in a technological field of study that will allow us to earn a living. You don’t make much money starting out as filmmakers,” Joyce said. “Yet, we definitely encourage other students to participate. If you have a good story, good cinematography, and you work hard, you can watch it go from paper to (screen) light. That is rewarding” Visit the Bevins’ website to view their films and to learn more about their production company, Eli Lu Productions: eliluproductions.com
It is already different for us to be black women writers and directors. So we are already stepping out of the box and doing something different." Jean Bevin
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F E AT U R E S
Enrollment Strategy
Enrollment strategy makes ECSU highly visible to potential students “We make certain they (alumni) have as much information as possible about our admissions standards,” Foy said. Foy, who is a longtime admissions specialist, says the AdmissionsPro software is also one of the new tools being employed to assist with boosting her department’s efforts.
Interim Assistant Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management, Jocelyn Foy, will tell you she’s burning the candle at both ends. And that’s a good thing because Foy and her team are taking enrollment efforts to a whole new level. “We want to ensure that the university has a competitive opportunity to attract students ideal for ECSU,” says Foy. And that means that enrollment is changing strategies. Foy says they are using social media such as Facebook and Twitter more to their advantage, being more visible on high school campuses, reaching out to civic organizations, and turning more to alumni to help reach potential students.
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The teams arriving in these areas will be there to show prospective students and their families all that ECSU has to offer them. “We’re talking the university on the road,” Foy said.
She says they will not only meet with prospective students, We want to ensure that the but also civic university has a competitive government; opportunity to attract students and community leaders. The ideal for ECSU." idea is to reach This new technology creates an out and let them know that ECSU is a good fit for their students. application process that will not only allow immediate access to forms and “Share our stories with the the ability to submit them directly to communities,” Foy said. the university’s admissions office, but will also generate a quicker response While programs are being planned time by the university through this and implemented, it’s also important paperless method. But a tool must be that her staff has all of the most operated by a team of eager people, current information available to them. and Foy’s team is augmenting all of That’s why admissions staff members that cutting-edge technology with are undergoing a, “robust training high visibility and a lot of hard work. schedule.” One of her team’s newest programs to boost enrollment is the “Fantastic Viking Voyage.” Foy and her team have identified 12 areas where they will be sending teams of 25 people each. These areas, she explains, have the greatest volume of prospective students.
“So we are as prepared as possible,” she said.
FANTASTIC VIKING VOYAGE Enrollment Tour 2016 Dates and Locations on page 62
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Aviation Camp Program
rocket, launch the rocket.”
Aviation camp brings students from across the country to ECSU Professor of Aviation Science Orestes Gooden sits in his Elizabeth City State University office surrounded by models and photos of aircraft, tools of his trade. They are a part of Gooden’s efforts for an upcoming NASA aviation summer program that will bring students from across the state and nation to the northeast North Carolina campus. ECSU is one of nine sites in the nation chosen by NASA for the Aerospace Academy program. As part of its Minority University Research and Education Program, or MUREP, NASA and ECSU aim to give students the opportunity to experience the many facets of aviation science, learn more about a future career in the sciences, and gain hands-on experience while living on campus or attending one of several day camps throughout the region. The residential camp is for high school students. The day camps are aimed
at middle school students. The camps are free and are funded by a $347,000 NASA grant. Gooden says the new program will work in concert with the university’s Aviation Career Education program, launched in 2008. It is a weeklong event that, Gooden says, promotes the college experience in addition to the sciences. “Students get interested in college life,” Gooden said. “When they see what it is like to live on campus, we’ve had several students enroll in the aviation program.” But more to the point of the camp, students will experience aviation science through hands-on projects such as building rockets, says Aviation Science director and technology department chairman, Dr. Kuldeep Rawat. Rawat points out that while students will learn about a variety of sciencerelated subjects while attending secondary schools throughout the year, at ECSU’s camps, they begin to see what they have learned unfold before them. “They may have learned about rockets and theory,” explains Rawat, “but here they will build a rocket, design the
Students will also have the opportunity to build robots and compete with them. They will go out into the field to conduct research and bring that information back to campus to aid them in their work. And there will also be opportunities to work with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, commonly known as drones. In addition to the residential camp, Rawat says there will be several weeklong camps held at regional schools throughout the summer. Each school will host a camp concentrating on a theme. In Warren County, students will have a chance to learn about “A Mission to Mars.” During this week, the focus of the projects will relate to aspects of the red planet Mars as well as how people might travel to our celestial neighbor. “They will come up with ways to establish life on Mars,” Rawat said. The program covers five counties: Pasquotank, Perquimans, Chowan, Martin and Warren. There are two, week-long residential camps at ECSU and four week-long day camps at four different locations. All camps will deliver 40 classroom hours of fun, educational, and handson learning, says Rawat. And all camps are free and are filled on a first come, first-served basis. For more information about the camps or to register, call 252-335-3846.
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1907
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Elizabeth City State Colored Normal School opens on Roanoke Avenue in Elizabeth City. There are two teachers, 23 students and $900 of state money.
ECSU Land Purchased
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1981 Founder HugH Cale Legislation is introduced by Hugh Cale, a black Pasquotank County State Representative. The legislation will establish the Elizabeth City State Colored Normal School for the purpose of educating future black teachers.
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Lane Hall
The univers standing bu Hall, is erec
Hugh Cale’s bill is enacted into law and the North Carolina State Board of Education is directed to establish the State Normal School in Elizabeth City. Board of Local Managers, later to become the Board of Trustees, hires the school’s first principal, Peter W. Moore. More was a member of the Plymouth, North Carolina Normal School faculty.
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Highest Enrollment
ECSU Makes History Again
In the fall semester, ECSU’s Aviation Science and Communications Studies programs begin. The fall semester also sees the highest enrollment in ECSU history, 2,150 students.
Miss ECSU Alana Simmons is crowned Miss CIAA in March, the first time in the university’s history.
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2012
Eleventh Executive Officer, Dr. Conway Jr.
Another Building Gets Honored
The UNC Board of Governors officially names Dr. Thomas E. Conway Jr., chancellor, making him the 11th executive officer to serve ECSU.
2005
In December, the Willie and Jacqueline Gilchrist Education and Psychology Complex is named in honor of the chancellor and his wife, both ECSU graduates.
ECSU celebrates its 125th anniversary since it was founded in 1891. Among the many activities, Museum of the Albemarle, in cooperation with ECSU, hosts the exhibit, “Elizabeth City State University: 125 Years of Excellence and Resilience.”
Burnim Celebrates10th Anniversary as CEO Chancellor Mickey L. Burnim celebrates his 10th anniversary as CEO of ECSU. The Fine Arts Center is named in his honor.
2014 First Woman Chancellor
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ECSU on the Web
Ninth Executive Officer, Dr. Gilchrist
Dr. Stacey Franklin Jones is named ECSU’s 10th executive officer by the UNC Board of Governors.
The university’s first web page makes its debut. Television channel 18 is on the air for the first time.
After serving as interim chancellor, Dr. Willie J. Gilchrist becomes ninth executive officer of ECSU on March 15. He is the second ECSU graduate to hold the office. The men’s Viking basketball team defeats Virginia Union University to become CIAA champions.
2015 Published Book
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ECSU history professor Dr. Glen Bowman publishes, “Elizabeth City State University 1891-2016: The Continuity of a Historical Legacy of Excellence and Resilience.”
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Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) was founded to train African Americans educators to teach in the common schools of North Carolina. Hugh Cale opened up the doors to higher education for the university’s first class of 23 teachers and to date ECSU has graduated over 12,000 students in a variety of disciplines. From aviation science to visual and performing arts, the scholars on the ECSU campus foster a culture of academic excellence and continuously supported in their endeavors by faculty, staff, parents, friends and generations of alumni. Throughout 125 years of growth and development, ECSU has never lost sight of the history and tradition upon which our great institution was built and that will continue to guide our future. We thank you for joining us on this journey and we look forward to sharing many more milestones with our Viking family.
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In 1891,
After moving to Herrington Road in 1894, six students graduate from the State Normal School. The five men and one woman graduating are: Emic Coleman Cooper, James Edward Felton, Richard Copeland Jacocks, Charles Edward Physic, Joanna Outlaw Rayner, and Charles Smythn Yeates.
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ECSU History
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State of North Carolina appropriates $12,000 to purchase land. The purchase will establish the school’s permanent location, in existence today.
Hattie A. Newby is the first person to graduate, completing her post graduate program.
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1892 - Normal School
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Center of Excellence opens
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Student Center Gets a New Name On March 7 the New Student Center Complex is named in the honor of the university’s fifth president and first lady, Dr. Walter N. and Henrietta B. Ridley. In April the UNC Board of Governors approves the creation of a Master’s Degree in School Administration program.
The university opens Center of Excellence in Remote Sensing Education and Research, or CERSER. The center will play a significant role in climate change research.
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First Master Progra
The UNC Boa of Governo approves ECSU first maste degree progra in elementa educatio
1946 Fourth President, Dr. Williams
ECSU 100th Anniversary
Dr. Mickey Lynn Burnim is named ECSU’s eighth executive officer on June 14. On October 19, he is installed as the third chancellor since becoming a part of the UNC system.
1993 First student Head of Campus SGA president, Michael Andrew Myrick, becomes the first student to be elected to a second term as head of the campus organization.
On March 1, the North Carolina General Assembly recognizes ECSU’s 100th anniversary by convening in the Vaughan Center to reenact the introduction of House Bill 383 by Hugh Cale, requesting the establishment of state support for a normal school in Elizabeth City.
1978 First televised Homecoming
On March 4, the university gains approval for the creation of the radio station, WRVS-FM. The call letters stand for “Wonderful Radio Viking Style.”
The first televised Vikings homecoming game is watched by fans.
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Inaugural Week
Another CIAA Championship
April 24-29 is Inaugural Week, honoring Chancellor Jimmy Jenkins and his family. Numerous dignitaries were in attendance including UNC President William Friday and the first black member of the North Carolina Supreme Court, Justice Henry E. Frye.
February 28, the Vikings basketball team wins CIAA Championship. May 10, the Carrie M. and J. Samuel Roebuck Stadium is dedicated. In December, Coretta Scott King, widow of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., speaks on the campus.
Chancellor Marion Thorpe has interview with President Jimmy Carter on October 25.
The renovation of Moore Hall, one of the oldest buildings on campus, includes air-conditioning and the upgrade of the auditorium for greater academic and cultural use.
ECSU becomes one of 16 constituent institutes of the University of North Carolina system. The title of ECSU president is changed to chancellor.
Dr. Herman Glenn Cooke, professor and chair of biology, received international acclaim for his discovery of an unknown species of Chironomid. The species was named in his honor.
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1971 CIAA Football Championship The ECSU Vikings win the CIAA Football Championship. On February 2 the ECSU Foundation is chartered.
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Sixth President, Dr. Thrope
1963
With its expanded curriculum, Elizabeth City State Teachers College changes its name to Elizabeth City State College.
Protests On September 24, ECSU students hold a Civil Rights March through downtown Elizabeth City. Students entered three local restaurants and one department store to hold sit-ins to protest the “whites only” access to these institutions. Of the hundreds of students protesting, 79 were charged with trespassing and 143 others charged with blocking business entrances and public sidewalks.
1958
Fifth President, Dr. Ridley College president Dr. Sidney David Williams retires and is succeeded by the school’s fifth president, Dr. Walter Nathaniel Ridley.
1961
ECSU Joins SACs
College president Dr. Walter Nathan Ridley resigns on June 30, and Dr. Marion Dennis Thorpe becomes the sixth president.
The college is elected to join the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, or SACs, a regional accrediting agency. Campus-wide telephone service is available for the first time.
Doomsday Defense Jethro Pugh (#75) from Bertie County, graduated a polished lineman who help anchor the Dallas Cowboys “Doomsday Defense”.
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Pirates to Vikings The intercollegiate athletic teams and the yearbook change their names from the “Pirates,” to the “Vikings.”
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First Business Degrees The Class of 1962 becomes the first class to receive degrees outside of elementary education. Students graduate with degrees in business education, general science with a biology concentration, and social sciences.
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The college introduces its first vocational training program. The program includes auto mechanics, brick masonry, cosmetology, radio and television electronics, and secretarial sciences.
Name Change
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Discovers Chironomid
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Eighth Executive Officer Dr. Burnim
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WRVS-FM was born
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Dr. Walter N. Ridley is named the third President Emeritus on March 3.
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1956
Dr. Evelyn A. Johnson is named ECSU’s first Professor Emeritus.
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Because the school began to offer a wide variety of degree programs, the name was changed from Elizabeth City State College to Elizabeth City State University.
1957
Dr. Kermit E. White becomes the first black chairman of the ECSU Board of Trustees.
1958
ECSU’s “State Teachers College” Historic District is placed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 28. On September 1 Dr. Mickey L. Burnim is appointed to serve as interim chancellor.
Became a University
Firsts of ECSU
1965 First White student Terry Quinlan becomes the first white student to attend ECSU. Quinlan is a member of the basketball team and student government.
1959
1994
1969
1976
October 14, Dr. Jimmy Jenkins, a graduate of the ECSU Class of 1965, is elected chancellor by the UNC Board of Governors. He is the first ECSU chancellor named by the board and the first graduate of the university to hold such an office at any North Carolina university.
SGA, FIRST STUDENT COUNCIL
1962
1987
Statue of P.W. Moore, “Seat of Knowledge,” is unveiled on June 20. The artist is Class of 1972 graduate, Roy Chester Farmer.
The office of Institutional Research is established in the fall semester.
1963
ECSU Graduate and Chancellor, Dr. Jenkins
1968 New Program at ECSU
1943
1983
Dr. Evelyn Adelaide Johnson publishes her book, “History of ECSU.”
1953 Elizabeth City State Teachers College establishes the first student council, years later to become the Student Government Association, or SGA.
1937
Dr. Geneva Jones Bowe is the first ECSU graduate appointed to the UNC Board of Governors.
As America heads to war, the campus at ECSU becomes predominantly female. ECSU also does its part during the war effort, housing women who come to work in manufacturing while the men are fighting in Europe and the Pacific.
The State Normal School is renamed Elizabeth City State Teachers College.
1938
1975 ECSU gets Published
Majority Women
Renamed College
1932
1930
1980 UNC Board of Governors Appt.
On Founders Day, March 3, the university designates its first Trustees Emeriti: John C. Bias, J. Wilbert Forbes, Leroy B. Frasier, Clifford B. Jones Sr., Fred P. Markham III, J. Samuel Roebuck, and Martin Luther Wilson.
1931
1928
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1924
1925
1922
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1920
1986 First Trustees
Dr. Sidney David Williams, a former Elizabeth City State dean, becomes the fourth president of the school.
1945
1939
The normal school expands from a two-year institution to a four-year degree program, offering a diploma in elementary education.
1992
ECSU Becomes Historic
1997
During the years of the Great Depression, students at ECSU plant a farm and raise animals, becoming self-sufficient during the strife of the economic collapse. Like the rest of the country, it would not be until the wake of World War II that the small college would see economic relief.
First 4-year graduating class of1939
Seat of Knowledge
ard ors U’s er’s am ary on.
Dr. Harold Leonard Trigg becomes the third president while the college celebrates its 50th anniversary.
ECSU at the African American Pageant Miss ECSU, Tonya Arnette DeVaughan, represents the university at the Miss Collegiate African American pageant in Los Angeles.
rs am
Third President, Dr. Trigg
1960
After 37 years, Peter W. Moore retires as head of the normal school and becomes the first president emeritus a North Carolina public senior institute. Dr. John Henry Bias is elected the school’s second president.
1947
A student newspaper, the Blue & White Banner begins publication. The first yearbook, The Normal Light, is published. According to the yearbook, there are more than 750 students from 41 North Carolina counties, and nine states. There are 28 teachers working from 11 different buildings, situated on 41 acres valued at $399,920. The school operates under the State Division of Negro Education.
1937
sity’s oldest uilding, Lane cted.
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1941
First President, Dr. Bias
1961
1928
Banner
The school’s first athletic association is formed, as well as the first women’s basketball program.
1917
1915
1916
1913
1925 the Blue & White
1935
First Women’s Basketball team
In the fall the first school baseball team is established.
1914
1911
1912
1919
New Baseball team
The school opens t its present ocation. It operates rom two brick buildings, Lane and Symera Halls. High chool classes are ncluded alongside he normal school urriculum.
1936
1914
School Opens
1918
1912
ECSU History Click here to download Full Version of History Poster
ECSU NEWS
Museum Exhibit
Museum Exhibit Celebrates 125 Years of ECSU History It was an evening of celebration, fellowship, and Viking Pride as more than 100 people gathered at the Museum of the Albemarle for a private reception and ribbon cutting of the exhibit, “ECSU: 125 Years of Excellence and Resilience.” Inside the museum’s portico, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of Elizabeth City State University enjoyed the sounds of the ECSU Jazz Ensemble and the ECSU Concert Choir. Hosted by the ECSU Foundation, Chancellor Thomas E. Conway Jr., welcomed the crowd, reminding them that the exhibit was a culmination of more than a century of dedication to the future of our youth. Dr. Glen Bowman, history professor and author of the book, “Elizabeth City State University: The Continuity of Historical Legacy of Excellence and Resilience,” spoke to the crowd about the history of ECSU from its days as the State Normal School to the present. Fine Arts Center Manager Ken Tate led the University Players in the re-enactment of the presentation and ultimate passage of the legislation that would lead to the funding of the normal school. On January 26, 1891, legislation was introduced by Cale, a black Pasquotank County State
Representative. The legislation established the Elizabeth City State Colored Normal School for the purpose of educating future black teachers. On March 3, 1891, Cale’s bill was enacted into law and the North Carolina State Board of Education was directed to establish the State Normal School in Elizabeth City. Board of Local Managers, later to become the Board of Trustees, hired the school’s first principal, Peter W. Moore. It was the beginning of 125 years of higher education that was being celebrated with the museum exhibit. And that exhibit opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony led by Chancellor Conway. Guests made their way to the exhibit gallery where the story of ECSU is being told through photographs and artifacts through February 2017. Inside the gallery guests were greeted by an exhibit that drew accolades and congratulations.
Among the photographs were images of some of the first students to attend the normal school, standing with Principal P.W. Moore. The imagery took visitors through the decades, highlighting moments such as the 1963 Elizabeth City Civil Rights march and sit-in, Viking football and basketball CIAA championships, and a variety of moments that brought back memories for many alumni present that evening including Dr. Jeanette H. Evans, Justina Long, and Joyce Long. Joyce Long was especially pleased with the exhibit. She, along with ECSU staff and other alums, helped to create the exhibit. And perhaps for Long there was nothing more exciting than to see the names of her 23 family members, all ECSU graduates, displayed in the exhibit. The exhibit opened to the general public the following day. It will remain open through February 2017.
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ECSU NEWS
162nd Commencement May 14 was the long awaited date for 193 ECSU graduates. Chancellor Thomas E.H. Conway led the ceremony. For his first commencement, the chancellor delivered a message of hope and pride to the graduates. He encouraged them to share their Viking story with the world. Bakari Sellers, a CNN contributor, was the speaker for ECSU's 193 graduates. Sellers earned his undergraduate degree from Morehouse College and he earned his law degree from the University of South Carolina. Sellers made history in 2006 when, at just 22 years old, he defeated a 26-year incumbent State Representative to become the youngest member of the South Carolina state legislature and the youngest African American elected official in the nation. He told his story of hope for the future and asked graduates to remain encouraged about their paths. The students who graduated with honors at ECSU’s 162nd Commencement noted theirs as an exceptional accomplishment. Many of the honors graduates claimed the university’s top academic awards in April at the annual Honors Program Convocation. That would include Devin Cherry, a senior majoring in business administration. He led the line of undergraduates and served as
18 Elizabeth City State University Magazine Spring 2016
the Bearer of the Mace at commencement. The honor of holding the university Mace is reserved for the non-transferring senior with the highest grade point average. Cherry, a native of Elizabeth City, earned his degree in four years and said the honor was an indicator he reached his full potential.
“This has been one of the most memorable weekends of my life. I felt highly honored and blessed to be able to carry the Mace and lead the class of 2016 into commencement Saturday. This honor is a result of hard work, dedication, great effort, and staying focused,” Cherry said. Cherry credited all his professors with making a significant impact on his life. He recalled professors in the business department who always motivated and encouraged him to work to the best of his ability. He highly valued the opportunity to earn an undergraduate degree. Cherry set goals to assure academic success
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Spring 2016 ECSU graduates: Matthew Evans, Alexis Barfield, Jai’La Carmack-Carter and Dorothy Crumity.
ECSU NEWS
and he was determined to devote equal effort to all tasks. When he recalled activities and events that made the greatest impression on him, they were events hosted by his department. “The National Society of Leadership and Success and Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society were the most interesting programs. These organizations allowed me to stay motivated and encouraged me to strive for greatness.” Students participating in Elizabeth City State University’s Honors Program, now in its 34th year, say that the program is one of the university’s most gratifying experiences. Those who graduated with highest honors, high honor and with honor draped white cords atop their commencement gowns to indicate their stellar accomplishments. ECSU is one of 60 Honors Programs operating among the National Association of African American Honors Programs, a national academic organization that provides honors students with opportunities to present scholarly research, network, debate, and compete academically. The Honors Program at ECSU is designed to challenge students with high academic potential at an accelerated rate and to provide them with exposure to a wide variety of in-depth academic, social, cultural, and international experiences Dorothy Crumity, the first of 10 children in her family and the first to graduate from a four-year institution, said she was looking forward to showing her Honors Program medallion to family members and friends. “I hope all the young adults and children will be inspired by my graduation. Everything that I have been through and done was not only for myself but to uplift and encourage others. I plan to show others my medallion so they know that hard work pays off and doesn't always go unnoticed.”
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2016 UNC Board of Governor’s Award. Dr. Ngozi Oriaku was the recipient of the 2016 UNC Board of Governor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. Oriaku, a professor in the Department of Business and Economics, said she was honored to receive the award.
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Devin Cherry, Bearer of the Mace
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Chancellor Conway and Commencement Speaker, Bakari Sellers, CNN contributor, attorney, and former representative in South Carolina's House of Representatives
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ECSU NEWS
Veterans Center
Veterans Center offers aid to campus vets & active duty military Inside the Ridley Student Center, the Elizabeth City State University Veterans Center is growing. Headed up by Tim Freeman, the center has a presence on campus that ensures military veterans and active duty men and women have a place to call home. “Our mission is to provide services to active duty and veterans on campus and also the 51,000 veterans in the 21-county region we serve,” Freeman said. Freeman says the center is a place where veterans can find help sifting through the sometimes confusing bureaucratic red tape necessary to receive benefits and documents. For any veteran, the search for education benefits alone can be daunting. “We are finding out that veterans don’t know they have benefits, so we lead them in the right direction to get what they need,” Freeman said. It’s also good to be located next door to the country’s largest Coast Guard base. Freeman says that not only can the Veterans Center provide assistance to service members trying to navigate benefits as they leave the military, but also to those who would like to continue their education.
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Freeman says that active duty Coast Guard members, as well as members of the Navy, are beginning to enroll at ECSU. He says most recently a member of the Navy enrolled in the university’s aviation program. And the spouses of service members also have an opportunity to attend ECSU. Freeman says the Coast Guard base executive officer, Cmdr. Warren Judge, is an ECSU graduate. Freeman is working with him to build a relationship with the base. “We hope to see more Coast Guard members and dependents come to ECSU to enroll,” says Freeman. The Veterans Center is also working on plans to have an admissions person
and an academic advisor in the office. Having these people on site to serve veterans is important, he says. Not only can the center be a place to assist them in finding out about needed benefits, but also assist with their experience as ECSU students. Freeman says there are currently 90 student veterans attending ECSU. He says it’s important for not only the university community, but also the community at large to do what it can to support active duty military and veterans. It’s also important to ECSU Chancellor Thomas Conway, says Freeman. Chancellor Conway asked Freeman to represent ECSU on a newly formed
ECSU graduate Warren Judge is executive officer of Base Elizabeth City Coast Guard Cmdr. Warren Judge’s military career could be characterized in one word: Exciting. The 1997 Elizabeth City State University graduate played a pivotal role in the rescue operations in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, and he was the communications officer not only for the White House, but also Air Force One. “I had a seat on Air Force One,” says Judge.
committee. The Elizabeth City Chamber of Commerce created the Military and Veterans Affairs Committee to serve the needs of the area’s vets and active duty men and women. The idea, says Freeman, is to make the community aware of their needs and be a more military friendly community. While currently located in an office inside the Ridley Student Center, Freeman says the Veterans Center will be moving to a larger office in the near future.
But these days, Judge has come full circle. He has returned to Coast Guard Base Elizabeth City where he was stationed while a student at ECSU. Judge is the executive officer serving directly under base Cmdr. Bruce Brown. “ECSU gave me a lot of good opportunity for leadership,” said Judge, who earned a degree in computer science with a minor in aeronautics. And just a few days after graduation, he was off to the Coast Guard’s Officers Candidate School. The Tampa, Florida, native was attending the University of Florida. He says he had “partied out of school,” and figured joining the Coast Guard behind his brother would be a good idea. It turns out that it was an outstanding idea.
Once Judge became an officer, he went on to earn his Master’s Degree in computer science from Howard University. After serving in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, Judge would move to Arlington, Virginia, where he worked on building the command and control infrastructure to manage rescue missions. From there he went to Washington, D.C., where he was the commander for career management for all Coast Guard officers. It was after that assignment that Judge would be chosen from 75 officers to join the White House communications team. There, he did advance work, building communications infrastructure for Pres. Barack Obama before visiting locations across the country. Next, he became the communications officer for Air Force One. “The president is very professional,” said Judge, “and he is dedicated to his country and dedicated to his family.” Eventually, the opportunity to apply to serve back in Elizabeth City presented itself. Judge put his name in and would eventually begin serving here on May 3. “Knowing the area, I thought I could serve the Coast Guard well,” he said.
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ECSU NEWS
Spellings Visit
UNC President Margaret Spellings at home during first campus visit From the moment University of North Carolina President Margaret Spellings walked through the doors of Elizabeth City State University last April, it was clear that the newly appointed, system chief was a welcome guest. Staff, faculty, and students had been preparing for her arrival for several months, and the enthusiasm for Spellings’ visit was clear as she was greeted by the smiling Viking faces. After meeting with ECSU Chancellor Thomas Conway, President Spellings was greeted by staff, students, and faculty on the third floor of the Marion Thorpe Administration Building. She posed for photographs with each group prior to their meetings inside the Chancellor's board room. On the tail of their meeting with President Spellings, student leaders commented on how much they enjoyed their time with her and were impressed with her desire to listen and answer questions. Her day-long tour continued with a visit to Museum of the Albemarle. Greeted by the museum's director, Bill McCrea, and curator, Wanda Lassiter, President Spellings was given a sneak peek at the ECSU 125th anniversary exhibit before its public opening on May 7. Following the tour, she attended a luncheon with the ECSU Board of Trustees. During
22 Elizabeth City State University Magazine Spring 2016
the luncheon, the president discussed issues with the board, including those surrounding tuition, minimum admissions requirements, and the significance of HBCUs to the mission of higher education. The discussion focused on ĂŠ the importance of ECSU in the education of students seeking an opportunity to advance their lives through the university experience. Trustee Harold Barnes, a successful Raleigh businessman, recounted his experience as the first member of his family to graduate from a university. He said that if it were not for his education on the campus of ECSU, he would not be where he is today. After the luncheon, President Spellings, accompanied by Chancellor Conway and his staff, toured downtown Elizabeth City. After heading back to ECSU, the president received a tour of points of interest across the campus. During her visit to the aviation department, she was shown the flight simulator lab, the NASA Aerospace Education Lab, the Unmanned Aerial System Lab, and greeted students and faculty. Next, President Spellings was given a tour of the Pharmacy Complex where she met with students and faculty and learned about cancer research taking place at ECSU. The presentation capped off an impressive display of academic research unique to ECSU in the UNC system.
Chancellor Thomas Conway and University of North Carolina President Margaret Spellings
A community reception at the K.E. White Center featured a number of community members and elected officials eager to greet the president. During an informal gathering, President Spellings had the opportunity to speak with a number of ECSU alumni, former faculty members, and supporters before moving on to the Elizabeth City Municipal Airport. At the airport, the president was greeted by members of the aviation department where she was shown the university's onsite lab as well as given a tour of the two airplanes used to train student pilots. Her day ended with a press conference with the local newspaper in the airport conference room. The day-long tour was the result of several months of planning on the part of ECSU administrative staff. President Spellings own staff commented that this was one of the most enjoyable tours she had throughout her trek across the state meeting with a number of UNC constituent campuses.
Contributions to the Arts
ECSU NEWS
ECSU artists, musicians boost the arts in Elizabeth City Last February, Arts of the Albemarle’s Jenkins Gallery was abuzz with people. From gallery regulars to first time visitors, the expansive space was filled with people anxious to view art created by Elizabeth City State University students, alumni, and faculty. It was a moment Arts of the Albemarle (AOA) Director Katy Murray will not soon forget.
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ECSU NEWS
“Since I’ve been here, that was the most diverse audience I’ve seen,” said Murray.
Jackson, ECSU’s musical efforts commonly extend well beyond the campus.
While the February show featuring ECSU artists was not the first time the university has partnered with the downtown Elizabeth City arts community, it did mark the beginning of what Chancellor Thomas Conway has said is an important component in the university experience, an appreciation for the arts.
Kransnokutzy, director of the ECSUAlbemarle Symphony Orchestra, has brought internationally-renowned classical musicians to the stage at AOA’s Maguire Theatre on more than one occasion. And along with fellow professor and musician, Christopher Palenstrant, he has performed original musical compositions for the public.
ECSU has been involved in community arts for some time. It is not uncommon to see former art professors Alexis Joyner and Dru Scerbo, or current professor, Jeff Whelan, participate in visual arts programs downtown. During the biannual Splash artists retreat, these three men can be seen creating their work alongside artists from across the state and country. And with them are ECSU students, whose desire to be a part of a growing community arts scene draws them from campus.
Arts of the Albemarle’s Murray launched the successful Thursday Night Jazz Series in part with Jackson’s help.
One of the most recent successes from ECSU’s Fine Arts Department is 2012 studio art graduate Gabriel Brody. Brody left Elizabeth City to earn his MFA in painting from the University of North Dakota. From there he participated in a painting fellowship in Italy. Brody’s paintings were featured prominently in the February art exhibit. He also followed up with two submissions to a competition at AOA in March. While ECSU visual artists are well represented, so are its musicians. Thanks to the efforts of music professors such as Walter Swan, Dennis Krasnokutsky and Douglas
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“There is a big ECSU connection to every band,” says Murray. Whether it is a student or faculty member, this music series ties directly into the university’s music department." ECSU’s contributions to the arts in the region have always been strong, and more and more artists and musicians are finding community venues to express their work. Murray says it is her hope that AOA and ECSU will begin working together more, bringing the university’s diverse and young talent to the community at large. “I think it is critically important overall to engage young people in the arts in our community,” says Murray. “ECSU brings the younger artists.”
ì
Self portraits of Alexis Joyner, Frederick Pellum (no longer at ECSU), William Drescher, Drusiano Scerbo, Mixed Mediums
ECSU NEWS
Viking Volunteer Corps
Viking Volunteer Corps Aims to Enhance Student Experience With the creation of the Viking Volunteer Corps, Elizabeth City State University is bringing its people and efforts off the campus, and out into the surrounding communities. Under a new initiative, The ECSU Experience Redefined, students, faculty, and staff have the opportunity to build stronger community bonds while enhancing their experience here on campus. The ECSU Experience Redefined is the umbrella program for the volunteer corps. It is aimed at increasing community engagement throughout the 21 counties the university serves. While the initiative brings ECSU out into the communities for a number of events, it also works to build the student experience here.
1,100 pounds of produce were donated to the Food Bank of the Albemarle
Under the initiative, the Viking Volunteer Corps is one of three programs. Upon receiving requests from the local community and region, students, faculty, staff, and alumni are asked to give their time to volunteer for these activities. Initial support for the program has been enthusiastic, with the campus community helping out at the Habitat for Humanity Store in Elizabeth City. Viking volunteers are also scheduled to work as school
proctors during end-of-course testing at local schools and selling soft drinks at the North Carolina Potato Festival. Another major initiative is the re-dedication of the ECSU community garden as part of an overall campus beautification program. The garden, which has been dormant the last couple of years, is located between Griffin Hall and McLendon Hall. Between the fall of 2012, when the garden was originally dedicated, and fall of 2013, about 1,100 pounds of produce were donated to the Food Bank of the Albemarle. Students, faculty, staff, and alumni are encouraged to help maintain the community garden. Additionally, a campus wide Adopt-ASpot Program has been launched. Similar to the North Carolina Department of Transportation Adopt-A-Street Program, both on-campus and off-campus groups and individuals will be able adopt a section of campus for quarterly cleanup days. More information about this program will be released as the Fall 2016 semester nears. In celebration of ECSU’s 125th Anniversary, a new university flag was designed. The flag’s design concept was inspired by ECSU students. The flag will initially fly on campus, and eventually will be flying in other community locations. Students, faculty, and staff are being encouraged to keep a look out for more initiatives as they are rolled out this fall. For more information about these programs, send an email to vikingvolunteers@ecsu. edu.
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ECSU NEWS
AT&T Initiative
AT&T Initiative brings computer literacy to area senior citizens Bringing computer literacy to the region was the goal of the AT&T Initiative this past semester. By collaborating with AT&T, Elizabeth City State University offered a day, long workshop focusing on some computer-related basics. The event was geared primarily toward area senior residents who might be on a technology learning curve. The idea was to give them an opportunity to learn how to navigate basic computers,
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software, and social media sites. Kenya Hinton instructed 19 area senior citizens on basic computer training. Dr. Farrah Ward had 13 residents learning the basics of Microsoft Word, EXCEL, and PowerPoint. To assist area residents in learning to navigate social media sites and digital media, ECSU social media coordinator Shantelle Patterson worked with 20 area residents, offering them tutorials on the use of Facebook and other popular forms of digital social media. The program also included an opportunity for residents to gain basic online job search skills.
Makitta McLean-Whitehurst walked participants through a process that left them with a better understanding of online job hunting. The program opened with remarks from ECSU Chancellor Thomas Conway, AT&T Region Director of External Affairs John Lyon, State Rep. Bob Steinberg, and Pasquotank County Commissioner Cecil Perry. Participants commented on the success and usefulness of the program. Many area senior citizens said they found the workshops informative and hope to see more like it in the future.
ECSU NEWS
Kenya Project
ECSU’s Kenya project takes flight over African continent As the issue of wildlife poaching in Africa becomes increasingly a part of the global dialogue, Elizabeth City State University committed its resources to combating poaching when it received a nearly $1 million grant from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ). Thanks to the grant award, ECSU has begun working with the NIJ to assist in its mission to provide aviation technology and research to support counter-poaching efforts in Kenya. University aviation scientists and students are working with the NIJ to assess the highest priority technology needs of the Kenyan Wildlife Services (KWS) Air Wing as it combats the growing problem of poaching in Africa.
The project team has been working closely with the NIJ on the logistics of executing the plan. ECSU project team members, Orestes Gooden and Dr. Ellis Lawrence, traveled to Kenya and met with KWS staff to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment. “We’re looking for low-cost aviation options for anti-poaching efforts,” Gooden said. He and Ellis were able to take some small equipment to help upgrade some of the KWS planes. However, he said in the future he hopes to return to help them launch small aircraft designed to allow KWS rangers to fly over and land inside wild game preserves. “We spoke with the wardens and rangers of these parks to get a feel for their mission,” Gooden said.
views of one of the African continent’s greatest commodities, its wildlife. He said watching the herds of migrating elephants, giraffes, and zebras is one reason why ECSU is participating in this program. Upon returning to ECSU, Gooden and Ellis began working with their student team to assess the needs as well as evaluate equipment needs. They hope to assist Kenya in obtaining “light sport aircraft,” such as gyrocopters. These small aircraft are strictly for surveillance work over the national parks. They would also allow park rangers to land and depart easily within the parks. Gooden says they hope to return to Kenya soon and this time they hope to bring students with them.
And by visiting up to nine parks, Gooden and Ellis were treated to
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STUDENT NEWS
Morris-US Air Force
Morris, a freshman, accepted into U.S. Air Force Academy
While most freshmen are reflecting on their first year of college and anticipating the next semester, Taylor Morris, an aviation science major, is launching her career plan. Three months ago, she was notified of her appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAF) in Colorado Springs, Colo. It is an honor and a wonderful opportunity. The USAFA is one of five U.S. military academies for officer candidates and offers an excellent option for students who are interested in serving their country and receiving a quality education at no cost. The USAFA’s stated mission is "to educate, train, and inspire men and women to become leaders of character, motivated to lead the United States Air Force in service to our nation.” Graduates of the Academy's four-year
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program receive a Bachelor of Science degree, and are commissioned as second lieutenants in the United States Air Force.
who have the same or similar goals in mind so that we can all support each other and bond through similar experiences,” Morris said.
Morris received her appointment based on her superior academic achievement, demonstrated leadership, and impeccable character. She was one of 1,200
“My outlook differs from other freshman because now I have a guaranteed career set for me after I graduate the USAFA. I have a solid goal to work towards and can cater
I am excited to join other people who have the same or similar goals in mind so that we can all support each other and bond through similar experiences." students selected nationwide from 9,700 students who applied. From Fayetteville, N.C., Morris comes from a long line of military service members. To gain admission, she secured a nomination from the member of Congress from her home district. Now that she has completed that process and received the appointment, she can redirect her focus. “I am looking forward to entering the Air Force because of the comradery. I am excited to join other people
my entire education route towards achieving that goal.” Morris said she is confident other students can follow a successful academic trail here at ECSU. She credited the university with employing faculty who are dedicated to student success. “The university’s best attributes are the faculty. The professors, they are always willing to talk with me and I feel they do care about what we (the students) say.”
STUDENT NEWS
Student Leadership
Student Affairs announces Chancellor’s Student Leadership Awardees
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Dwayne Ponton, Takiea Green and Titus Lee, three of 19 recipients of the 2016 the Chancellor’s Student Leadership Award.
The Division of Student Affairs recently held its annual leadership awards program. Dr. Nolan Davis, senior associate vice chancellor for the Division of Student Affairs, announced the recipients of the Chancellor’s Student Leadership Award. The award is reserved for juniors or seniors who are active ambassadors for the university and excel as leaders in assorted organizations under the coordination of the Division of Student Affairs. The recipients must hold a minimum 3.0 grade point average, possess leadership qualities, and must have exemplified a genuine love for the university.
The recipients included the following students: • • • • • • • • • •
Shaquasia Cooper, Tashiyana Gallop, De’Erica Smith, Takiea Green, Miltonia Cherry, Jeffrey Drew, Zach Taylor, Dwayne Ponton, Titus Lee, Camaria Flowers,
• • • • • • • • •
Takira Whitaker, Brandi Gray, Staney Woodley, Shavon Smith, Derrick Golden, Jr., Ajanae Willis, Matthew Johnson, Thomas Coyne III, Mattison Bond.
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STUDENT NEWS
ECSU at the White House
Concert choir performs at The White House ç ECSU Concert Choir
tourists will remember them as much as the White House tour,” Swan said. “As student tourists we were given clearance to sing in the Grand Ballroom. We framed the door where each President delivers his ‘State of the Union Address’ and performed the Lux Aurumque [“Light and Gold”] and then sang, The Impossible Dream, which I arranged and we have performed during past occasions on campus.”
The ECSU Concert Choir recently traveled to the nation’s capital for one of their most memorable tours-inside the White House. Dr. Walter Swan, director of choral studies, said the tour resulted from an invitation by U.S. Coast Guard Commander and ECSU alumnus Warren Judge (’97). Swan gladly completed all the travel arrangements and took the students to the White House on January 27. While the President and First Lady were not on site, the choir performed inside the
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residence to the delight of fellow tourists and staff. Swan said the event was not only an opportunity to perform and tour, but a means of challenging his students. “The students were challenged to take the best photos possible using cell phones as mobile libraries and to note architectural details, acoustical properties, decorations, and relevant artifacts in sight. This exercise allowed the students to form an active classroom on site and engage with an audience, capture moments in their history, and promote the university. I assure you the students sang so beautifully the other
Upon their return to the university, the students submitted their notes and photos for review and class discussion. Swan said he remains grateful for the support of Chancellor Thomas Conway, alumni, faculty, staff, and additional supporters who could not accompany the choir to Washington, D.C.
We remain committed to inspire people with hope, kindle their love, give a voice to their joys, cheer them on to valorous deeds, and to soothe in times of despair through the platform of music.”
STUDENT NEWS
Apple Scholars
ECSU Students named Apple Scholars
Elizabeth City State University students Khaliq Satchell and Tatyana Matthews are finding success with some of the world’s leading tech companies. During the 2015-2016 academic year, these ECSU seniors were two of 30 students named as Apple Scholars. The students were chosen from 1,500 applicants representing 47 institutions across the country. The scholarship includes up to $25,000 for their senior year and a
summer internship at Apple’s Cupertino, CA, headquarters. It also includes participation in a year-round program designed to prepare the students for postgraduation careers. Students will also be paired with an Apple mentor during their senior year and have the opportunity to serve as ambassadors on the campus of ECSU in an effort to build awareness about the Apple and TMCF Diversity Initiative. The students will attend the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) Annual Leadership Institute. The awards were announced last November at the Leadership Institute in Washington, D.C., hosted by the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF). The Apple HBCU Scholars Program is part of the new Apple and TMCF Diversity Initiative. As a part of the partnership, Apple made a $40 million multi-year commitment.
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ACADEMICS
Business School
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AA Male Business Student
Elizabeth City State University is a small school making a big impact when it comes to the future of its students. Hands-on internships through the school’s Department of Business and Accounting have created a unique opportunity for students. The rapidly growing internship program has more than 40 host companies in the region and reached 14 of the 21 counties in northeast North Carolina. Companies are recognizing that the ECSU internship program is a direct line to qualified applicants. And thanks to the program, these students enter the workforce with needed experience. According to the program’s director and ECSU business professor Dr. Joy Smith, the internship program, is for many students, the first step into the professional world. “This is critical to our students,” Smith said. “They are transitioning from
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Business internship program has big impact on ECSU students the academic world to the business world.” And while it is a transition from one world to another, Smith says it is still a learning process, one with which ECSU instructors are involved every step of the way. The way it works is the intern is placed with a company. The internship coordinator performs monthly site visits to ensure that all needs are being met for both the students and host businesses. Evaluations are completed on a bi-monthly basis. “We work with them (students) on their resumes and talk with them about the interviews,” Smith said. The business professionals conducting the interview will also provide Smith with feedback about the interviews, allowing her to further coach her students toward a successful future. From the evaluations, coaching is offered to help the students to develop their skills and work on areas that need improvement. Smith says she works with the students through each step of their internship,
ensuring they are gaining experience while learning about navigating the professional world. “This is not just do 150 hours and tell us you did it,” Smith said. “This connects them directly back to the classroom.” This has led to increased satisfaction for the companies, and the students enter the workforce with a more wellrounded background. The method of pairing students with host businesses has also been changing for this program. Students now go through career coaching and the internship coordinator finds out their goals and career aspirations. Contributing to the success of the program is the fact that students are being placed in careers that they not only relate to, but also enjoy. Pairing students with the right company is not only giving the students the opportunity to work in their areas of interest as interns, but also has led to the creation of jobs for ECSU graduates.
ACADEMICS
Aviation Lab
New aviation science laboratory opens Additional funding was provided by a Department of Education-SAFRA grant.
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Dr. Kuldeep Rawat, Chair, Department of Technology
Elizabeth City State University aviation science students, staff, and faculty celebrated the opening of a new, two-sector, aviation laboratory in McDonald Dixon and Bishop M. Patterson Hall. One side of the room is a NASA Aerospace Education laboratory (AEL) while the other is an Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) laboratory. This laboratory resulted from funding ECSU received from NASA (2015) and the Golden LEAF Foundation (2014) for enhancing Aerospace/Aviation Science education in the northeast North Carolina region.
The NASA AEL sector houses multiple desktop flight simulator stations, renewable energy station (solar panels, wind turbines), hand-held data loggers, aircraft/rocket design stations, wind tunnel, flow-visualization tunnel, weather stations, 3D printers, mobile robotic stations (ground and aerial), and experimental setups to cover various course topics related to STEM education. “The new NASA AEL and UAS Lab marks another important step for ECSU’s Aviation Science program in bringing the most advanced K-12 STEM education and UAS training capabilities to the NENC region,” says Kuldeep Rawat, Technology Department Chair and Site Director of NASA Aerospace Academy program at ECSU. Over the course of three months, the former Machine Shop Technology lab has been rehabilitated into a bright, spacious, and clean laboratory, ideal for hands on STEM learning, both at K-12 level and college. In addition to conducting Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) applications research for private and public partners, the new laboratory will support five new UAS courses within the university’s Aviation Science program. Courses include:
Introduction to Unmanned Aerial Systems; UAS and NAS: Laws and Regulations; UAS Sensors and Payload; UAS Lab 1: Design and Construction; and, UAS Lab 2: Applications. The UAS option gives graduates the expertise they need for employment as operators, observers, sensor operators, and operations managers of unmanned aircraft systems. Skills covered in these courses will include flight planning, mission execution, data management and analysis, sensor and payload integration, and an overview of national airspace system restrictions and rules. Students may also be given the chance to build and fly their own aerial vehicle. “We are also developing UAS-themed outreach programs for middle and high school students in conjunction with the NASA Aerospace Academy program,” said Rawat. Over 600 K-12 northeast North Carolina students will be directly impacted through 40 hours of STEM learning activities available at the AEL sector of the laboratory and many more through year-round informal educational activities. ECSU aviation major and retired USCG C-130 navigator/former U.S. Navy UAS Mission Pilot, Aron Bechiom, assisted Rawat. “The state-of-the-art lab facility will provide students and professionals with the basic skills and knowledge needed to achieve FAA certification and operate small unmanned aircraft systems safely and effectively in performing civilian missions and commercial operations,” Bechiom said.
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ACADEMICS
Research
University cancer research makes important contributions to science When UNC President Margaret Spellings came to tour the Elizabeth City State University campus in April, one of her most important stops was at the Pharmacy Complex where she learned about Dr. Hirendranath Banerjee’s cancer research. Dr. Banerjee has been with ECSU for 16 years. His work here as an academic and researcher has provided an important contribution to the world of cancer research. “My work involves molecules and the mystery in cells becoming cancerous,” explained Banerjee.
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UNC President Spellings discuss cancer research with ECSU students.
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As President Spellings stood aside listening, Banerjee spoke about years of studying cancerous cells and his search for what causes a healthy cell to become a potentially deadly cancer cell. “Cancer doesn’t just happen in one day,” said Banerjee. “It’s a chronic process.” Banerjee explained that his research has shown the cause of cancer is not simply one thing. Rather, the transmutation of a healthy cell into a cancerous cell happens over time and is due to a number of factors working together. “Environment, lifestyle, hereditary factors - all of this plays a role in a healthy cell becoming cancerous,” Banerjee explained. “I feel like all of these factors are important.” Banerjee’s work over the years has been a result of collaborations with a
number of institutions including the University of California at Davis, the University of Alabama at Birmingham and HBCUs such as Howard University. The research is funded by the National Science Foundation, NASA, the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Institute of Health. He is also the principal investigator of a NIH grant for working with students in biological training. Banerjee’s work has also created an opportunity to train future cancer researchers right here at ECSU. Banerjee says he has worked with more than 25 undergraduate students and nine graduate students. All of them, he says, have graduated from his lab with degrees in cancer biology.
ALUMNI NEWS
Letter from NAA President
Dear Alumni and Friends,
As the recently-elected president of the ECSU National Alumni Association, Inc., it is with pleasure that I extend greetings to all of you. During my first few months in this role, it has indeed been unexpectedly fast-paced, but unbelievably energizing.
National Alumni Association, Inc. OFFICERS Abdul Sm Rasheed, President Barbaina Houston-Black, First Vice President Clarence Goss, Jr., Second Vice President Sharonne Sutton, Treasurer Demetra Y. Tyner, Financial Secretary Yvonne S. Walton, Recording Secretary Keith Richardson, Corresponding Secretary James Spence, Sergeant-at-Arms
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Sadie J. Carter James W. Cherry, II, Vice Chairman Charles D. Cherry Norman M. Cherry Tyron Eason Jeanette H. Evans, Immediate Past President Arkeem Fleming, Chairman Thomas E. H. Conway, Chancellor Melvin Norman Abdul Sm Rasheed, NAA President Betty Spencer Ruby Vincent-Ward Barbara B. Sutton, Director of Alumni Relations
REGIONAL DIRECTORS
While I have been involved in many activities, some of which you are aware, one of the most pleasurable occasions was the opportunity on May 12, 2016, to administer the Oath of Allegiance to the University to more than 190 newly minted graduates during ECSU’s 162nd commencement convocation. On your behalf, I was proud to welcome them to the community of ECSU alumni. With this class of graduates, I can report also that the university now has more than 25,000 alumni who are the beneficiaries of the excellent teaching, research, and service provided by ECSU. Collectively, we are a powerful force of support which can assure the continued growth and development of our great university, if we exercise the will and commitment to stay involved and to give back consistently. In recognition of your past efforts, nonetheless, I say thank you on behalf of the ECSU NAA. Your contributions at the Chancellor’s 2015 CIAA Breakfast and the 2016 Founders Day Scholarship Gala provided vital support in helping the university sustain its brand of excellence and prominence as a leader in the community. The value of your contributions, including your individual annual fund and planned gifts, cannot be overstated. On another note, I would like to thank Chancellor Thomas Conway and his staff for reinstituting the ECSU Magazine, so that all can see the great things that are happening at ECSU. Especially, I am delighted to see the articles featured in the alumni section and the noteworthy accomplishments of our alumni. Your successes speak volumes about the quality of your ECSU education and experiences. Congratulations and continued best wishes to all! Finally, as you peruse the magazine, please review the calendar of events. Make plans to join us for the Down East Viking Football Classic, Homecoming 2016, our upcoming national meeting, and any other event that aligns with your schedule and interests. With Viking pride, Abdul Sm Rasheed (’71), President
Todd Twine, Southern Region Melvin Norman, Eastern Region Stephanie Bailey Johnson, Mid-Atlantic Region
P. S. Don’t forget to join the NAA and the 1891 Club. Your membership counts! And don’t forget to keep the families of our fallen Vikings in your prayers.
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ALUMNI NEWS
Alumni Profile
ECSU alumnus enjoys cybersecurity career If you thought you’d learned all you need to know about your smartphone, stand by. New services and features loaded on an array of mobile devices are just over the horizon.
While individuals haven’t seen as many instances of computer hacking as healthcare companies, retailers, and banks, it can happen. Realize that social networking sites capture large pools of users who are often exchanging data about themselves."
ECSU alumnus, Dr. Timothy Summers, says we are approaching the decade when smart phones will routinely be used in place of credit cards to purchase meals, services, and goods. By day, Summers is director of Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Engagement at the University of Maryland. There, he teaches courses and conducts research related to cybersecurity. Summers is also president of Summers & Company, a cyber strategy and organizational design consulting firm. Last year, he earned a doctoral degree from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. It completed a long trail of study that began with middle school age computer hacking incidents and later courses at ECSU that he fondly recalls. Fortunately, the technology boom occurred as Summers was advancing from those formative years at ECSU. From there, he moved to Carnegie Mellon University where he completed a master’s degree in information security policy and management. He has served as a consultant to Fortune 500 companies worldwide. Now, he juggles a hectic schedule of teaching, researching, and steady stream of public speaking engagements. Asked if he anticipated cybersecurity becoming such a hot topic, he said yes. “I’ve appeared on a number of networks, CNBC, FOX, a Canadian TV business news network and a few others. I’ve also been a
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ALUMNI NEWS
guest speaker at large bank conferences, academic institutions, and government agencies because people are still learning about the implications of sharing so much data over the Internet,” Summers said. “Media allows you to interact with a general public audience but reach a very specialized group of people who speak the language of hackers and cybersecurity professionals.” Summers often gives the general public tips on internet safety measures. Other invitations come from banks, mortgage companies, and retailers who store large volumes of customer information and bare the responsibility of protecting that information. Add to the equation the 64 percent of Americans the Pew Research Center reports who use smart phones and they conduct personal financial management transactions. Whether they are exchanging email messages, images with family and friends, or shopping online, data is frequently traveling across the Internet. In some cases, that data is at risk of being stolen and misused by thieves. It’s all led to a sense of urgency. “Some sense of urgency has existed since the 70s, especially in the case of research institutions and government agencies who knew they had to protect their research projects,” Summers said. “People like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates are credited with commercializing computers that led to the mass public use we see today.”
Summers says people need not think this technology surge will end. Instead, he suggests we keep alert and continue learning. The public has already witnessed the development of thin mobile phones followed by larger screen phones and a return to thick body devices. All of the design changes were part of an effort to help the public become familiar with mobile devices.
Order Your
Collegiate License Plate Today! Viking plates are available in North Carolina, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.
He says young people who are curious and determined to learn will find future job descriptions won’t be limited to cyber security. They will find jobs related to security system designs, software development, architecture, mathematics, and data science. Summers also recommends consumers learn more about precautions that have been necessary for online merchants over the last decade. “While individuals haven’t seen as many instances of computer hacking as healthcare companies, retailers, and banks, it can happen. Realize that social networking sites capture large pools of users who are often exchanging data about themselves,” Summers said. That information, he warned, could eventually appeal to hackers who decide to prey on individuals. In the meantime, he advises us to keep alert of new developments and never think the learning process is over.
Contact the Office of Alumni Relations at: (252) 335-3224 for more information.
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ALUMNI NEWS
Alumni Donor Spotlight: Alumna, Mary Albritton Douglas, humbled by doctorate of public service
'You never stop learning.'
ç Photo caption: Mary Albritton Douglas, a 1952 graduate of Elizabeth City State Teachers College, is overjoyed to receive an honorary doctorate degree of public service from her alma mater.
countries. Some of her leisure trips were made with her sorority sisters of Sigma Gamma Rho. Others were tours she took with fellow church members. Whether the tour was for pleasure or professional development, Albritton Douglas said she was amazed by the lessons she learned on each trip.
That’s an impressive statement from Mary Albritton Douglas. Albritton Douglas, a scholar-educator, who was the valedictorian of her 1948 high school class at Washington Colored High School in Beaufort County, earned an undergraduate and a master’s degree from Elizabeth City State and Columbia universities. She also taught elementary and middle school students for more than 30 years in Maryland and New York. Her learning continued as a volunteer for 30 years at a New York hospital and by traveling as an adult to every
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continent on the globe except Antarctica. Albritton Douglas, one of ECSU’s most active alumnae, laughs when describing her travels. She acknowledges that she has been a roadrunner of sorts. “I have been places I never thought I would go, seen people I thought I would never see,” she said. She has visited Rome, Italy, twice; Sydney, Australia; Barcelona, Spain; and Nairobi, Kenya. There were trips to the Dominican Republic, Ghana, Haiti, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Panama Islands, and half the states in the United States. As a young teacher in the New York public schools, Albritton Douglas journeyed during the summers on excursions arranged for teachers to learn the customs and norms of other
“When I was in Kenya, I took a safari. We rode on a bus and saw tigers, lions, and elephants come in quietly for water or food, then wander away,” Albritton Douglas recalled. “It was nothing like the African jungle scenes you might have seen in old Hollywood movies. If it was a tour we took as teachers, we were expected to spend some time in the company of local citizens learning how they shop or prepare food. Then we had to prepare a report based on our observations.” “One teacher took me to visit her family. They lived in a small place. It had a dirt floor - a simple place in a Nairobi, Kenya, village. She also asked if I would like to see her school,” she continued. “It was a simple place, a wooden structure where children with bare feet came to learn. They were so glad to meet a black teacher from the U.S.. They asked if there were many blacks in America because all of the
ALUMNI NEWS
magazines they received showed only white Americans.” She assured them there were many black Americans and they worked in all sorts of jobs in the U.S. Despite the condition of the schools or the communities she visited, Albritton Douglas said she tried to inspire the children and the people she met. She returned home eager to relay the lessons learned to her son and daughter, and to her husband. Albritton Douglas describes him as an independent Army veteran who was comfortable running the home when his wife was on travel. He enjoyed spending summer days with their kids.
TV. After I’d done the duties I was trained to do as a CNA, I’d go around and visit the patients. I’d go in and say something nice, brighten their day,” Albritton Douglas said. “I tell grieving family members don’t let them (patients) see you crying. Help them plan ahead for a funeral or burial if that is what they want. Reduce their stress. None of us are here to stay after all. ”
Albritton Douglas has an impressive record of helping others complete their plans. She has been a dedicated scholarship donor for Elizabeth City State University since 2001. On past occasions, she was humbled by thankyou notecards she received from ECSU students who wrote her I am doing what alumni should do. It after receiving doesn’t take a lot of money to get started. scholarships. Just give as you can.” The cost of college is After their children graduated from as much a factor now as it was 60 college and her husband of nearly 30 years ago when she was a student years died, Albritton Douglas said she on campus. She recalls being proud saw no reason to sit home like many to become a member of the college retirees. Volunteering for 30 years as honor society and to repeat the feat a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) she achieved in high school. She at a Bronx hospital and encouraging met instructors and administrators at hospice patients allowed her to Elizabeth City State Teachers College give something special to people in who would make life-long impressions need. Instead of the elementary or on their students. Albritton Douglas middle school pupils she taught in said her relationships with her fellow the past, it was an elderly population classmates were an important part she turned to. Many were necessary of her college experience. She and tasks not completed by medical her peers weren’t aware, but their professionals, yet the purest acts generation was on the brink of of humility—changing bed linens, an incredible lifestyle change for changing diapers, helping to groom northeastern North Carolinians. patients. Some were nearing the “After we graduated, we were end of life. It was an opportunity standing around crying. We had for Albritton Douglas to assure an met more people here than we ever aging population, some who had few thought we would know. We’d been visitors, that someone still cared. here four years together and it was “I’ve had a full life so I’d rather be out hard to imagine moving on and not helping someone than home watching seeing each other anymore. Some
stayed in the South to work and some moved to the Northern states to work. I didn’t return to Washington County (NC) for 22 years,” Albritton Douglas recalled. Graduating and becoming a successful teacher allowed her to reach a personal goal she had set and one she promised her family she would achieve. It was possible because dedicated ECSU faculty and administrators were determined to produce a new generation of professionals. Her undergraduate degree was the foundation that led to additional professional accomplishments and journeys beyond her dreams. Recalling that journey was all the motivation she needed to begin investing in others. Her scholarship donations are now her investments in the dreams and future accomplishments of current ECSU students. “I am doing what alumni should do. It doesn’t take a lot of money to get started. Just give as you can.” The theater inside the Walter N. and Henrietta B. Ridley Student Complex was named in her honor in 2009. She was also the Grand Marshal of the 2009 Homecoming parade. On May 14, the university presented Albritton Douglas with an honorary doctorate degree of public service. Volunteering at the middle school she retired and at the hospital, allowed her to give service from her heart - she never thought it would result in such a public award. “I was surprised when they told me I would receive it, but I am so proud of this degree. It was just wonderful to attend the commencement and to be part of that day with the graduates.”
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ALUMNI NEWS
2015
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We look forward to seeing you at this year’s Homecoming Festivities!
ALUMNI NEWS
Make plans to return to campus to reunite with classmates and friends, as we celebrate ECSU's 125th Anniversary! • Alumni Meet & Greet • Mr. & Ms. Alumni Coronation • Alumni Appreciation Reception • Alumni Tailgating • Alumni Reunions (Class of 1966, 1981, and 1996) and Receptions • Homecoming Block Party • Alumni “Old School” Step Show • Prayer Breakfast • Emerging Leaders "Young Alumni Forum” • Homecoming Parade (Grand Marshal: Commander Warren Judge, '97) • Battle of the Bands • Sports Hall of Fame • Concerts • Alumni and Student Parties • Comedy and Fashion show And so much more...
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ALUMNI NEWS
Class news + Notes Class NEWS & Notes
Wilmington Alumni Chapter Wilmington Alumni Chapter is on the move in the Port City. Kamisha Graham was provided with a scholarship to attend Elizabeth City State University. Kamisha L. Graham is a freshman attending Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) and is the daughter of Kevin Graham and Adrienne AllenGraham, both graduates of ECSU.
member of the JROTC program in high school. In her sophomore year, she graduated from the JROTC Leadership Academy at the Citadel in Charleston, SC.. Kami was selected as the Executive Officer (XO) of her unit in 2013; and served as the Commanding Officer (CO) of her unit during her senior year. Kami’s major at ECSU is criminal justice with minors in history and Spanish. Kami plans to enlist in the Marines after graduating from ECSU. She ultimately wants to serve as a special agent for the FBI, CIA, or any federal agency. The Wilmington Alumni Chapter will continue to encourage area students by providing scholarships to help support the overall tuition cost for attendance at ECSU.
Kami is a 2015 honor graduate of Eugene Ashley High School, Wilmington, NC. Kami was an active
Greater Triad Alumni Chapter The Greater Triad Alumni Chapter hosted a Recruitment Event during CIAA at the WinstonSalem Foundation on Tuesday, February 23, 2016. The Greater Triad Alumni Chapter also hosted the 2016 Spring Viking Reception on Friday, April 22, 2016, in Winston-Salem to celebrate and encourage the 96 students accepted into the university from Alamance, Forsyth, and Guilford counties to select ECSU as their school of choice for the fall.
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Elizabeth City State University Magazine Spring 2016
ALUMNI NEWS
Elizabeth City Area Alumni Chapter
ni EC Area Alum Chapter ip h s g a l F r e Chapt Leigh, Maryella Wu.mni President EC Area Al38.3194 FMI: 252.3
The Elizabeth City Area Alumni Chapter installed its first ECSU Graduate Legacy Class of 2015. Thirty graduates were installed as their parents stood with them for the induction. Dr. Jeanette Evans, former president of the National Alumni Association performed the induction and thanked the Vikings for their pledge to the University. The ECSU Legacy Class vowed to annually support the University with student scholarships.
Members include: • • • • • • • • • • • •
Leah C. Banks Akeadra Bell Renita Griffin Tiffany Griffin William G. Griffin, Jr. Aquita Robinson Harvey Oliver Holley Pedro Holley, II Tony Johnson Keisha Kallicharan Brandye Kellogg Dr. Ronald M. Leigh, Jr.
• • • • • • • • • • •
Dr. Alisa Robinson McLean Ralisha Mercer Jorice Webb Manuel Dr. Joynita Robinson Nicholson Marcel Parker Nakeisha Pendergrass Jennifer K. Presson A. C. Robinson, III Rosalind Rosa Shanita Riddick Glovette Shannon
• • • • • • • • • • •
Ervin Simons Endi Parker Simpson Karen Hicks Thomas Kenya Turner Shawn Walker Trisha Walton Jentry Webb Nicole White Jeramy Williams C'Monee Wilkins Tykinsten Wood
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ALUMNI NEWS
Alumni Profile
DR. STEPHANIE DANCE-BARNES Dr. Dance-Barnes was most recently named cochair of the Department of Biological Sciences at WSSU. Dr. Stephanie T. Dance-Barnes received her Bachelor of Science degree in biology/pre-medicine at Elizabeth City State University in 1997. She then went on to complete her Masters in Biology at North Carolina Agricultural Technical State University in 2001, while simultaneously
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working as a senior research laboratory technician/manager in the Departments of Comparative Medicine and Cancer Biology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Later in 2007, she became the first African American female to receive her PhD from Wake Forest University School of Medicine in the area of cancer biology and toxicology. She then went on to complete her postdoctoral work as a research associate in the prestigious laboratory of Dr. Charles Perou of the University North
Carolina Chapel Hill Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center (LCCC). Her research focus was the characterization of the biological diversity of tumors, specifically breast, using genomics, molecular genetics, and cell biology, in order to develop improved and more targeted therapies that are specific for each tumor subtype. She has a number of publications to her credit. It has always been Dr. Dance-Barnes’ desire to return to a historically black
ALUMNI NEWS
It has always been Dr. Dance-Barnes’ desire to return to a historically black college/university similar to her alma mater ECSU in order to pass own her knowledge and expertise in which she has accumulated over her years of study and work, just as it was afforded to her. college/university similar to her alma mater ECSU in order to pass on her knowledge and expertise in which she has accumulated over her years of study and work, just as it was afforded to her. Dr. Dance-Barnes is presently an Associate Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology in the Department of Biological Sciences at Winston Salem State University (WSSU). Since being at WSSU she has been awarded numerous professional and teaching awards for her innovative strategies in the classroom, as well as serving as the Director of the WSSU Women in Science Program, General Education Information Literacy CoChair, and an active member of the STEM board. Dr. Dance-Barnes also still actively conducts research, where her focus is the investigation of novel natural chemotherapeutics in the treatment of diverse cancers. She has numerous former and current research students that work in her lab - several of which has published abstracts and have presented at numerous meetings.
Several of her students have been selected to participate in numerous prestigious summer research fellowship programs at John Hopkins University, Chapel Hill, and the University of Miami, to name a few. Other graduates from her lab have gone on to medical school and graduate programs in a variety of STEM disciplines. Her student successes can be correlated to the caliber of work they have conducted in Dr. Dance-Barnes’ lab. Most recently one of her senior research students was selected for the honor of presenting for the new UNC System President, Dr. Margaret Spellings, during her campus visit. She was also the recipient of American Association for Cancer Research Minority-Serving Institution Faculty Scholar Award in Cancer Research at the 4th AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Basic Cancer Research in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This academic year, Dr. Dance-Barnes was awarded funding directly related to the partnerships she has formed
with the Guilford County and Forsyth County School systems to promote the matriculation of STEM undergraduates into careers associated with public education. Additionally, she was awarded funding from the Department of Defense as a collaborator with Wake Forest University and North Carolina Agricultural Technical State University for the implementation of a Summer Undergraduate Prostate Cancer Research program, geared towards promoting the participation of underrepresented students in cancer research. Dr. Dance-Barnes was most recently named Co-Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences at WSSU. This educator and researcher continually strives to motivate students through her innovative teaching strategies and the opportunities of hands-on research experiences that she provides. Her primary goal now as co-chair is to create and implement a vision within the Department of Biological Sciences that promotes strong academic and professional preparation for student success.
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ALUMNI NEWS
Stay Involved
YOUNG ALUMNI
There are many ways for alumni to connect with their alma mater through the ECSU Alumni Association and alumni chapters.
Elizabeth City State University and the Office of Alumni Relations are dedicated to making sure our young alumni are engaged in the many programs and activities that the university and the National Alumni Association offer. We want to make sure that you can count on us to help you stay informed. Take advantage of connecting with us through social media, come and tour the campus, attend Viking sporting events, tailgate with other Vikings, attend homecoming events - STAY CONNECTED!
The Elizabeth City State Alumni Association offers alumni the opportunity to stay involved with and connect to the university, students, and fellow alumni. We are instrumental in bringing alumni closer together while at the same time enriching their lives and the lives of future ECSU alumni. We hope by staying informed and involved, ECSU alumni are inspired to support our great University and ensure its continued excellence.
Interested? If you are interested in joining a chapter, organizing a chapter, or need additional information regarding membership, please contact the ECSU Office of Alumni Relations. Membership applications are available on our website at www.ecsu.edu. Click Alumni.
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Let us know where you are and what you're doing. Update your contact information in the online Update Directory, submit articles for the ECSU Magazine, come back for Founders Day, and voice your questions and concerns - KEEP IN TOUCH! If you have exciting new ideas, share them with us. We are open and want to hear what you desire from your alma mater. We will also be looking to you to help ECSU by giving back to help deserving students receive the same high quality education that you received at ECSU - GIVE BACK!
In Memoriam Emeline Bazemore Manson, ‘41 Julia Towe, ‘42 Carrie S. Newkirk, ‘44 Edna G. Randolph, ‘45 Emily Harvey Johnson, ‘54 Jennifer Bonita Murphy, ‘54 Eula Shepherd “SHEP” Burn, ‘57 Vonnie Harris Johnson, ‘57 Eugene E. Stalling, ‘58 George Clifton Gray, ‘60 Alice Beatrice Jones Wesley, ‘63 Albert Rodgers, '63 Loisteen Edna Harrell, ‘63 Lucy Coburn Teel, ‘64 Audrey Slade Bond, ‘65 Marjorie Mitchell Riddick, ‘65 Margerene Worsley Munn, ‘67 Miriam Johnson Clark, ‘68 James Melvin Coley, ‘69 Reginald H. Johnson, Sr., ‘70 Sandra Coley Thomas, ‘71 James William Young, Jr., '71 Willie Lee Brown, ‘71 Beverly Morris-Whitaker, ‘73 Glendale Moore, ‘75 Charles Hardesty, ‘77 Calvin C. Maddox, Jr., ‘82 Renee Edna Randolph, ‘82 Benjamin Tillman, ‘85 Jonathan G. Williams, ‘92 Vincent Lure’ Thomas, ‘95 Jeremy A. Brown, ‘07 Irene Spruill Simmons Arthur L. Warren Marvin E. Barrett
ALUMNI NEWS
In Memoriam
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G I V I N G M AT T E R S
Thank You
Thank You Alumni And Friends!
We extend our sincerest gratitude for every generous gift made by our alumni, donors, and friends of the university. Your support has made it possible for Elizabeth City State University to:
Fund student scholarships and financial aid
Strengthen the University’s endowment
Explore and launch new academic programs
Enrich student activities and involvement
Thank you for helping to preserve ECSU’s legacy for future generations.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF ECSU The ECSU Foundation | P.O. Box 1467 • Elizabeth City, NC 27906 | ecsufoundation@ecsu.edu
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Contributions are tax deductible as provided by law.
Building
G I V I N G M AT T E R S
A SOLID FOUNDATION of SUPPORT A Giving Levels
nnual giving is the genesis of all development. In comprehensive development programs, the annual fund is still the cornerstone of fundraising efforts. Raising money for the annual fund is all about acquiring, retaining, and upgrading donors. Through this process, our efforts focus on convincing last year’s donors to renew their support, while simultaneously developing a case that encourages non-donors to join the ranks of giving for the first time.
Annual gifts are for current usage. We promote the annual fund as a way to identify the impact annual gifts has on the day-to-day operations of the university. These gifts generally are made with assets that are immediately expendable, and to an account or fund that is for current-use purposes such as operating expenses, scholarships, or outreach programs. Whereas, gifts to endowments secure the future of our university, annual fund gifts help provide for the “excellence of today.”
50-99k
VIKING LEADERSHIP CIRCLE ($50,000-99,999)
ECSU’s fiscal year runs July 1 - June 30. Gifts can be designated to the area of campus most important to you and gifts of all sizes are welcomed. ECSU offers several easy and convenient ways to give:
PLATINUM VIKING SOCIETY ($25,000-49,999)
10-24k
$
GOLD VIKING SOCIETY ($10,000-24,999)
5-9k
$
1-4k
SILVER VIKING SOCIETY ($5,000-9,999)
$
BRONZE VIKING SOCIETY ($1,000-4,999)
500-999
$
VIKING VOYAGERS CLUB
Go to www.ecsu.edu/give to make a secure online donation.
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Send your contribution, made payable to The ECSU Foundation, to P.O. Box 1467, Elizabeth City, NC, 27906.
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BLUE AND WHITE CLUB
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Gift Form YES!
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THE ELIZABETH CITY STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION P.O. Box 1467 Elizabeth City, North Carolina 27906, Phone: (252) 335-3225 The Elizabeth City State University Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) not for profit organization 50 Elizabeth City State University Magazine Spring 2016
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Renaissance Man… Introducing Clayton Cowell One may never truly comprehend how much student-athletes have to maintain balance between academics and their respective sport. Then there are personal passions and goals. What if the desires outside of sports involved producing music, singing, and playing instruments along with graphic design and a side gig as a registered tattoo artist? Welcome to a moment in the life of Clayton D. Cowell. Fans of ECSU basketball came to know “Clay” this past season as the starting point guard for the Vikings. At first glance it’s his size that you notice (a modest 5' 6"). However Cowell, who transferred to ECSU as a junior, became known for his toughness and all-around solid play on the basketball court. This past season he started in all but one of the Vikings’ 24 games and ranked 9th overall in the CIAA in assists. Yet few knew that once the season ended how much balance remains a part of his daily routine. “I’ve always been a competitor, it’s in my DNA really," states the Hampton,
VA, native. “Boxing was big in my family, including dad (Clayton F. Cowell), who even had a shot at being an Olympian but he lost sight in one of his eyes.” He is a product of Bethel High School, whose most famous alum, 2016 NBA Hall of Fame inductee Allen Iverson, famously dominated in both football and basketball for the Bruins. Cowell, who began playing basketball at an early age, was also a dual-sport athlete in high school garnering All-State honors in football before continuing his athletic journey in basketball at the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore. “My experience at UMES was a great one. I was a crowd favorite," says Cowell with a laugh. Later a coaching change at UMES led Clay to reconsider his options. He decided to come closer to home, enrolling at Norfolk State as a regular student, minus the role of athlete. In his spare time, he briefly followed in his father’s footsteps and took up boxing; however, he admits that he wasn’t focused and his grades began to suffer. “I honestly needed a break. At UMES, the combination of school and sports gave me discipline, a definitive schedule, and I think I missed that a little bit. There were so many things I was interested in doing, but I needed to take time and regroup. So I took a year off and that’s exactly what I did.” During that time Cowell reconnected with his first love, music. Sighting R&B vocalist Tank as one of his musical inspirations, he also plays the drums and trombone and has aspirations of learning the piano. “Overall I just want to be a well-
rounded artist. That’s what I’m focused on," he said. "Music is my first love and I really want to get into producing and perhaps recording someday.” Those in attendance at this year’s Athletic Awards ceremony were fortunate enough to hear a sample of him as a vocalist. Although the performance was a brief one, it was one that received a standing ovation. His knack for painting and drawing led him to pursue and receive a tattooing license. He also does some freelance designs and one of his logos has even made its way onto some apparel. Needless to say, he has crammed a lot into his 24 years; once he secures his criminal justice degree there are aspirations of law school followed by a career with the FBI or the U.S. Marshals service. Now at ECSU, it seems Clay has found his niche and can focus on his future. “The former coach at ECSU (Shawn Walker) had reached out to me the year I sat out at NSU. The timing wasn’t right and it didn’t work out because I missed the deadline to enroll, but I’m glad (two years removed) that I was able to resume life as a studentathlete at ECSU. I’m excited for my final year with Coach Dunk
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Former ECSU Lineman Participates in OTAs, Rookie Mini-Camp
DARREN WILSON EARNS NFL INVITE The path of an undrafted football free agent is never easy. But as it stands now Darren Wilson’s family may not have to travel far to see him play at the next level. The Hackensack, N.J. native received an invitation to the New York Jets rookie mini-camp earlier this month
season with 61 tackles for the Vikings. He was twice named the league’s top defensive lineman and was named to the All-CIAA Defensive Second Team. Since his ECSU career ended, he has stayed busy with three postseason games, including the Dream Bowl in Virginia Beach; the FCS Bowl in Miami, FL; and the FCS Senior Scout Bowl in Myrtle Beach, S.C. He performed well, which
I just want to be prepared for whatever comes because opportunities like this don’t come along often." and has stuck with the team so far through OTA, which began May 24. As of this morning, there was a chance he could wind up with the Washington Redskins by the time the next round of mini-camps begin. There can be many factors en route to earning a spot on the 53-man roster, but Wilson is up for the challenge. “This process can be very unpredictable, but so far, so good,” says Wilson, who wrapped the 2015
garnered interest from various NFL teams. In preparation for this year’s NFL Draft, Wilson trained at Parabolic Performance in New Jersey and received an invitation to Pro Day at Rutgers on March 9. Although he went undrafted, he was summoned to East Rutherford for the chance to continue his professional aspirations.
52 Elizabeth City State University Magazine Spring 2016
“So far the biggest challenge has been mental. Physically it remains to be seen since we haven’t started hitting yet,” Wilson says. “I just want to be prepared for whatever comes because opportunities like this don’t come along often.” Wilson will complete requirements for his degree in Sports Management this summer.
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Gaskins, an ECSU alumnus, inducted into CIAA’s hall of fame who played basketball with him. He credits his teammates for helping him accomplish so much. “I played against greatness everyday (in practice). Anybody on the team between the years of 1977-82 could really play, so you weren’t afraid to face another team,” Gaskins said. “Our coaches, Kelly, Mackey and Vaughan, were serious about basketball, but they were serious about education too. And we graduated.”
ECSU alumnus, Arthur “Boo Boo” Gaskins, was one of 10 honorees inducted into the 201516 John B. McLendon, Jr., Hall of Fame during the 2016 CIAA basketball tournament. A formal induction ceremony was held at the 2016 Hall of Fame Breakfast on Friday, February 26, at the Charlotte Convention Center. The inductees also greeted the crowd of fans on Friday evening during the tournament semi-final game. Gaskins joined ECSU’s basketball team in 1977 and was a standout studentathlete throughout his collegiate career. After his freshman season performance, he earned CIAA Rookie
of the Year. In 1978, Gaskins averaged 26.1 points per game, making him the leading scorer in the CIAA and among the top five in NCAA Division II. That season, he headed the Vikings team in several single-game categories, including points (46); field goals (23); and free throws (12). During the 197980 season, the 6-foot-four-inch guard once again tallied team single-game
Gaskins, who was raised by his grandmother, said he was happy the coaches steadily recruited him and offered him a four-year scholarship to the university. He was honored to be the only freshman joining a varsity team of seniors. When they graduated, he tried to serve as a big brother to his teammates the following year. Some of them also attended the festivities last weekend in Charlotte but he said he was sorry one teammate, Calvin Maddox, who
God gave me a talent and I worked on it. I could drop those J’s (jump shots). We were so proud to win that ’81 basketball tournament. So when I stepped on that stage to accept the CIAA award, I was proud to represent Elizabeth City." highs, including points (40) and free throws (9). Gaskins earned consecutive honors as CIAA Player of the Year in 1980 and 1981, when the Vikings marked a 13-6 conference record. Gaskins, a native of Windsor, said he admired the skills of the athletes who preceded him, as well as those
died years ago, could not join them. “God gave me a talent and I worked on it. I could drop those J’s (jump shots)," he said. We were so proud to win that ’81 basketball tournament. So when I stepped on that stage to accept the CIAA award, I was proud to
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represent Elizabeth City.” Gaskins, a restaurant manager in Atlantic City, N.J., is still a fan of the game and advises young athletes to take seriously the opportunity to earn a college degree. Advancing to a professional sports team is not the only goal an athlete should set, Gaskins said. “When you are 17, there are so many obstacles that can distract you, but you’ve got to be focused. You’ve got to be serious and dedicated to get the education your parents expect you to get,” Gaskins said. “I loved the game, but I went there to get an education.” “It’s been 31 years since we won that tournament, one of two that Elizabeth City won. I was nominated before, so I was glad they chose me for this year’s Hall of Fame. I must say, the CIAA was first class in everything they did for us (inductees). It was just awesome.” He was inducted into ECSU’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1994. ECSU fans cheered as the CIAA Hall of Fame inductees were announced that Friday night. The announcement of the inductees is just one more reason CIAA fans look forward to this tournament. “The impact that this group of honorees has had on the community, their respective institutions and alma maters, and the CIAA as a whole is immeasurable,” said Jacqie McWilliams, CIAA Commissioner. Dr. Edward McLean, a former director of athletics at Fayetteville State University and a former 13-year director of athletics at ECSU, was also inducted into the John B. McLendon, Jr., Hall of Fame. The CIAA recognizes inductees for their excellence in the CIAA, significant contributions in the community, leadership in CIAA sports, and commitment to the CIAA mission.
54 Elizabeth City State University Magazine Spring 2016
Basketball was very good to Class of 1971’s Mike Gale Former NBA star and Elizabeth City State University graduate Mike Gale said his first choice for college was Temple University. The Philadelphia native and Overbrook High School star says he was four points shy on his SAT scores to enroll in his top college pick. It was a good thing, too, because Gale would go on to be one of ECSU’s most celebrated basketball players. A graduate of the Class of 1971, Gale recalls that he had other schools eager to enroll him. And yet he had never heard of ECSU - not until Coach Bobby Vaughan called the Gale home and said the rising freshman had
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24 hours to get to Elizabeth City and enroll. Gale had been with his family for a week in Atlantic City, N.J.. When they returned, he recalls that his grandfather had taken the call from Vaughan. “I said, ‘What do we do?’ And he said we leave at 3:30 in the morning,” Gale said. It was a big shock for Gale, coming to a rural community and the South. Growing up in Philadelphia, everything was concrete and the people were too busy to talk and acknowledge one another on the street. Here, in Elizabeth City, the basketball goals were stuck in the dirt, not in concrete, and people spoke to one another as they walked down the street.
Playing for the Vikings, Gale says he had found a family. In fact, he says they grew so close, when a chance meeting at a conference with a Temple University scout garnered him an offer of a scholarship and a place on their team, he had to say no. It was a good decision not only for Gale, but also ECSU. Gale would go on to lead the Vikings to take the 1970 CIAA championship. And he would also be drafted by the NBA’s Chicago Bulls upon graduation. But Gale wanted to play, and he says the Bulls had several players with no-cut contracts. That meant his play time would be brief, so a draft offer by the Kentucky Colonels in the American Basketball Association, would be the perfect place to begin a
professional sports career. And it was a storied career. Gale would move on to play for the ABA’s New York Nets before joining the NBA as a member of the San Antonio Spurs. From the Spurs he would play for the Portland Trailblazers and the Golden State Warriors. All the while, Gale kept a house in San Antonio, and that’s where he went when it was time to end his successful NBA career. Today the 65-year-old ECSU alum is the director of operations for Health and Medical Research in San Antonio. And he’s pretty happy that life has treated him so well.
Being paid to do something (play basketball) you love is pretty great,” Gale said. Elizabeth City State University Magazine Spring 2016
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Athletic Award Ceremony
ECSU WRAPS UP ATHLETIC SEASON WITH AWARDS CEREMONY
The Elizabeth City State University Athletic Department concluded the 2015-2016 school year with its annual awards ceremony held on April 25. The evening’s top honors went to DeCarlos Anderson (men’s basketball) and Emmesha White (volleyball and softball) who were recognized as the Male and Female Athlete of the Year, respectively.
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Other special awards presented that evening included the Thomas Caldwell and the Thurlis and Brenda Little Awards. The Caldwell Award, given in honor of former ECSU football coach and athletic director Thomas L. Caldwell, was presented to defensive lineman Darren Wilson. The Little Award went to Brian Wells, as the Vikings’ top offensive lineman from the 2015 season. Both Wilson and Wells were named Second Team All-CIAA and were awarded based on the recommendation of the coaching staff.
$500 The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) presented a check to be donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation in the amount of $500.00.
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A complete list of the MVPs for the respective sports is as follows:
The R.L. Vaughan Awards (male and female) were presented to DeCarlos Anderson and Jalyn Brown in honor of legendary basketball coach Robert L. Vaughan.
2016 Pepsi MVP Awards
Other highlights included the ECSU Administrator and Coach of the Year, which went to Myra Blow, who doubles as the department’s senior qoman administrator and cross country coach. Along with displaying solid leadership for Athletics, Ms. Blow led the cross country team to its best finish in school history.
Men’s Cross Country - Hyshem Staten Women’s Cross Country - Dara Drury Women’s Basketball - Jalyn Brown
ECSU Golf won the team academic award for boasting the highest average GPA.
Men’s Basketball - DeCarlos Anderson
The ECSU women’s basketball team was recognized for winning the John B. McLendon Sportsmanship Award, which was originally given at the 2016 CIAA Basketball Tournament in Charlotte. The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), which was responsible for putting the awards program together, also presented a check to be donated to the Make-AWish Foundation in the amount of $500.00.
Golf - Curtis Vinson Tennis - Danielle Hill Softball - Casey Cartwright Football (offense) - Lovie Banks-Rose, Jr. Football (defense) - Stephen Williams Football (special teams) - Jeff Flores Cheerleading - Bria Williams ç Photo caption: John McLendon Sportmanship Award- Womens Basketball Team î
Photo caption: Emmesha White, DeCarlos Anderson - Male/Female Athlete of the Year
Volleyball - Emmesha White Bowling - Melissa Borum
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2016-2017 ECSU All-CIAA Honorees
2016-2017 ECSU All-CIAA Honorees FOOTBALL All-CIAA First Team Victor Tabbs (Junior, Tight End) All-CIAA Second Team Brian Wells (Junior, Offensive Lineman) Darren Wilson (Senior, Defensive Lineman) Stephen Williams (Senior, Linebacker) Honorable Mention Avery Wright (Sophomore, Offensive Line) Lovie Banks-Rose* (Senior, Wide Receiver, Kick Returner) Ra’Sheed Rushing (Junior, Running Back) Jeff Flores (Senior, Place Kicker) Justin Beatty (Senior, Defensive Back)
é
Photo caption: Jalyn Brown, DeCarlos Anderson
é
Darren Wilson (Senior, Defensive Lineman)
All-Rookie Team Chase Byrum (Freshman, Running Back) Elijah Washington (Freshman, Defensive Line) *Voted as Wide Receiver and Kick Returner
BASKETBALL Men’s Basketball DeCarlos Anderson (Senior, Guard) Miykael Faulcon (Senior, Guard) Women’s Basketball Imani Heggins (Junior, Guard) All-Rookie Team Jalyn Brown (Freshman, Guard) Bowling Ja’na Boyd 2016 John B. McLendon Sportsmanship Award Elizabeth City State University Women’s Basketball Team
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Down East Classics Save The Date
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2016 Football 2016 Football scheduleSchedule
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09/03 - Norfolk State University
10/08 - Virginia State University*#
@ Norfolk, VA @ 2:00PM
@Petersburg, VA @ 1:00PM
09/10 - Fordham University
10/15 - Lincoln University (pa.)*#
09/17 - Morehouse College 19th Annual Down East Viking Football Classic
10/22 - Chowan university*#
09/24 - Johnson C. Smith University
10/29 - Virginia Union*# Homecoming
10/01 - Shaw University#
11/05 - Bowie State University*#
@Bronx, NY @ 1:00PM
@Rocky Mount, NC @ 4:00PM
@Charlotte, NC @ 6:00PM
@Elizabeth City, NC @ 1:00PM
@Lincoln, PA @ 1:00PM
@Elizabeth City, NC @ 1:00PM
@Elizabeth City, NC @ 1:30PM
@Bowie, MD @ 1:00PM
November 12, 2016
CIAA Football Championship Home Games in BLUE-All Times Eastern Standard *CIAA Northern Division Matchup #Conference Game
2016-2017 Football Season Tickets Season Ticket Information 2016-2017 Football Season Tickets
Football Ticket Prices
Parking
*VIP Football Season Passes-$100
Game Day: $15
Roebuck Stadium: $10
(Roebuck Stadium, Elizabeth City)
(In-Stadium)
(Home Football Games, #Down East Viking Football Classic, Homecoming and In-Stadium Parking)
Down East Viking Football Classic: $20 advance; $25 Game Day
General: $5
ECSU Employees ONLY-All Season Pass $75 (All home football and
(Rocky Mount, NC)
basketball games)
*Special commemorative season pass celebrating ECSU’s 125th Anniversary #Parking (not included); handled by the City of Rocky Mount.
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Homecoming: $25 (Roebuck Stadium, Elizabeth City):
Tickets for all Elizabeth City State athletic events may be purchased online at www.etix.com , the ECSU Ticket Office (252-335-3578) or Cashier's Office (252-335-3207).
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Thank You Athletic Sponsors and Donors Extending a VIKING thanks and appreciation for your contribution to the Elizabeth City State University Athletic Department! Many of our students would not have had this great honor and opportunity to achieve their dream of playing a collegiate sport while attaining a college degree without your support. Thank you very much for you generous contributions. Your donations have given students endless opportunities both on and off the field. WE THANK YOU! Biggs Cadillac, Buick and GMC Truck (Elizabeth City, NC) - Joe Holly and Rick Durren Bojangles B & M Construction
Mount Lebanon Baptist Church, Elizabeth City, NC One Care Health Pepsi
Chick-fil-A (Elizabeth City)
Prudential Insurance - Roger McLean
Drive Link (Elizabeth City)
Russell Athletics
Elizabeth City State University National Alumni Association
Sentara Albemarle Medical Center
Elizabeth City State University Viking Varsity Club First Citizens Bank Golden Coral (Elizabeth City) Hampton Inn Elizabeth City
State Farm Insurance - Billie Joe Reid Swain & Temple, Inc. The Pines Golf Course US Cellular Van’s Pizza
McDonalds
From the ECSU Department of Athletics, Students, Coaches, & Staff
VIKING PRIDE!
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Fantastic
VIKING VOYAGE 2016 ENROLLMENT TOUR
Come Along...
and learn more about opportunities at our fantastic university, ECSU!
Prospective Students and Parents!
Meet the Viking Family: Chancellor Thomas Conway, students, faculty, staff, coaches, and alumni! We’ll be on hand to discuss majors, admissions, financial aid/scholarships, student life, internships and career opportunities, athletics + more.
Visit www.ecsu.edu for more information about the Fantastic Viking Voyage tour locations in your area. Register NOW! Seats are limited.
We’re coming to your area soon! SEPTEMBER Elizabeth City, NC
SEPTEMBER 6 @ 6:30PM
K.E. White Center, ECSU Campus 1704 Weeksville Road Elizabeth City, NC 27909
Philadelphia, PA
SEPTEMBER 8 @ 4:00PM
Cobbs Creek Recreation Center 280 Cobbs Creek Pkwy Philadelphia, PA 19139
Chesapeake, VA
Rocky Mount, NC
SEPTEMBER 15 @ 6:30PM
Holiday Inn Express (I-95 at US 64) 200 Enterprise Drive Rocky Mount, NC 27804
Richmond, VA
SEPTEMBER 19 @ 6:30PM Fifth Baptist Church 1415 W. Cary Street Richmond, VA 23220
Raleigh, NC
SEPTEMBER 12 @ 6:30PM
SEPTEMBER 26 @ 6:30PM
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
Mount Lebanon Church (The Mount) Wake Co. Office Park-Commons Bldg. 4011 Carya Drive 884 Bells Mill Road Raleigh, NC 27610 Chesapeake, VA 23322
Washington, DC
OCTOBER 3 @ 6:30PM Berkshire Elementary School 6201 Surrey Square Lane District Heights, MD 20747
Winston-Salem, NC
OCTOBER 10 @ 6:30PM Galilee Baptist Church 4129 Northampton Drive Winston-Salem, NC 27105
Fayetteville, NC
OCTOBER 24 @ 6:30PM E.E. Smith High School 1800 Seabrook Road Fayetteville, NC 28301
Ahoskie, NC
NOVEMBER 1 @ 6:30PM Hertford County High School 1500 West 1st Street Ahoskie, NC 27910
Greenville, NC
NOVEMBER 10 @ 6:30PM
Cornerstone Missionary Baptist Church 1095 Allen Road Greenville, NC 27834
Kinston, NC
NOVEMBER 14 @ 6:30PM Kinston-Lenoir Co. Public Library 510 North Queen Street Kinston, NC 28501
DECEMBER
Charlotte, NC
DECEMBER 1 @ 6:30PM Mt. Carmel Baptist Church 7237 Tuckaseegee Rd. Charlotte, NC 28214
ECSU OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS 252.335.3081 orMagazine 800.347.ECSU City State University Spring 2016 (3278) 62 Elizabeth
@ECSU_Admissions
/ECSUAdmissionsOffice
@ECSUAdmissions
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R O A S T A N D T O A S T Save The Date
Jan 27, 2017
HONOREES: Mrs. Lenora Jarvis-Mackey Rep. William C. “Bill” Owens Rev. Dr. Ricky L. Banks Mr. Robert L.“Bobby” Vaughan
RECEPTION 5:30-7PM | ROAST 7-9:30PM
K.E. WHITE CENTER
ATTIRE:
1704 WEEKSVILLE ROAD, ELIZABETH CITY, NC 27909
Suit & Sneakers (semi-formal) Proceeds to benefit ECSU Athletics.
RECEPTION/SILENT AUDITION/GALA | TICKETS $75
2016 UPCOMING EVENTS
AUGUST 13 New Student (Move-In Day)
SEPTEMBER 3 ECSU Football vs. Norfolk State University (Norfolk, VA)
SEPTEMBER 10 Family Weekend (Elizabeth City, NC)
SEPTEMBER 17 Down East Viking Football Classic (Rocky Mount, NC)
VISIT:
ADMISSIONS OFFICE 1704 Weeksville Rd Elizabeth City, NC 27909 (252) 335-3305 | www.ecsu.edu
www.ecsu.edu/ calendar to find more information about these and other ECSU events.
It’s not too late to apply for admissions at ECSU! ALL WE NEED IS THE FOLLOWING: • $30 Application Fee • Transcript(s) • SAT/ACT Score
OCTOBER 29 Homecoming: ECSU vs. Virginia Union University
postage
Anything we can do to help?
NOVEMBER 5 Admissions Open House
DECEMBER 10
Fall Commencement
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1704 Weeksville Road Elizabeth City, NC 27909 www.ecsu.edu
ECSU History Elizabeth City State University