The Ripple Effect of Happiness
From classrooms to clinics, ECU alumni help others live joyfully
In the ’70s, the king of Bhutan — a remote nation between India and China in the Himalayas — coined “gross domestic happiness” to measure the health of its society. Instead of gross domestic product, leaders put people first, balancing happiness, well-being and the preservation of Bhutan’s unique culture with sustainable economic growth.
Despite steep challenges, leaders haven’t wavered in protecting the country’s culture — and happiness — creating a ripple effect through generations.
At East Carolina University, a culture of kindness connects students, faculty, staff and alumni, positively influencing others and communities. Some have overcome obstacles or made bold career moves to fulfill their dreams. From teaching, coaching and health care to business and art, ECU’s impact can be felt leagues away from Greenville.
Read more on the work they do to create happiness in their lives and the lives of others.
Eureka moment
By Crystal Baity
Dr. Brian Laughey first earned a bachelor’s degree in business and worked in plumbing sales for several years before deciding to make a bold career shift. His eureka moment came after he had a minor medical procedure.
What he liked most about business and sales — the customer service aspect — could be applied in health care.
The decision meant he would move back in with his parents, complete biology and chemistry prerequisites, and become a certified nursing assistant before he was accepted to ECU’s Brody School of Medicine. After graduating in 2017, Laughey spent several more years completing his residency and fellowship.
Laughey, who is board-certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular disease, works for Novant Health in Winston-Salem, his hometown since elementary school.
“Becoming a cardiologist has been the realization of a lifelong dream, and that journey alone has brought me a great deal of happiness and pride,” he says. “But ultimately, my focus is on the patients. Creating happiness for others — whether through treatment, reassurance or simply being present — is, I believe, an essential part of being an effective physician. It’s not just about treating disease; it’s about caring for people.”
He interacts with more than 20 patients a day in his busy cardiology practice.
“Many of the conditions I treat are not only complex but also deeply impactful on patients’ quality of life. Because of this, I often see patients regularly, which allows meaningful relationships to develop over time,” he says. “Using my training and expertise to help people heal and improve brings me tremendous fulfillment. There’s a deep sense of joy in knowing that I can make a real difference in someone’s life.”
He says helping others is at the heart of medical practice.
“Patients come to me with concerns — sometimes very serious ones — and they’re looking for answers, for hope and for a path forward,” Laughey says. “Through careful evaluation and treatment, I’m often able to help them feel better, regain function and enjoy a higher quality of life. Seeing patients return to the activities they love, or simply feel more at ease in their daily lives, is incredibly rewarding.”
Opening a ‘magic door’
By Crystal Baity and Jessica VanderKolk
Giving people an opportunity to literally stick their hands in mud is just one way that Adrienne Dellinger fosters the transformative power of art.
Dellinger is executive director of Clayworks, a Charlotte nonprofit dedicated to ceramic education and advancing art through on- and off-site programs. She started as a volunteer after earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in ceramics from ECU in 1994.
Clayworks is a hub of community connection, Dellinger says.
“We provide the tools, space and instruction, but the magic comes from people — the nervous beginner who fires their first piece, the longtime artist experimenting with a new technique, the teenager who discovers a talent and a voice. Being part of those moments — and building the systems that make them happy — is endlessly rewarding.”
One of Clayworks’ community outreach programs is called Culture Blocks, in the Hickory Grove Library on the city’s east side. A participant who first attended classes alone eventually brought her children and her father, who has late-stage dementia.
“She told us: ‘Your staff always makes us feel welcome. We are treated with kindness, compassion and respect. The most heartbreaking part of my father’s disease has been to know that anyone he meets now will never know or see the incredible work he did for families, families with disabilities and those suffering in his community. They will only know his deficits. This reality has fostered a deep gratitude for community initiatives and individuals who serve disabled populations. It is so important for my dad to have access to opportunities to be creative, feel safe and do what he can. … You have helped open a closed door and keep the lights on for my dad. I will always be full of gratitude for the gift of sitting at a table with my dad and my daughter and having ‘muddy fun.’”
Art is a pathway to community, belonging and well-being, Dellinger says.
“In today’s world, people crave spaces where they can slow down, connect with others and express themselves authentically. At Clayworks, when you enter, we call it the ‘magic door’; you can enter the studio and be with like-minded people all with a similar creative goal,” she says. “I get to be part of building that space, where happiness isn’t just a fleeting feeling, but a lasting impact that strengthens lives and communities. For me, there’s nothing more fulfilling than seeing joy ripple outward from a single creative act.”
Celebrating wins
By Ronnie Woodward
Kevin Youngs, co-founder and CEO of Youngs Physical Therapy and Sports Performance, is a two-time ECU alumnus with a Bachelor of Science in exercise and sport science in 1998 and master’s in physical therapy in 2004. He has provided physical therapy services for Pirate athletes since 2007.
Celebration is a pillar of the rewarding, positive interactions experienced at Youngs Physical Therapy and Sports Performance, either in the Greenville or Morehead City location.
“We are very intentional about celebrating each other’s wins,” Youngs says. “If one of our staff members gains an achievement, we are going to celebrate that.
Every week, we have opportunities to celebrate each other during our full staff meeting. So many of our patients love showing their progress through our social media accounts. Celebrating each other and our patients contributes to our company’s positive culture.”
The work isn’t easy. Local and ECU athletes are often referred to Youngs because they have suffered a major injury and face a personalized, lengthy rehabilitation plan.
It’s a low point for many athletes. Some have no previous exposure to physical therapy. That is when staff members at Youngs amplify their ability to support.
It is also why celebrating an athlete who has made a full recovery is important to Youngs, his wife, Jennifer ’00, and staff.
“When they get back to the court or back to the field, we go and watch them play,” Youngs says. “When you meet with them after the game hugging them, arm on the shoulder, taking pictures and smiling, those athletes appreciate it so much. Those are opportunities to celebrate the advancements in the rehab process that our providers can share with their patients.”
Youngs added that having a positive mindset is key to happiness.
“Our mindset impacts so many things we do,” Youngs says. “It impacts our mood. When I have a patient come in who is frustrated and down and in pain, it may not be about that shoulder that day. It’s about, ‘How can I make them smile?’ and change their mood to have more of a positive mindset about a pain or ache they are dealing with. … Coming alongside them and letting them know we care about them and that I’m going to do everything I can to support them, push them, motivate them to get back. I know they are going to achieve happiness by getting them back to a greater level than before they were injured.”
As for Youngs, quality time with family and close friends brings him joy.
“Even more specific, it’s intentional time with my family at the river,” he says.
Setting new goals
By Ronnie Woodward
The list of major injuries Synia Johnson faced as an East Carolina women’s basketball player included a broken nose, fractured leg and concussion.
Those injuries, combined her father being diagnosed with cancer, brought unexpected challenges to Johnson’s athletic aspirations from when she began her ECU career in 2020 amid heightened uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. Five years later, she joined the Pirates’ support staff as director of recruiting and assistant to director of operations for women’s basketball, while continuing in the ECU MBA program. Johnson could have played one more season after injuries limited her availability the last two years, but she is happy with her decision and has grown comfortable in the role.
“Your dreams and your vision can change as you experience different things and go through different things in life,” says Johnson, a Waldorf, Maryland, native who was a three-time team captain from 2020-25. “I wasn’t ready to leave this yet. I love (head) coach Kim (McNeill) and love this environment and this place. Continuing to grow, in a different aspect from player to coach, it was a no-brainer.”
The Pirates also experienced losing seasons in 2020-21 and 2021-22. But they rebounded by winning the American tournament championship in 2023, reaching the NCAA tournament for the third time in school history. Johnson was the 2023 American tournament most outstanding player. Another bright spot: Her father, Keith, beat cancer.
“You can get a defeated feeling, but I knew why I chose this school and that kept me going,” Johnson says. “I believed in this place, the coaching staff, our team. When we won that championship, knowing how much of the adversity you pushed through, it made the winning feel that much better. It was surreal. It was blood, sweat and tears, and my advice is to continue to push. That wall that you think is there, you can break the wall down.”
Johnson’s impact is multi-layered. She accumulated a 3.91 GPA as an undergraduate student, earning a degree in management information systems, and in June was named the American Conference’s women’s basketball Scholar Athlete of the Year. She became the first ECU women’s basketball player to win the award.
“Just as serious as I took basketball, the classroom part is just as serious,” she says. “As coach Kim always tells us that one day the basketball stops bouncing. You need to have something to lean back on or other areas in your life. … There is a plethora of resources here that ECU gives in order to succeed.”
On campus
By Crystal Baity
Students in Derek Maher’s religious studies Buddhism class this spring learn that mindfulness started as an integral part of Buddhist meditation practice. A related, proven therapeutic — mindfulness-based stress reduction — helps relieve anxiety and improve balance in one’s life.
“MBSR is a therapeutic approach that has been abstracted from its religious context. They’re both about getting into a happier place or a less anxious place,” Maher says. “I think cultivating your own happiness and contentment through this and other practices that one might do creates a more peaceful atmosphere around yourself. We all want to spend more time with that colleague or family member who is content and happy. We often choose our friends that way.”
Similarly, meditation provides a range of benefits for mental and physical health.
“You recognize the value of being happy and content, and then you take the steps to cultivate that, and then that eventually becomes your natural disposition. And it attracts other people to you. And before long, other people are moved by the ripple,” Maher says.
Research shows that student well-being and mental health are connected to academic success, says LaNika Wright, associate vice chancellor for student well-being and dean of students at ECU.
“We know that it’s not just anecdotal; it’s real life,” she says. “We care about student health and well-being and making sure that their wellness is a priority.”
Campus recreation and wellness programs, club sports and intramurals promote community and belonging. Counseling services and outreach programs including You Matter and Are U OK Day foster connections and caring.
Experiential learning helps students discover what they love — or don’t like — on their path to graduation.
“Once you find your purpose and you feel like you’re really making a difference, then you go out and make that difference. And you’re looking to bring other people along with you,” Wright says.
As former director of ECU Student Health Services, Wright precepted the current director, C. LaShae’ Wilson, 15 years ago when she was a nurse practitioner student. “She realized that college health was where she wanted to be,” Wright says. “Now she’s helping other students be healthy.”
Another resource for students is ECU’s Financial Wellness Hub, one of the first programs offered in the UNC System. Director Kevin Sutton, two graduate assistants and seven undergraduate interns work with hundreds of students in the transition to financial autonomy each year. They discuss spending and saving habits, setting goals, strategies for day-to-day financial management as well as credit cards, credit debt and credit scores.
Sutton recommends a weekly budget check-in — not just for students but also for employees, alumni, retirees — whatever the lifespan.
“If you check your transactions every week, you’re more likely to see something going wrong or catch a fraudulent charge,” he says. “Money can be stressful for a lot of people. If we’re talking about happiness, it’s the absence of stress, right? These are the things that someone can do to help remove stress associated with money.”
Finding purpose leads to success
By Patricia Earnhardt Tyndall
Kelly King ’70 and Bob Barnhill ’70 have spent their careers in banking and construction passionately focused on a fundamental idea guaranteed in the Declaration of Independence — the inalienable right to pursue happiness.
Throughout their careers, and now in retirement, the friends from their days at ECU engage with others as often as possible to share lessons they learned that helped them lead happy and successful lives.
“What I do all seems to line up around a central theme for me right now, and that is really around trying to help people figure out how to be successful and happy. Because what I found is that most people that are successful aren’t really happy,” King says. “Bob and I both like using the word happiness because people immediately know what you’re talking about. But we also talk a lot about how we define happiness as a deeper sense of well-being, a sense of enrichment, a sense of fulfillment and a sense that your life matters.”
King moved from a tobacco farm to ECU, where he was determined to be successful, with farm life in the past. He graduated as the top student in the School of Business and began a 50-year career in banking with BB&T (now Truist). When he retired as CEO in 2022, Truist was the sixth largest bank in the country.
Barnhill earned a business administration degree and entered the contracting and construction industry. He became president of his family-owned Barnhill Contracting Company in 1987. Now retired, he serves as chairman of the board. The company works in commercial building, site development, asphalt paving and asphalt manufacturing. Much of North Carolina’s highways and infrastructure is well-known for being “Barnhill built.”
Lesson one in the pursuit of happiness is being clear about one’s purpose. King and Barnhill believe that being guided by what their faith calls them to do allowed each of them to more deeply understand their purpose and values.“A lot is being written about finding your purpose in life. We’ve worked with our employees on knowing themselves first. And that helps,” Barnhill says. “I think that’s number one. Once you know yourself, then you’re much more likely to know what your purpose is.”
With one’s purpose in mind, the next step is to find a career or company aligned with similar purpose and values.
“I got up every day thinking I had the honor and the pleasure of being able to go to work,” King says. “When I turned my attention to real happiness, it’s interesting. I was more successful in the business than I probably ever was.”
Both men believe they have led by focusing on growing their people and their communities to help make the world better.
“Having a happy, content workplace is the number one criterion to having a successful workplace,” Barnhill says. “Everybody’s got to do the job, but there’s no reason you can’t do it and be happy doing it.”
Creating lightbulb moments
By Crystal Baity and Kristen Martin
It’s those lightbulb moments — when a concept finally clicks — that seventh-grade math teacher Ashley Parmley ’20 loves to see.
That’s when students leave her classroom smiling because they finally understand something that once frustrated them.
“I work hard to make math feel approachable and even fun, and seeing students laugh, engage and encourage each other shows me that effort pays off,” she says. “I’ve seen students who once doubted themselves start taking risks, asking questions and helping their peers. Knowing that my energy and intentionality can turn math class from a source of stress into a place of curiosity and confidence is what makes my work so meaningful.”
Parmley believes learning should be a positive, empowering experience.
“When my students feel happy and supported, they are more willing to try new things and grow — and that makes teaching meaningful,” she says. “Their joy fuels my own, reminding me that the effort I put into building relationships, a welcoming classroom and planning engaging lessons truly matters. Seeing students leave my class feeling more confident than when they walked in is one of the best parts of my job.”
She says she grows alongside her students at Mills Park Middle School in Cary.
“Every day brings something new, and I enjoy the creativity of designing lessons that keep students engaged,” she says. “Most of all, teaching connects me to a community and gives me a sense of purpose knowing that the work we do together truly matters.”
Parmley earned a bachelor’s degree in middle grades education with a concentration in science and math at ECU. Last year, she was a Teacher of the Year semi-finalist in the Wake County Public School System.
What’s your ECU happy place?
There is that place at ECU you see when you close your eyes — the seat from where you cheer for the Pirates, a favorite study nook in the Joyner stacks or your spot to gather with friends near the Cupola. That happy place evokes good memories. Pirates from across campus and around the country shared reflections about their favorite happy places on campus.
Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium
Dowdy-Ficklen ranks as the top happy place for Pirates. Georgia Childs ’93 ’95 says, “There is no better energy and spirit than game day in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium!” For ECU staff member Nicole Stokes, the stadium was the place she met, got engaged to and, in 2017, married Matt Stokes ’05.
The Mall
The Mall is at the heart of Main Campus and home to ECU’s most iconic symbol — the Cupola. It’s a favorite for all seasons. The grassy lawn and shady spots provide respite and community. Students gather for events, to have study sessions in the sunshine or to relax with friends.
Trustees Fountain
A favorite backdrop for graduate photographs and one of ECU’s most iconic symbols, the Trustees Fountain is a focal point of Main Campus. Originally built in 1932, it was rededicated during ECU’s centennial celebrations in 2009.
Joyner Library Sonic Pillars
Music rings out with every step under the Joyner Library sonic pillars. The columns were once the entrance to the library and now serve as the entryway to the Sonic Plaza. It is a happy place for many Pirates, especially Bonnie Brockwell Brown ’78 and Mike Rollins, who married at the steps in September.
Brewster Courtyard
The stone walls and green space of the Brewster courtyard provide a respite for students, faculty and staff. “My happy place is the courtyard in the middle of Brewster. It’s so peaceful and it’s nice on a breezy day,” says junior Jenna Crawford.