Fundraising event to unite campus community

Students at East Carolina University walk around the campus mall during "Get a Clue."

For the sake of students in need, East Carolina University’s campus community will come together tomorrow with the 24-hour goal of raising the funds to fuel a “transformative educational experience.”

Titled “Pirate Nation Gives,” the second annual fundraiser is an event sponsored by the university and aims to have people contribute to ECU’s future developments, such as building expansions and academic projects via donations. Last year, the event raised $273,663, according to the official Pirate Alumni resources webpage. In honor of ECU’s 111th year of establishment, this year’s midnight-to-midnight campaign has set the goals of 111 gifts of $111 and 111 new donors.

“This is a stand alone day of giving for students, parents, faculty, staff and alumni to be able to donate as one for our university’s future,” John Israel, chair of the ECU Alumni Association’s executive committee, said.

Israel said in order for ECU to become “America’s next greatest university,” funding must be raised for the university’s intended plans for success.

“Expansion of the university can be done with enough donations, and ‘Pirate Nation Gives’ is the perfect effort for the ECU community to make financial contributions for our great university,” Israel said.

While the fundraising effort is tailored to the entire ECU community, “Pirate Nation Gives” has been specifically fueled by the involvement of three alumni in terms of support and marketing. Called “Pirate Nation Gives ambassadors,” this year’s three ambassadors include WITN news anchor Lynette Taylor, Associate Director of ECU’s Academic Advising and Support Center Steven Asby and Pitt County Commissioner Glen Webb.

Taylor, an ECU alumni and “Pirate Nation Gives” ambassador, said she takes pride in giving back to ECU because the university “gave so much back to her.” Two weeks after graduation, Taylor got a job in her field as an associate producer at WITN. Now a WITN-TV news anchor, Taylor thanks the university for “preparing her.”

“I hope people feel, as a Pirate, there should be no Pirate left behind. For ECU to continue to be as successful as it is, we, the community, need to help,” Taylor said. “Students shouldn’t just get their degrees and leave. It’s our responsibility to give back.”

One of the best parts of “Pirate Nation Gives,” according to Taylor, is how anyone can donate to the department designation of their choice unlike “taxes.” From the ECU School of Communication to the ECU Foreign Language department, Taylor said she and her husband enjoy giving back to the institution “they have personally invested in.”

Taylor said she has seen the efforts of donors at ECU specifically influence her education field of communication, as the SOC is now a recognized college at ECU, a huge development from the department it originally was while Taylor was enrolled.

This year, “Pirate Nation Gives” has made a goal specifically tailored to social media promotion of 500 #PirateNationGives hashtags. These hashtags can be spread on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and many more as a way to “spread the excitement,” according to the official Pirate Nation Gives’ webpage.

Donations to “Pirate Nation Gives” can be made over the phone by calling (252) ECU-GIVE, by mailing cash or a check to ECU’s Office of Gift Records or by online payment at Pirate Nation Gives’ official website Pirate Nation Gives.