Pirates honored at University Awards for Service
East Carolina University honored the exceptional service and leadership of 180 faculty, staff and students during the University Awards for Service ceremony on April 17 in the Main Campus Student Center ballroom.
ECU Chancellor Philip Rogers presents Dr. Cal Christian with the James R. Talton Jr. Leadership Award.
“ECU is a special place, made up of outstanding people dedicated to delivering on our mission to be a national model for student success, public service and regional transformation,” said ECU Chancellor Philip Rogers. “As a university, we are future focused and innovation driven with a goal of being a campus that prioritizes a culture of care as we pursue our mission-aligned work together. I’m proud to serve alongside each of you on this journey.”
Dr. Cal Christian, chair of the Department of Accounting, received the James R. Talton Jr. Leadership Award named in honor of the former ECU Board of Trustees chairman. The award is presented to a faculty member, staff member or administrator in recognition of their demonstration of outstanding servant leadership.
During a video announcement, Director of Student Transitions Karen Smith read comments from parents of ECU students who heard Christian speak at new student orientation. Dr. John Reisch, professor of accounting and a longtime coworker, described him as an advocate for students who he is beloved by many. Dr. Linda Quick, assistant dean of the Arthur Graduate School of Business and a former student of Christian’s, mentioned that he “is good at seeing things you don’t see in yourself” and recalled how he served as her Honors College mentor when she attended ECU.
When introducing Christian as the Talton Award winner, Chancellor Rogers told a story of the two talking to each other on the Mall and a student standing to the side waiting to speak with one of them. Christian told Rogers that there was a student who wanted to speak to him, when in fact that student was waiting to talk to Christian. Rogers said that it shows how much Christian is beloved by his students because of his service mentality.
“It’s overwhelming. I really had no idea,” Christian said of winning the award. “What’s overwhelming is when you hear what some of your colleagues say and think about you. ‘They really think of me that way?’ I’ve known them for a long time. It showed me that I have made an impact on others during my career.”
Christian believes that authenticity is a key part in how he has made an impact in the lives of his students.
“I want the college experience to be everything that the college student dreamed it would be,” he said. “That’s the way I approach every day. Some days I have to be a bit tougher than other days because that’s what that experience is, but I want that student to walk away from ECU and go, ‘That’s exactly what I envisioned.’”
In addition to his teaching duties, Christian serves as ECU’s NCAA faculty athletics representative.
Other nominees for the award included:
- Angela Anderson, Office of the Registrar
- Abrar Bakhsh, School of Dental Medicine
- Sabrina Bakley, College of Engineering and Technology
- Melanie Sartore-Baldwin, Department of Kinesiology
- Gretchen Brockmann, campus living
- Michelle Brooks, Brody School of Medicine
- John Cavanagh, Brody School of Medicine
- Marci Copeland, financial services
- Kathleen Cox, Graduate School
- Clinton Faulk, ECU Health
- Jerry Johnson, College of Education
- Dennis McCunney, Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement
- Amy McMillan, College of Business
- David Smith, Department of Foreign Languages
- Mark Sprague, physics
- Jason Sugg, ECU Police
- Dmitry Tumin, Brody School of Medine
- Gwen Tyson, College of Nursing
- Christy Walcott, psychology
- Melissa Wallace, College of Allied Health Sciences
- Maggie Wilson, School of Dental Medicine
- Emily Yeager, College of Business.
Also recognized in the ceremony were 62 inductees to ECU’s Servire Society. The society recognizes individuals who contribute a minimum of 100 hours of service beyond their job responsibilities in a year. Servire Society members receive a certificate, medal and pin with the induction year.
North Carolina Campus Engagement, Community Impact Award
North Carolina Campus Engagement is a network of colleges and universities committed to community engagement. The Community Impact Award recognizes a student with a commitment to partner with others to address community issues and engage with other students.
Caramia Landis receives the North Carolina Campus Engagement Community Impact Award from Lauren Howard.
Caramia Landis, a community and regional planning major from Greenville, received the award for her ability to use her multiple networks on campus to garner involvement and support for various programs and events. Landis is passionate about voter and civic engagement, along with helping others develop their leadership skills, according to award presenter Lauren Howard.
“I’m very grateful. It means a lot to win this award because my whole life I’ve grown up valuing service and wanting to give back to the community,” said Landis. “One of the main reasons I wanted come to ECU was because of the motto, Servire. It means that I’ve excelled at what I’m trying to do, which is give back to my Greenville community.”
Excellence in Student Leadership Award
The Truist Leadership Excellence in Student Leadership Award is presented to individuals who exhibit exemplary skills or achievement in campus leadership, make a positive community impact, or help to address a significant North Carolina problem. This year, five students were recognized.
Tori Bain, a senior majoring in environmental studies, is involved on campus with ECU student ambassadors and Alpha Phi Omega and has served as an orientation assistant. As part of an internship with ECU’s waste management team, she created impactful sustainable programming across campus, including at athletic events.
Jonathan Coleman, an MBA student, has served in the ECU Student Government Association as well as Fraternity and Sorority Life. He competed in the finals of the Aman Pirate Challenge with his financial literacy business, Huddle Wealth. Coleman has empowered students through inclusive programming, mentorship and education.
Alexander Fisher, a senior majoring in biochemistry, made a lasting impact at ECU. He is the founder of ECU’s campus EMS and the Honors College Ambassador program. He has over 3,000 hours of EMT service and has trained more than 1,000 people in CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED) usage.
Joanna Matthew is a senior biology major and the president of the Honors College student council. In this role, she has blended science with service to improve learning and health care access. She has organized impactful campuswide initiatives and led Anatovault, a supplier of inexpensive, simple and accessible 3D anatomical models to support medical education.
Trisha Rangaraju is a junior public health major whose leadership has expanded health care access and inspired future medical professionals across eastern North Carolina. She is the founder of MedPals and has led hands-on educational programs focused on science and medicine for underserved students in the Greenville area.
Public Fellows Internship Program
Supported by funding from the State Employees’ Credit Union Foundation, the SECU Public Fellows Internship program connects undergraduate students with local leadership so they can obtain meaningful on-the-job experience with a local agency or organization, providing a unique learning opportunity and avenue to give back to the community. This year’s SECU Public Fellow Interns are Veronica Almanza, Jaliyah Armstrong, Elayna Arthur, Heather Baker, Emily Bronson, Emma Corbett, Whitley Dockery, Sierra Durand, Joe Harris Jr., Angela Lamb, Mason Lane, Dayton Lynch, Wesley Manning, Ilaria Noonan, Leslie Abby Perez, Tierney Reardon, Yanelis Romero, Michayla Ross and Kayla Wenzel.
Staff Emeritus Recognition
The ECU Staff Senate recognizes retired staff members who have made significant contributions to the university through a long and distinguished record of service, dedication, leadership and innovation. Those receiving staff emeritus status this year are as follows:
- Kimberly Briley, Brody School of Medicine
- Wendy Creasey, Academic Technologies
- Carlester Crumpler, Athletics
- Eric Diaddorio, Diving and Water Safety
- Sharon Hamilton, University Advancement
- Timothy Hartley, Campus Recreation and Wellness
- Dr. Beverly King, IPAR
- Brenda Perkins, College of Education
- Dr. Lynn Roeder, Student Life
Suzanne Sparrow, University and Medical Center Institutional Review Board - Gary Vanderpool, Brody School of Medicine
- Ann Windham, University Advancement
Centennial Awards for Excellence
The awards recognize staff, faculty, administrators and teams who are nominated by their colleagues for “going the extra mile every day to make a difference” on campus in the areas of leadership, service and spirit.
Leadership
- Sherri Winslow, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
- Dr. Jefferson Shinpaugh, Department of Physics
- Charles Suggs, Facilities Services
- S.H.O.E.S. Project – Campus Living Team
Service
- Karen Vail-Smith, College of Health and Human Performance
- Bill Bagnell, Campus Operations
- Ellen Goldberg, Student Health Services
- Division of University Advancement
Spirit
- Dr. Valerie Kisler-Van Reede, Counseling Center
- Margaret Turner, Honors College
- Andrea Menichelli, Department of Economics
- Dr. Jessica Triche and the Family Medicine Clinic leadership team