April 1, 2018 Edition

ECU Earns Premier Campus Distinction

ECU has been recognized by Campus Pride for its institutional commitment to LGBTQ-inclusive policy, program, and practice.  ECU received a 4.5-star rating based on a five-point scale on the Campus Pride Index, which is the primary LGBTQ national benchmarking tool for assisting college campuses to create safer, more inclusive campus communities and learning environments.An ECU leadership team from the Division of Student Affairs provided Campus Pride with documentation from eight LGBTQ-friendly inclusive categories: policy, support and institutional commitment, academic life, student life, housing and residence life, campus safety, counseling and health, and recruitment and retention.

The overall 4.5-star rating earn ECU the designation of Premier Campus. In fact, ECU scored a perfect 5-star rating in the categories of LGBTQ support and institutional commitment and campus safety.

ECU, along with UNC Greensboro, received the highest score among UNC System institutions participating in the Campus Pride Index.

Adding to our institutional commitment to LGBTQ inclusion, the new Dr. Jesse R. Peel LGBTQ Center opens in the new Main Campus Student Center in November 2018. This will be the largest resource office in the UNC system.

The Campus Pride index is an excellent resource for students and their families who are seeking LGBTQ friendly campuses and serves as a valuable recruiting instrument for the University.  Prospective students, families/parents, and those interested in higher education can search a database of LGBTQ-friendly campuses committed to improve the academic experience and quality of campus life.

Click here to learn more about Campus Pride and the ECU report card.

The Student Affairs leadership team was comprised of:

• Jon Cockerham – ECU Student
• Ellen Goldberg – Associate Director of Clinical Operations in Student Health Services
• Kathy Hill – Director of Student Affairs Assessment Research and Retention
• Dr. Erik Kneubuehl – Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Involvement and Leadership
• Aaron Lucier – Director for Housing Operations
• Mark Rasdorf – Associate Director for the LGBT Resource Office
• Wanda Tyler – Director of Intercultural Affairs

If you are interested in learning more about the LGBT Resource Office or becoming a partner for future programs and projects, please contact Mark Rasdorf, Associate Director for the LGBT Resource Office at 252-737-4451 or rasdorfm@ecu.edu.

Horizon Awards – Employees and students receive recognized for service

Written by Jamie Smith, ECU News Services

East Carolina University celebrated the commitment employees have made to the university’s motto – Servire, to serve – during the Chancellor’s Horizon Awards for Service Thursday, March 14.

“Service is in our DNA and among the hallmark characteristics of this university, and one that sets us apart,” said ECU Chancellor Cecil P. Staton. “We offer a promise of opportunity to our students and these recipients are helping ensure that ECU students have the chance to be beneficiaries of that promise.”

Staton presented the James R. Talton Jr. Leadership Award, which recognizes a leader who serves others in their work through collaboration, empathy, trust and the ethical use of authority. Chris Stansbury, associate vice chancellor for the Division of Student Affairs, was selected from 15 nominees as the recipient of this year’s award.

In his remarks, Staton said Stansbury is respected across campus, leads by doing and displays integrity on a daily basis.

“I am so honored and blessed to receive the Talton Leadership Award. As a two-time ECU alum, I love this university and I am thrilled to be part of the leadership that is working to help our students learn, lead, serve and succeed,” said Stansbury.

*In addition Dr. Virginia Hardy, vice chancellor, Division of Student Affairs, received the Diversity and Inclusion staff honoree awards AND Chris Stansbury was recognized in the “other” category for the spirit award for his positive approach to situations and his knack for making sure staff members at all levels are recognized for their good work.

CLICK HERE for the complete story.

Pirate Parents Live: Finish Strong

The most recent edition of Pirate Parents Live, sponsored by the Office of Parent and Family Programs, was held Thursday, March 15. The Finish Strong series was held at Noon in hopes of catching parents/family during their lunch break to discuss some of the resources and tips available to help students finish the semester strong. This included registration, commencement, campus resources, etc.The video reached 500 views on Facebook within the first hour with parents still watching and commenting with questions following the discussion.  Take a look by CLICKING HERE!

ECU Collegiate Recovery Community

Written by Jarmichael Harris, CRC Coordinator

In February, the ECU Recovery Coordinator and three students traveled to beautiful Keystone Colorado for the Association for Recovery in Higher Education Student Leadership Summit. ECU joined 37 other campuses from across the nation, learning about other recovery programs, and sharing their experiences within ECU Recovery. Students gained knowledge about various types of recovery support meetings, ally programs, and special events. While at the summit, ECU Recovery was surprised by our 2017 Collegiate Recovery Week keynote speaker, Todd Zalkins, as he continually spoke about the great work that ECU Recovery is doing!

On April 10th, ECU Recovery in collaboration with the Student Government Association and Students for Opioid Solutions, will host a panel discussion, “Clip the Crisis”: An ECU Symposium on the Opioid Epidemic. This panel will feature prominent guests who see the opioid trend from various angles and are working tirelessly to combat the issue.

Lastly, ECU Recovery in partnership with many Student Affairs departments is pleased to announce the opening of Purple Pantry. Purple Pantry is the philanthropic effort of ECU Recovery to stop hunger amongst our fellow Pirates! The pantry can be accessed by appointment by contacting ecucrc@ecu.edu (Subject Line: Purple Pantry) and is available to enrolled students, living off-campus.

Student Affairs Making Headlines

• In February, Stephen Wright, Brad Simons and Jimmy Dunn from the Division of Student Affairs – Technology Services, presented at DSE 2018 “Operating Digital Signage Networks on Campus” where they shared many of the exciting things they are doing across campus and in the new Student Centers. What is DSE – Digital Signage Expo? DSE is the world’s largest trade show and conference dedicated to digital displays and interactive technology.
• NIRSA Annual Conference – Denver, CO – March 4-7, 2018
  25 from CRW attended (12 professionals, 13 students)
  Presentations:
  • Dr. Greg Corack, Brian Stutz – Moving from Why We Can’t to Why We Can: A Blueprint for Holistic Program Assessment
  • Brad Avenia, Kristen Byrum, Cameron Pendergraph – We’re New. We’re Open. Now We’re Responsible for Maintaining a Facility
  • Dr. Richard Buning, Dr. Amy Rundio, Justin Waters – Collegiate Sport Club Participation: Constraints, Motivations and Student Outcomes
• On Friday, March 16, 2018, professional staff members and student staff from the Central Reservations Office (CRO) visited Talley Student Center at N.C. State. While there they were given a front and back of the house tour of the student center, along with meeting professional staff and student event assistants to discuss how they handle set-ups for all events in Talley. Shonda Clemons-Gray, Housekeeping Manager for Mendenhall and Event Assistant Manager for the CRO has been working closely with her counterpart, Erica Sauls at N.C. State for over a year to discuss best practices in event management.
• The ACUI (Association of College Unions International) Annual Conference was held in Anaheim, CA this year. Dean Smith, the ACUI Region III Director, was dressed in pirate attire to promote the ACUI Regional Conference to be held at ECU from November 9-11, 2018. Lacresia Jones and Joshua Lockhart represented Region III in the Battle of the Regions. Both took first place in their competition! ECU was also recognized for 50 years of membership in ACUI.
  Finally, Juliana Jalal, ECU Alum and former Student Organizations graduate assistant, who is currently working at IUPUI, won the Greer Dawson Wilson Scholarship for her work to “increase the understanding and appreciation of individuals from all races, genders, cultures and backgrounds.”

To SROW and Beyond

Written by Corrie Schwabrow, Assistant Director in Student Transitions

From March 16th-18th, 2018 , the Southern Regional Orientation Workshop (SROW) took place in Orlando, Florida at the University of Central Florida. Karen Smith and Corrie Schwabrow from the Office of Student Transitions and 25 of the 2018 Orientation Assistants made the trip for a very successful weekend!

173 workshops were held on Saturday and a number of ECU Orientation Assistants presented to their peers that day.

• Toni Dingeman and Sarah Pearce – How Beyoncé Can Turn Your Summer from Lemons to Lemonade: Using pop culture references, the how-to nature of this presentation gives a complete idea of what to expect while working as an Orientation Assistant. By utilizing 6 songs off of Beyoncé’s album, Lemonade, attendees will learn how to make the most of their summer and gain well rounded knowledge about what it means to be an Orientation Assistant. Anyone interested in turning their lemons into lemonade this summer should attend.
• Emily Wiggins – How to Nurse Your Staff Back to Health: Gain skills and techniques on how to deal with conflicts among your staff in a healthy way and how to address medical concerns during orientation. Learning different methods that are effective and appropriate and having knowledge on how to handle serious situations are key elements to keeping your staff, new students, and families healthy during orientation. If you want to learn how to resuscitate your staff this presentation is for you!
• AJ Modlin and Christina Larkins – How Does Social Media Affect Student Involvement?: As an orientation assistant or professional, do you wonder how your presence on social media influences students to get involved on campus? (i.e. Greek Life, SGA, and other clubs.)

Other areas of involvement for the ECU Delegation included:

• Participation in the SROW service project that benefited A Gift For Teaching, an organization supporting education in more than 330 schools in central Florida. On average, teachers spend between $500-$1000 annually on basic supplies for their classroom. In 1998, A Gift For Teaching was founded to help provide educators these supplies at no cost to them.
• Performing in the Song, Skit, Step and Dance competition, with a dance choreographed by Emily Wiggins and Christina Turner.
• Competing in the SROW-themed T-shirt Competition with a t-shirt designed by Christina Larkins.
• Tameya Strayhorn and Trish Willis took part in the Undergraduate Case Study competition.
• Karen Smith was the Awards Committee Chairperson for this year’s conference, using her experience as 2016 SROW Host.

Our students did an excellent job representing ECU at SROW this year and we’re excited to head to Coastal Carolina in Conway, SC next year for SROW 2019!

First International Alternative Break Experience

Written by Dr. Dennis McCunney, CLCE Director

Over spring break, 20 ECU students and 3 faculty/staff spent their time learning and serving in Northern Ireland as part of ECU’s first international Alternative Break Experience. The Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement collaborated with the Office of Global Affairs, Honors College, and School of Communication to serve at different youth centers in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Students also learned about peacemaking and community efforts in light of the legacy of the religious and political conflict in Northern Ireland.

The ECU group partnered with Amizade, a leader in planning global service-learning programs, and YouthWorks, a Belfast-based youth program dedicated to nonviolence. The ECU students assisted at-risk youth with homework and after-school projects and helped prepare them for future global service-learning experiences to the United States.

Our students also visited cultural sites like the Peace Wall, Giant’s Causeway, Ulster Museum, Irish Republican History Museum, Carrickfergus Castle, Linen Hall Library, and Titanic Museum. Walking tours with local residents included visits to memorials of activists who fought for freedom and civil rights, historically Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods, and sites where religious conflicts has now turned into peaceful memorials.

Students engaged in regular reflection sessions as a group, led by both site leaders and community partners. Local political and civic leaders facilitated discussions on the history of Northern Ireland, including representatives from Sinn Fein, Belfast city council, the Irish Republican Army, and Holy Cross Catholic Church. All of these experiences helped the ECU students get a well-rounded perspective on the complexities facing Northern Ireland and helped them to think about ways they might apply this learning at home. Alternative Break Experiences challenge all participants to critically reflect upon their role and ability to make lasting social change in our local, regional, and global community.

Campus Recreation and Wellness

The “4 What’s Next” Program
Written by Abby Hubbard, CRW wellness intern and Alex Pace, CRW marketing manager

The Jordan Porco Foundation (JPF) was founded in 2011 by Ernie and Marisa Porco following their son’s suicide. The foundation is committed to preventing suicide in high school and college aged individuals through awareness, education and innovative programming. One of the Jordan Porco Foundation’s programs, the “4 What’s Next” program, is a student-driven prevention program geared to help high school students develop positive coping skills and enhance protective factors in preparation for life after high school.

The “4 What’s Next” program specifically targets high school level students, capturing a different group of individuals than Fresh Check Day, the Jordan Porco Foundation’s original program, which targets college level students. This program includes a series of mandatory learning modules covering topics such as self-advocacy, conflict management, coping skills and help seeking.

Campus Recreation & Wellness, as proud supporters of the JPF, has been fortunate enough to pilot the program with  J.H. Rose High School in Greenville. In collaboration with one of the school’s counselors, CRW has begun implementing the “4 What’s Next” program with 12 students.  The hope is that this multi-week program will have a lasting impact on the transition of these young adults from high school to post-graduation life.

CRW Names its First Basketball Court

Written by Jalen Courts, CRW marketing graduate assistant

Basketball court one at the Student Recreation Center will now officially be known as the David Gaskins Court. Gaskins, the current executive director of Mason Recreation at George Mason University, has generously made a donation to ECU Campus Recreation and Wellness. Before his current position at GMU, Gaskins spent more than 26 years working at ECU Campus Recreation and Wellness. He obtained his first professional job in the campus recreation field at ECU and credits a lot of his professional development to the experiences he gathered here over the years.“I wanted to donate because ECU Campus Recreation and Wellness is a big part of my life. I wanted to add to the legacy of the program as it moves forward in the future,” stated Gaskins. He added the assistance of others was paramount to him becoming the professional he is today. Now that it is his turn, Gaskins wants to pass that spirit of giving along to help with the professional growth of the future generation.

Gaskins donation will be split into two funds with one being used for student scholarships for CRW student employees and the other goes to support facilities, programs, and general operations.

In addition to financial support, Gaskins offered ECU students some helpful advice as well. “For those interested in campus recreation, appreciate your network and use your resources. Look for what beyond the job experience can you get to make yourself more marketable. Be aware that there are things outside of your degree or your work experience that can assist you, such as working on committees or working extramural tournaments.”

Gaskins added “This donation is my way of saying thank you and helping the future generation.”

CRW T-shirts win National recognition

We are proud to showcase CRW’s student work and accomplishments. The Club Sport shirt won 1st place at #NIRSA2018 t-shirt content in the Sport Club category. The other “Luke I am Your Spotter” shirt won 2nd place in the Humorous category. CRW is representing at this years annual NIRSA Conference in Denver, CO.  #ElevateYourPath #PlayHardLiveWell

PirateFest 2018

Written by Justin Janak, SAO Director

Returning for its 12th year, swashbucklers of all ages will converge on the banks of the Tar River, a Pirate’s paradise located in Uptown Greenville on April 13-14th, 2018 for PirateFest!

This event started in collaboration with ECU, but after a few years Uptown Greenville was able to fully take the reins. As the collaboration faded many students began to see the event as one for the community and not one they saw themselves attending. To get students feeling like this is an event for them as well as the city, the Student Activities Board (SAB) and Student Government (SGA) have partnered with Uptown. The focus is on promoting the event to students, but they also played an integral part in selecting the headline band for Saturday night.

A large group of students built a list of performing artists they would like to see perform at Pirate Fest and then had each organization voted.  The students landed on Plain White T’s as the headline band and Uptown Greenville fully agreed with the student’s choice. The selection will hopefully bring out students and alumni, while keeping the event family-friendly. The Plain White T’s is a great band for an outdoor setting, and a concert, which presents a win-win situation for everyone and the students are very excited about the show!

The festival will kick off Friday, April 13th with a free concert, tons of costumed pirates, street food vendors and a carnival. On Saturday, the festival expands along Evans Street, taking over eight city blocks. Featuring fine arts for sale, live music stages, BMX, beer and wine garden, sword fighting, a pirate encampment and much more, there will be plenty of piratical happenings for the whole family. SAB and SGA are looking forward to seeing you uptown at the event!
https://www.piratefestnc.com/

Be the first to click here to win a Free Chick-Fil-A sandwich from Campus Dining

Civic-Minded Teaching Workshop

CLICK HERE to Register through the Office of Faculty Excellence Website.