Graduates share stories as they celebrate commencement

Nearly 600 students heard their names called to walk across a stage and be recognized for graduating from the East Carolina University College of Engineering and Technology on Friday.

Here’s a look at some of the stories of those from the College of Engineering and Technology who turned their tassels on Friday.

Dream Achieved

A week after turning 49, Eric Elder walked into Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium for the university commencement ceremony with fellow graduates, many of whom are at least half his age. And he didn’t mind one bit.

“I’ve chased this dream for a long time,” said Elder, graduating with his bachelor’s in industrial technology. “It’s really, truly been my life goal.”

The distance education student from Monroe works as a mechanical technician for Collins Aerospace and believes his degree will boost his career.

“It opens a lot of doors,” Elder said.

Elder said he appreciated the support of faculty who helped him reach his goal and said he’s not done yet.

“I’m going to be starting my master’s, going into technology management,” Elder said. “I’ve always had this philosophy: You just don’t stop. Somebody opened the door for me, I said, ‘Alright, let’s just go ahead and get the master’s too.”

Elder offered some advice for his younger graduates. “Just buckle down and work hard. Enjoy the ride,” he said.

Claire Jenkins is hooded during the graduate recognition ceremony.

Repeating a Walk

For Claire Jenkins, her walk across the stage repeated a similar walk three years ago when she earned her bachelor’s degree in engineering with a concentration in biomedical engineering in 2023 at ECU.

The difference this time?

As a full-time lab assistant with the College of Engineering and Technology, she’ll be back on campus working on Monday after she received her master’s in biomedical engineering on Friday.

“It’s not like I’m leaving this area of my life, so I think I’m just in this kind of surreal phase that it’s over, but it feels like it’s not,” Jenkins said. “It feels a little bittersweet because I’ve been on campus and involved for so long. To finally end this chapter of my education is kind of surreal to me.”

For now, she intends to keep working as a lab assistant, where she said she gained valuable experience in running labs, project execution and professional development through her interaction with faculty.

“I’m definitely exploring other opportunities. Pharmaceuticals have always interested me, but I’m grateful to have a job right now,” Jenkins said. “I definitely think I’ll probably go into industry, but I could see myself teaching too maybe one day.”

She said because of her full-time employment at ECU, she obtained her master’s degree without additional debt, and she appreciates the support she received from staff and faculty during her journey.

“Just seeing faculty from the perspective of a coworker, I think it really just kind of validates how much of a family and community this college provides, even outside of the classroom setting,” Jenkins said. “They’re really good about making a family and giving students resources and wanting students to succeed. I love the Department of Engineering. The faculty and staff — I’ve made some lifelong friends, and we have some incredible mentors in this department. If I could go back, I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Accepting the Challenge

After moving to the United States, Erick Villatoro was looking for a university that would not only challenge him but also set him up for success. As a transfer student, he found both at ECU.

“I wanted a degree that would truly challenge me,” he said, adding that “ECU has been instrumental in my development.”

After transferring to ECU and changing majors, he found his place in the information and cybersecurity technology program in the Department of Technology Systems. He said his involvement across campus set him up for success, which included founding a chapter of a student organization — the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA) at ECU.

“East Carolina University allowed me to grow both professionally and personally, providing me with the leadership experience necessary to transition confidently into the workforce,” said Villatoro, a first-generation college student.

Villatoro will move to Charlotte to begin a full-time IT position, carrying with him the resilience and community he built throughout his time as a Pirate.

Majoie Mendouga Ngandi is recognized on stage.

The Wright Stuff

Majoie Mendouga Ngandi came to ECU from Cameroon. The Honors College student didn’t let life in a new country slow him down.

The software engineering graduate in the Department of Computer Science led and pioneered a data science team on a National Science Foundation-funded project analyzing long-term air quality trends in North Carolina. He has contributed to the university through creation of the Data Friday Initiative, a data science collaboration platform. He served with the ECU International Students Association and developed three individualized service applications with fellow students that promote branding, international studies and connectivity on a large scale.

For his efforts, Ngandi was one of five recipients of the Robert H. Wright Leadership Award from the ECU Alumni Association. Presented for commitment to service, bold leadership and unwavering determination, the award is one of the most prestigious given to undergraduate seniors.

“I have been surrounded by people who genuinely invest in your growth and push you to go further.” Ngandi said. “Being a part of a community that not only welcomes you but equips you to lead is something I carry with pride.”

From left, Will Kilian, Joseph Strusienski Jr. and Ben Steele stand in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium before the university commencement ceremony on Friday.

Ready to go to Work

Construction management graduates Ben Steele, Joseph Strusienski Jr. and Will Kilian arrived early to Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium and walked up the stairs to the stands to look at the field and the rows of chairs awaiting roughly 4,000 members of ECU’s Class of 2026.

They admitted that the ceremony wasn’t necessarily about them, rather than those who helped them achieve their degrees. Steele went so far as to describe it as somewhat “uneventful.”

They called their degrees a part of their journeys to bigger things. All three already have full-time jobs lined up, with two starting next week.

“I’m ready to stop spending money and start making it,” Kilian said.

“I’m happy to make it,” Strusienski said of graduating. “But I’m ready to go into the real world.”

However, all three said they appreciated their time at ECU as well as the faculty who prepared them for that “real world.”

“I’m going to miss the people and the professors,” said Strusienski, who was selected as one of three Outstanding Seniors among about 150 graduates. “You do build fun relationships with people.”

A master’s graduate of the College of Engineering and Technology receives a congratulatory hug.