East Carolina University – Profile, Academics, Ranking

 

East Carolina University Administration

East Carolina University, a prominent higher education institution, has had six presidents and seven chancellors throughout its history. Robert Herring Wright became the first president of ECTTS on November 13, 1909. The title changed when ECU joined the UNC System in 1972. The chancellor is selected by the University of North Carolina Board of Governors, which operates under recommendations from the system’s president and reports to ECU’s 12-member Board of Trustees. Four trustees are appointed by the Governor of North Carolina, while the Board of Governors selects the remaining eight. The ECU student body president serves as an ex officio member.

Cecil Staton took on the role of chancellor in 2016, following Steve Ballard. After Staton’s resignation in 2019, the UNC System appointed Dan Gerlach as interim chancellor. Later that year, Gerlach was placed on administrative leave due to social media footage showing interactions with students at a bar. UNC System Interim President Bill Roper then appointed ECU Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor Ronald Mitchelson as acting chancellor. In December 2020, Philip Rogers was named ECU’s 12th chancellor.

The University of North Carolina Board of Governors functions as the decision-making body overseeing governance, supervision, and policy implementation across its schools and universities. It consists of 32 voting members, each elected by the General Assembly for four-year terms.

Rankings

Academic Rankings

National:

• Forbes – 519
• U.S. News & World Report – 194
• Washington Monthly – 162
• WSJ/College Pulse – 500

Global:

• THE – 801–1000
• U.S. News & World Report – 1023

In 2016, ECU was designated as a National University and ranked in the top tier by U.S. News & World Report. In 2010, Forbes recognized ECU as one of the best colleges in the US, ranking it 36th on the “America’s Best College Buys” list.

The Brody School of Medicine at ECU gained national recognition in the 2012 edition of U.S. News & World Report, ranking 10th for primary care physician preparation, 13th in rural medicine, and 14th in family medicine. In 2010, Brody placed seventh on the social mission scale.

In 2009, the university received the Patriot Award, which acknowledges educational institutions for their commitment to employees in the National Guard and Reserves. The following year, ECU was honored with the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award—the highest recognition given by the U.S. Government to employers supporting service members.

Songs

“Hail to Thy Name So Fair” serves as ECU’s alma mater. First appearing in the 1940–41 East Carolina Teachers College Student Handbook, it was composed by Harold A. McDougle, a 1944 graduate who later worked as a part-time instructor in the Music Department. The Marching Pirates perform the alma mater at all home football and basketball games. Before home football games, the national anthem is played, followed by the alma mater and the E.C. Victory song. After games, the football team gathers near the student section to sing both songs together.

Notable Alumni

East Carolina University has produced graduates who have excelled in higher education, business, and the arts. Nia Imani Franklin, an American composer and beauty pageant titleholder, won Miss New York and later became Miss America 2019. Actress Emily Procter, Beth Grant, and screenwriter Kevin Williamson—known for Scream and Dawson’s Creek—are also among the university’s notable alumni. Actress Sandra Bullock attended before later completing her degree elsewhere.

Marcus Crandell, a former quarterback and professional coach, played for teams in the CFL, NFL Europe, and the XFL, earning the Grey Cup MVP award in 2001.

Rick Atkinson, a 1974 graduate, authored An Army at Dawn and The Day of Battle. Dan Neil became a distinguished automotive critic, with both earning Pulitzer Prizes.

Ron Clark, an educator and founder of the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, also graduated from ECU. James Maynard, founder of Golden Corral, and Kelly King, CEO of BB&T, are alumni of the university.

Former Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback David Garrard studied Construction Management at ECU. Chris Johnson was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft. WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon and his wife Linda McMahon both earned degrees in business administration.

Scott Avett of American folk-rock band The Avett Brothers graduated in 1999 and 2000. Other notable alumni include Henry “Gizmo” Williams, a CFL Hall of Fame inductee, and Les Strayhorn, who played for the Dallas Cowboys and in the CFL.