ECU honors 10 women for leadership, contributions

GREENVILLE, N.C — East Carolina University will honor members of its faculty staff, alumni and community leaders for their contributions to the institution and the region at an April 13 event focusing on women’s issues and leadership.

Valeria Lee, vice chairwoman and founding member of the N.C. Rural Economic Development Center, a state-funded non-profit that works toward rural economic vigor, will be the keynote speaker Wednesday, April 13 at this year’s ECU Women of Distinction awards. The event begins at 4 p.m. and concludes with an awards presentation at 6:30 p.m. in the Croatan Green Room. Lee’s talk is titled “Women’s Issues: 100 years back, 100 days forward.”

The event also includes a panel discussion of women’s issues in academia.

Diane J. Campbell, clinical assistant professor of medicine, Brody School of Medicine, and director, Community REACH Program, will receive the 2011 Linda Allred Profiles in Leadership Award. Allred, a former associate professor of psychology who died in 2005, directed the Women’s Studies Program and advocated for women’s rights and the rights of those with disabilities.

In addition, nine faculty members will receive an ECU Women of Distinction Award for 2011. They are: Margie Gallagher, College of Human Ecology; Jamie Kruse, Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences; Elizabeth Layman, College of Allied Health and Sciences; Deirdre Mageean, Division of Research and Graduate Studies; Linda Mooney, Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences; Diane Rodriguez-Luterbach, College of Education; Kathleen Row, Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences; Beth Velde, College of Allied Health Sciences and OEIED; Marianna Walker, College of Allied Health Sciences.

The Chancellor’s Committee on the Status of Women and the Office of Equity, Diversity and Community Relations sponsors the ECU Women of Distinction Awards.

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