Faculty: Linda Quick

Linda Quick first met Cal Christian, chair of the College of Business’ Department of Accounting, during her senior of high school in 2001 when he interviewed her for the Honors College and an accounting scholarship.

During her undergraduate years at ECU, Christian served as Quick’s mentor, advising her when it came time for Quick to write her thesis.

“As you can imagine, we had several conversations during this process,” Christian said. “It was evident she would make a great professor, so we had discussions about her pursuing that career (later in her journey).”

After earning her bachelors and masters degrees from East Carolina University, Linda Quick returned to ECU’s College of Business after completing her doctorate program.

“However, I did encourage her to work for a CPA firm first.”

“I had no thoughts of any graduate degree, much less a Ph.D., until Cal suggested it to me,” Quick said.

After graduating with a combined Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Master of Science Accounting degree in 2005, Quick did join up with an accounting firm. But, she eventually set her sights on a doctoral degree from the University of South Carolina — which she obtained in 2013 — the same year she joined the COB’s Department of Accounting as an assistant professor.

Today, Quick is a tenured associate professor, a designation she received in 2020.

The relationship between Quick and Christian proved beneficial in Quick’s approach to helping her students.

“I love seeing my students’ growth and watching them have ‘lightbulb moments’ where something clicks for them,” Quick said. “I love having the chance to build relationships with them and keep track of them throughout their time at ECU and into their careers.”

For those honors students who have come through the COB’s accounting department over the past 10 years, known or not, they were a part of Quick’s passion project. Quick has worked with many of the Honors College students on their signature honors projects and served as a mentor regarding the direction of their research, and according to Quick, these interactions are ways for her to give back.

“So many people – donors, faculty and staff – made a pretty significant investment in me,” Quick said. “I’ve always tried to pay that forward in terms of my interaction with students.”

Thomas D. Arthur Graduate School of Business

In mid-February, Quick was named as the first assistant dean of the Thomas D. Arthur Graduate School of Business, the only named graduate school of business in North Carolina. The school’s charge is to strengthen graduate-level business courses, develop executive leadership programs, and support student veterans and military personnel.

“My previous experience has included connecting across campus in various ways through my work with the Honors College, serving on Faculty Senate, Engagement and Outreach Scholars Academy, and other services to the university,” Quick said. “Having connections across campus and knowing how to build relationships both inside and outside ECU will help me to lead the Arthur School and create a positive experience for our students.”

Less than a month into her new role, Quick has hit the ground running with several new initiatives planned for this calendar year. Including:

• The Arthur Teaching Fellows program, where faculty will bring their research and innovation to graduate courses.
• An immersive MBA program, where students will take courses as a cohort and end their MBA experience with an immersive internship experience.
• Arthur scholarships, where veteran and current military personnel will be awarded scholarships to make their continuing graduate education financially easier.

“I want to find new ways to provide students with a valuable experience that serves them well into their future careers,” Quick said. “I want to build a school that meets the students’ needs and finds innovative ways to impact education for different populations of students, including military-affiliated students.”

“We are strongly positioned to serve the leaders tomorrow and position them for the possible successes that lay before them.”

Her new role, however, will not take Quick out of the classroom. She will continue to work with Honors College students, mentor student-led research, and pay it forward.

“Five years from now, I want us to be known for graduating students who are critical thinkers, problem solvers, and ready to impact their field of choice.”

FAST FACTS

Name: Linda Quick

Titles: Assistant Dean of the Thomas D. Arthur Graduate School

Hometown: Wilson, North Carolina

Colleges attended and degrees: East Carolina University, BSBA with a dual concentration in accounting and finance; MSA; University of South Carolina, Ph.D. in business administration with a concentration in accounting

PIRATE PRIDE

Years working at ECU: 9.5 as a faculty, a few more as a student worker

What I do at ECU: As the assistant dean of the Thomas D. Arthur Graduate School in the College of Business, I oversee the COB’s graduate school and connect with people on and off campus to develop new programs and enhance the student experience for our graduate students in the COB. As a faculty member in the accounting department, I teach undergraduate and graduate accounting classes, do research in accounting, and supervise signature Honors College projects in our department.

What I love about ECU: Pirate pride – there are so many people on campus (faculty, staff and students) who care deeply about this university and believe in the mission, and it’s fun to work in an environment like that.

Research interests: I do mostly psychology-based judgment and decision making research in accounting, and accounting education research.

What advice do you give to students? Ask lots of questions and get involved on campus in some way outside of class.

QUICK QUIZ

What do you like to do when not working? Most of my out of work time is spent hanging out with my husband and kids, who are 6 and 10. I love to travel, read and do anything outdoors.

Last thing I watched on TV: The Super Bowl

First job: I started babysitting when I was 14, but my first formal job was interning in the accounting department at Firestone Tire when I was in high school. I also waited tables at Brook Valley Country Club when I was in college, and worked in the admissions office at ECU.