Board of Visitors Access Scholarship Recipients
The Access Scholars program provides grants to East Carolina University students who demonstrate academic potential and financial need. The $5,000 annual award ($2,500 per semester) covers tuition, fees and books. The program also organizes a lecture series, public speaking event, etiquette dinner, social events and community service activities for students. The ECU Board of Visitors funds five of the 112 scholarships through their required minimum contribution of $500 annually. Meet our scholars!
Garrett Johnson
Talek Watson
Layla TokhliAnticipated Graduation Date: May 2026
Major: Music Education
Cove City, NC
Celeste NugentAnticipated Graduation Date: May 2027
Major: Speech & Hearing Science
Wake Forest, NC
Plyler “PJ” HemphillAnticipated Graduation Date: May 2028
Major: Recreation & Park Management with a concentration in Sports Management
Concord, NC
For additional information and assistance on all scholarships offered to ECU students, visit the Office of University Scholarships.
Previous Board of Visitors Access Scholarship Recipients
Kelsey Rathbone – Graduated May 2012 with a BS, Speech & Hearing Sciences (Magna Cum Laude); currently a speech therapist in Greenville, NC
Regina Epps – Graduated May 2014 with a BFA, Theatre Arts; currently a Teaching Artist in Concord, NC
David Evans – Graduated May 2015 with a BS, Exercise Physiology and BS, Biochemistry; currently a Lab Supervisor with LabCorp
Collon Baker-Dorsey – Graduated May 2017 with a BS, Criminal Justice
Katie Pillaca – Graduated May 2017 with a BSBA, Finance (Magna Cum Laude); currently an SIU Analyst with IAT Insurance Group
Ana de Pedro – Graduated May 2017 with a BSBA, Accounting (Summa Cum Laude); currently a Senior Audit Associate/CPA at KPMG
Adam Flynn – Graduated December 2017 with a BSN, Nursing; currently a registered nurse, emergency department at Vidant Hospital
Jordan Rice – Graduated July 2018 with a BSBA, Management; currently an ecommerce entrepreneur and owns his own business
Matthew Jennette – Graduated May 2020 with a BS, English, Secondary Education and BS, English with a minor in Psychology (Summa Cum Laude – Robert H. Wright recipient); completed ECU MBA in December, 2021; currently employed with Credit Suisse
Kayla Flynn – Graduated May 2020 with a BS, Health Services Management (Magna Cum Laude); currently employed with ECU as a Clinical Assistant Professor in Health Sciences
Reid Shackelford – Graduated May 2021 with a BS, Engineering, environmental concentration; currently employed with Thermo Fisher Scientific
Morgan Whitford Hill – Graduated May 2021 a BS, Elementary Education; currently employed as a 3rd grade teacher with Craven County Schools
Jessi Cayton – Recipient from 2019-2023, graduated December 2023 with BS in applied sociology with a minor in Psychology
Sarah Evans – Graduated May 2024 with a BS in Speech and Hearing Sciences with a minor is Disability Studies; currently working as a graduate assistant and pursuing her MS in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Western Carolina University
Alyssa Futrell – Graduated May 2024 with a BS in Biology; currently taking a gap year to focus on research then will apply to graduate programs.
Jarobi Clark – Recipient from 2019 – 2024; will graduate in May 2025 with a BS in information technology and a concentration in Cyber Security