Student Success
Professional Pirate Mentor Program
Career Services and Parent and Family Programs, though housed in different areas of the Division of Student Affairs, identified a natural opportunity for collaboration through their shared commitment to student success. This partnership led to the launch of the Professional Pirate Mentor Program in fall 2025, a new initiative designed to strengthen student career readiness by connecting students with industry professionals for guidance, networking, and career exploration.
The program officially launched in October with its inaugural Match Day event, welcoming 30 mentors and 46 mentees, including 22 parents and guardians serving as mentors. The idea grew from Parent and Family Programs’ recognition of strong family interest in supporting students beyond the classroom, with more than 3,000 parents in the ECU Parent and Family Portal expressing interest in mentoring. The inaugural mentors include ECU parents, advisory board members, and members of the ECU Alumni Association Board of Directors, representing a wide variety of industries and professional backgrounds.
Through structured mentor matches, students gain access to personalized mentorship that helps them build confidence, clarify career goals, and develop meaningful professional relationships that extend beyond the classroom. Monthly virtual sessions on topics such as networking and salary negotiation complement individualized mentor connections, creating a flexible but impactful experience.
The Professional Pirate Mentor Program reflects ECU’s commitment to experiential learning, career readiness, and community engagement while demonstrating the value of cross-campus collaboration in preparing students for success beyond graduation.
Sail Safely on Game Day
In October, during the Thursday night ECU Football match-up with Tulsa, the Student Affairs Health and Well-Being Unit collaborated with ECU Athletics to enhance alcohol safety and education through their Sail Safely on Game Day initiative.
The Sail Safely on Game Day messaging includes directives on following venue guidelines, setting safe limits if drinking alcohol, eating before and during games, and getting home safely using a rideshare or a designated driver.
Vouchers for a food item and water were given to 900 students. The vouchers were an effort to support the action item “Eat before and during games”. Staff from the Student Affairs Health and Well-Being Unit, Staff Senate members, ECU Athletics staff members, and the ECU Women’s Lacrosse Team volunteered their time to distribute the vouchers. Messaging and graphics were displayed throughout the student entrance gates and student seating areas within Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, and a narrated graphic played multiple times throughout the game on the scoreboard jumbotron.
The Student Affairs Health and Well-Being Unit and ECU Athletics continued these efforts during the basketball and baseball seasons.
Making Cent$ of Life after College
Supported by a $5,000 grant from the UNC System, the Financial Wellness team successfully hosted the Making Cent$ of Life after College event in November, engaging more than 150 students. This interactive program provided students with a realistic glimpse at their potential post-graduation financial situation, based off the job title and geographic location decided on by the student. As a part of the simulation, students received fake money and filled out a customized budget sheet by making decisions on many areas such as:
- Housing
- Transportation
- Financing Graduate School
- Student Loan Repayment
- Food
- Taxes
The event received positive feedback from both students and volunteers, highlighting its impact and value. Additionally, the strengthened partnership with the Honors College has led to continued integration of event attendance into their required curriculum. Grant funding also allowed the program to feature a guest speaker from Arbol, along with representatives from NC State and UNC Pembroke, further expanding the programs reach and enhancing the department’s visibility beyond East Carolina University.
~Making Cent$ of Life After College was recognized in May as the Student Affairs Outstanding Program of the Year.
First Year Cares Initiative
Do It For Yourself
The Center for Student Success launched Do It For Yourself, an interactive Canvas module that promotes self-advocacy, ECU Resources, and connection with campus services. The 2025-2026 academic year saw 790 student enrollments in the course with a total of 8,927 page views.
Learn MoreOpening Weekend
Student Affairs hit the ground running moving more than 5,100 students into the residence halls during our “Welcome Home” Move-In experience. Then it was on to Opening Weekend where thousands of students were engaged at significant events contributing to new students gaining that sense of community and belonging as quickly as possible.
Here are some of the key numbers from Opening Weekend:
> Raid the Rec (Eakin Student Rec Center) – 2,819 students
> Pirate Palooza (Main Campus Student Center) – 4,538 students
> New Student Welcome and First Year Photo (Minges / Dowdy) – 3,500+ students
> Greek Fest (Main Campus Student Center) – 1,000+ students
