Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) is a public historically black university in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. It enrolls nearly 2,500 students in 28 undergraduate programs and 4 graduate programs and is a member-school of the

Thurgood Marshall College Fund The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is an American non-profit organization that supports and represents nearly 300,000 students attending its 47 member-schools that include public historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), med ...

and the University of North Carolina system.

History

Elizabeth City State University was established by the

North Carolina General Assembly The North Carolina General Assembly is the Bicameralism, bicameral legislature of the Government of North Carolina, State government of North Carolina. The legislature consists of two chambers: the North Carolina Senate, Senate and the North Ca ...

on March 3, 1891, as the State Colored Normal School at Elizabeth City'', in response to a bill calling for the creation of a two-year Normal School for the "teaching and training fteachers of the colored race to teach in the common schools of North Carolina." Peter Weddick Moore was its first leader. The school provided training for teachers of primary grades. The campus quadrangle and six surrounding buildings are included in the

Elizabeth City State Teachers College Historic District Elizabeth City State Teachers College Historic District is a national historic district located on the campus of Elizabeth City State University at Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The district encompasses six contributing buildings and one contri ...

, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. In 1937, the school made the transformation into a full four-year teachers college and was officially named Elizabeth City State Teachers College, while expanding its role to include the training of principals as well. In 1939, the college awarded its first bachelor of science degrees in its program of elementary education. Within the following twenty-five years, the college expanded its offerings to include a vocational-technical program and a total of thirteen academic majors. In December 1961, the college gained membership in the

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is an educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. This agency accredits over 13,000 public and priv ...

. In 1963 its name was changed to Elizabeth City State College. In 1969, its name was changed to Elizabeth City State University to reflect expansion and the addition of graduate programs. When the University of North Carolina System was formed in 1972, ECSU became one of the system's sixteen constituent universities and entered into its current phase of development and organization. ECSU is home to the only four-year aviation science degree program in North Carolina. In 2020, Elizabeth City State received $15 million from MacKenzie Scott. Her donation is the largest single gift in the university's history.

List of Chief Executive Officers

Source: * Peter Weddick Moore, A.M., LL.D. (Principal, 1891–1928, President Emeritus, 1928–1934) *

John Henry Bias Dr. John Henry Bias (June 11, 1879 – July 15, 1939) was cofounder and second president of Elizabeth City State University. He was a Missouri native who held many administrative educational roles. He is responsible for the four-year baccalaureate ...

, A.B., LL.D. (President, 1928–1939) * Harold Leonard Trigg, Ed.D. (President, 1939–1945) * Sidney David Williams, A.M., D.PED. (President, 1946–1958, President Emeritus, 1969–1974) * Walter Nathaniel Ridley, Ed.D. (President, 1958–1968, President Emeritus, 1988–1996) * Marion Dennis Thorpe, Ph.D. (President, 1968–1972, Chancellor, 1972–1983) * Jimmy Raymond Jenkins, Ph.D. (Chancellor, 1983–1995, Chancellor Emeritus, 1995–present) * Mickey Lynn Burnim, Ph.D. (Chancellor, 1995–2006) * Willie J. Gilchrist, Ed.D. (Chancellor, 2006–2013) * Charles L. Becton, J.D. (Interim Chancellor, 2013–2014) * Stacey Franklin Jones, Ph.D. (Chancellor, 2014-2015) * Thomas Conway, Ph.D. (Interim Chancellor, January 1, 2016 – 2018) * Karrie Gibson Dixon, Ed.D. (Chancellor, 2018–present)

Campus

ECSU's campus encompasses , mostly flanked by residential districts.

Academics

ECSU offers 28 baccalaureate degrees and four master's degrees in one of the following academic departments: * Aviation and Emergency Management * Business, Accounting and Sport Management * Education * English and Digital Media * Health and Human Studies * Mathematics, Computer Science and Engineering Technology * Military Science * Music and Visual Arts * Natural Sciences * Social Sciences ECSU also offers special programs that appeal to various interests and fields of study, including the honors program (for high-achieving undergraduates), military science, and study abroad.University has programs that appeal to various interests and fields of study, including the honors program, military science, study abroad and Viking Fellows for education majors.

Student life

Students can choose to be involved in various on-campus organizations, including fraternities, sororities, radio station

WRVS-FM WRVS-FM, "Eighty-Nine-Nine ECSU" or "WRVS Eighty-Nine-Nine", is an Urban Contemporary radio station run from Elizabeth City State University in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The staff of the station mentors students of the university's Department ...

, campus TV station, and intramural sports. Students are able to join the Student Government Association to help make campus life more interesting for student continuing to enroll here. Also, students can choose to apply to Vikings Assisting New Students to lead the New Student Orientation and answer any questions that parents or student may have about the school and campus life

Athletics

As a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, ECSU's athletes, known athletically as the Vikings, compete in the Division II athletic conference known as the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA).

Notable alumni

Notes

External links

*
ECSU Athletics website
{{authority control 1891 establishments in North Carolina Buildings and structures in Pasquotank County, North Carolina Education in Pasquotank County, North Carolina Educational institutions established in 1891 Historically black universities and colleges in the United States Liberal arts colleges in North Carolina Public universities and colleges in North Carolina Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools