Purple & Bold

Friends,

 

Spring on campus is a time highlighted by celebrations and transitions. Over the past few weeks, while students have presented their research, completed their courses, prepared for exams, and finalized their summer and postgrad plans, the Mamie Jenkins team has had one eye on confirming the incoming class of Honors College Fellows and Brinkley-Lane Scholars.

This season of new beginnings and change is marked by recognition ceremonies, job offers, graduate school acceptances, college decisions, and senior send-offs. As the semester comes to a close, it offers a time for us to reflect on all we have accomplished this year.

In early April, we recognized the Class of 2025 at our annual Medallion Ceremony. This is a tremendously accomplished class, and I hope you will enjoy learning more about them. They have been recognized by their home departments for their academic success and leadership records. National organizations have applauded their research capabilities, and university administration has acknowledged the positive influence they have had on Pirate Nation.

Below, you will learn about four members of the Class of 2025 who received the prestigious Robert H. Wright Award, three entrepreneurs who brought “the Cannon” to the Honors College with their win at the Miller School of Entrepreneurship’s Gene T. Aman Pirate Challenge, three students who received the Truist Excellence in Student Leadership Award, and a dedicated group of students who established a student-run Campus EMS program.

We rely on numerous campus partners to help us deliver the Honors College curriculum and this year we hosted our inaugural Faculty Mentor Reception during ECU’s Research and Creative Activity Week. We are also honored to share the well-earned recognition our staff has received over the past few months. Congrats to Katie Ford, Margaret Turner, and Diane Majewski. Their work in the Honors College and with our students offers a model for how we all play a role in ensuring student success.

You will also read about our successful fundraising initiatives thanks to engagement from our advancement council and growing catalog of generous donors, that includes alumni, Honors College parents, and current students. This year during Pirate Nation Gives we raised nearly $200,000 and had participation from over 200 individuals. Both marks were at the top of the ECU leaderboard and earned us thousands of additional dollars.

These investments ensure our students have access to unique and valuable educational experiences. This year those included trips to Baja to understand whale migration, to Northern Ireland to learn about culture and communication, and to Washington, D.C and New York City to engage with alumni and participate in service opportunities.

Thanks to the incredible response from our students during PNG, I switched places with first year student Mateo Olmo-Ramirez. He thrived in his role as Dean for the Day (he secured an important gift to the college), and I barely made it through Chemistry, Physics, and my campus job in the Kinesiology Department. The students cannot wait until next year. I may call in sick that day.

These and other inspiring stories offer a glimpse into the impact the Honors College is having on campus and the community. I hope you will visit the news link at the top of this page so you can learn even more about the dedicated staff, inspiring students, and successful alumni who truly represent the best of Pirate Nation.

Over the next few weeks and months, we will introduce the newest class of Brinkley-Lane Scholars and showcase our students who are participating in high impact summer experiences across the globe. I will also be hitting the road as we continue to look for ways to connect with each of you and share our story. If you find yourself on campus or in the area, please reach out.

As always, follow us on social media, and share questions, comments, updates, and other news we can provide in our upcoming editions. Thank you for your continued support. Go Pirates.

Have a wonderful and relaxing summer.

#ItsAnHonor,

Todd

 

Todd Fraley, PhD

Dean

Bill & Emily Furr Honors College Distinguished Professor

Honors College

Greenville native Noah Sampson has excelled at East Carolina University as a double major in biology and chemistry, Brinkley-Lane Scholar, and dedicated Honors College student, engaging in research and community service. These experiences have shaped his passion for service and prepared him for medical school at Brody School of Medicine this fall.

Taylor Chappell, a first-generation college graduate and proud ECU Honors College alumna, found her calling in accounting through a passion for both numbers and people — a path that led her to a leadership role as controller at Nucor Steel Marion. She actively serves on multiple ECU alumni boards, mentors students, and has established an endowment to support future Pirates.

Robert H. Wright Award Winners

Four of the five Wright Award winners are Honors College students. Congratulations to Hannah Blackburn, Christine Chan, Alex Fisher and Jethro Libutan!

University Awards for Service

The Honors College brought home numerous awards during the annual University Awards for Service including:

Phi Kappa Phi Awards

Honors College students swept the annual Phi Kappa Phi Awards with Chris Kalapurackal receiving Outstanding First Year Student, Maranda Byrd receiving Outstanding Senior, and Owen Farrar receiving Graduate Fellowship.

Honors students win Aman Pirate Challenge

Congratulations to honors students Quincy McKay, Stuart Cohen and Gavin DeGregorio and their organization Campus Cribs for winning first place in the Gene T. Aman Pirate Challenge! For the next year, the Honors College will host the entrepreneurship challenge’s cannon for their victory.

Campus EMS, a new first responder agency at ECU, is providing rapid, student-led emergency care on campus thanks to the vision and determination of Honors College students Alex Fisher and Matthew Geib. The team, now operating Thursday through Saturday nights, offers basic life support services and has already begun responding to emergency calls.

We hosted our Medallion Ceremony to honor our graduating students and present them with their Honors College medallion to wear at commencement. We were able to celebrate 122 of our 178 spring and summer 2025 graduates. During the ceremony, graduate Brooke Barker was awarded the 2024-25 Michael F. Bassman Honors Thesis Award. School of Communication’s Dr. Drew Ashby-King and Department of Kinesiology’s Dr. Christine Habeeb were awarded the 2024-25 Outstanding Mentor Award. Ashby-King was nominated by Ilaria Noonan and Habeeb was nominated by Kenison Parker.

Honors first year student Mateo Olmo-Ramirez had the chance to be the Honors College dean for a day as the winner of a Pirate Nation Gives student giving challenge. He was able to hold staff meetings, meet with donors and students, and accept the Aman Pirate Challenge cannon while Dr. Todd Fraley attended Chem 1 and Physics 1 and worked in the office of the Department of Kinesiology.

 

After serving as dean for the day, Mateo remarked, “After being here today, students have a lot of resources in this building that they probably don’t realize they have. The people here will help you so much. They know so much and are very good at their jobs. I would use these resources to the maximum.

Admissions

2,000 applications started for the fall 2025 incoming class

268 honors students starting at ECU this fall

 

Pirate Nation Gives

More than 200 unique gifts & raised more than $164,000

Earned $4,500 in bonus money from the university, with $2,000 of that from taking first place in student giving

 

Research

125 student presentations at RCAW (107 posters, 13 podiums & 5 Capture 180)

$4,800 awarded to students to travel to conferences to present

$9,000 awarded in URCA funding

 

High Impact Experiences

$28,000 awarded in Honors College study abroad scholarships

$8,171 spent on student leadership development

$48,000 for three scholar high impact trips to Ocracoke, Washington DC & New York City

$238,000 spent in total on student experiences in 2024-2025

Dr. Katie Ford, center, with Pat, left, and Lynn Lane in front of the Educators Hall of Fame wall in Speight.

Dr. Katie Ford was inducted into the Educators Hall of Fame

Dr. Katie Ford was inducted into the ECU Educators Hall of Fame by Pat and Lynn Lane for her dedication to the success of students, especially in her role as the associate dean of the Honors College and director of the Brinkley-Lane Scholars program. She received a framed certificate and plaque and a copy of this plaque is on display on the Hall of Fame wall in the Speight building on campus. Her plaque reads: "It is not what you look at that matters, it is what you see." – Henry David Thoreau

Margaret Turner and Dr. Diane Majewski win university awards

Dr. Diane Majewski, director of programming, received a 2024 Treasured Pirate Award. This award recognizes the exemplary efforts made by faculty and staff in one of the following categories: innovative spirit, engagement, servant leadership, student success, public service, or regional transformation. 

 

Mrs. Margaret Turner received two awards this year: the Centennial Award for Excellence in Spirit, an award that honors those who are "going the extra mile every day to make a difference" on campus, and an Outstanding Staff Award for regularly going above and beyond the call of duty and working tirelessly to fulfill ECU's mission and serve the needs of the campus community.

Mr. Jim Ellis retires after 20 years of service

In March, our honors advisor Mr. Jim Ellis retired after nearly 20 years of dedicated service to ECU and the Honors College. Mr. Ellis has been with the Honors College since its early days as an honors program, joining ECU on August 1, 2004. Over the years, he has guided and supported countless students, helping them navigate the opportunities of honors education and reaching their goals. His passion for working with students and his commitment to their success have left a lasting impact on our community. Jim is looking forward to spending more time with his wife, Maureen, his two children, and his grandchildren during retirement.

Take a moment to check out our “Got Hooked” series, where we shine a light on the achievements of our Honors College students. This series celebrates our students’ journeys and the diverse paths they’ve taken. From prestigious graduate schools to exciting full-time positions and coveted internships, our students are making waves in their respective fields, embodying the spirit of excellence and ambition that defines our community.

The Honors College is celebrating 15 years of excellence in 2025-26 with a year of special events, including the introduction of an alumni award, a birthday party for students, a special donor appreciation event and 15 year merch at Party on the Porch. Stay tuned for more ways to join the celebration!

Are you an Honors College or Brinkley-Lane Scholar alumni? Join our Young Alumni Council to stay connected with the college and current students. 

 

Our next kickoff meeting will be August 27 at 8 PM on Zoom. 

The Honors College is happy to announce that we have a community on the university's Parent & Family Portal! This will be a great place to connect with Honors and stay up-to-date on events and news throughout the year.

Contact us:

honorscollege@ecu.edu