March 2025 Newsletter
Update from Dean Orlikoff
Pirate Nation Gives
To everything there is a season. T. S. Eliot called April the “cruelest month.” It’s crunch time for our faculty, staff, and many students, to be followed by the joy, promise (and relief) of graduation. It’s a time of pollen, rain, and changeable weather, to be followed by our justly famous eastern NC summer.
When I say thank you to our Allied Health Sciences community, it is certainly no April Fool’s joke; It’s for our collective success in all we do, including an impressive showing during our recent Pirate Nation Gives campaign. Of course, each and every one of us contributes to CAHS success, as we donate a large part of our time and effort to our mission-driven institution and advancing health care. But I also urge you, if you haven’t done so already, to join me and our generous donors in providing the much-needed financial support that advances our collective efforts. Contribute as little as $5, but what counts is to be counted (Give ECU – College of Allied Health Sciences).
CAHS Graduation
The College of Allied Health Sciences is excited to celebrate our Spring and Summer graduates in May 2025. The large ECU graduation ceremony will be held on May 9, 2025 at 10:00 am inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. You can find information regarding commencement on the University Commencement page.
All CAHS Ceremonies will be held on Saturday, May 10, 2025, in the Main Campus Student Center Ballrooms.
CAHS Recognition Ceremony #1
9:00 am
Health Services and Information Management
Nutrition Science
Addiction and Rehabilitation Studies
CAHS Recognition Ceremony #2
12:00 pm
Clinical Laboratory Science
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Occupational Therapy
Physical Therapy
Graduating students should check their university email regarding regalia, tickets, etc.
PT 5K Results
On March 1, 2025 the Physical Therapy Club hosted the PT the Pirate 5k. It was a beautiful day for 121 racers to participate in the 1 mile fun run or the 5K.
The top three runners were:
- Jackson Wood
- Megan Garrison
- Jason Schmitt
The rest of the results for the run can be found on the Results For PT the Pirate 5K page.
The Club raised about $6000 from the race! All proceeds will be used to fund our community programs such as the student run clinic, student conferences, other education needs and promoting the ECU PT Club in Greenville and surrounding areas.
Need a new headshot?
Enhance your LinkedIn profile and prepare for your job search with a professional headshot. As a student, you have access to this service at no cost. Simply visit University Communications – Creative Services and select the teal button for Health Sciences headshots. You will be prompted to create an account, but registration is free.
HSIM Alumni Collaborative
East Carolina University’s Department of Health Services & Information Management will host an alumni-led quarterly collaborative meeting to build alumni connections and brainstorm ideas for enhancing the development of Healthcare leaders nationwide.
Please join Gonzalo Loza, Dr. Elijah Asagbra, and other excited HSIM alumni on this new collaboration of Pirate minds across the country.
As the ECU’s Alumni Association states: “Your time as a student may be short, but your time as a Pirate lasts a lifetime. We’re here to keep you connected to ECU, no matter where your ship sails.”
Meeting ID: 919 966 9980
Feel free to forward the invite to any HISM Alumni.
If you have additional questions please reach out to Gonzalo Loza, Gonzalo_loza@med.unc.edu or Mandy Messerli, CAHS Alumni Director, messerlim@ecu.edu.
Fuel Their Success: Support Our Students During Finals Week
We invite our Alumni and friends of the college to support our students by contributing snacks for distribution during finals week. These snacks will provide a much-needed boost of energy and encouragement as students navigate their exams. Your generosity can make a meaningful impact on their focus and well-being during this demanding time.
In addition to snacks, we encourage you to include words of support and encouragement to inspire our students as they give their best effort. A small gesture can go a long way in reminding them that they have a strong community cheering them on. Thank you for helping us create a supportive and uplifting environment during this crucial time!
🍎📚💪
Please contact Mandy Messerli, Alumni Director, messerlim@ecu.edu if you have any questions.
Nutrition Club and Pirate Pantry Collaboration
The health and nutrition club have collaborated with the Purple Pantry to bring awareness to food insecurity. They are collecting items in Lapus Library. If you’d like to donate, you can check their website for their most needed items or order through their Amazon Wishlist.
Health Sciences Campus (HSC) Student Center Purple Pantry is location in Room 122A HSC Student Center (Enter through hallway to the right of HSC Recreation Center). Hours of Operation are on Thursday from 9AM-11AM. To gain access and/or directions to the Pantry at other times, please visit the HSC Student Center Welcome Desk.
Spotlights
Faculty – Denise Donica, DHSc, OTR/L, BCP, FAOTA, FNAP
Degrees-Indiana University, BA in Psychology and Criminal Justice (double major), BS in Occupational Therapy University of Indianapolis, MHS in Occupational Therapy, DHSc in Occupational Therapy
Honors- Recently Denise was inducted as a Distinguished Scholar Fellow of the National Academies of Practice in the Occupational Therapy Academy. Way to go!
Advice to students – Believe in yourself, don’t be afraid to ask for help, seek out resources, don’t neglect your own health and wellness.
One thing people don’t know about me: My favorite music is Christian rock with bands like Skillet and for KING & COUNTRY at the top of the list.
Staff – Melissa Wallace
Position: Senior Student Support Specialist
How long have you been at ECU? I have worked at ECU’s College of Nursing for nearly 15 years and recently started my new role at CAHS in March.
What are your favorite things to do outside of work? Outside of work, I love spending quality time with my family and playing with my puppy. I also try to get to the beach as much as possible to enjoy the outdoors. When I’m not doing that, I enjoy reading and staying active—Barre workouts, yoga, and beach walks are my favorite ways to exercise.
Stop by CAHS 3370 and say hello!
Student – Abigail Ormond
Degree(s): Communication Sciences and Disorders BS Current Clinical Doctorate of Audiology, AuD student
Person who influenced you the most at ECU? Dr. Deb Culbertson is a professor in the AuD program and she was also my clinical supervisor. She taught many of our classes and was a big part of my education!
Favorite place to study? Laupus Library! I spent many hours in study rooms writing on white boards!
Words of wisdom for other students? The allied health field is a great field with a lot of need in our community. There’s a lot of varying job opportunities so there is something for everyone! For communication sciences and disorders specifically, we help people communicate in their day to day lives which allows them to be engaged in conversations. It’s a very rewarding career with a lot of flexibility.
Alumni – Gonzalo Loza
Degree(s):
Bachelor of Science in Health Service Management from ECU in 2019
Currently working on Master’s in Health Administration at UNC Chapel Hill
Advice for students just entering the profession: Pay meticulous attention to your leader and their leaders. Observe their professionalism and leadership skills they possess. Engage in open and thoughtful dialogue with your leader, asking as many questions as possible. Take the time to thoroughly comprehend the reasons behind the tasks you are assigned.
Upcoming Events
- March 28th – Summer and Fall 2025 registration begins at 1:00 pm – Have you talked to your advisor yet?
- April 7- Last day to withdraw from 2nd 8-week classes by 5:00 pm – Course Drops/Withdrawal Policy
- April 18- State Holiday (no school)
- April 30 – Reading Day 📚
- May 1 – Final Exams begin for 15 week classes
- May 8 – Exams for 15 week classes end
- May 9- University Commencement 10:00 am 🎓
- May 10 – Departmental Graduation – 9 am and 12 pm.
- May 13- SAVE THE DATE! Alumni Baseball Tailgate! ⚾️
- May 19 – Summer Session 1 begins