ECU literary magazine wins national award

ECU News Services

East Carolina University's student-run literary magazine, Rebel, won the Associated Collegiate Press Magazine Pacemaker award at the 88th annual ACP/College Media Advisers National College Media Convention held in Austin, Texas.

Rebel won for general excellence in the category of four-year literary magazine. The winning issue was Rebel's 51st edition, produced and published in fall and spring 2008-09.

Chris Schwing was the edition's editor. Paul Isom, director of the ECU Office of Student Media, and graphic design faculty member Craig Malmrose served as advisers.

The American Poetry Journal judged nearly 80 entries from throughout the country in the category of four-year literary magazines. This is the ninth time ECU's Rebel has won the Pacemaker award. It was the only finalist from North Carolina.

"Being named one of the three best literary magazines in the nation is an amazing honor," Isom said.

"It recognizes the incredible talents of our ECU students who produced the book as well as the dozens whose works were included in the book."

This year, literary magazines were judged on content, quality of writing and editing, photography, art and graphics, layout, design, and overall concept or theme.

The winners were named during the 88th annual College Media Convention, attended by 2,200 students who work in college student media. Rebel staff members Courtney McAuley and Carson Copeland attended the convention along with students who produce the Buccaneer yearbook, Expressions magazine and WZMB-FM 91.3.

Recreation and Leisure Studies chair named

Deb Jordan has been appointed professor and chairwoman of the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies by Glen G. Gilbert, dean of the College of Health and Human Performance.

Jordan comes to ECU from Oklahoma State University, where she served as the graduate coordinator for the leisure studies program and taught in the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs.

Throughout her career, Jordan has received funding for research grants and has been recognized for her achievements, including being one of eight people chosen by the National Recreation and Park Association in March 2009 to participate in a summit to develop online education programs for parks, recreation and leisure services professionals. In 2007, she was elected as a fellow to the Academy of Leisure Studies, a 100-member honorary academy for parks, recreation and leisure services scholars.

She has written or co-written six textbooks and chapters as well as numerous articles in scholarly publications and has been a guest speaker for organizations and universities across the country.

Jordan earned an undergraduate degree in parks and recreation with an emphasis in recreation resource management in 1980 from Slippery Rock State College in Pennsylvania. In 1983, she received a graduate degree from Western Illinois University and in 1988 she earned a doctorate from Indiana University, both in parks and recreation administration.

"RCLS has an incredibly strong faculty and a tradition of being student-oriented. I am delighted to be a part of such a group of dedicated professionals," Jordan said. " I look forward to working with faculty and staff to increase the level of excellence we have in scholarship, teaching, and service.

"We have a lot to contribute to the region and the state in leadership development, quality of life and sustainability of the natural environment. We will be seeking ways to capitalize on the opportunities to evolve our program and the state of North Carolina," she said.

Her research interests include leadership, culture and diversity, and the social psychology of leisure behavior in natural settings.

Fall performance series premieres announced

The School of Music will begin its fall television concert series at 8 p.m. Monday with a performance by the ECU percussion ensemble, a student musician group under the direction of Jonathan Wacker.

The series, "ECU School of Music Presents," is a 30- to 60-minute music performance and interview show airing on Suddenlink Cable Channel 99, also known as ECU-TV.

The percussion concert will re-air at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Other featured concerts include the ECU saxophone ensemble on Nov. 18, 20 and 21; and ECU faculty member Jocelyn Nelson playing Renaissance-era guitar on Nov. 23, 25 and 28. These performances will air at 8 p.m.