Volume 2, Issue 2, Fall 2014
Chair's Message
By Richard Brown
Chairing a board comprised of highly accomplished individuals who value how their time and resources are invested is a challenging task. They want to fully understand the goals of the organization and be sure that their efforts are making a difference. The ECU Medical and Health Sciences Foundation is truly blessed with a board that is both committed to the success of our health science programs and willing to be engaged on all levels to achieve that outcome. Never was that more obvious than at our recent retreat.
On September 26-27, the Medical and Health Sciences Foundation Board of Directors met for its first overnight retreat in New Bern to focus exclusively on the development of a written long-term strategic plan. This retreat brought the board members, the ECU Division of Health Sciences leadership and the fundraising team together in a structured approach to formally define the vision, the mission and the key objectives for the next 4-5 years. This planning process was facilitated by one of our own ECU Board of Trustees, Carol Mabe, an expert in strategic planning.
The process was highly interactive. Broken into four teams, we began with the standard SWOT analysis to objectively identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats impacting the Foundation and its ability to serve and support the various programs in the Division of Health Sciences. As we came back together after each session to share our results, similar thoughts began to emerge and creative approaches to our challenges began to be identified. In a similar fashion, we then moved on to outline both our vision for the future (the “dream” of who we want to be in ten years) and a mission statement (a precise statement that says what we stand for and that will guide our decisions and actions). That then helped us to identify key objectives for achieving our vision and mission and, ultimately, a list of key strategies for accomplishing those key objectives.
While much effort is still required to complete a draft planning document, conduct the review process and then obtain final approval by the Board, an ad hoc committee chaired by Rob Jones is already hard at work doing so. We expect to complete the process over the next several months. I truly appreciate the dedication of so many people to this important process and look forward to the end results.
For further information about making a gift, or to learn more about a particular area within the Health Sciences Division, please contact: |
|
Brody School of Medicine College of Nursing Laupus Library |
School of Dental Medicine College of Allied Health Sciences East Carolina Heart Institute |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
|
 |
Visit Medical & Health Sciences Foundation Site
 |
||
 |
Agromedicine Receives $10,000 Allocation from Foundation Robin Tutor-Marcom, was very pleased and excited when she received word from Marcy Romary, Interim President of the Medical & Health Sciences Foundation (MHSF), that the NC Agromedicine Institute had been allocated $10,000 in funds from the MHSF. Tutor-Marcom, Director, NC Agromedicine Institute in Greenville, stated this allocation could not have happened at a better time. “There are so many areas of training and research we can use this gift for, it is actually difficult to narrow down. However, after much discussion and thought, we have determined the top three funding priorities to be in research, education and outreach and marketing materials’ updates.”
left to right, Annette Greer, Research Associate Professor, Dept. of Ethics and Interdisciplinary Studies, Lamar Graft, Associate Director, and Robin Tutor-Marcom, Director, NC Agromedicine Institute.
The first allocation will be used as research monies to provide research seed grants for faculty. “We are focusing much of our work in Ag Safety and Health with our faculty affiliates. These funds will be used to collect data, provide stipends for research assistants and pay for supplies. Work generated with these seed grants will allow faculty to gather data, which will hopefully provide enough preliminary material to inform applications for larger grants,” she replied. The second priority for the funds will be applied to education and outreach initiatives. “One of our biggest needs is to get the word out to our farmers, foresters and fishermen to help prevent illness, injury and fatality as well as to increase safety awareness,” Tutor-Marcom says. “And thirdly, we will use the funds to help us improve our marketing materials, such as displays and website. We want to promote a better-informed platform, so that individuals visiting us, whether at shows or online on our website, can find more useful resources,” she said. The North Carolina Agromedicine Institute, an inter-institutional Institute within the University of North Carolina system, partners with East Carolina University, North Carolina State University and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. The goal is to reduce injury, illness and fatality by conducting research that leads to practical solutions and developing education approaches that can be of benefit to the industries served, which include farming, logging and fishing. “The work we do saves lives. Whether it is safety promotions, such as cutting equipment off before you work on it, making certain your equipment is well-lit when you’re on the highway, or teaching workers to eat better to reduce the likelihood of hypertension, stroke or diabetes, we have strategies put in place for prevention,” she said. “We thank the Medical & Health Sciences Foundation for this most generous gift, and we will make certain to use it to its fullest advantage.” Individuals wanting more information about the Agromedicine Institute and its programs can contact Robin Tutor-Marcom at 252-744-1045, or email tutorr@ecu.edu.
|
|
 |
||
 |
Laupus Health Sciences Library Art as Avocation Series: “The Beauty of Realism”, by Sheldon Downes, Ed.D. Sheldon Downes, Ed.D., Professor Emeritus from the Department of Addictions and Rehabilitation Studies, College of Allied Health Sciences, presents a 2014 Fall Semester exhibit as part of the Laupus Health Sciences Library Art as Avocation series. Entitled, “The Beauty of Realism,” Downes showcases a collection of oil paintings that capture the beauty of landscapes and scenes from nature. The exhibit is on display in the Laupus Library 4th floor gallery from October 21 and through December 12, 2014.
Visitors may view the exhibit located on the 4th floor of Laupus Library during normal operating hours posted at www.ecu.edu/laupuslibrary or call 252-744-2219. For more information call Kelly Rogers Dilda at 252-744-2232 or e-mail rogerske@ecu.edu. Please visit the “Art as Avocation” webpage at www.ecu.edu/laupuslibrary/events/artasavocation/ to learn more about the Art as Avocation series.
|
|
 |
||
 |
June Rose Endowed Scholarship Fund Established to Honor
55+ Years of Service
Dr. Don Hardee vividly remembers his childhood dentist, Junius (June) H. Rose, Jr., DDS. As a child, he remembers the gentle manner in which Dr. Rose treated him and the likable rapport he established with his patients. Years later, Dr. Rose retired from his dental practice in Kinston and came full circle when he joined Dr. Hardee’s own dental practice in Greenville in a part-time capacity. And 16 years later, he is still there doing the thing he loves. Perhaps Dr. Rose’s key to longevity is he’s never stopped working. In addition to working with Dr. Hardee two days each week, he continues to volunteer one to two days weekly at the Kinston Community Health Center, which he co-founded in 1998 (the same year he retired from his private practice in Kinston) with Dr. Joe Stark and his wife, Rebecca.
Left to right, Dr. June Rose, DDS and Dr. Donald Hardee, DDS
Dr. Rose grew up in Greenville, the son of long-time Pitt County Schools Superintendent Junius H. Rose, who served the county for 47 years, and for whom the local high school is named. “I attended East Carolina Teachers College and graduated with an AB degree in science and math in 1951. Then I spent two years of active duty in the US Marine Corps. After service, I entered the UNC School of Dentistry in Chapel Hill, graduating in 1957,” Dr. Rose said. Upon graduation, he served as staff dentist at Dorothea Dix Hospital in Raleigh before moving to Kinston in 1959 to establish his practice. Among Dr. Rose’s professional activities are that he served as Past President of the NC Society of Dentistry for Children, assisted on several dental missions in Jamaica and Honduras, as well as worked as a dentist in the NC National Guard for 28 years and retired as a colonel. He has been a staff dentist for the Howell Care Centers for many years. He has served on both local and state dental societies holding various positions and has participated with the NC MOM program. His civic activities through the years are too numerous to list all, but include such community involvement as board member for Lenoir County Mental Health Board for 25 years (and as president for four years), member of the Kinston Rotary Club since 1963, member of Westminster Methodist Church since 1958, American Legion member, and member and President of the 8-80s Wounded Warriors Team. He was recognized as the Lenoir County Citizen of the Year in 1999 and received the Boy Scouts of America Distinguished Citizen Award in 2012. In addition, he was named as a Red Cross Citizen of the Year, received the NC Dental Society Citizenship Award, as well as the Lenoir County Historical Association – Reginald Stroud Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2005 the Governor of North Carolina bestowed The Order of the Long Leaf Pine to Dr. Rose. When asked, “Any plans for retirement soon”, Dr. Rose just smiles and gives nothing away. “Although I do mostly dental hygiene checks these days, one of my favorite things to do is nice fillings. As long as my hands remain steady, I’d like to continue doing routine dental procedures.” Dr. Hardee knows that many people have been impressed by Dr. Rose through the years, whether in a professional capacity or in civic or community activities. That’s why he and his wife Peg started the June Rose Endowed Scholarship Fund, appropriately in June of this year. “For this kind man, who has given so much of his time and himself to the Eastern NC communities, I felt it only fitting that a scholarship be established in his name. I am asking that anyone he has touched through the years make a donation to his scholarship,” Dr. Hardee said. “The guidelines dictate that the scholarship be based toward community service in Pitt, Lenoir and the contiguous counties,” he states. “The scholarship funds will be used to help defray tuition costs to diminish the significant debt dental students incur towards their dental school degree,” Dr. Hardee said. On November 6 a reception was held at the dental school for the individuals who have thus far contributed to the scholarship fund. For those individuals wanting more information on how to contribute to the June Rose Endowed Scholarship Fund, please contact Kristen Ward, Director of Development, School of Dental Medicine at 252-744-2239(toll free 800-816-2238) or via email at wardk@ecu.edu.
|
|
 |
||
 |
Scholarship Dinner Honors Donors, Outstanding Nursing Students If there’s a common characteristic among attendees at the annual East Carolina University College of Nursing scholarship dinner, it’s a passion for helping others. The event brings together private donors who make the academic scholarships possible with the outstanding nursing students who receive their awards. This year’s recipients were recognized at a ceremony held Sept. 5 at the Greenville Hilton Hotel. One hundred and four students received scholarships totaling $220,070 for the 2014-2015 academic year.
Jeff Charles with 2014-2015 Heather A. Purtee Nursing Scholarship recipient Amy Smith and College of Nursing Dean Dr. Sylvia Brown.
College of Nursing Dean Dr. Sylvia Brown thanked donors for enabling students to pursue their dreams of becoming nurses or continuing their education. “Please know your gifts make a huge difference in our students’ ability to study and meet the demands of the nursing curriculum,” she said. Many of the scholarships awarded were created to memorialize individuals who have or had exceptional dedication to the field of nursing. The evening event represents a heartwarming opportunity for donors to meet the students who benefit from their financial gifts. The Voice of the Pirates, Jeff Charles, and his wife, Debby, make it a priority to attend the event each year. They created the Heather A. Purtee Nursing Scholarship, a fund named for their daughter who died in a car accident in 1992 while an ECU nursing student. Charles explained that attending the event is a way to honor his daughter’s life and preserve her memory while at the same time seeing the students who receive the scholarship. “The College of Nursing was very dear to (Heather),” he said. “We try to award the scholarship to someone who needs financial help. That’s been gratifying to us, that we’re helping these kids.” To make a donation to a nursing scholarship, contact Major Gifts Officer Mark Alexander at alexanderma@ecu.edu or 252-744-2324.
|
|
 |
||
 |
Brody Evolves to Weather Changes to Health Care, Funding Sources Health care is changing, and the Brody School of Medicine must also evolve. That message has resonated throughout the health sciences campus of East Carolina University this year. In the last five years, the Brody School of Medicine has absorbed a cumulative, permanent state budget cut of $9.2 million, or nearly 19 percent, of its state funding. The ability to cover those losses through the faculty clinical practice – ECU Physicians – has increasingly been compromised by legislative action.
The ECU Physicians practice ended Fiscal Year 2013-14 with operational losses totaling $14.4 million. Additionally, the university requires the clinical enterprise to maintain 90 days of cash-on-hand. ECU Physicians had less than 73 days of cash available this September. The current financial model is not sustainable. Several steps already underway at Brody will have a direct and positive financial impact, and they center on operating ECU Physicians more like a private business. They include:
Other strategies include increasing collection of copays from patients, further integrating electronic health records, and making better use of clinical space. A comprehensive review of all clinical programs also continues, aiming to find sustainable funding sources for all services that are vital to eastern North Carolina. One recent solution was the transfer of the ECU Physicians neurosurgery practice to Vidant Health; another is a partnership to provide in-vitro fertilization laboratory services for the region through UNC Fertility. It will take time to see the financial benefits of these changes, said Brian Jowers, executive director of ECU Physicians. However, it is the administration’s goal to return to break-even or profit within three years time. Throughout the process, Brody remains committed to its threefold mission, said Dr. Paul Cunningham, dean of the Brody School of Medicine. Its faculty and staff will continue to increase the supply of primary care physicians to serve our state; improve the health status of citizens in eastern North Carolina; and enhance the access of minority and disadvantaged students to a medical education. Operating more sustainably, Cunningham added, will position Brody to invest in critical areas and shape the future of health care in the East. More information and ongoing updates can be followed at this webpage: http://www.ecu.edu/news/preservingthemission.cfm.
|
|
 |
||
 |
Regional Dean’s Events Deemed Successful It is always difficult for some Brody School of Medicine (BSOM) alumni to get back to campus regularly and see all the latest technology, classrooms, advancements, etc. If the mountain won't come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain. Kathy Brown, Senior Major Gifts Officer, Brody School of Medicine, announces Dean’s Regional Events, an exciting new concept which takes the Dean on the road to visit medical school alumni at various venues/homes throughout the state. “Essentially what we are doing is taking the campus to them in a social situation, where former graduates and other supporters have meet-and-greets with medical school academic staff,” Brown says.
From left to right: Dr. Sylvia Brown, Dean of the College of Nursing, Myrtle Westmoreland, 1941 ECTC graduate, Dr. Jim Westmoreland ’74, ’75, ’81 (Myrtle’s nephew), Associate Dean, College of Business, and Dr. Paul Cunningham, Dean of the Brody School of Medicine
The Dean’s Events serve a four-fold purpose: (1) provides updates on campus happenings, (2) allows the dean to give an introductory talk about the top priorities for funding, (3) serves as a networking vehicle for alumni, and (4) presents an opportunity to invite prospective donors. The first two events were held in 2013 and included the following:
The first event in 2014 was held at:
Other events held to date include:
“We feel these Dean’s Events have been very successful in reminding people of the mission of the medical school, which is threefold – increase the supply of primary care physicians to serve our state, improve the health status of citizens in eastern North Carolina and enhance the access of minority and disadvantage students to a medical education," stated Brown. “Essentially the dean(s) give a 10 to 15 minute talk about the latest news and events at the Brody School of Medicine, followed by a Q&A session. Invitees then get an opportunity for one-on-one time. Our hope is that this is a productive way for former graduates to engage in the life of the medical school, while also presenting donor and funding need requests,” Brown says. Two additional Dean’s Events are currently in the works, one in Raleigh and one in Greenville. If you are a BSOM alum or supporter of the medical school, and would like to host such an event, please contact Kathy Brown at 252-744-6265 or by email at brownka@ecu.edu.
|
|
