College of Education awards scholarship to Duplin senior

Hannah Adams received the College of Education's first Educators Hall of Fame Centennial Scholarship last month. The four-year scholarship is awarded to an incoming freshman pursuing an education degree.

Adams, senior at Duplin County's James Kenan High School, has a 4.2 grade-point average. She plans to major in elementary education and return to Kenansville.

The scholarship was one of four presented in a ceremony held March 29. More than $122,000 were awarded at the event, ranging from $150 to $6,000.

Officials also announced the establishment of the James and Evelyn Kirkland Scholarship in Middle Grades Education. Its first scholarship will be offered next year.

History studied
The natural and human histories of eastern North Carolina are the topics of a seminar being presented Friday by the Departments of Geological Sciences, History and Programs of Maritime Studies and Coastal Resources Management. The symposium, part of the university's centennial celebration, is made up of a series of presentations by ECU faculty with time allowed for questions and discussion.

Topics will include the history of the Atlantic Ocean, local geology, Native American and post-contact archeology, ecosystem changes, maritime history and Hurricane Floyd. The event is from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. in the first-floor multipurpose room of Mendenhall Student Center. A reception will follow. A free parking pass can be obtained in advance by calling Dare Merritt at 328-6360.

Women honored
The university's Women Studies Department honored 10 of the campus' most outstanding women last month. The honorees shared the stage with author Maya Angelou, keynote speaker for the inaugural "Power and Pearls," a celebration of women's strength and leadership, sponsored by the Ledonia Wright Cultural Center and the Chancellor's Committee on the Status of Women.

Sharon Knight, associate dean of the College of Health and Human Performance, received the Dr. Linda Allred Profiles in Leadership Award. Allred, a longtime professor of psychology, died in 2005.

"It was great to see such a wide variety of disciplines represented," said Cheryl Dudasik-Wiggs, director of the Women's Studies Program and chairwoman of the nominating committee. "But more than that, we were overwhelmed with pride at the depth of passion our faculty members have for serving the broader community."

Knight, like Allred, exemplifies what it means to be a leader, a role model, and a mentor, Dudasik-Wiggs said. "She has studied women faculty's potential in academic medicine, the prevention of infant mortality, and HIV/AIDS service issues and needs among eastern North Carolina women," Wiggs said. "She has also worked for drug-free schools and with children of substance abusers."

The other women honored March 23 were:
• Dr. Margaret Bauer, Rives Chair in Southern Literature, Department of English.
• Dr. Shelia Grant Bunch, coordinator, Bachelor of Social Work Program.
• Dr. Anne Dickerson, chairwoman, Department of Occupational Therapy.
• Dr. Patricia "Pat" Dunn, coordinator, volunteer activities for international students, Global Academic Initiatives.
• Dr. Mary "Dee Dee" Glascoff, director, Community Health Program, Department of Health Education and Promotion.
• Dr. Virginia Hardy, interim Chief Diversity Officer, Brody School of Medicine interim Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and associate dean for counseling and diversity.
• Dr. Susan McCammon, professor and Director/Chairwoman, Behavioral and Social Sciences IRB, Department of Psychology
• Dr. Vivian Mott, chairwoman, Department of Counselor and Adult Education.
• Dr. Marilyn Sheerer, vice chancellor for Student Life.

Open house
Spring Open House is scheduled for Saturday. Sponsored by the admissions office, the event begins at 9 a.m. with an opening session at Wright Auditorium. Activities include an academic fair, a student life and organization fair, walking and bus tours of campus, and tours of the residence halls.

Thomas appointed
Gov. Mike Easley appointed Stephen Thomas, professor and dean of the School of Allied Health Sciences, to the North Carolina Institute of Medicine. The institute is an independent, nonprofit organization that serves as a nonpolitical source of policy analysis and advice on statewide health care issues. The purpose of the organization is to assure that complex and often controversial health issues are examined and disseminated to public sector officials with decision-making authority.

Chartered in 1983, the institute's 100 members are selected from government, education, business, health and legal professions, hospital and health insurance industries, private philanthropy and the public at large.

Thomas became dean of the School of Allied Health Sciences in 2003. Previously, he was chairman, professor and a graduate program director in the school's Department of Rehabilitation Studies. Thomas joined ECU's faculty in 1980.

Safety focus
Michelle Lieberman has been appointed the campus safety point person, making her responsible for creating a safety program for the university. Liberman, director of the Center for Off-Campus and Community Living, will be the chairwoman of a student safety and awareness task force that will identify issues and gaps in the current student safety plan. She will oversee writing a new plan, according to a news release. Liberman will report directly to Marilyn Sheerer, Vice Chancellor for Student Life.

Adult studies
The Division of Continuing Studies was honored last month for its commitment to helping adult learners. The division's Office of Continuing Professional Education received the North Carolina Adult Education Association's Creative and Innovative Program Award for its work on the "Practical Advice for Preserving Rosenwald Schools" conference.

The 2005 event brought together 68 professionals to discuss strategies to rehabilitate and preserve the historic school system founded in 1917 by Julius Rosenwald, president of Sears, Roebuck and Company.