Rings of Honor: Order inducts new engineers

Dr. Gene Dixon, professor in the East Carolina University Department of Engineering, congratulates students during the Order of the Engineer induction ceremony May 2 in the Black Box Theater at the Main Campus Student Center.

The College of Engineering and Technology’s Department of Engineering hosted its 10th Order of the Engineer induction ceremony on May 2 in the Black Box Theater in the Main Campus Student Center. The Order recognizes the obligation engineers have to each other, the profession and the public they serve.

New engineers received a ring to wear on their little finger during the ceremony. The ring symbolizes a dedication to upholding honesty, integrity and lessons learned from their predecessors.

“I’m ecstatic,” student Dana Taylor said after receiving her ring. “It’s been a long time coming.”

The Havelock native just one day earlier had accepted a job offer from Integrated Project Services based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania.

Taylor was one of 63 graduating students and two professionals joining the Pirate Engineer Link #269. Links are the local sections of the Order, and ECU’s link was established in 2009 after the accreditation of the college’s engineering program. Its first induction ceremony was in 2010.

Dana Taylor receives her ring.

Garrett Carr, of Fayetteville, said he was proud to join the order.Dana Taylor receives her ring for the Order of the Engineer.

“I have some engineer friends who also have rings, so I wanted to get one, too,” Carr said.

Carr also mentioned that he was glad he selected ECU’s College of Engineering and Technology.

“I enjoyed it,” he said. “I looked at other programs, but I’m glad I picked this one.”

Speakers included Jim Hackney, CEO of the Hackney Group, who provided a history of the Order, and ECU 2017 graduate Troy Puryear of Terracon, who spoke about the Order’s significance. Speaker Carl Bonner, incoming president of the Professional Engineers of North Carolina, encouraged ring recipients “to make real and lasting contributions.”

Sponsors of this year’s induction ceremony included Goldsboro’s SPX Transformers Solutions and Greenville’s Terracon. Carver Machine Works in Washington, North Carolina, provided the stainless-steel rings for the recipients.

-by Ken Buday, ECU Communications

Hannah Barker receives her ring.

College of Engineering and Technology students stand as they receive the oath for the Order of the Engineer.