Harriot College thanks donors, honors student scholarship recipients at annual celebration
East Carolina University’s Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences celebrated students and thanked its generous donors at the college’s ninth annual scholarship celebration on Oct. 11 in the Main Campus Student Center ballrooms. Nearly 150 college students will benefit this academic year from donors’ $385,000 in scholarship assistance, a more than 28% increase from last year.
ECU and Harriot College alumna Dr. Victoria Hardy-McGowen welcomed donors during the college’s ninth annual scholarship celebration on Oct. 11.
“We have offered more than $1 million in scholarships to students since 2022, and we are just getting started,” said Ashley Harzog, Harriot College director of alumni relations and outreach. “We know that high-quality education plus the support of Pirate Nation is what not only draws students to ECU but retains them and invests in their long-term success. For this exact reason, our scholarship celebration centers on the theme ‘Formula for Success.’ When scholarship support is added to the equation, students feel the encouragement of Pirate Nation cheering them on.”
Dr. Victoria Hardy McGowen (’14, ’16, and ’22), alumnus and chair of the Harriot College Dean’s Advancement Council, welcomed guests to this year’s brunch, thanking everyone for coming “home.” She said the old saying, “It takes a village to raise a child,” still applies during the adult years, and that the “Pirate village” is her absolute favorite.
Hardy McGowen asked students not to forget who helped them along the way and to continue the cycle of generosity through outreach, mentorship and donations.
“The smallest act or amount can expand tenfold,” she said. “Continue the legacy of Pirates helping Pirates.”
During the brunch, scholarship recipients mingled with donors, sharing stories about their courses, research and study abroad experiences, as well as showing their gratitude for the financial support. One undergraduate and one graduate student scholarship recipient spoke during the formal program.
“I think many students will agree that we are more than our majors. I started as a biochemistry major and quickly realized that my classes for my minor in Spanish were the only time I felt like myself,” said Mikaela Trank-Shelp, a first-generation college student majoring in foreign languages and literatures with a concentration in Hispanic studies education. “When you discover your passion for a particular subject area, you glow and the passion shines through.”
“I am a lover of people and cultures. Growing up in Greenville, I have had the privilege to live in a diverse community. No two people are the same. That is what I love about people,” she said. “Learning about them and what makes them unique is what inspired me to learn Spanish in the first place, to connect and to build community.”
Trank-Shelp is a recipient of the Christina and Robbie Hunt Foreign Languages Endowed Scholarship and the Freda Jean Fisher Smith Scholarship. She also received this year’s Mitchell and Manolita Buck Honorary Scholarship from the Foreign Language Association of North Carolina.
Michaela Trank-Shelp, a senior Hispanic studies education major, spoke about how scholarships give her time to find her passion and glow.
“These scholarships, that I graciously have been awarded, have allowed me time to find myself and glow,” she said. “I could not be more grateful to the amazingly kind donors who have aided me in my dreams of connection and community building.”
Andrew Jakobowski is a chemistry graduate student and a recipient of the Burroughs Wellcome Fellowship in Organic Chemistry. He talked about the benefits of scholarships and how they alleviate burdens while allowing students to focus on their studies and research.
Chemistry graduate student Andrew Jakobowski shared how scholarships alleviate burdens and allow students to focus on their studies and research.
“As a graduate student, you are tasked with classes, research and teaching undergraduate courses all while trying to make ends meet. Scholarship funding provided by generous donors allows us to take the financial burden off our busy schedule,” Jakobowski said. “Through the Burroughs Wellcome scholarship, I have been granted the privilege of no longer having to teach, allowing me to solely focus on my research. The master’s in chemistry has provided me with priceless problem-solving skills I will need for my future endeavors.”
Jakobowski plans to continue his education and pursue a doctorate in biochemistry to one day provide hope to patients with discouraging medical diagnoses.
“Though we come from many different backgrounds, we each seek a brighter future. To the donors, thank you,” he said.
During the program, Harzog reiterated the value of scholarships and how they are the formula for student success.
“Scholarship support can eliminate barriers that prevent students from participating in life-changing and high-impact experiences like study abroad or field school. When we offer comprehensive scholarships, students can focus less on affording textbooks and more on learning and exploring, which are hallmark values for us in Harriot College,” she said. “Our students’ success then becomes our most cherished outcome, as they represent Pirate Nation and multiply the prosperity of the communities that they go on to serve as lawyers, doctors, educators, non-profit leaders, editors, law enforcement officers and more. By investing in our students and doing whatever we can to ensure they have a clear formula for success, we truly invest in a better world.”
Dr. Allison S. Danell, dean of Harriot College, said it was her honor to celebrate the achievements of the college’s best and brightest scholarship recipients and the impactful work of generous donors.
Anyone interested in exploring ways to assist Harriot College students, whether via scholarship support or other avenues, may contact Harzog at clelanda18@ecu.edu or by calling 252-737-1753.
Harriot College scholarship recipients Joanna Kirkendoll and Matt Downing pose for a photo with Dean Allison Danell at the college’s ninth annual scholarship celebration.