The Hook Fall 2017

The Hook

Fall 2017

The Hook is published twice a year by East Carolina University students at the Magazine Division Office, Self-Help Building, Second Floor. Greenville, NC 27858

Magazine Division General Manager

The Hook Editor-In-Chief

Victoria Schule

Business Manager

Matthew Havelis

The Hook Staff

Copy Editor: Rebecca Sefter

Design Chief: Marcus Adkins

Designer: Mary-Elizabeth Drummond

Writers:

Chase Carroll

Matthew Prensky

Melissa Glen

Daniel Roberts

Javeria Salman

Emily Harvey

Blessing Aghimien

Mary-Katherine Karcher

Contributors:

Richard L Miller Photography

ECU Creative Services

Summer Tillman

Matthew Thompson

Student Media Professional Staff

Director: John Harvey

Administrative Support Associate: Yvonne Moye

Publication Advisor: Terrence Dove

Advertising & Marketing Advisor: Julie Roman Student Media Operations Manager: Janet Rollins

The Hook is copyrighted in 2017 by The Hook Magazine and East Carolina University, Greenville, N.C. It is printed by University Printing and Graphics, N.C.

The Hook is operated by ECU students who are members of Student Media, an East Carolina University student-led organization operating under the auspices of the Student Media Board and through the Division of Student Affairs. The magazine is produced twice a year by ECU students for the East Carolina University community.

Opinions expressed herein are those of the student writers and editors DO NOT reflect those of the faculty, staff, administration of ECU, Student Media Board nor the University of North Carolina System.

Partial funding for this publication is provided through Student Fee Funds. Advertisements fund the remaining of the costs. Advertising inquiries may be sent to the Office of Student Media, 202 Self Help Building, or by calling the Business Office at 252-328-9245. Inquiries concerning content should be sent to the Magazine General Manager, Victoria Schule at TheHookmag@ecu.edu

All students are allowed to have one free copy of this publication. Additional copies cost $1 each and are available at the Office of Student Media. Unauthorized removal of additional copies from a distribution site will constitute theft under state law, a misdemeanor offense punishable by a fine and/or jail time.

Dear reader,

Like the seasons, East Carolina University is always changing. For this edition of The Hook, I decided to focus on our evergrowing university by expanding the magazine’s material, writers and coverage. This year, The Hook collaborated with the talented reporters and editors from The East Carolinian to present the best content possible.

While reading, you will be introduced to students who have found ways to progress and reach goals in their respective communities. Ranging from academics to athletics, these individuals are trailblazers who aim to improve the world around them. You will also find accounts of modern-day social issues, and how they impact the ECU community. We have even provided a bucket list for students to complete prior to graduation.

My team of designers, editors and reporters have worked countless hours to produce the best magazine on campus. We hope that you enjoy reading each story, and wish you the Editor-In-Chief

Illustration by Marcus Adkins

East Carolina UniversityCollege of Education

With nearly 30 professional education graduate and certificate programs, we invite you to join our ranks! The ECU College of Education educates and prepares graduate students to enter a wide range of career fields and venues including pre-K-12 schools, higher education, community colleges, business and industry, military and government, and community agencies. From enrollment to graduation, our graduate students learn from nationallyrecognized leaders and researchers on campus and online. Through handson learning, networking, and collegial support, students leave well prepared for challenging opportunities and exciting futures.

For more information on the range of opportunities found in the College of Education’s graduate programs, visit blog.ecu.edu/sites/graduate or email coegrad@ecu.edu.

OUR-ECU

The Office of Undergraduate Research

• Research and Creative Activity (URCA) Awards

Upcoming Deadlines

Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (URCA) awards. These competitive awards provide project expenses and stipends for mentored undergraduate research/creative projects. Spring deadline January 26, 2018

The State of North Carolina Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium (SNCURCS) is open to all undergraduate presenters from any North Carolina college or university. Abstract deadline October 11, 2017. Transportation will be provided; please send an email to ugresearch@ecu.edu by Oct. 11 to reserve a spot.

Barthalmus Research Grant to support research at any UNC institution by sophomores. Application deadline October 11, 2017.

Travel awards will provide funds for any undergraduate student to present at any conference. Open application-no deadline.

**NEW**Capture 180 Research Challenge –a competition in which undergraduates prepare and deliver a 3-minute lay talk on their projects. October 24, 2017, 10 AM-12 PM. More details soon!

Mary Farwell, PhD Director of Undergraduate Research

252-328-9476

ugresearch@ecu.edu

www.ecu.edu/cs-acad/research/ur/

ONE PITCH AT A TIME

by CHASE CAROLL

One of East Carolina University’s most notable accomplishments of 2017 was achieved with an immense amount of hard work and perseverance. After a devastating defeat in the 2016 national championship, the ECU club baseball team could have easily given up faith. Instead, they used the loss to fuel their competitive fires for a national championship win of their own in 2017. This past season, the team’s 18 seniors earned their last chance at a championship win. After losing to the University of Nevada in June 2016, the victory was that much sweeter for the players who worked so hard over the previous four seasons.

Photo courtesy of RICHARD L MILLER PHOTOGRAPHY

Thanks to the game-winning RBI from Nick Venditti, runner Tyler Sholar was able to secure a 1-0 victory in 10 innings against the University of Central Florida. The Pirates were led by pitcher Tanner Duncan, who was named World Series MVP after throwing a complete shutout in the championship game. Duncan threw 18 total innings, allowing just five hits, four walks and zero runs.

After a difficult loss in the prior championship, the Pirates finally won the 2017 World Series. “It was very rewarding,” Duncan said. “You go into a game like that and you come up short. It’s never what you want. But we took that and used it as fuel to have a successful year this year, and make it back to ultimately accomplish the goal we’ve set out [to achieve] for the last four years.”

Duncan, who tried out for East Carolina’s varsity baseball team each year during his first three years of college, was never was able to make the team as a walk-on. Despite this, Duncan worked hard on his craft and never gave up on his dream of playing baseball at the collegiate level.

“Of course I wanted to play Division I college baseball, but when I didn’t make it, I didn’t think it was the end of the world,” Duncan said. “I’ve always thought my stuff was good enough to compete at any level, and I knew I had the work ethic and the drive to do so.”

It was because of the club baseball team that Duncan was able to showcase his abilities in front of minor league recruiters, eventually leading him to a contract with the Houston Astros.

ECU club baseball team head coach Ben Fox has seen the growth of his team over the years, as he previously served

great to see them get over the hump.” Although his team is not playing at the varsity level, Fox is adamant about the talent presented by his players.

“I truly believe a lot of the guys on the team could play at the next level. Some of them just didn’t get the opportunity. Some of them just didn’t get the exposure they needed,” said Fox. “The talent level for us is extremely high. The level we hold ourselves to... we practice hard and expect a high level of effort. When they give a high level of effort, they really get better playing for us.”

Despite losing 18 seniors this year, coach Fox believes that the team has enough talent for another World Series run.

“18 out of 30 is a lot,” Fox said. “But we have some guys on the team this year that weren’t seniors that can really play the game. They come in and work as hard as the seniors did, which hopefully will leave a lasting impression on them.”

as an assistant to the team since 2010. “It was so awesome to see,” Fox said.

“These guys, a lot of them have been together for five years. They’ve put in a lot of hard work and had a lot of ups and downs. This year, they could have given up, but they worked harder this year than they ever have. They earned it and it was

Coach Fox says that the team has a good chance of calling themselves champions again in the upcoming season.

“If we win it or not, it all depends on how the ball bounces,” Fox said. “But I definitely think with the skill level we have, we can compete for a national championship again.”

Photo courtesy of RICHARD L MILLER PHOTOGRAPHY

“...I definitely think with the skill level we have, we can compete for a national championship again.”

- Head Coach Ben Fox

When it rains, it POURS

ECU improves research on weather forecasting

By DANIEL ROBERTS | Photos by AMBERLYNN BISHOP

In the past year, East Carolina University has dealt with all kinds of unpredictable weather, ranging from rain and snow to a hurricane that caused record-breaking floods. In 2017, the university decided to take a few more preemptive measures in an effort to further improve weather forecasts.

On April 1, 2017, ECU received a grant of $450,000 from the National Science Foundation, which was allocated for the purpose of conducting research on future forecasting. This grant will give students and local meteorologists the opportunity to accurately predict short-term and long-term weather patterns.

Dr. Tom Rickenbach and Dr. Rosana Ferreira, associate professors of Atmospheric Science at ECU, will be studying weather predictions over the next three years with this new allocation. Specifically, they will be studying the springtime transition of widespread rain from large weather systems to local rains from isolated thunderstorms.

“When you just look at precipitation without splitting it into these two components, it looks like it’s just flat year-round,” said Ferreira.

During the weeks of late May and early June, weather patterns tend to transition quickly. According to Ferreira, it is hypothesized that this is caused by jet streams shifting north as the North Atlantic subtropical high begins to feed warm, moist air into the southeastern United States.

“What we’re trying to understand is how the meteorological conditions, like the wind patterns and the amount of energy from the heating of the atmosphere, are changing in the springtime as we ramp up toward the turningon of this afternoon thunderstorm regime,” Rickenbach said. “And we want to pinpoint the timing of that.”

Several graduate and undergraduate students will help Rickenbach and Ferreira participate in the research project and collect data.

“We are funding our graduate students to help address precipitation and weather,” Rickenbach said. “Undergraduates will help with the data analysis and be given the opportunity to present their original research at conferences.

In order to better understand future weather trends, Rickenbach, Ferreira and the students must start with the analyzation of current weather trends.

“We will use a regional weather model to make simulations of what is happening in the present climate,” Ferreira said. “Then repeat the simulations for the conditions we expect at the end of the century.”

A weather platform called WeatherSTEM was created to provide real-time weather readings, collect data, take photos and videos and automatically send weather updates to students’ Facebook and Twitter accounts.

With a platform like WeatherSTEM, weather forecasts are much more accurate and timely, which allows officials like Lauren Mink, ECU’s weather planner, to strategize further in advance.

“The information can be used to make executive decisions during hazardous weather events, like this past spring commencement,” said Mink.

Mink found this platform appealing for a number of reasons; a primary one being the ability to easily access accurate measurements on-campus. In the past, data was collected from sources further from campus such as the Pitt-Greenville Airport or various webpages, causing information to data to be slightly less reliable.

When a storm approached prior to the 2017 spring commencement, it was WeatherSTEM’s measurements that helped influence the decision to cancel the event.

Rickenbach and Ferreira are already getting a head start with their new research venture.

“We have funded graduate student Hannah Wells,” Rickenbach said. “She has been doing the initial legwork. The actual work will begin in the fall. We plan on hiring students to do weather modeling and take their sophisticated work to help with understanding seasonal transitions.”

With the research conducted under Rickenbach, Ferreira and WeatherSTEM, only time will tell if current weather trends will continue to grow or change in the upcoming years.

(Above and below) Dr. Tom Richenbach in his office conducting research.

PIRATES GOING GREEN

by JAVERIA SALMAN | Photo by AMBERLYNN BISHOP

It’s been one year since Chancellor Cecil Staton stepped up to the helm of East Carolina University and declared his goal of making ECU the “next nationally recognized university.” In the same year, an ECU staff member began to work on moving the university forward by creating environmentally-friendly initiatives.

Surrounded by reports and marketing material on various environmental campaigns, Chad Carwein sits typing away at a computer, deep within the Old Cafeteria building. With this new research, Carwein hopes to bring similar projects to ECU’s campus community.

In March of 2016, ECU created the brandnew position of university sustainability manager and brought Carwein in to fill the role.

“It’s been a whirlwind,” Carwein said. “This first year, it’s flown by. But I think we’ve had a lot of success already.”

That success is reflected in the first bronze rating ECU has ever received from the Sustainability Tracking Assessment & Rating System (STARS). The program is part of The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), a self-reporting framework used by colleges and universities to measure sustainability performance.

Working with a university of more than 28,000 students and 5,000 faculty and staff members, Carwein says he plays a different role each day because of the many tasks and issues he must focus on.

By viewing the world through a lens that gives equal consideration, Carwein focuses on three main factors: being good stewards of the environment, making decisions that are economically justifiable for the university and supporting a variety of different social factors including environmental justice issues.

With the United States pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement earlier this year, Carwein sees a chance for the university to prove its commitment to being an environmentally-friendly campus and reducing the impacts of climate change.

The 2015 Paris Climate Accord is an agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on a mission to “to combat climate change and to accelerate and intensify the actions and investments needed for a sustainable low-carbon future,” according to the UNFCCC.

“At a university level, I see it as an opportunity for us to make a statement,” Carwein said. “To say that we’re still committing to this and we are willing to put our money where our mouth is.”

Photo by VICTORIA SCHULE

Why sustainability is important

Where ECU stands in terms of sustainability

One of Carwein’s first accomplishments in his new role was to compile several reports, including a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory.

“I identified all the sources of greenhouse gas emissions that the campus is responsible for and then calculated, basically, our carbon footprint,” Carwein said. “I’ll be updating that each year.”

In addition to the analysis of greenhouse gas emission data, Carwein also completed and submitted the university’s first STARS report. This compilation of data is essentially a means of measuring and monitoring a university’s progress towards sustainability goals.

“This is everything from waste, water, energy, transportation and even factors like… social equity.” Carwein said. “We’re talking about the diversity of our students, staff and faculty populations.”.

“[This is] how we attract and retain diverse talent pools and also how we make the university more affordable. We want to open it up and give as many people the opportunity to come and learn and get a degree here as possible.”

He believes that earning a bronze STARS rating is a significant step forward for ECU, since it is the first time the university has submitted a report and received a ranking.

“We were just shy of getting silver,” Carwein said. “But I feel pretty confident we’ll do it again here in three years. I feel pretty good about getting gold next time because we were so close to silver already.”

In addition to the multiple reports, Carwein compiled an easy-to-read fact card highlighting ECU’s sustainability efforts on campus. The card provides information about how ECU operates in terms of sustainability, such as highlighting the university’s three Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified buildings and the 30,000 LED light bulbs installed on campus.

Sustainability meets academics

Sophomore engineering major Jamie Morris is working with Carwein as an intern in the sustainability program, and is also member of a sustainabilityrelated student organization called ECO Pirates. Morris hopes to raise awareness across campus with these organizations.

“I [would] love to see more people be aware, but also I want people to make their contributions” Morris said. “You know, we all leave a footprint on this earth whether carbon or not, and we are the generation to decide here.”

According to the ECU Sustainability fact card, ECU offers 487 sustainability-related courses throughout 52 departments. These programs include a bachelor’s in applied atmospheric science, a doctorate in coastal resource management and a master’s in sustainable tourism. The card also points out that ECU has 331 faculty members engaged in sustainability research from 46 departments across campus.

Carwein says that an important part of his job is trying to bridge the gap betwween academics and operations, meaning that he works with students, staff and faculty, as well as community members and partners

The Green Fund Campaign

Morris and Carwein are spearheading another major initiative for the fall semester called the Green Fund Campaign.

The green fund proposes a $5 student fee per semester, which could potentially generate funding for sustainability initiatives on campus. According to Carwein, a committee of students advised by staff and faculty would decide what the money is spent on.

According to the green fund proposal, the committee would be made up of student representatives from the ECO Pirates, Graduate Student Association, Student Government Association, and Residence Hall Association. Additionally, it would include up to six staff and faculty members selected from the Sustainability Committee and the University Environment Committee as non-voting members.

Morris says that while Carwein is an advisor for the campaign, he wants students to know the campaign is completely studentrun. Morris added that students can expect to see the group raising awareness for the campaign in front of the Dowdy Student Store throughout the fall semester.

–Chad Carwein

ECU also has five sustainabilityrelated student groups on campus and about 7,000 students engaged in community sustainability efforts.

Carwein says that one of the easiest ways for people to change their daily lifestyles and take the first step towards becoming more sustainable is to recycle.

“This is the best way I think of to describe it, but recycling truly is the gateway drug to sustainability,” Carwein said. “When you think about it, it’s the easiest thing we can do and if I can get you hooked on recycling, then maybe we can get you biking to class, maybe we can get you to think about doing meatless Monday or…changing your dietary habits.”

Carwein also said that the sustainability program aims to become more engaged in the campus community, which would involve working with different ECU departments such as athletics, greek life and student organizations.

He stressed that there are several different opportunities available for students interested in getting involved on campus during the fall semester. During football season, students can participate in the Gameday Recycling Challenge which involves picking up a recycling bag from the parking attendants or bringing their own bags to collect recyclables.

“We’re talking about everything from renewable energy on campus… to internships, research opportunities, chances for students to go to regional and national conferences to learn more about sustainability and professional development,” Carwein said. “We could leverage a lot more funding if we have some revenue to start with.”

In addition to its impact on the Greenville environment, the fund would allow students to influence the future of ECU.

“How many kids that have gone through ECU since 1907 can say ‘Hey I helped lead the green fund’ or ‘Hey, I supported the green fund’,” Morris said. “A green fund that maybe leads to solar panels on the roofs or scholarships for students that are interested in sustainability across campus.”

Raising awareness for this campaign and other sustainability initiatives is an uphill battle according to Morris, but the opportunity to make a change is still offered to students with differing opinions.

“A lot of people now argue about whether climate change is real or not,” Morris said. “Whether you think it’s real or not, this is still an opportunity for you to maybe help students through college, maybe setting up some kind of scholarship program.”

Morris emphasized the inclusive nature of the program, which will allow more diverse ideas and solutions when making campus into an environmentally-friendly area.

...we are the generation to decide here.

“ ”

“We want this to be as inclusive and diverse as possible,” Morris said. “Because with that, you get greater ideas and greater contributions.”

According to Morris, the green fund is only the beginning of student and university involvement in terms of sustainability.

“The chancellor talks about being the next nationally recognized university and...to be the next nationally recognized university you have to be up to date on current events and what’s happening in the world and how the world’s progressing,” Morris said.

Photo by VICTORIA SCHULE

Carwein (pictured left) usually rides to work by bicycle instead of car.

The Ultimate PirateBucket List

Attend a football game, baseball game and basketball game

Go to Pirate Palooza

Get a picture with Petey the Pirate

Get a picture with the ECU cow

Join a campus organization or volunteer group

Attend an event in Mendenhall

Attend Get-A-Clue and Barefoot on the Mall

Go to karaoke night at Fire American Tavern

Pull an all-nighter in Joyner

Achieve a spot on the Dean’s list

Tailgate for a football game

Bring a parent to a football game

Take advantage of student discounts

Eat brunch at the Scullery

Participate in the Polar Bear Plunge

Get at least three free t-shirts from tabeling organizations

Find the fourth floor in Joyner library

Attend an ECU homecoming concert

Go down the slide at the Health Sciences Student Center

Go to a pool party

Make an appointment at the Career Center

Take a walk on the greenway

Spend at least one summer in Greenville

Go to Sup Dogs

Kayak in the Tar River (Don’t swim in the river)

The Hook

Whether students are preparing for graduation or settling into their freshman year, the undergraduate years provide for a chance of fun-filled memories that last a lifetime. Being an East Carolina University pirate is a unique experience, and each of the activities below are necessary in embracing the ECU experience.

See a movie and go bowling in Mendenhall

Visit the Joyner clock at midnight

Join an intramural sport

Spend Halloween weekend at ECU

Live off-campus

Attend an away football game

Buy a “No quarter” flag

Study abroad

Sit in a hammock on the mall

Eat at every on-campus dining area

Vote in every SGA election

Spend spring break with college friends

Rent a book from the library

Walk under the cupola during graduation

From To

by MELISSA GLEN

For senior Melisha Garrison, the opportunity to study in Granada, Spain provided for the trip of a lifetime. It was in Spain that she was able to experience a new culture, advance her academic career and master her spanish language skills. However, when it was time to come home to Greenville, the transition proved to be a difficult one.

“You leave America and you go to a different country, and then you come back...and everything is different,” she said. “When I came back, I was in the airport. I saw [people] speaking in English, and it took me a while to reply in English, not Spanish, because I was constantly hearing Spanish in Spain.”

When Garrison returned to East Carolina University she found a support system by joining the Global Ambassadors program, which not only made her transition back from her trip much easier, but allowed her to share her experience with other students who were interested in studying abroad.

The Global Ambassadors program at ECU serves as an intersection for students considering international study. By connecting the prospective participants with those who have already engaged in these programs, students are able to take their questions straight to the source.

According to Amanda Sines, education abroad advisor and director of Global Ambassadors at ECU, it is not uncommon for students to go through the same “reverse culture shock” as Garrison did when she came back to the United States.

“Upon coming back to campus, it can feel a little jarring. They can feel a little disconnected,” Sines said. “They’ve been overseas and they’ve had these experiences...[Global Ambassadors] is a way for them to get with other students who have maybe had similar experiences, so they can share them together.”

Each year, the ambassador program hosts 10-15

students who are chosen based on an application process available on the study abroad website. The ambassadors represent their programs at various events including orientation, Barefoot on the Mall and the study abroad fair. They are also required to attain 40 hours of service focused on promoting their programs.

“We try to choose ambassadors that come from different programs,” said Sines. “That way they can represent a multitude of programs and give a detailed description of what it’s like to be a student at those universities.” The program’s mission is to engage students who are interested in studying abroad by providing testimonies from first-hand sources. She claims that many students tend to feel awkward when confronting faculty about their concerns, and Global Ambassadors enables them to ask questions in a comforting environment.

“Students come to us to get the information,” she said. “But if they can speak with other students about what it’s like to study abroad… it’s going to be more relatable.”

During Sines’s college career, she fell for the same misconception that many others do when it comes to study abroad, which was the belief that her financial situation could prevent her from participating.

“A lot of people feel like it’s not affordable. That was something that I felt,” Sines said. “I actually didn’t study abroad when I was an undergrad even though I really wanted to because I was like ‘Oh it’s really expensive, I don’t want anyone to hurt my feelings.’”

There are many scholarship and financial aid opportunities that are readily available and offered to students, including departmental assistance.

“Any of our semester long exchanges, you are paying your normal ECU tuition back here on campus,” Sines said. “So that’s something that keeps it affordable or keeps it pretty on par with what you would already pay here in Greenville.”

Photo contributed by Abagail Heine

Photo contributed by GRACE JOYNER

Global Ambassadors program helps students connect with study abroad programs.

(Pictured) Siena Cathedral of Santa Maria in Siena, Italy.

(Left) Students studying abroad and the monumental hands structure supporting the historic Ca’Sagredo Hotel in Venice, Italy.

Photo contributed by NICOLE DAVIS

Sines says that all students should try and advantage of the study abroad opportunities presented at ECU, due to their positive effects on a student’s career.

“Going into the job market, future employers are going to be looking for people who have cross-cultural competence,” Sines said. “...who are able to navigate across cultural boundaries and interact with people from different cultures.”

Garrison added that her overseas experience has given her a big advantage in jumpstarting her career, specifically in regards to the part it played in her current job.

“I applied [to a job] after I got back from Spain,” she said. “And he just told me the reason he hired me was because I could speak Spanish.”

Making connections and gaining cultural experiences with other students is a few of the many benefits Garrison gained through the program, but she isn’t the only one who had a positive experience through the program.

Ankita Mishra, a public health major and global ambassador at ECU, said being involved in the Global Ambassadors program has been

“I’ve gotten the opportunity not only to engage with the student population who plans to study abroad, but also engage with students who have come to study at ECU from varying countries,” Mishra said.

Mishra said through her involvement in the program, she was able to sit in on the Chancellor’s Committee for Global Affairs, which allowed her to get to know administrators on campus as well as students.

“I enjoy being engaged with people who have a global, accepting mindset… the Global Ambassador program has provided just that,” Mishra says.

Photo contributed by NICOLE DAVIS

Photo contributed by ABAGAIL HEINE

...if they can speak with other students about what it’s like to study abroad… it's going to be more relatable.

- Amanda Sines

Finding our Horizon

Students try to find meaning in new logo

by MARY KATHERINE KARCHER and VICTORIA SCHULE

On Sept. 10, 2017, East Carolina University introduced a new academic website, logo and slogan in an attempt to rebrand the university’s public image. By changing the slogan from “Tomorrow Starts Here” to “Capture Your Horizon,” ECU’s new look came with new goals, intentions and a range of responses.

New look, new goals

Shortly after being named chancellor in June 2016, Cecil Staton announced his top priority of making ECU the next nationally-recognized university. In the university’s strategic plan extension designed for the next five years, a new mission is described in that ECU is to be, “a national model for student success, public service and regional transformation.”

As the university’s rebranding campaign is still in its early stages, Staton hopes that this new vision will improve the image of ECU, and will serve as a symbol of growth.

“We thought [the new logo] was unique and traditional,” Staton said. “We felt it was a strong and professional image; a symbol of our university that can carry us forward as we go through this rebranding effort that we are going to be involved in all year long.”

Although the new logo has only been implemented in a few departments thus far, Staton describes the plan to integrate it university-wide.

“It will be a very intentional thing as we move into the year,” Staton said. “You’ll begin to see it more and more.”

More than just bragging rights

“I am very frustrated that all the great things that we can easily brag about sometimes get lost,” Staton said. “People view us, in some respects, as that little university from 30 or 40 years ago and instead we have become a vital national university.”

Over the past several years, members of the ECU community have made significant impacts in their respective local, national and global communities, yet these achievements are often overshadowed by negative connotations associated with the university.

“Some of that is our own fault,” Staton said. “We’ve got to toot our own horn, so to speak. We’ve got to tell our story better. So, as we prepared to tell our story better, it was a natural time to think about how to we brand this university.”

Staton spoke of his pride for the new logo, and highlights the talented individuals responsible for its design. As the project was produced internally, benefits such as reduced costs and local ingenuity were utilized.

“We used our own people,” Staton said. “We let our people come in, and they brought a lot of different things to the table. We thought

Photo by VICTORIA SCHULE

this was the best of what we had seen and we were drawn to it,” Staton said.

Although the process was an in intricate one, the choice to incorporate an image of the cupola was wellreceived and quickly approved.

“The cupola is a very favored and hallowed symbol of this campus,” Staton said.

“So our designers decided to use that. They used it in the context of a shield, which is very common throughout established universities across the country.”

Another aspect of the rebranding initiative includes the encouragement of internal and external referral to the university as ‘ECU’ instead of ‘East Carolina University.’

ECU Student Body President

La’Quon Rogers expressed his belief that this effort will help legitimize the university, as well as increase national awareness of the institution.

“I went to a national conference in Washington D.C. with several other [SGA] presidents from renowned institutions,” Rogers said.

“We kept getting called ‘Eastern Carolina’ because there is a Western Carolina University. Just shortening the name to ‘ECU’ will set us apart and give us the proper recognition that we need.”

ECU community members responded to the rebranding efforts with mixed emotions. Some were disappointed with the change, but many embraced the new look.

Makenzie Dixon, an ECU student majoring in junior and middle grades education, expresses her opinion that the new logo

Many are displeased with the lack of student involvement in the decisionmaking process, and others feel the that the new logo lacks luster, such as John Medina, a senior economics major at ECU.

“I think it needs more pizazz,” Medina said. “I’m not a fan of how plain it is now.”

Although President Rogers personally approves of the new logo design, he expresses some concern for the initiative’s lack of student approval.

“The only room for improvement that I think the entire student body would say, is student input,” said Rogers. Rogers shared this concern with officials in charge of the initiative, and is optimistic about the future of student input in projects such as this one.

improves the tone of the university. “I think the rebranding is a step in the right direction,” Dixon said.

“We’ve had the same branding for a long time and it’s a welcomed change that will hopefully get ECU more nationwide recognition due to how professional it looks.”

However, some students are skeptical of the new rebranding efforts.

Whether or not ECU community members approve of the rebranding project, the process has already begun. Many aspects have already been integrated into daily life on campus, including emphasis on the new slogan, “capture your horizon.”

“A lot of students are still are still trying to personally find out what ‘capturing your horizon’ means,” said Rogers.

“What it personally means to this campus is that our potential is in our horizon, it’s out there.”

I believe in the power of women to change lives.”

“

Jamitress Bowden ’14 Women’s Roundtable Board Member

“...our potential is in

it’s out there”

- La’Quon Rogers

by REBECCA SEFTER

1911

1923

1907-1921

Photos contributed by ECU DITIGAL COLLECTION ARCHIVES

Photos by AMBERLYNN BISHOP

Jarvis Hall

Old Cafeteria Building Whichard

NOW

This year, East Carolina University celebrates its 110th anniversary. Originally chartered as the East Carolina Teachers Training School in 1907, the first courses were introduced just two years later and consisted of 123 students and 11 faculty members. ECTTS underwent several name changes before transitioning to East Carolina University in 1967. Currently, ECU hosts a student body of approximately 29,000 with nearly 6,000 faculty and staff members. With nearly 100 buildings owned and operated by the university, the current student body sees a completely different campus than the original population.

THEN

1934

1940-1949

Whichard Building

Cotten Hall

Wright Auditorium The

A SYMBOL OF PRIDE OR RACISM ?

By JAVERIA SALMAN | Photo by VICTORIA SCHULE

On Aug, 12, 2017, the city of Charlottesville, Virginia became the epicenter for national debate when a white supremacist rally took a violent turn. The gathering was originally organized to protest the decision to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, located in the city’s Emancipation Park. Ultimately, the rally resulted in the death of counter-protester, Heather Heyer and two Virginia state troopers, H. Jay Cullen and Berke M.M. Bates. Due to the events in Charlottesville, a lingering debate has been revitalized surrounding the ethics of statues constructed to honor confederate soldiers of the American Civil War. According to a 2016 Southern Poverty Law Center report, approximately 718 of these statues and monuments still stand across the United States. One such monument, erected in 1914, resides on the steps of the Pitt County Courthouse in Greenville, North

What is the significance of the confederate statue?

“A Confederate monument to me is like a slap in the face to me, personally. Whenever I think of the confederacy, I think of the slavery. You look at Germany, they don’t have Nazi statues or Nazi symbols or Nazi anything in their public areas. I understand what people say when they say you want to honor the dead, I understand that, [but] that’s what museums are for, that’s what cemeteries are for. A public place like the courthouse, or a state building is not where a monument like that belongs.” —Senior public health major Adedayo Adeniyi, ECU’s NAACP President

“Signs or symbols can mean a lot to many people; to one person it can be pride, for another person it can be pain. But when you wave something with pride, that you know causes pain to other people, whether that pain be brought onto me or anyone, we have to make a decision: pride or compassion? And human compassion should always outweigh personal pride.” —

Jermaine McNair, Executive Director of NC Civil

“Here is the real irony, we’re standing right here at the Pitt County Courthouse. This courthouse, in of itself, represents justice. But right at the footsteps… we have a statue that has different meanings to different people. Should a taxpayer have to pay for something that they ultimately believe is the highest symbolism of hatred?” —–North Carolina Senator Don Davis, representing District 5

“It reminds me of a big piece of our history. More Americans died in the Civil War than any other war. [Americans] get raised up and are taught...the South is fighting for just slavery and the North is fighting against slavery, and that’s not really what was. I think there’s kind of a discrepancy between what really happened and what gets taught. Many people in the South hold the confederate statue so dear to them because that’s all they have in history. Not many of the southern states fought in the revolutionary war; not really any states played a big role in World War I or World War II. Some of the big figures that came out of the [Civil] War are the only things these states have. So I can kind of see how they get so up-in-arms about it, especially if you’re down South like Jefferson Davis territory, like that’s all that place has ever had. So I can kind of see how they would hold that so close to them.”—Junior Daniel Pearce, President of Turning Point USA at ECU

“The Civil War and slavery were two of the most horrific events in reported U.S. history. And I think those statues, although I don’t agree with the people and things they portrayed, it serves as a reminder to not repeat that. I think a lot of people in the South, particularly in North Carolina, take pride in the confederacy, not because they supported what the confederacy supported, but that’s a lot of their ancestry. I think that people take pride in their history and do not necessarily condone the actions of their ancestors. A lot of people, like myself, absolutely do not condone anything about the confederacy, but do show pride in their ancestors. Coming from a long line of Native Americans, I don’t support everything my ancestors did, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to just totally not identify. I still remember where I came from and I think that’s the conversation we are having in the South.” —Junior Corey Goss, Vice President of Young Americans for Liberty at ECU

How does it make you feel about confederate statues, in particular the one in Greenville?

“Just imagine, as a young black man having to go to court… and you see the statue; do you think that a minority will look at that statue as they are walking into the courthouse and think they are about to get the equal treatment in the judicial system? Because that right there, that symbol, that statue, is a symbol of those people who wanted to keep us minorities in bondage.” —Senior Adedayo Adeniyi, President of ECU’s NAACP

“I’ve always known it’s here. Enough has been enough since Sandra Bland was murdered, enough is enough since Trayvon Martin was murdered; Charlottesville was the tipping point. This statue, to me, is not my heritage. It’s not where I come from and quite frankly, I denounce every bit of it, and it needs to go. —Senior psychology major Kristoffer Rixson, Acting Chair of Young Democratic Socialists at ECU

“I believe the statues need to come down [and] be removed from all public settings. It makes me confused, especially right now. I’m confused. I don’t think hatred is just. Hatred is unjust.”

— North Carolina Senator Don Davis, representing District 5

“If it was a general, I could understand wanting it torn down, but… soldiers are actually the people who went out there and fought, and you know a lot of them didn’t have the choice to. I think it should be up to the individual communities and state or municipalities to take down a statue or replace them. I don’t think it’s really an issue, I mean if it stays up, it stays up. If it goes down, it goes down. There’s so many more things that are hurting the community and hurting the individual than a statue.” —Junior Daniel Pearce, President of Turning Point USA at ECU

“These statues are public property and I do believe those who try to tear them down or attempt to tear them down, like we’ve seen in Durham, North Carolina, should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The county has no jurisdiction over that, it’s a statewide issue since it’s the state of North Carolina property, not necessary Pitt County property. I think it’s a big controversy, and racism keeps coming up in the forefront. We have this rhetoric, this conversation of the statues representing racism; really I think that could be a good reminder. We see a statue of Robert E. Lee and remember that’s not what we stand for in America anymore. Personally, I don’t think we should be taking down any statues...but I think civil discourse is very important and I value freedom of speech more than my feelings.”—Junior Corey Goss, Vice President of Young Americans for Liberty at ECU

What message would you give to those who have different viewpoints as you?

“My message to people that want to keep that here is why here? Why in front of the courthouse? I understand many people, I understand the other side, they want to preserve their history but history belongs in a museum. A lot of people talk about [how] the confederacy wasn’t fighting for slavery, but yes they were. The reason we went to war was because of the states’ rights to still have slavery. People mush it around and make it only about state’s right but in fact it was about states’ rights to own slaves.” —Senior public health major Adedayo Adeniyi, ECU’s NAACP President

“History shows that [this] statue stands for intimidating people of color. Because these statues were erected in the 20th century, far after the civil war happened. In particular, the confederate statue here at the county courthouse was erected in 1914, five years after the NAACP was founded in 1909. So what I have to say to them, you need to check your facts, you need to realize these statues stand for a lot more than what you think they stand for. They stand for hate, they stand for white supremacy and quite frankly, they stand for the treason act that confederate soldiers committed against United States of America.” —Senior psychology major Kristoffer Rixson, Acting Chair of Young Democratic Socialists at ECU

“First off, you have to listen. I don’t think either side, right or left, is very good at listening. I think more people should be willing to be non-partisan. Forget about Republicans and Democrats, and think and work with other people. And something that I would love to see done, if we are going to tear down statues… [is] see them replaced with figures throughout history that really influence freedom and liberty, and like the antithesis of slavery. I’d really live to see the big freedom-fighters in our history get statues.” —Junior Daniel Pearce, President of Turning Point USA at ECU

“I think it’s ironic that some of the people who most flagrantly preach tolerance to all of us are offended by inanimate objects. You have conservatives in Texas who rewrite their history book. You have people on the left who are so caught up in this idea of tolerance that they are being intolerant to everybody else. And I think that’s what the goal is here, protecting the free speech for all people. And I think those people who want to take down these statues, it’s pretty frightening because it resembles censorship. I think our civil liberties are too important to gamble with.” — Junior Corey Goss, Vice President of Young Americans for Liberty at ECU

By MATTHEW PRENSKY

With growing emphasis on the Health Sciences Campus at East Carolina University, the new student center presents an opportunity for students to congregate and work together in a common space. The 75,000-square-foot Health Sciences Campus Student Center, recently completed in the spring of 2017, cost $34.1 million to construct.

ECU’s associate vice chancellor of Student Involvement and Leadership

Erik Knuebuehl claims that creating a community-based setting on the Health Sciences Campus was a critical wish that needed to be fulfilled.

“There is an opportunity for people to step outside of their building and to gather, to eat, and to come together to hang out and talk,” Knuebuehl said.

“That’s how new clubs, projects and research ideas form, through a multidisciplinary approach, where people come out of their disciplines and start to talk to other people. We did that through food, relaxation, working and hanging out.”

According to Phyllis Horns, vice chancellor for health sciences, the campus was a very disjointed community, as students are incidentally isolated from each other in their respective departments and buildings.

“I think we [have] unintentionally become more siloed than we were collaborative, just because our faculty and students went to the building they’re going to be doing their work in and that’s kind of where they’ve stayed,” Horns said. “Geography matters, and when you got people in different spaces it’s just too easy to go to the Ross Hall and spend your whole day there.”

Horns, who is also the dean of the Brody School of Medicine, says teamwork in the health sciences field is a crucial part of patient care. Horns describes the new student center as an “incubator of ideas” and believes that the building makes ECU’s medical programs unique in comparison to other programs around the country.

Devoted student centers on college medical campuses are few and far between. Kneubuehl emphasized that few universities have a separate campus specific to the health sciences division, and even less have a designated student center. Kneubuehl said that during the planning process, ECU officials decided to stray away from building designs from other universities, as the project was so unique.

“I know that Temple University is just starting to build a student center on their medical campus,” he said. “There are some other institutions that are starting to do this, but we’re still relatively new at this and maybe we’ll always be new.”

The idea for a new student center was considered for many years. However, when plans were finally set in motion, officials from ECU’s Department of Student Affairs met with health sciences students to understand what they wanted in a student center.

Kneubuehl stated that the needs identified by students on the health sciences campus were very different from those of students on the main campus.

“When the planning process began for the new student center,” Horns said. “It was identified that there was a need to create a common space for each department to interact.”

The end result gave students more options for dining, relaxing spaces to study or talk with their peers and even a slide. A recreational slide was

Photos by AMBERLYNN BISHOP

not included In the original plans, but has ended up being one of the highlights of the new building.

“The slide on the [health sciences] campus was an accident,” Kneubuehl said.

According to Kneubuehl, the state informed ECU officials that the building’s third-floor study area did not meet safety regulations because it lacked a sufficient number of exit points. Therefore, an architect came up with the creative idea of adding a slide in order to fulfill the need for another exit. Incidentally, later calculations showed that an additional exit site was no longer required, but it was still constructed due to the positive attention it had gained among the ECU community.

“It’s a beautiful slide,” Horns joked. “The more I thought about it, I said, ‘Well, you know what? It’s a student building.’”

In addition to the slide, the student center’s wide array of features have been well-received by the health sciences community. Kneubuehl said that within an hour of opening, students were spread out around the building using study rooms and other amenities.

Horns compliments the student center’s central location to other campus buildings, as it provides for a convenient walk to amenities such as the fitness center,

“I have not yet visited the Starbucks, but I know that I’m going to do that,” Horns said. “I think the food service area really has a nice array and there are plenty of healthy options. It’s very convenient for us and I think a lot of people from Brody just walk over to the student center and pick up something.”

Reflecting on her time at ECU, Horns says that the new student center exceeds her expectations. She praises its construction and adds that she couldn’t have imagined the needs of students and faculty being met in such a well-designed way.

- Erik Kneubuehl

(Left) (Above) The slide on the second floor of the Health Sciences Center

(Right) Outside of the Health Sciences Center

More than Just a Hashtag

by BLESSING AGHIMIEN | Photo by AMBERLYNN BISHOP

East Carolina University is home to nearly 29,000 students which creates an inevitable sea of diversity on-campus. One grassroots movement has embarked on a mission to challenge the ECU community in order to better connect with one another.

Gaining momentum in terms of schoolwide recognition, #ECUnited prides itself on being more than a simple hashtag. #ECUnited is a grassroots student movement aimed at deepening the understanding of current and relevant issues that impact both local and global communities.

With the incorporation of education and advocacy, the campus-oriented movement serves as an all-inclusive hub for current and future initiatives that fit this model of unity. Each initiative has a life and identity of its own, as well as an individual means of bringing the ECU community together.

N.C. CIVILITY

The N.C Civility Summit is an event that puts a mission statement into action by encouraging everyone to enact change and develop healthy dialogue.“You don’t impact global communities without having dialogue with other people,” Knuebuehl said. “We want to bring in other points of view and perspectives, and to also showcase the great work we’re doing at ECU.”Attendees from states across the southeast region such as North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia break out into multiple sessions to discuss topics such as race relations, gender, privilege, class status and more.

During the summit, attendees can choose one of two 60-minute sessions during the course of the event, each led by different instructors and leaders from different universities and career paths.

“We’re not just teaching students, [but] we’re leading the nation. Our community is growing from East Carolina to the world,” Knuebuehl said.

“That’s why bringing Ndaba Mandela as a keynote speaker was important. We’ve already had two schools express interest in doing a civility summit on their campuses. We’re leading the charge and we’re proud to do so.”

CUPOLA CONVERSATIONS

Launched last fall by the Division of Student Affairs, Cupola Conversations is a program centered on informal discussion for the ECU community. Held monthly, each event has a different focus and features a manifold of panelists ranging from students, faculty and staff with differing perspectives regarding the topic at hand. From the 2016 election cycle to racial tensions throughout the country, no controversy is off-limits when it comes to healthy conversation.

“It’s imperative that it’s okay to have hard conversations and disagree with people on difficult topics, which is why I think it’s very important that Cupola Conversations cover very serious issues,” ECU’s Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Chris Stansbury said.“When discomfort arises, the general tendency is for people is to walk away because they don’t know where to go.”

Through questions and constructive debate, attendees leave with a new outlook on the subject matter, while often planning to attend the next Cupola Conversation. According to Stansbury, the goal is to empower students to discuss and embrace the fact that it is acceptable to disagree with others.

PLEDGE PURPLE

While Pledge Purple is headlined as a year-long initiative, one week out of the year is dedicated to hosting themed events in an effort to end to bullying, sexual assault and violence. The tradition entails students signing a pledge that promises to take the necessary steps toward preventing violence in all forms. As Pledge Purple Week concludes, the collected signatures are displayed in Mendenhall for all to see and reflect upon.

“When you think about college, it’s important that we’re giving students opportunities to learn how to deal with diverse communities. When they have to leave and deal with a world community, technology allows the world to get smaller,” Knuebuehl said. “They’re going to have to learn with difference. Not to believe, but learning how to appreciate. It’s the responsibility of all educational institutions to work and learn and deal with diversity.”

PLAY FOR PEACE

In 2016, the student-run Play for Peace event created a space where people of all colors and creeds united in harmony, belting out classics like “We Are The World” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” at the top of their lungs.

The event, which was split into two concerts, created an atmosphere filled with unity that stood the test of time, leaving some with new friends and new tunes to add to their playlists.

A number of students that participated in the band’s silent protest last football season understood that they wanted to have an impact in their community beyond playing at a football game.

“We tried to share with the band members the power of the skill they possess, that not everyone has that same power. We just had to utilize that to share a message,”

ECU’s Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Involvement and Leadership Erik Knuebuehl said. “When you look across history, from visuals to music, art is something that survives the test of time. It provides opportunities for communities to gather.”

DOWN TO THE MOLECULE

Brody student develops cancer-fighting drug

by EMILY HARVEY | Photo contributed by DANIEL LADIN

As students around the world seek to better themselves through education and hard work in the pursuit of helping others and making the earth a better place, East Carolina University student Daniel Ladin is on the road to saving lives, after developing a cancer fighting drug that could provide patients with a better alternative than other chemotherapeutic agents.

Ladin, a doctoral student in the pharmacology and toxicology program at the Brody School of Medicine, developed a cancer-fighting drug that could provide patients with a better alternative to other chemotherapeutic agents. He is also one of the few students to have his name on a patent; a rarity in the medical world.

Ladin says that a significant obstacle in fighting cancer is finding a way to kill cancer cells without the elimination of normal, healthy cells. Fortunately, his team was able to accomplish this feat with their new formula.

“That’s a really big deal because most of the chemotherapeutic agents are going to kill cancer cells and non-cancer cells, and that’s where we get all the side effects from,” Ladin said. He also describes the inability of many cancer patients to withstand the harmful side effects of chemotherapeutic agents. As a result, they are unable to continue receiving the treatment and the cancer consumes the subject.

Ladin and his team worked long hours in a lab to create the possible life-saving drug along with its minimal side effects.

“You can only give a certain amount of this drug to the patient before they start to have renal failure or liver failure,” Ladin said. “The oncologist won’t be able to keep them on that drug. So what we hope is that we can give enough dose to kill the cancer, all of it, without causing those major organ system failures.”

Ladin says that he owes the drug’s success to ECU. He chose to attend graduate school at the Brody School of Medicine because of the tightknit community and approachable professors.

“The fact that our faculty in this department is so open-door and so willing to collaborate, and the physicians that we have in dermatology, and the chemists that we have on the main campus are so willing to collaborate and take a project from conception to this huge thing that it’s become, I don’t know if you can get that in bigger schools,” Ladin said.

Dr. Rukiyah Van Dross-Anderson is an associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology at the Brody School of Medicine and a member of the team responsible for developing the drug. He says that it is very rare for a student to have experience with both the research and clinical sides of this specific study, and that he is very impressed with Ladin’s research on molecular biology

“Some discoveries are hard to make because the clinical people and the research people sometimes don’t interact as much as they should,” Van DrossAnderson said.

According to Van Dross-Anderson, Ladin’s background and skills can help facilitate interaction with researchers on the clinical side, which can allow everyone to easily understand what could be missing or improved upon in terms of the drug.

“...If we can come together and identify what the gaps are, that would really benefit everyone in terms of better cancer treatment,” said Van Dross-Anderson.

Even though the drug’s effects on human organs are still being tested, Van Dross-Anderson and his team hope the drug will be available clinically for treatment in the near future.

It is expected to be used to treat several different kinds of cancer, starting with a topical formulation for cancers on the surface of the skin and eventually working towards developing a formula that can enter the body.

The team has conducted various studies to test the drug’s ability to shrink cancer growths. These studies focus on measuring the effectiveness of the drug on human tumor samples, including the implantation of tumors into mice.

“We need to have a sample from the same patient in each of those treatment groups because you can’t compare two different patients’ tumors to each

other,” Van Dross-Anderson said. “That’s the purpose of expanding, so that we can have enough materials so that we can control each treatment group, so that takes quite a bit of time to expand the tumors.”

As students in all fields continue to work their hardest in school, Van Dross-Anderson said she hopes more will become interested in trying to discover something new.

“I really encourage students to be involved in research because you never know what you’ll discover, what contribution you’ll make to our society,” Van Dross-Anderson said.

(Above) Daniel Ladin conducting research in his laboratory at the Brody School of Medicine

“

...you never know what you’ll discover, what contribution you’ll make to our society.”

-Dr.

Rukiyah Van Dross-

Anderson

Photo by AMBERLYNN BISHOP

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by SUMMER TILLMAN | Illustrated by MARCUS ADKINS

They're two of the most hated words in the English language for a college student to hear; "Group Project." We've all been there. Whether it's the perpetual procrastinator or the career slacker, dealing with difficult group members is a project in itself. Here is the scoop when dealing with difficult group members to get the grade and keep your sanity...

The most infamous of group members is the slacker. Known for their lack of interest and effort in the group project, they might be present physically, but not mentally. While they may not participate a great deal, they do normally show up to group meetings and events. It is best to give them simple tasks that can be completed quickly to keep their attention. This will also prevent them from distracting other group members and validate that everyone is pulling their weight. Some professors offer opportunities to grade fellow group members’ participation which may work to your advantage.

This member’s uncanny ability to pull through at the very last minute is both alarming and impressive. Try setting small goals and deadlines for them to meet well before the due date. Finding times to meet up and work together as a group will ensure that the procrastinator keeps pace with the others. Beware, though; procrastinators are known to stall and may distract the other members if they become bored or overstimulated in the group environment. They are often used to working alone and late at night. Remember, they respond well to pressure so don’t be afraid to challenge them.

The Self-Designated Leader

This type of group member needs to feel in control and take the lead of group right away. Assert yourself as a capable member of the team early on. Be your own boss by establishing which parts of the project you’re comfortable with tackling on your own. This way, you’re a team player with the ability to keep your blood pressure down. (You could always stage a mutiny, but the last thing you need is internal conflict).

The Procrastinator

The Slacker

The Ghost

Lurking somewhere in the group chat, but still on your radar, is the ghost. Not to be confused with procrastinators or slackers, ghosts are absent throughout the entire project. They will skip group meetings with little to no explanation. They are the people who never participate until it’s time to present in front of the class. In this case, patience and understanding can go a long way. They may simply be busy or overwhelmed, and we’ve all been there. Try setting early deadlines and assign them small tasks to accomplish. If the ghost is still unreachable, divide his or her portion of the assignment among the other members and inform the group chat that you have done so, in order to avoid confusion.

The Hater

Getting started on your project is the largest challenge a group faces with a hater in the mix. This type of group member despises group projects and will reject every idea with no alternative suggestions. There may be an idea that he or she dislikes less than others, which may be a good place to start, but don’t waste too much time trying to appease them. Make executive decisions and choose the idea that works best for your group.

The Team Player

The team players are a godsend. They thrive on collaboration, respond to direction and are eager to work. They are more likely to do a good job on ideas they’ve either contributed to or feel passionate about. For the sake of the assignment, team players may bite their tongues; failing to speak up when they have a suggestion or notice something that could be improved. Slackers are particularly annoying to team players, so be sure to remind them how important they are to the group and break up the work they take on so they won’t be overwhelmed. Remind them that their input and ideas matter.

ASSOCIATION

Organizations on campus thrive to make the world a better place

By BLESSING

Coming Together Collective

Agroup of Honors College students banded together last year to form an organization focused on campus unity. By creating a space that would allow the unification of students from different cultures, their mission is for ECU’s diverse student body to be better-suited in understanding each other and feeling celebrated.

President Carly Judd and Vice President Rachael Grantham are passionate about starting a conversation on-campus about cultural relations and promoting a message of unity and diversity amongst the whole student body.

What makes the Coming Together Collective different from other social action organizations on campus?

Judd: We’re focused around discussion. We’re focused on conversation for change

Mental Elephant

Serving as a beacon of mental health advocacy on campus, Mental Elephant was founded by Miana Bryant in 2016. Members aim to spread awareness of mental health problems throughout the ECU and Greater Greenville communities, as well as provide resources to youth that suffer from mental disorders.

For Bryant, Mental Elephant has become an outlet that stems from personal experience. Having struggled with own battles of depression and anxiety throughout her adolescence, Bryant has shifted her pain into passion with an award-winning organization that has grown beyond her imagination.

Why is an organization like Mental Elephant important to have on ECU’s campus?

Bryant: Throughout my three years being a student at East Carolina University, there really hasn’t been any talk about dealing with mental health, especially when it

and we want to bring in understanding. There’s a lot of diversity, but not a lot of inclusivity. There are a lot of incredible diverse groups, but we want CTC to be a place where everyone can feel included.

Grantham: Our discussions are open to all people to share. We embrace [the fact that] even though we all come from different backgrounds, there are things we can always connect and agree on.

In what ways has the Coming Together Collective made a difference on ECU’s campus?

Judd: We are a pretty new organization, but I’ve had people come up to me and tell me that what we’re doing is cool and expressed their interest in what we’re doing on-campus. wI’m excited to have people know about us and to recognize our work.

What plans do you have in the upcoming year for the Coming Together Collective?

Grantham: Our first event will be a potluckstyle dinner. It’s interesting how recipes from the same place can be so different, and that says a lot when it comes to understanding where someone is from. Eating is such a bonding experience. We want to start off the year that way.

Judd: As for the year as a whole, we’re definitely going to have more discussionbased events. We’re going to have discussion topics focused on student-led, rather than executive programing. Last year we had a talk on discrimination and that was incredible. We want to alternate between the serious events as well as the social events.

comes to the black community. There’s a huge stigma around mental illness and around succumbing to stress in college. It’s very important to show people the reality of mental illness and how it can affect everyone. We’re here to make it known that just because you can’t see mental illness, doesn’t mean that it’s nonexistent. We make it known that people have them and it’s not something to joke about or make fun of.

What plans do you have for the upcoming year for Mental Elephant?

Bryant: In the upcoming year, we plan on reaching out to the Greenville community and connecting them with the youth. We plan on helping students post-graduation. We also are starting a clothing line with Mental Elephant merchandise for people to purchase. 2017-2018 is a big year for us to let the people know that the elephant is in the room.

What is one thing you’ve learned from being a member?

Bryant: The one thing I’ve learned from being a part of this organization is that a lot of people need this… A lot of people need to realize they’re not alone. It opens the eyes of others to another person’s world. Other people are going through the exact same thing as you, and that’s okay. It’s okay not to be okay.

AGHIMIEN

“The one thing I’ve learned from being a part of this organization is that a lot of people need this… A lot of people need to realize they’re not alone.”

Geared Up ECU

Agroup of ECU students have teamed up to make a difference in the lives of children, by lending a helping hand to young students in the community. Geared Up ECU is a mentoring program focused on improving the academic performance of K-12 students in the Greenville area.

Chapter president Jonathan Owens is one of the many individuals devoted to making a difference in the lives of Greenville youth and he hopes to spread awareness on-campus with the hope that more students will step up as positive role models for the next generation.

What makes Geared Up stand out amongst other organizations on campus?

Owens: I strongly believe we’re one of the few, if not the only mentoring organization at East Carolina that works directly with middle and high schoolers. We don’t just accept everyone to be

a part of this because we want to be the right examples for the students we mentor. We’re focused mainly on community service and with that comes a sole focus on the children, in order to make a positive impact on each of them. The bond between our members and [executive board] members also makes us stand out as an organization on campus. Since Geared Up began, we’ve come from five members to around 75 members.

How does Geared Up ECU set out to make a difference in the community?

Owens: We’re trying to make leaders. When people join us, we try to make sure that they know they’re in a position of [setting an] example. You have to be someone to be followed. You have to be patient. You have to talk and dress accordingly. You can’t be an everyday, regular college student. A lot of times people will come to help the students, but in the long run they get helped

themselves by stepping into a bigger role. That’s the big difference. We’re building [ECU students] as well as helping the mentored students.

What plans do you have in the upcoming year for Geared Up ECU?

Owens: This year, we’re focused on fixing our funding issues. We’re a non-profit organization. We’re doing this out of our hearts. We’d like to do things for students, but we need to have the funding for this. Fundraising, charity work, getting someone to sponsor us… and we want to help individual students that may be in need. I’ll never forget the kid I mentored who had shoes so worn-down, his toes were poking out of the front. With funding, we can help children with things like shoes. I also want more mentoring focused on middle school. Middle school is a pivotal age group, and we can help them make better decisions on what they may decide to do in terms of their future. We also are trying to reach out to other

Brewster B-103

252-737-2514

ecu.edu/lgbt

The LGBT Resource Office offers a safe and welcoming environment that promotes understanding, acceptance, and visibility of the LGBT community through a comprehensive range of educational programming and advocacy services.

Intercultural Affairs

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The Department of Intercultural Affairs, composed of the Ledonia Wright Cultural Center and the LGBT Resource Office, develops programs and services that engage the community in experiences which challenge bias and encourage understanding and self-exploration.

Bloxton House

252-328-6495

ecu.edu/lwcc

The Ledonia Wright Cultural Center (LWCC) provides specialized diversity and social justice experiences so all students can become confident, culturally aware, global citizens.

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