Continuously accredited since 1967 and ranked among the top 5% of business schools worldwide.
2025 Reaccreditation Highlights
AACSB recognized ECU’s College of Business for its leadership in in the key areas below.
Thought Leadership
Our faculty won 14 teaching awards, produced 1,241 scholarly products, and submitted approximately $10.6M in grant applications over the past 5 years.
Experiential Learning
The college was commended for providing more than 85,000 hours of student fieldwork through signature programs including the Aman Pirate Entrepreneurship Challenge, Immersive MBA, Blacksail Fund, and Twilley Academy.
Office of Expert Services
Celebrated as a national model for unifying outreach to expand regional impact, the Office of Expert Services supports over 1,000 clients annually
Listed as Best Business School, Best Business School (Southeast), and Best Online MBA Programs
The College of Business continues to focus on producing a strong ROI in the strategic areas of student success, public service, and regional transformation. The Looking Glass showcases our impact each year and demonstrates the value we provide. We are proud to highlight the results of our work from the 2024-25 academic year and thank everyone involved who made it possible.
Please share within your network so we can celebrate together. Let’s keep raising the bar!
Go Pirates!
Michael Harris, Dean College of Business
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
Content & Design by Emily Leach
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Individuals requesting accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) should contact ECU’s ADA coordinator at least 48 hours prior to the event at 252-737-1018 or ada-coordinator@ecu.edu.
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COB graduates are making a diffrence across North Carolina.
4758 undergraduate students $118M+ economic impact
1180 graduate students
372% economic roi
$41K more/ year Graduate Students earn
1667 degrees awarded
$30K more/ year Undergrad Students earn students at ECU® studies business in
To establish the twilley academy of sales leadership
244 Professional Selling Certificates Awarded
1828 Students Enrolled in Sales Courses
Twilley Sales Lab new!
The Twilley Sales Competition launched with 40 students from five universities—NC State, The Citadel, UNC Greensboro, UNC Wilmington, and ECU—showcasing top talent and elevating real-world sales experience.
Twelve students earned 14 awards across three national competitions—Selling with the Bulls, the National Tech Sales Competition (MTSU), and the Twilley Sales Competition— demonstrating excellence in professional selling on a national stage.
This year’s Gene T. Aman Pirate Challenge brought together 140 students from 42 different majors, forming 75 teams to compete in this signature innovation and entrepreneurship problem-solving event.
$3.2M To name the gene t. aman pirate challenge $1M+ in prizes awarded since 2017
600+ competing teams since 2017
The Blacksail Fund, a $1 million studentmanaged investment portfolio made possible by alumnus Sanford Bailey, gives students hands-on experience in investment strategy, risk management, and financial analysis. Guided by industry professionals, students use real-world tools to manage a multi-strategy portfolio, with returns funding future experiential learning.
trades executed 141 By student-managed portfolio since January
To establish the blacksail fund $135K
To launch new! Finance Lab with 12 Bloomberg Terminals
Jewel Herlong, part of the inaugural IMBA cohort, transitioned seamlessly from her CAPTRUST internship to a full-time role in finance. Now working in Debt Capital Markets at Wells Fargo, she exemplifies how the program prepares students to launch highimpact careers right after graduation.
Students have interned at 18 companies including Lenovo, Hyster-Yale, and IBM Power 100%
$1M+ Invested in the IMBA program of students in the first cohort of the imba program received full-time job offers
28 IMBA graduates to date
50K+ innovative learning spaces
visitors to experiential learning spaces:
• Darden Dining Hall
• Golden Corral Culinary Center
• Isley Innovation Hub
• new! Finance Lab
• new! Twilley Sales Lab
• Student Technology Center (STC)
STUDENT SUCCESS IN ACTION
The Cunanan Center for Professional Success equips students with skills and resources for their career development.
57K+ student fieldwork hours completed
4K+ students participated in networking events like:
• Employer in the Foyer
• Finance Conference
• Leadership Conference
• Technology Summit
1968 completed since 2020 internships
1705 students engaged in client-based projects
379 completed this year internships
239 organizations served by students
3K+ students participated in co-curricular activities like:
• Aman Pirate Challenge
• Dean’s Student Leadership Council
• Emerging Leader Experience
• Student Organizations
• Twilley Sales Competition
$354K+ student travel funding
innovation in action
Faculty across all disciplines integrating AI into coursework.
Systems. Structure. Smarter Solutions.
Launched to guide academic & operational innovation through documented systems & cross-team collaboration.
Hosted the Summer Innovation Academy in the Isley Hub
Created “AI in Sales” professional development workshop
$478K+ invested in innovative student initiatives
$526K invested in innovative programs & research over the past 2 years
$250K invested in innovative teaching practices
regional transformation in action
2018 people served since inception the office of expert services
3436 clients served since inception
Since launching in 2022, OES has delivered expert-led workshops to build leadership, and support organizational success.
1258 participants
68 entities executive education
81 workshops
110 attendees
research and leadership in action
$917K+ contracts and grants awarded
ECU earns R1 status, placing it in the top 5% of U.S. research universities
18 teaching & research fellowships
10
endowed distinguished professorships
• Burt Family in Marketing and Supply Chain
• Chesnutt & Bond in Entrepreneurship
• Edwin Jones in Accounting
• IIANC - NCSLA W. Kurt Fickling in Risk Mgmt.
• J. Fielding Miller in Entrepreneurship
• McMahon in Business
• R.F. Bird in Risk and Ins.
• Robert Dillard Teer in Research
• Thomas D. Arthur in Leadership
• W. Howard Rooks in Business
60 presentations
114 journal articles
178 scholarly products
Focus areas include pedagogical and applied business research
Melissa Bowers Advising Excellence Award
Awarded by East Carolina University
Lee Brown
Tracy Ginn
Awarded by the Southern Management Association
Awarded by East Carolina University
Awarded by East Carolina University
Awarded by the Small Business Institute®
Dennis Barber III
Mary Beth Allen Stephanie Bae Staff Award
Clara Blanchard
Caroline Holton
Advising Excellence Award
Awarded by East Carolina University
Anna Johnson
Scholar-Teacher Award
Awarded by East Carolina University
Tim Madden
Innovation & Creativity
in Teaching Award
Connor Kasten
Deonanan Award
Jolly Khalilzadeh
Best Presentation Award
Christine Kowalczyk
Haytko MVP Fellowship
John Kros
Faculty Author Book Award
Awarded by the COB
David Mayo
2nd Place
Undergrad Feasibility, Specialized
Amy McMillan
Treasured Pirate Award
Awarded by the Assoc. for Tourism and Leisure Education and Research
Awarded by the COB
Gregg F. Schwitzgebel III
• Impact Circle Award
• Honorary Lifetime Member
Brian J. Taillon
• Board of Governors
Distinguished Prof� for Teaching Award
• Stafford Award
Awarded by East Carolina University
Ying Liao
• Faculty Author Book Award
• Stallings Award
Awarded by East Carolina University
Emily Yeager
• Inventor Award
• SPARC Award
Samantha Zomok
Staff Award
Awarded
public service impact
• STEM Camp K12 programs hosted to inspire future business leaders:
• EY Camp
• Grow Local Programs
• Innovation Academy
• Leadership Toolbox
642 participants
84 boards and councils served by faculty and staff
71 Volunteers
216 Hours
513 community service hours contributed this year mr. beast philanthropy partnership
165 attendees & employers participated in MVEC
125+ attendees engaged in Irreverent Warriors program
300 military personnel engaged in Arthur School & OES initiatives
ECU’s Arthur School and Whole Vet cohosted the Military Veteran Enablement Coalition (MVEC) Career Fair & Conference at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium to support transitioning service members. The event featured panels, entrepreneurship spotlights, and career resources—connecting veterans with universities, nonprofits, and employers.
Twenty-three North Carolina high school students joined the 10th annual EY College MAP summer camp, a weeklong program helping underserved students explore college life, navigate admissions and financial aid, and connect with resources to pursue higher education.
$5.3M raised this year $15.1M raised in 2 years
$444,773 total raised
290+ png gifts
194 png donors
30K+ cob alumni
$1.2M awarded in scholarships
450 scholarship recipients
To our many generous supporters whose names may not appear here, but whose impact is felt in every opportunity, every classroom, and every success story. Pirates supporting Pirates!
Stay INVOLVED
Whether you live near campus or across the country, staying connected with the COB is easy!
Our newsletter, Stocknotes, is published each fall and spring semester and designed to keep you informed about the COB�
COB’s Young Alumni Council have made many significant contributions to their profession and/or community� They are emerging leaders who serve as a link between the COB and recent graduates �
The Business Advisory Council provides guidance and supports the development of high quality business programs at ECU� Its role is to advise the dean and faculty and to foster ongoing relationships with the business community�
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