December 1, 2016 Edition
Inside the Edition
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Turkeypalooza Event Making a Difference for Local Families
ECU Honors Graduating Veterans
Student Affairs Making Headlines
ECU and Community Partners to Provide Thanksgiving Meal on Campus
External Program Reviews Completed
Club Sports First in Flight Fight Against Hunger
CRW Opens Cross Training Court
Girl Scouts Learn about Careers in Construction during ECU Visit
Staff Transitions Within Student Affairs
Upcoming Opportunities
Student Affairs Graduate Assistantship Recruitment Program
This Spring the Division will again host the Student Affairs Graduate Assistantship Recruitment Program. Part of this program will include the Campus Visit and Interview Day on February 10th for current and prospective GA’s. Note that the preferred deadline to apply for Student Affairs Assistantship’s is Friday, January 20, 2017.
Click here for the GARP website.
The 2nd Annual Male Student Success Summit
The 2nd Annual Male Student Success Summit will be held January 28 from 9:30am-2:30pm in Mendenhall Student Center. The Summit is designed to inform and empower male students at ECU with a sense of self, and with strategies that will lead to persona and academic achievement. The theme for the 2017 summit is “Your Time to Soar.”
The summit is open to all students interested in fostering success and academic achievement. Dr. Terrell Strayhorn from The Ohio State University is the keynote speaker and his focus will be “Maximizing Success by Increasing Belonging”.
Click here to Register on OrgSync.
Fourth annual Student Success Conference
The Divisions of Academic Affairs and Student Affairs are pleased to announce that the fourth annual Student Success Conference will take place on Friday, February 3, 2017 in Mendenhall Student Center. The theme for the 2017 conference is “Got GRIT: Impact on Student Success.”
The $10 conference fee covers registration, the keynote speaker and lunch at the event.
Click here for Conference Registration and Payment.
Well we made it…I mean Happy Holidays
Message from Vice Chancellor Virginia Hardy
The Division of Student Affairs has once again powered through another challenging fall semester here on campus. We have been pushed in unfamiliar directions and tackled new obstacles and more difficult issues than any semester prior.
Once again, I am impressed with our resolve, our commitment to helping students engage and succeed and to look out for and support each other.
Thank you for another wonderful semester. Many are taking some extra time off during this winter break. Good for you. I am too.
I wish each of you and your families a very safe and happy holiday season. I hope you get some time to rest, detach for a while and re-charge your batteries.
Thank you for all you have done and continue to do for our students, Student Affairs and East Carolina University.
LeaderShape Catalyst
LeaderShape Catalyst is a one-day student program focused on learning to develop an authentic path, connecting to groups and causing students who are passionate about, and commit to a plan, to be a catalyst for groups and communities. Students will consider powerful questions that move them towards action and positive change. In small-group dialogue, large group interaction, and personal reflection, they’ll learn alongside others who also want to start something extraordinary.
Click here for more information on the program.
Applications can be found on OrgSync and will be due January 11, 2017. This is a great opportunity for emerging leaders and the Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement (CLCE) is excited to offer this experience. Students are highly recommended to apply early due to space being limited. Please encourage your students to apply to this amazing opportunity!
Turkeypalooza Event Making a Difference for Local Families
By: Sophronia Knott – ECU News Services
The Campus Kitchen at East Carolina University is making a difference for local families at Thanksgiving.
Since 2013, Campus Kitchen has sponsored Turkeypalooza to provide a traditional Thanksgiving meal for area families.
In total, 26 departments, schools, colleges or organizations on campus provided donations for 40 families. Sponsorship included $25 for a turkey as well as creating a box of meal supplies, including stuffing, gravy, vegetables and dessert items.
ECU Honors Graduating Veterans
By: Jules Norwood – ECU News Services
East Carolina University held a ceremony and reception on Nov. 28 to recognize its graduating student veterans, who received red, white and blue tassels and gold challenge coins to commemorate the occasion.
First held last fall, the event is organized each semester by Student Veteran Services in the Division of Student Affairs. About 25 students and family members attended this fall’s ceremony.
ECU strives to be a military friendly university and is the only school in the UNC System with a veteran success counselor physically housed on campus, helping student veterans and their families navigate their educational careers.
At the recognition ceremony, Chancellor Cecil Staton spoke to the student veterans and their families, as well as faculty and staff in attendance in the Spilman Gallery.
Student Affairs Making Headlines
North Carolina Campus Compact has named ECU student Lekisha Pittman the winner of a 2016 Community Impact Award. This award is given annually by NC Campus Compact to one outstanding student at each campus who makes a difference in the community. Click here for the full story by News Services.- Esme Cabral has been selected as the Volunteer Coordinator for the ACUHO-I (Association of College and University Housing Officers International) Living-Learning Programs Conference taking place in Atlanta in October 2017. The Living-Learning Programs conference is an international conference sponsored by Housing’s professional organization, ACUHO-I. Esme’s role is an active member of the annual conference planning committee and will represent ECU’s Campus Living Department by showcasing our Living-Learning Communities.
- Congratulations to Linda Campion, Associate Director for Student Affairs Assessment, Research and Retention, who received the 2016 Presidential Award from the Association for Educational Communications & Technology (AECT) during the annual conference held this past October in Las Vegas. This award acknowledged her extended service and leadership to AECT as the 2015 Conference Co-planner, which was held in Indianapolis, IN.
ECU and Community Partners to Provide Thanksgiving Meal on Campus
From WNCT-TV
Community members and staff at East Carolina University came together on Thanksgiving Day to serve those less fortunate.
Employees with ECU’s Campus Living and Dining volunteered to serve hot meals to some families in need and first responders. The ECU Parent’s Association sponsored the Thanksgiving dinner at Todd Dining Hall on campus.
The university collaborated with community partners; Catholic Social Service, Paradise Christian Center and Church Outreach Ministries to identify those with the most need.
“Our world should be about people,” Aramark District Manager J.P. Fesperman said. “For us to be able to have the opportunity to serve is better than sitting at home and just eating tonight.”
The menu included turkey, dressing, green bean casserole, corn and apple pie.
Tracy Troudt’s” daughter works with the university and was one of the volunteers.
“I think it’s really important to give back to the community,” said Troudt who decided to volunteer after driving from Florida to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with her daughter. “This is where my daughter lives and I think any community should give back and I hope that we make a difference with a lot of people today.”
This is the first year for the dinner, but organizers hope to make it an annual event.
Click here for the full story on WNCT.
External Program Reviews Completed
The Office of Student Transitions completed its on-site external review on December 5-6 with Jeff Hammond from the University of Southern Mississippi and Lyndsay Knight from Texas Christian University serving as the external review team.
The Office of Off-Campus Student Services also completed its on-site external review November 16-17 with Dave Foster from the University of South Carolina serving as the external reviewer (travel difficulties precluded the second reviewers arrival).
Both of offices will receive an external review summary and set of recommendations that will inform the respective action plan development. The action planning process will take approximately three months and serves to guide departmental strategic directions over the course of the next seven years. The program review process is designed to take place every seven years.
The next on-site external review is scheduled for Disability Support Services on January 23-24 with Bruce Pomeroy from UNC-Greensboro and Karen Pettus from University of South Carolina serving as the external review team.
Additional information regarding the Division’s Program Review process can be obtained by contacting Kathy Hill at hillka@ecu.edu.
Club Sport First in Flight Fight Against Hunger
Thirty-nine combined ECU club sports donated over 1,600 pounds of food to the Food Bank of Eastern North Carolina in their 2nd annual “Club Sport First in Flight Fight Against Hunger”.
This initiative was started by East Carolina University Club Sports in 2015 and challenges all club sports programs in the state of North Carolina to contribute the most non-perishable items to their respective food banks. With the competition running for 30 days, seven club sport programs collectively raised 5,584 pounds of food with UNC-Charlotte winning the competition.
ECU Club Sports finished second for the second year in a row but is still proud of how teams came together off the field to make a difference.
CRW Opens Cross Training Court
Campus Recreation & Wellness has opened up its brand new Functional XT (cross training) court.
The Functional XT court is versatile space allowing Student Recreation Center members the ability to customize workouts utilizing a wide variety of functional equipment. The center of the room has a Queenax rig equipped with pullup bars and mounts for TRX (total body exercise) straps. Other equipment includes kettlebells, dumbbells, medicine balls, corebags, and battle ropes.
Members will have the opportunity to perform functional movement exercises in the XT court, adding variety into their specific resistance training programs. Personal Trainers will offer short demo classes in Spring 2017 to help you get acquainted with the equipment. In addition, custom small group training and TRX classes will be offered.
Check the CRW website for Spring 2017 fitness events and programs.
Pledge Purple a Success
East Carolina University hosted the weeklong initiative, Pledge Purple, November 14-17.
The week started on Monday with Pledge Day on both health sciences campus and main campus with 1,900 people signing the pledge banner showing their support to end sexual violence, harassment and bullying.
On Tuesday, the focus shifted to education with ECU’s “Speak Up” event designed to encourage conversations amongst our community, as well as bystander training. This event is part of the national collegiate “It’s On Us” initiative.
Wednesday was the Take Back the Night walk that included a concurrent march on both campuses that ended with a moment of silence in solidarity with sexual violence survivors.
On Thursday, guest speaker David Otunga, actor, WWE professional wrestler and Harvard Law School-educated lawyer, spoke about overcoming bullying to both campuses.
More than 30 campus departments and student organizations as well as more than 25 community partners collaborated for Pledge Purple week.
Click on the links below to view media coverage:
WNCT
WITN
The East Carolinian
Girl Scouts Learn about Careers in Construction During ECU Visit
By: Jamie Smith – ECU News Services
Girl Scout troops from Farmville and Greenville came to East Carolina University on Saturday, Nov. 5 for a tour and informational event called, “Construction is Not Just for Boys.”
Gina Shoemaker, ECU’s assistant director for engineering and architectural services, and leader for her daughter’s Girl Scout troop, coordinated the event at the construction site for the university’s new student center on 10th Street.
Staff Transitions within Student Affairs
Student Affairs New Hires Since Nov. 1
- Emily-Lynn Adkins – Assistant Director of Parents & Family Programs – Student Affairs Development – November 16
- Lauren Keranakis – Student Services Specialist – Student Media – November 28
- Stevie Moye – Vehicle Equipment Operator – Transit – December 1
- Philip White – Facilities Maintenance Technician Building Trades – Campus Living – December 5
Student Affairs Staff Departing Since Nov. 1
- NONE