Robert H. Wright Leadership Award
Leadership Awards
The ECU Alumni Association has selected its five student recipients of the Robert H. Wright Alumni Leadership Award. This award recognizes students’ academic achievement as well as commitment to leadership and integrity. The students will be honored at ECU’s spring commencement ceremony on May 8, 2026.
The Robert H. Wright Alumni Leadership Award is presented to students who live up to Robert H. Wright’s legacy of using leadership to influence positive change, just as Wright did as the first president of East Carolina Teachers Training School and East Carolina Teachers College.
This year’s recipients are:
- Kooper Ashmore – Risk Management and Insurance
- Katie Council – Accounting
- Michael Fuqua – Physics
- Whitley McCoy – Marketing
- Majoie Ngandi – Software Engineering
Recipients are selected by the Awards Committee which is comprised of members of the ECU Alumni Association Board of Directors, with an announcement in the spring. Award winners include current graduating seniors earning a bachelor’s degree and students who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in the preceding year. They must have a grade point average of 3.5, with some exceptions for students with extraordinary achievements beyond the classroom.
Nominations for the 2027 awards will open in the fall.
2025 Robert H. Wright Award Recipients
Hannah Blackburn
Major: Engineering, Biomedical
Hannah founded the ECU Chapter of the Helping Hand Project in April 2022 and served as president for two years before supporting the group in an advisory role. She hosted guest speakers and a discussion panel to explore the life of prosthetic users, overseen the creation of 3D-printed assistive devices, and collaborated with College of Health and Human Performance national chapters to foster local community engagement. Hannah has been involved in leadership with Tau Beta Pi (Engineering Honor Society), Society of Women Engineers, Biomedical Engineering Society throughout her time at ECU. These organizations have allowed her to reconnect the groups with ECU alumni, coordinate local STEM fundraisers, and organize a statewide engineering exploration event. Through her Engineering Senior Capstone project, Hannah has led efforts to 3D model a sustainable attachment to meet the needs of patients reached by Pitt County prosthetic mission work in developing African countries. After graduation, she plans to work in biotechnology, medical device research and development in Research Triangle Park, NC.
Christine Chan
Major: Biology and Environmental Studies
During her time at ECU, Christine has been deeply committed to understanding and addressing environmental issues, inspiring her community to actively protect the environment. She serves as a Campus Fellow for the North Carolina Conservation Network, collecting over 200 petitions advocating for increased wetland protection and leading significant get-out-the-vote initiatives. Christine believes in learning through teaching, mentoring WaterCorps students and serving as a Teaching Assistant for several Biology and SCUBA courses. She also volunteers at the North Carolina Estuarium, where she supports its mission to celebrate the nature and culture of the Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsula. Christine has researched the movements and effects of microplastics in estuaries at ECU and the University of Delaware, studied sea turtle life history at the Duke University Marine Lab, and examined the impacts of ocean acidification and warming on invertebrate physiology at the NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center Kodiak Laboratory. After graduation, Christine plans to further her experience in marine science, focusing on education and outreach.
Alexander Fisher
Major: Biochemistry
Raised in Hickory, Alex Fisher is an Honors College student graduating with a degree in Biochemistry. While at ECU, Alex created the first ever Campus EMS agency which responds to 911 emergencies on campus, staffs sporting events, and provides emergency education. Additionally, working with the Compress and Shock Foundation, Alex has trained over 1,200 people in bystander CPR and has given out 45 free AEDs to underserved communities in Eastern NC. The success of his bystander CPR program led him to be published as the first author in the JACEP. He is also the founder of the Honors Ambassador Program which enhances recruitment efforts of the Honors College to bring more competitive students to ECU. After graduation, Alex will be attending medical school at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. He will also be commissioning in the United States Navy where he will serve his county as a Naval Physician.
Alessio Fratarcangeli
Major: Biology
During his time at ECU, Alessio has been an undergraduate assistant and lead tutor at the Pirate Academic Success Center for courses such as Principles of Genetics, Cell and Developmental Biology, and Organic Chemistry I/II, assisting over 500 students in his roles. Additionally, Alessio is the program coordinator for Farm2Clinic, a program through the Department of Nutrition that seeks to connect produce, nutrition, and health education to the uninsured of eastern North Carolina. In this role, Alessio has coordinated with farmers, food banks, and a network of student volunteers to harvest over 50,000 lbs. of produce for those in need across this region. Alessio has further supported this community through his work in the Fresh Start program. He has taken numerous roles in this program such as leading community group classes about nutrition, health education, physical activity, and cooking; and providing one-on-one individualized care for uninsured eastern North Carolinians. He has helped provide them with social and educational support to empower themselves to manage and prevent chronic illnesses such as diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. Alessio plans to carry this knowledge with him throughout his journey to become a future physician. Following graduation, Alessio will begin his studies as a medical school student at the Brody School of Medicine and a Brody Scholar for the class of 2029.
Jethro Libutan
Major: Computer Science
Originally from Durham, Jethro is a Brinkley-Lane Scholar in the Honors College, studying in the College of Engineering and Technology with a major in Computer Science and a minor in Music. He served as the student lead on a $1.2 million U.S. Army-funded research project focused on developing a new airdrop database and website to improve mission planning for the 82nd Airborne Division. He also helped launch the first website for Farm2Clinic, a free community health initiative that provides healthcare to uninsured, low-income patients with diabetes, obesity, and cardiometabolic risk in Eastern North Carolina. Jethro is active in ECU’s Musical Theatre department, where he rehearsed and performed as the keyboardist for the industry reading and public performances of Wildheart, a new musical by Chelsea Marcantel. He has played in ECU’s jazz ensembles and combos and performs at events and venues throughout Greenville. After graduation, he plans to work at a mission-driven company that strives to make a positive impact on the world.