Evening of Philanthropy Celebrates Devoted Donors

"Thanks to donors like you, ECU is an engine of opportunity for our students, a hub for economic development and industry, and a provider of first-class health care to the people of eastern North Carolina."

Those were the words of East Carolina University's chancellor at a Philanthropy event last week, where more than 400 people were inducted into the university's most distinguished donor societies, the News & Observer reports.

The societies, which are based on combined gift totals to the ECU Foundation, the ECU Health Foundation, and the ECU Educational Foundation (Pirate Club), recognize donors who have made cumulative gifts of $100,000 to $999,999 to the university.

The Order of the Cupolanamed for the campus' most historic landmark, the Old Austin Cupolawas created to honor ECU's major lifetime donors, who have given a total of $209 million to create or support endowments.

The inaugural class of more than 120 Circle of Gold donors were inducted into the university's premier leadership philanthropic society.

Nearly 300 new members were inducted into the Order of the Cupola.

"It is what sets us apart from our competitors and peers and keeps our students, researchers, athletes, artists, health care practitioners, and everyone in between pursuing each opportunity put in front of Read the Entire Article