Kickball tournament raises funds for scholarships in Haiti
Brody School of Medicine student Taylor McCauley pitches during the Kick-it for Haiti kickball tournament held Nov. 20 in Greenville. Photo by Cliff Hollis, ECU News Services.
GREENVILLE, N.C. — East Carolina University health sciences students raised $1,930 for scholarships for Haitian nursing students through a kickball tournament held Nov. 20.
A total of 100 students on 10 teams – six from the College of Nursing, two from the College of Allied Health Sciences and two from the Brody School of Medicine – competed on the Treybrooke Apartments field across from the ECU Health Sciences Building on West Fifth Street.
The winning team was Bean and the Brody Kickball Machine.
The tournament was sponsored by the East Carolina Association of Nursing Students, the Brody Chapter of the American Medical Association and the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association.
Major donors included Physicians East, Hite Associates and Dr. Thomas Bell Jr.
Nursing student Brittany Bell, one of the tournament organizers, said the funds will help contribute to the Haitian health care system by supporting the financial needs of students interested in pursuing nursing degrees as the country rebuilds from January’s devastating earthquake.
“By donating money, the community of East Carolina University will empower Haitian students to receive formal education and a means to facilitate the recovery of their society,” Bell said.
The ECU kickball participants, while pursuing different curriculums, share a passion in caring for others, Bell said.
“I think that Saturday’s event is a testament to the manner in which ECU encourages all health care providers – nurses, physicians, speech therapists – to be servant leaders and responsible, global citizens,” Bell said. “The unity is instilled and expected.”
ECU nursing has an ongoing relationship with the FSIL School of Nursing in Haiti. Earlier this year, ECU students, faculty, staff and alumni raised $8,500 for scholarships for Haitian nursing students during the college’s Diversity Day celebration. Faculty also has shared course syllabi, tests and course information.