Awards to recognize outstanding ECU alumni and devoted friend
Six outstanding East Carolina University alumni and a longtime Pirate friend will be honored by the ECU Alumni Association this fall for their careers and service to the university. The awards are presented annually during homecoming weekend, with this year’s dinner to be held Oct. 25. More information and registration for the celebration are available by visiting the alumni awards website.
Linda Edwards, MD, FACP ’81, Alice Keene ’73 ’81, Danny Rice ’73, and Harold Varner III ’12 will receive Outstanding Alumni Awards.
Edwards serves as associate professor and dean of the University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville. From advancing medical education to providing care as a practicing physician, Edwards has made many contributions to the medical field. She is known for her mentorship and outreach activities aimed at improving health care access.
Keene is a lifelong champion of recreation opportunities in Pitt County and North Carolina and continues her work, post-retirement, as the recreation projects coordinator for Pitt County. Keene has been recognized for her efforts with numerous awards, including the Title IX 50th Anniversary Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022. Pitt County’s regional park on County Home Road is named in her honor.
Rice has dedicated his career to serving individuals with disabilities. For more than two decades he served as director of community services at Caswell Developmental Center in Kinston and was the founding executive director of the center. Rice and his staff provided services to people with disabilities and their families across 32 counties.
Varner is a professional golfer in the LIV Golf League. He was the first player in ECU men’s golf history to be named Conference USA Golfer of the Year and was inducted into the ECU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2022. Harold and his wife, Amanda ’12, made a transformational gift to the Pirates Unite Campaign for Comprehensive Excellence, supporting the golf program and Isley Indoor Performance Center.
Caitlin Cummins ’14 will receive this year’s Young Alumni Achievement Award. Cummins is owner and CEO of Terra Bella Compost, LLC, a business she created from a campus composting project. Terra Bella Compost offers commercial and residential food waste hauling and processing. Cummins has volunteered with the NC State Extension Children’s Gardening Program, the Pitt County Farm and Food Council, and the Catholic Charities food drive.
Lance Clark will be honored with an Honorary Alumni Award for his generosity and commitment to ECU. Lance is co-owner and president of Bill Clark Homes and has partnered with the city of Greenville to provide quality affordable homes for homeowners. His dedication to ECU is evident through fiscal stewardship to the university, student mentorship and job opportunities upon graduation for students.
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