ink pot & quill, volume five

The Honors College, 101 Mamie Jenkins Building, Greenville, NC 27858 | 252-328-6373 | www.ecu.edu/honors/

THE INK POT & QUILL Summer 2014

IN THIS ISSUE

What’s New in the Honors College.................................Page 2

EC Scholar Rock and Run 5K........................................Page 2

Student Spotlight.............................................................Page 3

Honors Seminars..........................................................Page 4-5

Leadership Lectures.....................................................Page 6-7

Living-Learning............................................................Page 8-9

Honors Ambassadors....................................................0

Alumni News & Notes...................................................Page 11

Undergraduate Research...............................................Page 12

Inaugural Graduates.....................................................Page 13

Relay for Life.................................................................Page 14

Issue No. Five www.ecu.edu/honors

Graduating Class of 2014 at the Honors College Commencement Reception

Greetings,The Honors College community is excited to have celebrated an incredible number of accomplishments by our students, faculty, and staff this past year. One particular milestone consumed our attention as we celebrated the graduation of our inaugural class. These students have built the foundation upon which others have followed and have helped to create a magnet at ECU for aspiring scholars and leaders. We look forward with great anticipation to the trails they will blaze in diverse professional pathways and the impact they will have on communities across the globe. An article appeared in ECU’s official magazine, East, about this new crop of graduates.

This issue of the Ink Pot and Quill will provide a snapshot of many of these accomplishments and the outcomes associated with a productive and influential year in the Honors College. As always, we welcome your thoughtful suggestions and ongoing support.

Kevin BaxterAssociate Dean

The Ink Pot and Quill is derived from the official East Carolina University seal. Symbols of scribes, the ink pot and quill

represent the creative arts and the contributions of the students to the world of business.

Congratulations to Associate Dean Kevin Baxter and his wife Erica, who added baby boy Lincoln to their

family on November 22, 2013!

THE INK POT & QUILL PAGE2


The EC Scholars, under the guidance of Dr. Katie O’ Connor and Dr. Todd Fraley, planned a 5K with a goal of impacting the community and directing proceeds to the Pitt County Board of Education.

The “Rock ‘n Run” 5K was held at the North Campus Recreation Center on March 23. There were 109 participants and the EC Scholars raised more than $1,000 to donate to the Pitt County Educational Foundation. All 60 Scholars came together to plan this huge event in a short amount of time.

Mansi Trivedi, a junior EC Scholar who helped coordinate the event, commented, “I think that we made a great relationship with the Pitt County Public School System. They were so gracious upon receiving our

gift, and I am so excited that as a group we were able to positively impact the lives of local students.”

Dr. Todd Fraley, senior Christine Gurganus and freshman Keerthana Velappan present a check to the

Pitt County Board of Education.

EC Scholar Rock ‘n Run 5KEXERCISE FOR EDUCATION

What’s New in the Honors College EXCITING PERSONNEL UPDATES FOR THE HONORS COLLEGE

Jessica Nottingham, Coordinator for

Recruitment and MarketingJessica joined the Honors College as the Coordinator of Recruitment and Marketing in June 2014 after working for the College of Education as the Director of Development and Communications and for the Office of Marketing and

Publications (Creative Services) as a Public Communication Specialist both at East Carolina University. Throughout Jessica’s career at ECU, she has served as an adjunct instructor for the School of Communication at East Carolina, her alma mater.

Since graduating from the School of Communication in 2006 with a bachelor of arts degree and in 2008 with a master of arts in communication, Jessica has worked with a wide range of marketing and public relations including referral relations, fundraising, event planning, advisory board and alumni engagement, and writing/editing for marketing materials.

Todd Fraley, Director of EC Scholars Todd Fraley is continuing his work with the ECU Honors College as the Director of EC Scholars. Todd has been Faculty Fellow for EC Scholars for the past two years and has served as an associate professor in the School of Communication for 10 years where he was also the Coordinator for Undergraduate Studies and the Internship Director. He holds bachelor's degrees in Political Science and Sociology from James Madison University and earned his MA and PhD in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Georgia, Athens.

While at ECU, Todd has received numerous awards, including the University Centennial Award for Excellence in Leadership and the Alumni Award for Outstanding Teaching.

Katie O’Connor, Associate Dean for Academic ProgramsWith the addition of the Director of EC Scholars, Dr. Katherine (Katie) O’Connor will be able to focus her efforts on the Honors College academic programs and curriculum as the Associate Dean for Academic Programs.

Before joining the Honors College during the summer of 2010, she served ECU as an associate professor in the College of Education. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Catawba College in Salisbury, North Carolina, a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an Ed.D. in Curriculum and

Instruction at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Before arriving at East Carolina University in 2003, Katie taught in the North Carolina public schools for nine years.



Student Spotlight: Hetal PatelSPREADING PURPLE PRIDE ACROSS THE GLOBE

Many students dream of traversing the globe and making a difference in the lives of numerous people from countries throughout the world. Hetal Rajesh Patel, a senior Biology major and Religious Studies minor, has achieved this goal by making her way to 14 countries. Hetal has travelled to Northern India with the Study Abroad program Exploring Sacred Places led by Dr. Derek Maher.

While on her travels, she learned about Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, and the Bahai faith. She never believed she would go from living in Cary to seeing the wonders of the world, including the Great Wall of China.

Hetal’s adventures have taken her whitewater rafting in the Ganges River and given her the opportunity to listen to the Dalai Lama speak. On a trip to India her first summer after freshman year, she decided to minor in Religious Studies. After immersing herself into new religions and cultures, she realized how much she was unaware of and wanted to continuing learning about religions and cultures.

Hetal’s interest in the lives of those from other, usually more impoverished, countries spans beyond learning about their culture to improving their lifestyle and helping those in need. She hopes to spend her first summer after medical school volunteering in Dharamsala, India at Tong-Len. Hetal originally inquired

about ECU’s Honors College when her brother was enrolled, not knowing that one day she would be graduating from ECU in three years as an Honors student with Early Assurance to Brody Medical School. Her calling in Primary Care strengthened after taking part in the ECU Primary Care Physician’s Shadowing Program and immersing herself within the possibilities of a future career changing lives for the better.

While volunteering at the Vidant Children Emergency Center, Hetal became aware of her passion to help others and decided to make helping others a major component of the rest of her life. Her commitment to serving others and taking the role of a leader encompasses the values of East Carolina’s mission statement. Hetal is a member of Gamma Sigma Sigma service sorority, Phi Kappa Phi honor society, and Vice President of Service for Omicron Delta Kappa.

She volunteers at Pitt Literacy Center, Habitat for Humanity, is a Pirate-to-Pirate mentor, and works at Pirate Tutoring Center helping students with General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry. Hetal’s excellence has been recognized numerous times throughout her college career. She has been awarded the Pirate Alumni Scholarship and Freshman General Chemistry Award, recognition on the Chancellor’s List, and the Thomas Rivers Scholarship allowing her to travel to China with a USDA Cotton Research Grant.

After graduating from medical school and helping impoverished people in India, Hetal hopes to save enough money to travel the world for a year and continue to broaden her horizons.

Patel studying abroad in India in 2012.

Tong Len Hostel with some of the students there

Tong Len Hostel posing for a picture with some

of the children that attend the hostel.

Patel studying abroad in China in 2013.

THE INK POT & QUILL! PAGE4


The Honors College at East Carolina University requires its students to partake in at least two Honors Seminars during their college career. These seminars involve hands-on learning in a diverse array of studies to which the student would not otherwise be exposed.

The seminars offered are intellectually rigorous, eye-opening, experiential and creative. For a seminar to be offered, ECU faculty members must submit a proposed syllabus to the Honors College to be selected out of a large pool of applicants. These seminars provide faculty with the opportunity to delve into subjects for which they are passionate.

Dr. Tim Runyan, who has served as director of the graduate program in Maritime Studies at ECU and now serves as Honors College faculty fellow, finds great pleasure in educating students on the interactions found between people and the sea in the seminar titled “Ocean Exploration: Shipwrecks, Conservation, and Technology.”

The class was able to take a trip to the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort to learn about the Queen Anne’s Revenge and a trip in which students learned how to scuba dive.

These seminars are unique in that they come with funding that allows for interactive events such as field experiences and group activities that would otherwise be too costly and unfeasible.

In April of 2014, the “Behavioral Addictions” seminar traveled to the 8th annual Rehabilitation of Racial and Ethnic Minorities with Behavioral Addictions Conference in Greensboro as a way to better understand the onset and treatment of current addictions throughout the world, both behavioral and substance-related.

To view a more detailed description of the individual seminars, visit the Honors College Academic Courses online. The Honors Seminars offered in the spring 2014 semester included:

• An Assault on Humanity: The Holocaust

• Behavioral Addictions

• Extreme Physics

• Global Heavy Metal Music

• Global Understanding in Health Sciences: Art as Social Commentary

• Honors Creative Writing Workshop: Poetry and Fiction

• How Do We Know Where We Are? Exploring Geospatial History

and Technology

• In Search of Sacred Space: Liminal Places in the Past and Present

• Ocean Exploration: Shipwrecks, Conservation, and Technology

• Polyhedra and Tessellations: Visions of Symmetry in Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Art and Design

• The Psychology of Human-Dog Dog Interactions

• Root that Mountain Down: Appalachian Culture and Rural

Imaginings in America

• Science and Society in the Age of Genomics

• Social Entrepreneurship, Engagement, and Community Building

• Beyond the BooksHONORS SEMINARS ENCOURAGE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

The Appalachian Culture seminar practicing folk dancing at the Wright Cultural Center.

The Behavioral Addictions class attended the 8th annual REMBA conference in Greensboro, N.C.



“For my honors seminar I chose to be in the Global Health and Art seminar taught by Professor Susan Martin Meggs and Doctor Annette G. Greer. Upon signing up for this class, I was a little uncertain how this class was going to combine art with global health, but being a pre-nursing major and a fan of art I decided it was the best choice for me. The instructors of this course do not care how much experience a student has had with art, they just care that the students are willing to try their hardest with the art and to help make a difference in the community. This class introduced me to many new concepts about art and health around the world, and it has really challenged me to go out of my comfort zone and try new things that I never thought I would be doing at this point in my life, such as giving a docent art tour at the Greenville Art Museum. Many of guest speakers have visited the class and they have traveled internationally on several occasions to places such as Guatemala and Zambia, and they are working toward improving global health or simply traveling to learn about culture. It is truly fascinating to hear stories about health, culture, religion, and art of other countries from first-hand accounts, and it has inspired me further to want to explore what the world has to offer and to help others to my full capacity. As well as having the opportunity for guest speakers, we also had the opportunity to learn many new art lessons such as sketching, marbling fabric, quilt making, photography, and many other art related topics that help us to further develop our observational skills. These observational skills are skills that will help future health professionals to be able to stay in tune to their patients and observe symptoms that they may not have previously noticed. . During this seminar we also had the opportunity to meet and work with some very well-known artists, such as Kymia Nawabi and Hasan Elahi, and we had the chance to visit the Golden Living Assisted Living Facility for our service learning. Visiting Golden Living in Greenville has been one of my favorite experiences because

we had the opportunity to meet some extraordinary people that were very inspirational to me and they further motivate me to become a nurse.” -Karina Evon Buchholz, freshman

“This semester I have had the opportunity to participate in the Global Heavy Metal Music honors seminar. This seminar was out of my comfort zone because I have not had much exposure to the heavy metal music scene, but I felt as though it would be a good chance for me to expand my musical background. Although often times the listening we do in class is not my taste, I enjoy learning about musical culture across the globe. Professor Guberman does a great job of making sure the class became very involved in what we learned, which is one of my favorite aspects of the course. Dr. Guberman used interactive class wikis to help us learn the musical qualities associated with various heavy metal scenes, from Japan to Latin America. I enjoyed participating in something new and different to me, which is exactly what this seminar did.”-Amy Marie Taylor, freshman

“The Holocaust Seminar was one of great interest to me. I have greatly enjoyed the class thus far. We have discussed all kinds of subjects regarding the Holocaust. Most of which, none of us had even heard about. Most of us had heard of the Nazi Propaganda and the atrocities in the concentration camps, but not many had heard of the horrendous actions encountered outside the camps such as the massacres by non-Germans in villages called pogroms. Furthermore, we discussed how the Shoah came to a civilized continent like Europe. Using the aid of several different books of various perspectives, we discussed what led to this event. It is a class that has truly made me think and validate the beliefs I stand on. I would encourage anyone to take the class.”-Matthew David Earley, freshman

Beyond the BooksHONORS SEMINARS ENCOURAGE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Honors Banner created by the Global Understanding seminar



ECU’s head football coach Ruffin McNeill visited a room full of eager Honors College students on March 19th to discuss life experiences and leadership.

The ECU alumnus shared his personal story, from growing up during a time of racial segregation to becoming head coach of one of the best schools in the country. McNeill played football all four years of his college career at ECU as a defensive back. Upon graduation, he enrolled at Clemson to earn a master’s degree in counseling.

Since earning his master’s, McNeill has coached football at the high school level and 23 seasons at the college level, which included seasons at Clemson, Austin Peay State, North Alabama, Appalachian State, UNLV, Fresno State, and Texas Tech. McNeill was welcomed to the Pirate Nation as head coach in 2010, and ever since, he has been a prominent example of leadership at ECU, both on and off of the field.

Coach Ruffin McNeill with Jeanann Woodard

Humble, laid-back, and compassionate, McNeill shared everything from the lessons he has learned in life to what it is like being the coach for a major university. “I think a leader is someone who can take a group somewhere that they couldn’t go to by themselves,” says McNeill. Some of his favorite guidelines for life include “A.B.C.” (avoid bad company) and “A.C.O.P.” (attitude, confidence, organization, priorities). When talking about ECU and his time with the football team, he shared, “My upbringing and this school have taught me how to face adversity. Life is 5 percent what happens to you, and 95 percent how you react to it…that’s what being a leader is about.”

Ruffin McNeil speaks with students

Leadership Lecture Series

Ruffin McNeill speaks with Kathleen Tcherkezian.



Robin Emmons saw a deficit of healthy foods and cultural knowledge of how to cook them in the Charlotte, NC area. She immediately tore up her own backyard and began to grow food for the community. What started as a simple backyard experiment has turned into a nationally recognized non-profit organization called Sow Much Good. Emmons shared the trials and triumphs of creating Sow Much Good from scratch, as well as how she plans to move forward. You can view news coverage of the event here.

Dr. John T. Fletcher provides leadership to ECU for the development of effective and efficient recruitment and retention programs for the university. He has a total of 30 years of experience in higher education. Outside of the university, Dr. Fletcher enjoys mountaineering. On May 26th, 2009 he reached the summit of Mt. McKinley, North America’s highest mountain. His many other adventures span across Mexico and Ecuador.

Bland Simpson has been a professor of English and Creative Writing at UNC since 1982 and is an authority on Eastern North Carolina mysteries, geography, and culture. Not only is he a professor, but he also is a long time pianist for The Red Clay Ramblers, a Tony Award winning string band. He has toured in North America, Europe, and North Africa, as well as contributed to many musicals and ballets over the years.

Be on the lookout for updates on our Leadership Lecture Series, as it continues next semester. If you are interested in participating in our Leadership Lecture Series as either a presenter or attendee, please let us know!

John Fletcher at the top of Mt. Kilamanjaro

Bland Simpson takes a quick picture with Honors College students in the Gallery of the Mamie Jenkins Building

Leadership Lecture Series

CNN Hero Robin Emmons visits with Honors students



Casey Johnson, sophomore

Walk on the Wild SideStudents traveled across the state to take a Walk on the Wild Side at the Asheboro Zoo! (It was a great chance for everyone to meet little Lincoln Baxter and celebrate Mr. Baxter’s birthday!)

Students enjoyed the beautiful spring weather while learning about North American and African wildlife. (Did you know that the Asheboro Zoo is the one of the largest natural habitat zoos in the United States? To travel from the front to the back of the park was a 2-mile walk!)

Exploring the local pickle factory

A group of pickle-loving Honors College students went behind the scenes at the Mt. Olive Pickle Company at the end of March.

Honors College students pull on their caps before entering the factory!

After partaking in a lunch provided by our friends at Southern Bank, students were given a detailed tour of the factory to learn about how the factory is run.

Casey Johnson, sophomore

Students were amazed to see the work that goes into packaging one of their favorite salty snacks.

In the “Flickr” of an EyeA Photo Story of our Spring 2014 Living-Learning Experiences

Senior Honors students enjoying ice cream and some quality time with little Linc

Freshman honors students pose next to the elephant exhibit


The Honors College, 101 Mamie Jenkins Building, Greenville, NC 27858 | 252-328-6373 | www.ecu.edu/honors

Once the musical“Once” upon a time, ECU’s Honors College students embarked on a trip to the Nasher Museum of Art. With full stomachs thanks to Tobacco Road Sports Café, students trekked to the Durham Performing Arts Center to watch the musical Once!

Monticello, Fantastic Food, and Roller CoastersThe last Living-Learning Experience of the semester, High-Flying History with Presidents and Kings, was the Honors College’s largest Living Learning Experience yet with more than 70 attendees!

The first day of the trip was spent on an excursion to Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s famous home.

After touring the home, generous donors sponsored delicious food at The Boat House near the James River!

From all of the Honors College students at ECU, thank you, donors, for supporting our growth both inside and outside of the classroom.

More 75 Honors College students were in Richmond to thank our donors!

The second day of the Richmond, Virginia trip was a fun-filled day at Kings Dominion!

For more information on our living-learning experiences and to view upcoming events, visit our Living-Learning Community page.

Mr. Baxter, Dr. O’Connor, Jessica Jewell, and Shayna Mooney

In the “Flickr” of an Eye



Dividing and ConqueringHONORS AMBASSADORS MAKE A DIFFERENCE

The Honors Ambassadors have broken up into four separate committees to focus more directed energy towards necessary efforts in the Honors College: recruitment, student programming, marketing and philanthropy. This semester, about 80 Honors College students serve as Honors Ambassadors. Each committee is managed by two co-chairs who coordinate

various projects for committee members throughout the semester, including bi-weekly meetings. Updates for each of the four committees for this semester are listed below.

As part of Students Give Back Week in the fall, the Philanthropy Committee expressed their appreciation to faculty across campus making a difference in students’ lives.

“I like Ambassadors because it brings service to the forefront of students’ minds on a weekly basis, instead of just once a year.”

Megan WoodliefProgramming Committee Co-Chair

"I enjoyed being involved in Ambassadors because it makes me feel more connected to my peers in the Honors College. I also feel that it has given me a way to contribute to the program that has done so much for me."

Martha ErvinMarketing Committee Secretary

PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE

• Volunteered with kids at the Little Willie Center every Friday, assisting them with service projects

• Assisted in Butter Bean Auction at Golden Living retirement home

• Created goody bags, wreaths, and holiday-themed items to auction off to residents at Golden Living

• Developed and maintained pen pal program with fifth graders at Elmhurst Elementary School

PHILANTHROPY COMMITTEE

• Supported the various efforts of the Honors College Relay for Life team

• Assisted with the planning and implementation of various fundraisers

• Encouraged personal fundraising among committee members and other Honors College students

• Organized and executed three onsite fundraisers

MARKETING COMMITTEE

• Contributed to articles for the Ink Pot & Quill• Created a video featuring the Honors dorm, Garrett

Hall, to be displayed on the Honors College website

• Expanded blogging efforts for the Honors College• Participated in service events supporting Relay for Life• Improved social media outreach efforts, specifically

utilizing the Honors College Twitter account

RECRUITMENT COMMITTEE

• Volunteered at Spring Open House• Organized individual recruiting efforts executed over

spring break

• Participated in a service project making goody baskets for Riley’s Army

• Served as tour guides for a fifth grade visit to the Honors College

• Hosted Pitt County students at dinner and advised them on important things to know for college



New and exciting things are happening at the East Carolina Honors College, including the creation of the Honors College Alumni Society! Become a mentor, an inspiration, a role model. Be a guiding light for those who follow in your footsteps. There are no forms to fill out and no fees to pay. Those who remain East Carolina Honors students for at least two semesters grants alumni status. You are already a member of the Honors College Alumni Society! Since its launch in 2010, the East Carolina University Honors College has recruited academically talented students to become the leaders of tomorrow by engaging them in a challenging, stimulating and a diverse intellectual community. To partner with the new East Carolina University Honors College, the Honors College Alumni Society was launched in 2013. The Alumni Society’s primary focus has been to

create multiple avenues for alumni to connect with current students and remain involved in the Honors community. Come join us and become part of a new tradition to help make the Honors College Alumni Society an instrumental resource for our students! We will begin holding events for Honors College Alumni in the fall starting with the Honors College Convocation. Please save the date, September 5, 2014, for the Honors College Convocation. You can also help us stay in touch with you by updating your information. Click on this link to update your information: Contact Form. You can check out the Honors College and Honors College Alumni Society at www.ecu.edu/honors or on Facebook. If you have a LinkedIn account, you can connect with Alumni Society members by joining our group. Also, if you are in the Greenville area, stop by our new building, Mamie Jenkins!

Alumni News & Notes

Ajay Ajmera, Kelli Soos, Ryan Carter-Stanley, Chris Thaxtom, and Spencer Jackson attending the Alumni Event in Washington D.C.



Every semester, Honors students are encouraged by the Honors faculty to pursue research both within and outside their field of study. This semester makes no exception. More than 70 students presented their original research or creative endeavor, many of whom completed it as part of their Honors thesis. Most presented at Research and Creative Achievement Week during the first week of April here at ECU. This gave students an opportunity to present on a wide array of interests or topics.

Kathleen Tcherkezian, a senior business management major, presented on the changing role of females in the Air Force. Tcherkezian is active in the ROTC here at ECU, and said that she plans to pursue a career in the Air Force once she graduates, which is why this topic appealed to her. When asked if she would have pursued a thesis on her own without the Honors College requiring it, Tcherkezian

responded, “No, definitely not, but I’m glad I’ve done it now that I can look back at all the experience I have gained. It has helped with my writing skills, and it is always good to practice speaking professionally in front of a group.”

Like Tcherkezian, sophomore Anna Lawrence pursued a project that she was personally interested in. Lawrence, a double major in Hispanic studies and anthropology with a minor in linguistics, presented a critical analysis of the Spanish film“Blancanieves” (2012). Lawrence wasn’t required to present but was encouraged to by professor and research mentor, Dr. Purificación Martínez in the Spanish Department. Lawrence commented, “This is my first large scale research paper. My only previous experience was in the Honors colloquium, but this was my first big time event.” She

added, “I don’t want to do my Honors thesis on Spanish. I already know I want to focus on sociolinguistics, but I feel like the experience has prepared me for the process senior year.”

Sophomore EC Scholar Ajay Ajmera worked with freshman Aenia Amin on a project that won for Biomedical Science, and Senior Evan Arthur won in the Natural Sciences category.

Not all students present at Research and Creative Achieve Week, though. Senior EC Scholar and Chemistry major Kofi Monney presented his research on different teaching practices among autistic populations at the 12th Annual College of Human Ecology Student Research & Creative Activities Forum and took top place in the “Scholarship & Engagement” category.

Undergraduate ResearchA Valued Experience

Kathleen Tcherkezian presents during RCAW.

Ajay Ajmera and Aenia Amin speaking with Honors Advisor Mr. Jim Ellis.



The Inaugural Honors College ClassREFLECTIONS OF AN HONORS GRADUATE

A reflection by senior EC Scholar Sandra Ross.

The Honors College inaugural class is unique in a lot of ways. We were rushed into this process. We didn't even know we could apply for it; instead incoming ECU students with a high GPA and a worthy list of extracurricular activities were sent an invitation. Check yes to join the “Honors College” or check no and continue through ECU as any other student. We didn’t know what we were signing up for. Unlike now, there were no pamphlets, tours, or Preview Days. We just checked yes because, well, why not?

And our decision paid off in spades. All 110 of us arrived at College Hill, put our stuff up away in Jones Hall and quickly found friends down the hall, most of whom were part of the Honors College. We walked to classes together, spent hours agonizing over homework together and ate at Todd Dining Hall in groups. If there were any students we hadn’t met yet, that was quickly

changed in the Freshman Colloquium where we were sent off in assigned groups of six or seven to try and impact our new community, Greenville. While there were aggravating times (let us never forget our several assignments on the beloved Tommy Spaulding), we were in it together. And for every trial, there was always a reward. We joined the College not expecting any awards, but were pleasantly surprised during our Colloquium to

hear all of our in-state tuitions would be covered for all four years.

We shared a lot of those experiences that are unique to our year. Perhaps most notably of these were our moments shared with the International Students who also lived in Jones. We had a lot of special moments, but we didn’t have a lot of the things most Honors students

take for granted now. We didn’t even have an Honors College building, just a small

cramped office in Brewster no one wanted to visit. However, freshman year came and went, and we were no longer the only Honors College students on campus.

We arrived back on campus for sophomore year and the Honors College had been completely revamped. Freshmen were living in Garrett Hall, we had our own building (the lovely Mamie Jenkins),

and Living-Learning trips were slowly being introduced.

In just one short year, so much had changed. Our class was still pioneering the way, taking every brand new Colloquium and every other change thrown our way. The term “guinea pigs” was never used, but we were frequently the students who test-drove classes, ideas, and trips. We gave the feedback that helped shaped how the Honors College is today.

Now it is our last time to pioneer the way. On May 8th, our class, the inaugural class, will be the first ones to step across the stage at an Honors College Commencement. It will be our last time to celebrate as a group. Even though some of us graduated early and others may be taking an extra semester (or two), we all form this inaugural class and we all are Honors College Pirates.

Margaret Amy, Katherine Reese, Sara Caropreso, and Rachel Pollard present their poster as part of the sophomore research colloquium.

Author Tommy Spaulding visits the freshman colloquium to

discuss leadership.



Connect with us!

HONORS COLLEGE FACULTY & STAFF

The Honors College always welcomes your questions, comments, and suggestions as we continue to grow and develop. Below please find a listing of our team.

Marianna Walker, Dean

Kevin Baxter, Associate Dean

Katie O’Connor, Associate Dean

for Academic Programs

Todd Fraley, Director of the EC

Scholars Program

Jessica Nottingham, Coordinator

for Recruitment and Marketing

Jim Ellis, Academic Advisor

Tim Runyan, Faculty Fellow

Liz Fogarty, Faculty Fellow

Kindal Shores, Faculty Fellow

Sue Chapman, Business Services

Coordinator

Kim Smith, Executive Assistant

Cricket Morris, Major Gifts

Officer

The Honors College can be reached at 252-328-6373 or through email at [email protected].

For more information on the Honors College, visit www.ecu.edu/honors/.

Upcoming Events

August 21Move-In Day for Incoming Honors College Freshmen

August 22Service Day

September 5Honors College Convocation

October 4Honors College Homecoming Breakfast

For a full calendar of events, please visit the Honors College calendar.

Curious what the Honors College has done this summer? Visit flickr to see pictures from our Summer Kickoff Series.

Relay for Life FLIPPIN’ THE SWITCH ON CANCER

This year the Honors College Relay for Life team was co-captained by junior Adrian Modzik and freshman Matt Earley. Their combined efforts allowed the College to exceed its goal of $2,500 by raising more than $3,800 towards cancer research.

Throughout the year, the Honors College hosted “Percentage Nights” at various restaurants around Greenville. There were also “Change Wars” for the EC Scholar classes to see who could raise the most money.

At the Relay for Life event, there were several activities to raise money, such as “Phil the Jailer,” where students paid to handcuff friends together and

then the friends had to raise money to be released and “Fresh to Def Snapbacks,” where students could pay $5 for a snapback and decorate it with gel pens.

Sophomore Ajay Ajmera and junior Destiny Dehart generating attention for the Honors Relay tent.

ink pot & quill, volume five

Documents

honors college community

honors seminars

honors ambassadors

ink pot quill summer

ec scholars

ec scholar rock

aspiring scholars

junior ec scholar