Pirates sail into a new school year
How do you take over 4,100 freshmen from 41 states and 16 countries and get them acclimated to Pirate Nation? By surrounding them with passionate volunteers at move-in followed by three days of spirited events designed to help students make connections and grow comfortable with their surroundings before the start of classes on Aug. 25.
Mastering Move-in
Elizabeth Lallathin pushed a big gray rolling cart filled with a comforter, rug and other room essentials up the walkway along 10th Street to Umstead Residence Hall, where her son, Will, moved in Wednesday.
Kristen Wingate, left, helps her daughter Micael move into Cotten Hall. (Photo by Rhett Butler)
The family had made the two-and-a-half-hour drive from their home in Wilmington, arriving in Greenville to overcast skies and a breeze, pleasant conditions for move-in day despite the humidity.
“Check-in at Minges was super easy, everyone was really kind, most people open the doors for you, and they made it clear as to what to do and how to get to Umstead, which I appreciated,” Elizabeth said. “We’re looking forward to having Sup Dogs or the Pirate Deli afterward, just enjoying Greenville.”
Will, a freshman and intended construction management major, is the second Lallathin to make ECU home. Daughter Riley is a sophomore majoring in communication and political science and a resident advisor in Clement Residence Hall this year.
“We’re an ECU family now,” Elizabeth said. “We’re Pirate Nation in our house. Everything’s purple and gold.”
Elizabeth and her husband, Bob, said they felt more prepared and confident for move-in since they did it just last year with their daughter.
“It’s great to see your daughter be so excited. She couldn’t wait to get back to school,” Bob said.
“We know what a great school this is and we’re so excited that our kids are here,” Elizabeth said. “They’re doing things that get them to where they want to be and enjoying it along the way.”
Move-in offered a return to Cotten Hall for Kristen Wingate ’98 of Charlotte. She lived on the second floor of the residence hall as a freshman and was moving her daughter, Micael, into a room on the third floor.
“This is a really special day,” she said. “I lived in this dorm and my husband went to and graduated from ECU too. We’re having a great time; it’s a walk down memory lane. I hope she enjoys her time here and has a lot of fun.”
Micael Wingate indicated that her college decision was an easy one.
“Both of my parents went here and growing up I was surrounded by it,” she said. “I always wanted to go here.”
She’s undecided on a major but has a few goals for her first year of college.
“I’m excited to meet new people, go to football games and hope to become a better student,” she said.
Megan Thorson, a freshman art major from Holden Beach, helped some of her classmates move into Cotten Hall on Wednesday along with other members of the Marching Pirates. Thorson arrived earlier for band camp and had already moved in, which gave her a unique perspective.
“It’s interesting because you can see the different amounts of stuff that other people brought compared to what I did,” she said. “I can sit back and say, ‘I know this is going to be difficult for the rooms or this is much smarter than what I did.’”
Prepared Professors
Dr. Janghyun Thomas Kim plays the clarinet while Dr. Narae Lee plays the piano during faculty convocation. (Photo by Steven Mantilla)
ECU faculty members gathered in Wright Auditorium on Friday morning for the annual faculty convocation.
Drs. Janghyun Thomas Kim and Narae Lee, faculty members in the School of Music, teamed up for a pair of performances with Kim playing clarinet and Lee playing piano.
Chancellor Philip Rogers welcomed faculty members to the 2025-26 academic year. In his remarks he thanked faculty members for their contributions to help ECU achieve Research 1 (R1) status and become a national model for student success, public service and regional transformation.
“Your daily interactions with our learners serve as the bedrock, you are the foundation which we build our commitment to their success,” he said.
Faculty chair Mark Bowler, associate professor of psychology, expressed his appreciation for the performers and outlined how faculty can use academic freedom both in the classroom and as private citizens.
Gabrielle Freeman, associate professor of English, recited poems from her book “Dissent” to conclude the ceremony.
Rec Raiders
Instead of the sound of basketballs hitting the floor and the whirring of a treadmill belt, laughter and blaring music from a DJ filled the Eakin Student Recreation Center on Friday for the seventh annual Raid the Rec. The two-story facility had multiple activities on the lower floor including an inflatable obstacle course, ring toss, golf simulator, Mario Kart, a nine-hole mini golf course and a photo booth. Free food options offered something for every palate. Students raced upstairs to grab a T-shirt and were greeted by club sports teams looking for new participants as well as other carnival games.
Shreya Panigrahi lines up her arrow at the inflatable archery range at Raid the Rec. (Photo by Rhett Butler)
Kemyon Oglesby of Salisbury, a freshman electrical engineering major, was one of the attendees. Oglesby said he heard about the event through signs around campus and was drawn by the free food but ended up trying archery for the first time and took home a T-shirt.
“I didn’t know what I was doing at first, but the rec center staff helped me,” he said. “It just took a little practice. There’s a lot of good food here and I feel like I’ll be back at the rec center often.”
Freshman Kimberly Ramirez-Mendoza from Washington, North Carolina, majoring in speech and hearing sciences, came to Raid the Rec to make new connections.
“I’m a bit shy and introverted so I decided to get out of my shell and try to meet new people,” she said. “It’s a new place and a new life so I decided I should get out there and not be lonely sitting in my dorm.”
Ramirez-Mendoza was attracted to the ring toss having done the activity many years ago at a fair. A member of the honors program, she hopes to find her place in the Honors College and on campus.
“I hope to get involved with my peers and staff there. I’d like to try and get a leadership position and try to find myself.”
Thomas Johnson, a freshman economics major from Apex, won a candy apple while playing ring toss.
“It sounded like a good time,” he said of Raid the Rec. “I’ve never done ring toss before, but it feels great to have won. I’m looking forward to the school year and getting to meet a lot of great people and join an interesting club.”
Shreya Panigrahi, a freshman biology major from Cary, came with her friends Arabella Blinka, Poorni Rishi and Rajvi Sheth. Each took turns at the inflatable archery range set up in one of the group fitness class spaces.
“I heard there were going to be a lot of activities, free food and a free T-shirt,” Panigrahi said. “I was excited about that. We were coming as a group and wanted to get together.”
Spectacular Saturday Night
Students who attended the 24th annual Pirate Palooza at the Main Campus Student Center on Saturday had their choice of indoor and outdoor activities. Inside, ballrooms served as a place to show off karaoke skills, play laser tag, or enjoy food and board games. Early arrivers were also able to grab a free T-shirt. Outside on the grass between the building and Joyner Library, a rock climbing wall greeting those with an adventurous spirit as well as an inflatable slide, balloon artist and face painters.
Freshmen Madison Heyl, left, and Owen Frick scale a rock climbing wall at Pirate Palooza. (Photo by Steven Mantilla)
Sophomore Aiyanna Orozco, and her suitemate, freshman Lily Phillips visited the balloon artist and planned to go to face painting and the tie-dye T-shirt booths. Both were drawn to Pirate Palooza because of free activities and the opportunity to meet new people.
“I came last year and was excited to get to do it again,” Orozco said. “I like coming to these events. It gets me out.”
Freshmen Owen Frick and Madison Heyl competed against each other at the rock climbing wall. The duo had climbed before and were eager to do it again, with both expecting Frick to summit first. Frick proved those predictions to be correct.
“I expected to make it to the top first,” Frick said. “It’s fun. It’s nice to be able to do things outside of my dorm and not just sit around and wait for classes to start.”
Heyl said she enjoyed the community feel.
“It’s fun to get around and talk to people,” Heyl said. “We talked to people in line and random people cheered us on while we were climbing. I appreciated the support.”
Filled with Pirate Pride
On the eve of the first day of class, the newest Pirates learned the “Purple! Gold!” chant and sang the alma mater during New Student Welcome on Sunday afternoon at Minges Coliseum.
Head football coach Blake Harrell addresses students at new student welcome. (Photo by Steven Mantilla)
The spirited pep rally was led by senior baseball student-athlete Parker Byrd. After the ECU Marching Pirates drumline opened the program, Rogers welcomed the newest Pirates and reiterated the university’s commitment to student success.
After his remarks, Byrd and Student Government Association leaders Daniel Walker and Katie Council led the iconic chant. During the chant, the wristbands students received when they arrived lit up.
Next, Byrd explained the meaning of the No Quarter flag and showed the No Quarter hype video to an arena filled with red flashing lights followed by the football introduction video.
Head football coach Blake Harrell addressed the students, explaining how important the energy of the students and the fans is to the team. Harrell then encouraged them to enjoy the present moment and to embrace how each moment is part of a longer process.
“Enjoy the moment,” he said. “Make today the most important day of the year. Don’t worry about the outcome, when you’re going to get your degree or the end of the semester or exams. Every class is the most important class you’re in because that’s the moment and part of the process. If you take care of the process, the outcome will take care of itself.”
After the singing of the alma mater, the Class of 2029 went outside to Bagwell Field at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium to take their official class photo outlined in the shape of the state of North Carolina.