Treasured Pirates, longtime employees honored at recognition ceremony
East Carolina University’s 2024 Treasured Pirates and employees who have achieved 30 or more years of state service were recognized in a ceremony at Harvey Hall on Jan. 13, the first day of spring classes.
Jim Kirkland, professor of English, received a watch commemorating his 55 years of service from Chancellor Philip Rogers.
“This is one of the events that I love the most because it’s a moment to recognize and celebrate not only the mission of East Carolina University but to celebrate the steadfast dedication of so many outstanding Pirates who we will honor here today,” Chancellor Philip Rogers said in his welcome.
ECU thrives because of its people, Rogers said, with nearly 6,000 faculty and staff who bring ECU’s mission to life each day.
“Today is about honoring and celebrating just a few of our colleagues who have gone the extra special mile to contribute long service and other meaningful ways to the future of this institution, who have devoted their professional lives to ECU and who have made higher education their life’s work,” he said. “Each of you inspire me and so many others. Thank you for all that you do to advance the work at ECU.”
Faculty and staff with 30, 35, 40, 45 and 55 years of service to ECU and the state of North Carolina were honored. In addition, ECU’s annual Treasured Pirate award winners were presented a trophy and $500 for exemplary work and accomplishments that go beyond an employee’s job title or duties.
Three employees — Deborah Austin, Jim Kirkland and Delores Reeves — received the Richard Caswell Award, which recognizes state employees with 45 or more years of service. The award honors Caswell, a two-time governor, senator and delegate to the constitutional convention in Philadelphia.
Austin, business services coordinator in the Brody School of Medicine, has been at ECU for 45 years. She has been an active member of the District 65 (ECU) State Employees Association of N.C., serving as treasurer and scholarship chair for many years. “I’ve loved every minute of it,” she said. “It has been challenging yet rewarding. It’s been wonderful.”
Austin said she has enjoyed working alongside her ECU coworkers the most. “That’s helped me stay and grow, too, here at ECU,” she said.
Kirkland was recognized for teaching 55 years in the Department of English in the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences.
“I never imagined what my career would be when I got here,” said Kirkland, who joined the faculty in 1969 right out of graduate school in Tennessee to teach American literature.
Then there were about 9,000 students at ECU, and that number has grown to almost 27,000 today.
He said the students have been the reason why he’s stayed so long. He teaches predominantly writing intensive courses, which allows him to spend more time individually with students. He also has taught folklore, directed the English composition program and served as interim director of the university writing program. “Writing is really the core of everything,” he said. “I still love to do that.”
Deborah Austin received the Richard Caswell Award from Chancellor Philip Rogers for 45 years of state service.
This year, two Pirates in the same family were recognized. Leslie Corbett has 30 years of service, and her daughter-in-law, Kylee Corbett, was named a Treasured Pirate for revitalizing regional alumni chapters and organizing more than 110 events. Kylee, an alumna herself, also reignited the alumni association’s Pirates Set Sail program to enhance student retention by connecting new students with alumni.
They were all at Leslie’s house when they realized they were both honorees. Kylee told her husband he had to come to an awards dinner on Jan. 13. “Then she told my father-in-law that he had to come to a dinner on the 13th too, and then we all kind of looked at each other and realized it was the same one,” Kylee said.
Leslie said she loves the comradery of the oncology department where she works. “The physicians are really good, and we all have one thing on our mind, and that’s to take care of our patients,” she said.
Student, faculty and staff well-being drives Steven Trotter’s work in Campus Health and Recreation, where he supports new programs, secures grants and stewards donors. His efforts included chairing the 31st annual Southeast Collegiate Fitness Expo with 600 attendees last year.
“I feel like the work here that we do, you actually see the difference that it makes in the students’ and the employees’ lives. I think that’s probably the most important thing is that I see the impacts that we make,” he said. “I kind of came into the role, and I’ve really been able to feel like I’m a part of something greater than myself and I feel a part of the purpose.”
The following employees were recognized by their respective division vice chancellors:
2024 Service Awards
30 years: Annette Alligood, Bill Bagnell, Douglas H. Boyd, LaVerne Clark, Leslie Corbett, Leslie Craigle, Taria Rene Crenshaw, Charles Ewen, Deborah Ferrell, Dantia Freeman, Billy Igoe, Vickie Glover, Randy Godwin, Victoria Elizabeth McAllister, Dr. Tijjani “TJ” Mohammed, Sharon M. Rouse, Mindy L. Saenz, Jefferson L. Shinpaugh, Ann Elizabeth Weingartz, Beatrice B. White and Joani Zary; 35 years: Annie Virginia Parker Bunch, Melanie Anne Bunch, Merrill Flood, Tammy Johnson Heller, Eugene Langford Jr., Phil Lewis, Rhonda D. Onorato, Lisa H. Ormond and Beth W. Osborne; 40 years: Janice Paris and Sherry Smith Tripp; 45 years: Deborah Austin; 55 years: Jim Kirkland and Delores Reeves.
2024 Treasured Pirates
- Dr. Tiffany Blanchflower, assistant professor of interior design and merchandising, College of Health and Human Performance
- Chuck Boulineau, director of advancement services, University Advancement
- Rachel Cessna, web accessibility, ECU Creative Services
- Kylee Corbett, alumni relations and engagement, University Advancement
- Michael “Mike” Creider, building mason paint shop east, ECU Facilities Services
- Jose Flores, crew leader for grounds main west, ECU Facilities Services
- Dr. Valerie Kisler-Van Reede, Center for Counseling and Student Development
- Dr. Diane J. Majewski, director of programming in the Honors College
- Dr. Amy McMillan, professor and associate dean for research and faculty development, College of Business
- Petra Rouse, client engagement and support, Information Technology and Computing Services
- Dr. Melanie Sartore-Baldwin, recreation sciences in the College of Health and Human Performance
- Ryan Sullivan, technology support analyst in undergraduate admissions
- Steven Trotter, director of well-being in Campus Recreation and Wellness
- Aleksei “Alex” Vilkomir, teaching instructor and undergraduate program coordinator for the Department of Computer Science in the College of Engineering and Technology
- Dr. Stacy L. Weiss, director of the special education residency program in the College of Education