Featured photography 2026

Group photo of graduates in purple caps and gowns standing on building steps with a faculty member, all holding up a number-one hand gesture.
Kevin Williamson ‘87, the creative force behind the Scream movie franchise, Dawson’s Creek and more, returned to ECU to give the commencement address in May. He also spent time with graduating seniors from the College of Fine Arts and Communication as they embark on their careers. (Photo by Rhett Butler)
Jake Floyd, the bass player for the Cleveland, Ohio, alternative pop-rock duo The Orphan The Poet, belts out lyrics during Barefoot on the Mall on April 28. An estimated 6,500 attended the event that’s been held annually since 1979 on the last day of class. (Photo by Steven Mantilla)
Musician performs on an outdoor stage, playing an electric guitar and singing into a microphone beneath colorful stage lighting.
Three students in business attire stand with folded arms beside a large bull statue in an urban plaza.
Business students, from left, Madeline Wilson, Ella Slate and Whitley McCoy wait for a tour to begin at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in Frankfurt, Germany, during an eight-day trip in May to learn about business and career opportunities in Germany — what might become a yearly event for students to experience business and culture in other countries. Said Slate, a triple major (accounting, finance and supply chain management) and rising senior, “Just because our school is in the United States, it does not mean that our opportunities are limited to the United States.” (Photo by Rich Klindworth)
ECU sophomore Treyveon Purvis climbs on the back of Michael Travis Reed, a junior, as freshman Mekhi Taylor acts in the background during a Feb. 17 dress rehearsal for the Shakespeare classic Twelfth Night at McGinnis Theatre. All three are musical theatre majors.
(Photo by Steven Mantilla)
Actors perform onstage during a theatrical production, with one performer riding on another performer’s shoulders while additional cast members stand nearby.

Two restaurant professionals stand behind a counter in a bar and dining space while a flame rises from a cooking demonstration, with ingredients and cookware arranged in the foreground.

Brandon Qualls ’05, left, and Jordan Whitley, a sophomore from Greenville, work on a toasted meringue for a deconstructed lemon pie at Qualls’ Greenville restaurant, Ford+Shep. Whitley, a Chancellor’s Scholar, is working an internship there while pursuing a degree in hospitality management.
(Photo by Steven Mantilla)

The Diamond Pirates won the American baseball championship with a thrilling 1-0 victory over the University of Texas-San Antonio to earn the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. It was the fifth conference tournament championship under head coach Cliff Godwin ‘00 ‘02. Pirate pitcher Ethan Norby took the win and Most Outstanding Player honors for the tournament. (Photo by the AAC)
Members of a baseball team gather on the field and raise a championship trophy overhead while celebrating in a stadium.