Aydan Lawler
Aydan Lawler wants to use her talents to help others, and when deciding where to go to college, East Carolina University’s motto “to serve” seemed like a perfect match for her goals.
“ECU’s focus on service and helping the community spoke to me because I believe one of my purposes in life is to use the talents I was blessed with to help other people like me tell their stories, or at least offer some solace in knowing that they’re not alone,” Lawler said.
A planned art major, Lawler is one of 20 students chosen as EC Scholars, the university’s most prestigious undergraduate award. The four-year merit scholarship recognizes outstanding academic performance, commitment to community engagement and strong leadership skills. Recipients receive an Honors College scholarship and a stipend for study abroad for a total value of nearly $64,000.
“To me, being an EC Scholar means being an example of the best ECU has to offer in a given field, leaving a mark, and being someone who works toward making the world around us a better place,” Lawler said.
Lawler was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome at 13, and art became more of an outlet than a hobby in managing the disorder. “To my surprise, I got a lot of positive feedback,” she said. “I discovered that by telling my own story, I could encourage others to tell theirs as well. It seems that art has always been a mechanism for helping those who are struggling, and I find this phenomenon absolutely beautiful.”
She began volunteering at Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte, where she taught young patients and helped organize a community art display. She plans to bring that same spirit to ECU.
“I hope to have the opportunity to help at Maynard Children’s Hospital in Greenville the same way I was able to at the Levine Children’s GI center here in Charlotte. The kids seemed to enjoy my art projects, so I hope I will be able to spread that same joy in Greenville,” Lawler said.
She participated in several community projects in and near her hometown of Gastonia including painting the Keep Gastonia Beautiful LGBTQ+ Allies and Charlotte Pride murals and creating artwork for a Feminine Lyrique opera concert. She designed posters, costumes, props, sets and T-shirts for theatrical productions at her high school, Piedmont Community Charter School, and the North Carolina Theatre Conference.
Lawler has been surrounded by art her entire life; her mother is a ceramic potter. Lawler plans to concentrate in animation and illustration at ECU.
“My long-term career goal is to use my art to tell stories that give marginalized people or ideas a voice, whether that’s through animation, illustration, public installations or some other form of visual expression that I can learn about and refine at ECU,” she said. “To be honest, I never thought I would be able to pursue those dreams as part of a program like EC Scholars, but here I am! I am so grateful for the opportunity, and plan to make the most of it in every way I can.”
One of those opportunities will likely be studying at ECU Tuscany in Italy. “Not only does the campus there seem like a wonderful place to focus on art, it is also surrounded by an abundance of history — my other love — that I am beyond excited to sink my teeth into,” she said.
Lawler has been president of her high school history club for two years and is president of the art club. She is a member of the drama club and has participated in several school theater productions. She also performs with the dance competition team.
This summer, Lawler will work again as a junior counselor at Camp Gravatt in South Carolina, where a little girl with an incarcerated parent left a huge impact on Lawler’s life last summer.
“Being a camp counselor, it is your goal, even if only for a little while, to change a child’s life for the better, but I often find those campers changing my life as well,” she said. “That little girl taught me so many things and changed my perspective on life and how others view the world in a way I never could have imagined. Despite her circumstances, she was creative and thoughtful, and so incredibly sweet. I don’t think I will ever be able to forget her, or the lessons she taught me.”
Lawler’s twin sister, McKenna, has also been named an EC Scholar. The 18-year-old sisters will join their older brother, Quaid, a current EC Scholar, on campus this fall. Their parents are Joseph Lawler Jr. and Jennifer Lawler-Mecca, a two-time ECU alumna, of Gastonia.
“To me, being an EC Scholar means being an example of the best ECU has to offer in a given field, leaving a mark, and being someone who works toward making the world around us a better place.”
High School: Piedmont Community Charter School
Intended major: Art
Hometown: Gastonia