November 2025 Newsletter
Pictured above: Rhonda Walton Walston, Dr. Downes, Susan Stuppnig, Dr. Alston, Cathy Cox Moore, and Dr. Thomas.
Gratitude in Action: Scholarship Honors Beloved Faculty Mentor and Friend
Gratitude in Action: Scholarship Honors Beloved Faculty Mentor and Friend
Gratitude. It is a word that comes to mind when Susan Stuppnig thinks about her beloved friend, mentor, and faculty member, Dr. Shel Downes—and it is to him Susan credits much of her life’s journey. Susan’s path to counseling didn’t come right away. She came to it through experiences from her earlier work teaching and childhood passions, which landed her in Greenville, NC where she attended ECU as a nontraditional student. It was here, at ECU that Susan feels she learned the real skills she could use in the real world that would shape her.
While navigating her new academic path, Susan was surrounded by faculty who uplifted and encouraged their students along the way. Dr. Downes was one of Susan’s favorite faculty members. Listening to Susan talk about the mentorship, the camaraderie of the class, and the opportunities for professional and personal development made you feel like you knew Dr. Downes, too. Or if you didn’t, you would want to get to know him.
Susan stated that Dr. Downes would encourage students to “make the world a different place” through their actions. Dr. Downes and his wife, Meta, would often open their home to students for activities and opportunities for students to learn. Susan said that at the front of the house Dr. Downes had all the military flags displayed, a nod to his time in the service. Their backyard was also fully accessible, with ramps, so that all students could attend the end-of-year picnic.
Dr. Downes was passionate about counseling, teaching, his students, and being a dad, and Susan knew that she wanted to honor him in some way. Susan’s father appreciates that his daughter learned the lesson of being philanthropic and recently decided to make his own contribution to express in gratitude towards Dr. Downes and ECU.
The Dr. Shel Downes Endowed Scholarship started in 2015, has helped several students realize their dream of attending school and is allowing Dr. Downes’ legacy to live on through them.
To give to the Dr. Downes scholarship and help other students in the Dept. of Addictions and Rehabilitation Studies, you can go to the following link.
To learn more about creating your own scholarship please contacting Sarah Swain, ECU Health Foundation.
Pictured to the above: Susan Stuppnig and Dr. Downes.
💰 Scholarship Opportunities 📚
Through the contributions of generous donors and alumni ECU College of Allied Health Sciences offers many wonderful scholarship opportunities for ECU students. These opportunities are available to both undergraduate and graduate students.
To apply, visit ECUAWard and sign in with your Pirate ID. First, complete the ECU general application, which will ask some general information and will update information (GPA, credit hours, etc.) from Banner. After submitting the general application, you’ll be prompted to fill out a supplemental application specific to the CAHS. You must complete both applications to qualify for CAHS scholarships. Most scholarships are auto-match opportunities, which means that you will automatically be considered for any scholarships for which you meet the criteria based on your general and supplemental application answers and the information uploaded from Banner.
While applying, you may see additional “apply-to” scholarships that require supplemental questions. Completing the supplemental questions is necessary for consideration for those scholarships.
Scholarships are credited to your ECU tuition bill, typically split between Fall 2026 and Spring 2027. Most require full-time enrollment, although there are some exceptions. All applicants will receive their application status via ECUAWard by April 2026.
Just a reminder, that applications are due January 15, 2026.
Occupational Therapy Shines
In late October, Kelsey Arnold, Courtney Frycz, and Anna Horne attended the North Carolina Occupational Therapy Association (NCOTA) state conference in Charlotte to present on their research project – Integrating Standardized Assessment and Intervention: Clinical insights from the Power Over Parkinson’s Program and the use of the Performance Assessment of Self-care Skills (PASS).
And while they were there, Dr. Turbeville just happened to win the NCOTA Award for Outstanding Practice in Education!
Congratulations to you all, and thanks for being outstanding ambassadors of Pirate Nation.
🌎 CAHS students recognized at Global Affair Awards 🌎
Lucy Hess, Occupational Therapy master’s student, and Skylar Moody, CSDI Speech-Language Pathology master’s student, were recognized at the ECU Office of Global Affairs International Awards Ceremony. They received significant awards from the Thomas W. Rivers Foreign Exchange Scholarship to aid in funding their participation on the 2026 spring break collaborative service-learning trip to Dominica. Students from OT and CSDI will travel with faculty to Dominica to provide therapy services and trainings facilitated by Therapy Abroad.
Hannah Harris, CSDI Speech-Language Pathology master’s student, also received a photo contest award for the “Servire” category. She submitted a photo from her 2025 Dominica trip of the team presenting school supplies to teachers and students at Castle Bruce Primary School. We are so proud of these students for choosing to engage in global education!
No Quarter Cafe- Updates
Tuesday, November 18, 2025 was the last No Quarter Cafe for the fall semester. Have no fear, they will be back for the spring and serving meals on Tuesday’s and Thursdays!!!!
This semester they served around 586 meals!!! Special thanks to Ellie, Brooke, Karen, Dayana, and Jameel who make these amazing meals reality this semester!! Also, shout out to graduate student Sammie and faculty Roxanne Wilder! Hours for the spring service will be 11- 12:30 pm.
DPT faculty members Dr. Chia-Cheng Lin and Dr. Shellie Zsoldos
Congratulations to DPT faculty members Dr. Chia-Cheng Lin and Dr. Shellie Zsoldos on their recent publication in Case Reports in Otolaryngology, titled “Resolution of Dizziness Following Treatment for Chronic Rhinosinusitis: A Case Report from Physical Therapy Outpatient Setting.”
This case report highlights the importance of a holistic and interdisciplinary approach in managing patients with dizziness, emphasizing how sinus-related conditions, such as chronic rhinosinusitis, can influence vestibular symptoms and recovery.
Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eqZHjTXS
Rothermich, K., Baker-Iyore, R. P., Dowson, D., Ragsdale, H., Eanes, E., McNeill, M., Lee, M. H., Farr, D. E., Eaves, A., Lee, J. G. L., & Bobb, S. C. (2025). Patient-Provider Communication and Health Disparities: An Experiment Exploring Language Proficiency and Communication Accommodation. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, advance online publication. Rothermich, K., Baker-Iyore, R. P., Dowson, D., Ragsdale, H., Eanes, E., McNeill, M., Lee, M. H., Farr, D. E., Eaves, A., Lee, J. G. L., & Bobb, S. C. (2025). Patient-Provider Communication and Health Disparities: An Experiment Exploring Language Proficiency and Communication Accommodation. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, advance online publication.
Madison Gilder – Management of Knee Osteoarthritis in a Group Physical Therapy Setting: A Pilot Study
Authors: Madison Gilder, SPT; Tyler White, SPT; John D. Willson, PT, PhD; Sarah Johnson, PT, DPT, OCS
Samantha Morgan – Translating the Secondary Prevention Model into Clinical Practice with an Individual with Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Samantha Morgan, Danielle McDowell, Chia-Chen Lin, Amy Wedge
Danielle McDowell – The Long-term Effects of an Interdisciplinary GroupExercise Program in People with Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Danielle McDowell, Samantha Morgan, Chia-Chen Lin, Lauren Turbeville, Amy Wedge
Caroline Pittman – Advanced Footwear technology effects of patellofemoral joint and achilles tendon loads during running
Authors: Pittman C, Padhye A, Wedge R, Meardon SA, Willson JD
Megan Ehrhardt + McKenzie Shoaf – Effects Of Maternal Exercise Mode on Infant Neuromotor Outcomes in Pregnancies Complicated by Gestational Diabetes
Authors: Ehrhardt M, Shoaf M, Kern K, Claiborne A, Wu Q, Surkar S, Tinius R, McMillan AG, May LE
Haley Shand – Associations Between Eye Movement Metrics and VOMS Outcomes Following Concussion
Authors: Haley Shand, Shellie Zsoldos, Chia-Cheng Lin
Cassie Thill – A Machine Learning Approach to Classify Parkinson’s Disease Using Saccadic Eye Movement Characteristics
Cassie Thill, Rui Wu, Gerardo Gonzalez Rodriguez, Ryan Hall, Amy Wedge, Chia-Cheng Lin
Congratulations to these amazing students and all of their hard work!
🎉 Awards and Recognition 🎉
The Department of Physical Therapy asks you to join us in congratulating Dr. Christine Lysaght on being accepted as a Distinguished Fellow of the National Academies of Practice (FNAP) within the Physical Therapy Academy. This prestigious recognition honors her exceptional contributions to the profession and her leadership in advancing interprofessional education and collaboration in healthcare. Dr. Lysaght’s induction into the NAP Class of 2026 reflects her dedication to improving patient-centered care through teamwork, inclusivity, and innovation. We are proud to see her representing East Carolina University and the College of Allied Health Sciences on a national stage.
Congratulations to Dr. Lauren Sastre (NUTR) on her new award from Genentech, Inc, “RFP 2025 North Carolina: Enhancement and Expansion of Farm2Clinic Impact on Nutrition and Health in Rural, Eastern North Carolina”
Congratulations to Dr. Will Eblin (CSDI) on his new award from Scottish Rite Masonic Foundation, “Scottish Rite Language and Literacy Program”
🍎Conference Presentations🍎
Dr. Deirdre Larsen recently delivered two ASHA presentations showcasing her work in advancing clinical training and digital literacy in speech-language pathology. She highlighted the success of ECU’s Student-Led Dysphagia Clinic, which strengthens graduate competency through hands-on experience while expanding access to care for head and neck cancer patients. She also presented strategies for evaluating speech pathology content online, equipping clinicians with tools to navigate misinformation and promote evidence-based communication. Together, her contributions underscore ECU’s leadership in innovative clinical education and responsible professional engagement in digital spaces.
Dr. Kathrin Rothermich, gave an invited talk about our research on social communication in Parkinson‘s Disease. It included current collaborations with the ECU CAHS OT department and some of our eye tracking studies. Dr. Rothermich was also grateful to be able to connect with some ECU CSDI grad students at the conference, Maddy Keyes (Funke) and Kim Fleck Williamson.
Dr. Matthew Walenski and Madison Butcher presented a poster on vowel formant centralization in adults with acquired aphasia and apraxia of speech. The poster was based on Madison’s undergraduate work here at ECU. Madison is currently a graduate student at University of North Carolina Greensboro.
Thanks a Latte & Gratitude Tree
Thank you for making our Thanks a Latte & Gratitude Tree event such a wonderful success! When our schedules get busy and stress begins to build, it can be hard to remember to pause and “smell the pumpkin spice coffee.” I’m so grateful that so many of you took a moment to stop by, share a kind word, and connect with one another.
Together, we completed 120 gratitude leaves, enjoyed an estimated 150 cups of coffee, and—most importantly—shared countless meaningful conversations and connections.
Thank you again to everyone who participated and contributed to the spirit of gratitude in our college community.
Special gratitude to all the tape that held the tree up!
On November 13th – 14th four HSIM students attended the 5th annual undergraduate case competition in Charleston, SC. Professor Kayla Sears was the team faculty coach for the competition. The team (pictured above from left to right) included Cassidy Wightman, Emily Harouni, Eloise Griffiths, and Adrianna Parrish.
Emily Harouni stated “The event offered a motivating environment to learn, exchange ideas, and connect with future healthcare leaders. Hearing the creative and thoughtful approaches from other teams truly broadened our perspective and made the experience even more rewarding”.
🍁 A Season of Service 🍁
SHIIMA Donates to the VA
The Student Health Informatics and Information Management Association (SHIIMA) hosted a Donation Drive for the Greenville VA Clinic’s Micro Food Pantry October 27th – November 7th. Thank you to everyone who donated items!
VA Picture – Left to Right – SHIIMA President Ashley Clinefelter, SHIIMA Faculty Advisor Professor Katelyn Rouse, and SHIIMA Secretary Sandra Addo.
Student Leadership Council donates $500 to the Ronald McDonald House
The Student Leadership Council worked this year find ways to give back to the community. This year they decided to do a donation drive that would benefit the Ronald McDonald House. The group hosted a friendly competition for each area. Groups could earn points by donating specific items from the list, donating blood, or bringing in items during double points day.
The group was able to raise around $500 in supplies to the Ronald McDonald House including diapers, pop tarts, cereal, and personal items. Congratulations to our Physician Assistant students who donated the most items!
Several other student groups participated in donation drives during the month of October and November. Shout out to all students, faculty, and staff for their commitment to service this season.
Future Healthcare Professionals Conference
On Saturday, November 22, a group of CAHS students assisted with a panel discussion at the Future Health Care Professionals Conference held at the East Carolina Heart Institute from 9 am to 2 pm. This conference targets high school students who may be interested in health care and encourages them to look at other areas beyond the general ones they naturally think of. Parents also joined the high school students who ranged from grades 9 to 12.
Abigale Williams – CSDI, Lydia Crawford- CSDI, Ashton Duty – PA, Eli Toole – PT, Caitlyn Mayo- PT, and Grace Stroube- OT were able to share reasons why they came to ECU, their journey here, how they got into their program of choice, their expectations of the program, and other factors that may help a student consider their area in health care. After the Q&A, Mandy Messerli, Alumni Director, gave an overview of all areas of our college to ensure the students, their teachers, and family members saw multiple options in healthcare.
Our students are gearing up for finals, and a little support goes a long way! 💜📚We’re collecting snacks to help them stay energized and encouraged during this busy time. If you’d like to lend a hand, you can donate directly through our Amazon Wishlist below. Amazon Wishlist: https://lnkd.in/eQ6aj-xS We’ll also include words of encouragement with the snack bags, so feel free to add a message they can hold onto during finals week. Words of encouragement:https://lnkd.in/eq3h6ahi
✏️ Important Dates ✏️
December 2- Giving Tuesday
December 3 – 2nd 8-week Fall Classes End (There is no final exam period for 8-week courses. The final exam is on the last day of class.)
December 5 – Door Decorating Contest Voting Begins – See Melissa Wallace for details
December 8 – 🌟 Classes End 🌟
December 9 – Reading Day & Cookies and Cocoa Holiday Decorating Party – 1:00-3:00 in Room 1405
December 10 – Final Exams begin 📚
December 16 – Spring 2026 tuition due by 5:00 pm; Spring schedules will be cancelled for non-payment after 5:00 pm.
The University will assess a $25.00 processing fee beginning on December 16, 2025, after 5 pm for all accounts cancelled for non-payment that re-register. Additionally, any student incurring tuition and fee charges for the first time after December 16, 2025, will be assessed a $25.00 processing fee.
December 17 – Final Exams end
December 19 – 🎓Commencement 🎓& Departmental Recognition Ceremony
December 24 – January 2, 2026 – ECU Closed for Winter Break
-2026-
January 12 – Spring 2026 Classes begin
January 14 – Last day to make schedule changes (add/drop) for 1st 8-week Spring classes by 5:00 pm
January 16 – Last day to make schedule changes (add/drop) for Spring (full-semester) classes by 5:00 pm
January 19 – State Holiday (no classes)
January 21 – Final tuition due date for Spring 2026
Save the Date:
10 years of Pirate Nation Gives– 3-4-26