Gifts fund research, student scholarship at ECU

Shirley and Marvin Slaughter’s legacy of supporting East Carolina University students is continuing.

Planned gifts by Shirley Slaughter, who died April 16, will provide $25,000 for the creation of the Shirley Byrd Slaughter Scholarship in the ECU Alumni Association as well as $25,000 for research in the ECU Diabetes and Obesity Institute.

Shirley Byrd Slaughter (Contributed photo)

Marvin Slaughter died from complications of diabetes in 1987. “That was our mother’s reason to support diabetes and obesity research,” said their daughter, Marion Mitchell. “Our mother and father were very involved and proud alumni of East Carolina, so this is the other reason my mom wanted to have a scholarship in her name as dad had one too.”

The E. Marvin Slaughter Alumni Honors Scholarship was established in 1988 and is awarded to a student who demonstrates academic merit and leadership potential, and participates in extracurricular activities. He also contributed to the purchase of ECU’s Taylor-Slaughter Alumni Center, which is named in his honor.

The couple who lived in Virginia Beach, Virginia, was active in the Southeastern Virginia Chapter of the ECU Alumni Association. Shirley Slaughter received the Distinguished Service Award from the ECU Alumni Association in 1993. She contributed financially and helped her daughter and a committee host the E. Marvin Slaughter and James A. Johnson Memorial Golf Tournament from 1996 until 2013. Proceeds from the tournament endowed a scholarship for Tidewater area students to attend ECU.

“They were both educators in their early careers and extremely valued education. As a family, we wanted our parents’ legacy to be providing financial support for ECU students with their educational journey,” said Mitchell, ECU ’84.

Shirley Slaughter was a native North Carolinian who grew up in Mamers in Harnett County. She graduated with honors from East Carolina College with a bachelor’s degree in education in 1952 and met her future husband while singing in the college choir. She enjoyed teaching civics and history in North Carolina and Norfolk, Virginia, before having her first child. Marvin Slaughter also was a teacher until he switched careers to work in the flooring industry, Mitchell said.

“Dad was a graduate of East Carolina Teachers College and Mom of East Carolina College. I graduated from East Carolina University, so we have a diploma from each era,” she said.

The Slaughters have three daughters, Cindy Black, Donna Wilhoit and Mitchell, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

ECU is in the public phase of the Pursue Gold campaign to raise half a billion dollars. This ambitious effort will create new paths to success for Pirates on campus, across the country and around the world. Donor gifts during the campaign will keep us constantly leading and ready to advance what’s possible. Learn more at pursuegold.ecu.edu.