GREENVILLE, N.C. (March 10, 2026) — A transformational $10 million gift from David and Laura Brody of Raleigh, and Hyman and Stacy Brody of Greenville, will support and expand the Brody Scholars Program, East Carolina University and ECU Health Foundation announced today.
The university will honor the family and their steadfast ties to the institution and region with the naming of the new 195,000-square-foot Brody Center for Medical Education when it opens for the 2027-28 academic year. Approved by the ECU Board of Trustees on Feb. 13, the naming recognizes a decades-long philanthropic relationship between the family and the university to strengthen ECU’s mission.
The gift directly strengthens the Brody Scholars Program and the Brody School of Medicine’s mission to train physicians to serve North Carolina, especially in rural and underserved communities.
“The Brody family has once again demonstrated its extraordinary commitment to the mission and success of East Carolina University,” Chancellor Philip Rogers said. “For nearly 50 years, our university has answered the call to train high quality physicians who will meet the health care needs of our rural communities. The state of North Carolina has put its trust in us to continue that success. I am profoundly appreciative of the Brody family’s unwavering generosity and steadfast commitment to enhancing the health and well-being of our region.”
“This gift builds upon the significant funding put forward by the North Carolina General Assembly and the UNC System Board of Governors to advance the future of health care in our state,” cousins Hyman Brody and David Brody said, before thanking those elected and appointed leaders as well as Rogers, deans of the school Drs. Michael Waldrum and Jason Higginson, and others whose work has made the new building a reality.
Next year, the medical school marks 50 years since the first four-year medical school class arrived on campus. In 1999, the ECU Board of Trustees named the school, the Brody School of Medicine ¾ the first time at the university a school had been named for a donor ¾ in recognition of the family’s decades of significant contribution.
“Our family’s connection to East Carolina University dates to 1947 when (former Chancellor) Dr. Leo Jenkins’ friendship with my father, Morris, and my uncles, Sammy and Leo, planted seeds that grew into a shared belief in this university’s mission,” Hyman Brody said. “That relationship led to our family’s initial support of the School of Medicine — a commitment rooted not only in philanthropy but stewardship and partnership.”
Along with improving health outcomes in the region, the Brody family has funded arguably the premier medical school scholarship in North Carolina — the Brody Scholars program. It provides full tuition, fees and enrichment opportunities for four years of medical education. The Brody family’s latest contribution will expand the Brody Scholars Program. Today, there are 12 Brody Scholars at the Brody School of Medicine and 147 alumni of the Brody Scholars Program.
“This contribution to the Center for Medical Education is especially meaningful to Laura and me because it expands the Brody Scholars Program so more students can graduate medical school with little or no debt and focus on what matters most: caring for patients,” said David Brody. “Investing in those students is, to us, exactly what doing good looks like.”
The family’s gift will be added to an existing endowment dedicated solely to supporting the Brody Scholars Program, according to Dr. Scott Senatore, chief philanthropy officer with the ECU Health Foundation. The investment ensures long-term sustainability for the scholarship and signals the importance of philanthropy in advancing medical education, supporting community health and inspiring future generosity. The Brody family’s cumulative giving to ECU now totals more than $35 million. The new Brody Center for Medical Education will serve as one of ECU’s most advanced instructional facilities, enabling the medical school to expand its class size to 120 students while offering state-of-the-art simulation spaces, learning studios, a new anatomy lab, student collaboration spaces and outdoor gathering areas. Construction of the new $265 million facility is funded by the state of North Carolina.
“The Brody School of Medicine was founded to meet the health care needs of our state, and this gift advances that mission in profound ways,” said Waldrum, who along with his academic role, is also CEO of ECU Health. “Brody Scholars become the kind of physicians every community needs — compassionate, skilled and committed to service. This investment ensures that more of those physicians will stay in North Carolina, where their impact is immeasurable. It is deeply gratifying to know that the Brody name will accompany this new state-of-the-art facility.”
The Brody School of Medicine is nationally recognized for graduating physicians who choose primary care specialties and practice in rural communities historically underserved by medicine. The new naming gift reinforces ECU as a leader in this mission and encourages additional philanthropic investment in the university’s medical education and health sciences enterprise.
Click here to learn more about the Brody Center for Medical Education.
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Bob and Penny Barnhill, lifelong residents of eastern North Carolina, have built a legacy rooted in generosity and community spirit. Their philanthropic reach extends across the region, and at ECU Health and the ECU Health Foundation, we are deeply grateful for their partnership and support.
Since 2020, the Barnhills’ family business, Barnhill Contracting, has celebrated ECU Health Cancer Care nurses and healthcare workers with a special lunch during National Nurses Week. What began as a gesture of gratitude for the exceptional care given to a co-worker has become a cherished annual tradition, one that lifts spirits and reminds the Cancer Care teams how much their work matters.
“Philanthropy is about investing in the well-being of our neighbors and the future of our community. I choose to give to ECU Health because the world-class care they provide is not just medical; it is personal and essential. For the people of eastern NC, ECU Health is a lifeline and supporting it means ensuring that every community member has access to the compassionate, high-quality care they deserve.”
– Bob Barnhill
The Barnhills’ generosity also continues to advance medical education and research. In 2018, Bob and Penny joined ECU Health and East Carolina University to create two distinguished professorships within the Division of Hematology and Oncology at the ECU Brody School of Medicine.
Their $3 million gift established The Robert and Penny Barnhill Distinguished Professorship in Hematology and Oncology and The Barnhill Family Distinguished Professorship in Hematology and Oncology, each honoring their enduring commitment to improving health care in eastern North Carolina.
Currently held by Dr. Darla Liles, the Barnhill Family Distinguished Professorship supports critical research roles, including nurses, clinical research associates and data managers who make participation in investigator-led clinical trials possible. These trials often lack the funding provided by pharmaceutical sponsors, making the Barnhills’ investment vital to advancing discovery and improving outcomes for patients across our region.
The Robert and Penny Barnhill Professorship, held by Dr. Nasreen Vohra, supports clinical and translational research in a variety of cancers including but not limited to breast cancer, colon cancer, pancreatic cancer and melanoma. The Barnhill Professorship has enabled Dr. Vohra and her research partners, including surgical oncology division faculty and resident physicians, to present their findings at national conferences and attend leadership training. Insights gained from this research, as well as participation in academic and clinical surgical oncology societies, play a critical role in advancing their understanding of cancer and enhancing cancer care in eastern North Carolina and beyond.
ECU Health is launching a new telemedicine project to improve access to specialized care for rural patients at five hospitals: ECU Health Bertie, ECU Health Chowan, ECU Health Duplin, ECU Health North and ECU Health Roanoke-Chowan. These sites currently have limited access to specialist physicians, requiring patients to travel to ECU Health Medical Center in Greenville for care.
By connecting these sites to the ECU Health Medical Center hub, this project will offer telemedicine services directly at local hospitals, reducing travel costs and improving access to high-quality care. ECU Health has been awarded nearly $1 million from the USDA to operationalize this initiative. The project includes installing telemedicine carts at each site and advanced telehealth equipment in patient rooms at two locations.
This will enable patients and clinicians to consult with specialists at ECU Health Medical Center remotely while receiving in-patient care in the community hospitals that do not currently have specialists on site. The technology will provide a seamless and high-quality experience for both patients and clinicians.
This initiative will significantly benefit underserved communities, particularly by reducing the financial barrier of traveling for medical care. It also aims to improve patient health outcomes by keeping families and their support systems close during treatment. This assistance from the USDA aligns with its mission to enhance health care access in eastern North Carolina and become a national leader in rural health.
The ECU Health Foundation is proud to recognize The Service League of Greenville — a long-standing, loyal partner whose unwavering commitment has left an extraordinary mark on health care in eastern North Carolina. Founded in 1938, the Service League of Greenville is a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization of dedicated women who tirelessly serve their local and regional community. The passion and generosity of their nearly 160 current members has touched countless lives, and ECU Health and the colleges and schools of the health sciences at East Carolina University have been fortunate to be among the many beneficiaries of their philanthropic vision.
“As President of the Service League of Greenville, I have never known a more giving group of ladies. We all enjoy helping our neighbors throughout Pitt County and the Medical community. I am proud to be a part of such an amazing organization,” said Cassie Causey, President of The Service League of Greenville.
Throughout the years, The Service League of Greenville has contributed more than $14.5 million to health care and health sciences initiatives. Most recently, they made a generous $100,000 commitment to the Investing in Our Future Endowment — a perpetual fund designed to advance ECU Health and its academic partners in improving the health, education and well-being of our region.
We are honored to steward The Service League of Greenville’s funds and ensure that their legacy of giving continues to make a meaningful and lasting impact on the communities we serve.
This April, we proudly celebrated the 40th anniversary of ECU Health EastCare, a lifeline for critically ill and injured patients across eastern North Carolina. As the first program in the state to carry whole blood products, EastCare continues to set the standard for critical care transport, operating a fleet of five helicopters and multiple ground units, including a Children’s Transport Team in partnership with James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital. With each helicopter logging over 900 hours—far surpassing the national average of 300—our crews work tirelessly to provide rapid, lifesaving care when every second counts.
To remain at the forefront of emergency transport, we couldn’t do what we do without the support of people like you. Donor dollars are essential to equipping our teams with the latest life-saving technology, including updated stretchers ($60,000 each), 22 heart monitors ($38,000 each), and 22 ventilators ($21,000 each). Additionally, each crew member requires three flight suits ($450 per suit) and helmets ($2,000 each) to ensure safety and readiness.
As we mark this milestone, we invite you to join our efforts in celebrating EastCare and all that they do for eastern North Carolina. Your generosity ensures we can continue to deliver world-class care to those who need it most.
Community partners are essential to the work of the ECU Health Foundation. The impact these partners provide on a daily basis to the patients and families at James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital is life-changing. Pirates Vs. Cancer is just one example of the tremendous efforts and impact made by our community partners.
Pirates Vs. Cancer was founded nine years ago by Trevor Hunt and other students at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. These students weren’t just studying the impact of cancer — they had seen it in their families, their communities and often in their own lives. In response, this dedicated group turned those experiences into action, building a powerful tradition that brings hope to children across eastern North Carolina who are fighting cancer.
In April 2025, Brody students hosted the ninth annual Pirates Vs. Cancer event, bringing their total raised to more than $174,000 in support of pediatric cancer patients at Maynard Children’s Hospital. Every dollar raised goes directly toward improving the lives of pediatric oncology patients all across eastern North Carolina.
Funds raised through Pirates Vs. Cancer have already made a lasting impact. Past donations helped renovate the inpatient playroom — a vital space where children can find comfort and joy during treatment. This bright and innovative area is available for children and teens admitted to the children’s hospital and offers activities for all ages, including video games, imaginative play, arts and crafts and more.
Thanks to Pirates Vs. Cancer and all of of our vital community partners, we can continue to bring big smiles to our smallest patients and further our mission to improve the health and well-being of children across the region.
T
hanks to your ongoing generosity, the 28th annual Music for Miracles Radiothon has achieved an amazing milestone—raising more than $4 million in total for the children and families who rely on the care at James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital at ECU Health Medical Center.
This year alone, 
our community came together to raise $113,734 during the radiothon on 107.9 WNCT and all the Inner Banks Media stations. Your support, alongside the collective effort of many, has made a tremendous impact on the lives of sick and injured children in eastern North Carolina.
Every dollar raised through this event goes directly toward critical programs and services at Maynard Children’s Hospital—ensuring the best possible care for our youngest patients.
We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to you for being a vital part of this success. Your contribution helps us make miracles happen every day. Thank you once again for your unwavering commitment to the children of eastern North Carolina. Together, we are building brighter futures and creating lasting change for the children and families who need us most.
“The Radiothon is one of the highlights of our year in terms of our public service efforts. As is often the case when you do something like this, we were the ones who were blessed to have been part of it,” said Henry Hinton, Inner Banks Media President.
On March 5, East Carolina University celebrated Pirate Nation Gives, its annual day of giving. Students, alumni, faculty and friends came together to raise more than $193,000 in support of the schools and colleges of the health sciences. The day was full of energy, especially on the health sciences campus, where faculty and staff brought enthusiasm and creativity to the celebration.
The ECU Health Foundation hosted a kickoff breakfast — a first for Pirate Nation Gives — which set the tone for a fun and impactful day. One of the day’s highlights came courtesy of Dean Bim Akintade, who made good on a playful promise: after the College of Nursing reached 100 donors, he gamely took a cake to the face — all in the name of Pirate pride and philanthropy.
Thanks to the collective generosity of our Pirate Nation, the spirit of giving was alive and well, helping to advance education, training and health care for eastern North Carolina and beyond.