2023 Spring Banquet

The 2023 Spring Banquet was on Friday, April 14, 2023, from 5:00 – 8:00 PM, at ECU Main Campus Student Center, Room #249. Over eighty alums, students and guests, faculty and staff gathered to celebrate the graduating seniors, scholarship/award recipients, and the program’s achievements.

The event began with remarks by Dean Allison Danell (THCAS), Dr. Jeff Popke (Chair, DGPE), and Ms. Catherine Grimm (Chair, Planning Alumni Advisory Board, Planning Director of the Town of Tarboro, NC). Mr. Joe Durham–Principal of the Joe Durham Associates–was the keynote speaker.

During the banquet this year, we held two special moments. First, a special video was made to remember Wes Hankins, FAICP, Professor Emeritus, who passed away recently. A collection of alums’ stories about Prof. Hankins were narrated by planning students(see the video). The second special event recognized the Pitt County Planning Department’s internship support (see the video). For 28 years, Pitt County has trained and sponsored 98 planning students. Tremendous dedication to the Pirate Planning Program!

In addition, three new planning faculty starting Fall 2023 were announced; twelve graduating seniors and the current and newly elected SPAN officers were recognized; student scholarships and award recipients and Distinguished Alumni Award recipients were announced. All program contributors were also recognized.

We want to thank all Banquet sponsors who donated funds to support students attending the banquet. We also want to thank Dean Allison Danell and Dr. Jeff Popke for the college and departmental support to make this special moment even more memorable. A special thanks to Ms. Debby Diffenbaugh at the Dean’s Office for helping organize the 2023 Spring Banquet.