ECU establishes new College of Health and Human Sciences
- The College of Health and Human Sciences will begin with about 4,600 students this fall.
- CHHS is a health-focused college with 11 departments, plus the School of Social Work, Army ROTC and Air Force ROTC.
- New ECU Libraries era begins under leadership of Beth Ketterman.
A new college at East Carolina University — the College of Health and Human Sciences — centers on health, well-being and community, while preparing students for careers in healthcare, wellness and related industries.
The College of Health and Human Sciences began operations July 1 under dean Nicole Bromfield. This health-focused college unites programs formerly in the College of Allied Health Sciences and the College of Health and Human Performance.
Since ECU Chancellor Philip Rogers announced formation plans for CHHS in October 2025, campus leaders were future-focused and strategic in the transformative process of building the CHHS foundation. Insight was gathered intentionally from listening sessions and an array of perspectives, including from faculty, students and community partners.
The college will start the fall semester with about 4,600 students.
“As a large and dynamic health sciences college focused on people’s health and well-being in rural settings, our mission is clear: We are here to help people thrive,” Bromfield said. “I am proud to serve as the founding dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences. ECU’s motto, Servire, is not just a goal for us. It is a lifestyle.”
The CHHS units are:
- Air Force ROTC
- Army ROTC
- Department of Addiction and Rehabilitation Studies
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Science
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
- Department of Health Education and Promotion
- Department of Health Services and Information Management
- Department of Human Development and Family Science
- Department of Kinesiology
- Department of Nutrition Science
- Department of Occupational Therapy
- Department of Physical Therapy
- Department of Recreation Sciences and Sport Management
- School of Social Work
“I am so pleased to see the College of Health and Human Sciences come to life under the leadership of Dean Bromfield,” said Dr. Chris Buddo, ECU provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. “ECU has long been a leader in the education of our healthcare and wellness professionals. I see this new college as yet another manifestation of our continuing commitment to training the next generation of health professionals who will lead with expertise, compassion and a deep dedication to improving the well-being of the communities we serve.”
Also July 1, ECU’s libraries — Joyner Library, Laupus Health Sciences Library and the Music Library — merged, in unit code and organizational model, into the ECU Libraries structure. Beth Ketterman, the former Laupus Library director, began as ECU’s first University Librarian.
“The physical locations of our libraries have not changed,” Ketterman said. “Each of our libraries provides specialized knowledge to its patrons. People love to enter our buildings and interact with our employees, the rich history collections and technology tools, which always makes us proud to serve others. Together, and as we move forward, we are committed to enhancing all learning and research possibilities.”
Former Joyner Library director Jan Lewis retired June 30.
As part of other academic shifts, interior design and merchandising has joined the College of Engineering and Technology, and physician assistant studies will join the Brody School of Medicine.
Bromfield, who has been a dean at ECU since July 2024, is a former Fulbright research and teaching scholar and social work professor who has completed past research projects in the United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, India, Namibia and other nations. She added that CHHS will value experiential learning opportunities such as study abroad, research, internships, work in clinics and labs, and service learning.
“All of it is health work,” she said. “Keeping people well, moving, learning and connected to their communities. Students learn this work by doing it.”
Many of the CHHS programs complement classroom learning with internships and research opportunities that support community wellness and regional transformation. Students intern with rural county health departments and public schools, in ECU Health hospitals and clinics, at the five-star Nancy W. Darden Child Development Center, and with community agencies throughout the state.
“We don’t just live in eastern North Carolina, we also work in partnership with the eastern North Carolina communities we serve,” Bromfield said. “Rural service delivery is one of our defining strengths.”
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