ECU freshman wins free textbooks for fall semester
Omar Awadallah of Greenville poses with PeeDee in Dowdy Student Store with the textbooks for his fall classes. Awadallah won the textbooks in a drawing sponsored by the store during summer orientation. (Contributed photo)
An East Carolina University freshman can thank his friend for the textbooks he won from Dowdy Student Stores, the university-run bookstore on campus. Omar Awadallah of Greenville wasn’t going to enter the drawing during orientation but his friend talked him into it.
All students who attended freshman orientation were invited to enter the drawing at the store. One name — Awadallah’s — was drawn from the entries collected from all sessions.
Awadallah said he was shocked when he found out he’d be starting his first semester at ECU with free textbooks. “When I received the email I didn’t believe it at first,” he said. “I have never won a prize before.”
Awadallah’s required books for fall semester classes in math, biology, economics and electives totaled $480. “My mom was upset with me at the time about something,” he said. “But when I showed her the email she forgot she was mad at me.”
Awadallah is a graduate of South Central High School in Winterville, where he was active in the math and science honor societies, and the National Honor Society, and played soccer and tennis. “I chose to attend ECU because it is close to home and my friends,” he said. “I have never wanted to be anything but a Pirate.”
The business major plans a career in real estate and would like to own his own business.
The free textbook promotion is sponsored each summer by Dowdy Student Stores, one of the largest contributors to academic merit, athletic and need-based scholarships at ECU.
“One of the main goals of the Dowdy Student Stores is to provide the ECU students with their textbooks, educational supplies, technology products and other types of merchandise that will enhance their learning experiences,” said Bryan Tuten, director of Dowdy Student Stores.
Being the top retailer of ECU Pirate clothing and gifts helps, too. “As a result, we are able to give back to ECU on an annual basis by being one of the leaders in scholarship contributions,” Tuten added. “One hundred percent of net profits from the campus stores go back to scholarships and campus programs.”
-by Karen Simmons, University Communications
-Contact: ECU Dowdy Student Stores, Director Bryan Tuten, 252-328-6731 or Karen Simmons, 252-737-1311