East Carolina University Health Sciences donors Ed Demaree and Sandy Brotherton celebrated their March wedding not with a gift registry, but with an invitation to give. In lieu of presents, they asked family and friends to donate to university scholarships, a fitting reflection of two people who have spent their lives in service to others. The centerpiece of their appeal is the Demaree-McGinnis Endowed Scholarship at East Carolina University’s College of Nursing, established in memory of Ed’s sister Pam.
A pioneering flight nurse with EastCare air ambulance, Pam was among the program’s founding members in 1986 and was widely remembered as someone who poured herself into mentoring others interested in emergency medicine. She died in the tragic 1987 EastCare crash during one of her missions, alongside chief flight nurse Mike McGinnis. Over the scholarship’s 39-year history, it has supported 19 ECU nursing students with more than $15,000 in aid.
Sandy brings her own philanthropic legacy to the marriage. After more than 30 years as a professor in the physical therapy program at the Medical University of South Carolina, she became acutely aware of the financial pressures facing healthcare students. She and four retiring colleagues established the Come Together Physical Therapy Endowed Scholarship, and donations in the couple’s honor can be directed there as well.
Their message to peers, particularly those entering second marriages or later-in-life celebrations, is straightforward: if you’re already established and don’t need another set of dishes, consider directing that generosity toward the next generation of healthcare professionals. As Sandy put it, it’s a meaningful way to honor loved ones and invest in fields that depend on talented, dedicated people willing to do demanding, often dangerous work.
To give to the Demaree-McGinnis Endowed Scholarship, click here.
2026 marks a meaningful milestone for the ECU College of Nursing as the college honors the upcoming retirement of Dr. Rebecca Bagley, a beloved educator, mentor and national leader in midwifery education.
Dr. Bagley’s story is deeply rooted in ECU. She began her journey as a student at the College of Nursing, returned as faculty and spent decades shaping the nurse-midwifery program while continuing to practice clinically and serve in leadership roles across the country. Her impact can be seen not only in the program’s success, but in the countless nurses and midwives she has mentored along the way.
As she prepares for retirement, Dr. Bagley is creating a scholarship in her honor to support future nursing students, a fitting continuation of the legacy she has built over more than 35 years.
If you are interested in supporting the Rebecca Bagley Scholarship Endowment in Midwifery, please click here.
Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is the leading cause of maternal death and family dissolution in the U.S., with eastern North Carolina experiencing some of the most severe outcomes nationwide
Thanks to a $15,486 grant from the ECU Health Foundation, ECU College of Nursing faculty Courtney Caiola, PhD and Chandra Speight, PhD, in partnership with David Ryan, MD, founding clinician of ECU IMPACT, are leading a new initiative to improve outcomes in our region. They are working together, along with community partners, to improve regional screening and referral processes so at-risk groups can be connected to ECU IMPACT’s evidence based perinatal and addiction services.
This project reflects the shared mission of the College of Nursing and ECU Health, and is made possible by the generosity of ECU Health Foundation donors who are driving innovative solutions where they are needed most.
Donors like Atticus Fisher understand the life-changing impact of nurses because he saw it firsthand in his mother, Mary Lou Fisher, whose compassion and skill touched lives across the globe.
Mary Lou Schulz Fisher graduated with a Bachelor of Science in nursing from East Carolina University in 1985, and went on to live a full life as a successful travel nurse.
Mary Lou’s excellence caught the attention of President Jimmy Carter, who invited her to join a medical mission to Costa Rica. Inspired following the trip, she continued her education to earn a Master of Science in Nursing, which opened doors for her to serve internationally with Samaritan’s Purse. Through this work, she cared for people in need around the world.
Mary Lou passed away in 2016, but her legacy of compassion continues. To honor her lifelong commitment to caring for others, the Fisher family established the Mary Lou Schulz Fisher Scholarship at ECU, the place where her nursing journey began. To date, the scholarship has provided $1,000 awards to five students.
“As a senior pursuing a BSN degree, this scholarship will significantly help ease the financial burden of my education. The Fisher family’s support allows me to focus more on my academic and career goals without the much-added stress of finances,” said Haley Gipson, a recipient of the Mary Lou Schulz Fisher scholarship. “Not only that, but it encourages and motivates me to work hard and make the most of the opportunities that have been provided to me, just like Mary Lou Fisher did herself. I hope that one day I will be as inspirational as her.”
Sarah Swain, executive director of Health Sciences Philanthropy with the ECU Health Foundation, said creating a scholarship is a powerful way to honor a loved one’s legacy.
“We’re deeply grateful to families like the Fishers who understand the impact of an ECU education and are committed to transforming the lives of our students — both now and for generations to come,” Swain said.
To learn more about supporting College of Nursing students through an academic scholarship or to make a gift, contact Swain at 252-847-5874.
Martin and Melissa Anderson, longtime supporters of the ECU Health Foundation, are making a difference in the lives of others through their commitment and passion for philanthropy and service. Through the years, the Andersons have supported the efforts of James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital at ECU Health Medical Center and the College of Nursing at East Carolina University. Most recently, Martin and Melissa established a $250,000 endowment to benefit pediatric cardiology patients and clinicians at Maynard Children’s Hospital.
The Anna-Gray Anderson and Family Pediatric Cardiology Endowment, named in honor of their daughter, Anna-Gray, will provide programmatic and capital support with funding priority given to support Camp WholeHeart, a weekend camp designed for children living with congenital heart defects. Anna-Gray herself was once a pediatric cardiology patient at Maynard Children’s Hospital and, today, is a healthy 27-year-old living in Colorado.
Filled with gratitude for the lifesaving care and compassion their family received more than two decades ago, the Andersons created this endowment as a way to give back and ensure other children and families across eastern North Carolina receive the same specialized care and support that meant so much to them. Their gift reflects not only their appreciation, but also their deep commitment to advancing pediatric health care in the region they proudly call home.
As a Jersey Mike’s franchise owner, Martin has also demonstrated his commitment to giving back through the company’s annual Day of Giving campaign, held each year on the last Wednesday in March, during which 100% of sales are donated to local charities. Wanting to honor the exceptional care his daughter received at James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital, Martin designated the hospital as the beneficiary for all of his franchise locations in North Carolina. What began as a deeply personal commitment has since resulted in more than $1 million raised to support sick and injured children across eastern North Carolina.
The Andersons’ spirit of generosity and service is deeply rooted in the example set by their parents, who devoted decades to caring for and strengthening eastern North Carolina communities. Melissa’s father, the late Dr. William Monroe, lived a life defined by compassion, service and dedication to others. He began his medical career serving as the only physician for his battalion during the Vietnam War, where he was awarded the Bronze Star for Merit and the Combat Medical Badge for his service and sacrifice.
Following his military service, Dr. Monroe established his ophthalmology practice at Greenville Eye Clinic in 1969, where he faithfully cared for patients for nearly 40 years. Guided by a lifelong commitment to serving others, he also volunteered as the eye doctor for ECU Athletics for almost 35 years. In honor of his enduring legacy, the Anderson family, including her sister, Christina Teague, established the $25,000 Dr. William Monroe Medic to Nurse Endowment, supporting ECU’s College of Nursing medic-to-nurse pathway, helping future nurses continue a tradition of compassionate care. As a Pirate™ Nurse herself who worked at ECU Health Medical Center’s Pediatric ICU for 27 years, Melissa treasures the opportunity to help future nurses establish the same commitment to care demonstrated by her father.
The Andersons’ commitment to philanthropy has also been inspired by their mothers, both proud East Carolina University alumnae who shared a deep love for their community and a belief in the power of education and service. To honor their mothers’ legacies and invest in the future of eastern North Carolina, Martin and Melissa established the Blanche Kammer Monroe & Frankie Martin Carstarphen Anderson Endowment for faculty support at East Carolina University. Through this $25,000 endowment, they hope to strengthen opportunities for future generations in the College of Nursing by supporting teaching stipends, research and student assistance, in gratitude for the region and institutions that have played such an important role in their family’s story.
Not only does Melissa give back through philanthropic support, but she also invests her time and expertise through service. She currently serves on the American Heart Association of Greenville Heart Ball executive leadership team, the ECU Health Patient and Family Advisory Council and the College of Nursing DAAB (Dean’s Advisory and Advancement Board), which advances the dean’s strategic vision for nursing education in eastern North Carolina.
For more than 57 years, the Anderson family’s connection to ECU and ECU Health has remained a constant thread in their lives, shaped by care received, relationships built and a deep sense of belonging to the community. That enduring connection continues to inspire their commitment to giving back. As Melissa and Martin reflect, “we are just so grateful to be able to give back to the hospital and university that have given so much to our family.”
A generous gift from the Bedford Falls Foundation-DAF, through the ECU Health Foundation, will launch a first-of-its-kind initiative at East Carolina University to establish a medic-to-nurse pathway that will bring military medics through the accelerated Bachelor of Science program in the College of Nursing.
The five-year, $2 million partnership strengthens the relationship between ECU and the military and will bridge the transition between active military service and careers in community health care.
When Hurricane Helene rolled into western North Carolina in late September, Pirate nurses — from the mountains to the coast — dropped what they were doing and rushed to storm-ravaged western North Carolina to do what Pirates do best — provide service to those in need with the critical skills they had learned at East Carolina University.
