Saturday, March 15, 2025

FOUNDERS DAY GALA

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Join us for Founders Day Gala XVIII, hosted by the ECSU Foundation, Inc., on Saturday, March 15, 2025, at the K. E. White Graduate Center.

This festive event celebrates the ECSU Foundation’s dedication to higher education and student success, with proceeds supporting the General Scholarship Fund.

Enjoy an elegant dinner, live music, and the recognition of the 2025 Chancellor’s Legacy Award recipients.

Sponsorships and Advertisements are available now. 

Limited tickets are available now.  

Stay tuned for more details.

 

Division of University Advancement

ECSU Foundation, Inc. 

2025 Chancellor's Legacy Award Honorees

Frankie Bordeaux ‘80

A pillar of service and entrepreneurship, Bordeaux is known as the Down East Viking Classic founder and former executive director of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Nash and Edgecombe counties. His leadership in education, athletics, and community service has set a standard for excellence. Bordeaux also owns Cambridge Behavioral Health Services and L&H Used Cars, further showcasing his entrepreneurial spirit.
David M. Carroll

A financial powerhouse, Carroll is a retired senior executive vice president of Wealth and Investment Management at Wells Fargo & Co. With a career that spanned nearly four decades, he led one of the nation’s most prominent wealth management divisions. Today, he serves as the Managing Principal of his family’s private equity and venture capital fund.
Dr. Peter Eley '00

A dedicated advocate and leader for ECSU and has served in multiple roles. He was student government president and a member of the ECSU Board of Trustees (1998-2000). Post-graduation, Eley continued his service as chairman of the ECSU Foundation Board (2019-2022), where he played a key role in securing a $15 million donation supporting campus expansion projects. A lifetime member of the ECSU Alumni Association and part of ECSU's Inaugural 40 Under 40 Cohort, he also established a scholarship endowment honoring his mentor, Dr. Dipendra Sengupta, to support mathematics students at ECSU.
Robert Thomas Goodman Jr. ’88

A committed public servant and technology leader, Goodman has spent over 36 years as a contractor for various federal government agencies. He also serves as treasurer for the Washington D.C. Metro Alumni Chapter, continuing his commitment to ECSU as a devoted alum.
Milton Earl Hagans ’79

A dedicated military and education leader, Hagans served as a Command Sergeant Major in the U.S. Army and as an educator for Lynchburg City Schools for over three decades. His commitment to mentorship, education, and public service has profoundly impacted communities in Virginia and beyond.
Melvin Norman ‘77

Norman is a lifelong advocate for education and a community leader. With over 36 years as an educator and administrator, he has been a driving force in local alumni chapters and a former regional director for ECSU’s National Alumni Association. He is a recipient of NAFEO’s Distinguished Alumni Award and remains a beacon of Viking pride and service.
Wendy Pierce '01

A champion for health equity and social justice, Pierce is the Community Benefit and Grants Manager for Sentara Health. She has spearheaded numerous initiatives addressing social determinants of health in Virginia and North Carolina. As chair of the ECSU Board of Visitors, Pierce remains committed to ECSU’s growth and mission.
Dr. Kuldeep Rawat

A visionary leader in STEM education, Dr. Rawat has spent over 20 years at ECSU, spearheading initiatives like the NASA Aerospace Academy and Federal Aviation Administration Aviation Workforce Development programs. His efforts have introduced thousands of K-12 students to STEM fields and created pathways for students to pursue aviation and technology careers.
Lee Andrew Stephenson (’80)

A decorated Vietnam War veteran and former educator, Stephenson’s journey reflects perseverance and dedication. After balancing work, family and education, he earned his degree from ECSU and went on to teach at Virginia’s Rehabilitative School Authority for over 30 years. As president of the Roanoke Chowan Alumni Chapter for 35 years, he has steadfastly supported ECSU and its students.

 

Senator Warren Daniel 
Phyllis C. Elmore ’82 
Dr. Lenora Jarvis-Mackey ’66 
Senator Gladys Robinson 
Gwendolyn Sanders ’77 
Mr. James E. Swimpson ’62 

Dr. Eyualem Abebe 
Ulysses Bell, J. D. ’65 
Dr. Saundra Sellars Copeland ’71 
Virginia Lawrence Houston 
Tony E. Lassiter ’86 
Senator Bob Steinburg 

Dr. Sandra Singleton Newsome ’70  
Delores Locke McClain ’70 
Dr. Marcus Newsome ’75  
Ernest G. Murphrey  
Celeste Carr Williams ’64 

Mary L. Cates ’61 
Dr. Laura Walton Buffaloe ’65  
Brigadier General Richard Harrison ’94 
Larry Johnson, Sr. ’73 and the 1971 CIAA Championship Football Team 

Ziner Johnson Alexander ’66 
Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina  
Emmanuel D. Harris 
Dr. Ali A Khan 
Abdul Sm Rasheed ’71  
Rear Admiral Keith Smith 
Ethel Faye Gregory Sutton ’65 

Billy C. Hines  
Norma M. James ’88  
Joyce E. Long ’54  
Justina M. Long ’54 
Barbara Barnes Sutton ’74  
Anthony “Tony” Swain ’82  
Johnnie B. Walton ’69  
Biggs Cadillac Buick GMC 

John Shelton Best ’70  
Dr. Ronald H Blackmon 
Dr. Mary Albritton Douglas ’52  
LTC Tyron W Eason (ret) ’86  
Andy Hartsfield 
Paul A. Norman ’81 
Susie Sharpless Hodges ’65  
Dr. Helen H. Muldrow 
Honorable Bettie J. Parker ’71 

Dr. Glen Bowman  
Dennis Earl Leary 
Dr. Richard L. Lucas, Jr.  
Billie Joe Reid ’70  
Estella Hall Simons ’55 

(Former ECSU First Ladies) 
Lula G. Thorpe 
Dr. Faleese Moore-Jenkins ’66  
LaVera Levels Burnim 
Jacqueline Johnson Gilchrist ’72  
Brenda Becton 

Gwendolyn D. Bowser ’69  
Jeff Dixon 
Dr. Linda Hayden 
Colonel Rodney Haggins ’87  
Dr. Darnell Johnson ’73 
Dr. Stephanie Bailey Johnson ’74  
Mary Elizabeth Sharpe ’57 
Cecil Perry 
Argle Whitfield ’65 

Willis Langley ’70  
Willie Stewart, Jr ’69  
Richard Olson 
Lieutenant Commander Navin L Griffin ’00 
Dr. Shirley Murphy Turnage ’67 

Carroll Hurdle ’66  
Norris Earl Francis ’64  
Mike Chandler 
Elston Howell ’88  
Congressman G. K. Butterfield  
Commander Warren Judge ’97  
Dr. Stephanie Dance-Barnes ’97 

Norman M. Cherry, Sr ’64  
Todd W. Tilley ’95 
Patricia Youngblood ’84  
Bishop Kim W. Brown  
Roger McLean 
Mark R. Brown, Jr ’95  
Dr. Lindsey L. White  
Randy M. Jones ’96 
Colonel Warline S. Richardson ’90 

Reverend Vonner G. Horton 
Colonel Thurinton W Harvell, Sr ’88  
Edna Gray Randolph ’45 
Philip R. Johnson 
Danny and Carol Flowers  
Dr. Roger Hathaway ’72  
Leonard Carmichael ’72  
Matthew Lewis, Jr ’64 

Cola Ashe 
Dr. Helen Marshall Caldwell 
The Honorable Melvin Daniels, Jr  
Colonel Mechelle Hale ’88  
Wanda Hunt McLean 
Jethro Pugh ’65 
Dr. Claude M. Odom  
Frank H. Skidmore, Jr  
Julius Walker, Jr ’67  
Linwood Williams ’69 

Dr. Charles Cherry ’63  
Dr. Claudie Mackey ’65 
The Honorable Annie Ward Mobley ’63  
Dr. Dwayne K. Stallings 
Captain Christopher E. Austin ’85  
Colonel Randy Braxton Bell (ret) ’72  
Captain Roosevelt R. Wright, Jr (ret) ’64  
Pedro Holley, Sr ’74 
Dr. Johnny L. Houston  
Melvyn N. Riley ’61 
Vonda Reed Riley ’65 

(No recognitions) 

Additional Resources