Honors College to focus on student experiences for Pirate Nation Gives

For Pirate Nation Gives on March 4, 2026, the Honors College and Brinkley-Lane Scholars program are focused on experiences that enrich the lives of our students. The college has created four challenges, supported by generous donors and friends of the college, to fund those goals.

Honoring the College Challenge

If the college receives gifts from at least 250 individual donors to any of the dean’s priorities, an additional $25,000 of support will be unlocked. These priorities are listed in the following three challenges.

Brinkley-Lane High-Impact Experiences

The Brinkley-Lane Scholars take three impact trips each year: the Holloman First-Year trip to Ocracoke Island, Washington, D.C. for the second year students, and either New York City or Charleston, S.C. for the fourth years. During these trips, the scholars bond with each other, meet community members and alumni where they are traveling and complete service to give back. If 30 donors give between 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to the Brinkley-Lane Scholars Priority Fund, an additional $10,000 will be unlocked for these high-impact experiences.

Honors College High-Impact Experiences

Honors students can participate in a variety of high-impact experiences during their undergraduate years, including study abroad, research, travel to conferences, alternative break experiences, internships and more. To help support our students in these endeavors, this challenge will unlock an additional $40,000 if at least 30 donors give between 4-6 p.m. to the Honors College Priority Fund.

Enriching the Scholar Experience Challenge

Brinkley-Lane Scholars enrichment scholarships provide additional funding for each scholar to pursue educational or developmental opportunities not covered by their scholarship. These experiences can range from additional study abroad trips and alternative break service trips to travel for academic conferences and creative activities. If the Brinkley-Lane Enrichment Fund receives 50 gifts during the day, an additional $50,000 will unlocked for these scholarships.

Student Challenges

During the day, our Honors College students are also able to participate in fun challenges against each other. The building will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for building challenges throughout the day.

1. Class challenges
   • The Honors College class that has the most donor participation will have the chance to be Dean for a Day. A name will randomly be drawn from the names of students who give in that class to switch places with Dr. Fraley.
   • The Brinkley-Lane Scholars class that has the most participation will switch places with Dr. Ford. A name will randomly be drawn from those who give.
2. Mentor/Mentee Challenge
   • All mentors and their mentees who take a group photo together with the Honors PNG banner in Mamie, share it on social media and tag the Honors College will be entered into a giveaway for a group prize.
3. BLS Family Challenge
   • Each BLS family who takes a photo with the Honors PNG banner in Mamie will be entered into a giveaway for a special lunch with Dr. Ford.
4. Seniors
   • All graduating seniors can give $20.26 and receive one of ECU’s philanthropy cords in Mamie Jenkins on Pirate Nation Gives!
5. Social Media Challenge
   • Post on social media about why you love honors! This could be a post dedicated to research, study abroad, the honors community or anything! You must tag Honors and share the link to give. Everyone who does this will be entered in a giveaway.
6. Additional Challenges
   • Any honors student who gives for PNG is entered into a giveaway for Honors College merch. You can earn extra entries by:
     • being the 1^st, 10^th, 15^th or 26^th honors student to give that day
     • being the 1^st student to give in the building at 10 a.m.
     • attend the Instagram live celebration at 5 p.m. in the building