Peer-nominated Treasured Pirates honored for making a difference each day
Twenty-four East Carolina University faculty and staff members were honored as 2019 Treasured Pirates on Nov. 7.
Dr. Ron Mitchelson, interim chancellor of ECU, thanks the winners of the 2019 Treasured Pirate awards.
(Photos by Cliff Hollis)
Dr. Ron Mitchelson, interim chancellor of ECU, welcomed the award winners during a ceremony in Harvey Hall on Thursday afternoon.
“The world seems chock-full of people who get up every morning and go through the motions,” he said. “And Pirates do not do that. Pirates — like you — get up in the morning with purpose and with passion and address yourselves to this mission we’re all on. This is especially true of our Treasured Pirates. They distinguish themselves in terms of their passion.”
But they also are compassionate, he said. “That intersection of passion and compassion is exactly why they are Treasured Pirates and exactly why their colleagues have seen fit to nominate them for this award.”
Employees in academic affairs, administration and finance, health sciences, student affairs, research, economic development and engagement were spotlighted for making a difference in the workplace and community.
The Treasured Pirates awards are not new but were revamped this year by ECU Human Resources and will become an annual event. Awardees received a plaque and $250.
Hundreds of nominations were received for exemplary performance or distinguished accomplishment. The list was narrowed at the division level before being sent to a university-wide committee. The size of the division was a factor in the number of winners named in each area, said Christy Carraway, human resources consultant and the Treasured Pirates awards organizer.
The 2019 Treasured Pirates were honored Nov. 7 in a ceremony at Harvey Hall.
The 2019 Treasured Pirate Award winners are:
Academic Affairs
Amber Arnold
Arnold led efforts to help more than 250 at-risk freshmen in Pirates Academic Success Center and the Mindset for Success academic recovery program. She also is an avid coupon and bargain hunter and maintains an extensive pantry at home — that she has sometimes used to provide food for students in need.
Wendy Beachum
Beachum manages all reagent ordering, student contracts, travel documentation, and grants management of the individuals associated with the Human Performance Lab in the Department of Kinesiology, a group with a long history of securing a large amount of external research funds for the university.
Leigh Belford
A teaching instructor, Belford worked with a team of researchers, teachers, coaches, and administrators as part of the N.C. Collaborative for Mathematics Learning to create the framework for math instruction being used in more than 90% of North Carolina school districts. She also served on the Tools 4 N.C. Teachers Mathematics Science Partnership Grant team that created resources for kindergarten teachers to accompany the new standards.
Jessica Chittum
After the death of her newborn daughters, Amara and Primrose, Chittum raised money in their names to donate cuddle cots to rural hospitals in the area. Funds were also raised to help train hospital employees to work with parents who experience similar, unmentionable grief. Chittum, an assistant professor of education, turned personal tragedy into an opportunity for growth, education, community service and altruism, embodying ECU’s motto, “Servire.”
Kathy Cox
Cox is the graduate school’s go-to person when faculty or students call with concerns about academic performance, special circumstances that need consideration and requests for exemptions to academic policy. Cox handles these situations with tact and grace, always in a mindset to help solve problems with her caring and positive attitude without compromising the academic integrity of ECU’s graduate programs.
Whitney Morris
Morris has helped grow and improve the process for organizing faculty-led summer study abroad programs. She supports faculty, administrators and students in planning and executing ECU’s study abroad programs. She works with students to address financial, curricular and personal needs to make sure they have a great experience. Her efforts have resulted in an all-time high number of study abroad programs offered and student participation.
Karen Traynor
Traynor has been a crucial part of implementing the Curriculog software that is critical to changing any undergraduate or graduate level curriculum at ECU. The Curriculog implementation was arduous and she and her team developed excellent systems to help train faculty and staff while maintaining patience and kindness. Because of this work, the curriculum processes at ECU will now be more efficient and effective, ultimately benefiting students.
Administration and Finance
Rhonda Anderson
Anderson, human resources consultant, was nominated for outstanding customer service and advocacy in helping a longtime employee resolve a complex situation with monthly disability payments and the annual raise process. Working with her contacts at the UNC System office and the retirement plan, she sifted through all of the details of the circumstances and, as a direct result of her diligence and initiative, received approval to adjust the employee’s disability pay to reflect the annual raise.
Josh Brown
Brown, a technical support analyst, has devoted countless hours to search committees before and during candidate videoconference interviews. He goes an extra step by scheduling a test call to ensure candidates understand and are comfortable with the technical aspects of the process. While not a member of the HR team, he is often the first face a candidate sees.
Mike Myles
Myles is a videographer and producer for education and research-related events. He’s helped capture and archive some of the most important work that ECU students and faculty have done and continue to do across campus and throughout the region. A longtime employee, he works many events single-handedly and, in the words of his nominator, bleeds purple and gold.
Kenneth Sanders
Sanders, known as “Mr. Kenny,” began working as a housekeeper on the night shift and now serves as night shift supervisor on the health sciences campus. He also earned a degree in criminal justice last year. He arrives early and stays late, making time to say hello to every student before his shift. He also mentors high school students who live close to campus, teaching them ethics and values, and sometimes making sure they have food to eat.
Matthew Smith
Smith, information technology manager, helped ensure the PiratePort project and subsequent application updates were successful. He maintained his manager duties while taking on the majority of the responsibility of designing and implementing the back end of PiratePort (all while being flooded with questions and being asked for help with user interface design decisions and issues). He is a role model as manager, helping each team member to improve and grow, and follows a “whatever needs to be done” attitude.
Jason Sugg
Deputy Chief Sugg is a tireless and selfless leader who manages field operations for the ECU Police Department. He constantly seeks progressive and innovative ways to retain good employees, boost morale and provide an efficient use of limited resources. Recent projects include managing the department’s career development compensation package, working with HR on pay scale adjustments and developing budget reduction strategies. He also is an advocate for student success, making himself available to students on a regular basis.
Health Sciences
JoAnna Adams
Dr. Adams’ teaching goes beyond the emergency department, where she directly supervises emergency medicine residents and students. She invests hours in preparing feedback for those learners, greatly contributing to their education. She has been instrumental in crafting protocols for paramedics and nurses, riding with Vidant EastCare crews to give important real-time quality improvement. Adams is the primary investigator for the ECU site of a major national multi-center research project, a study that is likely to improve the medical care for patients in the United States and other countries.
Amanda Davis
Davis, dental assistant in the School of Dental Medicine, makes a visit to the dentist’s office a tolerable, enjoyable experience. She is able to put patients at ease while simultaneously improving the work environment. She is a resource for staff, faculty members and students, often spending extra time with students to help them take X-rays or complete procedures.
Kelley Evans
Evans, accounting technician, was honored for outstanding customer service. On a daily basis, she talks with patients about their balance, statement, refund or collection notice. She is able to diffuse difficult situations and translate complicated financial concepts in a way that is approachable.
Michael Hale
Hale is an accountant in the College of Allied Health Sciences, where he volunteered this year to chair the scholarship allocations committee. With his review, the school was able to increase its scholarships from $106,500 to $111,800, providing funds for 78 students, up from 67 students the previous year. He also volunteered to help faculty and students involved with interprofessional education and collaboration, boosting morale for instructors and enhancing the student experience.
Ruth Little
Little, assistant professor of public health, led efforts to secure two new scholarships for graduate students in the Department of Public Health. The Craig J. Souza Endowed Scholarship will be used to support training for students interested in careers in long-term care facility administration. The Harold Bate Public Health Scholarship will provide funds to train students to serve as leaders of agencies focused on substance abuse in eastern North Carolina.
Debra McLaughlin
McLaughlin, administrative support associate, is professional, selfless, giving, motivational and caring. She arrives early, stays late and always lends a helping hand to anyone who needs it. She has inspired others to model her philosophy. In her personal time, McLaughlin works in the Hospice ministry through her church, planning meals and events for those who have family members who are in the end stages of life. She also volunteers with developmentally disabled children.
Jennifer Rezeli
Rezeli, academic advisor in the College of Nursing, works with the ECU DanceAbility program, which offers weekly dance classes for children in the community with and without disabilities. The inclusive dance program is designed to focus on abilities and adapt to differences. ECU students of all majors work as volunteers. The program has continued to grow each year through her leadership.
Rhonda Strickland
Strickland has been nurse manager of the ECU Pediatric Specialty Clinic for 10 years. She also has oversight of pediatric hematology-oncology, the night clinic, autism clinic and cardiology. She has been credited with being part of everything “great” that happens in the clinic. She is known for her excellent rapport with patients and families. In the past year, Strickland was diagnosed with breast cancer and became an inspiration through her determination, perseverance and faith. She never complained or made excuses, and served as role model to all while still being a great mom and wife.
Student Affairs
Jessica Ashton
Ashton, assistant director of Greek Life, worked with the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities and several campus partners to develop a prevention and education plan to combat high-risk behaviors such as hazing, and drug and alcohol use as well as to address sexual assault. Ashton ensured every ECU fraternity, sorority and other groups received an alcohol skills training program. She wrote and received a grant from the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority to implement Generation RX, an education program focusing on prescription drug abuse. Ashton has hosted events to engage the ECU and Greenville police departments, Alcohol Law Enforcement, academic support services, and the Dean of Students office.
Hannah Roberts
Roberts, a specialist in recreation services, was nominated for making those around her better, pushing everyone to do more and think critically. She is student-centered, lives the mission of ECU, is innovative and efficient, and adds value to her workplace. From the way she approaches meetings with colleagues, always focused on how to represent and advocate for students, to her ability to truly listen to what students need and want from their collegiate experience, she reminds every one of their true purpose.
Research, Economic Development and Engagement
Carlyle Rogers
Rogers, research associate with innovation and new ventures, built a multi-faceted, online system called ConnectEast that allows inventors, innovators, aspiring entrepreneurs, mentors and local communities to self-identify, plug into the system, and seek guidance on solving a problem or developing an idea. What was previously done through personal networks, spreadsheets and other labor-intensive tools can now be accomplished in a fraction of the time.
Family, friends and co-workers gathered to honor the 2019 Treasured Pirate award winners on Nov. 7 in Harvey Hall.
For more information on Treasured Pirates, go to https://www.ecu.edu/cs-admin/HumanResources/Treasured-Pirate.cfm.
-by Crystal Baity, ECU News Services, baityc@ecu.edu